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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MonkeezOnFire" data-source="post: 7874935" data-attributes="member: 6784845">I will only comment on the classes that I have actually played in this level range. I've played a divination wizard from level 1 - 10, and I've played a knowledge cleric from level 3 to 7 (so not quite the full range). Cleric1) DPR - Great when you can go all out, otherwise meh. Between Spirit Guardians, Spiritual Weapon and Toll the Dead you can really lay down the hurt when you need to. But because these are resources you have to be careful about which encounters you actually use them in. You're still going to want martial characters in the party for their more reliable damage. 2) CC+Debuffs - Not too shabbyCommand and Hold Person are single target and a bit situational but they can be really clutch when you need them. Debuff wise you have Blindness which can be nice to throw out once you already have a concentration spell going. At base you lack aoe options in this department so you're not going to control hordes anytime soon. However, as a knowledge cleric I got access to confusion at level 7 which fit this niche nicely and really was able to split a hard combat into two smaller ones for us the one time I got to cast it. 3) Heals+Buffs - GoodSo we all know the Life cleric is really good at healing but if you're anything else you will be pretty average at it. Healing Word just to get people up and Prayer of Healing to shore up HP in between fights. Buff wise surprising there isn't that much here that stands out. Enhance ability is a niche pick but good if you are in a skill heavy game. Of course the cleric's specialty is being able to take care of just about any debuff that hits the party with the cast of a spell. 4) Utility+Skills - Okay to Great depending on domainAs a knowledge cleric this was my specialty. Having expertise in Arcana and Nature along with the guidance spell made me quite the skill expert (for the mental stats at least). On top of that channel divinity to gain a proficiency temporarily or to read minds is very helpful indeed. But other types of clerics will vary in this field. If the focus is on another field utility will be middling. 5) Social Tools - Okay to Great (again depending on domain)As a knowledge cleric I had access to suggestion and read thoughts which can be quite good for manipulating people. In addition I pumped my Charisma and took some of the social skills to aid in this department. Otherwise again if this isn't a specialty of your domain you will be middling and mostly just be the guy with high Insight. Overall I think the cleric is the caster class most dependent on subclass for what role it will fill. The domain powers are potent and you will really want to lean into what you get from there. In my experience I thought I was going to be quite bad in combat but in exchange be great in social and exploration pillars. I definitely got the later but I was also surprised how simply preparing a couple bread and butter combat spells can make the cleric a force to be reckoned with.Wizard1) DPR - Great burst when needed but overall not a reliable damage dealerYou get some of the most efficient blast in the game through Fireball. You can also take Magic Missile for a near guaranteed way to deal damage. However, focusing on just this isn't doing the class justice. Take a couple blast spells to have in your back pocket but don't blow all your slots on them. 2) CC + Debuff - The KingYou have some of the most devastating CC in the game. Wall of Force with no save. Polymorph and Banishment for a single save or be gone. Web in a choke point can turn a rushing wave of enemies into a gentle trickle. In addition to that you have enough spell choices to be able to diversify to target whatever save you want. 3) Heals + Buffs - No healing, but amazing buffingYou have no healing. Just ignore Life Transference its bad. But you have some amazing buffs in your arsenal and I definitely recommend having at least one for when you face something with crazy magic resist. They can't resist you putting Polymorph or Haste on an ally. Also did I mention Fly? Or Invisibility? 4) Utility + Skills - GreatThe wizard has a number of spell options that can be used to straight up replace a skill check with success. Knock opens doors. Fly will get you across that gap. It's great when you are able to do this but you have to manage your spell slots carefully as they are limited. 5) Social Tools - Good, but I'm not a fanSo the school of enchantment is generally all about this, but most DMs I've run this will treat using it as a hostile action. Meaning that in most social situations that you're simply trying to convince an innocent NPC to help you it's not really worth the risk of getting chased out of the town. That said because social interactions are DM dependent it might be different for you. Overall the wizard truly is good at a bit of everything. From turning the tide of combat to trivializing exploration. But when I say that don't expect to be a one man party. You can't possibly take every exploration spell and combat spell and enchantment spell. You will have certain things you are great at and things you simply cannot do. Just be smart about your spell choice and how you use your spell slots and you will have your fair share of spotlight moments.</blockquote>

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