mellored
Legend
you can summon 8 pixies with Conjure fey. Which have polymorph and flight.
D&D 5E Why ever play a cleric?
- Thread starter krakistophales
- Start date
Sacrosanct
Legend
Only if your DM allows it. Which many don't. In our games, you only summon what would be most likely to be in the area.
FormerlyHemlock
Hero
Oh, you're talking about Conjure Woodland Creatures, not Conjure Fey. Conjure Fey only gives you one creature.
Over the past week or so, I have been creating a light cleric which will begin play next week. He is a Dwarven pyromaniac who worships Kossuth. It's been so much fun creating it, and I really look forward to playing him and exploiting his traits and weaknesses (namely: Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my own fireworks, that I want to create ever bigger fires and I am not always careful where I lay them down).
Now, when thinking about classes, I considered a mage or a sorcerer for different options, but the fact that most of the fire-based spells he has access to are domain spells and are available at all times made the real difference. If I chose to play a sorc, a focus on fire spells would be severely limiting due to the already limited spell selection available. Similarly, a wizard is in the same boat, but not quite as extreme as the problems a sorc would have being fire focussed. Against creatures who are immune to fire, a light cleric would be able to vary his spells widely, conjure creatures to contribute to the party, or heal / buff. These are the reasons why I've chosen a light cleric over other fire blasting classes. I've even made a few adaptions to the concept such as his healing spells giving brief pain as holy flame cauterises wounds and "healing 'flaming' word" has an instantaneous illusionary immolation effect, but these of course are only for flavour.
On the mechanics side, access to spells like wall of fire, scorching ray, and fireball make the class look like an absolute scorcher! Yet there is real diversity available in the full gamut of spells he can select at will. This is opposed to a wizard I play where he is very limited in spell selection as the DM does not give out scrolls easily. I would have liked to home-brew a cleric class focused more on fire than radiant damage, but the DM wouldn't allow it
Now, when thinking about classes, I considered a mage or a sorcerer for different options, but the fact that most of the fire-based spells he has access to are domain spells and are available at all times made the real difference. If I chose to play a sorc, a focus on fire spells would be severely limiting due to the already limited spell selection available. Similarly, a wizard is in the same boat, but not quite as extreme as the problems a sorc would have being fire focussed. Against creatures who are immune to fire, a light cleric would be able to vary his spells widely, conjure creatures to contribute to the party, or heal / buff. These are the reasons why I've chosen a light cleric over other fire blasting classes. I've even made a few adaptions to the concept such as his healing spells giving brief pain as holy flame cauterises wounds and "healing 'flaming' word" has an instantaneous illusionary immolation effect, but these of course are only for flavour.
On the mechanics side, access to spells like wall of fire, scorching ray, and fireball make the class look like an absolute scorcher! Yet there is real diversity available in the full gamut of spells he can select at will. This is opposed to a wizard I play where he is very limited in spell selection as the DM does not give out scrolls easily. I would have liked to home-brew a cleric class focused more on fire than radiant damage, but the DM wouldn't allow it
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thedutchwonder
Villager
because unlike playing three other games (savage worlds, gurps, and fate) dnd is wrapped in one. youre comparing apple to oranges, you can take all your point (fighting, gretty realism, and story) and put them into one game. however to his question theres no way one cleric can be all three so why choose cleric? playing DND BECAUSE ITS AWESOME
Ancalagon
Dusty Dragon
Hello you, from before the pandemic times. I know this was posted 10 000 years ago.
I think this is... incorrect. Ever cast spiritual guardian? Guidance? Nothing weak there.
Mistwell
Crusty Old Meatwad (he/him)
In my opinion, a Cleric makes a superior damage-dealer than a warlock, sorcerer and wizard.
tommybahama
Adventurer
I love a good necro thread. Please explain how the Cleric is a superior damage dealer? I notice you didn't include Druid--are they better than a Druid?
Mistwell
Crusty Old Meatwad (he/him)
No not better than a druid, or at least not better than a lower level Circle of Moon Druid. An example of a good Cleric build is Treantmonk's Light Cleric.
CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing
Looks like there's thread-necromancy afoot...
I like to play clerics in campaigns that focus on the relationship between gods and mortals...like a game world that takes its cues from Greek, Egyptian, or Norse mythology. In campaigns where the gods are real and close, and nearly every major plot arc involves making one god happy or another angry, I'll choose cleric all day long.
But in a world where the gods are distant and uninterested in the affairs of mortals, I think clerics feel a bit flat and unnecessary. I'd be more likely to play a warlock in that campaign.
I like to play clerics in campaigns that focus on the relationship between gods and mortals...like a game world that takes its cues from Greek, Egyptian, or Norse mythology. In campaigns where the gods are real and close, and nearly every major plot arc involves making one god happy or another angry, I'll choose cleric all day long.
But in a world where the gods are distant and uninterested in the affairs of mortals, I think clerics feel a bit flat and unnecessary. I'd be more likely to play a warlock in that campaign.
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