D&D 5E Why ever play a cleric?

[Morrus]

Then why does it exist?

If you have questions about the boards, or about moderation, please take them to the Meta forum. We don't encourage thread derailment with moderation discussion. Thanks.

 

[TwoSix]

While light domain gets burning hands, scorching ray, fireball, and flame strike, what about arcana being able to snag higher level blasts like chain lightning/sunbeam/disintegrate/finger of death/sunburst/meteor swarm/etc? Is it simply a choice of getting better blasting early vs. investing for later level big blast power?

Pretty much, yes.

 

[krakistophales]

Hmm....you guys have opened my eyes to the awesomeness of the cleric. The thought of being a blaster in medium armor that can also buff/debuff/heal/resurrect AND has wis as his primary stat? Juicy...

I also wanna try the Arcana domain cleric, but that's a damn long loading time to get 6th+ level arcane spells, and the domain spell list doesn't look particularly appealing. Am I wrong?

 

[Morrus]

Didn't you start this derailment with your censorship post? Couldn't you have PM'd me and kept the thread on topic in the first place? At least be consistent with your moderation.

Really, dude? This just how you're introducing yourself? Please do not post in this thread again.

 

[Morrus]

Really dude? This is how you're introducing this site? Please don't use such poor logic on this thread again.

Well, it was a pleasure having you here, however briefly. I'm afraid I need to ask you to leave now, though. I hope you find a forum more suited to you.

 

[KahlessNestor]

This is you simply being butthurt because I didn't ask the question so gently, precisely, and politely as to not disrupt your delicate sensibilities.

Based on this thread, I'm starting to see the wisdom in playing a tempest cleric as a much better alternative to an eldritch knight if I wanted to go with a thunder/lightning themed gish.

How about a light domain cleric? Is this comparable to an arcane caster in terms of blasting while having the utility/healing of a cleric?

Dude, sometimes it is all about the approach.

 

[TwoSix]

Hmm....you guys have opened my eyes to the awesomeness of the cleric. The thought of being a blaster in medium armor that can also buff/debuff/heal/resurrect AND has wis as his primary stat? Juicy...

I also wanna try the Arcana domain cleric, but that's a damn long loading time to get 6th+ level arcane spells, and the domain spell list doesn't look particularly appealing. Am I wrong?

No, but you still get Greenflame and/or Booming Blade, can grab Magic Initiate with VHuman to get Shillelagh, and use that along with your core of Bless/Spiritual Weapon/Spirit Guardians to rock face until you do.

If you definitely want low-level blasting + Armor, light and tempest are both stellar.

 

[Z. H. Darkstar]

Hmm....you guys have opened my eyes to the awesomeness of the cleric. The thought of being a blaster in medium armor that can also buff/debuff/heal/resurrect AND has wis as his primary stat? Juicy...

I also wanna try the Arcana domain cleric, but that's a damn long loading time to get 6th+ level arcane spells, and the domain spell list doesn't look particularly appealing. Am I wrong?

I'll admit that the domain spells are rather generic, however the tradeoff is the other abilities gained.

Free Arcana proficiency
Two free Wizard cantrips that make Potent Cantrip ACTUALLY useful beyond Sacred Flame
Being able to "turn" more creature types than just undead

 

[mellored]

It's actually any cleric with... a few conditions. Access to Green-Flame Blade (thanks to the Magic Initiate feat) and the additional damage feature at level 8 and 14 (which means Life, Nature, Tempest, Trickery and War domains).

The numbers are as follow :

Weapon : 1d8+melee modifier (or Wisdom modifier if you have Shillelagh, Nature Cleric only)
Green-Flame Blade cantrip : 1d8 at level 5, up to 3d8 at level 17
Damage feature : 1d8 at level 8, 2d8 at level 14

Then you use Spiritual Weapon, that allows you to make a Melee spell attack with a Bonus Action :

Spiritual weapon : 1d8+wisdom modifier at level 3, up to 4d8+wisdom modifier at level 15 with an 8th level spell-slot.

Edit : I don't have Scag but I assume the Arcane Domain has the "add ability modifier on cantrips" at level 8 instead of the "add 1d8 damage once per turn", so Arcane is out ! ^^

Green flame blade is a cantrip. So you get +Wis for caster clerics against both targets, and +1d8 or 2d8 to the main target for weapon clerics. So arcane works just fine for that. Their issue is their very niche channel divinity.
You also need to factor in EK's 2 action surges. They won't lose the DPR without a fight.

But the main issue is that you only have 1 level 8 slot.
So you can match the fighter DPR, but only for 1 minute of the day.

Or if you really want to go nova, use spiritual weapon + spiritual guardian for an extra 3d8 damage. Then you beat the fighter, but still only 1/day.

 

[Zardnaar]

It's not the light clerics spell list that makes them great. It's the radiant dawn ability which is a mini fireball of radiant damage twice per short rest.