Hello, I wanted to ask if the death domain is supposed to be focused more on martial combat or casting spells. I would assume from their proficiency in martial weapons, touch of death and divine strike that they be in the front line crushing skulls. But, they also have reaper, Inescapable Destruction, and Improved Reaper which aren't bad at all so it makes me question if they are instead supposed to play in the back. I'm thinking maybe they are made like this to be more versatile and not pigeonhole someone of this domain into either option. I guess my real question is which should I focus on, for reference my character is a yuan ti pureblood and we're using customizing your origin so I have a +2 to Dex and +1 to Wis (I can change these if need be). I'm also using this domain bc in my current campaign our party is unable to be healed by normal means (we're all undead) so I'm trying to focus on damage and cleric just happens to be my class.
It's nicely flexible in what it does and it can do either melee or casting effectively, but your mileage for each feature will vary depending on what enemies you're facing and where they're positioned.
When I was playing a Death Cleric I could decide what I needed to do based on the battlefield at the time. Even at level 8 when Divine Strike had come online I was sometimes casting toll the dead or chill touch to have a chance at hitting two undamaged creatures, instead of attacking once with the improved melee attack. It entirely depended on the battlefield at the time and whether or not the squishier casters were being flanked by things, if we needed to hurt a larger creature more, etc.
EDIT: Corrected a piece of grammar which was annoying me.
As you’ve observed, you can really do either. I’d suggest spells will probably be the better bet, long term. As a cleric, you’ll be investing more into your wis than your str, so you are more likely to be effective with spells than with melee.
I can tell you from playing a tempest cleric, which also has a strong set of melee powers, I rarely used my weapon. After I took warcaster and got cantrip OAs, I barely used it at all. Since many spells force saves, you don’t have to worry about using ranged effects even in melee.
I actually just finished my character and he's a tortle death cleric and at first I was planning to be mainly martial since our only other martial guy is struggling by himself but when I rolled my stats i got insane stats so now I have a +5 to Wis and a +4 to Str at level two (customize your origin) so now I can do both melee and spellcasting very well.
Death is not that well designed of a domain, IMO. This domain is a tug of war between using cantrips or a weapon, and cantrips wins. Reaper has potential if you multiclass with Sorcerer for Quickened Spell and use Toll the Dead. If this class had Potent Spell casting it would synergize great, but it doesn't. Touch of Death has a problem because unfortunately the cleric doesn’t get any melee cantrips, so you’ll have to use feats or multiclassing to make it work. If your only option is to use a melee weapon, then you’re probably better off converting your Channel Divinity into a spell slot using the Tasha’s option. Inescapable Destruction is more spellcasting.
Ya its odd. I see how you can be a melee Death Cleric but I really like this class and prefer spellcaster exclusively for it. My one DM was very nice and allowed me to switch Divine Strikes/Blessed Strikes with Potent Spellcasting which is great since double Toll the Dead really benefits from that, plus I took Warcaster as a feat so I use a cantrip for my reactions as well. And since Potent Spellcasting isn't once per turn like Divine and Blessed, you can potentially add it to 3 attacks (2x Toll the Dead if two targets within 5 feet and to your reaction).
Then of course I have my Spirit Weapon to apply my Touch of Death, and Spirit Guardians also always up dealing more dmg. So if your DM lets you use Potent Spellcasting, i'd definitely take it. At lvl 8, 2d12 typically going to beat any melee attack your doing. Its a bit of a weird class mixing a cantrip ability in first lvl and then your channel divinity is melee based but thankfully Spiritual Weapon has you covered for that.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Hello, I wanted to ask if the death domain is supposed to be focused more on martial combat or casting spells. I would assume from their proficiency in martial weapons, touch of death and divine strike that they be in the front line crushing skulls. But, they also have reaper, Inescapable Destruction, and Improved Reaper which aren't bad at all so it makes me question if they are instead supposed to play in the back. I'm thinking maybe they are made like this to be more versatile and not pigeonhole someone of this domain into either option. I guess my real question is which should I focus on, for reference my character is a yuan ti pureblood and we're using customizing your origin so I have a +2 to Dex and +1 to Wis (I can change these if need be). I'm also using this domain bc in my current campaign our party is unable to be healed by normal means (we're all undead) so I'm trying to focus on damage and cleric just happens to be my class.
I would appreciate any and all advice.
It's nicely flexible in what it does and it can do either melee or casting effectively, but your mileage for each feature will vary depending on what enemies you're facing and where they're positioned.
When I was playing a Death Cleric I could decide what I needed to do based on the battlefield at the time. Even at level 8 when Divine Strike had come online I was sometimes casting toll the dead or chill touch to have a chance at hitting two undamaged creatures, instead of attacking once with the improved melee attack. It entirely depended on the battlefield at the time and whether or not the squishier casters were being flanked by things, if we needed to hurt a larger creature more, etc.
EDIT: Corrected a piece of grammar which was annoying me.
Please take a look at my homebrewed Spells, Magic Items, and Subclasses. Any feedback appreciated.
As you’ve observed, you can really do either. I’d suggest spells will probably be the better bet, long term. As a cleric, you’ll be investing more into your wis than your str, so you are more likely to be effective with spells than with melee.
I can tell you from playing a tempest cleric, which also has a strong set of melee powers, I rarely used my weapon. After I took warcaster and got cantrip OAs, I barely used it at all. Since many spells force saves, you don’t have to worry about using ranged effects even in melee.
Don’t forget that the Reaper ability also technically applies to spare the dying. And if your DM allows access to Sapping Sting, that too.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Don't really focus. Luck favors the prepared.
Get a breastplate so you can still sneak. And a shield for the AC+2.
Get a battle axe, warhammer, or longsword if your (Str > Dex) or rapier if your (Dex > Str).
Always have a non-magic ranges attack for when you need one (you will).
Pick up the Light cantrip for yourself and the members of your party that don't have Darkvision. (because someone won't)
Always have damage cantrips to free up spell slots for more important things.
And so on...
I actually just finished my character and he's a tortle death cleric and at first I was planning to be mainly martial since our only other martial guy is struggling by himself but when I rolled my stats i got insane stats so now I have a +5 to Wis and a +4 to Str at level two (customize your origin) so now I can do both melee and spellcasting very well.
Death is not that well designed of a domain, IMO. This domain is a tug of war between using cantrips or a weapon, and cantrips wins. Reaper has potential if you multiclass with Sorcerer for Quickened Spell and use Toll the Dead. If this class had Potent Spell casting it would synergize great, but it doesn't. Touch of Death has a problem because unfortunately the cleric doesn’t get any melee cantrips, so you’ll have to use feats or multiclassing to make it work. If your only option is to use a melee weapon, then you’re probably better off converting your Channel Divinity into a spell slot using the Tasha’s option. Inescapable Destruction is more spellcasting.
As I said, it works better with spells.
Ya its odd. I see how you can be a melee Death Cleric but I really like this class and prefer spellcaster exclusively for it. My one DM was very nice and allowed me to switch Divine Strikes/Blessed Strikes with Potent Spellcasting which is great since double Toll the Dead really benefits from that, plus I took Warcaster as a feat so I use a cantrip for my reactions as well. And since Potent Spellcasting isn't once per turn like Divine and Blessed, you can potentially add it to 3 attacks (2x Toll the Dead if two targets within 5 feet and to your reaction).
Then of course I have my Spirit Weapon to apply my Touch of Death, and Spirit Guardians also always up dealing more dmg. So if your DM lets you use Potent Spellcasting, i'd definitely take it. At lvl 8, 2d12 typically going to beat any melee attack your doing. Its a bit of a weird class mixing a cantrip ability in first lvl and then your channel divinity is melee based but thankfully Spiritual Weapon has you covered for that.