I basically am trying to build a super powerful cleric with generally average ability scores. I want to be able to deal a ton of damage as well as be able to survive and heal. Assuming my character is level 4, what is the best build I can go for? By the way, I usually go for ability scores in this order from highest to lowest, is this the best score setup? Wis, Dex, Con, Str, Cha, Int. Thanks for any suggestions!
It depends on whether you play a subclass that has access to heavy armor. My next planned/current backup character is a Nature Cleric. And if I was starting at level 4 here is what I would do:
Race: Variant Human
Bonus Feat: Resilient (CON)
STR 15 (14+1) DEX 10 CON 14 (13+1) INT 10 WIS 16 (15+1) CHA 10
Level 4 ASI will be putting 2 points into WIS to increase it to 18 or if you are concerned with maintaining concentration on your spells you can instead take the Warcaster feat.
Nature Domain Cleric Druid Cantrip: Thornwhip.
This build really starts to shine from level 5 onwards when you get access to Spirit Guardians but until then you can do the poor mans version with Spike Growth. The idea is once you have Spirit Guardians is to cast it and run into your enemies and start spamming the Dodge Action and attacking with Spiritual Weapon with your Bonus Actions on subsequent turns. If your foes are not trying to kill you and is instead trying to run away then you Thornwhip them back into the Spirit Guardians area. Between heavy armor, a shield and the Dodge Action foes will have a tough time landing attack rolls on you. And once the build hits level 6 your Dampen Elements ability make you even harder to kill.
You're almost never going to have a cleric in light armor, so DEX can move down the list a few positions. I'd say WIS CON STR DEX CHA INT. Strength only being higher than dex for melee weapon purposes and armor requirements.
Clerics don't typically punch people in the face. You have Toll the Dead, Sacred Flame, and Word of Radiance as cantrips, so even if you're running low on spell slots you will never need a melee attack. That means the only reason you'll need strength is to meet the 15 strength requirement for Plate. Of course you can get 1 point less AC with Half Plate and 14 dexterity so it's up to you which you want to focus on. With the Very Rare Barrier Tattoo you can have an AC of 18 running around in your shirt sleeves.
The single most important stat for a Cleric is, of course, Wisdom, followed by Constitution. Basically every combat encounter involving a Cleric will boil down to casting a concentration spell, usually Spirit Guardians or Holy Weapon (if you're in a party with something like a Paladin or Fighter who can dish out more damage with multiple attacks with Holy Weapon than you'd dish out using your Spirit Guardians. That followed by the Cleric summoning its Spiritual Weapon and either taking the Dodge command (to maximize its AC bonus) or casting a cantrip or some other direct damage spell like Guiding Bolt.
Obviously their casting stat affects their magical damage, and a good constitution score helps them maintain their concentration spells, which is why you prioritize those. If you take Variant Human, as TheloneyMagi suggests, then take Resilient (Con) as your starting feat, otherwise take it at level 4 before maximizing your Wisdom.
For example if I was playing a medium armour High Elf Cleric I would (using Points Buy) start with Str 10, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 10. Pick a Wizard cantrip that doesn't require the intelligence stat (like Mage Hand) and I'd be ready to roll.
As for being a "super powerful Cleric", it's a Cleric. Their base class is easily in the top three in the game, whatever Divine Domain you pick won't change that fact. Its competition being Wizard and Bard. Both are a bit more squishy than the Cleric, so require a bit more from your party, and can't really frontline (Bladesingers and Valor Bards aside), while the Cleric can sit in the front, or in the second line, quite happily.
Regarding the Domain, pick whichever one you like. The basic class is so darn strong that it doesn't matter what you choose. As long as your Cleric selects Healing Word, Enhance Ability, Spirit Guardians, and Spiritual Weapon as part of its daily roster it's good to go. Healing Word gets team members back on their feet when knocked unconscious. Enhance Ability helps with any skill checks and saves that may need to be made through the day. Spirit Guardians and Spiritual Weapon will carry you through most fights. If your Domain has Potent Spellcasting at level 8, don't change it, but you should probably replace Divine Strike with Blessed Strikes, as an extra D8 Radiant damage on your cantrips will be of more value than a D8 of damage on your melee weapon. Of course Guidance should be your first cantrip, always, since it is likely the most game warping cantrip in the game.
If your DM is okay with using the backgrounds from Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica, the Azorius Functionary gives you the ability to take Counterspell as a Cleric spell, which fills one small hole in their selection, and the Ritual Caster (Wizard) feat will give you access to some of the useful Wizard spells like Identify and Leomund's Tiny Hut.
If you're playing a Domain like Knowledge, which focuses more on the Intelligence skills, don't try to compromise your Cleric functionality in order to get a good Intelligence stat. You are, first and foremost, a Cleric. Instead hunt down a Headband of Intellect for the 19 Intelligence. It'll be enough.
I saw this other dude's build in the tactics subforum, so shoutouts to AtlentorEathalena.
High elf for booming blade, nature cleric for shillelagh. The rest is cake. I'd say start with CON at 16, WIS 17, and STR 15. warcaster at 4th lvl.
Just like TheLonelyMagi says, you follow that same set up, except that you use warcaster to react with a booming blade when targets start to run away from you.
Now, the option exists to use your action to booming blade instead of dodge, and this would yield more damage per turn, but you do gotta weigh the benefits versus the higher chance of getting hit.
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I basically am trying to build a super powerful cleric with generally average ability scores. I want to be able to deal a ton of damage as well as be able to survive and heal. Assuming my character is level 4, what is the best build I can go for? By the way, I usually go for ability scores in this order from highest to lowest, is this the best score setup? Wis, Dex, Con, Str, Cha, Int. Thanks for any suggestions!
It depends on whether you play a subclass that has access to heavy armor. My next planned/current backup character is a Nature Cleric. And if I was starting at level 4 here is what I would do:
Race: Variant Human
Bonus Feat: Resilient (CON)
STR 15 (14+1) DEX 10 CON 14 (13+1) INT 10 WIS 16 (15+1) CHA 10
Level 4 ASI will be putting 2 points into WIS to increase it to 18 or if you are concerned with maintaining concentration on your spells you can instead take the Warcaster feat.
Nature Domain Cleric Druid Cantrip: Thornwhip.
This build really starts to shine from level 5 onwards when you get access to Spirit Guardians but until then you can do the poor mans version with Spike Growth. The idea is once you have Spirit Guardians is to cast it and run into your enemies and start spamming the Dodge Action and attacking with Spiritual Weapon with your Bonus Actions on subsequent turns. If your foes are not trying to kill you and is instead trying to run away then you Thornwhip them back into the Spirit Guardians area. Between heavy armor, a shield and the Dodge Action foes will have a tough time landing attack rolls on you. And once the build hits level 6 your Dampen Elements ability make you even harder to kill.
You're almost never going to have a cleric in light armor, so DEX can move down the list a few positions. I'd say WIS CON STR DEX CHA INT. Strength only being higher than dex for melee weapon purposes and armor requirements.
Birgit | Shifter | Sorcerer | Dragonlords
Shayone | Hobgoblin | Sorcerer | Netherdeep
Clerics don't typically punch people in the face. You have Toll the Dead, Sacred Flame, and Word of Radiance as cantrips, so even if you're running low on spell slots you will never need a melee attack. That means the only reason you'll need strength is to meet the 15 strength requirement for Plate. Of course you can get 1 point less AC with Half Plate and 14 dexterity so it's up to you which you want to focus on. With the Very Rare Barrier Tattoo you can have an AC of 18 running around in your shirt sleeves.
The single most important stat for a Cleric is, of course, Wisdom, followed by Constitution. Basically every combat encounter involving a Cleric will boil down to casting a concentration spell, usually Spirit Guardians or Holy Weapon (if you're in a party with something like a Paladin or Fighter who can dish out more damage with multiple attacks with Holy Weapon than you'd dish out using your Spirit Guardians. That followed by the Cleric summoning its Spiritual Weapon and either taking the Dodge command (to maximize its AC bonus) or casting a cantrip or some other direct damage spell like Guiding Bolt.
Obviously their casting stat affects their magical damage, and a good constitution score helps them maintain their concentration spells, which is why you prioritize those. If you take Variant Human, as TheloneyMagi suggests, then take Resilient (Con) as your starting feat, otherwise take it at level 4 before maximizing your Wisdom.
For example if I was playing a medium armour High Elf Cleric I would (using Points Buy) start with Str 10, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 10. Pick a Wizard cantrip that doesn't require the intelligence stat (like Mage Hand) and I'd be ready to roll.
As for being a "super powerful Cleric", it's a Cleric. Their base class is easily in the top three in the game, whatever Divine Domain you pick won't change that fact. Its competition being Wizard and Bard. Both are a bit more squishy than the Cleric, so require a bit more from your party, and can't really frontline (Bladesingers and Valor Bards aside), while the Cleric can sit in the front, or in the second line, quite happily.
Regarding the Domain, pick whichever one you like. The basic class is so darn strong that it doesn't matter what you choose. As long as your Cleric selects Healing Word, Enhance Ability, Spirit Guardians, and Spiritual Weapon as part of its daily roster it's good to go. Healing Word gets team members back on their feet when knocked unconscious. Enhance Ability helps with any skill checks and saves that may need to be made through the day. Spirit Guardians and Spiritual Weapon will carry you through most fights. If your Domain has Potent Spellcasting at level 8, don't change it, but you should probably replace Divine Strike with Blessed Strikes, as an extra D8 Radiant damage on your cantrips will be of more value than a D8 of damage on your melee weapon. Of course Guidance should be your first cantrip, always, since it is likely the most game warping cantrip in the game.
If your DM is okay with using the backgrounds from Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica, the Azorius Functionary gives you the ability to take Counterspell as a Cleric spell, which fills one small hole in their selection, and the Ritual Caster (Wizard) feat will give you access to some of the useful Wizard spells like Identify and Leomund's Tiny Hut.
If you're playing a Domain like Knowledge, which focuses more on the Intelligence skills, don't try to compromise your Cleric functionality in order to get a good Intelligence stat. You are, first and foremost, a Cleric. Instead hunt down a Headband of Intellect for the 19 Intelligence. It'll be enough.
I saw this other dude's build in the tactics subforum, so shoutouts to AtlentorEathalena.
High elf for booming blade, nature cleric for shillelagh. The rest is cake. I'd say start with CON at 16, WIS 17, and STR 15. warcaster at 4th lvl.
Just like TheLonelyMagi says, you follow that same set up, except that you use warcaster to react with a booming blade when targets start to run away from you.
Now, the option exists to use your action to booming blade instead of dodge, and this would yield more damage per turn, but you do gotta weigh the benefits versus the higher chance of getting hit.