It depends how you want to play. If you want your cleric to wade into battle a high strength will be very useful on a tempest cleric in particular. If you want to hang back, patch people up and throw an occasional spell no.
When I play a Tempest Cleric I usually try to start with a 16 Strength. I also usually try to get the Booming Blade cantrip through a multiclass, a feat or by playing a Half-Elf.
If your cleric will be using heavy armor then you will need a Str of up to 15. I am not sure you need anything higher than 16 unless you have a very specific build.
If you are using medium armor I am not sure you need a high strength at all, and might be better off building off of dexterity.
Check what (if any) encumbrance rule you dm is using. Wearing medium armor on a low strength character severlly limits what you can carry if you are using variant encumbrance. With normal encumbrance it should not be a pr9blem unless you have a crazy low strength like 4.
It is possible to wear heavy armor with low strength. The penalty for not meeting the strength requirement is your movement speed is reduced by 10. This affect your ability to move around the battlefield it is viable but not ideal. If you choose to be a dwarf you do not suffer the penalty at all (though if using normal encumbrance it might begin to be an issue if you have a strength around 8)
Tempest gets heavy armor and the best heavy armors require 15 str.
Unless you're a dwarf, since heavy armor would not slow you down.
I played a Dwarf Order Cleric/Enchantment Wizard in plate and shield who dumped both Dex and Strenghth. It was an awesome build, did not use a weapon the whole game through level 13 and operated mostly as a front liner.
Even Tempest Clerics have access to medium armor, and all Clerics have access to the Shillelagh cantrip via Magic Initiate: Druid allowing them to use Wisdom as their combat stat.
However, if you want to wear heavy armor then you'll likely want a decent strength stat (15 minimum) due to the weight requirements that heavy armor comes with.
High Elf Nature Domain Clerics can start with Booming Blade, Shillelagh, and heavy armor proficiency.
Idk why dwarf always gets brought up as though that really fixes anything. Sure, they don't lose move speed from armor. But they already lost move speed for just being a dwarf.
So a 10 str character wearing plate, for example. Typically is going from 30 to 20ft speed.
Dwarf goes from 25 to 25. Still -5ft speed from base.
Wood Elf goes from 35 to 25. Also -5ft from base.
Same for Leonin, Satyr, Air Genasi, Dhampir. 35 to 25. All are the same total speed as the Dwarf while wearing plate. -5ft from base.
Centaur goes from 40ft to 30ft. So, actually at baseline.
And the benefit of going one of any of these other options is that should you ever one day find mithril plate armor, which has no strength requirement. Boom. +10ft movement speed.
Dwarfs don't benefit.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
Idk why dwarf always gets brought up as though that really fixes anything. Sure, they don't lose move speed from armor. But they already lost move speed for just being a dwarf.
So a 10 str character wearing plate, for example. Typically is going from 30 to 20ft speed.
Dwarf goes from 25 to 25. Still -5ft speed from base.
Wood Elf goes from 35 to 25. Also -5ft from base.
Same for Leonin, Satyr, Air Genasi, Dhampir. 35 to 25. All are the same total speed as the Dwarf while wearing plate. -5ft from base.
Centaur goes from 40ft to 30ft. So, actually at baseline.
And the benefit of going one of any of these other options is that should you ever one day find mithril plate armor, which has no strength requirement. Boom. +10ft movement speed.
Dwarfs don't benefit.
Compared to those races Mountain Dwarf is overtuned because it gets +2 to two abilities. The speed penalty makes up for that and the resistance to poison they have.
Sure your Wood Elf can go the same speed as a Mountain Dwarf, but the 35 foot speed of a Wood Elf is to make up for the fact it does not have a whole lot going for it.
Even Tempest Clerics have access to medium armor, and all Clerics have access to the Shillelagh cantrip via Magic Initiate: Druid allowing them to use Wisdom as their combat stat.
However, if you want to wear heavy armor then you'll likely want a decent strength stat (15 minimum) due to the weight requirements that heavy armor comes with.
High Elf Nature Domain Clerics can start with Booming Blade, Shillelagh, and heavy armor proficiency.
I wouldn't take Shillelagh on a cleric. Cleric cantrips work fine in melee, when you reach level 5 toll the dead will be doing 2d12 (13) damage most of the time against an unhurt creature or one with a high wis (switch to sacred flame) you will be doing 2d8(9). Shillelagh will be doing 1d8+wis (probably 7.5 or 8.5). Attacks based on a save might succeed a little less often on average that an attack roll but not enough to make up that difference. Shillelagh also ties up a bonus action.
Shillelagh will do a little more damage than cantrips at levels 1-4 but for most races you only get yo use if for 1 level before it is virtually useless.
Even if you get a feat at level 1 there are much better options than magic initiate, in combat warcaster is probably the best feat at 1st level (taking a feat later resilient becomves a better option) though gift of the gem dragon is also good for melee clerics. Personnally I think the best option is to really boost your peception with either with skill expert or observent that way you either avoid/get surprise in a lot of combats or are able to avoid combat completely.
Even Tempest Clerics have access to medium armor, and all Clerics have access to the Shillelagh cantrip via Magic Initiate: Druid allowing them to use Wisdom as their combat stat.
However, if you want to wear heavy armor then you'll likely want a decent strength stat (15 minimum) due to the weight requirements that heavy armor comes with.
High Elf Nature Domain Clerics can start with Booming Blade, Shillelagh, and heavy armor proficiency.
I wouldn't take Shillelagh on a cleric. Cleric cantrips work fine in melee, when you reach level 5 toll the dead will be doing 2d12 (13) damage most of the time against an unhurt creature or one with a high wis (switch to sacred flame) you will be doing 2d8(9). Shillelagh will be doing 1d8+wis (probably 7.5 or 8.5). Attacks based on a save might succeed a little less often on average that an attack roll but not enough to make up that difference. Shillelagh also ties up a bonus action.
Shillelagh will do a little more damage than cantrips at levels 1-4 but for most races you only get yo use if for 1 level before it is virtually useless.
Even if you get a feat at level 1 there are much better options than magic initiate, in combat warcaster is probably the best feat at 1st level (taking a feat later resilient becomves a better option) though gift of the gem dragon is also good for melee clerics. Personnally I think the best option is to really boost your peception with either with skill expert or observent that way you either avoid/get surprise in a lot of combats or are able to avoid combat completely.
Honestly, even all that considered as well too.. for a cleric's Melee... I prefer their word of radiance cantrip since it hits multiple foes. the spiritual weapon/other bonus action damage outputs will be enough for me if its a single target to either hold an action to do something else, or to take the dodge action while still dealing damage, or if a grave cleric make it vulnerable to an "actual" heavy hitter to where their 1 hit damage output is doubled, etc. Shillelagh is good in the same sense of when i would use magic stone, but magic stone has a little more use to it....
Besides armor, the other thing you need to consider is that Clerics don’t get access to an cantrips that use an attack roll, only forced save cantrips. So unless you get one of those cantrips through a race or feat, if you want the reliability of an attack roll, then your mace/hammer is your best bet. If you can get gauntlets of ogre power or one of the giant strength belts, then you’ll be set.
it depends on what you are trying to do with your cleric. I personally, tend to feel that melee clerics are a bit of a trap option past low levels. the real power of the cleric comes from it's spell casting, and strength doesn't do anything to help that. I'd personally prefer to push dex and just use medium armor. if I /did/ feel the need to be in melee, I'd probably play a water air genasi I think it is, and just use shocking grasp as my melee attack.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Idk why dwarf always gets brought up as though that really fixes anything. Sure, they don't lose move speed from armor. But they already lost move speed for just being a dwarf.
So a 10 str character wearing plate, for example. Typically is going from 30 to 20ft speed.
Dwarf goes from 25 to 25. Still -5ft speed from base.
Wood Elf goes from 35 to 25. Also -5ft from base.
Same for Leonin, Satyr, Air Genasi, Dhampir. 35 to 25. All are the same total speed as the Dwarf while wearing plate. -5ft from base.
Centaur goes from 40ft to 30ft. So, actually at baseline.
And the benefit of going one of any of these other options is that should you ever one day find mithril plate armor, which has no strength requirement. Boom. +10ft movement speed.
Dwarfs don't benefit.
Compared to those races Mountain Dwarf is overtuned because it gets +2 to two abilities. The speed penalty makes up for that and the resistance to poison they have.
Sure your Wood Elf can go the same speed as a Mountain Dwarf, but the 35 foot speed of a Wood Elf is to make up for the fact it does not have a whole lot going for it.
Did the only thing you see in there was "wood elf"?
The point was there are plenty of options if you want to keep above a 20ft speed while wearing heavy armor and a low strength score. You don't have to be dwarf.
I wasn't... but, if you did wanna approach it from a 'powerfulness of the race angle', Satyr is the move. One bonus ability score isn't worth more than magic resistance. They're crazy powerful.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
Air genasi is really powerful as well. With the most recent changes, that's a race that really has my attention.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Idk why dwarf always gets brought up as though that really fixes anything. Sure, they don't lose move speed from armor. But they already lost move speed for just being a dwarf.
So a 10 str character wearing plate, for example. Typically is going from 30 to 20ft speed.
Dwarf goes from 25 to 25. Still -5ft speed from base.
Wood Elf goes from 35 to 25. Also -5ft from base.
Same for Leonin, Satyr, Air Genasi, Dhampir. 35 to 25. All are the same total speed as the Dwarf while wearing plate. -5ft from base.
Centaur goes from 40ft to 30ft. So, actually at baseline.
And the benefit of going one of any of these other options is that should you ever one day find mithril plate armor, which has no strength requirement. Boom. +10ft movement speed.
Dwarfs don't benefit.
Compared to those races Mountain Dwarf is overtuned because it gets +2 to two abilities. The speed penalty makes up for that and the resistance to poison they have.
Sure your Wood Elf can go the same speed as a Mountain Dwarf, but the 35 foot speed of a Wood Elf is to make up for the fact it does not have a whole lot going for it.
Did the only thing you see in there was "wood elf"?
The point was there are plenty of options if you want to keep above a 20ft speed while wearing heavy armor and a low strength score. You don't have to be dwarf.
I wasn't... but, if you did wanna approach it from a 'powerfulness of the race angle', Satyr is the move. One bonus ability score isn't worth more than magic resistance. They're crazy powerful.
The Satyr magic resistance only works against spells, I don't think that is even as as powerful as the poison resistance a Dwarf gets. They also don't have Darkvision, which is a pretty big nerf. Now if you were playing the UA Satyr from before MOM that would be a different story.
The 35 move is the big deal for Satyrs I think. the extra jumping distance and skills are ribbons.
Even with a 35 move though, I still would put Satyr behind a mountain Dwarf, considering the 7 proficiencies you get, extra +1 and the darkvision. If you then go and make their 35 move a 25 they are way behind a Dwarf IMO.
Hello
I'm new to DnD and I am thinking if Clerics need strength, especially tempest clerics.
Thanks for your response!
With friendly greetings
Thrør Máthẳn Márbhådh
Tempest gets heavy armor and the best heavy armors require 15 str.
It depends how you want to play. If you want your cleric to wade into battle a high strength will be very useful on a tempest cleric in particular. If you want to hang back, patch people up and throw an occasional spell no.
When I play a Tempest Cleric I usually try to start with a 16 Strength. I also usually try to get the Booming Blade cantrip through a multiclass, a feat or by playing a Half-Elf.
That is my favorite Cleric Subclass.
For tempest cleric i would get 16 str for the armor tempest is pretty well built for melee
If your new i would avoid the multiclass
If your cleric will be using heavy armor then you will need a Str of up to 15. I am not sure you need anything higher than 16 unless you have a very specific build.
If you are using medium armor I am not sure you need a high strength at all, and might be better off building off of dexterity.
Check what (if any) encumbrance rule you dm is using. Wearing medium armor on a low strength character severlly limits what you can carry if you are using variant encumbrance. With normal encumbrance it should not be a pr9blem unless you have a crazy low strength like 4.
It is possible to wear heavy armor with low strength. The penalty for not meeting the strength requirement is your movement speed is reduced by 10. This affect your ability to move around the battlefield it is viable but not ideal. If you choose to be a dwarf you do not suffer the penalty at all (though if using normal encumbrance it might begin to be an issue if you have a strength around 8)
Unless you're a dwarf, since heavy armor would not slow you down.
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I played a Dwarf Order Cleric/Enchantment Wizard in plate and shield who dumped both Dex and Strenghth. It was an awesome build, did not use a weapon the whole game through level 13 and operated mostly as a front liner.
Clerics do not need strength.
Even Tempest Clerics have access to medium armor, and all Clerics have access to the Shillelagh cantrip via Magic Initiate: Druid allowing them to use Wisdom as their combat stat.
However, if you want to wear heavy armor then you'll likely want a decent strength stat (15 minimum) due to the weight requirements that heavy armor comes with.
High Elf Nature Domain Clerics can start with Booming Blade, Shillelagh, and heavy armor proficiency.
Idk why dwarf always gets brought up as though that really fixes anything. Sure, they don't lose move speed from armor. But they already lost move speed for just being a dwarf.
So a 10 str character wearing plate, for example. Typically is going from 30 to 20ft speed.
Dwarf goes from 25 to 25. Still -5ft speed from base.
Wood Elf goes from 35 to 25. Also -5ft from base.
Same for Leonin, Satyr, Air Genasi, Dhampir. 35 to 25. All are the same total speed as the Dwarf while wearing plate. -5ft from base.
Centaur goes from 40ft to 30ft. So, actually at baseline.
And the benefit of going one of any of these other options is that should you ever one day find mithril plate armor, which has no strength requirement. Boom. +10ft movement speed.
Dwarfs don't benefit.
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
Compared to those races Mountain Dwarf is overtuned because it gets +2 to two abilities. The speed penalty makes up for that and the resistance to poison they have.
Sure your Wood Elf can go the same speed as a Mountain Dwarf, but the 35 foot speed of a Wood Elf is to make up for the fact it does not have a whole lot going for it.
I wouldn't take Shillelagh on a cleric. Cleric cantrips work fine in melee, when you reach level 5 toll the dead will be doing 2d12 (13) damage most of the time against an unhurt creature or one with a high wis (switch to sacred flame) you will be doing 2d8(9). Shillelagh will be doing 1d8+wis (probably 7.5 or 8.5). Attacks based on a save might succeed a little less often on average that an attack roll but not enough to make up that difference. Shillelagh also ties up a bonus action.
Shillelagh will do a little more damage than cantrips at levels 1-4 but for most races you only get yo use if for 1 level before it is virtually useless.
Even if you get a feat at level 1 there are much better options than magic initiate, in combat warcaster is probably the best feat at 1st level (taking a feat later resilient becomves a better option) though gift of the gem dragon is also good for melee clerics. Personnally I think the best option is to really boost your peception with either with skill expert or observent that way you either avoid/get surprise in a lot of combats or are able to avoid combat completely.
Honestly, even all that considered as well too.. for a cleric's Melee... I prefer their word of radiance cantrip since it hits multiple foes. the spiritual weapon/other bonus action damage outputs will be enough for me if its a single target to either hold an action to do something else, or to take the dodge action while still dealing damage, or if a grave cleric make it vulnerable to an "actual" heavy hitter to where their 1 hit damage output is doubled, etc. Shillelagh is good in the same sense of when i would use magic stone, but magic stone has a little more use to it....
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Besides armor, the other thing you need to consider is that Clerics don’t get access to an cantrips that use an attack roll, only forced save cantrips. So unless you get one of those cantrips through a race or feat, if you want the reliability of an attack roll, then your mace/hammer is your best bet. If you can get gauntlets of ogre power or one of the giant strength belts, then you’ll be set.
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it depends on what you are trying to do with your cleric. I personally, tend to feel that melee clerics are a bit of a trap option past low levels. the real power of the cleric comes from it's spell casting, and strength doesn't do anything to help that. I'd personally prefer to push dex and just use medium armor. if I /did/ feel the need to be in melee, I'd probably play a
waterair genasi I think it is, and just use shocking grasp as my melee attack.Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
Did the only thing you see in there was "wood elf"?
The point was there are plenty of options if you want to keep above a 20ft speed while wearing heavy armor and a low strength score. You don't have to be dwarf.
I wasn't... but, if you did wanna approach it from a 'powerfulness of the race angle', Satyr is the move. One bonus ability score isn't worth more than magic resistance. They're crazy powerful.
I'm probably laughing.
It is apparently so hard to program Aberrant Mind and Clockwork Soul spell-swapping into dndbeyond they had to remake the game without it rather than implement it.
Air genasi is really powerful as well. With the most recent changes, that's a race that really has my attention.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
The Satyr magic resistance only works against spells, I don't think that is even as as powerful as the poison resistance a Dwarf gets. They also don't have Darkvision, which is a pretty big nerf. Now if you were playing the UA Satyr from before MOM that would be a different story.
The 35 move is the big deal for Satyrs I think. the extra jumping distance and skills are ribbons.
Even with a 35 move though, I still would put Satyr behind a mountain Dwarf, considering the 7 proficiencies you get, extra +1 and the darkvision. If you then go and make their 35 move a 25 they are way behind a Dwarf IMO.