Life - I'm old school enough to be a fan of the cleric as healer. That said I like a lot of different domains. If you have a good idea for a character than any domain will work for you.
My personal experiences are with the life domain, knowledge domain and trickery domain. Of those three I liked the trickery domain the least. It just doesn't fulfill the fantasy of a sneaky roguish priest. Knowledge domain is kinda weak but great for role playing a sage or oracle type character. Life domain is a go to in our group it's just that good.
I'd like to try a tempest or war domain cleric and play a character who just wades into the front lines. Or possibly light domain cleric multiclassed with paladin. Like I said, any domain will work with the right character.
I decided to only include officially released domains, so no UA or DMG stuff. That being said, it would be great if both death domain and oathbreaker got official releases someday.
Tempest. their channel divinity is AWESOME. Plus, it's really fun to play a tiefling cleric of Thor who just takes offense at everything and blows things up.
I have more experience with my current War Cleric but I have to say the Forge Cleric seems to be really cool to me. I can see lots of RP opportunities as a Dwarf who grew up next to a forge.
That being said, I won't take anything away from ANY Clerical Domain because there are like ten choices so there's something for everyone.
So, curious minds inquiring. I'm a bit shocked at the Grave cleric's apparent popularity here. What makes it such a big choice among people? Is it the healing focus with a ranged spellcaster focus instead of Divine Striking? Non-evil death-god based cleric just popular? I knew Tempest was pretty well loved, but I did not expect Grave to tie it.
Might have something to do with Critical Roles new character. The first level ability seems pretty awesome if you are willing to let party members go down.
Death Domain is a "real" domain and before XTGE deities could use it like Kelemvor or the Blood of Vol per the Player's Handbook. Granted the Grave Domain is used instead as the examples once it became availible
I like the ability to cleave two targets with it a lot for either Chill Touch or Toll the Dead, plus the channeling necrotic energies. the Martial weapon is a bonus.
Death definitely is an official domain, separate from Grave. But I chose Grave, because I've always been interested in the Raven Queen's approach to that domain.
So, curious minds inquiring. I'm a bit shocked at the Grave cleric's apparent popularity here. What makes it such a big choice among people? Is it the healing focus with a ranged spellcaster focus instead of Divine Striking? Non-evil death-god based cleric just popular? I knew Tempest was pretty well loved, but I did not expect Grave to tie it.
I can't speak for everyone else, but I went Grave with my latest DDAL character because of the grim theme, strong support abilities, and Toll the Dead with potent cantrip.
I haven't played him yet, but I like my (fairly typical) Icelandic Dwarven Tempest Cleric, but, his backstory is really untraumatic, and he's an older, (88 years old) somewhat happy-go-lucky wanderer...
If you want a cleric who is just a brawler, just sending bodies flying everywhere, while still being flexible as a character, there isn't another option like it.
Had a dwarf character Lyria who was the timid yet fearsome chosen of Kord. Though shy and stoic at times, she cannot refuse a fight, and will immediately shift into a joyful state as she pays brutal tribute to Kord.
That spell, destructive wave, is the icing on the cake...an entire mob, flat on their rears, with a single dwarf standing in the middle.
I find the results of this to be very telling. Tempest and Grave are way ahead of almost anybody else and that has to be down to just how good their channel divinity abilities are, easily the best in the cleric class.
I have to say that i really love high level Arcana for their ability to pick up some high level, high damage Wizard Spells.
I think it's their channel divinity. Being able to give an enemy vulnerability to an attack can be amazingly effective if used well.
I played in a game where I played a tempest cleric and my friend played a Grave cleric. We would make it so that he used his channel divinity (vulnerability to the next damage it takes from an ally) and then i would use mine (max damage on lightning or thunder damage).
We got to 18th level in the campaign. In one memorable encounter with a Graz'zt, the two of us acted first in combat. He used his channel divinity, and i used mine. I cast Chromatic Orb (I had multiclassed into sorcerer) at 9th level and rolled a crit. by the time we had finished calculating damage, our channel divinities worked together to make my one spell deal 352 damage. Graz'zt, the demon lord, CR 24 creature, has 346 hit points as of MTF. We killed him in with two turns. The DM was in shock.
I'm playing a Forge Domain cleric this time around and must say I love the feel of the character as he grows. Irrespective of abilities, the idea of this reverential approach to craftsmanship and creation seems very Cleric-like to me. The Channel works in concert with this, almost always finding something to make around me. The high AC, the domain spell list, the channel ability all work really well together to make a cohesive, synergistic whole.
This character is a bit intentionally naive and always choosing to see the good and beauty in others (who may have neither).
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I'm conducting some class polls.
Life - I'm old school enough to be a fan of the cleric as healer. That said I like a lot of different domains. If you have a good idea for a character than any domain will work for you.
My personal experiences are with the life domain, knowledge domain and trickery domain. Of those three I liked the trickery domain the least. It just doesn't fulfill the fantasy of a sneaky roguish priest. Knowledge domain is kinda weak but great for role playing a sage or oracle type character. Life domain is a go to in our group it's just that good.
I'd like to try a tempest or war domain cleric and play a character who just wades into the front lines. Or possibly light domain cleric multiclassed with paladin. Like I said, any domain will work with the right character.
Current Characters I am playing: Dr Konstantin van Wulf | Taegen Willowrun | Mad Magnar
Check out my homebrew: Items | Monsters | Spells | Subclasses | Feats
No love for death domain?
I decided to only include officially released domains, so no UA or DMG stuff. That being said, it would be great if both death domain and oathbreaker got official releases someday.
I'm pretty sure it is official, or at least the cleric subclass. Death and grave domains recently came out with Xanathar's Guide to Everything
Tempest. their channel divinity is AWESOME. Plus, it's really fun to play a tiefling cleric of Thor who just takes offense at everything and blows things up.
I have more experience with my current War Cleric but I have to say the Forge Cleric seems to be really cool to me. I can see lots of RP opportunities as a Dwarf who grew up next to a forge.
That being said, I won't take anything away from ANY Clerical Domain because there are like ten choices so there's something for everyone.
The Tempest domain has an awesome suite of powers. Also, no one else gets to maximize spells at 2nd level. Everything else is gravy.
DICE FALL, EVERYONE ROCKS!
I like knowledge domain.
So, curious minds inquiring. I'm a bit shocked at the Grave cleric's apparent popularity here. What makes it such a big choice among people? Is it the healing focus with a ranged spellcaster focus instead of Divine Striking? Non-evil death-god based cleric just popular? I knew Tempest was pretty well loved, but I did not expect Grave to tie it.
Might have something to do with Critical Roles new character. The first level ability seems pretty awesome if you are willing to let party members go down.
Death Domain is a "real" domain and before XTGE deities could use it like Kelemvor or the Blood of Vol per the Player's Handbook. Granted the Grave Domain is used instead as the examples once it became availible
I like the ability to cleave two targets with it a lot for either Chill Touch or Toll the Dead, plus the channeling necrotic energies. the Martial weapon is a bonus.
Definitely life! I love playing a pure healer. I tend to do it in basically every game I play.
Death definitely is an official domain, separate from Grave. But I chose Grave, because I've always been interested in the Raven Queen's approach to that domain.
I can't speak for everyone else, but I went Grave with my latest DDAL character because of the grim theme, strong support abilities, and Toll the Dead with potent cantrip.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile.
I haven't played him yet, but I like my (fairly typical) Icelandic Dwarven Tempest Cleric, but, his backstory is really untraumatic, and he's an older, (88 years old) somewhat happy-go-lucky wanderer...
Critical Role might have had something to do with it, but Grave Domain just appeals to the low-key goth in me.
Tempest Domain.
If you want a cleric who is just a brawler, just sending bodies flying everywhere, while still being flexible as a character, there isn't another option like it.
Had a dwarf character Lyria who was the timid yet fearsome chosen of Kord. Though shy and stoic at times, she cannot refuse a fight, and will immediately shift into a joyful state as she pays brutal tribute to Kord.
That spell, destructive wave, is the icing on the cake...an entire mob, flat on their rears, with a single dwarf standing in the middle.
I find the results of this to be very telling. Tempest and Grave are way ahead of almost anybody else and that has to be down to just how good their channel divinity abilities are, easily the best in the cleric class.
I have to say that i really love high level Arcana for their ability to pick up some high level, high damage Wizard Spells.
I think it's their channel divinity. Being able to give an enemy vulnerability to an attack can be amazingly effective if used well.
I played in a game where I played a tempest cleric and my friend played a Grave cleric. We would make it so that he used his channel divinity (vulnerability to the next damage it takes from an ally) and then i would use mine (max damage on lightning or thunder damage).
We got to 18th level in the campaign. In one memorable encounter with a Graz'zt, the two of us acted first in combat. He used his channel divinity, and i used mine. I cast Chromatic Orb (I had multiclassed into sorcerer) at 9th level and rolled a crit. by the time we had finished calculating damage, our channel divinities worked together to make my one spell deal 352 damage. Graz'zt, the demon lord, CR 24 creature, has 346 hit points as of MTF. We killed him in with two turns. The DM was in shock.
I'm playing a Forge Domain cleric this time around and must say I love the feel of the character as he grows. Irrespective of abilities, the idea of this reverential approach to craftsmanship and creation seems very Cleric-like to me. The Channel works in concert with this, almost always finding something to make around me. The high AC, the domain spell list, the channel ability all work really well together to make a cohesive, synergistic whole.
This character is a bit intentionally naive and always choosing to see the good and beauty in others (who may have neither).