I'm playing a Tempest Cleric in a new campaign, and loving it so far. To be clear, I've only been playing D&D for a few months, and am a rogue in my other campaign. We're a pretty sizable group, but we don't always have consistent attendance because of that. So sometimes I'm our only healer, and sometimes I'm one of three. I'm curious as to how other people have balanced the healing powers of Clerics as a more damage dealing Tempest. Are there any particular spells you've found to work well that people tend to overlook?
Played a Tempest Cleric up through 8th. Human (Variant) taking Heavy Armor Master at first level (3 points per hit were huge difference early on...).
Great fun, always something to do with each part of your action. Able to range for spells, and my guy happened into a great strength (which became less relevant later, so don't get hung up on it...)
Was able to be a near-front line fighter for the first four levels, basically became a battlefield controller by 5th.
Played a Tempest Cleric up through 8th. Human (Variant) taking Heavy Armor Master at first level (3 points per hit were huge difference early on...).
Great fun, always something to do with each part of your action. Able to range for spells, and my guy happened into a great strength (which became less relevant later, so don't get hung up on it...)
Was able to be a near-front line fighter for the first four levels, basically became a battlefield controller by 5th.
Awesome! I've since had a session and it was really interesting. We came up against zombies and I basically owned that battle, but up against giant spiders, definitely bit it. So I'm planning to make sure I incorporate some more buff-y spells.
I have a level 8 Water Genasi Tempest cleric. Personally, I just let the party know that I'm not a real healer and just cast Call Lightning all the time. I still save slots to Healing Word or Mass Healing Word, but for the most part, I'm just Calling Lightning left and right. Except indoors. Then I just cast Shatter a bunch. I figured at later levels, I'll just be upcasting Call Lightning since you never really get any better Thunder or Lightning damage spells, so I'll just do the regular cleric-y thing then.
If you didn't make your cleric to be a healer then make that clear. When you're the only option for heals prepare maybe an extra heal, but otherwise make it clear that your character is a front line warrior with magic. Thats what I do with my trickery cleric. What am I playing today? "I'm playing a magical thief. I have some utility magic." I set their expectations appropriately by not confusing them by using the word "cleric." I keep a couple healing words in my ring of spell storing for emergencies such as "the real healer is down!." If I were the only potential healer I'd grab healing word as a prepared spell in the interest of supporting the group and not being unreasonable.
I would say on days you end up being the only cleric it's best to opt for more healing spells. They can really help a party out of a tough spot.
It's never good when you have a character or two die because the only person capable of casting healing magic wanted to do something else instead of having healing magic.
There is the typcial expectation that the cleric is going to heal and the backups are the druid and paladin.
I play mine as a front line hybrid dmg/healer, but with polearm mastery. I use the pushes to move my enemy's back out of my attack range. Polearm mastery feat gives me attacks of opportunity when they move back into my range. Giving me lots of extra free damage. I usually stick with the tempest specific damage spells while grabbing good heal spells as i can and bonus action support buffs like sanctuary. You habe very good battleground control when built right. Im really enjoying it.
I became interested in the Tempest Cleric after reading about the lvl 6 boost to lighting damage but my question for those of you who play a Tempest Cleric, what spell can you cast that allows this extra maximum damage? I am only using the DnD Beyond guide and none of the 3rd level and lower spells are lighting related? Does Thunderwave count? I am guessing that Call Lighting becomes available to a Tempest Cleric but DnD Beyond does not go into Tempest Cleric explanation. I am confused and must have missed something. To those of you playing a Water Genasi, it was a no brainer for me to think that would be the most fun Tempest Cleric so I might try that class and race next...a link to an online full Tempest Cleric description would be great, if you know of the best one. Thanks!
I became interested in the Tempest Cleric after reading about the lvl 6 boost to lighting damage but my question for those of you who play a Tempest Cleric, what spell can you cast that allows this extra maximum damage? I am only using the DnD Beyond guide and none of the 3rd level and lower spells are lighting related? Does Thunderwave count? I am guessing that Call Lighting becomes available to a Tempest Cleric but DnD Beyond does not go into Tempest Cleric explanation. I am confused and must have missed something. To those of you playing a Water Genasi, it was a no brainer for me to think that would be the most fun Tempest Cleric so I might try that class and race next...a link to an online full Tempest Cleric description would be great, if you know of the best one. Thanks!
I believe the ability you are referring to let's you do Max damage on any ability that is lightning or thunder damage instead of rolling the die. I found it great for spells like shatter or call lightning.
Played a dwarf tempest cleric from 1-17 through Princes of the Apocalypse and Adventurers League. Spent about a year And a half with weekly plays of that character.
TL;DR - let your party know you are Thor, not a healer. Add Booming Blade if desired.
HEAL VS DMG. Damage, always favor damage.
A monster with 1 hp does the same damage as when it had full health. It's more important to reduce the incoming damage. This is the only time I would apply MMORPG knowledge to D&D. Prioritize enemies as a group, Focus fire, eliminate target, repeat.
Your AoE damage is insane, arguably better than any other class, and always exceeds your healing output. See "Destructive Wave" for strongest example. You can end an encounter by maxing the thunder damage. Once you get this spell, the DM will no longer be able to effectively throw waves at you. I've frequently done 300-500 damage with that one spell.
You can always help heal after battle.
UNORTHODOX SPELLS.
Booming Blade (SCAG). It stacks with your cleric bonus damage and is thunder, which can be maxed via channel divinity.
I've been toying with a flexible build that would allow for being a healer, tank, or hybrid through the flexibility of selecting spells daily.
start with human variant to grab the Arcane Initiate (Sorcerer) feat. This gives you access to Lightning Lure and Shocking Grasp. These are the only weapons you will need. For the level 1 spell, takes Shield.
Lightning Lure (SCAG) is a cantrip (at will) which gives a melee weapon with 30' range. You don't roll to hit or dmg. The enemy makes a Save against Str or gets pulled closer to me with an automatic 8 points of dmg. Perfect for a tank.
Shocking Grasp. Feel free to smack around the enemies at melee...you're wearing heavy armor and shield anyway. Always roll at advantage if the enemy is wearing metal armor.
Cantrip Synergy to the Tempest Cleric: both deal LIGHTNING DMG. This means that both will eventually have potential to hit. For max dmg. That Shocking Grasp will eventually become a 1d8 + Wisdom mod *****slap that sends the enemy flying for 15 ft. That Lightning Lure will some day push enemies off a cliff. Both cantrips scale dmg as you level so they will be the only weapons you will ever need...but you can find something suitable when you stumble across monsters immune to Lightning.
cleric Cantrip - Radiant Burst. Nice at-will AOE centered on yourself for when you've rounded up the enemies.
other cleric cantrips can be anything you want...really. Remember though that as a human you do not have dark vision...or...since your weapon hand is always empty, you can finally be that one guy actually walking around with a torch.
Shield is a reaction...1st level magic initiate spells can't be cast at higher levels, so a static +2 to your AC is always nice in a pinch.
you'll get lightning and thunder cleric spells automatically through the Tempest, so collect whatever healing spells you can get daily. If there is another healer on a particular day, go with more crowd control and tank spells. If you are healing that day, load up on heals.
Oh...and the whole party will be psyched as you pass on all the cool looking weapon drops reserving the right to claim dibs on a shiny new shield or armor set.
Lightning Lure only has a range of 15' (you cited 30', am I miscalculating something?), if they fail the saving throw they are pulled 10' closer to you (into melee range)
Thunderbolt Strike (6th) lets you push an target 10' away from you if you damage them with Lightning.
These two combined would cause an enemy to just... stand in place. Also Shocking Grasp would only push them back 10' not 15'. I guess that means they will be 15' away now.
My only worry is that with that feat you're making a character MAD (Many Attribute Dependent) because these cantrips are going off Charisma (or Int if you choose Wizard). Which means your CHA/INT are competing with WIS for 1st place. As you said you're using spells as your primary attack. (positive is if you pick Wizard, you can use a Headband of Intellect to have 19 Int and make up a lower score for the price of an Uncommon Magic Item and Attunement Slot.)
Also by not wielding a weapon you're never going to use your Divine Strike (8th) ability which adds 1d8 thunder damage "Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack". Damage does up to 2d8 (14th). This requires a weapon strike.
This actually would combo with Polearm Master *really* well, because it's per Turn not per Round. This means you can deal the Thunder damage as part of your ReAction attack and as part of your Attack Action on your turn (or the Bonus Action attack if the 1st missed). IF you can get a magic polearm that deals Lightning damage you could chain it with Thunderbolt Strike to push them back and force them to reengage.
If you wanted to combine this with Booming Blade you'll need Warcaster which wouldn't net you a lot. You'd get the Adv on Con saves (always good). You can then use Booming Blade as a ReAction with the Polearm Master, to deal extra Thunder damage when they try to engage you in melee.
I made a custom cantrip for tempest clerics it's called Bolt and it is in the public homebrew here, it was origionally based off fire bolt but dropped the damage to a d8 and range of 60 ft, to better align with cleric damage cantrips. it can only be learned by a tempest cleric so please check it out.
Although I mentioned other races I ended up picking a Blue Dragonborn Tempest Cleric. It was a logical choice to go with Blue Dragonborn even though I think that as far as breath weapon goes, a cone breath is better than a line breath. Naturally it gives some fun options with using lightning breath weapon and Channel Divinity. Our typical DM wanted to play, so one of our regular players took over the DM position and allowed us to keep our previous level (8) from our characters and either keep going with them or create new ones. I went from my Human Life Cleric to the Dragonborn Termpest. It has been fun so far. Most of the players were surprised when I used the Channel Divinity Destructive Wrath and Shatter cast at 4th level. 80 points of damage against two Manticores. (40 each) Essentially cut them down to 1/3 their HP was fun.
Finding a Staff of Thunder and Lightning would most certainly be ridiculous.
We have a Dragonborn Tempest Cleric in our party. He is doing the Magic Initiate feat at LVL8, and choosing Booming Blade as his Cantrip. He then will do 1d8 for his hammer, 1d8 for Divine Strike, and 1d8 for Booming Blade. This goes to 4d8 at LVL11, 5d8 at LVL14, and 6d8 at LVL17... and he has an +1 Lightning Damage hammer, so everything flies back 10feet after a hit (and therefore they get pushed out of melee range, risking having to move to get back into his grill and triggering extra damage). That is Cantrip/Melee damage only!
I’m currently playing a level 8 Tempest Domain Cleric and I’ve found that healing during combat is only useful when party members go down and you’re trying to prevent them from dying.
Other than that, I find I have enough variety with regular melee attack(especially now with Divine Strike activated) or Toll the Dead combined with Spiritual Weapon.
As for Destructive wrath, I feel like Thunderwave and Shatter are best used only if you have multiple targets and then call lightning for big targets (but we stick to RAW so this spell rarely gets used because of the fact it needs to be cast at a point you can see 100 feet above you).
Also, I’ve started revamping my prepared spell list to include more utility spells (detect magic, water walk, speak with the dead) and I honestly feel way more useful all around.
I'm playing a Tempest Cleric in a new campaign, and loving it so far. To be clear, I've only been playing D&D for a few months, and am a rogue in my other campaign. We're a pretty sizable group, but we don't always have consistent attendance because of that. So sometimes I'm our only healer, and sometimes I'm one of three. I'm curious as to how other people have balanced the healing powers of Clerics as a more damage dealing Tempest. Are there any particular spells you've found to work well that people tend to overlook?
Just created a Water Genasi Tempest Cleric, campaign start in next two weeks, will let you know after I try it.
Would be interested if anyone has any experience with Tempest in later levels.
Played a Tempest Cleric up through 8th. Human (Variant) taking Heavy Armor Master at first level (3 points per hit were huge difference early on...).
Great fun, always something to do with each part of your action. Able to range for spells, and my guy happened into a great strength (which became less relevant later, so don't get hung up on it...)
Was able to be a near-front line fighter for the first four levels, basically became a battlefield controller by 5th.
I plan to dip a bit into paladin to get that smite with the thunder/lightning damage bonus tempests
I have a level 8 Water Genasi Tempest cleric. Personally, I just let the party know that I'm not a real healer and just cast Call Lightning all the time. I still save slots to Healing Word or Mass Healing Word, but for the most part, I'm just Calling Lightning left and right. Except indoors. Then I just cast Shatter a bunch. I figured at later levels, I'll just be upcasting Call Lightning since you never really get any better Thunder or Lightning damage spells, so I'll just do the regular cleric-y thing then.
If you didn't make your cleric to be a healer then make that clear. When you're the only option for heals prepare maybe an extra heal, but otherwise make it clear that your character is a front line warrior with magic. Thats what I do with my trickery cleric. What am I playing today? "I'm playing a magical thief. I have some utility magic." I set their expectations appropriately by not confusing them by using the word "cleric." I keep a couple healing words in my ring of spell storing for emergencies such as "the real healer is down!." If I were the only potential healer I'd grab healing word as a prepared spell in the interest of supporting the group and not being unreasonable.
I would say on days you end up being the only cleric it's best to opt for more healing spells. They can really help a party out of a tough spot.
It's never good when you have a character or two die because the only person capable of casting healing magic wanted to do something else instead of having healing magic.
There is the typcial expectation that the cleric is going to heal and the backups are the druid and paladin.
I play mine as a front line hybrid dmg/healer, but with polearm mastery. I use the pushes to move my enemy's back out of my attack range. Polearm mastery feat gives me attacks of opportunity when they move back into my range. Giving me lots of extra free damage. I usually stick with the tempest specific damage spells while grabbing good heal spells as i can and bonus action support buffs like sanctuary. You habe very good battleground control when built right. Im really enjoying it.
I became interested in the Tempest Cleric after reading about the lvl 6 boost to lighting damage but my question for those of you who play a Tempest Cleric, what spell can you cast that allows this extra maximum damage? I am only using the DnD Beyond guide and none of the 3rd level and lower spells are lighting related? Does Thunderwave count? I am guessing that Call Lighting becomes available to a Tempest Cleric but DnD Beyond does not go into Tempest Cleric explanation. I am confused and must have missed something. To those of you playing a Water Genasi, it was a no brainer for me to think that would be the most fun Tempest Cleric so I might try that class and race next...a link to an online full Tempest Cleric description would be great, if you know of the best one. Thanks!
Played a dwarf tempest cleric from 1-17 through Princes of the Apocalypse and Adventurers League. Spent about a year And a half with weekly plays of that character.
TL;DR - let your party know you are Thor, not a healer. Add Booming Blade if desired.
HEAL VS DMG. Damage, always favor damage.
UNORTHODOX SPELLS.
Booming Blade (SCAG). It stacks with your cleric bonus damage and is thunder, which can be maxed via channel divinity.
I've been toying with a flexible build that would allow for being a healer, tank, or hybrid through the flexibility of selecting spells daily.
start with human variant to grab the Arcane Initiate (Sorcerer) feat. This gives you access to Lightning Lure and Shocking Grasp. These are the only weapons you will need. For the level 1 spell, takes Shield.
Lightning Lure (SCAG) is a cantrip (at will) which gives a melee weapon with 30' range. You don't roll to hit or dmg. The enemy makes a Save against Str or gets pulled closer to me with an automatic 8 points of dmg. Perfect for a tank.
Shocking Grasp. Feel free to smack around the enemies at melee...you're wearing heavy armor and shield anyway. Always roll at advantage if the enemy is wearing metal armor.
Cantrip Synergy to the Tempest Cleric: both deal LIGHTNING DMG. This means that both will eventually have potential to hit. For max dmg. That Shocking Grasp will eventually become a 1d8 + Wisdom mod *****slap that sends the enemy flying for 15 ft. That Lightning Lure will some day push enemies off a cliff. Both cantrips scale dmg as you level so they will be the only weapons you will ever need...but you can find something suitable when you stumble across monsters immune to Lightning.
cleric Cantrip - Radiant Burst. Nice at-will AOE centered on yourself for when you've rounded up the enemies.
other cleric cantrips can be anything you want...really. Remember though that as a human you do not have dark vision...or...since your weapon hand is always empty, you can finally be that one guy actually walking around with a torch.
Shield is a reaction...1st level magic initiate spells can't be cast at higher levels, so a static +2 to your AC is always nice in a pinch.
you'll get lightning and thunder cleric spells automatically through the Tempest, so collect whatever healing spells you can get daily. If there is another healer on a particular day, go with more crowd control and tank spells. If you are healing that day, load up on heals.
Oh...and the whole party will be psyched as you pass on all the cool looking weapon drops reserving the right to claim dibs on a shiny new shield or armor set.
Zamfir,
Lightning Lure only has a range of 15' (you cited 30', am I miscalculating something?), if they fail the saving throw they are pulled 10' closer to you (into melee range)
Thunderbolt Strike (6th) lets you push an target 10' away from you if you damage them with Lightning.
These two combined would cause an enemy to just... stand in place. Also Shocking Grasp would only push them back 10' not 15'. I guess that means they will be 15' away now.
My only worry is that with that feat you're making a character MAD (Many Attribute Dependent) because these cantrips are going off Charisma (or Int if you choose Wizard). Which means your CHA/INT are competing with WIS for 1st place. As you said you're using spells as your primary attack. (positive is if you pick Wizard, you can use a Headband of Intellect to have 19 Int and make up a lower score for the price of an Uncommon Magic Item and Attunement Slot.)
Also by not wielding a weapon you're never going to use your Divine Strike (8th) ability which adds 1d8 thunder damage "Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack". Damage does up to 2d8 (14th). This requires a weapon strike.
This actually would combo with Polearm Master *really* well, because it's per Turn not per Round. This means you can deal the Thunder damage as part of your ReAction attack and as part of your Attack Action on your turn (or the Bonus Action attack if the 1st missed). IF you can get a magic polearm that deals Lightning damage you could chain it with Thunderbolt Strike to push them back and force them to reengage.
If you wanted to combine this with Booming Blade you'll need Warcaster which wouldn't net you a lot. You'd get the Adv on Con saves (always good). You can then use Booming Blade as a ReAction with the Polearm Master, to deal extra Thunder damage when they try to engage you in melee.
I made a custom cantrip for tempest clerics it's called Bolt and it is in the public homebrew here, it was origionally based off fire bolt but dropped the damage to a d8 and range of 60 ft, to better align with cleric damage cantrips. it can only be learned by a tempest cleric so please check it out.
Although I mentioned other races I ended up picking a Blue Dragonborn Tempest Cleric. It was a logical choice to go with Blue Dragonborn even though I think that as far as breath weapon goes, a cone breath is better than a line breath. Naturally it gives some fun options with using lightning breath weapon and Channel Divinity. Our typical DM wanted to play, so one of our regular players took over the DM position and allowed us to keep our previous level (8) from our characters and either keep going with them or create new ones. I went from my Human Life Cleric to the Dragonborn Termpest. It has been fun so far. Most of the players were surprised when I used the Channel Divinity Destructive Wrath and Shatter cast at 4th level. 80 points of damage against two Manticores. (40 each) Essentially cut them down to 1/3 their HP was fun.
Finding a Staff of Thunder and Lightning would most certainly be ridiculous.
We have a Dragonborn Tempest Cleric in our party. He is doing the Magic Initiate feat at LVL8, and choosing Booming Blade as his Cantrip. He then will do 1d8 for his hammer, 1d8 for Divine Strike, and 1d8 for Booming Blade. This goes to 4d8 at LVL11, 5d8 at LVL14, and 6d8 at LVL17... and he has an +1 Lightning Damage hammer, so everything flies back 10feet after a hit (and therefore they get pushed out of melee range, risking having to move to get back into his grill and triggering extra damage). That is Cantrip/Melee damage only!
I’m currently playing a level 8 Tempest Domain Cleric and I’ve found that healing during combat is only useful when party members go down and you’re trying to prevent them from dying.
Other than that, I find I have enough variety with regular melee attack(especially now with Divine Strike activated) or Toll the Dead combined with Spiritual Weapon.
As for Destructive wrath, I feel like Thunderwave and Shatter are best used only if you have multiple targets and then call lightning for big targets (but we stick to RAW so this spell rarely gets used because of the fact it needs to be cast at a point you can see 100 feet above you).
Also, I’ve started revamping my prepared spell list to include more utility spells (detect magic, water walk, speak with the dead) and I honestly feel way more useful all around.
I am the dominant healer, and I basically just save my two highest slots for heal spells and electrocute people with everything else