So we're running Out of the Abyss as our next campaign, and I've rolled a Dwarf Forge Cleric. For the most part we're just operating out of PHB, XgtE, and SCAG I believe. possibly some exceptions but that would have to be cleared with the DM. Currently I'm thinking Mountain Dwarf; (14/8/14/10/15/10) using point buy; picking up Observant or Resilient (con.) feat early on; and proficiency in athletics, religion, perception, and insight.
Basically he's supposed to be a front line, support caster capable of holding their own with the fighter in our group. However, I have some doubts about starting at less than 16 wisdom as the cleric is still a primary caster. I do want to have fun with the character, but being a survival based-campaign (in which there are penalties for dying) I want to make this character pretty damn viable.
I'm looking for thoughts and pointers on the build, including: subrace, point spread, skill proficiencies, feats, and spells, etc.
A +2 Wis mod isn't going to be awful for the first few levels, especially if it sets you up for having a high passive perception once you hit level 4 if that's the setup you're going for. A difference of 1 to healing won't normally be vital, but you'll notice it more impacting your spell selection (1 fewer spell to prepare each day) and impacting save or effect spells like Command or damaging cantrips.
It all depends on what type of spells and casting you intend to go for though, as well as how you want the character to feel as you play them. How you want the character to feel also feeds into skill proficiencies as these give you a way to round out your character and indicate where their strengths lie (e.g. from training / just naturally good at it / whatever) and what they can bring to a party.
If your DM is a stickler for having a hand free for the Somatic components for any cleric spells then you'll find War Caster to be very handy. A lotof Cleric spells have somatic components, so if you were planning on using a shield plus weapon in the frontline then you'll potentially find that you may get more mileage out of that over Observant or Resilient Con. Advantage on concentration saves comes in handy too.
A different spread of 14/8/15/10/14/10 with Mountain Dwarf sets you up very nicely for picking up Resilient Con at level 4 (resulting in 18 Con and prof in saves) but means that you'd be looking at only having 14 Wisdom until level 8 when you may want to sink an ASI into it so you hit 16. Spell components could still be an issue though as mentioned above.
As far as overall spell selection goes - it depends on what you want to be able to do and what the overall composition of the party will be. You can always swap out non-cantrip spells each day anyway which is an advantage. If you want a mix of functionality from your cantrips then you can go for one damaging (probably Sacred Flame or Toll the Dead so you have something you can do at range without needing to switch to a ranged weapon), and then two others from the buff/utility selection depending on what you want to be able to do. Personally I've had good mileage from guidance, light, mending, spare the dying, and thaumaturgy, but it depends on what the makeup of the party is. If you have members without darkvision then light is handy since you can cast it on a weapon so they can use that and a shield without running into issues with torches.
why in the name of the abyss are you playing an mountain dwarf cleric? if ya gonna play a dwarf cleric and be vialble, you are most often better of with hill dwarf for a bonus to wis and that juicy exta 1 hit point per level. I really wanna see your reasoning here
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i am soup, with too many ideas (all of them very spicy) who has made sufficient homebrew material and character to last an thousand human lifetimes
Well mostly for RP reasons. I want to play Mountain Dwarf forge cleric because the character *thematically* is more of a warrior/smith than a priest. I intend to make him viable on the front lines , where he can deliver healing and support where it is most needed.
well if your only reason for taking the mountain dwarf subrace is based on lore/story, you can just pick hill dwarf but then pretend and act like an mountain dwarf in every way, nobody will really notice or care, the only things that make mountain dwaves stand out is high str and armor proficiencies, both of whom you seem to have a bit of already
The problem with that thought process, is many of the cleric's best spells are concentration based, and if you are on the front lines, you will be making a lot of conc saving throws.
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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.
Right. As a Forge Cleric, a high AC is a good way to mitigate concentration saves. I think I will take War Caster to get advantage on those saving throws as well. I do not intend to be a pocket healer, more of a support class who can give as good as they take. Thematically, this makes sense as I do not think a Forge Cleric would necessarily be a dedicated healer anyways.
I can respect that. Not everything in D&D needs to be based around making the sickest builds imaginable.
From my experience playing a level 6 (hill dwarf) forge cleric for a one-shot session, it was very fun making use of a few spells as a tanker on the frontline. Highly recommend that War Caster feat, especially with this idea I used before. Something I've been trying to push with the war cleric in my party for making the tanks even tankier in my party.
Warding Bond (+1 AC) + Shield of Faith (+2 AC) + Blessing of the Forge (+1 AC) on to your fighter. Depending on their fighting style, if they've taken the protection (+1 AC), they'll have an awesome +5 AC for the full combat so long as you can maintain concentration. If you don't want to waste a feat but have a transmuter wizard in the party, ask them to give you the transmuter's stone so you can have proficiency in Constitution saving throws.
Warding Bond does not require concentration but Shield of Faith does. This does mean you'll be taking two rounds off your list to make sure you get these buffs placed from the start, so it's very situational on whatever monster you're going against. Might be worthwhile in a boss fight.
If you've made the character, would it be possible for you to provide the link?
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So we're running Out of the Abyss as our next campaign, and I've rolled a Dwarf Forge Cleric. For the most part we're just operating out of PHB, XgtE, and SCAG I believe. possibly some exceptions but that would have to be cleared with the DM. Currently I'm thinking Mountain Dwarf; (14/8/14/10/15/10) using point buy; picking up Observant or Resilient (con.) feat early on; and proficiency in athletics, religion, perception, and insight.
Basically he's supposed to be a front line, support caster capable of holding their own with the fighter in our group. However, I have some doubts about starting at less than 16 wisdom as the cleric is still a primary caster. I do want to have fun with the character, but being a survival based-campaign (in which there are penalties for dying) I want to make this character pretty damn viable.
I'm looking for thoughts and pointers on the build, including:
subrace, point spread, skill proficiencies, feats, and spells, etc.A +2 Wis mod isn't going to be awful for the first few levels, especially if it sets you up for having a high passive perception once you hit level 4 if that's the setup you're going for. A difference of 1 to healing won't normally be vital, but you'll notice it more impacting your spell selection (1 fewer spell to prepare each day) and impacting save or effect spells like Command or damaging cantrips.
It all depends on what type of spells and casting you intend to go for though, as well as how you want the character to feel as you play them. How you want the character to feel also feeds into skill proficiencies as these give you a way to round out your character and indicate where their strengths lie (e.g. from training / just naturally good at it / whatever) and what they can bring to a party.
If your DM is a stickler for having a hand free for the Somatic components for any cleric spells then you'll find War Caster to be very handy. A lot of Cleric spells have somatic components, so if you were planning on using a shield plus weapon in the frontline then you'll potentially find that you may get more mileage out of that over Observant or Resilient Con. Advantage on concentration saves comes in handy too.
A different spread of 14/8/15/10/14/10 with Mountain Dwarf sets you up very nicely for picking up Resilient Con at level 4 (resulting in 18 Con and prof in saves) but means that you'd be looking at only having 14 Wisdom until level 8 when you may want to sink an ASI into it so you hit 16. Spell components could still be an issue though as mentioned above.
As far as overall spell selection goes - it depends on what you want to be able to do and what the overall composition of the party will be. You can always swap out non-cantrip spells each day anyway which is an advantage. If you want a mix of functionality from your cantrips then you can go for one damaging (probably Sacred Flame or Toll the Dead so you have something you can do at range without needing to switch to a ranged weapon), and then two others from the buff/utility selection depending on what you want to be able to do. Personally I've had good mileage from guidance, light, mending, spare the dying, and thaumaturgy, but it depends on what the makeup of the party is. If you have members without darkvision then light is handy since you can cast it on a weapon so they can use that and a shield without running into issues with torches.
Please take a look at my homebrewed Spells, Magic Items, and Subclasses. Any feedback appreciated.
Thanks for the advice, friend!
why in the name of the abyss are you playing an mountain dwarf cleric? if ya gonna play a dwarf cleric and be vialble, you are most often better of with hill dwarf for a bonus to wis and that juicy exta 1 hit point per level. I really wanna see your reasoning here
i am soup, with too many ideas (all of them very spicy) who has made sufficient homebrew material and character to last an thousand human lifetimes
Well mostly for RP reasons. I want to play Mountain Dwarf forge cleric because the character *thematically* is more of a warrior/smith than a priest. I intend to make him viable on the front lines , where he can deliver healing and support where it is most needed.
Hope that answers your question.
well if your only reason for taking the mountain dwarf subrace is based on lore/story, you can just pick hill dwarf but then pretend and act like an mountain dwarf in every way, nobody will really notice or care, the only things that make mountain dwaves stand out is high str and armor proficiencies, both of whom you seem to have a bit of already
i am soup, with too many ideas (all of them very spicy) who has made sufficient homebrew material and character to last an thousand human lifetimes
The problem with that thought process, is many of the cleric's best spells are concentration based, and if you are on the front lines, you will be making a lot of conc saving throws.
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
Right. As a Forge Cleric, a high AC is a good way to mitigate concentration saves. I think I will take War Caster to get advantage on those saving throws as well. I do not intend to be a pocket healer, more of a support class who can give as good as they take. Thematically, this makes sense as I do not think a Forge Cleric would necessarily be a dedicated healer anyways.
I can respect that. Not everything in D&D needs to be based around making the sickest builds imaginable.
From my experience playing a level 6 (hill dwarf) forge cleric for a one-shot session, it was very fun making use of a few spells as a tanker on the frontline. Highly recommend that War Caster feat, especially with this idea I used before. Something I've been trying to push with the war cleric in my party for making the tanks even tankier in my party.
Warding Bond (+1 AC) + Shield of Faith (+2 AC) + Blessing of the Forge (+1 AC) on to your fighter. Depending on their fighting style, if they've taken the protection (+1 AC), they'll have an awesome +5 AC for the full combat so long as you can maintain concentration. If you don't want to waste a feat but have a transmuter wizard in the party, ask them to give you the transmuter's stone so you can have proficiency in Constitution saving throws.
Warding Bond does not require concentration but Shield of Faith does. This does mean you'll be taking two rounds off your list to make sure you get these buffs placed from the start, so it's very situational on whatever monster you're going against. Might be worthwhile in a boss fight.
If you've made the character, would it be possible for you to provide the link?