Can Mind Sharpener infusion practically replace Warcaster for concentration checks?
Eg. Cleric dipping into artificer for 2 lvls can free up a feat with this (so no need for Warcaster to keep Spirit Guardian going?) - this also enables +2 artificer cantrips (like booming blade + thorn whip) for additional synergies with spirit guardian
Which is the best from below options for front line cleric to make most of spirit guardian:
Mind Sharpener only ever has at most 4 charges per day - and depending on how well you roll and how often you use it - probably less than that. Not only that but it uses your Reaction to do the auto success - which you might not have. But - that said - you don't have to use it until you know for a fact that you've failed.
So - with that - I would still say Warcaster or Resilient (Con) is still practically required - or you're going to spend all the Mind Sharpener charges super fast.
Obviously all 3 would be preferable - but if you have to choose between Warcaster and Resilient (Con) - typically Resilient becomes better when proficiency is +4 or higher (level 9 or higher) and Warcaster is better before then. This is for two reasons: (1) because on average Warcaster provides a benefit roughly between 3 and 5 (depending on the number of the die you need to roll to succeed) and (2) Resilient (Con) allows you to get higher numbers which means you can possibly succeed on some concentration checks that you couldn't without it.
A lot of arcane casters are going to be relying on the Shield spell as the first layer of defense. This means that the infusion faces competition for resources in the action economy which Warcaster does not.
Warcaster > Resilient Con for gishy or close quarters casters like EK's. For pure range casters, it becomes less clearly superior to resilient with the right party composition, especially if you need to even out your CON score.
Two levels of artificer means you will be two levels behind on getting high level spells (e.g . you gwet 3rd level spells at level 7) and 1 level behnf on spell slots it also makes you MAD (you either need high strength for heavy armor or +2 Dex for Medium armor, 13 Int to MC into Artificer decent Con and as high wisdom tyouy can get for your primary spell casting ability. I would not go that way just for mind sharpener and a couple of extra cantrips. If their is an artificer in your party that is willing to give some of his infusions to party members mind sharpener then becomes a very viable option.
A lot depends on your style of play,sub-class, DM etc.
How often do you get hit, if you are up front melee you need more of the options than if you are a lightfoot halfling hiding behind the melee guys in your party.
Does your DM waive the requirement to have a free hand for somantoc spells (without materialcomponents)? Without Warcaster you need a free hand to carry out somantic comonent of your spells, while you can use your shield hand if the spell has a material component this does not apply if it does not, you have to use your object interaction to sheath your sword before you can cast, for example, cure wounds and theyn you do not have a weapon for any op attacks and if you want to make a weapon attack next turn that will require your object interaction again to draw it. monitoring this can be fiddly and time consunnibg so mant DMs ignore this if that is the case then warcater becomes much weaker
How often do you get op attacks and do you have and effective melee weapon attack, I have a light cleric with +2 dex and -1 str, she tends to position herself immediately behind the melee characters when spirit guardians are up (so the bad guys are 10ft away) so draw little op attacks. I am considering getting her warcaster and putting her next tot he bad guys, if they try to get away from the guardians she can then do something rteally nasty to them (e.g. Harm)
Is your Con score even or odd? Resiliant Con also gives a +1 to con, the extra HP is welcome.
Are there many enemies with poison attacks in your campaign? Resiliant helps you with all con saves not just concentration checks so defending things things like poison attacks and dragon's breath weapons is more likely if they take resiliant Con.
How many battles do you tend to have per day, if you have a few big battles per day, the 1d4 might not be a limit and mind sharpener is effective unless you have already used your reaction this might put mind sharpener higher up the list.
As you can see there is no "best" option for all circumstances
my current abilities are: STR:16, DEX:14, INT: 13, CONS:19, WIS:20, CHA13
I think it would make sense then to forget artificer, go for warcaster at lvl4, do a 1 lvl dip into hexblade at lvl6 (for booming blade, shield, curse), then continue cleric and resilient CON at lvl9 (8th cleric level). We will go till about lvl10-12 max.
You might consider dipping into wizard rather than warlock.
You get access to all the same cantrips other than Eldritch Blast. And with a 13 CHA, eldritch blast won't do you much good because you will miss quite a lot.
You get shield, absorb elements, and feather fall - a very good suite of "oh shit" defensive spells that are "always on".
You get a ton of very good level 1 rituals including find familiar. And you can always add more to your book.
You get arcane recovery, which still gives you one spell slot back on a short rest (as opposed to two for a warlock)
If you go two levels, you get a wizard subclass. Abjuror and Warmage are both good for tanky casters. In contrast to getting invocations, which can also be very good.
You don't have to come up with a convoluted RP justification for finding a patron, if that matters.
You could actually go for a level 1 dip in sorc too. Draconic is good for preserving your HP. I do think wizard gives you more versatility though.
Can Mind Sharpener infusion practically replace Warcaster for concentration checks?
Eg. Cleric dipping into artificer for 2 lvls can free up a feat with this (so no need for Warcaster to keep Spirit Guardian going?) - this also enables +2 artificer cantrips (like booming blade + thorn whip) for additional synergies with spirit guardian
Which is the best from below options for front line cleric to make most of spirit guardian:
Mind Sharpener only ever has at most 4 charges per day - and depending on how well you roll and how often you use it - probably less than that. Not only that but it uses your Reaction to do the auto success - which you might not have. But - that said - you don't have to use it until you know for a fact that you've failed.
So - with that - I would still say Warcaster or Resilient (Con) is still practically required - or you're going to spend all the Mind Sharpener charges super fast.
Obviously all 3 would be preferable - but if you have to choose between Warcaster and Resilient (Con) - typically Resilient becomes better when proficiency is +4 or higher (level 9 or higher) and Warcaster is better before then. This is for two reasons: (1) because on average Warcaster provides a benefit roughly between 3 and 5 (depending on the number of the die you need to roll to succeed) and (2) Resilient (Con) allows you to get higher numbers which means you can possibly succeed on some concentration checks that you couldn't without it.
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A lot of arcane casters are going to be relying on the Shield spell as the first layer of defense. This means that the infusion faces competition for resources in the action economy which Warcaster does not.
Warcaster > Resilient Con for gishy or close quarters casters like EK's. For pure range casters, it becomes less clearly superior to resilient with the right party composition, especially if you need to even out your CON score.
Two levels of artificer means you will be two levels behind on getting high level spells (e.g . you gwet 3rd level spells at level 7) and 1 level behnf on spell slots it also makes you MAD (you either need high strength for heavy armor or +2 Dex for Medium armor, 13 Int to MC into Artificer decent Con and as high wisdom tyouy can get for your primary spell casting ability. I would not go that way just for mind sharpener and a couple of extra cantrips. If their is an artificer in your party that is willing to give some of his infusions to party members mind sharpener then becomes a very viable option.
A lot depends on your style of play,sub-class, DM etc.
How often do you get hit, if you are up front melee you need more of the options than if you are a lightfoot halfling hiding behind the melee guys in your party.
Does your DM waive the requirement to have a free hand for somantoc spells (without materialcomponents)? Without Warcaster you need a free hand to carry out somantic comonent of your spells, while you can use your shield hand if the spell has a material component this does not apply if it does not, you have to use your object interaction to sheath your sword before you can cast, for example, cure wounds and theyn you do not have a weapon for any op attacks and if you want to make a weapon attack next turn that will require your object interaction again to draw it. monitoring this can be fiddly and time consunnibg so mant DMs ignore this if that is the case then warcater becomes much weaker
How often do you get op attacks and do you have and effective melee weapon attack, I have a light cleric with +2 dex and -1 str, she tends to position herself immediately behind the melee characters when spirit guardians are up (so the bad guys are 10ft away) so draw little op attacks. I am considering getting her warcaster and putting her next tot he bad guys, if they try to get away from the guardians she can then do something rteally nasty to them (e.g. Harm)
Is your Con score even or odd? Resiliant Con also gives a +1 to con, the extra HP is welcome.
Are there many enemies with poison attacks in your campaign? Resiliant helps you with all con saves not just concentration checks so defending things things like poison attacks and dragon's breath weapons is more likely if they take resiliant Con.
How many battles do you tend to have per day, if you have a few big battles per day, the 1d4 might not be a limit and mind sharpener is effective unless you have already used your reaction this might put mind sharpener higher up the list.
As you can see there is no "best" option for all circumstances
this is really useful thanks!
my current abilities are: STR:16, DEX:14, INT: 13, CONS:19, WIS:20, CHA13
I think it would make sense then to forget artificer, go for warcaster at lvl4, do a 1 lvl dip into hexblade at lvl6 (for booming blade, shield, curse), then continue cleric and resilient CON at lvl9 (8th cleric level). We will go till about lvl10-12 max.
You might consider dipping into wizard rather than warlock.
You could actually go for a level 1 dip in sorc too. Draconic is good for preserving your HP. I do think wizard gives you more versatility though.