Hello guys!


How would you build a Tempest Cleric through level 1 to 10?


We are gonna use Standard Array (15-14-13-12-10-8).
He will be a STR-based melee Cleric.
No Multiclassing, just Monoclass.
The DM said the campaign will probably end around level 10.
PHB only. RAW. Slight chance that I can grab stuff from other books, but wouldnt be allowed to get much stuff.


Basically, I wanna build a front-line melee Cleric that can dish a lot of damage and tank some damage, heal allies and cast utlity spell ocasionally. 
More like a "Thor" type of character, damage from his thunder/lightning spells.


Race?
Background?
Ability Scores?
Feats/ASIs?
Spells?
Equipment/Weapons?


How would you build him and why?
Thank you very much!

I love this idea and love Thor so here is my build:

• Race: Goliath seems to stand out immediately, but since you want PHB, i will say mountain dwarf because you get a +2 to Strength & +2 to Constitution. Only PHB race to get +4 of racial bonus (I think). You'll also get darkvision and poison resistance (because Thor is godly and that sort of makes sense lol). And the dwarf gives you proficiency with warhammer, but being in the tempest domain, you already have proficiency in the warhammer.
• Background: I think Acolyte fits the Thor theme best, but in terms of being a tanky warrior Soldier just sticks out. Plus as far as skill proficiencies go, Acolyte gives you Insight and Religion, which are two options for the cleric, so your two cleric skills could be two of: History, Medicine, and/or Persuasion. If you go the Soldier route, then you can pick from History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion, and/or Religion and then Soldier gives you Athletics and Intimidation both things that would make a good Thor character.
• Ability Scores: To become Thor-esque and seeing as how you decided to list front-line melee 1st, give your 15 to STR, 14 to CON because you then listed tank, then your 13 to WIS because then you have your healing and spells next, then I would do 12 for DEX, 10 for Int, and then 8 for Charisma since Thor is from Asgard and doesn't quite fit in or know human customs as well (at least in the beginning).
• Feats: Charger could be okay, Elemental Adept would be a good one, since it would let you ignore resistance on enemies that have it to either lightning or thunder and it also makes it impossible for you to roll 1s on damage die, you could also take the feat twice to do lightning and then thunder, but I would necessarily suggest that. Durable and Tough are good options for your tankiness. Great Weapon Master is alright since it will let you make a second warhammer attack as a bonus action if you get a critical or kill a creature. Heavy Armor Master is a good feat for early levels. Once you get higher up it is pretty bad because 3 damage isn't really anything, so if your DM lets you replace feats, this might be a good one for a few levels. Savage Attacker is GREAT for wanting maximum damage output.
• Spells: I believe the Cleric basically chooses new spells every day so really your options are wide open! I don't see any lightning or thunder based spells from the Cleric list, but you get some of those from the tempest domain anyways. So spells really depend on your party. If you guys struggle in combat then get some healing spells. However, if you become the main damage dealer, but someone else is dying, then you begin to have to spend your turns healing rather than maximizing your damage output, so spells that can help your allies in combat from losing so much health would be good options. Some that stick out Resistance, Protection from Evil and Good, Shield of Faith seems like a must if you being to have the above situation continue to happen. Depending on if your DM allows it you could cast Glyph of Warding on books/notepads/journals given to your party and put healing spells in them. That way in combat your allies can open the books and unleash your healing spell on themselves, like a potion
• Equipment: If you want to do thor then you gotta go with a warhammer. It's versatile so you can do two hands (even though mjolnir is one handed hammer) to get the d10, or you could do one handed and a shield to be more tanky. The tempest domain gives you proficiency with martial weapons (so you could pick a different race other than mountain dwarf if you still want to use the warhammer and heavy armor so definitely go with as much AC as possible: Plate, Splint, Chain mail, Half plate, Breastplate, Ring mail in that order depending on what money allows.

Let me know what you think of my build!

Quote from SquigsTheTruth >>

I love this idea and love Thor so here is my build:

• Race: Goliath seems to stand out immediately, but since you want PHB, i will say mountain dwarf because you get a +2 to Strength & +2 to Constitution. Only PHB race to get +4 of racial bonus (I think). You'll also get darkvision and poison resistance (because Thor is godly and that sort of makes sense lol). And the dwarf gives you proficiency with warhammer, but being in the tempest domain, you already have proficiency in the warhammer.
• Background: I think Acolyte fits the Thor theme best, but in terms of being a tanky warrior Soldier just sticks out. Plus as far as skill proficiencies go, Acolyte gives you Insight and Religion, which are two options for the cleric, so your two cleric skills could be two of: History, Medicine, and/or Persuasion. If you go the Soldier route, then you can pick from History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion, and/or Religion and then Soldier gives you Athletics and [skill]Intimidation[skill] both things that would make a good Thor character.
• Ability Scores: To become Thor-esque and seeing as how you decided to list front-line melee 1st, give your 15 to STR, 14 to CON because you then listed tank, then your 13 to WIS because then you have your healing and spells next, then I would do 12 for DEX, 10 for Int, and then 8 for Charisma since Thor is from Asgard and doesn't quite fit in or know human customs as well (at least in the beginning).
• Feats: Charger could be okay, Elemental Adept would be a good one, since it would let you ignore resistance on enemies that have it to either lightning or thunder and it also makes it impossible for you to roll 1s on damage die, you could also take the feat twice to do lightning and then thunder, but I would necessarily suggest that. Durable and Tough are good options for your tankiness. Great Weapon Master is alright since it will let you make a second warhammer attack as a bonus action if you get a critical or kill a creature. Heavy Armor Master is a good feat for early levels. Once you get higher up it is pretty bad because 3 damage isn't really anything, so if your DM lets you replace feats, this might be a good one for a few levels. Savage Attacker is GREAT for wanting maximum damage output.
• Spells: I believe the Cleric basically chooses new spells every day so really your options are wide open! I don't see any lightning or thunder based spells from the Cleric list, but you get some of those from the tempest domain anyways. So spells really depend on your party. If you guys struggle in combat then get some healing spells. However, if you become the main damage dealer, but someone else is dying, then you begin to have to spend your turns healing rather than maximizing your damage output, so spells that can help your allies in combat from losing so much health would be good options. Some that stick out Resistance, Protection from Evil and Good, Shield of Faith seems like a must if you being to have the above situation continue to happen. Depending on if your DM allows it you could cast Glyph of Warding on books/notepads/journals given to your party and put healing spells in them. That way in combat your allies can open the books and unleash your healing spell on themselves, like a potion
• Equipment: If you want to do thor then you gotta go with a warhammer. It's versatile so you can do two hands (even though mjolnir is one handed hammer) to get the d10, or you could do one handed and a shield to be more tanky. The tempest domain gives you proficiency with martial weapons (so you could pick a different race other than mountain dwarf if you still want to use the warhammer and heavy armor so definitely go with as much AC as possible: Plate, Splint, Chain mail, Half plate, Breastplate, Ring mail in that order depending on what money allows.

Let me know what you think of my build!

Quote from Vitin>> 

 Woow. Not bad at all! I liked it. Maybe I would switch some things, for "min-max" reason you know... like maybe grab Heavy Armor master and Resilient(con), maybe go Variant human for Feat at level 1. But I mean, overall looks awesome! Thanks a lot! =D

You could take magic initiate and yoink booming blade. In combo with Divine Strike, the damage from just one melee strike would be brutal