Tips for a tanky life cleric?

[Douche]

Currently level 3

Dwarven Life Cleric
Stats - 14, 10, 18, 14, 18, 11

I want to fill the role of an off-tank and be able to protect the squishes in the back, so I'm probably gonna take a level in fighter (after level 4 in cleric) to get the protection fighting style to impose disadvantage when my buddies are getting hit.

Otherwise, I've been looking through a bunch of the other classes and I can't really think of anything that would synergize well with what I imagine doing.

[DragonBaneDM]

I'd go two dip! Action Surge is pretty baller-tier.

[PoeticDwarf]

Currently level 3

Dwarven Life Cleric
Stats - 14, 10, 18, 14, 18, 11

I want to fill the role of an off-tank and be able to protect the squishes in the back, so I'm probably gonna take a level in fighter (after level 4 in cleric) to get the protection fighting style to impose disadvantage when my buddies are getting hit.

Otherwise, I've been looking through a bunch of the other classes and I can't really think of anything that would synergize well with what I imagine doing.

Take sanctuary and shield of faith, go for good old high AC, high constitution of course. Protection sounds cool, maybe magic initate for shield and maybe one level barbarian to have a last option.

#prayforparis
and for other victims of violence all over the world!

[Hyena]

Don't.

That's right, don't. I've made the same mistake and tried playing a melee cleric. Just don't. +1d8 to damage once per turn is absolutely nothing, when you have no additional attacks or ways to augment your damage. You have your chainmail and a shield of faith, but a minotaur still WILL hit you, and you WILL constantly make concentration saves, and you WILL spend most of your spell slots to heal yourself.

Play a paladin. That's what I ended up doing, and it's great.

[L Space]

Currently level 3

Dwarven Life Cleric
Stats - 14, 10, 18, 14, 18, 11

I want to fill the role of an off-tank and be able to protect the squishes in the back, so I'm probably gonna take a level in fighter (after level 4 in cleric) to get the protection fighting style to impose disadvantage when my buddies are getting hit.

Otherwise, I've been looking through a bunch of the other classes and I can't really think of anything that would synergize well with what I imagine doing.

I always thought that being a Cleric/Abjurer could be interesting, but it may take too big of a dip for it to be worthwhile.

[Douche]

Don't.

That's right, don't. I've made the same mistake and tried playing a melee cleric. Just don't. +1d8 to damage once per turn is absolutely nothing, when you have no additional attacks or ways to augment your damage. You have your chainmail and a shield of faith, but a minotaur still WILL hit you, and you WILL constantly make concentration saves, and you WILL spend most of your spell slots to heal yourself.

Play a paladin. That's what I ended up doing, and it's great.

I'm not planning on being a melee cleric. I've mostly been standing in the back along with the 2 sorcerers in our party, using Spiritual Weapon and Sacred Flame to do a little damage every now and then. Otherwise, I run around the battlefield using cure wounds.

Hence, off-tank. Not main tank. I'm just looking for some good defensive capability to help protect the back line.

[M Placeholder]

Hence, off-tank. Not main tank. I'm just looking for some good defensive capability to help protect the back line.

What are the other party member? Could you get someone to give you good bluffs?

[Douche]

What are the other party member? Could you get someone to give you good bluffs?

All in all, we got 2 battlemaster fighters, a frenzy barb, life cleric (me), 2 sorcerers, and a paladin npc who really just melee attacks and does lay on hands in absolute emergencies.

Pretty heavy on melee, lol.

[Ralanr]

Grab a shield.

[Pex]

Don't.

That's right, don't. I've made the same mistake and tried playing a melee cleric. Just don't. +1d8 to damage once per turn is absolutely nothing, when you have no additional attacks or ways to augment your damage. You have your chainmail and a shield of faith, but a minotaur still WILL hit you, and you WILL constantly make concentration saves, and you WILL spend most of your spell slots to heal yourself.

Play a paladin. That's what I ended up doing, and it's great.

The cleric would be casting Spiritual Weapon since level 3, which doesn't use Concentration. Meanwhile there is Bless, which does, but that is what War Caster feat is for to mitigate.

The Life Cleric can have the same AC as the Paladin, so why isn't the Paladin spending his fewer slots on healing let alone using up all his Lay On Hands?

[Douche]

The cleric would be casting Spiritual Weapon since level 3, which doesn't use Concentration. Meanwhile there is Bless, which does, but that is what War Caster feat is for to mitigate.

The Life Cleric can have the same AC as the Paladin, so why isn't the Paladin spending his fewer slots on healing let alone using up all his Lay On Hands?

The paladin is an NPC. The DM also often skips his turn (he's a simple, timid farmboy so it sorta makes sense... Not a hardened warrior). He hasn't gone out and said it, but I suspect it's because the DM wants us to have fun playing our own characters, not having an NPC carry the team for us. Like I said, he's really only there for emergencies, or if the DM decides to throw in a particularly powerful boss enemy that's above what our CR should allow.