My Attempt at a Level 1 Do Everything Nature Cleric

[Rajah]

The point of this build is to see if I can create a cleric who can do really well in melee and also be better than average with skills in addition to his full spellcasting. No multiclassing. Going cleric all the way.

The build at level 1:

The highlights: Shillelagh gives 1D8+3, Booming Blade and Sword Burst cantrips. At level 8, will add 1D8 elemental of choice, plus Booming Blade to Shillelagh damage. This seems more than respectable to me.

Only CHA skills are below 0. Trained in Survival, Perception, Insight, Stealth, Sleight of Hand, Religion.

Proficiency in disguise kit and thieves' tools.

Urchin comes with a pet mouse. Nature Cleric has animal friendship and speak with animals always prepared. Seems like a good scouting/spying tool.

Male Variant Human Urchin Cleric 1
Neutral Good

Strength 10 (+0)
Dexterity 16 (+3)
Constitution 13 (+1)
Intelligence 10 (+0)
Wisdom 16 (+3)
Charisma 8 (-1)

Maximum Hit Points: 9

Speed: 30 feet

Armor Class: 16 = 10 + 1 [leather] + 2 [steel shield] + 3 [dexterity]

Proficiency bonus: +2
Initiative modifier: + 3 = + 3 [dexterity]
Attack (handheld / thrown): + 2 + 2 [proficiency]
Attack (missile / finesse): + 5 = + 3 [dexterity] + 2 [proficiency]
Strength save: + 0
Dexterity save: + 3 = + 3 [dexterity]
Constitution save: + 1 = + 1 [constitution]
Intelligence save: + 0
Wisdom save: + 5 = + 3 [wisdom] + 2 [proficiency]
Charisma save: + 1 = -1 [charisma] + 2 [proficiency]
Insight (passive): 15 (20 with advantage)
Investigation (passive): 10 (15 with advantage)
Perception (passive): 15 (20 with advantage)

Languages: Common Elvish

Unarmed strike [+2 to hit; 1 bludgeoning]

Club [+2 to hit; 1d4 bludgeoning, 3 lb, light] -----> +5 to hit, 1D8+3 with shillelagh

Crossbow, light [+5 to hit; 1d8+3 piercing, 6 lb, ammunition (range 80/320), loading, two-handed]

Leather armor [light; + 1 AC; 10 lb.]

Steel Shield [+2 AC; 6 lb.]

Feats:

Magic Initiate -- Wizard Two cantrips and a first level spell from this spellcasting class. Cantrips are Booming Blade and Sword Burst. Spell is Disguise self.

Skills:

Acrobatics Dex 3 = +3

Animal Handling Wis 3 = +3

Arcana Int 0 = +0

Athletics Str 0 = +0

Deception Cha -1 = -1

History Int 0 = +0

Insight Wis 5 = +3 + 2

Intimidation Cha -1 = -1

Investigation Int 0 = +0

Medicine Wis 3 = +3

Nature Int 0 = +0

Perception Wis 5 = +3 + 2

Performance Cha -1 = -1

Persuasion Cha -1 = -1

Religion Int 2 = +0 + 2

Sleight of Hand Dex 5 = +3 + 2

Stealth Dex 5 = +3 + 2

Survival Wis 5 = +3 + 2

What do you guy think? Suggestions? Criticisms?

[numerek]

Leather armor [light; + 1 AC; 10 lb.]

Feats:

Magic Initiate -- Wizard Two cantrips and a first level spell from this spellcasting class. Cantrips are Booming Blade and Sword Burst. Spell is Disguise self.



I'm guessing the leather armor is because of starting gold, cause you could have better ac with medium armor

It looks like you are going melee with this build, I would suggest the spell shield even if your dm only lets you cast it once per day. Another option if you really don't want to wear medium armor would be mage armor. Another option would be find familiar, its a good way to get advantage on a attack, perhaps it could be your mouse.

[numerek]

also quarterstaff is better than club, which also allows for polearm master which could increase your chance of using your reaction.

Another thing to think about is constitution may be better than so much dexterity since you are probably not going to max it out. maybe go 14 dexterity 15 constitution I'm guessing the 13 constitution is with plans to take resilient constitution later

Another consideration is having proficiency in acrobatics as an anti-grappled skill.

[JellyPooga]

Hmm...Cleric isn't really a "do anything" kind of Class to start with and you've locked out any hope of doing anything social with that Charisma dump-stat.

I'd be tempted to take another look at this. Start with the 3-pillars; Combat, Social and Adventuring.

Combat: This covers melee, ranged and magical attacks. You shouldn't have too much trouble here; go Dex-focused and a finesse weapon or grab the Shillelagh Cantrip and you're golden for melee. Your Dex focus covers whatever ranged weapon you want and high Wisdom covers magical attacks This is the easy part.

Social: For a start, you'll want a halfway decent Charisma and proficiency in at least one social skill; I'd suggest Persuasion. You've got some spells that can help here too.

Adventuring: High Dex helps here a little by giving you a decent Stealth and Acrobatics. Proficiency in one or either would be nice. Perception proficiency is practically essential. Athletics and/or Survival might also be handy, but aren't top of the list.

So what are we looking at, ideally?
Ability Scores: High Dex and Wis, Decent Cha and Con, Str and Int we don't much care about.
Skills: Persuasion, Perception, [Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth, Survival]
Spells: Shillelagh Cantrip (if we can swing it), an all-round selection otherwise.

Here's what I'd go with:

Race: Half-Elf
- Ability Scores: +2 Cha, +1 Dex, +1 Wis
- Skill Versatility: Perception, Acrobatics
- Languages: Common, Elven, +1 of choice

Background: Sailor (customised)
- Skills: Athletics and Perception Stealth
- Tools: Vehicles (Water), Thieves Tools
- Feature: Ship's Passage

Class: Cleric
- Skills: Insight, Persuasion
- Domain: Knowledge
-- Blessings of Knowledge (Arcana, Religion)

Ability Scores
(0)Str: 8 (-1)
(9)Dex: 15+1=16 (+3)
(7)Con: 14 (+2)
(0)Int: 8 (-1)
(9)Wis: 15+1=16 (+3)
(2)Cha: 10+2=12 (+1)

Skills
*Acrobatics (Dex) +5
Animal Handling (Wis) +3
**Arcana (Int) +3
*Athletics (Str) +1
Deception (Cha) +1
History (Int) -1
*Insight (Wis) +5
Intimidation (Cha) +1
Investigation (Int) -1
Medicine (Wis) +3
Nature (Int) -1
*Perception (Wis) +5
Performance (Cha) +1
*Persuasion (Cha) +3
**Religion (Int) +3
Sleight of Hand (Dex) +3
*Stealth (Dex) +5
Survival (Wis) +3

Spells
Cantrips: Guidance, Light, Sacred Flame
1st Level: Bless, Guiding Bolt, Cure Wounds, Shield of Faith
(NB- I don't have SCAG or EE; spell selection is probably different with access to either or both of these)

Equipment (average starting gold = 125gp)
(45gp) Studded Leather + Shield [AC:17 = 12 +2 Shield +3 Dex]
(5gp) Holy Symbol (Emblem on Shield)
(2gp) Dagger +5 melee, 1d4+3 piercing
(1sp) Sling +5 ranged (30/120), 1d4+3 bludgeoning
(around 75gp worth of other gear)

Now, this build isn't great in melee at level 1 admittedly (though SCAG Cantrips/Spells might change that...), but it has a decent AC of 19 with Shield of Faith up and is really only doing 2pts less damage (on average) than if he were using Shillelagh or a martial one-handed weapon. Guiding Bolt is ludicrously powerful at 1st level for when you really need to hit something hard.

At level two, he gets to be proficient in any skill or tool using his Channel Divinity; a whole ton of versatility there. Blessings of Knowledge will eventually make him very good at Arcana and Religion despite low Int. Cleric Spellcasting more than makes up for any lack in a decent weapon attack from as early as level 3 when you get access to Spiritual Weapon.

Good all-rounder build; stealthy, combat efficient, knowledgeable, effectively proficient in every skill, spellcasting up the wazoo...what's not to like?

Just my take on it.

[Rajah]

That's a nice build, though it would require a feat at some point if I wanted to up its melee ability.

[JellyPooga]

That's a nice build, though it would require a feat at some point if I wanted to up its melee ability.

I don't disagree that it's melee ability is a bit weak; no martial weapon proficiency and relying on Finesse weapons (i.e. Dagger) means it's base damage die is poor. Bear in mind, however, that the difference between 1d4 and 1d8 is only an average of 2 points of damage per hit and as a single class Cleric, you're never going to be great in melee without using spells anyway, so you may as well focus more on that aspect.

You could go War domain or one of the other more melee-centric Domains, but you lose out on the versatility of Knowledge and if the premise of the build is "do anything", then you're going to lose out in certain areas due to lack of specialisation.

[Tanarii]

Why are you working so hard against your Domain? Nature gives you heavy armor and a cantrip for Shillelagh. High Dex isn't necessary at all. I'd say put the stat points in Int & Cha, or choose a Domain that synergies better with a Dex / Urchin build. That pretty much means Trickery, since Knowledge really wants Int (and isn't melee oriented) and Light is a pure wis non-Melee domain.