Build help: Spear Wielding Nature Cleric

[ThatKreacher]

I want to play a spear(or glaive/naginata) wielding nature domain cleric, with the set goal of reaching Cleric level 8, and applying elemental damage with attacks, because switching between all three just seems very cool to me.

She's a worshipper of Eldath, and believes in radical negativity and protection, so she's a protecter, but also will take others down if they threaten those she has sworn to protect. She never kills, only tries to stop and knock out, sometimes healing those she hurts. She's kind of a communist too, but a super fierce warrior.
A little bit inspired from Balsa from Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit, so if you know how you would build/play her, that would be cool too :)

I have a couple of plans, and I need help deciding.

Open Hand Monk/Cleric of Eldath

Start off in monk for martial arts and unarmoured defense, 8 levels of cleric, then the rest monk for eventual very flavourful Sanctuary, perfect for an Eldath worshiper. High wis and high dexterity, I like jumpers, so maybe decent strength. Is sentinel good with a monk? lots of chances to apply energy damage to fists, maybe elemental monk could be fitting, albeit under-powered?

Fighter/Cleric

Great Weapon fighting style, feats, champion or battlemaster(I don't know which maneuvers really shine), action surge goodies. lots of nice options, yet I've never played a fighter for more than one session, or any other melee character other than monk. polearm master and sentinel are defnites for more protective fighting.

Barbarian/Cleric

I like tiger barbarian or eagle(I think a little of Balsa) a lot, and think a leaping spear wielder would be rad. less wisdom focused, and more utility spells or pre-rage buffs that don't require concentration. I also like the channeling of a primal power(nature!) and think there is some cool flavour. wouldn't be raging every encounter of course at first, so still get cool spell access. also polearm master most likely, but I also would use the spear even if sub-par, because throwing weapons is fun too.

I want something playable from a low level(2-3) and that is decently powerful, and advances well, and goes for elemental strike pretty quick.

Thank you!

[Slipperychicken]

This person never kills... but uses a spear as a weapon?

[R.Shackleford]

This person never kills... but uses a spear as a weapon?

One of the most deadliest weapons in history really only wants to give out free hugs.

#totallymisjudged

[Specter]

Remember that by getting Shillelagh, Wisdom becomes your main attack stat. You can dump STR, and even DEX if you go full plate.

[Biggstick]

I want to play a spear(or glaive/naginata) wielding nature domain cleric, with the set goal of reaching Cleric level 8, and applying elemental damage with attacks, because switching between all three just seems very cool to me.

She's a worshipper of Eldath, and believes in radical negativity and protection, so she's a protecter, but also will take others down if they threaten those she has sworn to protect. She never kills, only tries to stop and knock out, sometimes healing those she hurts. She's kind of a communist too, but a super fierce warrior. A little bit inspired from Balsa from Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit, so if you know how you would build/play her, that would be cool too

What level is the game you're playing in going to reach? Is Sword Coast content useable? Unfortunately I have no idea who Balsa is or what Moribito is about, but I can definitely guesstimate.



Fighter/Cleric

Great Weapon fighting style, feats, champion or battlemaster(I don't know which maneuvers really shine), action surge goodies. lots of nice options, yet I've never played a fighter for more than one session, or any other melee character other than monk. polearm master and sentinel are defnites for more protective fighting.

I want something playable from a low level(2-3) and that is decently powerful, and advances well, and goes for elemental strike pretty quick.

So you have a couple options here if Fighter/Cleric is interesting to you. The real question though would be what level your game is going to reach. For our sake, let's hope it ends somewhere between 9 and 12.

Human variant

14 Str (+1 human)
10 Dex
13 Con (+1 human)
10 Int
15 Wis (+1 Resilient)
10 Cha

Human Variant feat: Resilent (Wisdom)
Character level 1: Fighter 1 (Con saves, fighting style, full armor and weapon proficiencies)
Character level 2: Fighter 2 (Action Surge, need I say more?)
Character level 3: Fighter 3 (EK or Battlemaster)
Character level 4: Cleric 1 (Nature, pick up Shillelagh, start using a quarterstaff or a mace at this point)
Character level 5: Cleric 2 (Channel Divinity)
Character level 6: Cleric 3
Character level 7: Cleric 4 (War Caster or +2 Wis)
Character level 8: Cleric 5
Character level 9: Cleric 6 (Reaction resistance to elemental damage)
Character level 10: Cleric 7
Character level 11: Cleric 8 (Elemental damage to auto attacks and +2 wis or War Caster)

Depending on how you view your character would determine what fighting style you take. I would think of the character as someone who's running sword and board (mace or quarterstaff eventually). I'd also figure they should take Defense as a fighting style. The other option is Protection. Protection would grant you the ability to help out allies a bit more if you want to play a bit more protecting of your allies where as Defense would make you a bit tankier (21 AC once you have access to plate armor)

if you're fine going to Fighter 3, I'd personally recommend going EK. Great spells to pick up include Shield and Find Familiar. Great cantrips to pick up include Booming Blade and/or Green Flame Blade. These cantrips will take care of you for auto attacks as well help your melee abilities out.

Either way you go, you should pick up Shillelagh and a quarterstaff/mace at Cleric 1 and War Caster at Cleric level 4.

At level 11, this build will have access to heavy armor and all weapons. You'll have great uses of your reaction with the Protection fighting style, reducing incoming elemental damage, shielding yourself, or attacking a retreating opponent with Booming Blade. You'll be a level 9 spell caster with access to Level 4 Cleric Spells (which will only go up). You also still have room for growth with one more ASI remaining in the build if you decide you want to reach Level 9 Cleric spells (Cleric 17).

[Temperjoke]

One of the most deadliest weapons in history really only wants to give out free hugs.

#totallymisjudged

It's one of the oldest tools, which can be used to kill things, one of which happens to be other humans. It could be used for hunting, for example. Also, just because a person doesn't want to kill, doesn't mean they aren't prepared to incapacitate you with limb stabbing, or smacking you upside the head with the butt of the spear.

[JeffreyGator]

For your melee cleric you are already MAD needing 3 stats wis, con and melee.

I would avoid barbarian as it brings a 4th dex stat into play.

You aren't going to use shillelagh since that works on a staff but not a spear.

For a first choice I would think about playing a straight cleric. This is the fastest way to get to your goal of cycling elemental damages at level 8. You have heavy armor and a shield if you want it with the spear.

If you want to delay reaching your end goal then you could think about other things.

With both monk and fighter/polearm master you get an extra d4 attack that won't benefit from your elemental damage (that won't be a factor until pretty late in the career 10-11 level)

From how you have described what you are playing, you want consider asking your GM to substitute radiant with elemental damages for a divine smite on a nature paladin. This gets more MAD but you also get to start doing the elemental damage earlier.

Nature Cleric 1, Paladin 11 .

[tieren]

For that particular character I think working in some monk is a good idea, but what I would really prefer is a hand wave for a spear with the finesse property you could use it with some rogue levels to really ninja it up.

[Slipperychicken]

Seconding shillelagh. With a club you can at least pretend like you're not going to kill the guy.


incapacitate you with limb stabbing

You do understand why people don't do this for nonlethal takedowns, right?

[Temperjoke]

Seconding shillelagh. With a club you can at least pretend like you're not going to kill the guy.



You do understand why people don't do this for nonlethal takedowns, right?

Yes, but as a cleric, she'd be able to repair the damaged parts before they died of rapid blood loss, unlike real life. Also, I was making a joke.

[R.Shackleford]

Yes, but as a cleric, she'd be able to repair the damaged parts before they died of rapid blood loss, unlike real life. Also, I was making a joke.

That would make them a pacifist unless you think that killing and then resurrecting them would make the cleric a pacifist too...

[bid]

I want to play a spear(or glaive/naginata) wielding nature domain cleric, with the set goal of reaching Cleric level 8, and applying elemental damage with attacks, because switching between all three just seems very cool to me.
Glaive/naginata are polearms and outside monk proficiencies. Stay cleric and refluff polearm master as some sort of martial art. You can start 16 10 14 8 16 10 with half-elf, minotaur and vuman with the right feat.

Or you can refluff shillelagh as a bladeless spear (because no kill) and do the typical 8 14 16 10 16 10 hill dwarf, unkillable and unkilling. The other typical shillelagh set is vuman / polearm master which can start 8 14 15 10 16 10.

Reaching cleric 8 takes time, whatever you gain from MC must give you something worth the delay that completes your RP concept. Since all 3 of your picks get extra attack, it has to

- Monk is the only one without Con save. It's the best RP choice with Balsa's lack of armor. Your Dex is high enough, but pushing Wis 20 first makes shillelagh useful. Start in medium armor and dip once you have enough health for the front line. You need a Wis race or half-elf for 8 16 14 10 16 10.

- Fighter is slow but has a Con save. GWF style isn't that great, adding .8 damage to your polearm. Battlemaster is nice and the next thing of value is the extra feat. Waiting for level 13-14 is late.

- Barbarian. Ok, you can 16 14 14 8 14 10 with a mountain dwarf and pick many other races with Cha8, but it's a tight squeeze. Wis14 is different kind of cleric, but party buffs are also out because of rage. It feels more like a warrior with an 8 level dip for a feature. If it was doable without dumping Int/Cha, it might make an interesting RP concept.


I feel the 2 top picks are:
* Monk 1 / nature 8 is the only one that fit your Balsa concept. It is the most flavorful pick.
* Shillelagh nature 8 is SAD and works with medium armor. You can start with polearm master.