help me build a tank cleric

[Joe dirt]

i am thinking human for heavy armor master, war priest, stats 16 str, 16 con, 16 wis, 8 int, 8 chr, 8 dex

any suggestions? what spells should i take? background?

[PeteNutButter]

Take sentinel and warcaster. Spam spirit guardians once you reach level 5, and prevent enemies from leaving it with sentinel feat. Hill dwarf is likely best bet.

[Giant2005]

Be a small race.
Take 3 levels of Ranger (Beastmaster).
Take the Mounted Combatant feat.
Use the Sanctuary spell to protect yourself and the Mounted Combatant feat to protect your companion, while the companion inflicts all of the damage.

[Firechanter]

Don't take HAM. It won't do squat for your concentration spells. Get Con saves, either through multiclass or feat.


Be a small race.
Take 3 levels of Ranger (Beastmaster).
Take the Mounted Combatant feat.
Use the Sanctuary spell to protect yourself and the Mounted Combatant feat to protect your companion, while the companion inflicts all of the damage.

Amusing idea, but issues with RAW logic loops aside, I just doubt any DM would let that fly.

[Foxhound438]

Amusing idea, but issues with RAW logic loops aside, I just doubt any DM would let that fly.

even if the DM allows the beast on its own deals pretty pathetic damage. No intelligent enemy would bother fighting the thing that's barely harming them before the squishy caster/archer in the back.

[Gtdead]

I'm a fan of grabbing booming blade. It can work as a control tool. After all unless you threaten the enemy, he can just ignore you and concentration can be broken.

But other than that, warcaster and spirit guardians is all you need. Sentinel is good too.

[AmbientRaven]

What level are you starting at?

For a Tank Cleric I would play an area denial game.

Polemaster, Sentinel, Spirit Guardians.

15ft are you is a big murder zone

[Lycanthrope13]

Personally, I would reduce your STR a little and reallocate those points. You're a caster/tank; you don't strictly -need- a +3 to your strength.

[Joe dirt]

What level are you starting at?

For a Tank Cleric I would play an area denial game.

Polemaster, Sentinel, Spirit Guardians.

15ft are you is a big murder zone

we are starting at first

[Joe dirt]

Personally, I would reduce your STR a little and reallocate those points. You're a caster/tank; you don't strictly -need- a +3 to your strength.

war priest get extra attacks per round i figured it can help

[Specter]

If you plan on multiclassing, take 3 fighter (EK) levels to get Absorb Elements and Shield, solid uses for your reaction. Defense Fighting Style and Action Surge won't hurt either.

[Foxhound438]

war priest get extra attacks per round i figured it can help

I would say that nature or life domains would be better for a strictly "tanking" build. Nature in particular nets you shilelagh, so you can basically ignore Str past 15, as well as use Polearm Master with a shield if you have the ASI's to support it. Otherwise nature gets you resist elements 1/turn and life improves your ability to heal yourself. Both gives you heavy armor, so your end stats should be 15/10/16/8/16/8

[Moctzal]

If you want to swing a weapon, go variant Human and pick up the Magic initiate feat for Booming Blade at some point. If you want to go pure wisdom, go Hill Dwarf. IMHO, Hill Dwarf will make the best pure tank in terms of defensiveness, but I have more fun playing a variant human and swinging a weapon around.

It's worth noting that a Hill Dwarf Nature build can dump strength altogether, since dwarves don't suffer speed penalties for wearing heavy armor with low strength.

I'd prefer Life domain for the extra healing, or nature for the level 6 channel divinity and access to Shillelagh.

Spirit Guardians will be your best offensive/aggro drawing/battlefield control spell all at the same time. Because of that, you want to choose feats that help you retain concentration better (Resilient, Warcaster).

[Joe dirt]

I would say that nature or life domains would be better for a strictly "tanking" build. Nature in particular nets you shilelagh, so you can basically ignore Str past 15, as well as use Polearm Master with a shield if you have the ASI's to support it. Otherwise nature gets you resist elements 1/turn and life improves your ability to heal yourself. Both gives you heavy armor, so your end stats should be 15/10/16/8/16/8

glaive, halberd, pike, are martial weapons and only war priest and tempest prist domains grant get martial weapons prof

[Foxhound438]

glaive, halberd, pike, are martial weapons and only war priest and tempest prist domains grant get martial weapons prof

quarterstaff+shilelagh

the point being you now only need to boost wisdom and can forget about str forever after setting it to 15 at creation to wear plate, allowing for more feats (ie tough, war caster, resilient(x) (probably dex), PAM and have 2 ASI's to top off wisdom, or alternatively drop tough and resilient to top off con.)

[Joe dirt]

quarterstaff+shilelagh

the point being you now only need to boost wisdom and can forget about str forever after setting it to 15 at creation to wear plate, allowing for more feats (ie tough, war caster, resilient(x) (probably dex), PAM and have 2 ASI's to top off wisdom, or alternatively drop tough and resilient to top off con.)

i dont see the point in taking pole arm master if you cant get reach... it is a very good feat though, might take it at 4th level also i was thinking that i could use a shield which gives me +2 to AC, if i go that route then i can take shield master feat

[Moctzal]

i dont see the point in taking pole arm master if you cant get reach... it is a very good feat though, might take it at 4th level also i was thinking that i could use a shield which gives me +2 to AC, if i go that route then i can take shield master feat

Pole arm master gets you a bonus action 1d4 attack, and a reaction attack when someone enters your 5' reach with a quarterstaff. Two things things that would help you be a bigger threat.

[Drackolus]

M.initiate:druid on a hill dwarf lige cleric means you need no str above carry weight. And, I'd actually reccomend getting thorn whip and produce flame and forget weapons altogether. You only get so many feats, trying to cram polearm master or sentinel will make you take longer to become effective than you actually get to play the character. Use annoying spells and you'll get the aggro. And with a life cleric, cure wounds is very annoying. And since you give up the weapon, you don't get a whole lot from warcaster, so just get res:con and good defenses.

I mean, if you break it down, a tank is someone who has to be dealt with while being as hard to be dealt with as possible. Tanky utility cleric fits the bill.

[bid]

The other dirty trick is:
- vuman 10 10 16 10 16 11 with mobile to cancel heavy armor slowdown.
- nature for shillelagh

[bid]

And since you give up the weapon, you don't get a whole lot from warcaster, so just get res:con and good defenses.
I really hate warcaster hype, but a weaponless tank will want to cast cantrip for OA.

[PoeticDwarf]

i am thinking human for heavy armor master, war priest, stats 16 str, 16 con, 16 wis, 8 int, 8 chr, 8 dex

any suggestions? what spells should i take? background?

With human you have 9 in lower stats. Go vhuman. Take +1 con / con save feat. Same stats and con save proficiency

[Joe dirt]

thanks guys, i have decided to go nature cleric. human for pole arm master quarterstaff combo, and get war caster at level 4