DM head scratching

[KnotaGuru]

So, I've been running a campaign for over a year. We only play once a month. The party is level 6 (currently have dwarf barb, human tempest cleric, human warlock, wood elf rogue, gnome wizard). An good buddy of mine wants to join and I was excited about that. But my excitement died soon after. He's making a human life cleric (wants to play a combat medic) with 15 str, 12 dex, 10 con, 10 int, 15 wis, 14 cha. We're using point buy and this is after his racial mods & feats/ASI (he took warcaster & heavy armor master feats). I'm allowing 1 uncommon magic item, basic starting gear, and 500gp worth of stuff. He chose gloves of missile snaring & spent all 500gp on spell components. I'm an optimiser (the rest of the party is fairly optimised), so this is a little discouraging. I've tried to help him out, but he's pretty adamant about sticking to his choices. I want him to have fun but I'm worried his character is going to suck. Should I learn to let it go? How can I help him? Should I even try?

[Theodoxus]

He will excel as a combat medic. If he likes the healer role, a life cleric with the feat choices he's made will be very nice. And as a DM, you can crank up the challenges the party will face without fear of a TPK. It's really really hard to kill a party with one...

Anecdote - I'm playing one in an Out of the Abyss game, and the crazy paladin decided to attack a demon lord. I offered to help (I'm carrying a sentient sword that hates demons as much as I do, so it made sense). Needless to say, we got our a$$es kicked. But, thanks to intelligent healing (and a couple of well timed healing potions), we managed to escape with no deaths. Everyone was hurting badly (everyone except our warlock was knocked out at one point or another (the wizard knocked out 3 times, each by having his Fly dispelled out from under him)). But channelled healing up to half, and then a couple boosted Prayers of Healing on the boat ride back, and we were good to rumble. I just wanted a nights sleep...

[Zman]

It's 5e, you have to actively try to be bad to not contribute.

He wears heavy armor so he will have good AC. He has access to a great spell list and some solid healing. He'll have divine strike and spirit weapon for damage. He'll contribute just fine, this isn't 3.P, haha.

I'd see if you can get him to drop Heavy Armor Master for something else, say Magic Initiate Sorcerer for Booming Blade or Greenflame Blade and maybe a once a day shield. Booming Blade or Greenflame blade and Dovine Steikes and he's is putting out respectable damage in melee especially if utilizing Spirit Guardians.

[Laserlight]

Let him play it for a while. If he gets to a point where he's not happy with it, let him retrofit; otherwise, don't worry about it.

[Slipperychicken]

It sounds like he could have done worse.

Picking war caster was definitely a good idea. Going 15 strength for heavy armor isn't as bad as it could be, although his wis and con could be higher. I just hope he doesn't try tanking with that con.

Aside from having 14 con and 16 wis, the main thing I'd have done different is get healer instead of heavy armor master.

[KnotaGuru]

The stats confused me. Only 10 Con & 15 Wis, but a 12 Dex & 14 Cha? He's wearing heavy armor, why have anything higher than 10 Dex? What does he need Charisma for? And he gets 1 magic item and he chooses gloves of missile snaring?

[Belac93]

Don't see anything wrong with it. His character is going to be a solid healer, with some decent tanking and utility. If he is having fun and making smart choices in-character, a healer can't really be a hindrance on the group.

[Gastronomie]

It's really, really hard to suck in 5e if you're going single-class.

Optimization is optional. Just because he's weaker than an optimized build doesn't mean he can't heal or be a good addition to the team.

So like, let's compare a Cleric with 16 STR and another Cleric with 15 STR. The former guy inflicts 1 extra damage per round... but nobody will really realize the difference if shown just the final numbers. And the former guy hits better 5% of the time... but again, nobody will really realize the difference during actual game-play.

I doubt he will even notice the difference in power level. Just let him do as he wants. While you're no doubt trying to help your player out of benevolence, the DM trying to change the decisions of the player is not a good sign, and if done excessively, can steal the fun from the player by limiting their options.

Besides, TRPGs aren't all about combat. Social interaction, clue-solving, that sort of stuff doesn't require optimization. You're overthinking the problem, at least in my opinion.

And, since you're the DM, if you really feel he's underpowered, you can always bestow upon him some divine blessing or something that can make him stronger.

[Zman]

The stats confused me. Only 10 Con & 15 Wis, but a 12 Dex & 14 Cha? He's wearing heavy armor, why have anything higher than 10 Dex? What does he need Charisma for? And he gets 1 magic item and he chooses gloves of missile snaring?

Sure, they aren't optimal, but I hat doesn't mean he won't contribute. 15 Wis is ok as a Cleric, probably should be bumped to 16 by now but it's forgive able. 10 Con hurts, but he's only missing out on 12HP and +2 Con save. It's man eagle especially with Warcaster and his copious amounts of healing. 12 Dex, well it was only 2 point buy points and he did get +1 Init and a +1 Dex save. Cha, maybe he wants to be competent at talking and wants some of the social skills, or feels his character is charismatic. Gloves of missile snaring is rough, but he likely doesn't plan on being in melee and with HAM and the gloves he probably feels he is not mmune to anything but spell damage. Watch him stay back tossing Bless around and maybe some ranged Cantrip damage healing who needs it etc.

Sure, it isn't optimal, but it's a far cry from no function or dead weight.

[Gastronomie]

If your character chose something like Gloves of Missile Snaring, it's part of your job as a DM to give him his fun moments by having enemies hurl missiles at him. Let him get the spotlight once in a while - it's easy.

At least in my DM philosophy.

[Toadkiller]

Yep. Create opportunities for him deflect arrows and save the day with a heal spell. Maybe a heated situation where he gets pinned down by heavy fire with an injured comrade or vital NPC. He can shine just at as brightly as a min-max character if you let him.

[RickAllison]

Yep. Create opportunities for him deflect arrows and save the day with a heal spell. Maybe a heated situation where he gets pinned down by heavy fire with an injured comrade or vital NPC. He can shine just at as brightly as a min-max character if you let him.

Despite the PC's potential flaws, he is a damn good rescuer! He has healing when it's needed, toughness so he doesn't need rescuing, can protect others away from the front, and has the strength to get people out of trouble.

If there was one thing I would suggest to him, it is investing in a mount either now or in the future. A mount allows him to not only get to where he is needed, but to more quickly get the injured out of danger. If he has to drag an injured person from the front (and after heavy armor, he only has around 160 pounds), it is likely going to be at a rate of 30' per round, enough that most enemies can overcome. A draft horse (he could also do a warhorse, but this a medical worker rather than a soldier) is dragging back at 80', far faster than most Dashing opponents and certainly faster than the majority of non-Dashers. Being a mounted medic means bring a more versatile medic.

[Slipperychicken]

Despite the PC's potential flaws, he is a damn good rescuer! He has healing when it's needed, toughness so he doesn't need rescuing, can protect others away from the front, and has the strength to get people out of trouble.

I dunno, he's got 33 hitpoints at level 6. Even with great AC, enemies should be chewing through that pretty quickly if they get close or use energy attacks.

[RickAllison]

I dunno, he's got 33 hitpoints at level 6. Even with great AC, enemies should be chewing through that pretty quickly if they get close or use energy attacks.

Yeah, but that is just one more reason he should grab the mount so he doesn't need to stay close. He should basically be the cavaliers in some of the mid-series Fire Emblem games, rescuing the needy and getting them out of dodge (and probably tossing a vulnerary on for good measure!). Yes, he certainly should toss on more Con, but maybe we should respect his wishes to have a fairly charismatic medic.

[Vorpalchicken]

I think that sounds fun. I've seen and played much worse than that (random rolls will do that.) A slightly higher Wisdom may have been helpful. He is not a front-liner, so unless you are shooting lots of magic arrows at him I think he will hold up all right.

[MasterMercury]

Totally works. He wants to be a combat medic, and his character fits. Like some others suggest, ramp up the difficulty, and watch as this under-optimised character becomes the only thing between the party and death.

The more I think of this character, the more I think of him in a war movie, getting trapped under heavy fire with a wounded friend, working his way through enemy territory with nothing but healing spells and his tankiness.

Extra Con wouldn't hurt

[gfishfunk]

His character is not actively terrible, its merely sub-par.

Chances are that his brand of fun is different than yours: he is playing a character. His ideal character is very likable. His Constitution durability will not be an issue with his Heavy Armor Master giving him a higher effective durability during many (if not most) encounters.

PRO TIP: see what he likes best, whether it be in-character decisions, exciting action sequences that are also not optimal or whatever, and give him a dose of that every session.

[Calibus]

Dude wants to play the game as it was made to be played. Optimization is neat to have but it's pretty restrictive. I would prefer a player who joins for the sake of having fun over a player who is too serious about being the best at everything.

[Nemenia]

how exactly did he spend 500gp on spell components? doesnt a holy artifact or component pouch let him bypass this entirely???

[gfishfunk]

how exactly did he spend 500gp on spell components? doesnt a holy artifact or component pouch let him bypass this entirely???

All spellcrafting materials are limited edition artisan crafted, holding to the strictest vegan and green energy requirements.

[Rysto]

how exactly did he spend 500gp on spell components? doesnt a holy artifact or component pouch let him bypass this entirely???

No. Spellcasting focuses do not let you bypass the any material requirements with a specified cost in the spell description.