Character concept help: Keeper of balance between life and death.

[Mortis_Elrod]

So i've recently began a new campaign and i want to play a character that balances the powers of life and death. A Neutral character that harnesses necrotic and radiant energy. I'm ok with multiclass and my party consists of a Dragonborn Barbarian(not sure what he wants subclass wise), Wood elf rogue (archery), a very Judge Dreadish Paladin (will probably go vengence), and a feral winged Tiefling Feylock (going blade). We're all level 1 and the DM is prepared to take us to at least level 15. We're allowed just about all UA (no theurge), but not any Homebrew, (unless its reviewed thoroughly before hand and even then not likely). We rolled stats and here are my rolls.


16 13 18 11 14 13


here's a short list of what i want.


At least a few levels of Death Cleric. (DM is allowing non-evil alignment so as not to provoke the happy to kill other members of party for JUSTICE pally)
Either be able to keep up with party damage OR be able to control the field enough so that i don't have to
have both melee and ranged options
have this online at level 10 at the latest, though would prefer having it online at 5 or 7 or even 3



Any Suggestions? I thought about combining Death Cleric with Monk or possibly palladin, or even wizard. just not sure how I want the wielder of both life and death to be.

[Biggstick]

I mean, a straight Death Cleric is going to be a solid choice. Having Chill touch and Sacred Flame gives you access to the necrotic and radiant damage. The only multiclass I would really consider for this would actually be Rogue.

Since you're in medium armor, you'll have at least 14 Dex for maximum AC bonus with your stat rolls. Put your 18 and 16 in Wisdom and Constitution respectively. Run Cleric to level 8, or at least level 5, before picking up the Rogue levels. You're only looking for three Rogue levels, as you still want the Death Cleric level 17 capstone and level 9 spells. Pick any archetype you feel is appropriate for the character.

If you decide to go this route and grab the Rogue levels, figuring out a way to add Booming Blade to this would be fantastic. Your Channel Divinity plus sneak attack plus Booming Blade damage would make quite a dent given the right situation.

[clash]

I wouldn't multiclass unless it was really necessary. Cleric really gives you everything you need. If the focus is on Radiant and Necrotic damage then death cleric gives you:
0: Chil touch and sacred flame
1: Inflict Wounds and Guiding Bolt
3: Spiritual guardians and Vampiric touch
4: Blight, Guardian of faith
6: Harm
7: Conjure Celestial

And gives you 2d8 necrotic dmg on strikes

If you want to be in control of life and death, choose who lives and dies at any given moment and are planning on using healing at all I would go life cleric. Life cleric loses out on a few necromancy spells but instead gains spell efficiency. Less spells spent healing means more spells spent doing radiant/necrotic dmg.

Paladin will add some oomph in the melee department and gives some different options for radiant damage with smites but at the cost of spell progression and really adds nothing for you necrotic wise.

[Mortis_Elrod]

i like pure Death Cleric, maybe go Protector Aasimar for extra radiant and super cool nova flying. Also a free bump in wisdom, the resistances i want, (probably won't need) free healing, free cantrip, (don't have to take light now can take something else, maybe guidance), and Awesome flavor, like a super juicy gusher. Any other race come to mind?


What are some ideas for a god my cleric would worship? maybe a custom god? wee jas? Hel? (maybe?) Raven Queen?

[Arcangel4774]

Anubis is an Egyptian God tbat literally decides if your worthy of the afterlife. Has lots to do with the balancing imagery in that he weighs your soul against a feather

[tieren]

Not for optimization purposes but for perhaps thematic ones a death cleric/druid multiclass might be cool. You could use a bunch of cool plant spells to represent the life part.

[Jjj111]

You inspired me to theory craft a similar character. Looks like Kelemvor (http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Kelemvor) would be a good god for the character to follow. He could even be a Doomguide (http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Doomguide)

[MinotaurWarrior]

Seconding the Doomguide of Kelemvor suggestion. Kelemvor, Mystra's ex, the guy who was so good at his job all the other gods had to gang up on him to tell him to suck more so they'd keep their worshippers, is IMHO by far the coolest God in DnD.

Death domain cleric is really all that you need, mechanically.

[JellyPooga]

You inspired me to theory craft a similar character. Looks like Kelemvor (http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Kelemvor) would be a good god for the character to follow. He could even be a Doomguide (http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Doomguide)

I was going to suggest a Doomguide of Kelemvor myself, but you beat me to the punch. I must admit, I misread your post on first glance; thought you said Doomguard (http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Doomguard) instead and were going all Planescape on us! Hmm...I wonder if there are any Doomguard Doomguides? For that matter, how much "Doom" can you squeeze into one character? Maybe that marine on the Phobos Base will know...

[Biggstick]

Seconding the Doomguide of Kelemvor suggestion. Kelemvor, Mystra's ex, the guy who was so good at his job all the other gods had to gang up on him to tell him to suck more so they'd keep their worshippers, is IMHO by far the coolest God in DnD.

Death domain cleric is really all that you need, mechanically.

Kelemvor wasn't exactly good at his job. His realm is the one that all souls go towards when they die. Even before the other gods get a chance to grab the souls that did good by them, they're hanging out in the Fugue Plane for a bit. Kelemvor really just has first shot at every soul that passes through his realm. That wasn't his purpose, and seeing as how Kelemvor was once mortal, he had to be talked to by the other deities about how death was handled in the Realms. Once this clarification was made, things settled down.

I definitely agree though. Doomguides are awesome, and playing a Cleric (or Paladin) of Kelemvor would make for an exciting Player Character.

[Millstone85]

There is a cleric of Kelemvor at our table. Alas, he takes Kelemvor's crusade against the undead so seriously that any spell belonging to the school of necromancy or involving necrotic energy is a no-no. I tried to convince him that "Dude, chill touch could as well be called Kelemvor's hand" but I failed. The real issue is that he is visibly disappointed with the available cleric domains.

Meanwhile, I am thinking about a backup character in case my current one dies, and I am thinking druid. But I am struggling with the "cosmic balance" aspect of the class. Keeping it about the four elemental planes is a bit boring. I want to involve the Feywild, the Shadowfell and the Outer Planes too. But it is a problem if even the cleric of death has no respect for necrotic energy.

[Biggstick]

There is a cleric of Kelemvor at our table. Alas, he takes Kelemvor's crusade against the undead so seriously that any spell belonging to the school of necromancy or involving necrotic energy is a no-no. I tried to convince him that "Dude, chill touch could as well be called Kelemvor's hand" but I failed. The real issue is that he is visibly disappointed with the available cleric domains.

Meanwhile, I am thinking about a backup character in case my current one dies, and I am thinking druid. But I am struggling with the "cosmic balance" aspect of the class. Keeping it about the four elemental planes is a bit boring. I want to involve the Feywild, the Shadowfell and the Outer Planes too. But it is a problem if even the cleric of death has no respect for necrotic energy.

Necromantic energy =/= the undead.

If the player is playing this way, and the table is fine with it, then I guess it has to be played around. If the party takes issue with this sort of thing, then you can bring in another religion's Cleric to mediate the issue. The idea that this Cleric refuses to even allow Necromantic energy to be used around him/her suggests to me that they're more like a fanatical cultist of Kelemvor rather then a Cleric of his.

I'd only go that direction though if you have the support of your other party members out of character. This would simply be a way to try and grant the PC an opportunity in character to come to grips with the idea that Necromantic energy used in certain situations is ok.

Edit: Thinking about it even more, does this Cleric of Kelemvor use Spare the Dying? What about Revify? These are helpful spells for the party; does s/he refuse to use even those spells?

[Mortis_Elrod]

I'm drawing alot of inspiration from Nasus quotes (league of legends character), and his inspiration comes alot from Anubis, so after spending time at the grand source of all knowledge that is Wikipedia, and then at the wiki for Kelemvor and doomguides, I agree. Straight up Death Cleric of Kelemvor would be perfect for wielding powers of life and death, of the positive and the negative planes.

Only issue is sadly, I want my character to be able to animate dead. if I could only have a better option. Maybe I could justify it someway later or even make it up to Kelemvor.

Now I just need a really cool name for my Aasimar.

Lastly any potential ideas as far as how I should try combat? I tend to stay away from strength builds but I'm open for suggestions



Edit reason; spellcorrect.

[Millstone85]

Thinking about it even more, does this Cleric of Kelemvor use Spare the Dying? What about Revify? These are helpful spells for the party; does s/he refuse to use even those spells?He made it clear that he would never bring anyone back to life, so revivify is out the window indeed. I am not hopeful for spare the dying either.


The idea that this Cleric refuses to even allow Necromantic energy to be used around him/her suggests to me that they're more like a fanatical cultist of Kelemvor rather then a Cleric of his.So far, he hasn't policed our spells. And I don't think that he would try to send a truly resurrected person back to the grave. It is just that he won't use that kind of magic.


you can bring in another religion's Cleric to mediate the issue.Well, a druid would be another religion's representative.

[JellyPooga]

Raising undead is about the biggest no-no in Kelemvors book. We're talking "stripped of your powers with no chance of atonement outside of an epic quest" big. Could be a good plot to follow, but you'd have to ask your GM about that!

You could always look into building a golem or two instead. Animating a golem is well within divine themes and doesn't conflict with Kelemvors teachings to my knowledge.

[Mortis_Elrod]

Raising undead is about the biggest no-no in Kelemvors book. We're talking "stripped of your powers with no chance of atonement outside of an epic quest" big. Could be a good plot to follow, but you'd have to ask your GM about that!


Maybe not Kelemvor then, how about Jergal? Under careful sanction, one may raise and command the dead. Just fill out these forms in triplicate, and write a 500 word essay (exact) as to why you should command "Gromash the Orc" and also be able to defend your essay in an oral review conducted by a board of the top clerics of the nearest church.

[Jjj111]

I'm drawing alot of inspiration from Nasus quotes (league of legends character), and his inspiration comes alot from Anubis, so after spending time at the grand source of all knowledge that is Wikipedia, and then at the wiki for Kelemvor and doomguides, I agree. Straight up Death Cleric of Kelemvor would be perfect for wielding powers of life and death, of the positive and the negative planes.

Only issue is sadly, I want my character to be able to animate dead. if I could only have a better option. Maybe I could justify it someway later or even make it up to Kelemvor.

Now I just need a really cool name for my Aasimar.

Lastly any potential ideas as far as how I should try combat? I tend to stay away from strength builds but I'm open for suggestions



Edit reason; spellcorrect.

I would just use dex with a rapier (very creepyish vibe) because if you use inflict wounds (very strong), it uses a melee attack and you want a high modifier on that. Chill touch does good ranged damage for range day. Especially if you have two enemies adjacent.

[Wymmerdann]

I'm currently playing a similar idea to this with a Dwarven Cleric of Life and Death.

I'm using the Life Cleric chasis and my DM let me switch out turn undead and the level 6 trait for the Necromancer's specialty on raised minions. I can heal living or undead, but not both with the same spell or ability.

Spells like Spiritual Weapon and Spirit Guardians have been refluffed as "Ghost Dwarves"

My role is primarily healing and buffing/debuffing.

Once you hit level 3, keeping up with party damage is fairly doable with any build of cleric through Spiritual Weapon. Once you hit 5, spells like Spirit Guardians give you a sweet spot between control and damage.

It sounds like your party has a whole lot of Damage Per Round to single targets, a bit of resilience, and minimal control [with the possible, but unlikely exception of the warlock]. I would strongly advise you get a whole bunch of control spells in play.

[MinotaurWarrior]

Maybe not Kelemvor then, how about Jergal? Under careful sanction, one may raise and command the dead. Just fill out these forms in triplicate, and write a 500 word essay (exact) as to why you should command "Gromash the Orc" and also be able to defend your essay in an oral review conducted by a board of the top clerics of the nearest church.

Jergal is an option, certainly, as are the actual gods of undeath. If raising the dead is really that important to you though, Necromancer Wizards are pretty much just better at it.

[DanyBallon]

Have a look at the new UA, there's a Grave domain that would be a nice fit for your build.

[CursedRhubarb]

If you're not set in stone on the Death Cleric you have the stats to go complete polar opposites and do Life Cleric/Necromancer Wizard. Rock it as a Mountain Dwarf and at 1st you can go in with stats:

Str-16 (+3)
Dex-11 (0)
Con-15 (+2)
Int-16 (+3)
Wis-18 (+4)
Cha-13 (+1)

As you build if you split it even at lvl 10 you'll have plate+shield+shield spell for great AC, can hit things nicely in melee with some nice martial weapon choice for being Dwarf, toss some heals, turn undead, create undead, blast from afar with 3rd lvl spells, and more. Each day have choice to pick from 14+ Wizard spells, pick 9 Cleric spells and have 8 Cantrips (4 of each) for some very versitile spell choice.

Stats are nice enough that by 10 you could use the two ASI you get for feats. Resilient Con and Warcaster would make you quite the beast, odds of losing concentration become minimal with Proficiency and Advantage in Con saves.

[Millstone85]

Have a look at the new UA, there's a Grave domain that would be a nice fit for your build.And now I know our cleric of Kelemvor will never find a satisfying option in official material. Even when the game designers mention Kelemvor, there is necrotic energy, HP-drain and resurrection.

[DanyBallon]

And now I know our cleric of Kelemvor will never find a satisfying option in official material. Even when the game designers mention Kelemvor, there is necrotic energy, HP-drain and resurrection.

D&D 5e is quite limited in damage type. What other type of damage would you see as a better fit for Kelemvor?

And all those features that let the player decide if a creature dies or stay alive, can be a representation of Kelemvor deciding if the souls are worthy or not. Only raise dead on the domain spell list is really against Kelemvor's doctrine, but you need to remember, that other deities will get access to this domain.