making a priest instead of a cleric

[Camman1984]

is there a class/archetype/build to make a holy priest, the type of cloth wearing, high end divine magic style character.

basically a holy wizard as opposed to a war priest (cleric)

[deathadder99]

There are Theurge wizards from UA which might work?

https://media.wizards.com/2016/dnd/downloads/UA%20Non-Divine%20Faithful%20SFG.pdf

[Elminster298]

Aside from theurge wizard, 3.5 had the "cloistered cleric". It really shouldn't be the difficult to homebrew a 5th ed cleric domain that has the same feel.

[Waazraath]

Land druid? Knowledge domain cleric?

If you don't want to wear armor, you can be dex based, go lizard folk or grab mage armor with a feat or 1 level of wizard.

[hymer]

Pick a cleric subclass. Don't wear armour. Beg your DM for a version of land druid's natural recovery in return for losing proficiency in weapons and armour. Play anyway if s/he doesn't grant it.

[Camman1984]

my route I'd I couldn't find a specific build was going to be cleric but pretend armour etc. doesn't exist, just wanted to make sure I hadn't missed anything, I played a radiant servant of pelor ages ago and loved it.

[LordVonDerp]

Play a bard. Run around evangelising everywhere.

[clash]

The new favored soul sorcerer also works well for this. Alternatively, play cleric but dip monk for one level for unarmored defense.

[Joe the Rat]

At the core, take the Acolyte background. Now you are a priest with official station within the heirarchy.

Now decide what sort of "holy caster" you want to be. As noted above, with UA you have a wizard and a sorcerer option that still grants cleric spells in the mix. The only thing you lack is the holy-symbol-as-casting-focus.


Play a bard. Run around evangelising everywhere. Going by official rules, this is the easiest way to get the buff-support-heal functions without being cleric or druid.

Or play cleric, take a domain without the martial focus, and focus Dex (with a grab for mage armor possibly). Magic domain might be a good fit.

[DizzyWood]

Bard 100% the spell list and skill really lend themselves to making a country priest. The bard can do enough cleric things to keep a small but important out of the way town alive. A bards skills in this case could/would be more useful then then a clerics.

[Camman1984]

that's actually a really good idea,

inspiration dice could be small blessings, and the lore abilities could allow grabbing of cleric spells otherwise unattainable

[DizzyWood]

that's actually a really good idea,

inspiration dice could be small blessings, and the lore abilities could allow grabbing of cleric spells otherwise unattainable

I think it works really well. I have toyed with the idea a few times never played it though. What race were you thinking?

[DragonSorcererX]

The new version of the Favored Souls is perfect for it! Make it a Scourge/Protector Aasimar and you have the ULTIMATE LASER CLERIC PRIEST!

[jaappleton]

The new version of the Favored Souls is perfect for it! Make it a Scourge/Protector Aasimar and you have the ULTIMATE LASER CLERIC PRIEST!

This.

Though the Bard idea works equally well, and doesn't need UA to function.

[Naanomi]

I think it works really well. I have toyed with the idea a few times never played it though. What race were you thinking?
Lore Cleric Acolyte is 100% how I'd make it; Knowledge Cleric 1/Bard X was my first 5e character in this model more or less

[CantigThimble]

Another option is monk 1 for unarmored defense and then cleric. His faith is better than armor! :smallbiggrin:

[Camman1984]

I think it works really well. I have toyed with the idea a few times never played it though. What race were you thinking?

probably human (with the spell concentration feat) the character I played in the past was a human priest and he is still the image I have in my head, might play something a little more exotic this time though as the monstrous pc's look fun and more balanced than they once were

[Quoxis]

Might not be ideal, but dipping monk for unarmored defense and otherwise going cleric for divine wisdom spellcasting makes for an unarmored robes wearing and still potentially high-AC character (16 at the beginning is possible).
You forgo only one level of cleric, still get all the spell levels, and you can even hit an enemy a little if they come too close or use action and bonus action dash to run away.

[Spiritchaser]

If a player wanted a UA FS sorc or Theurge to use a holy symbol as an arcane focus, I would have no trouble with that, I doubt most others would either.

[DizzyWood]

So what did you end up doing?

[Camman1984]

I have written a holy bard, my DM has allowed me to treat my spells as divine instead of arcane (with the caveat he will remove that if it becomes a problem)

otherwise it is a bard that has taken as many clericy spells as possible, will go lore when it comes to that choice

[BigONotation]

If you aren't playing AL, ask you DM if you can trade armor and weapon proficiencies for the Monk's Unarmored Defense.

[DragonSorcererX]

If a player wanted a UA FS sorc or Theurge to use a holy symbol as an arcane focus, I would have no trouble with that, I doubt most others would either.

Yes, imagine how cool would be to play a Scourge Aasimar Favored Soul follower of "Generic God of Light", burning whole buildings down and terrorizing his enemies while having a smilie on his face, and if any of his enemies say anything he would answer: "I am a Chosen of the God of Light, and he gave me both the permission and the power to kill you, so, if I say that you burn... YOU BURN!", and if anyone defies him, he has dat double proficiency in "looking intimidating".

[Grod_The_Giant]

Take a level of Monk and proceed as normal with Cleric? Heck, just put a decent score in Dex and stick to light armor. You might want to go Arcana Cleric to have better blasty cantrips, but other than that...