jaappleton
2017-04-15, 01:35 PM
So I'm playing a Death Cleric. LOVING it. I'm kicking tons of ass, using Spiritual Weapon with Touch of Death to often one-shot enemy leaders. Using the new UA cantrips, having Toll the Dead hit two enemies for 2d12 each... I mean, it's pretty powerful. It's feeling great. Just got to lv5, Spiritual Guardians is now mine so I can do AoE. My AC is darn good, too (20 AC, with 14 Dex + Shield + Scale Mail + Cloak of Protection + Warforged).
Now, I always want a backup character. I've died early in sessions before, and was left twiddling my thumbs.
I'm thinking Treachery Cleric. Gives it a slight hint of Rogue flair, with Invisibility on the spell list and Invoke Duplicity. Two attacks at lv5, thinking maybe Mariner fighting style for the +1 AC, also gets Bless, the ability to Nova a bit, gets the 20+Paladin Lv damage with Treachery's CD...
I figure its a way to be similar to Death Cleric, while becoming more Martial oriented. So its different but familiar.
The only thing is... I'm not sure, but it might actually be straight inferior to Death Cleric on just normal, baseline damage.
Here's how my turns typically play out as a Death Cleric:
Spiritual Weapon attack via Bonus Action
Cantrip (Toll the Dead or Hand of Radiance)
So 1d8 + 4 with another 2d12 to at least one enemy. And I can move Spiritual Weapon to hit another enemy, say one my ally is fighting. So far, I've been able to finish off creatures my ally (Open Hand Monk) is fighting, allowing him to move freely, and killing what he's fighting before their turn comes up to try to hit him.
As a Treachery Paladin, it'd be maybe (2d6 + 4)*2 and then... What, for my bonus? Sure, I can smite. But Spiritual Weapon goes so much farther during a battle. I could take PAM and do (1d10 + 4)*2 + 1d4 + 4, but all that requires me to be in melee. Which I have no problem with, due to my high AC. But enemies need to be chased down.
But Cleric gets more spells, more AoE capability, healing word to heal as a bonus action...
Is Treachery Paladin actually inferior to Death Cleric in this case? Starting at 6th level, Cleric can CD twice per short rest, too. Treachery's CD does more, but also costs a bonus action, as opposed to Death's which is no action.
Now, I always want a backup character. I've died early in sessions before, and was left twiddling my thumbs.
I'm thinking Treachery Cleric. Gives it a slight hint of Rogue flair, with Invisibility on the spell list and Invoke Duplicity. Two attacks at lv5, thinking maybe Mariner fighting style for the +1 AC, also gets Bless, the ability to Nova a bit, gets the 20+Paladin Lv damage with Treachery's CD...
I figure its a way to be similar to Death Cleric, while becoming more Martial oriented. So its different but familiar.
The only thing is... I'm not sure, but it might actually be straight inferior to Death Cleric on just normal, baseline damage.
Here's how my turns typically play out as a Death Cleric:
Spiritual Weapon attack via Bonus Action
Cantrip (Toll the Dead or Hand of Radiance)
So 1d8 + 4 with another 2d12 to at least one enemy. And I can move Spiritual Weapon to hit another enemy, say one my ally is fighting. So far, I've been able to finish off creatures my ally (Open Hand Monk) is fighting, allowing him to move freely, and killing what he's fighting before their turn comes up to try to hit him.
As a Treachery Paladin, it'd be maybe (2d6 + 4)*2 and then... What, for my bonus? Sure, I can smite. But Spiritual Weapon goes so much farther during a battle. I could take PAM and do (1d10 + 4)*2 + 1d4 + 4, but all that requires me to be in melee. Which I have no problem with, due to my high AC. But enemies need to be chased down.
But Cleric gets more spells, more AoE capability, healing word to heal as a bonus action...
Is Treachery Paladin actually inferior to Death Cleric in this case? Starting at 6th level, Cleric can CD twice per short rest, too. Treachery's CD does more, but also costs a bonus action, as opposed to Death's which is no action.