Life Cleric/Ranger - viable?

[DrunkDane]

Hello. I've been lurking for a while, but this is my first post. I'm after some thoughts on a potential build please :)

I have only been playing D&D for a short time. Completed the starter pack adventure and now on to Order of the Dragon Queen.

I'm currently a lvl 5 Life Cleric, and had intended to stay that way to level 15 when this adventure ends. All of our group is as new to D&D as I am and we appear to need more healing than I'm guessing more experienced players might (from the many posts saying 5E doesn't require much in-combat healing - our experience to date suggests otherwise).

To cut to the chase: I'm thinking 10 Life Cleric 5 Hunter Ranger might be a fun, alternative route for me to take. I am 5 Clr currently, and would take 3 levels in Ranger next to grab Goodberry and Colossus Slayer, with Fighting Style: Defence, which gives my AC +1 (to 19) and gives me a little more melee damage (+1d8) and an extra attack when I don't want to use an action to cast a spell.

My top 4 stats are 18Wis, 14Con, 14Dex, 13Str, so thought a multi class with a dex fighter or monk could make things more interesting, but the Ranger could also make my life cleric a much more useful party member given we are due to max out at level 15 from this adventure.

Am I missing a better option, or ignoring a reason why hunter ranger would be a poorer choice than staying pure life cleric? From what I've read here and on Reddit, I don't think I will need 11-15 cleric spells/abilities, so the ability to play off tank and provide more protection to our glass cannons would be better. Due to 2 players of our 5 person party arranging with the DM to kill off their characters in order to bring in new ones, I've also got a good RP reason to start 'training to track and kill dragons to avenge my fallen friends'.

Thanks for your thoughts!

[Specter]

Sure, it can work. Make sure to get Goodberry from Ranger so you can heal 40hp for every spell you can cast.

For damage, you can keep upcasting Ensnaring Strike and Hail of Thorns to produce a smite-like effect.

[PeteNutButter]

Ranger is the best way for a cleric to pick up extra attack for better at will damage.

What kind of armor are you wearing? Plate slows you down, due to your low str but with a shield and defense FS that's 21 AC. 20 AC with half plate.

The only issue I see is your attack stat is low. If your DM hand waves the metal armor issue or gives you nonmetal armor a single level in Druid can fix that with shillelagh. Otherwise just pick up magic initiate on Ranger level 4 for it. Boost wisdom to 20 cleric level 8 and by level 13 your DPR is 4d8+10.

[DrunkDane]

They're some really good tips, and make me feel more confident in my idea. Thanks guys :)

[Biggstick]

What's the actual purpose of picking up Ranger levels? Are you looking to improve your martial capabilities? Are you looking for the second attack?

Imo, I think you'd be better off going for the Magic Initiate feat. Grab Goodberry, Shillelagh, and Thornwhip and you'll be good to go. You have battlefield control, your martial capability is now tied to your casting stat instead of your martial stat, and you have an awesome Goodberry that you can cast every day that doesn't count against your spells cast for the day. You get all that with just a single ASI.

I'd also recommend staying Life Cleric. Upcasting Spirit Guardians is pretty awesome, even if you don't feel the usefulness of your 6th/7th/8th level spells.

[XmonkTad]

Let me preface this with "I don't like Ranger dips" and say: you're better off with either druid, or magic initiate druid so you can grab Shillelagh and Goodberry that way. The defense fighting style does less for you than picking up a shield and using your wis to attack is much better at actually applying damage than a longbow using one of your low stats. Yes, you'll lose out on a second attack, but you can make up for that with your better spells.

[DrunkDane]

What's the actual purpose of picking up Ranger levels? Are you looking to improve your martial capabilities? Are you looking for the second attack?
It was to improve my offensive capability, to save spell slots for heals during prolonged battles. I thought the extra attack would be useful in that sense, along with Colossus Slayer for the extra 1d8 looked good, and Ranger gave me access to Goodberry too.

However, that was before I really understood what Shillelagh did. I'm going to take a serious look in to druid/MI Druid, as it might just give me what I'm looking for without having to dilute my clericness too much.

I really appreciate the ideas. Thanks for your replies! :)