Solo Cleric or Favored Soul

[eryrwyn]

Hey everyone,

I'll soon be playing in a solo game so I'm looking for some advice as to how to make my character concept survivable enough to stand a chance. I want to play a divine crusader-kind of character so I've decided on an aasimar (probably Scourge because their unique power sounds beyond awesome conceptually) warlock of the Undying Light. Just one level to get the +CHA to radiant/fire spells is enough for me mechanically and for the concept of a divinely-powered messenger of the forces of good.

As a main class, I'm thinking either an Arcana Cleric or a Favored Soul. Favored Soul sounds great on paper -- a divine sorcerer who uses Charisma to cast, a natural party face (and I do enjoy social encounters and roleplay so it suits me) but it is still a sorcerer -- and sorcerers tend to be rather squishy... given that I'm the only player I'll probably be forced to melee sooner or later so I probably need high AC and some durability and I'm unsure whether a Favored Soul can provide that. If it can, how do I go about it?

Or would you say that the Arcana Cleric is better for it? With my dip in Warlock, it would make me more MAD but I don't worry about it because I've rolled pretty good stats. 16, 16, 15, 14, 14, 12. So I could use the two 16s as Wisdom and Charisma, get +2 Charisma for an aasimar... and have at least +4 damage to all my radiant/fire spells. If I go Scourge Aasimar, I'll put the 15 into Con so I'll get Con 16 after racial bonuses. Dex 14, Str 14, Int 12?

Thanks for the help!

[Lombra]

Why not paladin? Charisma synergy, holy vibe, survivability, although it's not very caster if that's what you are looking for

[eryrwyn]

I think I didn't really consider a paladin because I tend to play full casters. Granted, paladins are better casters now than they were in 3rd edition with which I have most experience. And, it seems that a Favored Soul/Paladin has a lot of synergy thanks to Smite and sacrificing spell slots/renewing them with Sorcery points. If I were to start with a Paladin, I would be proficient with all armor and have more HP, that could circumvent the whole "FS is too squishy to be in melee". Thanks for the idea, Lombra!

[Corran]

So you want scourge aasimar and 1 lvl in UL warlock for fire&randiant damage boost for sure. And then you want to progress in either arcana cleric or fs sorcerer.

Ok, regardless of how you choose to proceed, here are some more general advice:

Since you will be playing solo, and since you will be going with a fullcaster class either way, you need to invest heavily on your concentration saves. That means eventually getting both warcaster and con save proficiency. That said, you should really aim for wisdom save proficiency too, since if a wis-targeting debuff hits you, it will be pretty much game over. So, out of the box, that's two very important feats you are looking at getting asap, warcaster and resilient (either con or wis, depending on with which class you'll start).

I would really suggest starting as a variant human, so you can get both feats faster, but if you are really set on aasimar, then since your concentration spells (regardless with which of the two classes you will go) will be very important for you, then I would suggest starting with the class that gives you con save proficiency, andtaking warcatsre with the first opportunity, and immediatelly after that take resilient wisdom (and pray till then that the DM wont use any wisdom-targetiing effects on you). But once again, I really wanna stretch how important I think it is for you to go with vhuman.

So, if not vhuman, I advice starting as a sorcerer. 1 sorcerer level is good either way, since you can really profit from the shield spell (since solo play), so you would want at least one sorc level even if you go with arcane cleric with your main class. But as I said, if not starting vhuman for quicker access to feats, then start sorc for con save prof (warcater with your next feat, resilient wis after warcaster).

Since you want to play with fire/radiant damage boost from UL, and since GFB will be a good pick since you will solo, and thus enemies will be close for you to put GFB to good use, I suggest picking cleric levels (several cleric levels), in order to pick spirit guradians (the best use of your concentration possibly, since you are solo'ing; against archer heavy groups change to blur or shield of faith if you dont have many sorcerer levels yet), and in order to pick GFB from the arcana domain (caution, dont pick GFB from warlock or sorc!!! Pick it from the arcana domain to profit more from it via the cleric's potent cantrip feature, which will apply on both the main damage and on the secondary damage of GFB.

The warlock level (either 1 or 2, no more though, resist the temptation of the pact) will come handy for having more 1st level spell slots to use shield with (you will need to).

You will definitely need one good melee stat (dex!), and a good wisdom ofc (since picking more levels in cleric will also boost your GFB's), and a good con ofc. Unfortunately, that leaves you with a mediocre cha, so no amazing EB (doesnt matter though, you'll have GFB and forebolt from arcana cleric, you'll use your warlock and sorcerer spell for buffing and utility). So.....
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This is what I would do (assuming aasimar, warlock UL 1, and either arcana cleric or favored soul sorcerer -or both, are a given):

STR 14, DEX 16, CON 15+1= 16, INT 12, WIS 16, CHA 14+2= 16

Level 1: Sorcerer 1 (CON save prof, shield)
Level 2: Cleric 1 (armor prof, pick up GFB and firebolt from arcane domain)
Level 3: Cleric 2
Level 4: Cleric 3
Level 5: Cleric 4 (warcaster)
Level 6: Cleric 5 (spirit guardians)
Level 7: Warlock 1 (armor of agathys, EB)
Level 8: Sorcerer 2
Level 9: Sorcerer 3 (blur, quicken metamagic)
Level 10: Sorcerer 4 (resilient wisdom)
Level 11+: Cleric all the way, up to cleric 15

ps: As Lombra suggested, a paladin, or even a paladin/sorcerer is a good idea.

[DragonSorcererX]

Go with the new Celestial Pact and be IMMORTAL (or at least really tough with all that healing)...

[JeffreyGator]

The 1 level dip into Undying Light Warlock has been changed with the celestial warlock and the damage boost to fire/light doesn't happen until level 6.

I think that you would have the most spell options with FVS sorc and a 1 level dip of Arcana cleric.

Take utility stat-independent cantrips from arcana cleric: guidance, booming blade, prestidigitation, +2 cleric (mending)

Your main cantrips from sorc: firebolt, GFB, minor illusion +1 (bonfire, move earth, mage hand??)