build help

[dnd2016]

Looking for build advice for my nature cleric for Tomb of the annihilation. Was thinking of going variant human and taking polearm master with shillelagh,no str, instead of mountain dwarf for the plus two strength plus two con, poison resistance and dark vision. Don't know if this is the right campaign for pole arm master. Do you think higher ability scores and skills are better Suited?

[Dudewithknives]

Looking for build advice for my nature cleric for Tomb of the annihilation. Was thinking of going variant human and taking polearm master with shillelagh,no str, instead of mountain dwarf for the plus two strength plus two con, poison resistance and dark vision. Don't know if this is the right campaign for pole arm master. Do you think higher ability scores and skills are better Suited?

It depends on how you plan to run the armor side of things.
If you dump str you are not wearing heavy armor so you would need at least some kind of Dex.

Just my opinion, but on a class that only ever gets one attack under normal circumstances, I do not see PAM being worth it, well until you hit level 8 + then the divine strike bonus helps.

Consider taking Human Variant for Magic Initiate: Wizard take booming blade, some other cantrip you might want and find familiar, being able to cast a healing spell through your familiar to heal people further away is kind of nice.

Take PAM later if you want, but I would not take it at level 1, and probably not at level 4.

[dnd2016]

Yeah I was going to do medium Armor/shield/14 dex for 18 AC. Yeah I have thought of magic initiate for the gfb or booming blade option. But do I add intelligence or my wisdom score for the damaged on those cantrips

[Dudewithknives]

Yeah I was going to do medium Armor/shield/14 dex for 18 AC. Yeah I have thought of magic initiate for the gfb or booming blade option. But do I add intelligence or my wisdom score for the damaged on those cantrips

Booming blade does not add a stat at all, so it doesn't matter, if you took GFB it would be either cha or int depending on if you took the feat for wizard or sorcerer/warlock.

Wizard is the only way for the familiar, so if you did take one that adds a stat it would be INT.

The attack from those is still a weapon attack so it would be Wis if you use shillelagh for it.

[dnd2016]

But all they have to do is not move and there is no booming blade damage. With polearm master in the early levels I'm getting a bonus action and the reaction almost every turn. Although the bonus action is small I still get to add + 3 or 4 modifier to the damage and saving me from casting spiritual weapon early on

[Dudewithknives]

But all they have to do is not move and there is no booming blade damage. With polearm master in the early levels I'm getting a bonus action and the reaction almost every turn. Although the bonus action is small I still get to add + 3 or 4 modifier to the damage and saving me from casting spiritual weapon early on

Booming blade still adds damage on the attack itself at level 5, of 1d8, then adds another at level 10, and another later.

At level 1 - 4

PAM does a little more damage, as 1d4 + stat.
Booming blade adds 1d8 if they move.

At 5 - 7
PAM still does 1d4 + stat
Booming blade adds 1d8 base and 2d8 if they move

At 8, all attacks with he weapon will add 1d8. Assuming stat of 18
Pam will be probably 1d10 + 1d8 + stat and 1d4 + 1d8 + stat = 24.5
BB will be 1d8 weapon, 1d8 base BB, 1d8 divine strike, + 4 = 17.5, if they move an extra 2d8 so + ~9 for total of 26.5

at 10
Pam is still the same at 24.5
Booming Blade adds 1d8 each
Booming Blade will be 1d8 + 2d8 + 1d8 + stat for ~ 22 damage, but if they move they take another 3d8 so ~ 13.5 extra or 35.5 total

at 14
PAM adds another D8 to each hit, so + 9 damage which would be ~ 33.5
Booming blade stays the same

If by chance the game gets to level 17
PAM stays the same
BB adds 1d8 to base hit an another to the movement based one. so Normal is now 26.5 if they move 44.5

It kind of depends on what level you are for which one is better.

However with the MI feat you also get a familiar which is always amazing and another cantrip of your choice.

[dnd2016]

All right, all right, I wasn't thinking that far ahead, lol...... I suspect booming blade works good against flying enemies too

[dnd2016]

We never factored in the reaction attack from pam.When somebody steps within 5 feet of me

[Dudewithknives]

We never factored in the reaction attack from pam.When somebody steps within 5 feet of me

Because that is not a guarantee that every round the others all are also there's no guarantee you would even get it in a fight you might have to go to somebody else and even if you do it's only going to be for one round because they're not going to be stupid enough to walk away from you and come back

[dnd2016]

AH, If i move away from a foe sheathed in booming energy, and he takes his opportunity attack to attack me, does he take the damage?

[Dudewithknives]

AH, If i move away from a foe sheathed in booming energy, and he takes his opportunity attack to attack me, does he take the damage?

No, it is based on him moving.

[bid]

Looking for build advice for my nature cleric for Tomb of the annihilation. Was thinking of going variant human and taking polearm master with shillelagh,no str, instead of mountain dwarf for the plus two strength plus two con, poison resistance and dark vision. Don't know if this is the right campaign for pole arm master. Do you think higher ability scores and skills are better Suited?
The typical shillelagh nature cleric is hill dwarf 8 14 16 10 16 10, and isn't slowed by heavy armor. I don't see what mountain dwarf has going for it.

But yeah, SCAG cantrips beat anything else for classes without extra attack.

[Galactkaktus]

I whould say that the biggest benefit with the scag cantrip vs pam with no extra attack is the action economy. Pam eats your bonus action which is a big deal for clerics Healing word is a bonus action heal and spiritual weapon needs a bonus action to attack.

[dnd2016]

I whould say that the biggest benefit with the scag cantrip vs pam with no extra attack is the action economy. Pam eats your bonus action which is a big deal for clerics Healing word is a bonus action heal and spiritual weapon needs a bonus action to attack.

Good point, and yeah i guess I got my dwarf sub-race mixed up

[Klorox]

Dump STR and wear heavy armor.

Read the dwarf description. You are not affected by the STR rule for wearing heavy armor.

The only stats you care about with a dwarf nature druid are WIS and CON. Choose hill dwarf.