Tweaking Forge Cleric slightly

[Finback]

Would you, as a DM, allow a player choosing the Forge domain to have a proficiency with warhammers? It feels odd that a path that is based around metalworking and the forge, wouldn't allow for any proficiency with weapons other than simple ones. I mean, some races have weapon proficiencies, but it seems odd that a cleric of the forge and creation wouldn't be adept with the very tools to use said forge.

[Malifice]

Would you, as a DM, allow a player choosing the Forge domain to have a proficiency with warhammers? It feels odd that a path that is based around metalworking and the forge, wouldn't allow for any proficiency with weapons other than simple ones. I mean, some races have weapon proficiencies, but it seems odd that a cleric of the forge and creation wouldn't be adept with the very tools to use said forge.

The get martial weapons don't they?

[Camman1984]

no martial weapons unfortunately. My DM has granted me proficiency with all hammers. I am playing a dwarf so have traded the racial axe proficiences for hammers.

I have also swapped stone cunning for metal cunning

[Malifice]

reluff a mace.

[CTurbo]

I'd allow it for free. I also think it's weird that the Forge domain doesn't get all weapons like some of the other domains.

[Unoriginal]

Would you, as a DM, allow a player choosing the Forge domain to have a proficiency with warhammers? It feels odd that a path that is based around metalworking and the forge, wouldn't allow for any proficiency with weapons other than simple ones. I mean, some races have weapon proficiencies, but it seems odd that a cleric of the forge and creation wouldn't be adept with the very tools to use said forge.

A warhammer is not a blacksmith's hammer.

Same way that a butcher knife is not a sword.

[SirGraystone]

1. A forge cleric should be a dwarf
2. All dwarves are proficient with warhammer.
3. See #1

[nickl_2000]

Would you, as a DM, allow a player choosing the Forge domain to have a proficiency with warhammers? It feels odd that a path that is based around metalworking and the forge, wouldn't allow for any proficiency with weapons other than simple ones. I mean, some races have weapon proficiencies, but it seems odd that a cleric of the forge and creation wouldn't be adept with the very tools to use said forge.

Mace is 1d6, Warhammer is 1d8. That's a difference on average of 1 per attack on a subclass that gets only 1 attack per round. I don't see this hurting a single thing.

[Petrocorus]

Mace is 1d6, Warhammer is 1d8. That's a difference on average of 1 per attack on a subclass that gets only 1 attack per round. I don't see this hurting a single thing.
This exactly. Even with extra attacks, that wouldn't be out of balance.

[Theodoxus]

You can hang a warhammer on your belt. "Look the part" as they say. You'd never EVER use a warhammer to bang out some horseshoes... And mace covers the 'hammer' thing easily enough, as noted above.

Besides, while yes you have heavy armor proficiency, it doesn't make you a tank. Cast Bless on the party, and hang back away from damage and cast spells like a good cleric. By 5th level on, a single attack with a weapon, no matter how good, will be dwarfed (no pun intended) by Sacred Flame, Toll the Dead or even Word of Radiance. Three good cantrips that target different saves, what more could you ask for?

[Grear Bylls]

no martial weapons unfortunately. My DM has granted me proficiency with all hammers. I am playing a dwarf so have traded the racial axe proficiences for hammers.

I have also swapped stone cunning for metal cunning

Dwarves get hammers and axes default

[SirGraystone]

Dwarven Combat Training: You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe. throwing hammer, and warhammer.

[Petrocorus]

Besides, while yes you have heavy armor proficiency, it doesn't make you a tank.

If you choose a bulky race, like say, Hill Dwarf, or why not, Firbolg, you can be pretty tanky with Forge Cleric. Add in Word of Radiance as you suggested, and you can be perfectly fine in melee.

[Arvin Natsuko]

Not to mention Variant Humans with Magic Initiate that includes Booming Blade, like my current Forge Cleric. I'm pretty happy with my mace, and I can be very tanky at Level 5 with AC 21 and the stickiness of Booming Blade.

[JackPhoenix]

Light hammer is a thing (pretty bad thing, granted, but still a thing). It's a simple weapon, so any cleric may use it, and it's closer to blacksmith's hammer than warhammer (but still not the same thing)

[Camman1984]

Dwarves get hammers and axes default

only specific hammers, I have proficiency with all hammer weapons, so including mauls, hook hammers etc. in exchange for never being trained to use the axe side of weapons.

[SirGraystone]

only specific hammers, I have proficiency with all hammer weapons, so including mauls, hook hammers etc. in exchange for never being trained to use the axe side of weapons.

Not in the Players Handbook for D&D 5e, but optional or homebrew is always possible with the DM permission

[Finback]

1. A forge cleric should be a dwarf
2. All dwarves are proficient with warhammer.
3. See #1

This presumes your player wants to be a dwarf. We may as well say a wizard should be an elf, a bard should be a half-elf, and a barbarian should be a half-orc.

[Finback]

You can hang a warhammer on your belt. "Look the part" as they say. You'd never EVER use a warhammer to bang out some horseshoes... And mace covers the 'hammer' thing easily enough, as noted above.

Besides, while yes you have heavy armor proficiency, it doesn't make you a tank.

Heh, whilst true, players don't always get this. And then they break the mould. Our group's tabaxi nature cleric is a juggernaut. By all logic, she should not be. And yet, "the turtle moves", so to speak.

[Finback]

Dwarven Combat Training: You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe. throwing hammer, and warhammer.

Presumes the cleric is a dwarf; that being said, in this case, we're talking about a minotaur forge cleric - I can easily refluff this as just Combat Training, since nothing says minotaurs can't have that same level of military training, esp. if we consider Krynnish* ones.


*Krynnian? Krynnic?

[Petrocorus]

Presumes the cleric is a dwarf; that being said, in this case, we're talking about a minotaur forge cleric - I can easily refluff this as just Combat Training, since nothing says minotaurs can't have that same level of military training, esp. if we consider Krynnish* ones.


What are your rules on Minotaurs?

[Kyrinthic]

This presumes your player wants to be a dwarf. We may as well say a wizard should be an elf, a bard should be a half-elf, and a barbarian should be a half-orc.

Kind of a strawman there. Comparing 1 archetype to whole classes.

A forge cleric is an archetype super flavored towards dwarves, but doesn't require it. Sure, you can play one that isnt a dwarf, but the class working best with dwarves is entirely fine. Lots of different flavors of wizards, but if you want to play a bladesinger archetype, you actually do have to be an elf.

You can play a non-dwarf forge cleric, but you dont have the same hammer training, you get a mace instead. A blacksmiths hammer is not a combat weapon, and a good blacksmith would be aghast at the idea of ruining one by hitting people with it. Mechanically, you do 1 less damage on a sub optimal action choice, it really doesnt matter past level 4 or so, thats entirely the same as taking a race that has the right stat bonus for a class, ie a good synergy, not a requirement.

[SirGraystone]

This presumes your player wants to be a dwarf. We may as well say a wizard should be an elf, a bard should be a half-elf, and a barbarian should be a half-orc.

I may have been a little sarcastic in my answer, but you are right player are free to pick any race they want.