Best Divine Caster for Group?

[carrdrivesyou]

Hey Playgrounders! I'm starting a new campaign and I'm having a hard time deciding on what route I want to take. It's a homebrew campaign with a new group, and I'm not sure what to expect. The others have more or less decided on what they want to play, but I don't know where that leaves me.

So far, there is a high elf wizard, a dwarf bard, and a tempest cleric. Given this, I was torn between rogue and fighter at first, but I have come to know that the cleric is going to be more of a combat type than a healer or buffer. So I think damage is decently covered. I was thinking something that could spread some love or hate depending on what was needed. So I am now torn between a divine soul sorcerer and a celestial warlock.

Which of these would be better for the group?

[Mortis_Elrod]

Play what you want. You already have two people with healing abilities.


Even if the cleric is building for damage he’s bound to have. Cure wounds prepared and if not the bard is bound to have that or healing word. Unless both are determined to never use a healing spell.

Even then I would still say play what you want more than what you think the group needs.
Oh and let me tell you it does not need squishier people.

If nothing else play a paladin. If people go down use lay on hands. Otherwise you’re basically a fighter. So go tanky

[sophontteks]

A fighter would be best for the group. :smallbiggrin:

Seriously though, the party would do well to have a fighter. If you want divine then a paladin will do fine. Your party already has a wizard and a bard who will provide arcane utility and support to the party.

Healer is not a real combat role in 5e. Healing is best done when combat is over, and your party can already do that just fine. Your party has all the healing it will ever need, but they have no front-liners at all.

[nickl_2000]

My humble opinion? Go Fallen Assimar Vengence/Conquest Paladin.

You are a divine caster, you get both racial and class based laying on of hands, and you can tank all day long. It seems like it would fit your parties needs and your goal perfectly.

[Orc_Lord]

Damage is not really covered. Bard and Wizard do mediocre damage, Tempest is slightly better but not by much.

Fighter, Barbarian and Paladin/Sorcerer could work for damage and being a meat shield for the bard and wizard.

[Maelynn]

Go for a Dwarf Fighter. The brawling kind.

Every night, you and the Dwarf Bard will drink ale and sing rowdy (and as the night progresses, increasingly raunchy) songs. Much to the annoyance of the High Elf Wizard...

[Asmotherion]

You're obviously practically begging for us to suggest "hey, why don't you play a Sorcelock, it's so freaking awesome!" and "convince" you to do so. Or that what you'll be doing is not Optimisation at it's Best.

I won't play along.

If you want to play one, do it. It takes a certain amount of determination to do so.

Otherwise, go regular Divine Sorcerer, and you'll be just fine.

[DarkKnightJin]

The Cleric can bring Healing Word or Cure Wounds.
My Death Cleric is much the same. He's the only one with healing in the party. He only has Healing Word prepared.

And nobody complains. We make it work with short rests and healing potions.

If you want to play a Fighter, go for it. You want to play a Sorcerer, play a Sorcerer.
Just don't make them a 'lone wolf' that thinks they don't need the rest of the party.

[CTurbo]

If you want Divine, I'd go Paladin all the way. Tempest Clerics ARE good at damage but I would want a second tanky character down on the frontlines with them. Paladins are perfect. Pretty much all Oaths are good in their own way. Vengeance kinda fits along side a Tempest. Grab Sentinel to aid in the Tempest keeping up his concentration spells which are all great.

If you're a 4 man group and the Cleric is the ONLY tank character, he's never going to be able to keep up Bless or Spirit Guardians.


Fighter would be my second choice if you don't want Paladin.

[samcifer]

Druids seem to have a lot of flexibility. If you want to have lots of spells go Land Druid, otherwise, pick Moon druid. Even if you don't fight a lot, the wild shapes offer lots of utility uses and you'll have healing and cleansing spells to use as well.

[Treantmonk]

Bard (control and healing)
Wizard (control and blasting)
Tempest Cleric (melee and blasting)

You're in good shape. You don't need to play anything specific. What do you want to play?

If it was me, I would go with a Half-Elven Hexblade!

[ImproperJustice]

I have been running with an unbalanced party for almost two years.
Play what you will enjoy. 5th edition does not require balanced parties to thrive.

That being said.... I recently switched to playing a Cleric and so far I really like it. Being able to change your daily spell list helps you figure out the class and set yourself up for the role you wish to play.

[carrdrivesyou]

Alright. Paladin seems nice. Just one question, on their smite spells, are they one-offs or do they deal the damage as long as you can maintain concentration?

[ImproperJustice]

One of.
It’s like holding a charge until you can release it.

[Galadhrim]

I played in a group of 4 that included my tempest cleric, an assassin rogue, monk, and lore bard. Pretty similar set up to your group and we had plenty of support between cleric and bard, even though my cleric was the bash heads in the middle of melee and tank type. I agree with others that this party needs more front line help than anything else so your original plan would be fine (fighter) but if you want a more healing, divine feel, then paladin is perfect.

Of course if you WANT to play a Devine soul our celestial warlock then that would work too.

[Galadhrim]

Alright. Paladin seems nice. Just one question, on their smite spells, are they one-offs or do they deal the damage as long as you can maintain concentration?
One off damage but some of the riders (I.e. Fear) last until you drop concentration.

[CTurbo]

Alright. Paladin seems nice. Just one question, on their smite spells, are they one-offs or do they deal the damage as long as you can maintain concentration?


They all say "The next time you hit" but some of them have riders that continue to apply like Searing Smite.

I actually don't like the Pally's Smite spells and never use them at all with the exception of Wrathful Smite for Conquest Paladins.

[Corran]

I think this party of 3 is missing dpr (unless the bard is going for an archer build).

If the wizard is determined to pick spells that control the battlefield, I would say that you could get away with a ranged dpr. If not, then you need another melee, so a melee dpr. With multiclassing you could even aim for something that falls between these two (ie ranged dpr and frontlining), but that might be tricky to pull off.