Fighter/Cleric build help

[Mystical-man]

I have been considering the idea of making a fighter/cleric build for a strategist type character for a while now. I first thought of a WIS based fighter who can use his skill and tactical knowledge to deal damage over his speed and strength. Then I thought about the idea of adding a few levels of cleric to it too really fortify the use of WIS and now my question is how would you build a character like this? What level distribution should I have, archetypes, races etc. Just too note I would like a dex based cleric over a str based even if I get proficiency with heavy armour, I see this character as being a bit old and rusty so a high str wouldn't really fit in my opinion while a high dex could maybe be from his advanced skill.

[Trustypeaches]

A small dip into War Cleric Domain on a Fighter would get you some nice goodies such as extra melee attacks and Divine Favor.

[CTurbo]

Sounds like a Fighter with 1-3 Nature Cleric levels is exactly what you're describing. Shillelagh lets you use Wis for attacks. You could practically dump Str, stick a 14 in Dex and wear Medium Armor, and just pump Con and Wis.


I'd go Hill Dwarf Fighter 1, Cleric 1, then at least 4 Fighter levels in a row pumping +2 Wis at level 5.

12 Str, 14 Dex, 16 Con, 8 Int, 16 Wis, 8 Cha

[Mystical-man]

Sounds like a Fighter with 1-3 Nature Cleric levels is exactly what you're describing. Shillelagh lets you use Wis for attacks. You could practically dump Str, stick a 14 in Dex and wear Medium Armor, and just pump Con and Wis.

Hmmmm, that is a good point and I have one question though. If the reason for nature cleric is only to get Shillelagh is it worth it when compared to other domains? Just wondering on your opinion

[CTurbo]

Hmmmm, that is a good point and I have one question though. If the reason for nature cleric is only to get Shillelagh is it worth it when compared to other domains? Just wondering on your opinion


Yes technically you could take Magic Initiate and grab Shillelagh that way. Nature is tough and has some really sticky features. Just depends on how many levels of Cleric you're after. I would probably want at least 5 levels eventually.

Yes War or Forge are better mechanically

[Vogie]

If you want to be a strategist, using a combination of Battlemaster Fighter X / Order Cleric 3 will allow you to magically boss people around like no one's business. You can alternatively give yourself bonus action attacks via Spiritual Weapons. If you do want to pick up Shillelagh for wisdom to damage, grabbing Magic Initiate: Druid will give you that & a one-level-wonder, such as Goodberry or Faerie Fire

If you're using Standard array with Variant human (for the feat, out of the gate), you'd have Str 10 Dex 14 Con 14 (13+1) and Wis 16 (15+1), and the 12 & 8 in the int & cha, however you want to play the character.

[Halabalousa]

Sounds like a Fighter with 1-3 Nature Cleric levels is exactly what you're describing. Shillelagh lets you use Wis for attacks. You could practically dump Str, stick a 14 in Dex and wear Medium Armor, and just pump Con and Wis.


I'd go Hill Dwarf Fighter 1, Cleric 1, then at least 4 Fighter levels in a row pumping +2 Wis at level 5.

12 Str, 14 Dex, 16 Con, 8 Int, 16 Wis, 8 Cha

If you go hill dwarf you might as well put on a heavy armor (plate) for that extra AC boost.

[Man_Over_Game]

I think your best bet is going to be an Open Hand Monk, taking a level into Order Cleric.

Many of the Battle Master abilities rely on saving throws (which use Dexterity, not your best stat), or they work best with ranged attacks (which you don't do well).

However, an Open Hand Monk has a lot of similar abilities to the Battle Master, scales well with Wisdom AND Dexterity at the same time, and the single level into Order Cleric will grant you the ability to command allies with Healing Word.

If Ranged attacks are an option, consider going as a Mastermind Rogue. Nobody bosses others around as efficiently as a Mastermind.

Lastly, if Wisdom-based attacking is a major concern, really consider just going full Order Cleric and just rely on melee cantrips (like Word of Radiance). You can pick up a level into Druid or Magic Initiate (Druid) for Shillelagh and Magic Stone, but what's the point when most other cantrips deal more damage past level 5?

[Laserlight]

I see this character as being a bit old and rusty so a high str wouldn't really fit in my opinion while a high dex could maybe be from his advanced skill.

More likely the other way around, I suspect. I used to fence Olympic style saber; my reflexes are notably slower at 55 than they were at 35, and 35 was slower than 20. OTOH my STR hasn't gone down much.

[ImproperJustice]

More likely the other way around, I suspect. I used to fence Olympic style saber; my reflexes are notably slower at 55 than they were at 35, and 35 was slower than 20. OTOH my STR hasn't gone down much.

Some other ideas:

The UA Order domain may fit your concept a little toghter.
A refluffing of Conquest Paladin could work too.

But I think the best would be War Cleric. Maybe your old vet has found religion in his older years, and maybe you don’t swing a sword like you used to, but every once in a while, a divine hand helps guide it to it’s mark or aids your allies.

[Citan]

I have been considering the idea of making a fighter/cleric build for a strategist type character for a while now. I first thought of a WIS based fighter who can use his skill and tactical knowledge to deal damage over his speed and strength. Then I thought about the idea of adding a few levels of cleric to it too really fortify the use of WIS and now my question is how would you build a character like this? What level distribution should I have, archetypes, races etc. Just too note I would like a dex based cleric over a str based even if I get proficiency with heavy armour, I see this character as being a bit old and rusty so a high str wouldn't really fit in my opinion while a high dex could maybe be from his advanced skill.


I have been considering the idea of making a fighter/cleric build for a strategist type character for a while now. I first thought of a WIS based fighter who can use his skill and tactical knowledge to deal damage over his speed and strength. Then I thought about the idea of adding a few levels of cleric to it too really fortify the use of WIS and now my question is how would you build a character like this? What level distribution should I have, archetypes, races etc. Just too note I would like a dex based cleric over a str based even if I get proficiency with heavy armour, I see this character as being a bit old and rusty so a high str wouldn't really fit in my opinion while a high dex could maybe be from his advanced skill.
Strategist character?
You have many ways to go.

From what I see in your post, I'll dare put Fighter/Cleric suggestions but also some totally unrelated, feel free to totally ignore them if you don't like them... ^^

1) Monk + Trickery Cleric: either go high DEX and WIS (like any Monk), and pick...
- Open Hand to get many attacks, two of which could be used to shove/push (force position to create tactical advantage for allies).
- 4E for the bigger push/prone but the resource management could be hard, so...
- Drunken Master to divert attacks.
Idea here is to use your Duplicate to either get advantage on attacks or go heal allies while you keep enemies on hold at frontline.

2) Long Death Monk + Life Cleric: you use the Fear action while sustaining Spiritual Weapon and later Spirit Guardians, using Dodge as bonus action when required.

3) Battlemaster Fighter + War Cleric: pick Commander's Strike, that with Guided Strike should make you really feel like an older Warlord.

4) Mastermind Rogue + Forge Cleric: this suggestion is mainly for Help as a bonus action.

5) Eldricht Knight + Tempest Cleric: this of course gives you a nova option, but for you, the better thing is actually Domain spells that can help tailor the battlefield (notably Fog Cloud early).

6) Eldricht Knight + Nature Cleric: using mainly Thorns Whip to keep people inside Spirit Guardian (here Fighter 3 would be largely enough).

7) Cavalier + Nature|Tempest|War Cleric: the level 3 "mark" may be exactly what you want in the first place. :)

Of course, you could also make different combinations among all that I suggested.

[Jcp1195]

Take a look at the new Order Cleric that was released in Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica. Their level one ability lets your ally use their Reaction for an immediate attack if you target them with a spell. So heal your frontline teammates and then get them a free attack for the trouble.

Also since you seem to want to be a more strategic, support character I'd say take 17 Order Cleric, 3 Battlemater Fighter. Even if you're not buffing or healing, you can use Battlemaster's Commander's Strike to give up your attacks to someone better suited for Melee DPS. I'd also recommend being a Kenku simply as it would make for some fun Flavor. You could be a Kenku Mastermind who was shamed and exiled from his tribe or a Kenku looking for a tribe to Mastermind and you've joined the adventuring party in order to prove your ability to lead despite your lack of Martial skill. In addition if you want to help with the actual fighting, It'd be good to have a Heavy Crossbow. Even an "old and rusty" fighter would be able to handle a Crossbow. Just make sure you grab Crossbow Expert feat and archery Fighting Style.

If you do go Order Cleric and haven't read it, at level 6 you can cast Enchantment Spells as a Bonus Action if they're normally an Action a number of times per rest equal to your Wis mod. You get Command, Hold Person, Compulsion, and Dominate Person, as Class Spells so you can cast Hold Person as a bonus action, use your action to heal your (Lets say barbarian as an example) and because you healed them, then they get a free reaction attack.

You get Divine strike at 8 and a boost at 14 and it works on your Crossbow.

And then at 17th if you hit someone with Radiant Damage, next time one of your allies hits it they deal an extra 2d8 Psychic damage. All in all Order Cleric is pretty much perfect Cleric subclass for Strategic Battlefield Control and leadership.

[Citan]

Wow. Is that level one ability "free" or WIS-based?

If it's for free, it's certainly the best pick for what you want. Very impressive ability. :)

The level 6 too is gorgeous. ^^

[lunaticfringe]

If you do go Order Cleric and haven't read it, at level 6 you can cast Enchantment Spells as a Bonus Action if they're normally an Action a number of times per rest equal to your Wis mod. You get Command, Hold Person, Compulsion, and Dominate Person, as Class Spells so you can cast Hold Person as a bonus action, use your action to heal your (Lets say barbarian as an example) and because you healed them, then they get a free reaction attack.


Nope.

A spell cast with a bonus action is especially swift. You must use a bonus action on your turn to cast the spell, provided that you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn. You can't cast another spell during the same turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action.

Starting at 1st level, you can invoke the power of law to drive an ally to attack. If you cast a spell with a spell slot of 1st level or higher and target an ally with the spell, that ally can use their reaction immediately after the spell to make one weapon attack against a creature of your choice that you can see.

[Wildarm]

I'd go for a Longbow based Order Domain Cleric 1/Battlemaster Fighter X/Mastermind Rogue 3

- Grab expertise in Insight and Perception to take advantage of your high wisdom and be able to always spot trouble socially or in a dungeon.
- Pretty much every action and bonus action you take will help an ally:

Healing Word Bonus Action = Heal + Free Attack
Bless Action = Attack/Save Bonus + Free Attack
Help Bonus Action = Advantage for an Ally
Maneuvering Attack = Free Half move for an ally
Distracting Strike = Free advantage for an ally
Disarming Strike = Force enemy to drop their weapon and have an ally pick it up or knock it away before their turn

Cons:
MAD build and no early ASIs but a neat concept if you can live with 16 Dex/Wis for a while