JulesF
2019-05-28, 03:12 PM
Hey, everyone. My group is starting to get up there in level and will probably be starting a new campaign soon. I've been really mulling around this character I wanted to play that is a priest. By priest, I mean I want a robe wearing, staff wielding, spellcaster. I heavily debated the Divine Soul Sorcerer and the Thaumaterge Wizard, but ultimately I'm not sure they give me what I want. I made a few changes to the Cleric to make them more spellcasty and less fighty and wanted to know if you think this is balanced or if you have ideas to improve it. I wanted to use the cleric as the base class because I like the idea of being able to choose your domain still, and I think the turn undead and divine intervention are staple class features:
Priest
Spell Slots Per Level
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
Cantrips Known
Spells Known
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
1
+2
Spellcasting, Divine Domain, Religious Expertise
4
4
2
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
2
+2
Channel Divinity (1/rest), Divine Domain Feature
4
5
3
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
3
+2
Divine Recovery
4
6
4
2
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
4
+2
Ability Score Improvement
5
7
4
3
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
5
+3
Destroy Undead (CR 1/2)
5
8
4
3
2
--
--
--
--
--
--
6
+3
Channel Divinity (2/rest), Divine Domain Feature
5
9
4
3
3
--
--
--
--
--
--
7
+3
5
10
4
3
3
1
--
--
--
--
--
8
+3
Ability Score Improvement, Destroy Undead (CR 1), Divine Domain Feature
5
11
4
3
3
2
--
--
--
--
--
9
+4
5
12
4
3
3
3
1
--
--
--
--
10
+4
Divine Intervention
6
12
4
3
3
3
2
--
--
--
--
11
+4
Destroy Undead (CR 2)
6
13
4
3
3
3
2
1
--
--
--
12
+4
Ability Score Improvement
6
13
4
3
3
3
2
1
--
--
--
13
+5
6
14
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
--
--
14
+5
Destroy Undead (CR 3)
6
14
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
--
--
15
+5
6
15
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
--
16
+5
Ability Score Improvement
6
15
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
--
17
+6
Destroy Undead (CR 4), Divine Domain Feature
6
16
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
1
18
+6
Channel Divinity (3/rest)
6
16
4
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
19
+6
Ability Score Improvement
6
16
4
3
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
20
+6
Divine Intervention Improvement
6
16
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
1
1
The Priest class uses all the same mechanics and tree as the Cleric with a few key differences outlined here:
Priests use the Bardic Spell Table (minus Magical Secrets spells) instead of Cleric Spell Table and like Bards they cast spells spontaneously instead of having spells prepared. Priests cast spells through force of conviction and prayer, and thus cast spells using Charisma as the primary attribute. The 10 spells granted from the Divine Domain Class Feature do NOT count against spells Known, but require the expenditure of a spell slot as normal. Priests retain the Ritual Caster feature and can cast any spells that they know as Rituals if the spell has the Ritual tag. Due to the loss of versatility in spell selection due to not being able to prepare spells, Priests increase Cantrips Known by 2, and at level 3 gain Divine Recovery which functions identical to Wizard’s Arcane Recovery.
Change HD to d6, remove armor proficiency, and change Priest’s Weapon Proficiencies from Simple to Dagger, Quarterstaff, Light Crossbow, and Sling. Priests gain Expertise with the Religion Skill, allowing them to double their Proficiency Bonus on Religion Checks. Priests also gain proficiency with choice of one instrument or one toolkit.
At Level 8, Priests always get Potent Spellcasting feature as seen in the Light Domain instead of Divine Strike regardless of what Domain they choose. If a Priest’s Domain would grant them Heavy Armor proficiency, they instead gain Light Armor Proficiency. If a Priests Domain would grant them Martial Weapon Proficiency, they instead are granted Simple Weapon Proficiency.
Priest
Spell Slots Per Level
Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features
Cantrips Known
Spells Known
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
1
+2
Spellcasting, Divine Domain, Religious Expertise
4
4
2
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
2
+2
Channel Divinity (1/rest), Divine Domain Feature
4
5
3
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
3
+2
Divine Recovery
4
6
4
2
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
4
+2
Ability Score Improvement
5
7
4
3
--
--
--
--
--
--
--
5
+3
Destroy Undead (CR 1/2)
5
8
4
3
2
--
--
--
--
--
--
6
+3
Channel Divinity (2/rest), Divine Domain Feature
5
9
4
3
3
--
--
--
--
--
--
7
+3
5
10
4
3
3
1
--
--
--
--
--
8
+3
Ability Score Improvement, Destroy Undead (CR 1), Divine Domain Feature
5
11
4
3
3
2
--
--
--
--
--
9
+4
5
12
4
3
3
3
1
--
--
--
--
10
+4
Divine Intervention
6
12
4
3
3
3
2
--
--
--
--
11
+4
Destroy Undead (CR 2)
6
13
4
3
3
3
2
1
--
--
--
12
+4
Ability Score Improvement
6
13
4
3
3
3
2
1
--
--
--
13
+5
6
14
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
--
--
14
+5
Destroy Undead (CR 3)
6
14
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
--
--
15
+5
6
15
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
--
16
+5
Ability Score Improvement
6
15
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
--
17
+6
Destroy Undead (CR 4), Divine Domain Feature
6
16
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
1
18
+6
Channel Divinity (3/rest)
6
16
4
3
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
19
+6
Ability Score Improvement
6
16
4
3
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
20
+6
Divine Intervention Improvement
6
16
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
1
1
The Priest class uses all the same mechanics and tree as the Cleric with a few key differences outlined here:
Priests use the Bardic Spell Table (minus Magical Secrets spells) instead of Cleric Spell Table and like Bards they cast spells spontaneously instead of having spells prepared. Priests cast spells through force of conviction and prayer, and thus cast spells using Charisma as the primary attribute. The 10 spells granted from the Divine Domain Class Feature do NOT count against spells Known, but require the expenditure of a spell slot as normal. Priests retain the Ritual Caster feature and can cast any spells that they know as Rituals if the spell has the Ritual tag. Due to the loss of versatility in spell selection due to not being able to prepare spells, Priests increase Cantrips Known by 2, and at level 3 gain Divine Recovery which functions identical to Wizard’s Arcane Recovery.
Change HD to d6, remove armor proficiency, and change Priest’s Weapon Proficiencies from Simple to Dagger, Quarterstaff, Light Crossbow, and Sling. Priests gain Expertise with the Religion Skill, allowing them to double their Proficiency Bonus on Religion Checks. Priests also gain proficiency with choice of one instrument or one toolkit.
At Level 8, Priests always get Potent Spellcasting feature as seen in the Light Domain instead of Divine Strike regardless of what Domain they choose. If a Priest’s Domain would grant them Heavy Armor proficiency, they instead gain Light Armor Proficiency. If a Priests Domain would grant them Martial Weapon Proficiency, they instead are granted Simple Weapon Proficiency.