Need help optimizing Tempest Blaster

[djskead]

Starting a session at level 1 and after a few levels of grinding we'll be setting up to play the module Descent into Avernus.

Our group is Barbarian, Bard, Ranger, Warlock and myself playing a Storm Melee Blaster, hoping to wear full plate, Flail and Shield, being in the thick of the battle being able to blast some baddies but also having options for melee.
Our DM is very easy going about rolling (2 sets, must equal to over 76 total points; My Available stats are: 17, 16, 15, 14, 12, 11) and has already given me the green light to swap some Domain Spells for other ones.


Would you guys go pure Tempest Cleric? Any spells you would drop in the Tempest list to snag Lightning Bolt? Or does it make more sense to do a 2 Tempest Cleric and the rest into a Storm Sorcerer? Races that would be good?


Thanks!

[Chugger]

If you can get lightning bolt as a cleric, that'd be pretty nice.

As a temp 2/ sorc x you're 2 levels behind, which isn't incredibly horrible - just that lvl 5 and 6 w/ no AoE damage will be painful. Sorc is powerful and lets you blast - or control - or buff debuff - or cast utility. Meta magic can be very nice. But cleric spells are great - getting two channel divs per short rest at lvl 6 is great.

I think I'd go pure cleric if I was allowed to take lightning bolt.

[OgataiKhan]

I'm playing a Tempest Cleric right now. I went with the Zendikar Merfolk for Shillelagh to be Wis-SAD and took Magic Initiate: Wizard for BB, GFB, and Find Familiar which gives us a good melee option and advantage on attacks.
Later on against bosses you might want to use your Channel Divinity to maximise BB+Divine Strike damage.

The other four ASI will be Observant (+1 Wis, since I'm at 17), +2 Wis, Resilient Con, and War Caster.

There's not much else you can do to optimise, except dump Str now and later use Conjure Celestial to turn yourself into a Wereboar and get a free 17 in Str.
It would require you to be neutral evil, otherwise you lose control over your character, and to survive until level 13 in medium armour, but it gives you a much better Dex score.

Drop either spell for Lightning Bolt, neither of the two is very good.

[AgenderArcee]

I'd probably just stick with cleric. Firbolg gives you ideal stat increases and some nice extra magical utility.

I'd suggest not underestimating Call Lightning! Yes it does less damage in a round than Lightning Bolt, but if you can keep your Concentration up it's very fun and lets you stretch out that 3rd level spell slot for an entire fight. That said when I played a Tempest Cleric I played it as more of a ranged caster, so if you want to be in melee most of the time you might prefer the one-shot burst of Lightning Bolt. Of course, you could also just drop Sleet Storm if you don't mind having both.

Here's a thought - take the Sentinel feat by level 4. That way you're consistently using your action for Call Lightning, your bonus action for Spiritual Weapon or Healing Word, and your reaction for melee attacks. You'll max out your action economy and get the full experience every round!

[Monster Manuel]

Would you guys go pure Tempest Cleric? Any spells you would drop in the Tempest list to snag Lightning Bolt? Or does it make more sense to do a 2 Tempest Cleric and the rest into a Storm Sorcerer? Races that would be good?


Thanks!

In my experience, a 2-level dip into Tempest Cleric adds a LOT to a Storm Sorcerer (proficiencies, rebuke attacks with a Reaction, Channel Divinity to do max damage on lightning based blasts), whereas a two-level dip into Storm Sorcerer adds very little to the Tempest Cleric (you can speak with elementals you'll never be able to summon, and a 10' re-position when casing a lightning spell). Even if you hold out until 3rd level for some Metamagic, it's not a lot better than just going straight Tempest cleric.

The Storm Sorc with a dip into cleric is a VERY different character than the straight Tempest cleric; it's a matter of deciding how you want to play.

If you can swap out a 3rd level Tempest spell for Lightning Bolt, I would not swap out Sleet Storm. That gives you utility and control, whereas Call Lightning plus lightning bolt would just give you two similar blasts. I agree with AgenderArcee, though...Call Lightning is not bad. It's damage over time, and when you combine it with spiritual weapon, or spirit guardians, or both, you're racking up a lot more over the course of a battle than the one blast from lightning bolt. The one that bugs me on the Tempest list is Gust of Wind...you can push an opponent away from you, which is an ability you get for free with any lightning damage at level 6. See if you can swap it out for something like Warding Wind, which is similar in tempesty feel, but has a very different effect.