First Cleric. Looking for...Guidance?

[GigaGuess]

So I am cooking up an Aasimar Forge Cleric, point buy stats:

15/10/13/8/16/12, Level 4.

These stats are pre-ASI, which brings me to my question.

My first instinct is even off the STR and CON and then just crank my WIS through the roof. But then, I am wondering if I should get some feats, many with relevant stat increases.

The Feats in question I'm eyeing up:
War Caster
Resilient (CON)
Heavy Armor Mastery (Mostly for the STR bump, if I'm honest, though 3 reduced on BPS is nice, if mostly redundant in higher levels)
Observant

So what's the hot take, hive mind?

[zinycor]

Seems absolutely ok.

[GigaGuess]

To go with the feats? Any order you'd recommend?

[zinycor]

The feats seem absolutely all right, but I would need to know your party composition to give you a better advice. FOr example: You could consider Ritual caster if you are the main caster

[CheddarChampion]

What level will you start at?
HAM is better at lower level play.
Advantage is worth +3.3 on average, so proficiency with Con saves is weaker until level 9 (when proficiency=4).

I'd recommend three different routes:
#1 15/10/14/8/16/10. HAM, Warcaster, Wis+2, Wis+2, {anything}.
#2 15/10/13/8/16/12. HAM, Resilient, Wis+2, Wis+2, Warcaster.
#3 15/10/13/8/16/12. Wis+2, Wis+2, Resilient, Con+2/Warcaster, Con+2/HAM.

#1 makes you more durable at lower levels but your casting is less potent until later.
#2 makes you wait for level 8 for the build really come together but at high levels you get everything you want.
#3 speeds up your casting but you're more fragile at low levels.

[1Pirate]

Yeah, with Forge you have two options. You can go frontline in which case you're going to want to bump your strength and con the give yourself a little more HP and increase your hit rate, then pick up war caster.

If you're going back line and relying on spells/cantrips for damage, then bump your wisdom or take Resilient Con(the order in which you take them will kind of depend on whether making concentration checks or getting your spells to connect seems more valuable after 4 levels).

[GigaGuess]

So the party is looking like a Wizard, a Warlock, an Artificer and a Barb. I'm not fully certain on the layout beyond this, as I'm a little new to the group, so I'm kinda looking at being a middle grounder. In the fray if that's where I benefit, but pelting with spells from afar too.

[EDIT] Starting Level 4.

[zinycor]

So the party is looking like a Wizard, a Warlock, an Artificer and a Barb. I'm not fully certain on the layout beyond this, as I'm a little new to the group, so I'm kinda looking at being a middle grounder. In the fray if that's where I benefit, but pelting with spells from afar too.

Seems like you should go support and helping the barb. I would take War Caster, so you can keep your concentration on Spirit Guardians and Bless.

As for spells, healing spells should do nicely, heat metal is extremely good, Blindness and Spiritual weapon don't require concentration., So I would take those too. Beyond that, grab a shield, a quarterstaff, heavy armor and enjoy.

[RingoBongo]

As a side note war caster is really only about advantage on the con save if you are a divine caster (unless for some reason you decide to dual wield - but may be bypassed if you can convince your dm to allow a sword knot symbol).

Just carry both a shield with a holy symbol on it and necklace holy symbol and you should be ready to cast with whatever weapons/shield you are wielding and not be limited by any action economy requirements.

[Expected]

Seems like you should go support and helping the barb. I would take War Caster, so you can keep your concentration on Spirit Guardians and Bless.

As for spells, healing spells should do nicely, heat metal is extremely good, Blindness and Spiritual weapon don't require concentration., So I would take those too. Beyond that, grab a shield, a quarterstaff, heavy armor and enjoy.

I completely agree with zinycor. In fact, you do not need Ritual Caster (because you have a Wizard) nor Heavy Armor Master (it's only truly effective against mobs of weak enemies). Prioritize War Caster+Resilient: Con so you can move into the group of enemies and Dodge, use Spiritual Weapon, and concentrate on Spirit Guardians.

[GigaGuess]

Alrighty, settled on "good luck shaking Concentration" build. Resilient (CON) for this ASI, War Caster next one.

Thanks for the help, guys!

[Smoothjedi]

Alrighty, settled on "good luck shaking Concentration" build. Resilient (CON) for this ASI, War Caster next one.

Thanks for the help, guys!

Honestly I think you should take war caster first, then Resilient(CON). At level 4 you're not gaining a ton of hit points evening out the stat, and most concentration checks you make are going to be the minimum of 10. I'd much rather have +1 with advantage to hit 10 than I would +2 without.

[Reevh]

I played a Forge Cleric to level 18 last campaign. I found that in that time I very rarely made much use of my STR stat. Even in melee, the vast majority of the time, I was better off Tolling the Dead rather than swinging a weapon.

[Guy Lombard-O]

Honestly I think you should take war caster first, then Resilient(CON). At level 4 you're not gaining a ton of hit points evening out the stat, and most concentration checks you make are going to be the minimum of 10. I'd much rather have +1 with advantage to hit 10 than I would +2 without.

I'd rather have 4 more HP and a +4 to all Constitution saves, than +1 to all Constitution saves and advantage on damage-based Concentration saves.

But it's a close call either way.

[Smoothjedi]

I'd rather have 4 more HP and a +4 to all Constitution saves, than +1 to all Constitution saves and advantage on damage-based Concentration saves.

But it's a close call either way.

Oh yeah, I totally forgot to add the proficiency bonus. Yeah I agree that is probably the best choice.