Cleric Build

[lyskos]

Hello everyone , i am new to DnD this will be my second campaign and i would like your assistance.I want to make a cleric that would be similar to Rodrigo Borgia (power hungry,ambitious,ruthless etc.).Any suggestions?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

D&D is more about what characters can do than anything else. What capabilities do you want this character to have? What ability scores? Most importantly, what domain?

[KorvinStarmast]

I am going to suggest a Knowledge Domain cleric, but the background has me stymied.

I'll suggest Noble (PHB) or Courtier(Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide)

Do you have the Players Handbook?
Also, are you rolling the dice or are you using point buy?

Given your idea, the Skill Proficiencies you'll want to focus on are Deception, Persuasion, Intimidation, and Insight. (and a few others; you get some bonus skill proficiencies with Knowledge Cleric (History and Arcana I think, need to check) that may also be helpful.

Once you get to third level, you can use "Enhance Ability" instead of "Guidance" have a really good chance to pull of an attempt to deceive, persuade, or Intimidate an NPC.

[Chugger]

I'd pick a non-meleeing cleric type and go higher charisma instead of strength. You can multiclass and start with 1 lvl of rogue if you want to be very good at certain skills - persuasion, intimidation. Then go cleric.

Glamour bard might make sense - or celestial warlock. But stick with cleric or mostly cleric if that appeals to you most. An arcana cleric gets 3 powerful wiz spells at high level, including the option to pick wish.

[KorvinStarmast]

I am going to follow up on why Knowledge Domain fits your idea.

Blessings of Knowledge

At 1st level, you learn two Languages of your choice. You also become proficient in your choice of two of the following skills: Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion.
Pick Arcana and History. You will use that as leverage with people you run into that you need to influence, and for some arcana checks that will be handy. And you can craft magic items since you have Arcana proficiency

Your Proficiency Bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of those Skills.Free expertise in both skills :smallsmile:
Channel Divinity: Knowledge of the Ages

Starting at 2nd Level, you can use your Channel Divinity to tap into a divine well of knowledge. As an action, you choose one skill or tool. For 10 minutes, you have proficiency with the chosen skill or tool.This is incredibly handy for any skill check at all. Then, combine that with Enhance Ability if you need to stack the deck ...
And now for the Rodrigo Borgia Factor.
Channel Divinity: Read Thoughts

At 6th level, you can use your Channel Divinity to read a creature’s thoughts. You can then use your access to the creature’s mind to command⁠ it. As an action, choose one creature that you can see within 60 feet of you. That creature must make a Wisdom saving throw.
If the creature fails its save, you can read its surface thoughts (those foremost in its mind, reflecting its current emotions and what it is actively thinking about) when it is within 60 feet of you. This Effect lasts for 1 minute. During that time, you can use your action to end this Effect and cast the Suggestion spell on the creature without expending a spell slot. The target automatically fails its saving throw against the spell.

If the creature succeeds on the saving throw, you can’t use this feature on it again until you finish a Long Rest. Ok, you want to influence people to support your agenda, and your political objectives? That's a nice tool.

Rodrigo Borgia (power hungry, ambitious, ruthless etc.). Any suggestions? There you are: knowledge Cleric.

Remember that in politics, Knowledge is Power. :smallwink:

for backgrounds: why noble?

Skill Proficiencies: History, Persuasion
Tool Proficiencies: One type of Gaming Set
Languages: One of your choice
Equipment: A set of Fine clothes, a Signet ring, a scroll of pedigree, and a purse containing 25 gp

Feature: Position of Privilege
Thanks to your noble birth, people are inclined to think the best of you. You are welcome in high society, and people assume you have the right to be wherever you are. The comm⁠on folk make every effort to accommodate you and avoid your displeasure, and other people of high birth treat you as a member of the same social Sphere. You can secure an audience with a local noble if you need to.
Why Courtier?

Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Persuasion
Languages: Two of your choice
Equipment: A set of fine clothes and a pouch containing 5 gp

Feature: Court Functionary
Your knowledge of how bureaucracies function lets you gain access to the records and inner workings of any noble court or government you encounter. You know who the movers and shakers are, whom to go to for the favors you seek, and what the current intrigues of interest in the group are. Courtier seems a better fit with an ambitious power mad noble like Rodrigo
Borgia.

[Frogreaver]

Hello everyone , i am new to DnD this will be my second campaign and i would like your assistance.I want to make a cleric that would be similar to Rodrigo Borgia (power hungry,ambitious,ruthless etc.).Any suggestions?

Order Domain could be cool for this.

[lyskos]

First of all thanks for the feedback guys.As to answer some questions.The domains i am considering are order/city/Knowledge(especially after KorvinStarmast's theral explanation).The stats i rolled are 15/14/13/13/12/8.As to combat aspect i would hate to be melee again(since last campaign i was barbarian)also i dont think it would be fit his personna.By the way what deities would you recommend?

[KorvinStarmast]

First of all thanks for the feedback guys.As to answer some questions.The domains i am considering are order/city/Knowledge(especially after KorvinStarmast's theral explanation).The stats i rolled are 15/14/13/13/12/8.As to combat aspect i would hate to be melee again(since last campaign i was barbarian)also i dont think it would be fit his personna.By the way what deities would you recommend? Deity? What world are you playing it?
15/14/13/13/12/8.

For that half elf ... where to put that 8?
I'd go
S 13 D 14 C 13(+1) I 12 W 15(+1) Ch 10 (8+2)
Because I hate to see INT as a dump stat, but ... given the wide variety of skills, and since you get expertise and some proficiency from that domain maybe take a bit of a risk in INT to get more out of your cha skills for persuasion, deception, Intimidation, and such. Fits your description pretty well also.

S 13 D 14 C 13(+1) I 8 W 15(+1) Ch 14

For an important check the channel divinity might be resorted to if it's INT based and you don't have proficiency already.

I'd suggest 14 for dex only due to the +2 it gives to medium armor.
You could swap the 14 into STR and have one less AC if you are going to avoid combat as a general rule. The 14 gets you a better chance to hit when you need to hit with a mace or something.

Hmm, that's odd. Are there any cleric cantrips that are attack rolls, and not saving throws? For some reason, I don't think that there are. My two 'go to' attack cantrips are sacred flame and toll the dead, but they both involved saving throws ...

[lyskos]

I really appreciate the advices.The world we are going to play is ravenloft...(curse of strahd,my team8s are really ambitious...).I am going to pick human(prolly variant) i want my char at first glance to look insignificant.As far the stats surely i wont use the 8 on INT.At firts i was considering dumping STR(since i want to avoid melee at all costs) but i dont know how much will affect my offensive options(attk roll etc),although i wouldnt mind relying on cantrips as you mentioned

[Nhorianscum]

Hello everyone , i am new to DnD this will be my second campaign and i would like your assistance.I want to make a cleric that would be similar to Rodrigo Borgia (power hungry,ambitious,ruthless etc.).Any suggestions?

There is a straight up ambition domain in UA Amonket.