Crusher feat for a Melee Tempest Cleric

[trctelles]

Hello guys and girls, long time since I've posted here for the last time. Finally, after a huge hiatus, I've found another group, and we'll be playing a homebrew campaign the DM made.

I'll be playing a High Half-Elf (So I can have access to Booming Blade) Tempest Cleric. We're using the optional features from Tasha, so I have optimal stats. We're using Point buy, and my stats are as following: STR 16/ DES 10/ CON 14/ INT 10/ WIS 16/ CHA 10 (I didn't really want to dump any stats in particular, so that's it).

My goal with this character is to be a source of CC, damage, and just a tiny bit of utility (Since most of our other players are new to the game, we have few frontlines. It's just me and a paladin).

Since I've got Booming Blade as an optional feature for my race, I want to make the most out of it.
Long story short: Is the Crusher Feat a good option? I've thought of a Feat Heavy build, but I'm not sure it works the way I think it does, so here is my strategy:

- Crusher at lvl 4: On my turn, I hit someone with Booming Blade using a Warhammer as a weapon (I intend to use a shield) - They ake 1d8+ STR and are pushed 5 feet away. If they move up to me willingly, they proc the Booming Blade. On a crit, everyone else will attack that enemy with advantage.

- War Caster at lvl 8: Universally good for a melee cleric, but it also allows me to Booming Blade as an AoO. If Crusher works on AoO, I deal 1d8+STR bludgeoning + 2d8 Thunder from Booming + Divine Strike and the enemy is pushed 5 feet to an unocupied space. If it willingly moves, it will take another 2d8 Thunder from Booming Blade.

Also, I'll keep Spirit GUARDIANS* as my main option for Concentration, so I can keep enemies from reaching the backline.

So, my question is: Is this a good (as in "meta") option for a melee cleric? And also, does Crusher work on AoO (The wording says that it works once per TURN, so I'm not entirely sure how it works).

Thanks in advice to anyone who takes to time to reply to this topic =)

For the rest of the ASI, I think I can just bump my stats

[LudicSavant]

So, my question is: Is this a good (as in "meta") option for a melee cleric? Not especially. It's not terrible, but Crusher is worth more on other characters than it is on Clerics. In your case it's especially inadvisable, as you're not even evening out an odd Strength score (it is only rarely worthwhile to take a half-feat if you are not evening out an odd score).

Warcaster, on the other hand, is definitely a high-tier pick for melee-range Clerics.


And also, does Crusher work on AoO (The wording says that it works once per TURN, so I'm not entirely sure how it works).
Yes, it works on an OA.


Also, I'll keep Spirit Shroud as my main option for Concentration, so I can keep enemies from reaching the backline. Why Spirit Shroud rather than Spirit Guardians?

[trctelles]

Why Spirit Shroud rather than Spirit Guardians?

It was a mistype, my bad... I had Spirit Guardians in mind when I typed that hehe

[trctelles]

Not especially. It's not terrible, but Crusher is worth more on other characters than it is on Clerics. In your case it's especially inadvisable, as you're not even evening out an odd Strength score (it is only rarely worthwhile to take a half-feat if you are not evening out an odd score).


Since we haven't started playing yet, I could also change my stats, put a 13 in STR (15 with racial) and bump my DEX to 12. I'll have a +2 to attack for the first lvls, but at 4 I can even it out with crusher :nale:
It'll be a weaker start, but DEX is such a good stat to have...

[Nidgit]

How easy to obtain are magic weapons? If you can get something that deals lightning damage as a rider you could have essentially the same effect starting at level 6 without spending a feat. Crusher is arguably poorer on a Tempest Cleric than other builds precisely because they already have other ways of pushing enemies around. Of the weapon feats, Slasher might be a better option.

If you're really set on Crusher, the more optimal version would be to drop Int or Cha to 8 and boost Con to 15 so you could round it out.

[LudicSavant]

Since we haven't started playing yet, I could also change my stats, put a 13 in STR (15 with racial) and bump my DEX to 12. I'll have a +2 to attack for the first lvls, but at 4 I can even it out with crusher :nale:

Sure. But then it would just be back to "Not especially. It's not terrible, but Crusher is worth more on other characters than it is on Tempest Clerics."

Why is it not as good for you as it is for some other classes? Primarily because...
- You only make a single attack (thus, only one chance to hit per turn, and only one chance to crit per turn, and therefore less value created by Crusher). On rounds where you even make a weapon attack.
- Investments in Strength compete with investments in Wisdom and/or Constitution.

Yes, it helps you disengage, but how badly do you actually want to do that as a Tempest Cleric? You have a retributive reaction, durability, knockbacks, etc already. Giving an enemy breathing room after you Booming Blade them might actually help them depending on the situation/monster matchup (for example, if you stay in melee with them, you're giving them Disadvantage on ranged attacks, and still threatening Warcaster OAs, just from being there).

[Snails]

Honestly, you do not need anything at all for the Tempest Cleric to work well as a melee cleric, if you have the Str for heavy armor. Warcaster (or Res:Con) is very nice, but not even necessary.

Your Destructive Wrath (Channel) works beautifully with an upcast Thunderwave/Shatter. Being able to "auto-hit" 2-3 enemies on the battleline (or in the back) will complement nicely with the Paladin's ability to burst with smites, so you are not going to feel like you miss out on Extra Attack. When you get to higher levels, you can just burn a simple first level slot Thunderwave to have a pseudo Extra Attack.

With the Paladin beside you, your party's focus damage is pretty good, so you do not need worry about that.

What level are you starting at? I have to tell you that Wrath of the Storm is so friggin' good in T1, it feels unfair. When you are low level and missing even mooks with your weapon attack a lot, killing an enemy with your Reaction is very efficient.

I am playing a Tempest Cleric in one campaign, and I am finding Spiritual Weapon + Dodge is a great move in difficult melees in T2. While I have prepared it most adventuring days, I have never even cast Spiritual Guardians. (There was exactly one time I should have, but did something else that was almost as good.). When there are a lot on enemies in the combat, simply Destructive Wrath + upcast Shatter is almost always better because it softens up a couple of enemies to be quickly finished off by your fellow party members. Taking an enemy or two out of the fight fast is generally better than pumping your potential DPR up for a long fight.

Keep in mind that a third level, you will already have a "poor man's Fireball": Destructive Wrath + Shatter for 24 HP thunder damage in a 10' radius. That is going to leave most T1 tough enemies teetering, to be easy pickings for your Paladin. So you might not even bother to cast Spiritual Weapon much until T2, because Shatter is usually better. When you hit 5th level, Destructive Wrath + upcast Shatter for 32 HP thunder damage looks very very good.