The Babysitter

[oxybe]

So I joined a new group recently and after assessing how we fared in our first real combat... oof.

See the Paladin works on-call IRL and unfortunately can't be there all sessions. I was pretty chaotic and the rest of the party were all over the place, we barely scraped out alive.

So I fiddled around with build options once my poor wizard eventually dies, trying to get the most survival boosting options for my party.

Father Ludwig is what I came up with and before I present him to my GM I want to run him by others first
Divine Sorc 3/Life Cleric 1/Lore Bard 6
Acolyte Background

str 12
dex 8
con 14 class
int 10
wis 14
cha 18 class

HP 69, hit dice 3d6+7d8
Prof 4

Feats
Inspiring leader
-10 min talking, up to 6 within 30 get 10+CHA Temp HP. Cannot benefit until short or long rest

Skills
Bg Insight
Bg Religion
Sor Persuasion (exp)
Sor Arcana
Brd Perception (exp)
Hum History
Lore Investigation
Lore Deception
Lore Athletics

Tool
Musical Instrument - Lute

Lang :
hum Commom
hum Elf
bg Dwarf
bg Celestial

Class Features
Divine Sorc
Daggers, Darts, Slings, Quarterstaff, Crossbow
Spellcasting
-Cantrips 4
-Spell known 3/2
-DC save 8+prof+cha=16
-DC hit prof+cha=8
-arcane spell focus for sorc spells
Font of Magic
-Sorc Points 3
-Flexible Casting
Metamagic
-Extend Spell
-Twinned Spell
Origin
Divine Magic
-Can pick spells from cleric or sorc list
-Bonus lv1 spell
Favoured by gods
-1/short or long rest add 2d4 to failed save or attack roll

Life Cleric:
Light armour
Medium Armour
Sheilds
Spellcasting
-cantrips 3
-Spell prep : clr lv + wis mod 3
-DC save 8+prof+wis=14
-DC hit prof+wis=6
-Ritual casting of any prep (ritual)
-Holy Symbol spell focus for clr spells

Life Domain (always considered prep)
Bless, Cure Light
Bonus Prof: Heavy Armour
Disciple of life: healing spells bonus 2+cast level extra hp healed

Lore Bard
Bardic Inspiration
-uses = (cha mod) 4
-strength d8
Spellcasting
-Cantrips 3
-Spell known 9
-DC save 8+prof+cha=16
-DC hit prof+cha=8
-musical instrument focus for bard spells
Jack of All Trades
Song of Rest
Expertise
Font of Inspiration
Countercharm

College of Lore
Bonus Proficiencies
Cutting Words
Additional Magical Secrets
Spell List Cleric
Cantrips
-Light
-Spare The Dying
-Thaumatheurgy
1
-Bless
-Cure Light
-Detect Magic
-Detect Poison and Disease
-Purify Food and Drink

Spell List Divine Sorc
Cantrips
-Booming Blade
-Prestidigitation
-Ray of Frost
-Message
1
-Shield
-Sanctuary
-Bane
2
-Aid
-Misty Step

Bard Spell List
Cantrips
-Mage Hand
-Vicious Mockery
-Minor Illusion
1
-Comprehend Languages
-Healing Word
-Unseen Servant
-Faerie Fire
2
-Lesser Restoration
-Suggestion
3
-Tongues
-Hypnotic Pattern
-Dispel Magic
-bonus Counterspell
-bonus Aura of Life


Extended Aid upcast + Inspiring Leader uses gives the party a much larger daily buffer of HP. with a 5th level spell slot that's basically giving the other party members an extra 35HP each.

The Nuclear Option is a three pronged (non)attack called Aura of Life+Extend spell+Disciple of life. For a single 3rd level slot and 1 sorcery point, i get up to 20 rounds of 2d6+5 bonus action heals at a 30ft range if needed.

If needed though, Cure Wounds and Healing Word are still available for spot-healing, though the above combo is the go-to for post hard-fight or extended mid-fight recovery.

For personal defense i have Sanctuary, plate+sheild with the occasional Sheild spell and Misty Step to panic out of a jam. I shouldn't be losing my spells too often due to roken concentration.

Counterspell and a bunch of other buff and debuff spells are my bread and butter, as things like Vicious Mockery, Faerie Fire, Bane and Bless are always useful.

My job isn't to kill. we already have 3 murderous kittens armed with rocket launchers. My job is to corral them when the Paladin isn't around and make their job easier.

Any help with build options would be nice.

[Corvino]

Personally I would keep it simple. A straight cleric with some kind of healing or mitigation domain - like Life, Twilight or Grave.

If you're short on tanks when the Paladin's away then a Dwarf Life Cleric with warhammer and shield, and maybe Sentinel is solid. Hard to move past, hard to ignore, hard to kill, full casting, and still capable of keeping the rest of the party upright. Downside is that it's not imaginative and the skill options are limited. It is a classic for a reason though.

Clerics are the archetype of the Babysitter. Tut-tutting noises are the unwritten class feature.

[oxybe]

Personally I would keep it simple. A straight cleric with some kind of healing or mitigation domain - like Life, Twilight or Grave.

If you're short on tanks when the Paladin's away then a Dwarf Life Cleric with warhammer and shield, and maybe Sentinel is solid. Hard to move past, hard to ignore, hard to kill, full casting, and still capable of keeping the rest of the party upright. Downside is that it's not imaginative and the skill options are limited. It is a classic for a reason though.

A Dwarf Battlemaster with PAM+Sentinel and maybe a 3 level dip into Mastermind Rogue for bonus action Help with reach as something I did play around with conceptually.


Clerics are the archetype of the Babysitter. Tut-tutting noises are the unwritten class feature.

I was thinking more kindly old man/Fred Rogers, going around with a lute singing sunday school "Praise Pelor and all goodness he brings" type stuff to the younguns.

Only instead of younguns it's grizzled war vets, jaded mercs, and experienced monster hunters.

[Corvino]

I would be a little careful with Father Ludwig's Concentration. I know that between Heavy armor, a shield and the shield spell you're not planning on being hit much. But with those Dex and Con scores you might we'll get hit with AoE.

With even 1 point of damage you'll be losing concentration 40% of the time.

(My DMs have a tendency to forget that concentration exists, and just treat it as a "only one concentration spell at a time" kind of thing unless prompted. So I am guilty of undervaluing Warcaster/Resilient Con at times)

[oxybe]

I would be a little careful with Father Ludwig's Concentration. I know that between Heavy armor, a shield and the shield spell you're not planning on being hit much. But with those Dex and Con scores you might we'll get hit with AoE.

With even 1 point of damage you'll be losing concentration 40% of the time.

(My DMs have a tendency to forget that concentration exists, and just treat it as a "only one concentration spell at a time" kind of thing unless prompted. So I am guilty of undervaluing Warcaster/Resilient Con at times)

Good point with AoEs. Dropping the Charisma boost from Bard ACI for Warcaster will affect my Save DCs more then anything, but keeping a buff active is worth more to me.

[LordShade]

Twilight Cleric is the answer

[Ogun]

I agree that strait cleric is the babysitter build, but also quite boring.

Keep in mind, any cleric can do the basic babysitting duties, so you needn't choose one of the three best if another one seems like fun.

I went with a high dex lizard man Divine Sorc1 / Hexblade1/Divine Sorc X, but babysitting is still his main job.

I definitely wouldn't triple class into Bard, it slows your access to higher level spells too much.
Having heavy armor plus your choice of Cleric or Sorcerer spells is already a lot toys to play with.

[MaxWilson]

Extended Aid upcast + Inspiring Leader uses gives the party a much larger daily buffer of HP. with a 5th level spell slot that's basically giving the other party members an extra 35HP each.

The Nuclear Option is a three pronged (non)attack called Aura of Life+Extend spell+Disciple of life. For a single 3rd level slot and 1 sorcery point, i get up to 20 rounds of 2d6+5 bonus action heals at a 30ft range if needed.

...

Any help with build options would be nice.

Yep, with 2000+ HP of healing per long rest you'll be totally fine.


(My DMs have a tendency to forget that concentration exists, and just treat it as a "only one concentration spell at a time" kind of thing unless prompted. So I am guilty of undervaluing Warcaster/Resilient Con at times)

Why should anyone need to prompt the DM to make the player's concentration saves? Can't you just roll them yourself every time you take damage?

[oxybe]

We're playing later tonight so I'll be bringing up some of this with the GM to see what he's cool with and what we can work in.

Much thanks with the replies!

[Sigreid]

Just remember, if you build a character to basically take care of a reckless party you may wind up encouraging them to be even more reckless and wind up worse off than before.