Spider Cleric/Ranger Concept

[werescythe]

So this is a goofy idea that I have been playing around in my head for a while now, since Vanrichten's Guide to Ravenloft came out, the concept being to play a spiderfolk nun.

For her race, just taking Dhamphir and reflavoring it for a spider person (both the DM and I agreed that Deathly Nature didn't make since and would have to go, which is fine).

Originally I had thought of just going Cleric for her, however clerics can't get web or very many other restrictive spells, which made things a bit sad, but I figured Peace Cleric would make sense with the idea being that by having my party in my "web" (with 30ft of me) they receive the benefits of Embolding Bond.

And that's what I was going to go with for the longest time... until I remembered the Swarmkeeper Ranger. Not only can they get the Web spell (if I choose to go 5 levels in) but I can summon tiny spiders to attack the enemy, get the Infestation cantrip through the Druidic Warrior fighting style (as well as another Druid cantrip) as well as access to a few other crowd control/restricting spells that can fit the theme, like Snare.

And then on top of that both Cleric and Ranger use Wisdom for their spell casting modifier.

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So what do you think? In regards to the theme would it be better to go 3 or 5 levels into Ranger? What would be good spells that can fit this theme (from either spell list) to use? Could there be a more fitting domain than Peace? What are some good feats that can further build upon the theme of a spider nun? :smallbiggrin:

[Aett_Thorn]

Out of curiosity, what is the benefit of going five levels of Ranger for this character over three levels of Land Druid instead (one that gets access to the Web spell)? If your mainly using spells and not weapon attacks in combat, seems like Druid would make more sense and would be easier to fit in.

[Abracadangit]

There's a ranger fighting style in Tasha's that gives you two druid cantrips - Thorn Whip would let you sling webs at enemies to draw them closer, and Primal Savagery gives you a mean spider's bite for those who get too close. Can't say this is ideal for optimization purposes, but it's definitely on-theme.

[werescythe]

Out of curiosity, what is the benefit of going five levels of Ranger for this character over three levels of Land Druid instead (one that gets access to the Web spell)? If your mainly using spells and not weapon attacks in combat, seems like Druid would make more sense and would be easier to fit in.

Because Swarmkeeper also gives Gathered Swarm, which can kind of fit the theme as well Favoured Foe and Deft Explorer could be potentially useful. Also spider mage hand. :smallbiggrin:

EDIT: However, I do see the benefits of doing Druid as you only have to go in 3 levels for Web instead of 5. I will definitely need to consider this.

[werescythe]

There's a ranger fighting style in Tasha's that gives you two druid cantrips - Thorn Whip would let you sling webs at enemies to draw them closer, and Primal Savagery gives you a mean spider's bite for those who get too close. Can't say this is ideal for optimization purposes, but it's definitely on-theme.

Yeah, Thornwhip could be good, especially for pulling enemies within 30ft of me so that my allies who are melee based can attack them without leaving the radius.

[IChosePoorly]

My last long-term character was a different concept, but a similar level split: Swarmkeeper Ranger/Order Cleric ("the queen rules, the hive thrives"). In play, the cleric side was called on MUCH more than the Ranger (no surprise), but the theme kept him fun. I used the Druidic Warrior fighting style to get those attacking cantrips (though I used Magic Stone, flavored as REALLY FAST mosquitoes, and grabbed Crusher for some extra enemy-move-around).

It was a lot of fun - I was outshone by several others in the party in combat, but I held my own (low-op group).

[werescythe]

I will confess that I am REALLY considering leaning more toward dipping 3 levels into Druid instead of the ranger.

[RogueJK]

Swarmkeeper Ranger 5/Peace Cleric X is a very viable build, if you're wanting to focus more on Shillelagh melee supplemented by spellcasting. Extra Attack, 1st and 2nd level Ranger spells, extra skills and Expertise, and added damage/forced movement/mobility from Gathered Swarm all mesh well with the Cleric's spells and abilities. I'd likely go Cleric 1 -> Ranger 5 -> Cleric X. (I played a Hunter Ranger 5/Nature Cleric X early in 5E, and it worked well as a more martial-focused divine character, but that Ranger/Cleric combo now works even better with some of the newer Ranger subclasses like Swarmkeeper.)

Otherwise, if you want to be primarily a spellcaster, do Underdark Land Druid 3/Peace Cleric X or Peace Cleric 1/Underdark Land Druid X. (Or even just straight Land Druid X, with the "nun" aspect only coming from background/flavor/roleplaying with no actual Cleric levels.)


Either way, the build would look something like this with Point Buy:
STR 8
DEX 13+1
CON 15
INT 10
WIS 15+2
CHA 10
Feats: Resilient CON, +1 WIS half-feat like Fey Touched/Telekinetic/Telepathic/Skill Expert, +2 WIS