Voice of Authority abuses? (Order Cleric ability)

[Merudo]

Voice of Authority: When the Order Cleric casts a non-cantrip spell that targets an ally, the ally can use its reaction to make one weapon attack against an enemy that the Cleric can see.

If more than one ally is targeted, the Cleric choose which ally can make the attack.

I've been wondering how to best exploit this ability to the fullest extend. So far I've discovered a few tricks that I'm going to share here:

• Friendly fire: the Cleric can include an ally among the targets of an harmful spell to let said ally have an extra attack. Best used if said ally is resistant/immune to said attack.
  
• Remote support: The Cleric can combine the Scrying & the Sending spell to give extra attacks to anyone in the multiverse.
  
• Multiclass: the "Voice of Authority" feature is obtained at level 1 and works with *any* spell, making the Order Cleric excellent for a one level dip for Wizards, Sorcerers, & Bards. Giving an extra attack on top of the other benefits of Haste/Greater Invisibility/Polymorph/etc is very nice.

[LudicSavant]

Voice of Authority: When the Order Cleric casts a non-cantrip spell that targets an ally, the ally can use its reaction to make one weapon attack against an enemy that the Cleric can see.

If more than one ally is targeted, the Cleric choose which ally can make the attack.

I've been wondering how to best exploit this ability to the fullest extend. So far I've discovered a few tricks that I'm going to share here:

- Friendly fire: the Cleric can include an ally among the targets of an harmful spell to let said ally have an extra attack. Best used if said ally is resistant/immune to said attack.

- Remote support: The Cleric can combine the Scrying & the Sending spell to give extra attacks to anyone in the multiverse.

- Multiclass: the "Voice of Authority" feature is obtained at level 1 and works with *any* spell, making the Order Cleric excellent for a one level dip for Wizards, Sorcerers, & Bards. Giving an extra attack on top of the other benefits of Haste/Greater Invisibility/Polymorph/etc is very nice.

First thing to consider is party composition. The more damage an ally can pour into a single off-turn attack, the more they benefit from this ability. Rogues, for example, will be grateful for the extra Sneak Attack (remember, Sneak Attack is once per turn, not once per round. If you attack outside of your turn, you can get another one).

[Helldin87]

Healing word comes to mind. Its a bonus action for you and someone who warrants it is probably in the thick of things too. Ideally you want your target to be in range to USE the opportunity attack. Not a huge deal but worth considering.

[nickl_2000]

Healing word comes to mind. Its a bonus action for you and someone who warrants it is probably in the thick of things too. Ideally you want your target to be in range to USE the opportunity attack. Not a huge deal but worth considering.

It actually is a weapon attack, not an opportunity attack. So, you can use to to make someone make a ranged attack.

It's a good way to give a rogue more chances at sneak attack, a ranger another with colossal slayer and hunter's mark, a Paladin or Hexblade another chance to smite when they have advantage for some reason.


Being that it isn't an AoO though, warcaster does not apply.

[Harachteh]

Sorry for reviving the thread, but it's a nice fit and I couldn't find a better one.

Does anyone know hor Voice of Authority works with spells which are ongoing? I'm wondering if I can use Melf's Minute Meteors to trigger it several times by (un)intentionally hitting my allies several times during the spell.

[Aylowan]

In my opinion, no, because the wording specifically uses "cast a spell" at the beginning

"If you cast a spell with a spell slot of 1st level or higher..."

and you're only casting the spell once.

Contrast that with something like the Life Domain's Disciple of Life feature:

"Whenever you use a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains additional hit points equal to 2 + the spell’s level."

Or the Arcana Domain's Spell Breaker feature:

"Starting at 6th level, when you restore hit points to an ally with a spell of 1st level or higher..."

Could your DM rule differently? Perhaps, but I'd ask my DM in advance before going down that path.

[Rukelnikov]

Sorry for reviving the thread, but it's a nice fit and I couldn't find a better one.

Does anyone know hor Voice of Authority works with spells which are ongoing? I'm wondering if I can use Melf's Minute Meteors to trigger it several times by (un)intentionally hitting my allies several times during the spell.

In my opinion, no, because the wording specifically uses "cast a spell" at the beginning
and you're only casting the spell once.

Contrast that with something like the Life Domain's Disciple of Life feature:

Or the Arcana Domain's Spell Breaker feature:

Could your DM rule differently? Perhaps, but I'd ask my DM in advance before going down that path.

This.

The trigger of the ability is the casting of the spell, even if the spell is ongoing its casting is done only once.

The neatest trick I can think of right now is getting a Pact of the Tome's Far Scribe invocation which allows you to cast Sending at will, targeting one person whose name is on the book. Its an action cast, so you spend your action, but it works anywhere on the multiverse ;)

EDIT: It doesn't work, you need to spend a spell slot to trigger Voice of Authority :(

Now this one does work, but requires party planification. You need one of your companions to be able to take 10 ft fall damage each round, maybe they have a flying speed and choose to fall, maybe they can jump high enough and spend their movement for that. Thing is, you need Feather Fall, which is a 1st level reaction, thus you could be triggering VoA twice per round, it would consume a lot of first level spells, but trading reaction and a 1st lvl slot for an ally's attack could be very useful in many scenarios, specially if the party comp is done taking this into consideration.

[Verble]

I like a 1 level dip of Order cleric on a Divine Soul Sorcerer. Getting heavy armor prof means you'll likely have a lower Dex, and therefore a lower initiative roll that allows other party members to get into weapon range. Then you can us the twin metamagic on spells like Protection from Good/Evil, Shield of Faith, or Haste. You can still only grant one extra attack even if you have two targets, but it makes for a decent buffing reward.

[Merudo]

Now this one does work, but requires party planification. You need one of your companions to be able to take 10 ft fall damage each round, maybe they have a flying speed and choose to fall, maybe they can jump high enough and spend their movement for that. Thing is, you need Feather Fall, which is a 1st level reaction, thus you could be triggering VoA twice per round, it would consume a lot of first level spells, but trading reaction and a 1st lvl slot for an ally's attack could be very useful in many scenarios, specially if the party comp is done taking this into consideration.

Nowhere in the description of Feather Fall does it say the fall has to be 10ft or larger. A character should just do a short hop into place, and it would be enough for Feather Fall to be castable.

[Bobthewizard]

Order cleric is amazing as a one level dip on an evocation wizard. Allies sculpted out of your evocation spells are still targets and still qualify for voice of authority.

[Rukelnikov]

Nowhere in the description of Feather Fall does it say the fall has to be 10ft or larger. A character should just do a short hop into place, and it would be enough for Feather Fall to be castable.

if that's the criteria, not even that, usual jogging has moments during strides where neither of your feet are touching the ground.

[J-H]

That's pretty cool. White Raven Tactics-lite, basically for free.

Order Cleric joins the ranks of Peace & Twilight Clerics as "Only allowed when I DM if the class is altered somehow."
Tasha's really needed some more testing and fixing.

[Harachteh]

Isn't the problemw ith feather fall the same as with other ongoing spells? Voice of Authority reads "You can invoke the power of law to embolden an ally to attack. If you cast a spell with a spell slot of 1st level or higher and target an ally with the spell, that ally can use their reaction immediately after the spell to make one weapon attack against a creature of your choice that you can see."

Feather fall has a duration of 1 minute, and reads:
"Choose up to five falling creatures within range. A falling creature's rate of descent slows to 60 feet per round until the spell ends. If the creature lands before the spell ends, it takes no falling damage and can land on its feet, and the spell ends for that creature."

So it would the target only be able to attack after that minute/at the end of the round after they have touched the ground?

[Rukelnikov]

Isn't the problemw ith feather fall the same as with other ongoing spells? Voice of Authority reads "You can invoke the power of law to embolden an ally to attack. If you cast a spell with a spell slot of 1st level or higher and target an ally with the spell, that ally can use their reaction immediately after the spell to make one weapon attack against a creature of your choice that you can see."

Feather fall has a duration of 1 minute, and reads:
"Choose up to five falling creatures within range. A falling creature's rate of descent slows to 60 feet per round until the spell ends. If the creature lands before the spell ends, it takes no falling damage and can land on its feet, and the spell ends for that creature."

So it would the target only be able to attack after that minute/at the end of the round after they have touched the ground?

Let's say you cast Shield of Faith on an ally, would they get the reaction attack when the spell is cast, or after duration is over?

[claypigeons]

Let's say you cast Shield of Faith on an ally, would they get the reaction attack when the spell is cast, or after duration is over?

When the casting is complete.

[stoutstien]

That's pretty cool. White Raven Tactics-lite, basically for free.

Order Cleric joins the ranks of Peace & Twilight Clerics as "Only allowed when I DM if the class is altered somehow."
Tasha's really needed some more testing and fixing.

Order domain was a reprint. It's been released for quite some time now.

[Peelee]

The Mod on the Silver Mountain: This voice of authority says the thread is dead.