interesting Build for Shadowheart?

[VVolf]

Is there a cool way to multiclass Shadowheart as a trickery cleric or is going full cleric always the best for her?

[Madmarcus OO]

Purely gameplay wise it is probably best to go pure cleric. Trickery might not be great but clerics are. A one level dip would keep the 6th level spells but I haven't figured out a one level dip that really improves her enough to be worth losing the ASI and delaying spell progression.

One thing that might make sense is a level in ranger. Go ranger knight for heavy armor, some form of wasteland wanderer for an elemental resistance, and pick up martial weapons. It doesn't make thematic sense and it means that you have better weapons but don't get an ASI to improve your dexterity (as a cleric I'd take the remaining two in raising wisdom). I probably won't do it though.

[xGarionx]

Originally posted by Madmarcus OO:

Purely gameplay wise it is probably best to go pure cleric. Trickery might not be great but clerics are. A one level dip would keep the 6th level spells but I haven't figured out a one level dip that really improves her enough to be worth losing the ASI and delaying spell progression.

One thing that might make sense is a level in ranger. Go ranger knight for heavy armor, some form of wasteland wanderer for an elemental resistance, and pick up martial weapons. It doesn't make thematic sense and it means that you have better weapons but don't get an ASI to improve your dexterity (as a cleric I'd take the remaining two in raising wisdom). I probably won't do it though.

Pretty much this, while trickery cleric aint the good of the bunch it probably still has enough shenanigangs going on outside of battle in a lariat game to .... well do shenanigans.
Also Cleric is one of the classes that doesnt synergize well with other classes. Druid comes to mind because of the WIS depended but both classes gain very little with each other that would be all to helpfull.
Oddly enough 2 level dips in fighter for action surge can be benificial even or a cleric, but than again Clerics mostly have Concentration spells and by the time it wouldnt hurt your spell progression you have mass heals.

[FunkyMonkey]

Trickery clerics are great, IMO. Their domain spells make them very versatile spell casting cleric. For multiclassing, only if you have a specific plan for it. For example, I'm planning to multiclassing Shadowheart with Arcane trickster rogue (cleric 8 / rogue 4) for few reasons: Arcane trickster gives her Shield spell and couple other nice cantrips and spells, boosts her weapon attacks with sneak attack and gives her Expertise in two skills (like Sleight of hand). I'm doing this because she will be my main ranged weapon attacker (sneak attack buffs that), Shield spell is obvious for survivability and she will be my lockpicker and Expertise helps with that.

[Edstyles]

hmm well she doesnt have the stats to be offensive meele unless we can change the stats. So id be inclined perhaps in giving her a caster oriented type of subclass. Tempest maybe.

Her illusion spells imo dont fit very well on her when she is trying to be a caster/support.
I can totally see her dominating the weather from sunshine to rainy weather conjuring rain and lightning + darkness from removing the sunlight

[FunkyMonkey]

Just having spells like pass without trace, mirror images and fear make her subclass better than, for example, Life. Trickery doesn't have any damage spells, sure, but they have other really good spells. It's amazing to me how they get shafted all the time :(

[Edstyles]

Originally posted by FunkyMonkey:

Just having spells like pass without trace, mirror images and fear make her subclass better than, for example, Life. Trickery doesn't have any damage spells, sure, but they have other really good spells. It's amazing to me how they get shafted all the time :(

because pass without a trace fits alot better on a ranger. mirror images is ok but it isnt good enough for the type of character who leans towards support. Fear is great tho.

[VVolf]

Originally posted by FunkyMonkey:

Trickery clerics are great, IMO. Their domain spells make them very versatile spell casting cleric. For multiclassing, only if you have a specific plan for it. For example, I'm planning to multiclassing Shadowheart with Arcane trickster rogue (cleric 8 / rogue 4) for few reasons: Arcane trickster gives her Shield spell and couple other nice cantrips and spells, boosts her weapon attacks with sneak attack and gives her Expertise in two skills (like Sleight of hand). I'm doing this because she will be my main ranged weapon attacker (sneak attack buffs that), Shield spell is obvious for survivability and she will be my lockpicker and Expertise helps with that.

That sounds interesting I might try that build. Would Cleric 9 / rogue 3 not be better for the extra cleric spell?

[FunkyMonkey]

Yeah, rangers get pass without trace, but that is one of their best spells. And Trickery gets it. So you don't need to take Ranger then :)

I'm just upset how the subclass is so overlooked :D

[FunkyMonkey]

Originally posted by VVolf:

Originally posted by FunkyMonkey:

Trickery clerics are great, IMO. Their domain spells make them very versatile spell casting cleric. For multiclassing, only if you have a specific plan for it. For example, I'm planning to multiclassing Shadowheart with Arcane trickster rogue (cleric 8 / rogue 4) for few reasons: Arcane trickster gives her Shield spell and couple other nice cantrips and spells, boosts her weapon attacks with sneak attack and gives her Expertise in two skills (like Sleight of hand). I'm doing this because she will be my main ranged weapon attacker (sneak attack buffs that), Shield spell is obvious for survivability and she will be my lockpicker and Expertise helps with that.

That sounds interesting I might try that build. Would Cleric 9 / rogue 3 not be better for the extra cleric spell?

It would, but it would mean that you would get only 2 ASIs instead of 3. It might be enough for you, I want all 3 (Resilient CON for the saves and 2 ASI increases).

[.Master Jiren, The Strongest]

respec her to literally anything other than trickery its crap.

[ahsanford]

1) Give her perception and she's now a Cleric who Thiefs. Her stats and other skills are ready made for that -- decent dex for skill rolls and Wis + perception = she's metal detector for traps. She already has Sleight / Stealth / Trickery stuff ready to go. It's a bit of a no-brainer if Astarion isn't your party and your main is not Rogue-y/Bard-y, IMHO.

2) Life doman + swap her STR and DEX numbers --> heavy armor. Tanky healer.

3) Bard her Clericness into super support class greatness: https://youtu.be/Q4iw6MPxSDg?t=1398 (start at 23:18 if your client doesn't)

I will likely be going #2 myself as my main (standing up front) will cover Perception / Sleight duties with traps and such.

- A

[The1Kobra]

I don't know if it will be possible to respec her stats, but unless they're changed, she has a 14 DEX, 16 WIS. The lack of 16 DEX starting out means she's not optimal for DEX weapon and thievery skills, but she does get the guidance cantrip to help out.
It may also be possible to respec her domain? Battle domain would be sweet if it gets the extra attack at L8, but I don't know how that will be implemented, so it might be the usual +1d8 damage on hit. Either way, unless cleric gets the extra attack, probably best just to keep your cleric as a dedicated caster.

[Pixel_Killer_9000]

Originally posted by ahsanford:

1) Give her perception and she's now a Cleric who Thiefs. Her stats and other skills are ready made for that.

2) Life doman + swap her STR and DEX numbers --> heavy armor. Tanky healer.

3) Bard her Clericness into super support class greatness: https://youtu.be/Q4iw6MPxSDg?t=1398 (start at 23:18 if your client doesn't)

I will likely be going #2 myself as my main (standing up front) will cover Perception / Sleight duties with traps and such.

- A

Thanks for this,it helped me get up to speed on D&D 5 mechanics. Liking both the Cleric/Bard & the Sorlock.

[Gaius]

I plan to multiclass her with Bard. Makes sense with the whole manipulation theme too.

[Indure]

If polymorph is in the game I would level her to 7 before multiclassing. Two levels in fighter for action surge, heavy armor and martial weapons would be valuable.