clerics worth a slot?

[Traveler]

I'm doing my second run and I have rogue/mage/ranger and a cleric. The first three are working great but the cleric is just underwhelming. The cleric is supposed to be the ultimate support unit but I'm not seeing much utility. I have more than enough potions to heal damage and the Bless spell is so nerfed that I'd much rather have another damage dealer.

thoughts?

[Cutlass Jack]

Try a Battle Cleric. Probably the best class in the game.

[Traveler]

Originally posted by Cutlass Jack:

Try a Battle Cleric. Probably the best class in the game.

Can I change my party half way thru? I'm already lvl 7.

[Cutlass Jack]

Originally posted by Traveler:

Originally posted by Cutlass Jack:

Try a Battle Cleric. Probably the best class in the game.

Can I change my party half way thru? I'm already lvl 7.

You'll need the Unfinished Business mod. That will allow you to fully respec your characters on a rest.

But in general clerics can be pretty decent damage dealers. Guardian Spirits spell is amazing if you haven't tried it. You don't really need a dedicated healer quite honestly.

[Traveler]

There's no duel/multi classing?

[LeftPaw]

I find the cleric is pretty good but as you mention some of the spells are useless and can even be damaging to the user such as Bliss. Bliss literally works against you. I think the cleric has lost love over the updates and their spells have suffered from it. You just need to find the spells that still do zhit.

[reylliam]

The only problem I find, in general, and which isn't Solasta's fault, is the over-use of concentration as a requirement for too many spells, or the lack of compensation in those spells for denying any other concentration spell from being used.

It totally nerfs Protection from Elements, for example. You can't ever cover a whole party? Ever? at any time? Not even if you make it to level 20? Ridiculous notion IMO.

For concentration to be required, I need to see some AE/Multi-targeting built in. Perhaps Proficiency # of people at time of cast, or +1 person per spell level like Bless, or so on. Since the use of Concentration is the automatic lock-out of getting the use of any other spell that needs it, there needs to be some value with that cost.

Alternatively, perhaps Proficiency # of simultaneous Concentration spells or something could be used instead of locking it to just 1, and this would also seem logical relative to the power level you are at at that particular proficiency value. I think using Primary Attribute modifier risks overkill, i.e., starting with 4 with an 18-19 or 5 with a 20 attribute at level 1 is a bit ridiculous to expect as well, so I wouldn't need to see it tied to that.

[EDIT: Another option I had thought of was perhaps Concentration is only required if it's the top three spell levels you can cast. So once you can cast 4th level spells, you no longer need concentration on 1st level spells, etc.]

Sorry, but dnd 5e didn't do Concentration restrictions quite right, and that's my opinion. The effects of that in Solasta are not the devs' fault, though.

[SaltySeaWolf]

Spirit Guardians is so OP as a spell, it can singlehandely carry fights especially if you stack the party inside the aura and then cast Guardian of Faith. Just set everyone with ready action on attack and enjoy the show xD

[Zaris]

I have a cleric in my current run on lvl16:
- can buff haste together with the bard and mage -> 3 haste buffer
- battle subclass has 2 attacks, with haste 3 using a 1d8+3+2d8 elemental weapon
- spirit guardian bubble does around 7d8 or 8d8 dmg on rank 8 = up to 56-64 dmg on every enemy which enters it or starts it round in it -> run into an enemy group and they kill themself, better than haste buff on himself
- very tanky, has currently around 28-29 AC
- multiple AOE / single target spells like harm or thunderstorm for bombing groups together with the mage

[Barden]

Clerics are extremely useful, I always have one in my party.

[HozzMidnight]

My original CotM party was Half Elf Motherland Paladin. Mountain Dwarf Battle Cleric. Sylvan Elf Darkweaver Rogue. High Elf Greenmage Wizard.

In terms of power I would rank them:
Paladin
Rogue
Cleric/Wizard

Healing in this game is just not very important considering you can short rest almost anywhere and long rest spots are fairly predictable and plentiful. So a healer is, IMO, completely optional. Battle Clerics do have a lot of versatility though and might be worth a spot as sort of a Swiss army knife character.

IMO the fact that concentration is on so many ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ spells really nerfs the ♥♥♥♥ out of casters.

[Ommamar]

One of my favorite classes is a battle cleric of Misaye (sp?) gets a optional attack similar to Paladins smite. It can cast while using a shield, gets some of the more powerful wizard spells like flaming sphere and fireball along with the cleric spells. I prefer making the race a Snow Dwarf so I can start them out with a heavy crossbow then once they get spirit guardian I put them out front with a good one handed weapon and shield.

[Isaacorion Ceres]

I used a Law cleric in my first playthrough of CotM. Lawkeeper so she had a Greatsword.
Channel Divinity to force a target to roll DisAdv on a spell (Hold Person or Hold Monster, or Banishment) was absolutely brutal. And Word of the Law is an instant, no contest Concentration breaker.
Anathema is also pretty good.

[Riisto]

My Cleric was weak early on (wasting a full unit turn to remove 1 condition instead of dealing either a lot single dmg or aoe dmg is not worth it). However, as many have commented, once I realized how good spirit guardian is and added Heavy armor and shield to my cleric (+0 DEX bonus natively) he became a carry.

Just stumped him down on the way of enemies and perhaps even added dodge to make sure concentration was not interrupted. The opportunity attacks are just extra as the hit% and dmg are not that great, but meh - I'll take them.

The side castable spirit dmg buff was ok too as it does not slow down the Cleric, but can add quite a bit of dmg for the cost of spell slots.