One D&D Playtest 6: Cleric

Here follow my notes on the Playtest 6 Bard class.

For more context and my Standard Disclaimer, check out the introduction to this series.

Base Class

  • Multiclassing now notes that if you get Channel Divinity from multiple classes, each class has a separate pool of Channel Divinity uses that can only be used for that class’s Channel Divinity abilities. I guess this is for Cleric/Paladin multiclassers?
  • Divine Order (level 1, was level 2 in UA) has moved to level 1 and only offers choices of Protector and Thaumaturge, which does in fact combine the benefits of Scholar and Thaumaturge from the previous UA. Protector is unchanged. Thaumaturge still provides one extra cantrip, but no longer grants any skill proficiencies at all, and your WIS modifier only gives you a bonus on INT:Religion checks. The new Thaumaturge option is disappointing compared to the what we saw last time, and it would have been more interesting to provide some kind of third choice.
  • Spellcasting (level 1) is back to the traditional “prepared spells” model, where a Cleric can have N spells prepared, and they’re not tied to spell slot levels. I think this is probably fine. One cantrip can now be replaced during level ups. As with the 2014 version, the entire spell loadout can be changed after a long rest. Okay, whatever.
  • Channel Divinity (level 2, was level 1 in UA, was level 2 in PHB) is back to level 2. The number of uses scales with your Cleric level. The number of uses starts at 2 (was just 1 in the PHB), grows to 3 at level 6 (was just 2 in the PHB), and 4 at level 18 (was 3 in the PHB). One use is regained following a short rest. These are simple but very positive changes.
  • Healing and damage from Divine Spark now starts at 1d8 and has specific level bumps (7, 13, 18) that add another d8 (instead of having the number of dice based on the proficiency bonus). Divine Spark damage can now be either Necrotic or Radiant (your choice). The damage type flexibility is nice — could be flavorful, could be practical. The scaling feels a little more appropriate now too.
  • Turn Undead imposes the Frightened and Incapacitated conditions. In the previous UA, it was Dazed, while in the PHB there was no specific condition imposed. This feels minor, but I prefer it since conditions allow good reusability.
  • Subclass (level 3, was level 3 in UA, was level 1 in PHB) arrives at level 3, just like everybody else does now. Fine.
  • Ability Score Improvement (level 4): or a Feat. Again, it feels like the language choice here is now slightly leaning away from Feats.
  • Smite Undead (level 5, UA level 5, replaces level 5’s Destroy Undead from PHB) now bases the number of d8s used on your Wisdom modifier, and now the damage from Smite Undead doesn’t end the turn effect on undead that take damage here! This is overall very nice, and will grow faster earlier on than it did when damage was based on proficiency bonus. But it’ll also cap out at 5d8 instead of 6d8 (until you can get your WIS above 20, which probably requires an Epic Boon or some similar shenanigans to accomplish). I think I feel good about these changes.
  • Subclass Feature (level 6) is unchanged from the previous UA and 2014 version.
  • Blessed Strikes (level 7, level 7 in UA, dead level in PHB) now makes you pick either Divine Strike (extra Radiant or Necrotic once per turn on a weapon attack hit) or Potent Spellcasting (add your WIS modifier to damage from all Divine spell list cantrips). I like this change, but it’ll make you choose whether you’re weapon-focused or cantrip-focused for your default attack.
  • Ability Score Improvement (level 8): Or a Feat.
  • Commune (level 9) replaces the second Holy Order from the previous UA, as well as the dead level from the PHB. It permanently adds Commune to your prepared spells list. Okey-dokey — I guess you really have to commit to your Divine Order now.
  • Divine Intervention (level 10, level 11 in UA, level 10 in PHB) has been rewritten completely to be more reliable. Instead of asking “DM may I please”, this now allows you to cast a Divine spell of level 5 or below once per long rest without using a spell slot or material components. I’m sure opinions will be divided here — on one hand, this can be seen as a limit on creativity in play, but on the other it means a player can depend on this actually providing a clear benefit. I’m leaning positive on this.
  • Dead Level (level 11) used to be Divine Intervention in the prior UA iteration, and was a bump to Destroy Undead in the PHB. Now it’s just the first level 6 spell slot.
  • Ability Score Improvement (level 12): Or a Feat. Feats are cool.
  • Dead Level (level 13): This was a dead level in both the UA and PHB. It’s just the first level 7 spell slot.
  • Improved Blessed Strikes (level 14) is a new feature that buffs whatever Blessed Strikes option you picked back at level 7. It replaces a Subclass Feature from the prior UA and a bump to Destroy Undead from the PHB. Okay.
  • Dead Level (level 15): This was also a dead level in the UA and PHB. It’s just the first level 8 spell slot.
  • Ability Score Improvement (level 16): Or a Feat. Remember Feats?
  • Subclass Feature (level 17): This was a dead level in the UA (just giving the first level 9 spell slot) and was a subclass feature in the PHB. What’s old is new again!
  • Dead Level (level 18): A bump to Divine Spark and the traditional +1 level 5 spell slot. Not very exciting.
  • Ability Score Improvement (level 19): Or a Feat. Feeeeeats.
  • Greater Divine Intervention (level 20) replaces the Epic Boon from the prior UA and replaces Divine Intervention Improvement from the PHB. Now you can use Divine Intervention to cast Wish without suffering from the stress of using it for non-spellcasting. I guess this is okay? Maybe good? I kind of wish (haha) that Wish didn’t exist. I’ll probably never get a character to this level so, like, whatever.

Life Domain

  • Domain Spells (level 3, level 3 in UA, level 1 in PHB) has changed out which spells it grants. At level 3, Life Clerics now get Aid, Bless, Cure Wounds, and Lesser Restoration. (This was just Lesser Restoration and Prayer of Healing in the previous UA.) The rest of the spell list is unchanged from the prior UA: Mass Healing Word and Revivify at level 5, Aura of Life and Death Ward at level 7, and Greater Restoration and Mass Cure Wounds at level 9. Seems fine and/or good — certainly better than the previous UA.
  • Disciple of Life (level 3, level 3 in UA, level 1 in PHB) just has small language tweaks for clarification. I’m on board with that.
  • Preserve Life (level 3, level 6 in UA, level 2 in PHB) is now about exchanging Channel Divinity uses for spell slots to cast Abjuration spells. Gone is the “pool of healing to distribute to your friends but you can’t go past 50%” mechanic. This alleviates the time-sink of figuring out who can get how much healing… and is another “exchange alternate resource pool for spell slot” mechanic that seems to be all the rage in this UA. But I think this change will be hard to get used to, and “just cast an extra spell in a pinch” isn’t prima facie all that inspiring.
  • Blessed Healer (level 6, level 10 in UA, level 6 in PHB) just makes a small clarification, similar to that of Disciple of Life. Fine.
  • Supreme Healing (level 17, level 14 in UA, level 17 in PHB) now applies to Channel Divinity in addition to casting spells. Good.
  • Divine Strike has been removed from the subclass and replaced by Blessed Strikes in the base class.

Light Domain

  • Domain Spells (level 3, level 1 in PHB) has changed out which spells it grants: Burning Hands, Faerie Fire, Moonbeam, and See Invisibility at level 3; Daylight and Fireball at level 5; Arcane Eye and Wall of Fire at level 7; Flame Strike and Scrying at level 9.
  • Warding Flare (level 3, level 1 in PHB) now has Improved Flare built in, allowing you to use it for yourself or your allies. This change is good, yay! Weirdly, it omits the PHB’s language that foes that can’t be blinded are immune from its effects. This seems… unintentional?
  • Radiance of the Dawn (level 3, level 2 in PHB) is mostly unchanged, except that the latest version omits the bit about how “a creature that has total cover from you is not affected“ — which seems unintentional. Sloppy editing, perhaps?
  • Revealing Light (level 6, new!): Once per long rest, cast See Invisibility for free, AND nearby friends also benefit from it, AND you also emit light (bright 10, dim 10). It’s certainly on brand for a Light Cleric!
  • Corona of Light (level 17, level 17 in PHB) has been updated to also benefit Radiance of the Dawn in addition to spells that do Fire and Radiant, which seems only proper.
  • Bonus Cantrip has been replaced by Divine Order in the base class.
  • Potent Spellcasting has been replaced by Blessed Strikes in the base class.

Trickery Domain

  • Domain Spells (level 3, level 1 in PHB) has changed the spells it provides: Charm Person, Disguise Self, Invisibility, and Pass without Trace at level 3; Hypnotic Pattern and Nondetection at level 5; Confusion and Dimension Door at level 7; Hold Monster and Mislead at level 9. I don’t really have an opinion on the changes.
  • Blessing of the Trickster (level 3, level 1 in PHB) can now be used at range, and can now be used on yourself.
  • Invoke Duplicity (level 3, level 2 in PHB) now uses a Bonus Action instead of an Action, doesn’t require Concentration, and teleports you immediately on casting rather than when the illusion is moved. It’s also reworded to make its benefits easier to read. Seems cool; it means Trickery Clerics can use this ability and immediately cast a spell in the same turn.
  • Trickster’s Magic (level 6, new!) lets Trickery Clerics cast Illusion spells as a Bonus Action instead of an Action, up to WIS modifier times per long rest. Go go gadget action economy!
  • Improved Duplicity (level 17, level 17 in PHB) was poorly rated and has been completely rewritten, quadrupling Invoke Duplicity’s teleport range, doubling the illusion’s movement range, giving advantage on attacks against creatures close to the illusion, and providing some healing when the effect ends. It now only creates one duplicate rather than four. This is certainly much better than the PHB version!
  • Cloak of Shadows has been removed. Buh-bye!

War Domain

  • Domain Spells (level 3, level 1 in PHB) swaps out Flame Strike for Destructive Wave.
  • War Priest (level 3, level 1 in PHB) opens up Weapon Mastery for one weapon. It still does the extra attack as a Bonus Action, but now recharges on short rests in addition to long rests. Neat!
  • Guided Strike (level 3, level 2 in PHB) now only triggers on a miss (reducing the chance that it’s wasted), and can now be used on yourself or nearby allies. Very nice! (I bet DMs will get annoyed by it.)
  • War God’s Blessing (level 6, level 6 in PHB): The original version got merged with Guided Strike. WGB now gives you the benefit of Shield of Faith when you cast it on an ally. It also allows the spell to be cast without a spell slot once per rest. Also very nice!
  • Avatar of Battle (level 17, level 17 in PHB) now gives resistance to all Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage — even if it’s magical! Nice!
  • Bonus Proficiencies has been replaced by Divine Order in the base class.

Hot Takes

  • The Cleric Base Class seems reasonably tuned up. It was solid before, and now it’s just that little bit nicer.
  • The Life Domain is solid, but then it always was. The tweaks are fine, but not inspiring.
  • The Light Domain seems shiny, but it also appears to have some weird issues that might be signs of sloppy work, or which could be problematic exploits.
  • I have historically not understood the appeal of the Trickery Domain. But maybe it was just poor branding? Now that I read it closely, it’s almost like it’s taken over from the 2E Illusionist, but on a sturdier chassis. Could be fun for the right character or player.
  • The War Domain seems like it’s all improvements to me (though I admit I haven’t dug into the domain spell changes in depth).

My first 5E character was a Life Cleric (from the starter set!) and it was the first time I’d ever seriously played a Cleric of any kind. I was really pleased with the experience, so I’m glad to see that the revised Cleric is looking solid and dependable too. Of the subclasses presented here, I’m probably most interested in playing a War Domain or Light Domain to try something new.

Lukewarm Takes

Does a one-level multiclass dip into Cleric really deserve access to Divine Order? Then again, that’s probably part of why Channel Divinity moved back to level 2.