I'm playing a Half-Orc Tempest Cleric of Talos from Many-Arrows in Adventure League Expeditions(? Moonsea reagion). He's level 3. For his first level domain spells he has fog cloud and thunderwave.
1. Thunderwave - at character creation, I had this cool vision of him dashing forward into a group of foes and slamming down his warhammer with Thunderwave, knocking them back and such. Unfortunately, I have cleric speed (Dex 10), so I often find all my allies in the way. Granted, he's a cleric of Talos, so he might just say screw it, but that would be breaking Wheaton's Law. Not sure there's much I could do about this other than bumping dex with ASI or Alert, but there are much better places to put those on a front line character.
2. Fog Cloud - this is more of where I'm stuck. Everyone says clouds are great, etc. I just have a lot of trouble with control spells, I guess, with allies. It seems like if I dropped this, it would just kind of screw everyone equally. How do others use this? Or should I just stick with my standard cleric spells and not worry about it?
If you want to use Thunderwave, let you allies know. They can position to allow it.
If your allies know the wave is coming they can position on one side of an enemy force and allow you to walk up and push from the same side or flank avoiding your allies.
Imagine anemies are "0" and allies are "X". and you are "U"
0 0 0
X X
In this case you can walk in betewwn the allies or from the side and still blast 3 enemies.
0 0 0 or 0 0 0 U
XUX X X
Don't forget about the non-combat uses of fog cloud... Being able to drop a decent sized area that messes with visibility is extremely useful when trying to move sneakily through wide-open places that don't off much in the way of cover or concealment, particularly if you're operating in a climate where mist or fog is a regular thing.
Veleria wrote:
Kron-Karn wrote:
pdegan2814 wrote:
Nevvur wrote:
Kron-Karn wrote:
If you guys play with minis, I recommend cutting out a 3x3" cardstock or something piece for Thunderwave. I made several "templates" which we use for Thunderwave and other spells which makes things a lot easier. I just used Microsoft Word and the various "draw object" features on a grid background to make these templates.
Azylynne wrote:
Oh, boy! Thanks! I hadn't even realized I've been doing it wrong for two months! I was measure 15 feet out from me in the center! This will make it so much easier to aim the spell.
One question, though. It says you have to be on the face of the cube. Do you have to be in the center? Can you be on the corner face? Or can you actually do the corner? I'll see if I can diagram...
0 0 0
UXX
or...
0 0 0
UXXX
jaappleton wrote:
pdegan2814 wrote:
jaappleton wrote:
Always nice to see a fellow Critter!
For casting cube effects off the corner of a square, you basically have two options, each with their boons and banes.
The top cube uses snap-to-grid mechanics. The benefit is simplicity, the drawback is that it extends the actual range to closer to 20 feet. Makes the spell slightly more powerful than intended, but hardly game breaking. I suggest this method.
The bottom cube remains true to the dimensions of the spell description, but requires DM adjudication on who gets hit and who does not. There's no question the purple squares get hit, but what happens where the effect cuts across only half a square?
a) Only the purple squares are effected. The spell loses a lot of oomph.
b) All squares are affected. Makes it even more powerful than the snap-to-grid version, since now you can effect 12 squares.
c) All squares are affected, with advantage on saving throws for creatures in the half-squares. Most balanced IMO, though kind of granular.
Again, I prefer snap-to-grid.
edit: The best of both worlds may be to move the corner of the snap-to-grid version onto the casters space, but exclude him from the effect.
Nevvur wrote:
Whatever route you go, consistency is the important thing, so analyze whatever rule you prefer with the assumption it will apply to spheres, lines and cones as well. The biggest reason I suggest the snap-to-grid version is because inventing a house rule for half-square effects slows the game down, and invites players to find ways to abuse it, all for the miniscule payoff of obeying the exact dimensions of the spell description. I also recommend using the 2:3 conversion (every second diagonal counts as two spaces) when determining all ranges. In my experience, snap-to-grid and the 2:3 rule provides the best balance between speed and precision when running combats.
From my reading of the Spells section of the PHB(p.204) it is pretty clear and specific where you are in reference to the spell, you are in the center of one of the sides, it extends 15'forward and out including going up and potentially 5' into the dirt aswell;
XXX
XXX
XXX
--U--
from top down
whether or not your dm lets you cast this diagonally or not is up to him, my dm has basically done it on a case-by-case basis I never got to hit more than 9 people with it but was allowed to be clever with not hitting allies.
Also some advice to a fellow crazy smasher;
-your initiative order is solely based on luck, yes you have a 'chance' to be further back in the order because of your dex mod but that doesn't mean you wont end up acting first anyways. If you want to get super technical and use a RAW(rules as written) trick you can constantly use the cantrip Guidance on yourself, giving you a d4 on your next check, Initiative is a Dex check so this will help.
-Branch off! If your parties main bruisers and melee units are engaging the same from the enemy, dash to the back of the enemy and blast their ranged units! Basically look for areas where you can go 4v1 because that is your forte'.
-Dont waste your feats on going first. Prioritize more Damage (Elemental Adept, T or L) or tankiness (Tough or Heavy armor Master) so you can go 4-5v1 and get your shots off without just dying.
also consider multiclassing a touch into Sorceror, Metamagic for quickened spell and draconic ancestry for extra lightning damage. Also you get FLY, which is the best for storm shenanigans.
-Not caring whether you hit allies is not the same as going out of your way to hit them. Most people understand this and are willing to work with you as more of a force of nature than an ally, it can be quite fun. Basically what Im saying is measure things via the costs, can you hit 4 people with your T-wave if you catch the rogue in it too? You should probably do it if he's not on death's door. Alternatively should you catch 2 allies in your t-wave just to hit 2 opponnents, No.
D&d players are smart and they realize that you are trying to do your job and hit like the highly mobile live grenade you are, they just expect you to explode responsibly.
-Talk to your dm, let him know that this is kinda the route youre trying to play. At some level the Dm's job is to let everyone shine, and a good one will give you the right moments
overall I LOVE tempest clerics and I think they are the best! I hope you have fun.
Kithas48 wrote:
bid wrote:
Kithas48 wrote:
Mad_Jack wrote:
Yeah, I have a hard time thinking creatively like that, too! LOL
Used fog cloud this weekend well for Shackles of Blood against the poison crossbowmen. Opened with Shatter, but forgot to use my Channel Divinity to max damage. Thunderwave also useful for pushing halflings into the piranha water in the arena.
So now I'm level 4. I took Warcaster, but now I'm thinking would it be better to go with straight ASI or a different feat? My stats:
Str 16
Dex 10
Con 15
Int 10
Wis 15
Cha 10
Suggestions?
Kahless wrote:
Yes, those were my starting stats. Thanks, I'll look into that!
pdegan2814 wrote:
Just looked again and had my Con wrong. My Con is at 14. Would that change your advice at all, or still go with the +1 Wis and Con over Warcaster or some other feat or ASI?