We shall discuss the Cleric class in the Dungeons & Dragons 5e role-playing game. What are the benefits of playing the character class of Cleric? Does playing a Cleric have a down side? How should one properly play the Cleric class?
If one were to compose an entire party using only one class, Cleric would be my choice for that class. There are no others that can be set up to fill so many different roles.
They're first and foremost support. They heal, shield, and boost. What they are after that depends heavily on their chosen domain. Some heal better than others, some foster a variety of skills, some are formidable frontline combatants.
Yes, I concur. The Cleric class, with all it's different subsets, has the most versatility of any class in this version of the game. War Domain make for great fighter/Tanks, Life Domain superlative healers, etc. Use of spell slots during battle depends on the Domain they've chosen, as each domain emphasizes different points of adventuring. If there is a party that doesn't have a cleric in it, it is most likely at a severe disadvantage.Any discussion in player the Cleric class would need to be broken down by Domain to properly work.
The cleric is well designed in 5e. Each domain has a much different way of playing. They are great for support and pretty much everything except front line dpr. Being limited to one attack a turn makes them unable to keep up with the martial classes after a certain point. War domain can for a time but not the whole day. Alternative healing methods mean that clerics aren't relegated to heal bots which is very nice as well.
While I do play a cleric now and then I think that 5E is a good way to play your not so normal type of cleric and can do some things a bit different and help the party in ways that they may not have thought of before. This is not your normal healer anymore.