Blog

Holy Smite Squad: Playing an All-Cleric Party in D&D

Ever look at a party lineup and think, “What if everyone could heal and lay down divine judgment?” Welcome to the world of the all-Cleric party—a holy (or unholy) team that’s ready to smite evil, cure wounds, and carry the party with a variety of divine powers. This setup offers flexibility and a whole lot of roleplay potential, but it also comes with its own unique challenges. We actually have a group that once we are done with our current campaign the next DM wants to do exactly this. Check out the Youtube video here. You can see our take on the all Bard party as well.

What Are the Challenges?

1. Limited Physical Combat Prowess:
   While Clerics are versatile, they’re not typically front-line specialists like Fighters or Barbarians. If your team leans heavily on squishier Domains (like Life or Knowledge), you might struggle with melee-heavy encounters.
2. Overlap in Spells:
   Everyone has access to Cure Wounds and Bless, but do you really need six castings of them? Without careful planning, the group might struggle to diversify spell choices, leading to redundancy.
3. Low Stealth and Subtlety:
   A plate-mail-clad squad is hardly subtle. Unless you’ve got a Trickery Domain Cleric running interference, sneaky approaches might not be your forte.
4. Resource Management:
   Clerics rely on spell slots for much of their utility, and while they can dish out healing and buffs, they might burn through resources quickly in long adventuring days.

What Are the Benefits?

1. Unkillable Resilience:
   With everyone packing healing spells, it’s almost impossible to keep a Cleric party down. Even if one goes down, another can bring them back up, creating a rolling wave of divine endurance.
2. Incredible Flexibility:
   Clerics can fill many roles: tanks, damage dealers, healers, and even support casters. Choosing complementary Domains (like War, Light, and Life) ensures that everyone shines in a unique way.
3. Divine Flavor:
   Roleplay opportunities abound! Whether your team serves the same god or a pantheon of competing deities, their shared divine calling can create rich, interconnected stories.
4. Adaptability to Any Challenge:
   Clerics excel at problem-solving. Spells like Create Food and Water, Remove Curse, and Divination make them well-equipped to tackle more than just combat.

One-Session Adventure: The Trial of the Gods

Premise:
The gods have summoned their faithful to prove their worth in a celestial trial. The adventurers must represent their deities in a series of divine challenges, testing their wisdom, combat prowess, and faith.

Encounters:

1. Wisdom of the Divine:
   Solve a celestial puzzle involving glowing runes, divine symbols, and moral dilemmas. Each cleric’s Domain can offer unique insights into the solution.
2. Battle of Belief:
   Face off against celestial constructs tailored to counter the party’s strengths. A War Domain Cleric can lead the charge, while a Life Cleric ensures no one falls in battle.
3. Faith Unbroken:
   The final trial requires the Clerics to perform a sacred ritual, combining their powers to purify a corrupted shard of divine essence. Success relies on teamwork and creative spell use.

Outcome:
Successfully completing the trial grants the party a divine boon, such as enhanced spellcasting for a limited time or a unique artifact blessed by the gods.

Campaign Idea: The Pantheon’s Chosen

Plot Hook:
The balance of the divine realms is threatened by a mysterious force eroding the connection between gods and their followers. The gods have chosen the party—a group of their most devoted Clerics—to restore harmony.

Themes:

• Divine Politics: The party navigates relationships between deities, with each member championing their god’s interests. This can lead to intriguing intra-party dynamics.
• Relic Hunts: Seek out ancient divine artifacts to restore the waning power of the gods. Each artifact requires unique skills to retrieve, drawing on the strengths of the party’s varied Domains.
• Heaven and Hell: Venture into the outer planes, confronting fiends, celestials, and other divine beings.

Climactic Ending:
The final showdown pits the party against the source of the disruption—a fallen god seeking to usurp the divine order. The party must unite their powers to defeat this rogue deity and restore the balance of the cosmos.

Final Thoughts

An all-Cleric party is like assembling an all-star team of divine superheroes. While you might lack stealth or specialized martial skills, your adaptability, resilience, and roleplay potential more than make up for it. Plus, who wouldn’t want to play a game where your party debates theological doctrine mid-battle while blasting foes with radiant energy?

Gather your holy symbols, pray to your deities, and get ready to make the heavens proud. Whether you’re solving divine mysteries, healing the masses, or smiting evil, an all-Cleric party proves that faith really can move mountains—and crush your enemies under them.

Thanks for reading. Until Next Time, Stay Nerdy!!