Shadowheart Honor Mode Build
Life or Light Domain Cleric
Shadowheart (Light Cleric)
Radiant damage, knocking people down, heals, buffs.
Origin & Identity
- Race / Subrace: High Half-Elf
- Background: Acolyte
Shar trains Shadowheart to walk the knife-edge between secrecy and salvation.
Class Path
- Main Class: Cleric (Life or Light Domain)
- Primary Focus: Radiant damage, knockdowns, & healing
Light Domain offers some fire spells and an aoe radiant damage spell. I typically go with Light now that I'm more comfortable. My first HM playthrough, I took life for the extra security of amazing heals. They definitely don't get used much, but when you're up against the wall they saved me a few times. So choose based Life if you're not confident or less risk averse
Ability Scores
Shadowheart's stat spread leans into concentration, Wisdom save DCs, and survivability while keeping Dexterity viable for ranged options.
| Ability | Base | Adjustments | Final | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 8 | +0 | 8 | dump stat |
| Dexterity | 15 | +0 | 15 | Pairs with medium armour and Shield of Faith to keep AC respectable. |
| Constitution | 15 | +2 | 17 | Shadowhearts main ability requires concentration. |
| Intelligence | 8 | +0 | 8 | dump stat. |
| Wisdom | 15 | +1 | 16 | Primary spellcasting stat. |
| Charisma | 8 | +0 | 8 | dump stat. |
Spellbook & Cantrips
Rotate between buffs, radiant damage, and emergency control.
Cantrips
- Guidance — mostly used in persuasion/lockpicking.
- Toll the Dead — good to check whether this or sacred flame has higher chance to hit.
- Sacred Flame — aside from the memes, by level 12 this spell was main damage once spirit guardians is up.
Level 1 Spells
- Guiding Bolt — decent sometimes, mostly useless after awhile.
- Sanctuary — can save someone if you need to get the heat off them.
- Healing Word — good emergency heal to heal or just get someone up from afar.
- Bless or Command — both pretty worthless for Shadowheart.
Life Domain prep adds Bless and Cure Wounds power boosts; Light Domain grants Burning Hands and Faerie Fire.
Combat Tactics
- Aid - Max level available and Wild Shape - Starry Form: Dragon should have 100% uptime, cast as soon as you rest
- Big fights: cast spirit guardians before starting the fight
- If you have spirit guardians, run around and hit as many people as you can
- Use your action for sacred flame, fireball, heals, whatever the battle needs
- Use your bonus action for dazzling breath for the most part (spell comes with Starry Form: Dragon)
Final Gear Setup
| Slot | Item |
|---|---|
| Head | Helm of Balduran |
| Back | Cloak of Protection |
| Chest | Luminous Armor |
| Feet | Boots of Stormy Clamour |
| Hands | Gloves of Belligerent Skies |
| Ring | Coruscation Ring |
| Ring | Callous Glow Ring |
| Necklace | Amulet of The Devout |
| Main hand | The Blood of Lathander |
| Off hand | Viconia's Walking Fortress |
Shadowheart — Level 2
- Spell: Create Water — extinguish hazards, can help Lae'zel setup damage.
Shadowheart — Level 3
- Spell: Silence or aid. I think Life gets aid by default, but if you're light you need to pick it manually. If Life you can get silence for some situations.
Shadowheart - Level 4
- Cantrip: Thaumaturgy, doesn't really matter though
- Feat: War caster, advantage on con checks, easier concentration
- Spells: Pickup silence, useful sometimes, the rest aren't usually
Shadowheart - Level 5
- Spells:I had guiding bolt, sanctuary, healing word, mass healing word, cure wounds, aid, remove curse, spirit guardians
Shadowheart - Level 6 - Cleric 5/Druid 1
- Multiclass to Druid
- Cantrip: Thorn whip, produce flame
- Spells: Create or destroy water, Thunderwave, Entangle, Ice Knife
Shadowheart - Level 7 - Cleric 5/Druid 2
At this point we have 2 druid. When you're in starry form: dragon, you have a bonus action called dazzling breath. It's a breath attack that does radiant damage! Great synergy with our radiant orb build.- Subclass:Circle of the Stars
- Spells: Whatever you want
Shadowheart - Level 8 - Cleric 6/Druid 2
- Spells: It undid my spells or something, but this is what I prepared: Healing Word, Cure Wounds, Aid, Remove Curse, Spirit Guardians, Mass Healing Word, Create or Destroy Water, Silence, Sanctuary
Shadowheart - Level 9 - Cleric 7, Druid 2
- Spells:Whatever you want
Shadowheart - Level 10 - Cleric 8, Druid 2
- Feat:Mobile
- Spells:Whatever you want (Freedom of Movement of Death Ward)
Shadowheart - Level 11 - Cleric 9, Druid 2
- Spells:Whatever you want (Mass Cure Wounds of Death Ward)
Shadowheart - Level 12 - Cleric 10, Druid 2
- Cantrip: Any
- Spells: Dispel Evil and Good