The 3rd-level Lightning Bolt does a maximum 10d6 electricity damage, barely enough to scratch the hide of a Huge Red Dragon...
Clerics are not Proficient with Tower Shields...
Even if the guy with the mace was proficient (perhaps he took one level of Fighter -- but then, why's he using a Light Mace, a Simple weapon?)...where was I?
Oh, right -- even a Tower Shield is not large enough to provide cover for four PCs against a cone-shaped breath weapon...
From the 3.5 perspective...
Clerics are not Proficient with Tower Shields...
Even if the guy with the mace was proficient (perhaps he took one level of Fighter -- but then, why's he using a Light Mace, a Simple weapon?)...where was I?
Oh, right -- even a Tower Shield is not large enough to provide cover for four PCs against a cone-shaped breath weapon...
So, did I guess right? What do I win?