Cleric Class Guide: Best Builds and Subclasses

The Cleric is one of the 12 available main classes in Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3). Check out our guide for an overview of the Cleric class, including its related subclasses, class features, best races to use, and best builds.

Cleric Class Overview

Cleric Basic Information

Class Overview
	Cleric Clerics are representatives of the gods they worship, wielding potent divine magic for good or ill.
Hit Die	d8
Primary Ability	Wisdom
Saving Throw Proficiencies	Wisdom and Charisma
Starting Class Features
・Level 1 Spell Slots Unlocked ・Starts with 3 Cantrips Known ・Light Armor Proficiency ・Medium Armor Proficiency ・Shield Proficiency ・Simple Weapon Proficiency ・Access to Subclasses as Early as Character Creation

Clerics are versatile spellcasters, able to prepare and wield powerful offensive and support spells when called to battle. Channeling and wielding the power of both their chosen Divine Domain and deity, Clerics can heal, buff, or smite with extreme prejudice depending on their role in the party.

Cleric Skills with Proficiency

As a Cleric, your character can choose 2 out of the 5 skills below to be Proficient in. When you are Proficient with a skill, you get a bonus to any Checks tied to that skill. Proficiency bonuses increase as you gain levels for your chosen class.

What is a Proficiency Bonus?

All Cleric Subclasses

During character creation, Clerics in Baldur's Gate 3 will have to choose 1 of the 7 Divine Domains in order to set their Subclass. Make your choice between the Knowledge, Life, Light, Nature, Tempest, War, and Trickery domains to begin your journey.

Each of these Divine Domains will grant you access to different types of Cleric Spells and Channel Divinity effects. Consider your favored playstyle and choose the Divine Domain that best fits your desired role.

Subclass	Subclass Description
Life Domain	The Life domain is an aspect of many good deities, offering spells that protect and restore the mind, body, and soul. Subclass Starting Features: ・Heavy Armor Proficiency ・Grants the Disciple of Life Passive ・Access to Life Domain Spells
Light Domain	The Light domain is offered by deities of justice, majesty, and primordial flame, providing spells that dispel darkness and harm the undead. Subclass Starting Features: ・Grants the Burning Hands Spell ・Grants the Faerie Fire Spell ・Grants the Light Cantrip ・Grants the Warding Flare Reaction ・Access to Light Domain Spells
Trickery Domain	A domain shared by wicked, chaotic, and mischievous deities alike, those who channel Trickery specialize in deception and illusion magic. Subclass Starting Features: ・Grants the Charm Person Spell ・Grants the Disguise Self Spell ・Grants Blessing of the Trickster ・Access to Trickery Domain Spells
Knowledge Domain	Adaptable and adroit in all manner of languages and skills, your mind is an intellectual cup brimming with exquisite knowledge. Subclass Starting Features: ・Grants Arcana Proficiency ・Grants 2 Skills with Expertise ・Grants Heavy Armor Proficiency ・Access to Knowledge Domain Spells
Nature Domain	You embody the vast veridian power of the natural world, an avatar of the subtle divinity of fruitfall, avian migration, woodland silence, and the landslide's roaring fury. Subclass Starting Features: ・Access to Acolyte of Nature ・Grants Heavy Armor Proficiency ・Access to Nature Domain Spells
Tempest Domain	Your faith has made you the very thunder that quakes the black firmament, the lightning coursing through the veins of a terrible storm. Subclass Starting Features: ・Grants the Wrath of the Storm ・Grants Heavy Armor Proficiency ・Grants Martial Weapon Proficiency ・Access to Tempest Domain Spells
War Domain	Fortified by holy zeal, you brandish an arsenal of sacramental savagery to use against those you deem unrighteous. Subclass Starting Features: ・Grants the War Priest Passive ・Grants Heavy Armor Proficiency ・Grants Martial Weapon Proficiency ・Access to War Domain Spells

All Cleric Features

Spellcasting Grants Access to Cleric Spells

As a Level 1 Cleric, you will start off with 2 Level 1 Spell Slots and 3 Cleric Cantrips (of your choice) that you can use during battle. The number and level of the Spell Slots and Cantrips will increase as your Cleric levels up. Unlike the Paladin, Clerics will have access to much more powerful spells (up to Level 6) compared to their melee-oriented brothers.

As a Cleric, your spell attack modifier and spell saves will rely on your Wisdom ability. Make sure to consider this when looking to take Ability Improvements at levels 4, 8, and 12 for your Cleric.

Cleric Spells Can be Swapped Out via the Spellbook

Unlike other spellcasting classes, Clerics prepare their spells before they can cast it in combat. This means that while you do choose which spells to prepare whenever you level up, it will not be the only spells you can cast until the next level up. It is possible to edit this list of prepared spells while playing.

To edit your Cleric's prepared spells, simply navigate to your spellbook via the Character Sheet. From there, you can change your prepared spells so long as you are outside of combat.

Cleric Spell Slots and Known Cantrips Per Level

Divine Domain Subclasses Influence Your Spell List

Unlike most classes, Cleric Subclasses are available during Character Creation in the form of Divine Domains. In Baldur's Gate 3, Clerics will have a choice between the Knowledge, Life, Light, Nature, Tempest, War, and Trickery domains.

Do note that your chosen domain will influence the type of Spells and Channel Divinity actions you have access to. Each domain will also grant you different starting spells, actions, or cantrips. Keep this in mind before you venture forth as a Cleric in BG3.

Channel Divinity Allows You to Harness Your Domain's Power

Once you hit Level 2, your Cleric will gain access to the Channel Divinity feature, allowing you to call on the power of your domain to buff you or your allies, harm enemies, or even dispel harmful area effects. Since this is technically not a Spell, using Channel Divinity will not consume any of your Spell slots.

Do note that while the type of magic effect cast by your Channel Divinity feature will vary by Domain, all Clerics will have access to the Turn Undead action once Channel Divinity is unlocked.

Destroy Undead Deals Radiant Damage to Turned Undead

Upon reaching Cleric Level 5, your Turn Undead action will gain the Destroy Undead passive, allowing you to deal damage when you successfully turn Undead away from you. If an Undead enemy is affected by Turn Undead, they are also hit by 4d6 Radiant damage.

Divine Intervention Gives You Godly Blessings

At Cleric Level 10, you get a one-time use feature called Divine Intervention. Before anything else, do note that the game strictly enforces this mechanic. It can only be used once per adventure. When used, Divine Intervention will allow your god to help you directly, giving you 4 different blessings to aid you in battle.

• Arm Thy Servant: Grants you the Legendary Devotee's Mace. This weapon will stay with your party, permanently.
• Opulent Revival: Resurrects fallen companions with half ther hit points. Restores all nearby allies as if they had Long Rested.
• Sunder the Heretical: All targets within a 15m radius will each be hit with an 8d10 Radiant Damage Attack. If they pass their Wisdom Saving Throw, they still take half the rolled damage.
• Golden Generosity: Grants your party an chest that contains potions and camp supplies.

Cleric Class Level Progression

Best Cleric Builds

Best Ability Scores for Clerics

Caster Cleric

Wisdom will be your highest ability as a casting cleric since it affects spell damage. Constitution is next since it affects your HP as well as your Concentration Saving Throws.

Dexterity is set to 14 since the max DEX bonus for Medium Armor is +2. This also boosts your initiative in combat.

Intelligence and Charisma will be dump stats since they play no part in combat.

Strength is set at 10 just so your melee and atheltics don't suffer a penalty.

Melee War Domain Cleric

If playing a War Domain Cleric, pump points into Strength and Constitution. The former deals with your melee damage, while the latter deals with both your HP and the spell buffs you can use that rely on Concentration.

Dexterity is set to 10 since War Domain Clerics get Heavy Armor Proficiency. In BG3, Heavy Armor gets no AC bonuses from DEX.

Intelligence and Charisma will be dump stats since they play no part in combat.

Wisdom is set to 15 so that your Cleric spells remain reasonably powerful despite the shift in playstyle.

Best Subclasses for the Cleric

Light or Tempest Domain for Massive AoE Damage

Light Domain Clerics will unlock some of the most powerful AoE Fire spells in Baldur's Gate 3. These, coupled with their AoE Channel Divinity called Radiance of the Dawn, allow them to clear rooms full of enemies with relative ease.

Tempest Domain Clerics are very powerful lightning and thunder casters, able to guarantee max spell damage for these types of elemental damage once they unlock their Channel Divinity. On top of that, Tempest Clerics have both Heavy Armor and Martial Weapon proficiencies.

Life Domain if Planning to Be a Healer

If planning to play as a Healer, then the Life Domain Cleric will be your go-to. Disciple of Life gives them healing bonuses while Heavy Armor proficiency increases their chances of survival on the battlefield.

War Domain if Planning to Be a Melee Class

Players who want to dip into the niche melee playstyle of the Cleric will need to choose the War Domain. Armed with Heavy Armor and a +10 damage Channel Divinity power, this subclass can frontline comfortably alongside other martial classes in BG3.

Best Cleric Equipment

• Armor: Heavy Armor or Medium Armor if playing as a Light Cleric.
• Weapons: One-Handed Weapon with a Shield to increase your Defense (AC). If playing War Domain, go for Martial Weapons.

Best Races to Use As a Cleric

Gold Dwarf

The Gold Dwarf is a great choice for a Cleric in Baldur's Gate 3 since it is naturally tanky, allowing you to absorb damage in a pinch while still being a very deadly spellcaster.

• Dwarven Toughness increases your max HP by 1 while also granting you +1 HP each time you level up.
• Dwarven Resilience grants Advantage on Saving Throws and Resistance to Poison damage.

Gold Dwarf Subrace Guide and Info

Half-Orc

The Half-Orc is a niche option if you're planning to run a strictly offensive melee Cleric (such as the War Domain Cleric). Mileage varies since the traits only work out if you plan to lean into the melee playstyle more than spellcasting (naturally, this also limits your options if respeccing later in the game).

• Relentless Endurance lets you ignore death once per long rest letting you go to 1hp instead when taking lethal damage.
• Savage Attacks allows you triple the damage dice being rolled when you land a Critical Hit with a melee attack.

Half-Orc Race Guide and Info

Baldur's Gate 3 Related Guides

Class Guide: All Classes and Subclasses

All Classes

All Class Guides
Barbarian	Bard	Cleric	Druid
Fighter	Monk	Paladin	Ranger
Rogue	Sorcerer	Warlock	Wizard