"Clerics are representatives of the gods they worship, wielding potent magic for good or ill."

Need to know more about the Cleric class? Then you've come to the right place!

*Not all information was available in Early Access - we will update as soon as we can!*

Table of Contents

    Roleplaying as a Cleric

    Surrounded on all sides by the ravaging undead, you can feel the desperation in your comrades. But this is not reflected in you; No, you think, today is not our day to die. Holding your holy symbol aloft, you shout to the heavens themselves: "Yield, forces of evil! Fall and be judged!!" A bolt of pure light pierces the sky, bathing the ghouls in the radiance of the sun. Their skin blackens and turns to dust, overwhelmed by the power of your god. But you barely notice their cries of agony, having turned to patch up the wounded. You have no time for the darkness.

    If this sounds interesting to you, consider a Cleric. With a power reflected in their patron, holy or otherwise, this class is a flexible and diverse supporting unit.

    Note: The Origin character/Companion Shadowheart is a Cleric with the Trickery Domain.

    Class Features at 1st Level

    • Starting Hit Points: 8 + your Constitution modifier
    • Proficiencies:
      • Light and Medium armor, Shields, Simple weapons.
      • Wisdom and Charisma Saving Throws
      • Two skills from the following list: History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion, and/or Religion
    • Clerics receive the ability to cast divine spells and a number of spell slots.
      • Additional spells and spell slots are earned as you level in Cleric.
      • They use their Wisdom modifier for this spellcasting capability.
      • Clerics prepare their spells in advance. You can swap your current spell-list around outside of combat, but are limited in your choices once a battle begins.
    • Clerics must choose a Deity they worship. This appears to be a roleplaying choice; some characters will take notice.
    • Clerics must also choose the Domain from which they get some of their spells, determining their subclass.

    Class Features at Higher Levels

    • Hit Points at Later Levels: 5 + your Constitution modifier
    • At level 2 you gain a charge of Channel Divinity, which can be used for various Domain abilities.
      • All Clerics, regardless of Domain, gain access to Turn Undead as one such ability.
    • At levels 4, 8 and 12, you can increase one of your Ability scores by 2, two Ability scores by 1, or choose a Feat, which can provide you bonuses to Ability scores and skills simultaneously.
    • At level 5, the Cleric's Turn Undead becomes Destroy Undead, dealing Radiant damage when you successfully Turn them.
    • *Not revealed yet.*

    Subclasses

    A Cleric chooses a Domain as their subclass, often seen as an aspect of their Deity that they adhere by. In Baldur's Gate III there are 7 such Domains to choose from: Knowledge, Life, Light, Nature, Tempest, Trickery, and War. Your Domain grants you access to spells, all flavored according to the Domain itself. They are considered always prepared, and can come from outside the Cleric's normal spell list. Your Domain will also grant you certain abilities and benefits as you level in Cleric.

    • Knowledge Clerics value learning and want to understand the world around them.
      • *Not revealed yet.*
    • Life Clerics tend to the sick and wounded, channeling positive energy to heal and restore.
      • At level 1 you gain Proficiency with Heavy armor, and Disciple of Life, which boosts your healing.
      • At level 2 you can heal allies within 9 meters with Preserve Life.
      • *Not revealed yet.*
    • Light Clerics look to the sun for guidance, promoting rebirth and the cleansing power of fire and light.
      • At level 1 you gain Light as a free cantrip, and Warding Flare, using your reaction to place Disadvantage on an enemy attack.
      • At level 2 you gain Radiance of the Dawn, which deals Radiant damage and can dispel magical darkness.
      • *Not revealed yet.*
    • Nature Clerics are similar to Druids, carrying out the will of the nature god they champion.
      • At level 1, you gain a free Druid cantrip, plus Proficiency in Heavy armor and either the Animal Handling, Nature, or Survival skill. 
      • *Not revealed yet.*
    • Tempest Clerics channel their courage into honoring the gods of the earth, sea, and sky.
      • At level 1, you gain Proficiency in Heavy armor and Martial weapons. 
      • Also at level 1, you gain Wrath of the Storm, allowing you to deal Lightning or Thunder damage back to enemies that harm you. 
      • *Not revealed yet.*
    • Trickery Clerics are disruptive and chaotic, scoundrels as easily as they are liberators.
      • At level 1 you gain Blessing of the Trickster, giving Advantage to an ally on their Stealth checks.
      • At level 2 you gain Invoke Duplicity, summoning a distraction that can provide attack Advantage.
      • *Not revealed yet.*
    • War Clerics inspire others to battle, warriors of honor and chivalry... or conquest and destruction.
      • At level 1, you gain Proficiency in Heavy armor and Martial weapons.
      • Also at level 1, when you attempt an attack with a weapon or unarmed, you can use a War Priest charge to make another attack as a bonus action. 
      • *Not revealed yet.*

    Preferred Ability Scores:

    Clerics use Wisdom for casting spells, so it is the most important stat for them. After that, Strength and Constitution can be good for Clerics who want to enter the frontlines. If you wear lighter armor, a decent Dexterity wouldn't hurt. A Trickery Cleric would consider having a Charisma to further their illusions. Intelligence is mostly unnecessary.

    Multiclassing Suggestions:

    Multiclassing a Cleric can be awkward from a roleplaying perspective, given the nature of the direct connection to their Deities. Suddenly diverging from this may seem weird. Also, Clerics, like Wizards or Druids, do not necessarily need to Multiclass to be extremely powerful. With a large pool of spells to work from that only gets better the more dedicated you are to the class, a pure Cleric can be devastating on the battlefield and/or the party's greatest asset. That being said, there are at least a few options to keep in mind if you want to stray from the path.

    Cleric & Fighter

    For their amazing Action Surge ability is a powerful combination. Action Surge grants another action that can be used to, say, cast two spells in one turn, which is absolutely busted. It only requires two levels in Fighter, too, meaning you don't lose much in terms of spellcasting.

    Cleric & Paladin

    Can lead to a more spellcasting-focused version of a holy knight. Paladin already gets divine spells, but a Cleric will undoubtedly have more available to them. This combo allows a Cleric to Divine Smite and be a better frontline combatant.

    Cleric & Sorcerer

    Can be the ultimate master of the storm. Storm Sorcery combined with the Tempest Domain maximizes your potential with lightning damage, especially with Metamagic from the Sorcerer. However, this build would require two different Ability scores for your spellcasting, those being Wisdom and Charisma. Leveling up both classes evenly may spread you too thin.

    More Baldur's Gate 3 Class Guides

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    Baldur's Gate 3 Character Creation Guides

    When you're ready to continue, head to one of the other sections of this guide; Background would be next!