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Baldur’s Gate 3 Cleric Class Overview

Wield the power of a god

Jeffrey Parkin (he/him) has been writing video game guides for Polygon for almost seven years. He has learned to love just about every genre of game that exists.

Baldurs Gate 3 has 12 classes for you to choose from when you create your character. The Cleric is a caster class that wields divine magic.

Clerics are a little more hands-on than most casters. They have more access to healing spells than most, but they’ve got plenty of offensive spells, too. Their primary stat is Wisdom.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about the Cleric class, and see if it’s the class you want to start with.


Cleric class features

Hit Points

  • Hit Dice — 1d8 per Cleric level
  • Hit Points at 1st Level — 8 + your Constitution modifier
  • Hit Points at higher levels — 5 + your Constitution modifer per Cleric level after 1st

Spells

Clerics start with 3 cantrips, and 2 level 1 Spell Slots per Long Rest.

Proficiencies

  • Weapons — Simple Weapons, Morningstars
  • Armor — Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields
  • Skills — History, Insight, Medicine, Religion
  • Saving Throws — Wisdom, Charisma

Cleric spells

Clerics start with three cantrips from the Cleric spell list.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Cleric cantrip list

Name Description
Name Description
Thaumaturgy Gain Advantage on Intimidation and Performance checks
Sacred Flame Engulf a target in flame-like radiance (DEX save)
Guidance The target gains a +1d4 bonus to Ability Checks
Resistance Make a target more resistant to spell effects and conditions with a 1d4 bonus to Saving Throws
Light Infuse an object with an aura of light
Blade Ward Take half damage from Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing attacks
Produce Flame A flame in your hand sheds light in a 30ft radius and deals 1-8 Fire damage when thrown

Clerics also start with two level 1 spell slots per long rest. They can only prepare four spells out of the list of 11.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Cleric spell list

Name Description
Name Description
Sanctuary You or an ally cannot be targeted unitl you attack or harm a creature
Cure Wounds 1d8+3 healing
Guiding Bolt 4d6 Radiant damage, and the next Attack Roll against this target has Advantage
Healing Word 1d4+3 healing
Inflct Wounds Putrefy a creature with 3d10 Necrotic damage
Shield of Faith Protect a creature from attacks with +2 AC
Bane Up to 3 creatures recieve a -1d4 penalty to Attack Rolls and Saving Throws
Bless Bless up to 3 creatures with a 1d4 bonus to Attack Rolls and Saving Throws
Command Command a creature to flee, move closer, freeze, drop to the ground, or drop its weapon
Create or Destroy Water Call forth rain or destroy a water-based surface
Protection from Evil and Good Protect an ally against the attacks and powers of aberrations, celectials, elementals, fey, fiends, and the undead

Cleric subclasses

Clerics choose their subclass (Domain) during character creation.

Life Domain

Focusing on spells that protect and restore, Life Domain Clerics Focus on health and healing.

  • Spells — Cure Wounds, Bless
  • Features — Disciple of Life (when casting a healing spell, the target regains an additional 2 + the spell’s level HP)
  • Proficiencies — Heavy Armor

Light Domain

Light Domain clerics combat both darkness and the undead.

  • Spells — Light cantrip, Burning Hands, Faerie Fire
  • Features — Warding Flare (use your reaction to impose Disadvantage on an attacker)

Trickery Domain

Trickery Domain Clerics specialize in deception and illusion.

  • Actions — Blessing of the Trickster (grant another creature advantage on Stealth Checks)
  • Spells — Charm Person, Disguise Self

Knowledge Domain

Knowledge Domain Clerics focus on pursuits of the mind.

  • Spells — Command, Sleep

Nature Domain

Nature Domain Clerics are kind of divine Druids.

  • Spells — Shillelagh cantrip, Speak with Animals, Animal Friendship
  • Features — Learn a Druid Cantrip and gain Proficiency in Animal Handling, Nature, or Survival
  • Proficiencies — Heavy Armor

Tempest Domain

Where Nature Domain Clerics are all about the peaceful parts of nature, Tempest Domain Clerics focus more on the scary parts.

  • Spells — Thunderwave, Fog Cloud
  • Features — Wrath of the Storm (Strike back at an attacking creature with 2d8 Lightning damage
  • Proficiencies — Martial Weapons, Heavy Armor

War Domain

War Domain Clerics are the most militant of the subclasses.

  • Spells — Divine Favor, Shield of Faith
  • Features — War Priest (when you make an attack, spend a War Priest Charge to make an additional attack as a bonus action)

Channel Divinity

At level 2, Clerics gain the ability to Channel Divinity once per day that recharges with a Short or Long Rest.

Every subclass of Druid gets the Turn Undead Action (pray to Turn all undead that you can see). You get additional Channel Divinity options based on your Domain:

  • Life Domain — Preserve Life (heals every ally within 30 feet)
  • Light Domain — Radiance of the Dawn (dispel any magical darkness with 2d10+1 Radiant damage)
  • Trickery Domain — Invoke Duplicity (distract your enemies with an illusion; within 10ft of the illusion, Attack Rolls have Advantage for you and your allies)
  • Knowledge Domain — Knowledge of the Ages (gain Proficiency in all Skills of a chosen Ability)
  • Nature Domain — Charm Animals and Plants (channel fey magic to Charm nearby beasts and plants)
  • Tempest Domain — Destructive Wrath (when you roll Thunder of Lightning damage, you can roll maximum damage instead)
  • War Domain — Guided Strike (gain a +10 to an Attack Roll)

For more information on the classes in Baldur’s Gate 3, consult our overviews on the Barbarian, Bard, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard classes. If you’re stumped by the choice, consult our guide on what class to start with.

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