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Clerics inDungeons & Dragonsare the lifeblood of most adventuring parties. They heal everyone when they’re low on hit points and they can bring them back to life if they perish. And, depending on your Dungeon Master (DM), they may be doing those things a lot. But how should you build your cleric?
Well, that depends on the type of cleric you want to play. The 2024 Player’s Handbook has updated a lot of things at the heart of creating a cleric. This guide will not only go over the changes to clerics, but also how best to build one with the 2024 ruleset.
Cleric Highlights
Most players are drawn to clerics because oftheir healing abilities. Although there is a lot a cleric can do, and not all of their abilities are about healing, it iswhat they are most known forand, usually,most needed for. While other classes have access to healing spells,none do it better than a cleric.
However, that’s not all there is to this class. They canbolster their own defenseswith access to some of the best armor. This makes them able to handle their own in a fight. Not to mentiontheir ability to deal damage.
They havepower over the undead, who will flee from a cleric’s Turn Undead ability. And they can dealextra damage to any enemythanks to Divine Spark and Blessed Strikes. So, on the surface level, most peopleonly think of them as healers, which is fine. But you’ll know that they have a lot more they can do than just cast Cure Wounds.
Differences In The 2024 Player’s Handbook
Everything changed in one way or anotherfor clerics. Of the changes, one of the biggest and best of the 2024 Player’s Handbook rules is that clerics' Channel Divinitycan be used more oftenthanks to an increase in how many they can use per long rest. It also changes in that all clericsget two options for Channel Divinity immediately.
Yes
These are allmostly positive changes. One change to the class that might fall on a player’s list of cons is to Divine Intervention. Before, it allowed you toask your god for aid in any waythat was needed. However, you’d have toroll to see if your god would deliver.
However, with the change, Divine Interventioncan’t fail at tenth level. It can, however, haveunexpected results at 20th level, as this aid now arrivesthroughthe Wish spell, which can be tricky if you aren’t asking for a certain list of things.
Spellcasting was not included in the table above of feats as this will beexplored in greater depth further down.
Subclass Highlights
Another big change is that in the 2014 Player’s Handbook, playerschose their subclass at first level. Now, clerics will wait until theyhit their third level to make their choice, like many other D&D classes.
There are four options,Life Domain, Light Domain, Trickery Domain, andWar Domain. This seesa reduction from seven Domains in the 2014 rules, leaving offKnowledge Domain,Nature Domain, andTempest Domain clerics.
Life Domain
When people think ofclerics as healers, this is it. This is the subclass most focused on healing. The different feats allow you torestore even more hit points by different means.
Disciple Of Life gives youa set number that you can add to healing done, which increases as you level up. Preserve Life gives youa pool of hit pointsequal to five times your cleric level. So it goes. People who want toensure they are healing allies for as much as possiblewill want to pickthe Life Domain.
Light Domain
This subclass focusesonprotecting allies and burning everything around youwith fire or radiant damage. When it comes to protecting, you have an ability calledWarding Flare that can give disadvantage to an enemywho is attacking a target within 30 feet.
But when it comes to damage, you also alwayshave certain spells prepared, like Fireball. You know, the one damaging spell everyone makes jokes about? In fact, Corona Of Light benefits from you usingattacks that deal fire or radiant damage. This is for the player who wants toboth support friends as well mess bad guys up.
Trickery Domain
TheTrickery Domain clericfor the players whowant to sow chaos across the battlefield. The highlight of this class is its Invoke Duplicity, which allows you toconjure an illusion of yourself to aidin combat. You can move them independently of yourself and use them to do several things.
Casting spells, swapping places with you, even healing you or nearby allies. These arefun clerics to play as, because, although you can still use them to be great healers, theylet you get away with mischief too.
War Domain
This is for the cleric whowants to be fighting alongside their party. While it’s wise for some clerics to stay out of the fray, or at least on the outer edges of it until needing to rush in and help get someone back up,War Domain clericsthrive in the throes of combat.
You gain access to spells that eitherdamage or help you embolden your strikes. In addition to that, you can help yourself and othersland attacks that would have otherwise missed, and you gain an extra attack as a bonus action. Who said it was smart to go for the healer first?
Best Species Options
Any species, of course, can bea cleric, but some options synergizebetter. Of the 2024 Player’s Handbook species, thoseinclude orcs and aasimar.
Orcs are a tanky optionthat also benefits fromRelentless Endurance, which allows you tostay at one hit point when you have dropped to zero.Aasimar have their own healing abilitycalledHealing Hands, giving you one more source to pull fromin terms of helping your alliesregain hit points.
Outside of the 2024 Player’s Handbook species aregoblins and fairies.Goblins have a better chance of escapingsituations they shouldn’t be in, which is helpful for clericstrying to get to fallen friends without being knocked out themselves.Fairies can fly, which alone makes them fast and able to navigate difficult terrain or situations to do the same thing.
Best Stat Placements
You should always putyour highest stat in Wisdomwhen you build a cleric. This is what yourspellcasting ability is based on, as well as a number of different feats. After that, your second and third choicewill differ based on your cleric Domain.
Constitution willgive you a higher maximum hit pointpool. Charisma will helpincrease your saving throw modifier.
Your main priority is your Wisdom modifier, as it’s the base of all your abilities. After that, let your backstory choices and playstyle inform your stat placement.
Charisma might bail you out if you plan onbeing deceptive, which comes with the territoryof this Domain. Constitution willkeep your health highwhen that deception fails.
As stated above, Consitution willaid your hit points. The choice between Strength and Dexterity comes down towhich types of weaponsyou’d like to use andwhat type of combatant you’d like to be.
Best Spell Options
Clerics have a large number and variety of spells, andchoosing which spells to prepare each day is always half the battle. After all, you might think about leaving Lesser Restoration behind so you’re able to bring a damaging spell only to get into combat and realize the monster has an ability that is paralyzing everyone.
That’s to say,you’ll probably run into instances where you can’t have everything you wantor cover every base, but this guide will help you withproviding some key optionsfor damaging spells, aid and healing spells, as well as spells more typically aimed at roleplay.
Detect Evil And Good
Level One
While some of these are situational, they areimportant parts of a cleric’s spell rotation. Even if you don’t keep these on you all the time, you’ll want to add them to your prepared list plenty of times.
Sacred Flame
Cantrip
These aresome of the best damaging spellsavailable to clericsat early levelsbut continue to make a difference in battleeven at higher levels.
Aid and Healing
Spare The Dying
Even at higher levels,these healing spells are key to your healing and helping your team. Some come in handy while your teamis up but injured, while otherswill bring them back to lifeorprotect their bodiesuntil they can be brought back.
Greater Restoration
Level Five
Spells likeCure Wounds and Healing Wordget better versionsthat become available to you. In this case, those areMass Cure Wounds and Mass Healing Word.
Don’t leave the first level spells behind! These are still vital as you cancast them with any of your available spell slots. Mass Cure Wounds and Mass Healing Word can’t be cast atanything below their spell level.
Best Starting Equipment
All classes only havetwo options when it comes to starting equipment. You either getcold hard goldor you geta mix of itemsthat will help you set out on your first adventure. For clerics, that’sa set of armor, a weapon, a shield, your holy symbolrepresenting your god,and a Priest’s Pack.
This is fine of course,especially the shield, which you should always keep,even if you don’t intend to use it in every battle. For weapon,a mace or handaxewill be some of your best options thatwon’t clash with your shield.For armor, a breastplatewon’t have the as high an Armor Class (AC) as half plate, butit won’t give you disadvantage on Stealth checks, which often gets parties in trouble.
When it comes to things like kits and packs,the Herbalism Kit should be at the top of your shopping listas this not only hasa Healer’s Kit as part of itbut also allows you tomake Potions of Healing and antitoxin.Brewer’s Supplies is also a backup choiceas it will allow you todetect poisoned drinks and brew antitoxinas well.
Best Feats And Backgrounds
Many feats can help you on your journey, and your campaign setting can even influence which ones you pick up. But here aresome of the best overall feats for a cleric.
Why This Feat?
Athlete
This will not only get youout of dangerous situationsbut help youget to allies that need you.
Durable
This will give youadvantage on death saving throwswhich, as the cleric, yeah, you shouldn’t die. Plus you canheal yourself without burning spell slots.
Fey-Touched
Not only can youincrease your Wisdom, if needed, but you also gain a newlevel one spell and Misty Step, which canhelp you escapeif your health is low orquickly get to an allyabout to die.
Inspiring Leader
You can give your partytemporary hit points before heading into combat.
Skill Expert
This will give you an ability score increase, a new skill proficiency, and expertise, helping you be a bitmore well-rounded in terms of ability checks.
War Caster
You will be able tomaintain concentration more oftenthan not, plus you canlash out with spells when you take an opportunity attackagainst a foe.
Weapon Master
You get to usethe mastery traitof any weaponyou use.
Then there is which background you want or will work best for you. Some backgrounds work better for certain domains than others.Sailor is a great option for War Domain clerics, whileWayfarer benefits Trickery Domain clericsmuch better.
Why This Background?
Acolyte
This frees up your skill choices bygiving you Insight and Religion.
Farmer
This will give youskills outside of your allowed choicesas a cleric, plusa Healer’s Kit.
Guard
This gives youtwo important skillsplusdifferent weapon choices and manaclesfor taking foes prisoner instead of killing them. The gaming set isgreat for Trickery Domain clericstoo.
Guide
This will give youStealth as a skill, which is alwaysa weak point for clerics. It will also let you choosedruid spells thanks to the Magic Initiate feat.
Hermit
This gives youthe Healer featand frees up your class skill choices by giving youproficiency with Medicine and Religionchecks.
Best Multiclassing Options
Just like with feats and backgrounds, some multiclassing options work well for some cleric Domains and not others. Below are somecombinations to consider.
Why These Classes?
Barbarian
War Domain clerics and other clerics looking to be martial fighters.
