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Discover the best Cleric subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3 ranked from best to worst, including the upcoming Death subclass or Domain in Patch 8.
The Cleric is a versatile class that can heal, deal with damage, or crowd control. While many think of Cleric’s as pure healers, the Light Cleric is a powerful spellcaster damage dealer. They excel at radiant area damage and have great utility for your party. The Cleric class, in general, has various weapon and armor proficiency, giving you many options in builds. Moreover, you gain shield proficiency to equip a mace or a quarterstaff with a shield and increase survivability immediately.
The downside of the Cleric is the weak mobility and bonus action utility. The Cleric can’t use their bonus action for many things outside of a few spells. Additionally, it’s harder for the Cleric to gain extra actions or cast two spells in one turn. In this guide, we will be ranking all subclasses of Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3 from the best to worst, and tell you how the upcoming Death subclass will play out for the Cleric class.
What are Cleric subclasses in BG3? Explained
Cleric currently has seven subclasses or Domains, Knowledge, Life, Light, Nature, Tempest, Trickery, and War. Each subclass grants access to unique features during level progress, allowing players to experience a new playstyle with Cleric and choose a certain playstyle for their build.
Here are all Cleric subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Knowledge Domain: Dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and skilled in history, religion, and the arcana.
- Life Domain: They are skilled in the use of healing spells, and they can also use their divine power to restore hit points to their allies
- Light Domain: Skilled in radiant damage and more offensive Cleric subclass.
- Nature Domain: Skilled in the use of nature’s spells, and they can also use their divine power to control the weather and animals.
- Tempest Domain: Skilled in the use of lightning and thunder damage spells, and they can also use their divine power to control the weather and create powerful storms
- Trickery Domain: Skilled in the use of illusion and enchantment spells, and they can also use their divine power to create illusions and disguise themselves
- War Domain: Skilled in the use of weapons and armor, and they can also use their divine power to enhance their martial prowess.
- Death Domain: A Cleric of Death who has a few new dark tricks with spells that deal necrotic damage to three new necromancy cantrips. Moreover, they have the ability to explode any nearby corpses to deal damage to enemies in the explosion range.
Below, we have ranked the Cleric Subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3 from the best to worst order. Each corresponding section explains the role of the subclass and its progression.
Best Cleric Subclasses in BG3, Ranked
1. Life Domain
The Best Subclass for a Cleric is Life because it provides the best overall healing and group utility for a support class. The Life Subclass comes with Heavy Armour Proficiency, Disciple of Life, and Domain Spells.
Life Domain specializes in healing and supporting its allies. As a Life Domain Cleric, you will draw your power from a divine source, often a deity associated with life, healing, and restoration. Life Clerics have a unique set of abilities and spells that make them invaluable members of any party.
Furthermore, the Life Cleric can wear heavy armor, making them a front-line support class. They can also effectively heal themselves and allies due to Discipline of Life and Domain Spells.
Life Domain Features
While leveling up, the following features and spells become available for the Life subclass of Cleric.
- Disciple of Life (Level 1): Your devotion empowers your healing Spells. When casting a healing spell, the target regains additional Hit Points equal to 2 + Spell’s level.
- Heavy Armour Proficiency (Level 1)
- Domain Spells (Level 1): Gain two spells from the Life Domain.
- Bless: Bolster yourself or up to 3 allies to grant a +1d4 bonus to Attack rolls and Saving throws.
- Cure Wounds: Heal allies with a divine magic touch.
- Preserve Life (Level 2): Evoke a healing energy that restores 3 x Character Level hit points to allied creatures.
- Domain Spells (Level 3): Gain two spells from the Life Domain.
- Aid: Bolster your allies with toughness and resolve to heal and increase their Hit Points maximum.
- Lessor Restoration: Cure Poisoned, Diseased, Paralysis, or Blinded status effect on an ally.
- Domain Spells (Level 5): Gain two spells from the Life Domain.
- Revivify: Revive a companion. They return to life with 1 Hit point.
- Beacon of Hope: Your allies will regain the maximum Hit Points possible when healed. They also gain an Advantage on Wisdom, Saving throws, and Death Saving Throws.
- Blessed Healer (Level 6): Regain 2 + Spell Level hit points when casting a healing spell on another creature.
- Domain Spells (Level 7): Gain two spells from the Life Domain.
- Guardian of Faith: Call forth a divine guardian that attacks nearby enemies. Every time it deals damage, the guardian loses an equal amount of Hit Points.
- Death Ward: Protect an ally from death. The next time damage would reduce it to 0 Hit Points, it remains conscious with 1 Hit Point left.
- Divine Strike: Life (Level 8) – Once per turn deal 1d8 Radiant in addition to your weapon’s weapon damage when you make a melee attack.
- Domain Spells (Level 9): Gain two spells from the Life Domain.
- Greater Restoration: Touch an ally to negate Charm, Petrification, Stun, or Cursed effect.
- Mass Cure Wounds: Unleash a soothing hum of energy that heals you and nearby allies.
Light Domain
The Light Domain subclass has a good balance of damage and healing with a focus on damage. It is the favorite choice of many players. Dealing damage equal to Sorcerers or Wiazrds early on in the game is hard because of the lack of versatile area of effects spells. However, the more levels you get on your Light Domain Cleric the more powerful you’ll feel. This class is extremely powerful and one of the best in mid to late-game combat. The Light Cleric is a powerful spellcaster damage dealer. They excel at radiant area damage and have great utility for your party.
Light Domain Features
While leveling up, the following features and spells become available for the Light subclass of Cleric.
- Warding Flare (Level 1): Shield yourself with divine light. Use your reaction to impose Disadvantage on an attacker, possibly causing their attack to miss.
- Domain Spells: Gain three spells from the Light Domain.
- Faerie Fire: All targets within the light turn visible, and Attack Rolls against them have Advantage.
- Burning Hands: Each flammable target is hit with 3∼18 Fire damage.
- Light: Infuses an object with an aura of light.
- Radiance of the Dawn (Level 2): 3-21 radiant damage the sun’s divine power dispels any magical darkness.
- Domain Spells (Level 3): Gain two spells from the Light Domain.
- Flaming Sphere: Summon a flaming sphere that damages nearby enemies and objects. You can move the sphere.
- Scorching Ray: Hurl 3 rays of fire. Each ray deals 2∼12 Fire damage.
- Domain Spells (Level 5): Gain two spells from the Light Domain.
- Daylight: Enchant an item to shine like the sun or summon a sphere of sunlight that dispels all darkness around it.
- Fireball: Shoot a bright flame from your fingers that explodes upon contact, torching everything in the vicinity.
- Improved Warding Flare (Level 6): When an enemy attacks an ally, you can use your reaction to impose Disadvantage on the Attack Roll.
- Domain Spells (Level 7): Gain two spells from the Light Domain.
- Wall of Fire: 5-40 fire damage, creates a blazing wall of fire.
- Guardian of Faith: Call forth a divine guardian. Every time it deals damage, the guardian loses an equal amount of hit points.
- Potent Spellcasting (Level 8): Your god grants you even more intense power. You can add your Wisdom Modifier to the damage you deal with Cleric cantrips.
- Domain Spells (Level 9): Gain two spells from the Light Domain.
- Flame Strike: 10-60 Fire and Radiant damage make a pillar of divine fire roar down from the heavens.
- Destructive Wave: 10-60 thunder and radiant damage create a shockwave of thunder that damages nearby creatures and possibly knocks them Prone.
Tempest Domain
The Tempest subclass focuses on the Thunder and Lighting elements and plays best as a hybrid weapon and spell-casting damage dealer with some support. You will want enemies to attack you and return lighting and thunder damage. Clerics have a wide range of spells at their disposal, including healing spells, buff spells, and damage spells. They also have several unique abilities, such as Channel Divinity and Turn Undead. The Cleric is your typical support class but has flexibility depending on their chosen subclass.
Tempest Domain Features
While levelling up, the following features and spells become available for the Tempest subclass of Cleric.
- Heavy Armour Proficiency (Level 1): Wearing Heavy Armour will not impose Disadvantage on your Attack Rolls or prevent you from casting spells.
- Martial Weapon Proficiency (Level 1): Add your Proficiency Bonus to Attack Rolls with Martial Weapons.
- Wrath of the Storm (Level 1): Strike back at an attacking creature using a Reaction, potentially dealing 2~16 Lightning or Thunder damage.
- Domain Spells (Level 1): Gain two spells from the Tempest Domain.
- Thunderwave: Release a wave of thunderous force that pushes away all creatures and objects in an area, while also dealing 2d8 Thunder damage.
- Fog Cloud: Create a cloud of dense fog to Heavily Obscure and Blind creatures within.
- Destructive Wrath (Level 2): When you roll Thunder or Lightning damage, you can use your Reaction and Channel Divinity to deal maximum damage instead.
- Domain Spells (Lvl 3): Gain two spells from the Tempest Domain.
- Shatter: Damages all nearby enemies.
- Gust of Wind: Summon a strong wind that clears all clouds. Any creatures caught in the gale who fail a Strength and Saving throw will be pushed back 5m/17ft and be thrown Off Balance.
- Domain Spells (Level 5): Gain two spells from the Tempest Domain.
- Call Lightning: Call down lightning to hit all targets within range and its area of effect for 3d10 Lightning damage. Then for 10 turns, you can call down lightning again without expending a spell slot.
- Sleet Storm: Call forth a storm that douses fire, creates an Ice surface, and forces spellcasters to succeed at a Concentration Saving throw in order to maintain Concentration.
- Thunderous Strike (Lvl 6): when you deal Lightning or Thunder damage to a large or smaller creature, you can also push it up to 3 feet away from you.
- Domain Spells (Level 7): Gain two spells from the Tempest Domain.
- Ice Storm: Impel a storm of hail and ice to crash from the sky, covering the ground and striking all objects and creatures within range, dealing Bludgeoning and Cold damage. It also creates an Ice surface that lasts 2 turns.
- Freedom of Movement: Snap an ally out of any Stun. Difficult Terrain can’t slow them down, and they can’t be magically Paralysed or Restrained.
- Divine Strike: Thunder (Level 8): Once per turn deal 1-8 Thunder damage in addition to your weapon’s Weapon Damage when you make a melee attack.
- Domain Spells (Level 9): Gain two spells from the Tempest Domain.
- Insect Plague: Locusts attack everyone within range, make the area Difficult Terrain, and impose Disadvantage on Perception Checks.
- Destructive Wave: Create a shockwave of either divine or malevolent thunder that damages nearby creatures and possibly knocks them Prone.
War Domain
The War Domain is a subclass of Cleric that specializes in martial combat, tactics, and divine blessings related to warfare and battle. Consequently, this subclass is typically associated with gods of war, valor, and conflict.
War Domain Clerics are proficient with all martial weapons and heavy armor, making them formidable combatants. The War Priest feature allows War Domain Clerics to attack a bonus action on their turn. This helps the Cleric maintain pressure with action and bonus action. The Channel Divinity Guided Strike subclass feature allows the War Domain Cleric to give themselves +10 on Attack Roll. This is a great way to do a ton of damage with martial weapons while wielding powerful spells.
War Domain Features
While levelling up, the following features and spells become available for the War subclass of Cleric.
- War Priest (Level 1): When you make an unarmed or weapon attack, you can spend a War Priest Charge to make an additional attack as a bonus action.
- Heavy Armour Proficiency (Level 1): Wearing Heavy Armour will not impose Disadvantage on your Attack Rolls or prevent you from casting spells.
- Martial Weapon Proficiency (Level 1): Add your Proficiency Bonus to Attack Rolls with Martial Weapons.
- Domain Spells (Level 1): Gain two spells from the War Domain.
- Divine Favour: Your prayer empowers you with divine radiance. Your weapons deal an additional 1d4 Radiant damage.
- Shield of Faith: Surround a creature with a shimmering field of magic that increases its Armour Class by 2.
- Channel Divinity Action (Level 2): Guided Strike – You gain a +10 bonus to your Attack Roll.
- Domain Spells (Level 3): Gain two spells from the War Domain.
- Magic Weapon: Infuse a weapon with arcane energy. The weapon becomes magical, receiving a +1 bonus to Attack rolls and Damage Rolls.
- Spiritual Weapon: Create a floating, spectral weapon of your choice that attacks your enemies alongside you. The weapon is Ethereal, Immune to Psychic and Poison damage, and Resistant to all other Damage Types.
- Domain Spells (Level 5): Gain two spells from the War Domain.
- Spirit Guardians: Call forth spirits to protect you. Nearby enemies take 3d8 Radiant or Necrotic damage per turn, and their Movement Speed is halved.
- Crusader’s Mantle: Radiate a holy power that emboldens nearby allies. Their weapon attacks deal an additional 1d4 Radiant damage.
- Channel Divinity Action (Level 6): War God’s Blessing – Endow a nearby ally with the glory of your god to grant them a +10 bonus to their Attack Roll.
- Domain Spells (Level 7): Gain two spells from the War Domain.
- Stoneskin: Turn a creature’s flesh hard as stone. It takes only half the damage of all non-magical Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage.
- Freedom of Movement: Snap an ally out of any Stun. Difficult Terrain can’t slow them down, and they can’t be magically Paralysed or Restrained.
- Divine Strike: Warmaster (Level 8): Once per turn deal 1-8 in addition to your melee weapon damage.
- Domain Spells (Level 9): Gain two spells from the War Domain.
- Flame Strike: 10-60 Fire and Radiant damage make a pillar of divine fire roar down from the heavens.
- Hold Monster: Paralyse a creature. It can’t Move, Act, or React. Attacks from within 3m/10ft are always Critical Hits.
- War Priest Extra Attack Charge (Level 11): Gain an additional charge. 6 in total.
Nature Domain
The Nature Cleric subclass focuses on the power of nature. Nature Clerics are skilled at healing their allies, buffing them for battle, and debuffing their enemies, but they also have several abilities that allow them to control and manipulate the natural world around them. This subclass is given domain spells which are always prepared and added to your spellbook. They are focused on nature, survival, buffs, and crowd control. This domain and subclass is balanced with an emphasis on nature and is a perfect choice for a nature character archetype.
Nature Domain Features
While levelling up, the following features and spells become available for the Nature subclass of Cleric.
- Heavy Armour Proficiency (Level 1): Wearing Heavy Armour will not impose Disadvantage on your Attack Rolls or prevent you from casting spells.
- Acolyte of Nature (Level 1): You learn a druid Cantrip and become Proficient in Animal Handling, Nature, or Survival.
- Domain Spells (Level 1): Gain two spells from the Nature Domain.
- Speak with Animals: Gain the ability to comprehend and communicate with beasts.
- Animal Friendship: Convince a beast not to attack you.
- Charm Animals and Plants (Level 2): Channel fey magic to Charm nearby beasts and plants.
- Domain Spells (Level 3): Gain two spells from the Nature Domain.
- Spike Growth: Shape a piece of ground into hard spikes. A creature walking on the spikes takes 2d4 Piercing damage for every 1.5m/5ft it moves.
- Barkskin: Touch a willing creature to toughen its skin and increase its Armour Class up to 16.
- Domain Spells (Level 5): Gain two spells from the Nature Domain.
- Plant Growth: Make weeds burst from the ground and smother the area.
- Sleet Storm: Call forth a storm that douses fire, creates an Ice surface, and forces spellcasters to succeed at a Concentration Saving throw in order to maintain Concentration.
- Domain Spells (Level 7): Gain two spells from the Nature Domain.
- Dominate Beast: Make a Beast fight alongside you. Every time the Beast takes damage, it makes a Wisdom Saving throw against your domination.
- Grasping Vine: Summon a giant vine capable of dragging creatures toward itself.
- Divine Strike: Elemental Fury (Level 8): Once per turn deal 1-8 Cold Damage, 1-8 Fire Damage, or 1-8 Lightning Damage in addition to your weapon’s Weapon Damage when you make a melee attack.
- Domain Spells (Level 9): Gain two spells from the Nature Domain.
- Insect Plague: Locusts attack everyone within range, make the area Difficult Terrain, and impose Disadvantage on Perception Checks.
- Wall of Stone: Raise a wall of non-magical, solid stone.
Trickery Domain
The Trickery Domain subclass primarily focuses on crowd control and utility spells while retaining the Cleric support playstyle. You will be able to heal on this subclass very effectively, and the leveling progression will walk you through a support-style setup with trickery, deception, and illusion utility. Overall, this subclass is a great choice to excel at stunning, crowd-control, and healing.
Trickery Domain Features
While levelling up, the following features and spells will become available for the Trickery subclass of Cleric.
- Blessing of the Trickster (Level 1): Grant another creature advantage on Stealth checks.
- Domain Spells (Level 1): Gain two spells from the Trickery Domain.
- Disguise Self: Magically change all aspects of your appearance.
- Charm Person:Charm a humanoid to prevent it from attacking you. You gain Advantage on Charisma Checks in dialogue.
- Invoke Duplicity (Level 2): Summon an illusion to distract your enemies. You and your allies receive Advantage on Attack Rolls against a creature if both the attacker and the illusion are within 3m of that creature.
- Domain Spells (Level 3): Gain two spells from the Trickery Domain.
- Mirror Image: Create 3 illusory duplicates of yourself to distract attackers. Each duplicate increases your Armour Class by 3.
- Pass Without Trace: Call forth a veil of shadow and silence that gives you and nearby allies a +10 bonus to Stealth checks.
- Domain Spells (Level 5): Gain two spells from the Trickery Domain.
- Bestow Curse: Curse a target with your touch. The curse applies Disadvantage on Ability checks and Saving throws.
- Fear: Targets drop everything and become Fearful. They have Disadvantage on Ability Checks and Attack Rolls.
- Cloak of Shadows (Level 6): Wrap yourself in shadows to become Invisible if you are Obscured.
- Domain Spells (Level 7): Gain two spells from the Trickery Domain.
- Polymorph: Transform a creature into a harmless sheep.
- Dimension Door: Teleport yourself and up to one adjacent ally to a place you can see. The ally cannot be larger than Medium.
- Divine Strike: Poison (Level 8): Once per turn deal 1-8 Poison damage in addition to your Weapon’s Damage when you make a melee attack.
- Domain Spells (Level 9): Gain two spells from the Trickery Domain.
- Dominate Person: Dominate a nearby humanoid. Allies are unaffected.
- Seeming: Disguise up to 4 members of your adventuring party.
Knowledge Domain
The Knowledge Domain is the best subclass for roleplaying, dialogue, and crowd control for the Cleric class in Baldur’s Gate 3. Knowledge Domain helps provide two domain spells at various levels. These spells are always prepared, and will not take up slots in your spellbook. They are meant to aid your play style and expect them to be heavy crowd control.
The best part of the Knowledge subclass is gaining extra skill proficiency and expertise. You can then have one character that’s very strong in dialogue, exploration, and influencing quest. If you want a support class with good healing, crowd control, and extra benefits in questing, then Cleric Knowledge subclass is best for you.
Knowledge Domain Features
While levelling up, the following features and spells will become available for the Knowledge subclass of Cleric.
- Blessings of Knowledge (Level 1): +2 Expertise Skills, can choose from History, Nature, Religion, Arcana.
- Domain Spells (Level 1): Gain two spells from the Knowledge Domain.
- Command:Command a creature to flee, move closer, freeze, drop to the ground or drop its weapon.
- Sleep: Put creatures into a magical slumber. Select targets up to a combined 24 Hit Points.
- Knowledge of the Ages (Level 2): Gain Proficiency in all Skills of a chosen Ability.
- Domain Spells (Level 3): Gain two spells from the Knowledge Domain.
- Calm Emotions: Humanoids can’t be Charmed, Frightened, or become enraged.
- Hold Person: Hold a humanoid enemy still. They can’t Move, Act, or React. Attacks from within Range: 3m/10ft are always Critical Hits.
- Domain Spells (Level 5): Gain two spells from the Knowledge Domain.
- Speak with Dead: Grant a semblance of life to a corpse, allowing it to answer questions.
- Slow: Alter time around up to 6 enemies to Slow them. They won’t get far, they can’t do much, and they’re easier to hit.
- Read Thoughts (Level 6): Read the thoughts of certain creatures while talking to them.
- Domain Spells (Level 7): Gain two spells from the Knowledge Domain.
- Confusion: Befuddle a group of creatures, causing them to attack at random, wander around aimlessly, and occasionally skip turns in the stupor.
- Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere: Enclose a target in a sphere of shimmering force, reducing its movement speed by half, and blocking all incoming and spell effects.
- Potent Spellcasting (Level 8) – Your god grants you even more intense power. You can add your Wisdom Modifier to the damage you deal with Cleric cantrips.
- Domain Spells (Level 9): Gain two spells from the Knowledge Domain.
- Dominate Person: Dominate a nearby humanoid. Allies are unaffected.
- Telekinesis: Throw a creature or object up to 18m/60ft with a thought.
Patch 8 New Cleric Subclass Death Domain
A Cleric of Death who has a few new dark tricks with spells that deal necrotic damage to three new necromancy cantrips. Moreover, they have the ability to explode any nearby corpses to deal damage to enemies in the explosion range.
NOTE: The Death Domain’s all features and their properties are unknown at this point. The following explanation below is a general overview and playstyle of Cleric Death Domain.
As a cleric of death, you’ll find a few dark new tricks up your sleeves – from spells that specialise in necrotic damage to three new necromancy cantrips. This includes Toll The Dead, a cantrip that causes 1~8 damage when your cleric rings the bell of impending doom – a number that scales if your target has already been damaged. We’ve also added the homebrewed ability to explode nearby corpses, damaging enemies.
FAQs about Cleric Subclasses in BG3
1. Question: How many Cleric subclasses are there in BG3?
Answer: Currently, there are seven subclasses available for Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3. It includes the Life, Light, Tempest, War, Nature, Trickery, and Knowledge. Moreover, an eighth subclass was announced for the Cleric class called Death which will be available in Patch 8, coming out in early 2025.
2. Question: Which is the strongest Cleric subclass in BG3?
Answer: Life is the strongest Cleric subclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 for now. It provides the best overall healing and group utility for a support class. The Life Subclass comes with Heavy Armour Proficiency, Disciple of Life, and Domain Spells.
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