Baldur's Gate 3 - Cleric Build Guide

The best Baldur's Gate 3 Cleric build makes use of the class' best bits: elemental forces and holy might. With these abilities, you can ensure that your allies are kept safe while picking off enemies quickly and efficiently. Our Baldur's Gate 3 Cleric build guide discusses a viable option for your campaign by way of the Tempest Domain.

Baldur's Gate 3 Cleric build guide - Tempest Domain

Our Baldur's Gate 3 Cleric build guide delves deeper into the Tempest Domain, which is bolstered by the use of lightning and thunder damage. We also have a Cleric class overview that takes note of ideal selections during character creation.

As an aside, we opted to focus on a build that avoids multiclassing. However, you're able to respec and change classes when you see fit, if you want more flexibility.

Cleric Build Summary

As cited in our overview, we're going to make the most out of the Cleric's capabilities. The class gains the benefits of magic spells by way of the Wisdom stat, as well as proficiencies in all armor types. We recommend the following for the Baldur's Gate 3 Cleric build:

• Race: Human or Wood Half-Elf
• Background: Any, but Acolyte and Folk Hero are good.
• Abilities: 8 STR, 14/15 DEX, 16 CON, 8 INT, 17 WIS, and 8/10 CHA.
• Weapons and armor: Any type of armor; weapons should preferably be maces, warhammers, or spears.

Cleric Leveling Progression

For our Baldur's Gate 3 Cleric build guide, we note the spells that you should choose during character creation, making sure they're prepared for the long road ahead. For succeeding levels, we detail the top choices among spells.

Level 1

Subclass:

• Tempest Domain: Wrath of the Storm class feature - Strike back at an attacking creature, potentially dealing 2-16 lightning damage; on a failed saving throw, you deal half of a 2-16 thunder damage roll.

Cantrips:

• Guidance - Target gains a 1d4 bonus to an ability check.
• Sacred Flame - Deal damage and engulf a target in flame-like radiance.
• Optional: Thaumaturgy - Gain an advantage to Intimidation and Performance checks.
• Optional: Resistance - Target gains a 1d4 bonus to saving throws.
• Optional: Blade Ward - Take only half the damage from bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing attacks.

Level 2

Class Features:

• Spell Slots - You have a number of spell slots pertaining to a particular tier. These are refreshed when you do a long rest.
• Channel Divinity Charges - Expend Divinity Charge to use certain spells. The first is Turn Undead, and you gain new ones later based on your subclass. You also gain additional Divinity Charges at higher levels.
• Turn Undead - Prevent nearby undead from taking actions, bonus actions, or reactions; the effect ends upon taking damage.

Subclass Feature:

• Destructive Wrath - When you roll with thunder or lightning damage, you can use Channel Divinity to deal the maximum damage.

Spells:

• Create or Destroy Water - Call forth rain or destroy a water-based surface.
• Healing Word - Heal a target for 4-7 HP.
• Guiding Bolt - Deal 4-24 radiant damage; the next attack roll against the target has an advantage.
• Bless - Give three targets a 1d4 bonus to attack rolls and saving throws.
• Optional: Thaumaturgy - Gain an advantage on Intimidation and Performance checks.
• Optional: Bane - Give three targets a -1d4 penalty to attack rolls and saving throws.
• Optional: Command - Order a creature to flee, move closer, freeze, drop to the ground, or drop its melee weapon.
• Optional: Sanctuary - You or an ally can't be targeted until you harm another creature; can still get hit by AoE attacks and spells.

Since we'll primarily use thunder and lightning damage for our Baldur's Gate 3 Cleric build, the Create or Destroy Water spell can render a spot wet, which means enemies will be greatly afflicted by shocking effects.

Level 3

Subclass Spells:

• Shatter - Deals 3-24 thunder damage in a wide area; targets made out of inorganic material have a disadvantage to their saving throws.
• Gust of Wind - Push back creatures by five meters, forcing them off-balance.

Spells:

• Add: Spiritual Weapon - Summon a floating weapon that you can control; deals 4-11 force damage.
• Add: Prayer of Healing - Heal all allies that you can see for 5-19 HP.
• Drop the previous optional spell that you got.

Level 4

Feat: Ability Improvement - Add +2 to your Wisdom; make sure you defeat Auntie Ethel so you can reach the 20 Wisdom cap.

Cantrip: Choose any of the remaining options mentioned earlier.

Level 5

Class Feature:

• Destroy Undead - When you successfully turn an undead creature, it also takes 4-24 radiant damage.

Subclass Spells:

• Call Lightning - Lightning strikes all targets within range, dealing 3-30 damage; for 10 turns afterward, you can call down lightning again without expending a spell slot.
• Sleet Storm - Disrupts the concentration of spellcasters, douses fires, and creates an ice surface.

Prepare Spells:

• Mass Healing Word - Heals up to six allies for 5-8 HP.
• Spirit Guardians - Concentrate to have a spiritual aura spin around you, dealing 3-24 radiant or necrotic damage to enemies within its radius.
• Optional: Daylight - Make an item shine like the sun or summon a sphere of sunlight that dispels all darkness.
• Optional: Beacon of Hope - Concentrate so that all allies gain maximum HP when healed; allies gain an advantage to Wisdom saving throws and death saves.

Level 6

Subclass Feature:

• Thunderbolt Strike - When you deal thunder or lightning damage to a target that is large or smaller, you can also push it by up to three meters.

Level 7

Subclass Spells:

• Ice Storm - Deals 6-40 cold damage in a wide area; the frost that is formed can cause those within it to slip and fall prone.
• Freedom of Movement - Removes stun from an ally; difficult terrain can't slow them down; cannot be paralyzed or restrained magically.

Spells:

• Guardian of Faith - Spawn a divine guardian that attacks enemies within its radius; it will lose HP equal to the damage it deals.
• Death Ward - Protect a target from death; fatal damage will instead keep them at 1 HP.

Level 8

Subclass Actions:

• Divine Strike: Tempest - Once per turn, deal 1-8 thunder damage in addition to your weapon's base damage when you make a melee attack.

Feat:

• War Caster - Gain advantage on saving throws used to maintain concentration on a spell. Allows you to use a reaction to cast Shocking Grasp at a target when it moves out of melee range.

Level 9

Spells:

• Flame Strike - Cause 10-60 fire and radiant damage; calls down a pillar of fire from the heavens.
• Mass Cure Wounds - Heal 7-28 HP for you and nearby allies.

Level 10

Class Feature: Divine Intervention - Call on your deity for aid during your greatest need; can only be used once by the character throughout the entire campaign.

Level 11

Spells:

• Planar Ally - Summon either a Deva, Djinni, or Cambion to fight alongside you.
• Blade Barrier - Create an area that turns into difficult terrain, damaging those that get too close.

Level 12

Feat - It's the tail end portion of the game. You could opt for Shield Master for a +2 Dexterity saving throw bonus, and a chance to halve or nullify a spell with a Dex save. Alternatively, there's Mobile, which increases your movement range, prevents difficult terrain from slowing you down when you dash, and negates an opportunity attack when you move away from an enemy after doing a melee attack.

In any case, there are our picks for the best Cleric build in Baldur's Gate 3. The game is is filled to the brim with activities and secrets. You'll no doubt be part of an adventure that can take countless hours to complete. For other tips, you can visit our BG3 guides hub.