Dungeons & Dragons 5e: Best Cleric Builds

Name

Source

Description

Aarakocra

Elemental Evil Player’s Companion

+1 to Wisdom and a +2 to Dexterity, making this an ideal choice for Clerics who want better melee weapon skills.

Centaur

Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica

The bonuses to both Strength and Wisdom make the Centaur one of the better options.

Firbolg

Volo’s Guide to Monsters

+2 Wisdom makes this one of the best races for Clerics in 5e available.

Druegar

Monsters of the Multiverse

The usual Dwarven Constitution bonus and poison resistance, plus Darkvision and some psionic and arcane powers.

Half-Elf

The Player’s Handbook

+2 Charisma if multiclassing into a Bard or Paladin or the party’s leader. +1 to two other ability scores as an option to improve Wisdom.

Hill Dwarf

The Player’s Handbook

+1 to Wisdom on top of the Constitution bonus Dwarves already have.

Human

The Player’s Handbook

One of the most customizable races in RPG history. A Human makes a great anything with their bonus to every ability score.

Kalashtar

Eberron: Rising from the Last War

+2 to Wisdom and follows it up with a Charisma buff. One of the best races for a 5e Cleric who’s taken a leadership role.

Kenku.

Volo’s Guide to Monsters

+1 to Wisdom and +2 to Dexterity. This is the best race for a 5e Cleric who wants to play a morally ambiguous character with Rogue-like traits.

Loxodon

Guildmaster’s Guide to Ravnica

An obvious choice for players using the module to build a front-line melee Cleric.

Tiefling

The Player’s Handbook

Choose a Bloodline that improves Wisdom, Constitution, or Strength depending on the build.

Variant Human

The Player’s Handbook

Two ability scores of the player’s choice increase by +1, which can be used to raise Wisdom.

Wood Elf

The Player’s Handbook

All of the usual Elven traits along with a +1 to Wisdom, making it one of the best races for a Cleric in 5e.

Domain Name

Description

Arcana

Allows access to Wizard spells. An ideal choice for Clerics who have a decent Intelligence score and want to cast both damaging and healing spells.

Death

Other RPGs call this class a Shadow Priest. Their primary role is to deal damage, often of the necrotic type.

Forge

A suitable choice for a Defense role. This is the battle-Cleric who can take damage and cast both offensive and healing spells.

Grave

For damage, buffing, and healing. One of the most versatile Domains.

Knowledge

Expertise in two more skills and more Divination options. A good choice for any Cleric build.

Life

The best choice for a healing build. It’s also a solid Defense option with improved AC.

Light

A Cleric that uses the power of the Sun to do fire and radiant damage. A nice backstory to this is that the Cleric is a follower of a solar deity like Amaunator.

Nature

Allows access to Druid Spells, which include healing and damage options, plus the ability to wear heavier armor than a Druid.

Order

For Clerics who want to multi-class as a Paladin or take the same role as one. Comes with heavy armor and weapon proficiencies.

Tempest

Access to thunder and lightning spells, plus the ability to wear heavy armor.

Trickery

The obvious choice for Clerics that dabble in the Roguish side of life. Offers access to Illusion spells and abilities like stealth.

War

A front-line fighting Cleric with access to heavy armor and a variety of martial weapons and skills.

Twilight

A role that covers both protection and offensive powers, has access to heavy armor when front-line fighting.

Peace

It’s not an offensive domain, but it excels at protection, buffing, and healing.

Name

Skill Check

Description

Insight

Wisdom

Used to determine the true intentions of any creature. Handy in public spaces as well as in battle situations when deception is afoot.

Arcana

Intelligence

A smart Cleric can use this to recall more information about spells, magical items, and different planes of existence, among other themes.

Religion

Intelligence

Measures the Cleric’s ability to remember the lore, history, and other facts concerning virtually everything connected to religions.

Athletics

Strength

A nice boost for a tank or melee fighting build, this gives a character better agility and accuracy when jumping, running, or swimming.

Persuasion

Charisma

Useful for Clerics who act as the party leader but can have other uses as long as players have the Charisma score to back it up.

Perception

Wisdom

Ideal for any character, but it makes sense for the wisest in the party or the character in a leading role to be the first to detect an enemy or hidden object.

Name

Description

Resilient

Important for any healer, this is the Feat that helps with Concentration saves when casting in battle.

Heavily Armored

Strength increases by one, and the Cleric gains Heavy Armor proficiency. Best for defender and melee fighter builds.

Alert

A +5 bonus to Initiative is great for anyone, especially the party leader. It also means the character can’t be surprised while conscious or when attacked by a hidden enemy.

Skill Expert

Players can use this Feat to increase any Ability Score by one. It’s great for any Cleric build.

Fey Touched

Increases either Wisdom, Charisma, or Intelligence score by +1. Teaches the spell Misty Step and any other spell from the Divination or Enchantment schools of magic.

War Caster

Similar to Resilient, but it’s taken up a notch and is an ideal Feat for Clerics of any build.

Durable

Constitution increases by one, and when the Cleric rolls to regain hit points, how much they regain is determined by their Constitution modifier.

Metamagic Adept

Handy for any spellcaster, but it’s even more useful for Clerics and their healing spells.

Shadow Touched

Not only great for the stat bonuses and extra spells like Invisibility, but it’s the result of being exposed to the magic of the Shadowfell and has great role-play potential.

Name

Description

Acolyte

Most builds take this background, as it’s the most obvious choice for the class. It includes benefits like Insight and two bonus languages.

Haunted One

This character has a dark secret that follows them everywhere. Benefits include two extra languages and a Monster Hunting Kit.

Witherbloom Student

Exclusive to Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos, this is ideal for healers or melee fighters who want to expand their casting abilities with spells like Blight and Death Ward.

Cloistered Scholar

An easy fit for a Cleric’s backstory, this character has increased knowledge of either Nature, Arcana, or Religion along with any two languages the player chooses.

Faction Agent

Includes Insight along with Perception and two bonus languages. This is a decent choice for a campaign that involves political intrigue, spies, or a cult.

Criminal

Also referred to as a Spy for the fainter of heart, this Cleric might come from a dark past that includes handy skills like Stealth and lockpicking.

Hermit

Choosing the Nature Domain makes this a good fit. These Clerics have Insight and Medicine skills and can brew their own potions.

Initiate

Found in the Plane Shift – Amonkhet module, the Initiate is steeped in ancient and venerated Cleric-like rituals and traditions.

Archaeologist

The cartographer and digging tools are handy anyway, but the character also gets an extra language and a set of traveling clothes.

Courtier

Clerics who are the face of their party will find this boost to their Persuasion and Insight skills, plus two bonus languages, very handy indeed.