Every Cleric Subclass (Domain), Ranked Worst to Best

Clerics are one of the most versatile support classes in Baldur's Gate 3, capable of providing healing alongside buffs. When creating a cleric, one of the first steps is to choose their subclass, known as their domain, which will determine what spells and abilities the character will have. With seven subclasses currently available, it is important to know which are the strongest and have the most to offer to make the most of any Baldur's Gate 3 playthrough.

Unless looking to create a cleric multiclass build in Baldur's Gate 3 most cleric character will be providing back up for the rest of the party. This means buffing damage dealers and keeping tanks on their feet through the difficult battles. A good cleric should be useful from the start through to the very end of Baldur's Gate 3, so knowing which subclass to pick is key.

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7 Knowledge Domain Cleric

Mystra, Oghma, Moradin, Selune

The Knowledge Domain is a subclass that performs better in out-of-combatsituations than in battle in BG3. At level one, the cleric is able to choose two skills to become proficient in from either Arcana, History, Nature or Religion. Even better, the proficiency bonus for the chosen skills is doubled, making passing skill checks much easier. At level two, the Channel Divinity ability, Knowledge of the Ages, lets the cleric gain proficiency in all skills of a chosen ability until the next long rest. This means if Dexterity is chosen, then the cleric will then be proficient in Stealth, Sleight of Hand, and Acrobatics, or Deception, Intimidation, Performance, and Persuasion if Charisma is chosen.

Knowledge Domain clerics gain a second Channel Divinity option at level six, where they gain the ability Read Thoughts. This pairs very well with spells available to Knowledge Domain clerics such as calm emotions, confusion, and dominate person, letting the cleric use their mind to control the situation. Knowledge clerics are a tricky subclass to build, though, as their Blessing of Knowledge focuses on skills that require Intelligence as the main stat, while their regular cleric ability use Wisdom.

6 Light Domain Cleric

Corellon Larethian, Eilistraee, Helm, Lathander

The Light Domain, as the name suggests, focuses on spells and abilities to do with light and fire. This BG3 subclass gets a lot of excellent offensive spells, such as burning hands at level one and fireball at level five, but there are also a lot of useful utility spells like faerie fire and daylight. However, what sets each cleric domain apart are the Channel Divinity abilities, and this is where the Light Domain really shines. Radiance of the Dawn becomes available at level two and packs a real punch.

Radiance of the Dawn allows the cleric to deal 2d10 plus the character's level in radiant damage, which is extremely effective against undead such as the shadows in Act Two. To make up for Light Domain clerics only being able to wear medium armor, their Warding Flare ability keeps them a little safer in battle. As a reaction, the cleric can impose disadvantage on an attack, which gets upgraded at level six to include when an ally is attacked.

5 Trickery Domain Cleric

Garl Glittergold, Lolth, Shar, Tiamat, Tymora

The Trickery Domain is one of those subclasses that can be difficult to master, but once a player has, then it's a ton of fun. The main focus of the Trickery cleric is stealth and fooling enemies with disguises. With permanently prepared spells like disguise self and seeming, alongside crowd control spells like polymorph, dominate person and fear, Trickery clerics can cover a multitude of situations.

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The Channel Divinity ability for Trickery clerics is Invoke Duplicity, which summons an illusory person to distract enemies. This gives the cleric and the rest of the party advantage on attack rolls, so long as the target and the illusion are within three meters. But the most useful aspect of the Trickery Domain is Blessing of the Trickster, a first-level ability that lets the cleric give an ally advantage on Stealth check. This really comes in handy for any BG3 party members wearing heavy armor who would otherwise have disadvantage.

4 Nature Domain Cleric

Eilistraee, Mielikki

The Nature Domain focuses on the natural world of plants and animals and has a lot of cross over with druids, but with the added bonus of heavy armor. Nature clerics even get to learn a druid cantrip at level one as well as gain proficiency in either Animal Handling, Nature, or Survival. Nature clerics also have speak with animals permanently prepared, which they can cast as a ritual at the start of each day to make sure the party can always chat to every critter they encounter in BG3.

While the Nature Domain's first Channel Divinity ability at level two is very situational, allowing them to charm beasts and plants, the second ability at level six is extremely useful. Dampen Elements allows the cleric to use Channel Divinity as a reaction to halve the damage taken when an ally gets hit with an attack that deals acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage. Then, at level eight, Nature Domain clerics get another great offensive ability with their Divine Strike: Elemental Fury, which allows them to deal an extra 1d8 of cold, fire or lightning damage once per turn.

3 War Domain Cleric

Bahamut, Corellon Larethian, Gruumsh, Lolth, Tempus, Tyr

The War Domain is all about dealing damage and buffing the party to increase their damage. Their War Priest ability lets them make another attack as a bonus action whenever the cleric uses their action to make an unarmed or weapon attack. This can be used three times per long rest, which increases at levels five, eight, and 11 to a total of six uses per long rest.

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The War Domain's Channel Divinity abilities focus on guaranteeing that attacks will land with Guided Strike at level two, adding a plus 10 bonus to the cleric's attack rolls. This is upgraded at level six with War God's Blessing to allow the cleric to use their reaction to give an ally the plus 10 instead. War clerics get access to heavy armor as well as proficiency in martial weapons making them great on the front line early in Baldur's Gate 3.

2 Tempest Domain Cleric

Gruumsh, Talos

The Tempest Domain is all about lightning and thunder damage, something that is incredibly effective in Baldur's Gate 3. With access to heavy armor and martial weapons, the Tempest cleric is able to deal more damage than the War Domain cleric thanks to its level one ability, Wrath of the Storm. This lets the cleric deal 2d8 lightning or thunder damage as a reaction when hit by an attack. In BG3, this ability has no limit to its uses, unlike the DnD version.

The damage dealing continues to outpace any other cleric subclass with the Tempest's Channel Divinity ability at level two: Destructive Wrath. This lets the cleric deal max damage when dealing lightning or thunder damage, and when used effectively, can decimate enemies. Finally, Tempest clerics can push enemies three meters away when dealing thunder or lightning damage and add an extra 1d8 thunder damage to weapon attacks with their Divine Strike: Tempest ability at level eight. When used together, the Tempest Domain's abilities can deal out high amounts of damage, making them extremely useful as both buffers and DPS.

1 Life Domain Cleric

Bahamut, Corellon Larethian, Helm, Ilmater, Lathander, Selune, Yondalla

Finally, the Life Domain is the classic cleric subclass with a focus on healing and keeping allies in the fight and the best cleric subclass in BG3. Protected by heavy armor, the Life cleric has the best healing in Baldur's Gate 3 with the sole aim of buffing the rest of the party while they deal damage. With spells like cure wounds, revivify, and death ward permanently prepared, there is never any chance of a Life cleric letting a companion stay down for long.

Straight away at level one, the Life Domain gets the feature Disciple of Life, which gives targets of their healing spells two plus the spell's level in additional hit points. Then, at level two, the Channel Divinity ability Preserve Life heals targets three plus the cleric's level in extra hit points. The Life cleric can also heal themselves while healing others by level six when they gain Blessed Healer, which restores two plus the spell's level in hit points whenever they cast a healing spell. The Life Domain exemplifies the traditional fantasy healer, guaranteeing that whatever Baldur's Gate 3 throws at the party, the cleric will have things well in hand.