Baldur's Gate 3: Best War Domain Cleric Build

War clerics are perhaps the most versatile character class in Baldur's Gate 3. You have a wide range of spells to both hurt and heal, plus you've got every armor and weapon proficiency in the game, allowing you to wield whatever you find. On top of that, you can strike foes multiple times per round starting at level two, something a Fighter can't do until level four (without using Action Surge at least).

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If you're looking to become a powerful spell sword, able to perform anything the battlefield demands, then it's time to become a cleric of the War Domain. Read on to find out how.

War Domain Cleric Overview

Hit Points Per Level

5 plus Constitution modifier

Saving Throw Proficiencies

Charisma, Wisdom

Weapon Proficiencies

Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Armor Proficiencies

Light Armour, Medium Armor, Heavy Armor, Shields

Skill Proficiencies (Choose Two)

History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion, Religion

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom

A War Domain cleric plays similarly to a paladin in a lot of ways. You want to lead from the front lines, wading into battle with heavy armor and a shield, batting aside goblins, kobolds, and other monsters with a mace or shield. Your spells support both yourself and your allies, and occasionally they'll even Flame Strike an entire crowd of baddies.

What's perhaps most interesting about War Domain clerics is their War Priest ability, which allows them to expend a War Priest Charge to make an extra attack as a bonus action. This means you shoulstatic.aayyy.com/topic/dn/'t bother dual-wielding as a War Domain cleric as your bonus action will typically just be used to swing your main weapon twice.

War Domain clerics will feel pretty strong early on thanks to this extra attack, and they'll feel even stronger with Guided Strike at level two providing a massive +10 bonus to an attack roll. You'll be able to give that bonus to other characters at level six with War God's Blessing, and deal an extra d8 every round with Divine Strike at level eight.

Your Domain spells are all great. Spiritual Weapon and Spirit Guardians ensure your damage remains on par even with full martial classes like fighters, barbarians, and paladins. Spells like Freedom of Movement and Hold Monster ensure your utility even when you can't directly attack, and you still have all the healing spells available to every cleric.

Just about the only thing a War Domain cleric can't do is pass a skill check, so be sure to have a rogue to open locks and a Charisma-based character to do the talking for you.

Starting Ability Scores

Strength

Dexterity

Constitution

Intelligence

Wisdom

Charisma

16(+3)

10(0)

14(+2)

8(-1)

16(+3)

10(0)

War Domain clerics will find themselves pulled equally in two directions. On the one hand, you'll want as much Strength as possible to deal as much damage with your chosen melee weapon. On the other hand, you'll want as much Wisdom as possible to cast your spells with the utmost potency. Both are at 16 for this very reason.

Our secondary ability score is Constitution, which is 14. You'll be relying on heavy armor for your armor class, so Dexterity is left at 10 to at least not have a negative penalty for certain saving throws, but you'll want to rely on magic for any ranged damage.

Charisma is left at 10 for having at least a neutral roll during conversation checks, and Intelligence is eight for being the least useful ability score for clerics (although it still has the most skills attached to it, so feel free to swap Intelligence and Charisma if you so choose).

Leveling The Build And Spell Choices

Cleric Levels

Level

Class Features

Spells

Level 1

• Choose Subclass: War Domain
• Heavy Armor Proficiency, Martial Weapons Proficiency
• +3 War Priest Charges
• +3 Cantrips
• +4 (Cleric Level + Wisdom Modifier) Spells Prepared
• +2 First-Level Spell Slot

Prepared Spells Added:

• Guidance (Cantrip)
• Sacred Flame (Cantrip)
• Produce Flame (Cantrip)
• Healing Word (Level 1)
• Inflict Wounds (Level 1)
• Guiding Bolt (Level 1)
• Bless (Level 1)

Domain Spells (always prepared)

• Divine Favor (Level 1)
• Shield of Faith (Level 1)

Level 2

• Turn Undead
• Channel Divinity: Guided Strike
• +1 Channel Divinity Charges
• +1 First-Level Spell Slot
• +1 Spell Prepared

Prepared Spells Added:

• Command (Level 1)

Level 3

• +1 First-Level Spell Slot
• +2 Second-Level Spell Slots
• +1 Spell Prepared

Prepared Spells Added:

• Lesser Restoration (Level 2)
• Prayer of Healing (Level 2)

Prepared Spells Removed:

• Command (Level 1)

Domain Spells (always prepared)

• Spiritual Weapon (Level 2)
• Magic Weapon (Level 2)

Level 4

• Ability Score Improvement or Feat
  • Choose +2 Strength
• +1 Cantrip
• +1 Spell Prepared
• +1 Second-Level Spell Slot

Prepared Spells Added:

• Thaumaturgy (Cantrip)
• Hold Person (Level 2)

Level 5

• Destroy Undead
• +1 War Priest Charge
• +1 Spell Prepared
• +2 Third-Level Spell Slots

Prepared Spells Added:

• Glyph of Warding (Level 3)

Domain Spells (always prepared)

• Spirit Guardians (Level 3)
• Cursader's Mantle (Level 3)

Level 6

• Channel Divinity: War God's Blessing
• +1 Channel Divinity Charge
• +1 Spell
• +1 Third-Level Spell Slot

Prepared Spells Added:

• Mass Healing Word (Level 3)

Level 7

• +1 Spell Prepared
• +1 Fourth-Level Spell Slot

Prepared Spells Added:

• Banishment (Level 4)

Domain Spells (always prepared)

• Freedom of Movement (Level 4)
• Stoneskin (Level 4)

Level 8

• Ability Score Improvement or Feat
  • Choose +2 Wisdom
• Divine Strike: Weapon
• +1 War Priest Charge
• +2 Spells Prepared
• +1 Fourth-Level Spell Slot

Prepared Spells Added:

• Guardian of Faith (Level 4)
• Revivify (Level 3)

Level 9

• +1 Spell Prepared
• +1 Fourth-Level Spell Slot
• +1 Fifth-Level Spell Slot

Prepared Spells Added:

• Greater Restoration (Level 5)
• Mass Cure Wounds (Level 5)

Prepared Spells Removed:

• Mass Healing Word (Level 3)

Domain Spells (always prepared)

• Flame Strike (Level 5)
• Hold Monster (Level 5)

Level 10

• Divine Intervention
• +1 Cantrip
• +1 Spell Prepared
• +1 Fifth-Level Spell Slot

Prepared Spells Added:

• Blade Ward (Cantrip)
• Planar Binding (Level 5)

Level 11

• +1 War Priest Charge
• +1 Spell
• +1 Sixth-Level Spell Slot

Prepared Spells Added:

• Heal (Level 6)

Level 12

• Ability Score Improvement or Feat
  • Choose +2 Wisdom
• +2 Spells Prepared

Prepared Spells Added:

• Planar Ally (Level 6)
• Dispel Evil and Good (Level 5)

Like druids, clerics know every spell on their spell list, but can only have a limited number of them prepared each day. You can swap these spells at any time after a long rest, so feel free to experiment to see what spells are right for you. The spells you see in the chart above are merely recommended.

War Domain clerics start off incredibly strong. You have three War Priest Charges to attack twice for three rounds, and you've got a collection of spells to augment that power even further. You'll find your bonus action will sometimes compete with Divine Favor for extra damage, and Shield of Faith for extra armor.

Inflict Wounds and Guiding Bolt are both great damage dealers, while Healing Word and Bless heal and buff the team. Your cantrips include Sacred Flame and Produce Flame for ranged attacks and Guidance to help pass those crucial skill checks.

At level two, Command gives you some additional utility, but not as much as Lesser Restoration and Prayer of Healing does at level three. Spiritual Weapon will augment your damage per round significantly, while Magic Weapon gives a bonus to your weapon damage (if you feel you can burn the spell slot).

At level four, take the additional two to Strength to become even better at swinging a weapon. Thaumaturgy provides advantage on a few Charisma-based checks, and Hold Person can trivialize a few early encounters if you can land it.

Level five brings Glyph of Warding, our first AoE damage spell, as well as Spirit Guardians, your best melee combat augmentation. Crusader's Mantle is like Divine Favor for your entire team, although Spirit Guardians is almost always the better choice for damage. Mass Healing Word at level six provides some mass healing, and War God's Blessing will let you add +10 to a friend's attack by burning you reaction.

Level seven gives us Banishment, Freedom of Movement, and Stone Skin, while level eight brings Guardian of Faith and Revivify. You'll also be picking the Wisdom boost to bring your spellcasting up to where your melee damage is. Divine Strike also adds another 1d8 to your weapon attacks.

Greater Restoration and Mass Cure Wounds at level nine let you cure and heal your squad even better than before, while Flame Strike brings the best cleric AoE spell to the fore. Hold Monster can completely nullify a monster, or you can turn it to your side at level 10 with Planar Binding. Blade Ward is chosen as your fifth cantrip.

The last two levels bring us Heal for an intense burst of healing to a single target (most likely yourself), and Plana Ally for perhaps the best summon in the game. Dispel Evil and Good provides an excellent buff that crucially doesn't require concentration.

The suggested end-game gloves, Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength, raise your Strength to 23. Once you obtain this item, feel free to re-spec your character at Withers to pick a different level-four feat. Tough, Savage Attacks, or Lucky are all excellent choices.

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Best Races For A War Domain Cleric

Several races provide beneficial bonuses to a War Domain Cleric. Below we have the potential races ranked best to worst.

Elf

As a melee character, those extra five feet of movement offered by wood elves can be crucial. Perception and stealth proficiency are nice, as is Darkvision and advantage against charm and sleep effects. Probably your best choice.

Half-Elf

Your second-best choice is half-wood elf, but you lose the perception proficiency, so you're always better off going with regular wood elf.

Half-Orc

Half-orcs don't get extra movement, and the intimidation proficiency will only slightly help your poor Charisma score, but Savage Attacks can be a big damage boost, and Relentless Endurance will keep you fighting when other characters have fallen down.

Drow

You get a few good spells in Dancing Lights, Faerie Fire, and Darkness, as well as the usual elvish resistance to charm and sleep effects. Superior Darkvision is fun too, but wood elf is still the better choice.

Dwarf

Duergar is really the only viable dwarf subrace. The armor and weapon proficiencies are unnecessary for a War Domain cleric, and while the extra hit points from gold dwarf is nice, it doesn't compare to the advantage against illusions, charms, and paralysis effects that Duergar receive. Plus you get the Enlarge and Invisibility spells, which are both great.

Halfling

Halfling Luck is great for every class, and despite your piety, War Domain clerics don't receive inherent advantage against fear effects. Resistance to poison is probably better than stealth, so go with Strongheart Halfling.

Gnome

Advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws is a great bonus for clerics who already have proficiency in Charisma and Wisdom. Deep gnome's Superior Darkvision and stealth advantage is probably better than the other two options here.

Githyanki

All those weapon and armor proficiencies are wasted, but Astral Knowledge can go a long way to closing the skill gap clerics typically suffer from. Mage Hand, Enhance Leap, and Misty Step are all useful spells, too.

Tiefling

You'll probably get fire resistance from another source before too long, but the spells tieflings come with can be really handy. Zarierl Tiefling in particular will have you feeling like a paladin with all those Smite spells.

Dragonborn

You only get a damage resistance and a breath weapon with Dragonborn, but as a War Domain cleric, you'll probably be close enough to actually use that breath weapon at least.

Human

You're just getting one skill and 25 percent greater carrying capacity with humans, but since you already have a lot of Strength, you likely don't need help with inventory management. Easily the least useful race for a War Domain cleric.

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Early Game Equipment Build For A War Domain Cleric

Helmet

Cloak

Wapira's Crown

Regain 1d6 hit points whenever you heal another creature.

None

N/A

Armor

Amulet

Adamantine Splint Armour

18 AC Heavy Armor. Reduces all damage by two. Melee attacks inflict three turns of Reeling against your attacker. Attackers cannot land critical hits. Disadvantage on stealth checks.

Amulet of Misty Step

Cast Misty Step once per long rest.

Gloves

Ring #1

Hellrider's Pride

+1 to Strength saving throws. Whenever you heal another creature, it gains resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from weapons.

Caustic Band

+2 acid damage to all weapon attacks.

Boots

Ring #2

Vital Conduit Boots

+1 Athletics, wearer gains 8 temporary hit points whenever they cast a spell that requires concentration.

Crusher's Ring

+5ft movement.

Main-Hand Melee Weapon

Off-Hand Melee Weapon

The Blood of Lathander

1d6 + 3 bludgeoning damage. Once per long rest, regain 2d6 hit points when your hit points are reduced to zero. Allies within 30 feet regain 1d6 hit points. Sheds holy light for 20ft, all fiends and unded are blinded if they fail a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. Cast Sunbeam at level six once per long rest.

Glowing Shield

+2 AC, gain 8 temporary hit points when your hit point total drops below 50 percent.

Main-Hand Ranged Weapon

Off-Hand Ranged Weapon

Bow of Awareness

1d6 + 1 piercing, light weapon, +1 to initiative rolls.

None

N/A

Believe it or not, you can get some pretty heft gear before the end of Act One. Adamantine Splint Armour provides incredible AC and damage reduction, while Blood of Lathander and Glowing Shield both keep you fighting even when your hit points get low. You'll also get a level six spell from Blood of Lathander, which is wildly powerful thing before Act Two.

You're still a cleric, so Wapira's Crown and Hellrider's Pride make your healing that much more effective, and Vital Conduit Boots gives you temporary hit points every time you cast your Spiritual Guardians.

Caustic Band gives you a touch of extra damage, while Crusher's Ring and Amulet of Misty Step can get you into melee range much faster. Bow of Awareness is just for the bonus to initiative rolls--you should be casting cantrips for ranged damage.

Splint Mail +1 is decent until you can get to the Grymforge for Adamantine Splint Armour, and you can substitute Pahalr Aluve until you get Blood of Lathander.

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Late Game Equipment Build For A War Domain Cleric

Helmet

Cloak

Helm of Balduran

+1 to AC and saving throws. You cannot be stunned, attackers cannot land critical hits, and you are healed two hit points at the beginning of every round of combat.

Cloak of the Weave

+1 to spell save DC and spell attack rolls, cast Absorb Elements once per short rest.

Armor

Amulet

Helldusk Armor

21 AC Heavy Armor. You are proficient with this armor while wearing it. Resistance to fire damage, cannot be burned, and reduce all damage by three. Whenever you succeed on a spell saving throw, the caster becomes burned for 3 turns. Grants flying.

Amulet of Greater Health

Your Constitution becomes 23. Advantage on Constitution saving throws.

Gloves

Ring #1

Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength

+1 to Strength saving throws. Your Strength becomes 23.

Killer's Sweetheart

After killing a creature, your next attack will be a critical hit.

Boots

Ring #2

Helldusk Boots

You cannot be forcibly moved. When you fail a saving throw, use your reaction to succeed once per long rest. As a bonus action, teleport up to 60 feet once per short rest and deal 2d8 fire damage in a 10ft radius.

The Whispering Promise

When you heal a creature, it gains +1d4 to attack rolls and saving throws for two turns.

Main-Hand Melee Weapon

Off-Hand Melee Weapon

Devotee's Mace

1d6 + 3 bludgeoning damage, +1d8 radiant damage. As a bonus action, emanate a healing aura that heals you and allies for 1d4 hit points for 10 turns once per long rest.

Viconia's Walking Fortress

+3 AC. Advantage on saving throws against spells. Spell attack rolls against you have disadvantage. After being struck by a melee attack, use your reaction to deal 2-8 force damage to your attacker and knock them prone unless they pass a Dexterity saving throw. Cast Reflective Shell once per short rest, cast Warding Bond once per long rest.

Main-Hand Ranged Weapon

Off-Hand Ranged Weapon

Darkfire Shortbow

1d6 + 1 piercing. Gain fire and cold resistance. Cast Haste once per long rest.

None

N/A

By the end of the game, you can fly, teleport, have massive Strength and Constitution scores, have 24 AC, and both fire and cold resistance. You also can't be stunned, critted, are constantly healed, and also add 1d4 to all attacks and saving throws. In short, you're the ultimate warrior.

Let's start with Devotee's Mace. You get this after reaching level 10 and using your Divine Intervention to Arm Thy Servant. Your god will grant you this Mace, which deals more damage than anything in the game and also produces a healing aura. Both this and the healing aura provided by Helm of Balduran activate The Whispering Promise which gives 1d4 to all attacks and saving throws.

Helldusk Armor is mostly just a boatload of AC, but it also lets you fly, which is pretty great. Helldusk Boots let you teleport and prevent you from being moved away, so you never have to worry about not being able to whack opponents with your mace.

Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength and Amulet of Greater Health give your War cleric the Strength and Constitution you wished you had throughout the game. Cloak of the Weave improves your spellcasting slightly, and Viconia's Walking Fortress provides yet more AC and a few useful spells.

Darkfire Shortbow is there entirely to provide cold resistance and the Haste spell, but feel free to keep the Bow of Awareness if you prefer the initiative boost.

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