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A Comprehensive Guide to Cleric Spells in Dungeons & Dragons 5e

Introduction

Clerics are a versatile and powerful class in Dungeons & Dragons 5e, known for their healing abilities, divine magic, and strong connection to their deities. Their spellcasting prowess grants them access to a wide range of spells that can alter the course of battles, support their allies, and inflict harm upon their enemies. This guide will provide an in-depth analysis of cleric spells in 5e, covering everything from cantrips to powerful 9th-level spells.

Types of Cleric Spells

Clerics have access to three types of spells:

Cantrips

  • Guidance (Verbal): Grants an ally a +1d4 bonus to an ability check.
  • Light (Verbal): Creates a small orb of light.
  • Sacred Flame (Verbal, Somatic): Deals 1d8 radiant damage to a creature within 60 feet.
  • Thaumaturgy (Verbal): Performs minor magical effects, such as making a small object glow or causing a minor tremor.

Domain Spells

  • Clerics gain access to a set of domain spells based on their chosen deity.
  • These spells are always prepared and count against the cleric's total number of prepared spells.
  • Examples include Bless (Life domain), Command (Order domain), and Inflict Wounds (Death domain).

Prepared Spells

  • Clerics prepare a number of spells each day equal to their Wisdom modifier + their cleric level.
  • These spells can be chosen from the cleric spell list or any domain spell list they have access to.
  • Examples include Cure Wounds, Spiritual Weapon, and Guiding Bolt.

Spell Levels and Slots

Clerics gain access to higher-level spell slots as they level up, allowing them to cast more powerful spells. The number of spell slots available at each level is as follows:

Level Spell Slots
1 2
2 3
3 4
4 5
5 6
6 7
7 8
8 9
9 10
10 11
11 12
12 13
13 14
14 15
15 16
16 17
17 18
18 19
19 20
20 21

How to Choose Cleric Spells

When choosing cleric spells, consider the following factors:

  • Deity and Domain: Some spells are exclusive to certain deities or domains.
  • Party Composition: Select spells that complement the abilities of your party members.
  • Role in the Party: Are you primarily a healer, support caster, or damage dealer?
  • Encounter Type: Consider the type of encounters you are likely to face and choose spells accordingly.

Useful Cleric Spells

1st Level

  • Bless: Grants an ally a +1d4 bonus to attack rolls or saving throws.
  • Cure Wounds: Heals an ally for 1d8 + your Wisdom modifier.
  • Guiding Bolt: Fires a ray of radiant light that deals 4d6 radiant damage and grants an ally advantage on their next attack roll against the target.
  • Sanctuary: Designates an ally as a sanctuary, granting them resistance to damage and advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.

2nd Level

  • Hold Person: Paralyzes a creature with a Wisdom save.
  • Prayer of Healing: Heals up to 6 creatures for 2d8 + your Wisdom modifier each.
  • Spiritual Weapon: Creates a floating weapon that deals 1d8 + your Wisdom modifier force damage on hit.
  • Zone of Truth: Compels a creature within 30 feet to tell the truth when questioned.

3rd Level

  • Dispel Magic: Ends a spell or magical effect on a creature or object.
  • Mass Healing Word: Heals up to 6 creatures for 1d4 + your Wisdom modifier each.
  • Revivify: Brings a creature with a Wisdom save back from the dead.
  • Spirit Guardians: Creates a 15-foot radius area of spirits that deal 3d8 radiant damage to creatures ending their turn in the area.

4th Level

  • Banishment: Sends a creature to another plane of existence until your next turn.
  • Control Water: Controls water within 100 feet, allowing you to manipulate its flow, create walls, and deal damage.
  • Death Ward: Grants an ally a +10 bonus to saving throws against death effects.
  • Greater Invisibility: Renders a creature invisible until it attacks, casts a spell, or its concentration ends.

5th Level

  • Flame Strike: Calls down a bolt of fire that deals 6d6 fire damage and an additional 3d6 fire damage to creatures within 5 feet of the target.
  • Mass Cure Wounds: Heals up to 6 creatures for 8d8 + your Wisdom modifier each.
  • Raise Dead: Brings a creature back from the dead, restoring it to full health.
  • Scrying: Allows you to see and hear a person or creature you know within 1,000 feet.

6th Level

  • Harm: Reduces a creature's hit points to 1.
  • Heal: Heals an ally for 70 hit points.
  • True Seeing: Grants you the ability to see invisible creatures, identify illusions, and see through disguises.
  • Word of Recall: Teleports you and up to 8 willing creatures to a designated sanctuary.

7th Level

  • Divine Intervention: Calls upon your deity to intervene in a situation.
  • Etherealness: Allows you and up to 8 willing creatures to move through the Ethereal Plane for 1 hour.
  • Plane Shift: Teleports you and up to 8 willing creatures to another plane of existence.
  • Regenerate: Heals a creature for 7d8 hit points each turn for 10 turns.

8th Level

  • Antimagic Field: Creates a 10-foot radius area where spells and magical effects are suppressed.
  • Earthquake: Causes an earthquake that deals 8d6 bludgeoning damage to creatures in a 50-foot radius.
  • Holy Aura: Grants you and creatures within 30 feet advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
  • Mass Heal: Heals up to 6 creatures for 5d8 + your Wisdom modifier each.

9th Level

  • Gate: Opens a portal to another plane of existence, allowing creatures to travel between them.
  • True Resurrection: Brings a creature back from the dead, restoring it to full health and removing any curses or other negative effects.
  • Wish: Allows you to cast any spell of 8th level or lower without expending a spell slot.

Tips and Tricks for Cleric Spells

  • Use Bless and Guidance to Boost Party Members: These spells can significantly increase the chances of successful attacks, ability checks, and saving throws.
  • Combine Spiritual Weapon with Spirit Guardians: Spiritual Weapon provides constant damage, while Spirit Guardians deals damage to multiple creatures in an area.
  • Utilize Divine Intervention Wisely: This powerful ability can turn the tide of battle or resolve a difficult situation.
  • Maximize Healing Output: Use Healing Word for quick heals, Prayer of Healing for group healing, and Mass Healing Word for large-scale healing.
  • Prepare for Multiple Encounter Types: Have a mix of damage, support, and healing spells prepared to handle different scenarios.

Table of Cleric Cantrips

Cantrip Effect
Guidance Grants an ally a +1d4 bonus to an ability check.
Light Creates a small orb of light.
Sacred Flame Deals 1d8 radiant damage to a creature within 60 feet.
Thaumaturgy Performs minor magical effects, such as making a small object glow or causing a minor tremor.

Table of Cleric Domain Spells

Domain Spells
Death Inflict Wounds, Toll the Dead, False Life, Vampiric Touch, Ray of Sickness, Animate Dead, Blight, Eyebite, Harm, Finger of Death
Forge Burning Hands, Shield, Magic Weapon, Heat Metal, Branding Smite, Protection from Energy, Searing Smite, Arcane Lock, Fabricate, Wall of Fire
Grave Spare the Dying, Bane, Ray of Sickness, Silence, Inflict Wounds, False Life, Blindness/Deafness, Revivify, Desecrate, Danse Macabre
Knowledge Minor Illusion, Mage Hand, Bless, Identify, Comprehend Languages, Speak with Animals, Suggestion, Arcane Eye, Legend Lore, Scrying
Life Cure Wounds, Bless, Prayer of Healing
Time:2024-09-28 13:01:27 UTC

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