The Cleric: A Divine Vanguard

5.5e Cleric — 2024 Rules

Core class and Life Domain: SRD 5.2.1. Subclass choice begins at level 3.

Core Traits and Starting Equipment

Hit points: 8 + Constitution modifier at level 1; 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier for each later Cleric level. Saving throws: Wisdom and Charisma. Skills: choose two from History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion, and Religion. Weapons: simple weapons. Armour: light and medium armour, and shields. Divine Order can add heavy armour and martial weapons.

Equipment: choose (A) a chain shirt, shield, mace, holy symbol, priest’s pack, and 7 GP; or (B) 110 GP. Add the equipment provided by your background.

Table key: PB = proficiency bonus. Spell-slot columns are spell levels 1–9. Prepared spells exclude cantrips and spells always prepared by another Cleric feature. Thaumaturge adds one cantrip beyond the table.

Level 1: Spellcasting

You know three Cleric cantrips. Guidance, Sacred Flame, and Thaumaturgy are useful starting choices. At each Cleric level, you may replace one cantrip with another from the Cleric list. Learn another at levels 4 and 10.

Prepare four level 1 Cleric spells at level 1; thereafter use the Prepared Spells column. Choose spells of levels for which you have slots. You can change any prepared spells when you finish a Long Rest. Always-prepared spells from other Cleric features count as Cleric spells and do not use this allowance. Casting a prepared spell spends a slot of its level or higher; the spell remains prepared. All expended spell slots return after a Long Rest.

Spell save DC: 8 + PB + Wisdom modifier. Spell attack modifier: PB + Wisdom modifier. A holy symbol is your spellcasting focus. A prepared spell with the Ritual tag can be cast as a ritual under the general spellcasting rules. A ritual adds 10 minutes to casting and does not expend a slot.

Level 1: Divine Order

• Protector: gain martial weapon proficiency and heavy armour training.
• Thaumaturge: learn one additional Cleric cantrip. Add your Wisdom modifier (minimum +1) to Intelligence checks using Arcana or Religion.

Level 2: Channel Divinity

Each use creates one Cleric Channel Divinity effect. You start with two uses, gain a third at level 6 and a fourth at level 18. A Short Rest restores one expended use; a Long Rest restores all. Saving throws use your Cleric spell save DC.

• Divine Spark: as a Magic action, point your holy symbol at another creature you can see within 30 feet. Roll 1d8 + Wisdom modifier; either restore that many hit points or deal your choice of radiant or necrotic damage. For damage, the creature makes a Constitution save, taking half on a success. The dice increase to 2d8 at level 7, 3d8 at level 13, and 4d8 at level 18.
• Turn Undead: as a Magic action, present your holy symbol. Each undead you choose within 30 feet makes a Wisdom save. On failure, it is Frightened and Incapacitated for 1 minute and tries to move as far from you as it can on its turns. The effect ends for that creature if it takes damage, if you become Incapacitated, or if you die.

Level 3: Cleric Subclass

Choose a Cleric subclass. Gain its features at the stated levels: the Life Domain below grants features at 3, 6, and 17. Use the appropriate edition of a domain; older subclass features require the relevant compatibility rules.

Levels 4, 8, 12, and 16: Ability Score Improvement

Gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat for which you qualify. The Ability Score Improvement feat raises one ability by 2 or two abilities by 1, to a maximum of 20.

Level 5: Sear Undead

When you use Turn Undead, you may roll a number of d8s equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1d8). Each undead that fails the save takes radiant damage equal to the total. This damage does not end the turn effect.

Level 7: Blessed Strikes

Choose one benefit. If an older Cleric subclass also grants Divine Strike or Potent Spellcasting, use only the option selected here.

• Divine Strike: once on each of your turns, when you hit a creature with an attack roll using a weapon, deal an extra 1d8 radiant or necrotic damage (your choice).
• Potent Spellcasting: add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal with any Cleric cantrip.

Level 10: Divine Intervention

As a Magic action, choose a Cleric spell of level 5 or lower that does not require a Reaction to cast. Cast it as part of that action without a spell slot or material components. You regain this feature after a Long Rest.

Level 14: Improved Blessed Strikes

• Divine Strike: the extra damage becomes 2d8.
• Potent Spellcasting: when a Cleric cantrip you cast damages a creature, you can give yourself or another creature within 60 feet temporary hit points equal to twice your Wisdom modifier.

Level 19: Epic Boon

Gain an Epic Boon feat or another feat for which you qualify. Boon of Fate is the SRD recommendation.

Level 20: Greater Divine Intervention

You may select Wish with Divine Intervention. If you do, you cannot use Divine Intervention again until you finish 2d4 Long Rests. Apply Wish’s own rules, including the stress associated with uses beyond duplicating a spell.

Life Domain — 2024

A Life Cleric can serve a deity of healing, agriculture, endurance, or community. This domain begins at level 3 and does not independently grant heavy armour.

• Level 3 — Disciple of Life: when a spell cast with a spell slot restores hit points to a creature, that creature regains extra hit points on the turn you cast it equal to 2 + the slot’s level.
• Level 3 — Preserve Life: as a Magic action, present your holy symbol and spend one Channel Divinity use. Divide a healing pool equal to five times your Cleric level among Bloodied creatures within 30 feet, including yourself if desired. Each recipient can be healed only up to half its hit point maximum. Bloodied means at half maximum hit points or fewer.
• Level 6 — Blessed Healer: immediately after you cast a spell with a slot that restores hit points to one or more creatures other than yourself, regain hit points equal to 2 + the slot’s level.
• Level 17 — Supreme Healing: when a spell or Channel Divinity would roll dice to restore hit points, use the maximum result for each healing die.

Multiclassing: Wisdom 13 is required to enter or leave Cleric through multiclassing. Entering Cleric grants its Hit Point Die, light and medium armour training, shields, and level 1 features; it does not grant the class’s starting saving throw or skill proficiencies. Use the multiclass spell-slot rules and prepare Cleric spells according to your Cleric level.

2024 Cleric rules, spell list, and Life Domain — SRD 5.2.1, pp. 36–40

5e Cleric — 2014 Rules

Core class and Life Domain: SRD 5.1. Divine Domain is chosen at level 1.

Hit Points and Proficiencies

Hit points: 8 + Constitution modifier at level 1; 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier for each later Cleric level. Saving throws: Wisdom and Charisma. Skills: choose two from History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion, and Religion. Weapons: simple weapons. Armour: light and medium armour, and shields. Tools: none. A domain may add proficiencies.

Starting equipment: a mace or a warhammer if proficient; scale mail, leather armour, or chain mail if proficient; a light crossbow with 20 bolts or any simple weapon; a priest’s pack or explorer’s pack; a shield and holy symbol. Add your background equipment.

Table key: PB = proficiency bonus. Channel uses are regained in full after a short or long rest. Spell-slot columns cover spell levels 1–9.

Level 1: Spellcasting

Know three Cleric cantrips, increasing to four at level 4 and five at level 10. The core 2014 class does not grant routine cantrip replacement on gaining a level.

Prepare a number of Cleric spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + Cleric level (minimum one), choosing spells of levels for which you have spell slots. Domain spells are always prepared and do not count against this number. You may change your prepared list after a long rest; preparing a new list takes at least 1 minute of prayer and meditation per spell level for each spell on it. Casting a prepared spell expends a slot of its level or higher without removing it from your prepared list. Regain all spell slots after a long rest.

Spell save DC: 8 + PB + Wisdom modifier. Spell attack modifier: PB + Wisdom modifier. Use a holy symbol as a focus. You may cast a prepared Cleric spell with the ritual tag as a ritual, adding 10 minutes to casting and expending no slot.

Level 1: Divine Domain

Choose one domain associated with your deity. It grants initial features and domain spells at level 1, an additional Channel Divinity option at level 2, and further features at levels 6, 8, and 17. Always-prepared domain spells count as Cleric spells even if absent from the general Cleric list.

Level 2: Channel Divinity

Each use creates either Turn Undead or an effect provided by your domain. You have one use between rests, increasing to two at level 6 and three at level 18. A short or long rest restores all expended uses. Effects requiring saves use your Cleric spell save DC.

Turn Undead: as an action, present your holy symbol and speak a prayer. Every undead within 30 feet that can see or hear you makes a Wisdom save. Failure turns it for 1 minute or until it takes any damage. It spends its turns trying to move as far away as possible, cannot willingly move within 30 feet of you, and cannot take reactions. Its action is limited to Dash or escaping an effect preventing movement; if it has nowhere to move, it may Dodge.

Levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 19: Ability Score Improvement

Raise one ability score by 2 or two by 1, to a maximum of 20. If the table uses the optional feat rules, you may choose a feat instead.

Level 5: Destroy Undead

An undead that fails its save against Turn Undead is instantly destroyed if its challenge rating is at or below your threshold.

Level 10: Divine Intervention

As an action, describe the aid you seek and roll percentile dice. The deity intervenes if the result is equal to or below your Cleric level. The DM chooses the intervention; a Cleric spell or domain spell is an appropriate effect. After a successful intervention, this feature is unavailable for 7 days. If the roll fails, it is available after your next long rest. At level 20, intervention succeeds automatically.

Life Domain — 2014

• Level 1 — Bonus Proficiency: heavy armour.
• Level 1 — Disciple of Life: when you use a spell of level 1 or higher to restore hit points to a creature, restore additional hit points equal to 2 + the spell’s level.
• Level 2 — Preserve Life: as an action, present your holy symbol and spend Channel Divinity. Divide a healing pool of five times your Cleric level among creatures within 30 feet. Each creature can be healed only up to half its hit point maximum. Undead and constructs cannot receive this healing.
• Level 6 — Blessed Healer: when you cast a level 1 or higher spell that restores hit points to a creature other than yourself, regain hit points equal to 2 + the spell’s level.
• Level 8 — Divine Strike: once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, add 1d8 radiant damage; increase this to 2d8 at level 14.
• Level 17 — Supreme Healing: use the maximum result of each die when a spell restores hit points. The core 2014 feature applies to spells.

Multiclassing: Wisdom 13 is required to enter or leave Cleric. Entering the class grants light armour, medium armour, and shields, plus its level 1 features, but not its starting saving throw or skill proficiencies. Combine spellcasting levels for slots under the multiclass rules while preparing Cleric spells according to your Cleric level.

2014 Cleric class and Life Domain — SRD 5.1, pp. 15–18

Pathfinder 1e Cleric

Core Rulebook class. This Cleric uses Channel Energy and two domains.

Class Basics

Hit Die: d8. Alignment: within one step of your deity on either the law–chaos or good–evil axis. Starting wealth: 4d6 × 10 gp (average 140 gp). Skills per level: 2 + Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). Proficiencies: simple weapons, your deity’s favoured weapon, light and medium armour, and shields except tower shields.

Class skills: Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge—arcana, history, nobility, planes, religion (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int). Domains may add class skills. Concentration is a caster-level check in PF1e, rather than a skill.

Table key: BAB = base attack bonus. Fort, Ref, and Will are base saves. “+1” is one domain-only spell slot at that spell level, shared between your two domains. Add bonus spells for a high Wisdom score separately. Column 0 gives prepared orisons, which are reusable.

Aura (Ex)

A Cleric serving a chaotic, evil, good, or lawful deity radiates a powerful aura of the corresponding alignment, as described by detection spells.

Divine Spellcasting

Choose and prepare spells from the Cleric list. To prepare or cast a spell, Wisdom must be at least 10 + spell level. Save DC: 10 + spell level + Wisdom modifier. The table gives your base daily allotment; high Wisdom adds bonus spells. Choose a daily time for 1 hour of prayer or meditation to regain and prepare spells. You may select any Cleric spell of a level you can cast, subject to alignment restrictions.

Orisons: prepare three level 0 spells at level 1 and four from level 2 onward. An orison is not expended when cast. Concentration: roll d20 + caster level + Wisdom modifier when circumstances demand a concentration check; the situation determines its DC.

Channel Energy (Su)

A good Cleric, or a Cleric of a good deity, channels positive energy; an evil Cleric, or a Cleric of an evil deity, channels negative energy. A neutral Cleric of a neutral deity, or one without a specific deity, chooses positive or negative at character creation. This choice is permanent and determines spontaneous cure or inflict casting.

As a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, present your holy symbol and release a 30-foot-radius burst centred on yourself. Choose one effect: positive energy heals living creatures or damages undead; negative energy damages living creatures or heals undead. It affects all creatures of the selected type in the burst; you may choose whether to include yourself. It does not both heal one type and damage another in the same use.

Roll 1d6 at level 1, adding 1d6 every two Cleric levels thereafter, to a maximum of 10d6 at level 19. Targets taking damage make a Will save for half: DC 10 + half your Cleric level (round down) + Charisma modifier. Healing cannot exceed maximum hit points. Uses per day equal 3 + Charisma modifier. Core Channel Energy deals hit point damage or healing; feats may give it turning or commanding effects.

Deity, Domains, and Domain Spells

Choose two domains belonging to your deity. An alignment domain—Chaos, Evil, Good, or Law—requires your own matching alignment. With GM approval, a Cleric of a divine ideal may choose two domains representing that ideal. Gain the level-appropriate powers of both domains; a domain power takes a standard action unless stated otherwise.

Each spell level you can cast from level 1 onward grants one domain slot. Prepare either domain’s spell of that level in it. A domain spell absent from the general Cleric list can be prepared only in that domain slot. You cannot convert domain spells through spontaneous casting. Use PF1e domain powers and spell lists from the Pathfinder domain reference and the domain directory.

Spontaneous Casting

A good Cleric, or neutral Cleric of a good deity, may give up a prepared spell other than an orison or domain spell to cast a cure spell of the same level or lower. An evil Cleric, or neutral Cleric of an evil deity, instead converts to inflict spells. A Cleric who is neutral and has a neutral deity chooses cure or inflict permanently, matching the chosen energy type. “Cure” and “inflict” mean spells with those words in their names.

Alignment Spells, Languages, and Ex-Clerics

You cannot cast a spell whose alignment descriptor opposes your own alignment or your deity’s. Celestial, Abyssal, and Infernal are available as bonus languages in addition to those granted by your ancestry. Grossly violating your deity’s code removes spells and class features, retaining armour, shield, and simple weapon proficiencies. Further Cleric advancement in that faith requires atonement.

PF1e Cleric source and optional archetypes, favoured class bonuses, and alternate capstones • PF1e Cleric spell list

D&D 3.5e Cleric

Core SRD class. This Cleric uses two domains and turn or rebuke undead.

Class Basics

Hit Die: d8. Alignment: within one step of your deity on either the law–chaos or good–evil axis, but not both. A Cleric may be true neutral only if the deity is also true neutral. Skill points: (2 + Intelligence modifier) × 4 at level 1; 2 + Intelligence modifier at each later level, with a minimum of 1 before the first-level multiplier.

Proficiencies: all simple weapons; light, medium, and heavy armour; shields except tower shields. The War domain grants Weapon Focus with the deity’s weapon and Martial Weapon Proficiency with it if applicable. A deity’s favoured weapon is not otherwise an automatic class proficiency.

Class skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge—arcana, history, religion, the planes (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

• Animal or Plant domain adds Knowledge (nature).
• Knowledge domain adds all Knowledge skills.
• Travel domain adds Survival.
• Trickery domain adds Bluff, Disguise, and Hide.

Table key: BAB = base attack bonus. Saves are base bonuses. “+1” is a domain slot shared by your two domains, in addition to Wisdom bonus spells. Level 0 spells are expended when cast in 3.5e.

Aura (Ex)

A Cleric of a chaotic, evil, good, or lawful deity has a powerful matching alignment aura. A Cleric without a deity who chooses Chaos, Evil, Good, or Law has the corresponding aura.

Divine Spellcasting

Prepare divine spells from the Cleric list in advance. Wisdom must be at least 10 + the spell’s level to prepare or cast it. Spell save DC: 10 + spell level + Wisdom modifier. Add high-Wisdom bonus spells to the table’s daily allotment. Set aside 1 hour at your chosen daily time for prayer or contemplation to regain spells; resting by itself does not replenish them. You can prepare any Cleric spell of a level you can cast, within alignment restrictions.

Deity, Domains, and Domain Spells

Choose two domains offered by your deity, gaining both granted powers. Chaos, Evil, Good, and Law domains require your own corresponding alignment. A Cleric without a particular deity chooses two domains representing their spiritual inclinations, subject to the same alignment restrictions.

At every spell level from 1 upward that you can cast, prepare one of your two domains’ spells in your single domain slot. A domain spell absent from the Cleric list can be prepared only in that slot. Use the 3.5e version of each power and spell list in the domain directory or 3.5e domain reference.

Spontaneous Casting

A good Cleric, or neutral Cleric of a good deity, can give up a prepared non-domain spell to cast a cure spell of the same level or lower. An evil Cleric, or neutral Cleric of an evil deity, converts to inflict spells instead. A Cleric who is neither good nor evil and has a deity that is neither good nor evil chooses cure or inflict permanently. This determines whether they turn or rebuke undead. A cure or inflict spell has the corresponding word in its name.

Turn or Rebuke Undead (Su)

Use this ability 3 + Charisma modifier times per day. Good Clerics and neutral Clerics of good deities turn or destroy undead; evil Clerics and neutral Clerics of evil deities rebuke or command them. A neutral Cleric of a neutral deity makes a permanent choice, matching spontaneous casting. Having at least 5 ranks in Knowledge (religion) adds +2 to turning checks against undead.

1. Present your symbol: a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Affect undead within 60 feet, nearest first. You need line of effect; total cover prevents turning. Line of sight is not required.
2. Turning check: roll d20 + Charisma modifier, plus applicable bonuses. The result gives the maximum individual Hit Dice you can affect, using the table below.
3. Turning damage: roll 2d6 + Cleric level + Charisma modifier. This is the total number of undead Hit Dice affected, not hit point damage. Undead too powerful for your check are unaffected; you may skip already-turned undead.

Turned: flee for 10 rounds, or cower if unable to flee. Approaching within 10 feet ends the effect; merely remaining within 10 feet does not. Attacks by others, and your ranged attacks from at least 10 feet away, do not break turning. If your Cleric level is at least twice the undead’s HD, destroy it instead of turning it.

Rebuked: cower in awe for 10 rounds; attacks against them gain +2. An undead that would have been destroyed is instead commanded. You can command total undead HD up to your Cleric level; giving mental orders takes a standard action. You may relinquish control to command new undead.

Dispelling turning: a negative-energy Cleric may make a turning check at least as high as the original check to end turning, affecting total HD determined by turning damage. Bolstering: instead use the check’s maximum-HD result as the undead’s effective HD against turning, if higher than its actual HD, for 10 rounds. An undead Cleric may bolster itself. Under these edition rules, positive-energy turning is a good act and negative-energy rebuking is an evil act.

Alignment Spells, Languages, and Ex-Clerics

You cannot cast spells with an alignment descriptor opposed to your alignment or your deity’s. Bonus language choices include Celestial, Abyssal, and Infernal alongside your ancestry’s languages. Grossly violating your deity’s code removes all spells and class features except armour, shield, and simple weapon proficiencies. You cannot gain further Cleric levels in that faith until you atone.

3.5e Cleric source • Full turning and rebuking reference • 3.5e Cleric spell list