The 5e Cleric Class Reconstructed
Scholars, missionaries, and preachers. Clerics use magic learned through deep devotion and study of a faith. They are commonly, but not always, skilled healers.
This version of the cleric class is designed to be simple. It emphasizes the choice of divine domain and grants powerful late-game domain features earlier. Existing 5e subclasses will all work mechanically with this form of the cleric class. Click here for a summary of changes.
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Navigation
Class Features by Level*
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*For abilities that appear at multiple levels, only the first case is listed. eg. Ability Score Improvement is only listed at level 4.
Spell Slots
Recommended Ability Scores
When you make a level 1 character, you can take these recommended ability scores rather than roll or assign them yourself. You can switch any two ability scores, but you do not add any further bonuses (they're already included).
Strength: 14 Dexterity: 10 Constitution: 16 Intelligence: 8 Wisdom: 16 Charisma: 10
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Strength: 8 Dexterity: 14 Constitution: 14 Intelligence: 12 Wisdom: 16 Charisma: 12
Hit Points
At First Level: 8 + Constitution Modifier
At Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution Modifier
Hit Dice: 1d8 per cleric level
When you create a level 1 cleric, you gain the following:
Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Heavy Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Skills: two of: History, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Persuasion, and Religion
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Items
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a mace -OR- one Martial Melee Weapon (if proficient)
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chain mail -OR- scale mail -OR- padded armor
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a light crossbow and 20 bolts -OR- any Simple Weapon
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a holy symbol
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a priest's pack -OR- an explorer's pack
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Class Features​
Class features here are sorted by level. When you reach a level as indicated by the icons on the left, you gain all feature or feature improvements listed between the red lines. For example, at first level clerics gain the Cleric Spellcasting and Divine Domain abilities.
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Cleric Spellcasting
As a cleric, you draw your power from sacred rituals. Most clerics directly worship a single deity and draw power directly from that deity, but some clerics worship multiple gods, or keep faiths that do not have a central figure of worship. Some clerics follow rituals created by faiths they don't agree with. The essential part of drawing power is that each cleric follows the tenets and rituals of a faith. A cleric with the life domain might worship a god of healing, or a pantheon of gods, or merely follow poorly translated rituals from a defunct cult.
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Spell Slots
The cleric table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. For example, if you know the 1st level spell Bless and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast Bless using either slot.
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Cantrips
Cantrips are the simplest and weakest of spells, and can be casted without expending Spell Slots. You know two cantrips of your choice from the cleric spell list. You learn more cantrips at higher levels, as shown in the Cleric Table.
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Spells Prepared of 1st Level and Higher
You prepare the list of cleric spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the cleric spell list. The spells prepared column of the Cleric Table shows how many spells you can prepare at a given cleric level. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, when you reach 5th level in this class, you can prepare two more spells of 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level.
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Switching Spells
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest, allowing you to switch any cleric spell you have prepared. Preparing a new list of cleric spells requires participating in some sacred rituals unique to your faith.
Spellcasting Ability
Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your cleric spells, since your magic requires an intuitive understanding of your dogma and its applications to the world around you.
You use your Wisdom score whenever a cleric spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a cleric spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell Attack Modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier​​
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Holy Symbol
You can use a holy symbol for casting cleric spells. To do so, you can choose to hold your holy symbol during spellcasting or you can choose to display your holy symbol on your weapon, shield, or armor. Your holy symbol replaces the need for you to have specific material components to cast spells, unless that material component costs 1 gold or more, in which case you must use the specific component instead.
A holy symbol isn't always a symbol of a deity, but a cleric's holy symbol is always symbolic of their beliefs.
Divine Domain
Every cleric's religion has at least one associated Domain. Your choice of Domain represents the tenets of your organized faith. While most faiths in 5e settings revolve around a a single deity, your domain could represent a pantheon, a faith that lacks a deity, or even a religious-like devotion to an ideal or organization. Your domain grants you features at level 3, 6, 10, and 14, also listed below.
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Divine Domains published elsewhere are compatible with this version of the cleric class.​
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Life Domain
A cleric with the life domain follows a religious practice dedicated to protecting or nurturing life. They are powerful healers, more so than any others, and are often the difference between life and death for an adventuring party. Some may dedicate themselves formally to healing, whereas others might just be dedicated to spiritual practices centered around protecting or nurturing a community.
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Life Domain: Extra Spells Prepared
When you reach certain levels as a cleric, you gain the ability to cast higher level spells. When you do, you prepare these additional spells. They do not count against the number of cleric spells you have prepared.
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Other Domain: Extra Spells Prepared
Choose this option if you'd like to use a Divine Domain that comes from a source that isn't Elkan 5e. At this level, you gain access to the first of your Divine Domain's extra spells. Your domain likely lists features at levels 1 and 2 other than new spells. You gain these features at level 3 instead.
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Channel Divinity
Action Cost Varies - 1/Short Rest*
Your connection to your faith allows you to channel divine energy to fuel magical effects. You can use your Channel Divinity to cast one of your prepared domain spells of up to 3rd level without expending a spell slot. When you use Channel Divinity this way, you can cast the spell as if using a 2nd or 3rd level spell slot, provided you are high enough level to cast 2nd or 3rd level spells.
Your chosen Divine Domain will give you more options at higher levels . When you use your Channel Divinity, you choose which option to use. Some Channel Divinity effects require saving throws. When you use such an effect from this class, the DC equals your cleric spell save DC.
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*At levels 6 and 18, you gain an additional use of Channel Divinity between each short rest.
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Domain Feature
Your chosen Divine Domain grants you a new feature.
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Life Domain: Blessed Healing
Your healing spells are more effective. Whenever cast use a spell of 1st level or higher that immediately restores hit points to a creature, the creature regains additional hit points equal to 2 + the spell’s level.
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Life Domain: Channel Divinity: Preserve Life
As an action, you can use your Channel Divinity feature, presenting your holy symbol and evoking healing energy.
You restore a number of hit points equal to four times your cleric level and divide those hit points among any creatures of your choice within 30 ft. You can’t use this feature on a construct.
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Other Domain: Level 3 Features
At this level, your Divine Domain grants you new features. If using a domain not from Elkan 5e, your domain's features are likely listed as level 1 and level 2 features, including at least one Channel Divinity option.
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Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, and 16th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
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Feat
At this level and every level you gain an ability score improvement, you also gain a feat of your choice. You are eligible for general feats and cleric feats by default.
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You gain no new class features at this level. As always, see the Cleric Table to see new spell slots.
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Channel Divinity Improvement
You can now use Channel Divinity twice between short or long rests, instead of once.
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Domain Feature
Your chosen Divine Domain grants you a new feature.
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Life Domain: Infused Healer
The healing spells you cast on others heal you as well. When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher that immediately restores hit points to a creature other than you, you regain hit points equal to 2 + the spell’s level.
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Other Domain: Level 6 Feature
At this level, your Divine Domain grants you one or more new features.
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You gain no new class features at this level. As always, see the Cleric Table to see new spell slots.
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Ability Score Improvement
You increase one ability score of your choice by 2 or increase two ability scores of your choice by 1, to a maximum of 20.
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Feat
You gain a feat of your choice.
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You gain no new class features at this level. As always, see the Cleric Table to see new spell slots.
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Domain Feature
Your chosen Divine Domain grants you a new feature. If using a domain not from Elkan 5e, your ability or abilities for this level may be listed under level 8.
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Life Domain: Healing Overflow
Once per turn, when you use a spell to restore more hit points to a creature than the creature is missing, you can instead restore those extra hit points to another creature within range of the spell.
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Other Domain: Level 10 Feature
At this level, your Divine Domain grants you a new feature. If using a domain not from Elkan 5e, your domain's feature is likely listed at level 8. If the feature you gain at this level adds damage to your weapon attacks, you cannot also benefit from the cleric feat Holy Strikes.
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You gain no new class features at this level. As always, see the Cleric Table to see new spell slots.
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Ability Score Improvement
You increase one ability score of your choice by 2 or increase two ability scores of your choice by 1, to a maximum of 20.
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Feat
You gain a feat of your choice.
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You gain no new class features at this level. As always, see the Cleric Table to see new spell slots.
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Domain Feature
Your chosen Divine Domain grants you a new feature. If using a domain not from Elkan 5e, your ability or abilities for this level may be listed under level 17.
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Life Domain: Supreme Healing
When you would normally roll one or more dice to restore hit points with a spell, you instead use the highest number possible for each die. For example, instead of restoring 2d6 hit points to a creature, you restore 12.
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Other Domain: Level 14 Feature
At this level, your Divine Domain grants you new features. If using a domain not from Elkan 5e, your ability for this level may be listed under level 17.
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You gain no new class features at this level. As always, see the Cleric Table to see new spell slots.
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Ability Score Improvement
You increase one ability score of your choice by 2 or increase two ability scores of your choice by 1, to a maximum of 20.
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Feat
You gain a feat of your choice.
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You gain no new class features at this level. As always, see the Cleric Table to see new spell slots.
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Channel Divinity Improvement
You can now use Channel Divinity three times between short or long rests, instead of twice.
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Superior Ability
You increase one ability score of your choice by 2, to a maximum of 22.
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Divine Intervention
Action - 1/Long Rest
You ask for assistance from your deity or the cosmic force that grants you your power, asking them to intervene when your need is great. If you want, you can automatically cast any cleric spell of 8th level or lower or one of your domain spells without expending a spell slot.
You can also ask for assistance in a less specific way, such as by saying, "May the Lord of Light carry us to safety." In this case, your GM decides exactly how the Divine Intervention manifests. Your GM may choose to replicate a cleric or domain spell, or they might choose another effect, which cannot heal or damage creatures for more than 100 hit points total. Generally, anything beyond the scope of power of a 9th level spell is impossible, but Divine Intervention may do a weaker, but similar effect.
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