This guide will explain the best Cleric Build in Baldur’s Gate 3, the Cleric Class, and the Knowledge Domain subclass, for the optimal setup.
This build page has been updated for thePatch 8 versionof Baldur’s Gate 3.
Knowledge Domain Cleric Class Introduction
The Cleric class in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a versatile and powerful class that can play a variety of roles in a party. Clerics are spellcasters who use divine magic to heal their allies, buff them for battle, and debuff their enemies. They can also deal significant damage with their offensive spells.
For this build, we will use the Knowledge Domain subclass. The Knowledge domain unlocks additional skill proficiency and domain spells focused on crowd control. While you don’t get heavy armour proficiency with this build, the Knowledge Domain Cleric still excels at healing, supporting, and debuffing enemies. This build will focus on a support build with some extra damage when needed.
Knowledge Domain Cleric Build Changes in Patch 8 for BG3
The most notable change for Clerics inPatch 8of Baldur’s Gate 3 is the introduction of theBooming Bladecantrip. While it enhances melee-focused builds across the board, it’s particularly effective for Death Domain Clerics, who can make full use of its damage potential. Despite this addition, the core Cleric roles, healer, tank, and radiant damage dealer, remain largely intact. That said there are also recent buffs to enemy difficulty, especially in Tactician and Honour Mode. Therefore, you might want to consider our alternative build designed for greater survivability and combat strength.
Knowledge Domain Cleric Class Mechanics and Features
The following list are key features andclassmechanics of the Knowledge Domain Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Cleric Spell Mechanics
Knowledge Domain Subclass
The Knowledge Domain is the best subclass for roleplaying, dialogue, and crowd control for the Cleric class in Baldur’s Gate 3. Knowledge Domain helps provide two domain spells at various levels. These spells are always prepared, and will not take up slots in your spellbook. They are meant to aid your play style and expect them to be heavy crowd control.
The best part of the Knowledge subclass is gaining extra skill proficiency and expertise. You can then have one character that’s very strong in dialogue, exploration, and influencing quest. If you want a support class with good healing, crowd control, and extra benefits in questing, the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Knowledge Domain Cleric Build Guide is a great fit.
Below is a list of the Knowledge Domain Cleric subclass progression, features, and spells:
Character Creation
Recommended Backgrounds
Folk Herois the bestbackgroundfor a Light Knowledge in Baldur’s Gate 3 because it gives two Wisdom-based skills that help in non-combat situations. But if you want to make the most out of the build, Clerics should choose at least a few of the following proficiencies: Animal Handling, Perception, Insight, Medicine, and Survival. Those proficiencies buff your Wisdom which is the class‘s primary statistic. you’re able to also invest a little more into a Dexterity bonus to increase survivability. It all depends on your first playstyle choice.
Additional background choices are:
Best Race Choice for Knowledge Cleric Build
TheGithyankiis the bestracefor the Knowledge Cleric build because of the Astral Knowledge racial feature. For a subclass based on knowledge, the Githyanki provide proficiency in all skills of a chosen ability. This helps create a diverse skill proficiency set for a knowledge and dialogue-focused build.Humansare another good choice because you get extra carry capacity and another skill proficiency.
The Cleric’s racial choice will not influence ability score, as race will get a +2 and +1 to spend regardless. This frees your race choice up to not completely hinder yourself based on ability score, but race features. Each of these races offers unique advantages that can enhance your combat prowess, survivability, or utility. Additionally, consider the roleplaying opportunities and character concepts that resonate with you.
Astral Knowledge Explained
The Astral Knowledge Githyanki race feature helps increase skill proficiency in an ability of your choice. This is a great option for dialogue-focused builds with lower ability scores in say intelligence. You can use this once per long rest, and change your ability to focus. This will give you a +2 for every skill in an ability tree. SinceWizardsare the only intelligence-based class, the Githyanki make a great race for players wanting a unique experience in and outside of combat.
Recommended Skills for Knowledge Domain Cleric Build
MedicineandPersuasionare the best skills for our Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Knowledge Domain Cleric Build Guide because they complement your class abilities and enhance your effectiveness in various situations. In Baldur’s Gate 3, skills represent the abilities and proficiencies of your character that allow them to perform various actions and interact with the game world. Skills are associated with specific attributes and are used to determine the success or effectiveness of certain actions or abilities. They can be edited during character creation or with companions, duringrespec or rerollscreen.
Read More:All Bosses in Baldur’s Gate 3 Listed
Here are theskillsfor a Knowledge Domain Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Note these could be different depending on your racial and background selection for the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Knowledge Domain Cleric Build Guide.
Best Knowledge Domain Cleric Ability Scores
Below is the bestability scoreto unlock the full potential of the best Knowledge Domain Cleric Build in Baldur’s Gate 3:
The ability score for a Knowledge Domain Cleric Build Guide is 16 Wisdom, 16 Constitution, and 14 Dexterity. Wisdom is your spell effectiveness, constitution represents your hit points and concentration saving throws, and dexterity helps with initiative and Armour Class (AC) when wearing medium armour.
It’s important to land on even numbers and get at least 16 in Wisdom for optimal spell casting. In Baldur’s Gate 3, ability scores are the six core stats that determine a character’s capabilities. You can adjust for the optimal setup in character creation orreroll with Withersin your Camp.
During character creation, the game will automatically distribute your abilities in the character creation abilities tab. You will need to reprioritize the stats for the chart for the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Knowledge Domain Cleric Build Guide. Simply use the plus-minus in the character creator and make sure you have the suggested race, or the numbers will be off.
Read More:All Acts in BG3 Ranked
Knowledge Domain Cleric Companions
For Cleric Build, we do not recommend another upfront damage dealer as both you and either Lae’zel orKarlachwill fulfill that role. The premise of the build is to have one to two melee fights with a heavy damage dealer, your Cleric providing support. Having range casters and damage dealers will help with crowd control, area damage, and burst at range.
When putting your party together, considercompanionsfor not only their combat prowess but also their outside abilities and skills that can influence storytelling, dialogue, and exploration. A balanced party will fit the traditional RPG ‘holy trinity’: Tank, Healer, and DPS. Ideally, in Baldur’s Gate 3, you are going to want one tank, one healer, one melee DPS, and one range DPS. Some classes/subclasses can cover both roles, so feel free to experiment and find out what works best for you.
Knowledge Domain Cleric Spell Slots
Here is a list of the Knowledge Domain Clerics’ Spell Slots as they progress:
Knowledge Domain Cleric Illithid Powers
Illithid Powersare unlocked later in the game when you learn more about the Mind Flayers and tadpoles. you’re able to gain jars of Mind Flayer Parasite Specimens, and consume them to gain one point. This is essentially another skill tree advancement with some very strong powers. If you decide to advance this skill line, these are the choices we suggest.
Here are the best Illithid Powers for our Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Knowledge Domain Cleric Build Guide:
Knowledge Domain Cleric Level Progression
Alternative Knowledge Domain Cleric Build
A strong alternative to the Knowledge Domain Cleric build is a tank-focused setup that weakens enemies using Radiating Orb from the Luminous Armour set. This gear can be acquired in Act 1 and remains useful throughout the game, allowing you to deal consistent damage with Spirit Guardians while controlling the battlefield. However, the build relies on the Light Domain subclass, so keep that in mind if you were interested in the Knowledge Domain specifically.
At Level one follow our character creator to pick all correct background, race, skills, and ability score focusing on Wisdom and Dexterity. At level one, you will unlock three cantrips and pick three prepared spells. Cantrips are reusable and don’t require a spell slot resource. Prepared spells can be swapped in and out before combat, so make sure to use the loadout at the end of the level for a helpful guide. Look to wear medium armour and one-handed weapon like a mace or quarterstaff and shield. Act 3, theHelldusk Armouris the only exception because it grants you heavy armour proficiency. Outside of that, stick to medium armour.
Cantrips and Spells
Cantrip Selection
Spell Selection
Subclass Feature
Knowledge Domain Cleric Level 1 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, and Healing Word.
Healing: The best healing combination at level 1 is Healing Word and Cure Wounds. Healing Word is a bonus action, while Cure Wounds is an action, so you’re able to use both spells in one turn for powerful healing. Both spells also have enchanted versions at higher levels, so this combination will remain useful throughout the game.
Playstyle Tips
Damage: Guiding Bolt is a great damage spell in early levels, although Inflict Wounds deals slightly more damage. Guiding Bolt has a longer range and grants advantage on the next attack against the target, which allows an ally to roll two dice instead of one. You don’t need to use your spell slots on Guiding Bolt often, but it’s a good choice if you need to take down a specific target quickly. If you’re out of spell slots, rely on the Sacred Flame cantrip.
Subclass: You choose your Cleric subclass at level 1. Your subclass will grant you several always-prepared spells, which means you don’t have to use your spell slots to prepare them. This gives you more variety and versatility in your spell casting. The Knowledge Domain subclass is heavy in “stuns” or crowd control spells. Consider dropping or changing your prepared spells if you find too many in your arsenal.
Playstyle: Your goal at level 1 is to keep your party alive, provide buffs, and deal damage when everyone is topped off on health. This will continue to be your role throughout the game, as this is a support build setup. Wear medium armor and a shield to keep your Armor Class (AC) high, which will lower the enemy’s chance of hitting you. In early levels, rely on cantrips when your spell slots are low. You’ll get a big boost in power at levels 5 and 9 when you learn more powerful spells.
Knowledge Domain Cleric Gameplay & Priorities
During the early phase of BG3, your Cleric should equip a One-Handed weapon and Shield as soon as possible. Quarterstaffs can be combined with shields for extra free spells and Armour Class (AC). This will help your defensive potential immensely. Moreover, rely on cantrips for damage when out of spell slots like Sacred Flame. Spell casting can be tough at the start of Baldur’s Gate 3 with limited spell slots. Lastly, look to combine Elixir of Peerless Focus with Potion of Speed. Peerless will help with Advantage for spells that require it while Potion of Speed will give an additional action for 3 turns. These two stack together for a powerful effect early in BG3.
Your overall priority with the Knowledge Domain Cleric build is the following:
Following these steps ensures a strong foundation, especially if you plan on playingsoloor onHonour Modedifficulty.
At Level 2 the Knowledge Cleric will gain a class action, subclass feature, channel divinity charges, and one prepared spell.
Your subclass will give you Knowledge of the Ages which mimics the Githyanki Astral Knowledge racial feature. you may combine this to increase both Intelligence and Charisma. This will increase your skill proficiency in your weakest ability scores, while Wisdom will be extremely high. This is a great combination of lore and quest-based gameplay.
Your class unlocks Turn Undead which is very useful in limited fights where all the enemies are undead. Make sure to click on them, and examine which will tell you if they are undead. Shield of Faith is also a great spell to pick up here because it increases AC by 2 and can be cast after a long rest. The downside is, that you need to keep either Blessed active or Shield of Faith. Consider your options, Blessed when you want your team to hit more reliably, and Shield of Faith if you have a “squishy” teammate who is constantly getting focused and killing. Cast Shield of Faith before combat starts, it’s not turn-limited so it’ll stay on them as long as you don’t cast another concentration spell.
Knowledge Domain Cleric Level 2 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, and Shield.
Now at Level 3, you will unlock two Level 2 spells, two subclass spells, and one newly prepared spell.
At this level, you add another crowd-control spell and Spiritual Weapon. Spiritual Weapon can be used as a bonus action, thus you can cast Blessed and this spell on turn one. It will summon an additional ally who can take damage, and do a lot of damage per turn. Consider this a very strong spell to use due to its bonus action cost, range, and damage early on. This spell also doesn’t cost concentration so expect to use it a lot early on.
Knowledge Domain Cleric Level 3 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Shield, and Spiritual Weapon.
At Level 4 you will unlock a single cantrip, one new prepared spell, and one feat.
Immediately after adding the Ability Improvement feat, you can prepare another spell due to increased Wisdom. Go with Silence. Lesser Restoration will help with general utility as will Light. More Wisdom at this level is helpful to expand your spellbook and increase the power of your spell casting. At level 8, we suggest War Caster which helps with concentration spells.
Knowledge Domain Cleric Level 4 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Shield, Spiritual Weapon, and Lesser Restoration.
Once you reach Level 5 you will unlock two level 3 spells, Destroy Undead, two subclass spells, one new prepared spell.
Level 5 is a massive spike in power due to subclass spells and level 3 spells. If you picked a Githyanki race like recommended, you get Misty Step one of the best mobility tools in the game. If you didn’t pick a Githyanki, you can still get this spell in Act 1 via a necklace or boots. We suggest a Glyph of Warding to aid in area-based damage. While this build isn’t a damage dealer, there will be turns where no one needs healing, and Guiding Bolt can only hit one target. Remember to flex in and out spells depending on the encounter and what your party composition lacks.
Knowledge Domain Cleric Level 5 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Shield, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Glyph of Warding, and Mass Healing Word.
When a Knowledge Domain Cleric reaches Level 6 they unlock one prepared spell and another Level 3 spell slot.
At level 6, we want to take Beacon of Hope because it maximizes our healing. This is useful when you expect an all-out battle, where your Cleric is likely to do nothing but heal. On higher difficulties, this can be life-saving, especially with the Clerics area-based healing abilities. If you find yourself not using it, flex in another spell but it comes in very handy on hard fights, cast turn one instead of Blessed.
Knowledge Domain Cleric Level 6 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Shield, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Glyph of Warding, and Mass Healing Word.
Unlock 1 level 4 spell slot, two subclass spells, and one prepared spell.
At this level, Confusion is a massive up to 6 enemy crowd control spells. This is a must-use ability in larger encounters. Guardian of Faith is another summon type of spell that doesn’t require concentration, but also cannot be relocated. you may use Spiritual Weapon and Guardian of Faith in tendom. It is best to put Guardian of Faith in a choke point where enemies have to move in and out of the radius to take damage.
Knowledge Domain Cleric Level 7 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Shield, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Glyph of Warding, Mass Healing Word, and Guardian of Faith.
Upon reaching Level 8 you unlock a subclass feature, feat, and one prepared spell.
Your subclass unlocks an odd feature, Potent Spellcasting. This only aids your Sacred Flame, so don’t expect much. You want to take War Caster here because so many of your buffs, debuffs, and spells require concentration. This will help you keep them active for maximum effect (Blessed, Shield of Faith, etc.). Banishment is one of the best single-target stuns in the game. It removes a target for two turns and should be used against opponents with high damage that can wipe out your team in one turn. Cast this only with a higher percentage around 65% or so otherwise, it’s too risky.
Knowledge Domain Cleric Level 8 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Shield, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Glyph of Warding, Mass Healing Word, Guardian of Faith, and Banishment.
When you reach Level 9 you’ll unlock one Level 5 spell slot, one newly prepared spell, and two subclass spells.
You should drop Banishment from your prepared spells since you have more crowd control now. Pick up another level 5 spell, but you only have one slot, take Flame Strike for a nice AoE. Mass Cure Wounds is an upgraded version that can be combined with Mass Healing Word for a two-spell per turn mega healing and up to 6 players. Dominate Person is another great crowd control ability and Telekinesis is a fun spell to throw enemies. you’re able to chuck them off ledges and it is very powerful if you get creative.
Knowledge Domain Cleric Level 9 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Shield, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Glyph of Warding, Mass Healing Word, Guardian of Faith, Mass Cure Wounds, and Flame Strike.
Reaching Level 10 will grant you Divine Intervention, one cantrip, and one prepared spell.
Unlocked here is another utility cantrip and spell that helps if your allies are crowd-controlled. Divine intervention is a once-per-game usage spell. The area damage version of this is the obvious choice on the hardest fight in the game.
Knowledge Domain Cleric Level 10 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Shield, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Glyph of Warding, Mass Healing Word, Guardian of Faith, Mass Cure Wounds, Flame Strike, and Greater Restoration.
At Level 11 the Knowledge Domain Cleric will gain one level 6 spell slot and one prepared spell.
At level 11, you get only one level 6 spell slot for the rest of the game. There are two Quarterstaves that bypass this issue in Act 3: theStaff of SpellpowerorMarkoheshki. With either of these Quarterstaffs, you can negate a spell slot, essentially cheesing two level 6 spell slots.
At this level, two amazing spells last until a long rest Planar Ally and Heroes’ Feast. Pick Planar Ally at this level and summon a Cambion that has good health, high movement speed, and big damage. The best part of Planar Ally is it stacks with other summons; thus you can have a little team roaming with you until a long rest! Free damage, utility, and distractions.
Knowledge Domain Cleric Level 11 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Shield, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Glyph of Warding, Mass Healing Word, Guardian of Faith, Mass Cure Wounds, Flame Strike, Greater Restoration, and Planar Ally.
You’ve reached the max level in Baldur’s Gate 3, take another +2 to Wisdom to reach the max of 20. Select the Hereoes’ Feast spell and try to obtain either Staff of Spellpower or Markoheshki to cast two level 6 spells that last until a long rest. You should feel very powerful at this level. The healing spell at level 6 is powerful, but single target, and isn’t as useful as the combo of healing words, and cure wounds in my opinion. This doesn’t only burst up one player, but your entire team. And in tough fights, rarely is it just one player needing healing.
That’s the level progression but make sure to check the gear sections below for the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Knowledge Domain Cleric Build Guide.
Knowledge Domain Cleric Level 12 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Shield, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Glyph of Warding, Mass Healing Word, Guardian of Faith, Mass Cure Wounds, Flame Strike, Greater Restoration, Planar Ally, and Heroes’ Feast.
Recommended Gear
In Games like Baldur’s Gate 3, you’ll explore the world, loot chests and your enemies’ dead bodies, and complete quests and all those activities can reward you with useful items, potions, armor, weapons, scrolls, and much more. There are three Acts in BG3, and Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Knowledge Domain Build Guide includes suggested sets and alternatives for Act 1 and Act 3.
Beginner: Act 1
Here’s the best beginner gear for our Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Knowledge Domain Cleric Build Guide:
Advanced: Act 3 End Game
The following table presents the best advanced and end-game gear for Knowledge Domain Cleric Build in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Consumables, Potions, and Items
Consumablesare items that can be used once and then destroyed. They are typically used to restore health or other resources. Some common types of consumables include potions, scrolls, food, drinks, and arrows.
The following list represents the best individual use consumable items that will aid in our Knowledge Domain Cleric Build:
Permanent Bonuses
Throughout Baldur’s Gate 3, you will have the ability to gain permanent bonuses to your character. These can grant additional spells, ability scores, and other bonuses. Permanent Bonuses are not displayed throughout the campaign but are vital to increase overall combat performance. We have all permanent bonuses here in a guide, but the most important ones for you to collect are listed below.
Best Permanent Bonuses for Knowledge Domain Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3
Knowledge Domain Cleric Combat, Gameplay Tips, and Tricks
Here are 10 gameplay tips and tricks for playing a Knowledge DomainClericin Baldur’s Gate 3:
Remember, this build guide serves as a foundation, and you can always adapt it to suit your preferences and the needs of your campaign. Enjoy playing as a formidableBest Baldur’s Gate 3 Knowledge Domain Cleric Build Guide!
Build Summary – Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Knowledge Cleric Guide
Q. Is Knowledge Domain cleric good?
Ans. Yes, the Knowledge Domain Cleric is a strong and versatile subclass if used correctly. However, it is not the best pick if you are looking for a high-damage caster.
Q. Is Knowledge Domain Cleric strong in BG3?
Ans. Yes, the Knowledge Domain Cleric is strong in utility, exploration and dialogue based gameplay.
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