Cleric

Class Traits
Role: Leader. You lead by shielding allies with your prayers, healing, and using powers that improve your allies’ attacks. Power Source: Divine. You have been invested with the authority to wield divine power on behalf of a deity, faith, or philosophy. Key Abilities: Wisdom, Strength, Charisma
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged Implement: Holy symbol Bonus to Defense: +2 Will
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution score Hit Points per Level Gained: 5 Healing Surges per Day: 7 + Constitution modifier Trained Skills: Religion. From the class skills list below, choose three more trained skills at 1st level.  Class Skills: Arcana (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Religion (Int) Build Options: Battle cleric, devoted cleric Class Features: Channel Divinity, Healer’s Lore, healing word, Ritual Casting

"Have courage, my friends! Pelor favors us today!"

Description

Clerics are battle leaders who are invested with divine power. They blast foes with magical prayers, bolster and heal companions, and lead the way to victory with a mace in one hand and a holy symbol in the other. Clerics run the gamut from humble servants of the common folk to ruthless enforcers of evil gods.

As a cleric, the deity (or deities) you choose to revere goes a long way toward defining you, or at least how other people in the world see you. You could be a platinum-garbed envoy of Bahamut seeking justice throughout the land, a shadowy follower of Sehanine with a roguish streak, a burly disciple of Kord who believes the virtue of strength is sufficient for all challenges, or a dwarf cleric of Moradin bringing honor to the denizens of your mountain home.

Will you protect what is sacred to your god, quest for legendary holy artifacts, pursue a life of evangelical adventuring, or attempt all these deeds and more?

Cleric Overview

Characteristics: You are an extremely good healer. You have a mix of melee and ranged powers. Most of your attacks deal only moderate damage, but they safeguard your allies or provide bonuses to their attacks.

Religion: A cleric can choose to worship any deity, but steer clear of choosing an evil or chaotic evil deity unless you have permission from your DM to choose one.

Races: Humans and dwarves make ideal clerics. Elves, half-elves, and dragonborn are good clerics too, but they rarely have the same values of piety and reverence found in many human and dwarven cultures. Certain gods attract a preponderance of clerics of a particular race—for example, many (but not all) clerics of Moradin are dwarves—but in general, all races respect all gods to at least some degree. The race you play and the deity your character worships have little effect on your cleric’s ability to utilize divine powers.

Creating a Cleric

The cleric has two basic builds to start: the battle cleric and the devoted cleric. Clerics rely on Strength for their melee attacks and Wisdom for their healing and non-melee prayers. Charisma also aids their abilities.

Battle Cleric

If you choose to concentrate on melee, you find a good assortment of strikes to your liking. To achieve this build, make Strength your primary score. Make Wisdom your secondary score and assign Charisma as your tertiary score. Make sure to concentrate on powers that work with melee attacks, since these play to your key ability scores.

Suggested Feat: Weapon Focus (Human feat: Action Surge)

Suggested Skills: Diplomacy, Heal, Insight, Religion

Suggested At-Will Powers: righteous brand, priest’s shield

Suggested Encounter Power: wrathful thunder

Suggested Daily Power: avenging flame

Devoted Cleric

With this build, you choose to stand back and concentrate your abilities on keeping your fellow adventurers healthy and optimized. To this end, choose powers that grant bonuses and healing, such as divine glow and beacon of hope. Assign your highest ability score to Wisdom, with Charisma secondary and Strength tertiary. Make sure to concentrate on powers that use Wisdom for attacks, since this is your highest ability score.

Suggested Feat: Channel Divinity feat associated with your deity (Human feat: Human Perseverance)

Suggested Skills: Arcana, Heal, History, Religion

Suggested At-Will Powers: lance of faith, sacred flame

Suggested Encounter Power: healing strike

Suggested Daily Power: beacon of hope

Cleric Class Features

Clerics are capable combatants who wield simple weapons in battle—maces and similar weapons have long been symbols of divine authority. In addition, all clerics have the class features described below.

Channel Divinity

Once per encounter you can invoke divine power, filling yourself with the might of your patron deity. With the divine might you invoke you can wield special powers, such as turn undead and divine fortune. Some clerics learn other uses for this feature; for instance, the divinity feats in Chapter 6 grant characters with access to the Channel Divinity class feature the ability to use additional special powers.

Regardless of how many different uses for Channel Divinity you know, you can use only one such ability per encounter. The special ability or power you invoke works just like your other powers.

Healer's Lore

Your study of healing allows you to make the most of your healing prayers. When you grant healing with one of your cleric powers that has the healing keyword, add your Wisdom modifier to the hit points the recipient regains.

Healing Word

Using the healing word power, clerics can grant their comrades additional resilience with nothing more than a short prayer.

Ritual Caster

You gain the Ritual Caster feat as a bonus feat, allowing you to use magical rituals. You possess a ritual book, and it contains two rituals you have mastered: the Gentle Repose ritual and one other 1st-level ritual of your choice.

Clerics and Deities

Main Article: Alignment

All clerics choose a specific faith to which they devote themselves. Usually this faith is the worship of a specific patron deity—for example, Moradin, Pelor, or Erathis. Sometimes clerics are devoted to churches that venerate groups of deities or even philosophies.

As a cleric, your deity does not directly grant you powers. Instead, your ordination or investiture as a cleric grants you the ability to wield divine powers. Clerics are usually formally ordained by existing clerics who perform a special ritual to do so, but on rare occasions a deity moves to directly ordain a worthy worshiper without any sort of priestly hierarchy involved. What you do with your powers once you are ordained is up to you, although if you flagrantly and openly defy your deity’s tenets, you quickly earn the enmity of the faithful.

You must choose a deity compatible with your alignment: Good clerics serve good deities, lawful good clerics serve lawful good deities, and so on. If a deity is unaligned, your alignment doesn’t matter, so a deity such as Melora has good, lawful good, evil, chaotic evil, and unaligned clerics in her service. Similarly, if you’re unaligned, you can serve any god. For example, Pelor is served by both good clerics and unaligned clerics, but never by evil, chaotic evil, or lawful good clerics.

For most games, you should choose a good, lawful good, or unaligned deity for your cleric. Ask your Dungeon Master before you select an evil or chaotic evil deity.

Implement

Clerics make use of holy symbols to help channel and direct their divine powers. A cleric wearing or holding a magic holy symbol can add its enhancement bonus to the attack rolls and the damage rolls of cleric powers, as well as cleric paragon path powers, that have the implement keyword. Without a holy symbol, a cleric can still use these powers, but he or she doesn’t gain the bonus provided by the magic implement.

Cleric Powers

Your cleric powers are called prayers. Some are better for the battle cleric and some are better for the devoted cleric, but a cleric can choose any power when making a power selection.

Class Features

The cleric has two class features that work like powers: Channel Divinity and healing word. The Channel Divinity class feature encompasses multiple powers, two of which divine fortune and turn undead) are presented below.

Channel Divinity: Divine Fortune
Channel Divinity: Divine Fortune Cleric Feature In the face of peril, you hold true to your faith and receive a special boon. Encounter Divine Free Action Ranged personal Effect: You gain a +1 bonus to your next attack roll or saving throw before the end of your next turn.

Channel Divinity: Turn Undead

Channel Divinity: Turn Undead Cleric Feature You sear undead foes, push them back, and root them in place. Encounter Divine, Implement, Radiant Standard Action Close burst 2 (5 at 11th level, 8 at 21st level) Target: Each undead creature in burst Attack: Wisdom vs. Will Hit: 1d10 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage, and you push the target a number of squares equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. The target is immobilized until the end of your next turn.  Increase damage to 2d10 + Wisdom modifier at 5th level, 3d10 + Wisdom modifier at 11th level, 4d10 + Wisdom modifier at 15th level, 5d10 + Wisdom modifier at 21st level, and 6d10 + Wisdom modifier at 25th level. Miss: Half damage, and the target is not pushed or immobilized.

Healing Word

Healing Word Cleric Feature You whisper a brief prayer as divine light washes over your target, helping to mend its wounds. Encounter (Special) Divine, Healing Special: You can use this power twice per encounter, but only once per round. At 16th level, you can use this power three times per encounter. Minor Action Close burst 5 (10 at 11th level, 15 at 21st level) Target: You or one ally Effect: The target can spend a healing surge and regain an additional 1d6 hit points.  Increase the amount of additional hit points regained to 2d6 at 6th level, 3d6 at 11th level, 4d6 at 16th level, 5d6 at 21st level, and 6d6 at 26th level.

Prayers

Level 1 At-Will
Lance of Faith Lance of Faith Cleric Attack 1 A brilliant ray of light sears your foe with golden radiance. Sparkles of light linger around the target, guiding your ally’s attack. At-Will Divine, Implement, Radiant Standard Action Ranged 5 Target: One creature Attack: Wisdom vs. Reflex Hit: 1d8 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage, and one ally you can see gains a +2 power bonus to his or her next attack roll against the target.  Increase damage to 2d8 + Wisdom modifier at 21st level.	Priest’s Shield Priest's Shield Cleric Attack 1 You utter a minor defensive prayer as you attack with your weapon. At-Will Divine, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage, and you and one adjacent ally gain a +1 power bonus to AC until the end ofyour next turn.  Increase damage to 2[W] + Strength modifier at 21st level.
Righteous Brand Righteous Brand Cleric Attack 1 You smite your foe with your weapon and brand it with a ghostly, glowing symbol of your deity’s anger. By naming one of your allies when the symbol appears, you add divine power to that ally’s attacks against the branded foe. At-Will Divine, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage, and one ally within 5 squares of you gains a power bonus to melee attack rolls against the target equal to your Strength modifier until the end of your next turn.  Increase damage to 2[W] + Strength modifier at 21st level.	Sacred Flame Sacred Flame Cleric Attack 1 Sacred light shines from above, searing a single enemy with its radiance while at the same time aiding an ally with its beneficent power. At-Will Divine, Implement, Radiant Standard Action Ranged 5 Target: One creature Attack: Wisdom vs. Reflex Hit: 1d6 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage, and one ally you can see chooses either to gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier + one-half your level or to make a saving throw.  Increase damage to 2d6 + Wisdom modifier at 21st level.
Level 1 Encounter
Cause Fear Cause Fear Cleric Attack 1 Your holy symbol ignites with the fury of your god. Uncontrollable terror grips your enemy, causing him to instantly recoil. Encounter Divine, Fear, Implement Standard Action Ranged 10 Target: One creature Attack: Wisdom vs. Will Hit: The target moves its speed + your Charisma modifier away from you. The fleeing target avoids unsafe squares and difficult terrain if it can. This movement provokes opportunity attacks.	Divine Glow Divine Glow Cleric Attack 1 Murmuring a prayer to your deity, you invoke a blast of white radiance from your holy symbol. Foes burn in its stern light, but your allies are heartened and guided by it. Encounter Divine, Implement, Radiant Standard Action Close blast 3 Target: Each enemy in blast Attack: Wisdom vs. Reflex Hit: 1d8 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage. Effect: Allies in the blast gain a +2 power bonus to attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
Healing Strike Healing Strike Cleric Attack 1 Divine radiance gleams from your weapon. When you smite your enemy, your deity bestows a minor blessing in the form of healing for you or one of your allies. Encounter Divine, Healing, Radiant, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier radiant damage, and the target is marked until the end of your next turn. In addition, you or one ally within 5 squares of you can spend a healing surge.	Wrathful Thunder Wrathful Thunder Cleric Attack 1 Your arm is made strong by the power of your deity. When you strike, a terrible thunderclap smites your adversary and dazes him. Encounter Divine, Thunder, Weapon Standard Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier thunder damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.
Level 1 Daily
Avenging Flame Avenging Flame Cleric Attack 1 You slam your weapon into your foe, who bursts into flame. Divine fire avenges each attack your enemy dares to make. Daily Divine, Fire, Weapon Standard Action Melee weapon Target: One creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends). Miss: Half damage, and no ongoing fire damage.  Special: If the target attacks on its turn, it can’t attempt a saving throw against the ongoing damage.	Beacon of Hope Beacon of Hope Cleric Attack 1 A burst of divine energy harms your foes and heals your allies. The radiant energy lingers around your holy symbol and improves your healing powers for the rest of the battle. Daily Divine, Healing, Implement Standard Action Close burst 3 Target: Each enemy in burst Attack: Wisdom vs. Will Hit: The target is weakened until the end of its next turn. Effect: You and all your allies in the burst regain 5 hit points, and your healing powers restore +5 hit points until the end of the encounter.
Cascade of Light Cascade of Light Cleric Attack 1 A burst of divine radiance sears your foe. Daily Divine, Implement, Radiant Standard Action Ranged 10 Target: One creature Attack: Wisdom vs. Will Hit: 3d8 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage, and the target gains vulnerability 5 to all your attacks (save ends). Miss: Half damage, and the target gains no vulnerability.	Guardian of Faith Guardian of Faith Cleric Attack 1 You conjure a ghostly guardian, indistinct except for a glowing shield emblazoned with your deity’s symbol. A burst of radiance erupts from it to sear foes that move next to it. Daily Conjuration, Divine, Implement, Radiant Standard Action Ranged 5 Effect: You conjure a guardian that occupies 1 square within range. Every round, you can move the guardian 3 squares as a move action. The guardian lasts until the end of the encounter. Any creature that ends its turn next to the conjured guardian is subject to a Wisdom vs. Fortitude attack. On a hit, the attack deals 1d8 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage.
Level 2 Utility
Bless Template:Bless	Cure Light Wounds Template:Cure Light Wounds
Divine Aid Template:Divine Aid	Sanctuary Template:Sanctuary
Level 3 Encounter
Shield of Faith Template:Shield of Faith	Blazing Beacon Template:Blazing Beacon
Command Template:Command	Daunting Light Template:Daunting Light
Level 5 Daily
Split the Sky Template:Split the Sky	Consecrated Ground Template:Consecrated Ground
Rune of Peace Template:Rune of Peace	Spiritual Weapon Template:Spiritual Weapon
Level 6 Utility
Weapon of the Gods Template:Weapon of the Gods	Bastion of Health Template:Bastion of Health
Cure Serious Wounds Template:Cure Serious Wounds	Divine Vigor Template:Divine Vigor
Level 7 Encounter
Holy Lantern Template:Holy Lantern	Awe Strike Template:Awe Strike
Break the Spirit Template:Break the Spirit	Searing Light Template:Searing Light
Level 9 Daily
Strengthen the Faithful Template:Strengthen the Faithful	Astral Defenders Template:Astral Defenders
Blade Barrier Template:Blade Barrier	Divine Power Template:Divine Power
Level 10 Utility
Flame Strike Template:Flame Strike	Astral Refuge Template:Astral Refuge
Knights of Unyielding Valor Template:Knights of Unyielding Valor	Mass Cure Light Wounds Template:Mass Cure Light Wounds
Level 13 Encounter
Shielding Word Template:Shielding Word	Arc of the Righteous Template:Arc of the Righteous
Inspiring Strike Template:Inspiring Strike	Mantle of Glory Template:Mantle of Glory
Level 15 Daily
Plague of Doom Template:Plague of Doom	Holy Spark Template:Holy Spark
Purifying Fire Template:Purifying Fire	Seal of Warding Template:Seal of Warding
Level 16 Utility
Astral Shield Template:Astral Shield	Cloak of Peace Template:Cloak of Peace
Divine Armor Template:Divine Armor	Hallowed Ground Template:Hallowed Ground
Level 17 Encounter
Blinding Light Template:Blinding Light	Enthrall Template:Enthrall
Sentinel Strike Template:Sentinel Strike	Thunderous Word Template:Thunderous Word
Level 19 Daily
Fire Storm Template:Fire Storm	Holy Wrath Template:Holy Wrath
Indomitable Spirit Template:Indomitable Spirit	Knight of Glory Template:Knight of Glory
Level 22 Utility
Angel of the Eleven Winds Template:Angel of the Eleven Winds	Clarion Call of the Astral Sea Template:Clarion Call of the Astral Sea
Cloud Chariot Template:Cloud Chariot	Purify Template:Purify
Level 23 Encounter
Spirit of Health Template:Spirit of Health	Astral Blades of Death Template:Astral Blades of Death
Divine Censure Template:Divine Censure	Haunting Strike Template:Haunting Strike
Level 25 Daily
Healing Torch Template:Healing Torch	Nimbus of Doom Template:Nimbus of Doom
Sacred Word Template:Sacred Word	Seal of Binding Template:Seal of Binding
Level 27 Encounter
Seal of Protection Template:Seal of Protection	Punishing Strike Template:Punishing Strike
Sacrificial Healing Template:Sacrificial Healing	Scourge of the Unworthy Template:Scourge of the Unworthy
Level 29 Daily
Sunburst Template:Sunburst	Astral Storm Template:Astral Storm
Godstrike Template:Godstrike