“Clerics draw power from the realms of the gods and harness it to work miracles. Blessed by a deity, a pantheon, or another immortal entity, a Cleric can reach out to the divine magic of the Outer Planes—where gods dwell—and channel it to bolster people and battle foes.”
Introduction
Welcome, servant of the Gods, to your guide to roleplaying a Cleric like the divine conduit they truly are. In this guide we will cover the basics of the Cleric from a fundamental point of view, key things to consider when creating a Cleric, common tropes to draw from or subvert during character creation, the sub-classes available in the Player’s Handbook (PHB). If you are ready to take your first steps on the divine path then read on.
What makes a Cleric?
Clerics are individuals chosen by the deities of the multiverse to become conduits of their divine will and power. These people are often devout followers of the entity which grants them such power…though not always. Unlike Paladins and Warlocks, Clerics do not swear an oath or make a bargain with their god, they are chosen for reasons often beyond the ken of mortals and have little say in the matter. Even among the very devout, not every follower of a deity is fortunate enough to become a Cleric.
Clerics have been stalwarts of the adventuring community since time immemorial due to their propensity to undertake holy quests in the dark places of the world, and support their allies with divine power, becoming a blazing beacon of hope and faith in the darkness. However, depending on their faith and religious doctrine, Clerics vary wildly in the nature, if not the potency, of their abilities and the quests which they undertake in the name of their deity.
Creating Your Cleric
When creating your Cleric there are several key questions to consider which are foundational to the character’s world-view, history, and personal goals as their adventures begin. Whilst the guidance offered in this section will suit most players, we encourage you to make it your own and change aspects to better suit your character concept, play-style, or group. After all, it wouldn’t make much sense to create a Life Domain Cleric if your adventuring party are all disciples of Baal!
How did your Cleric learn to access their divine abilities?
Perhaps the most significant question in your Cleric’s history, the answer lays the foundations for how your Cleric became who they are today. Was your Cleric blessed with divine visions of their future adventures only to find that they could do extraordinary things? Maybe they unlocked their magical potential through rigorous prayer and religious study? Did they realise what power they wielded by accident in a moment of great need? Take some time to think about your answer before moving on.
What is their personal philosophy?
Your Cleric’s worldview and personality shape their life in ways beyond their daily existence, often resonating with those around them to enlighten and invigorate their allies. How does your Cleric feel about their powers? Do they have a positive relationship with their divine benefactor or are they a reluctant piece in a game they don’t wish to be part of? A Cleric who is grateful for their abilities is very different to one who never asked for them.
Often we can fall into the trap of quoting “religious scripture” from our Cleric’s faith to showcase their apparent wisdom, but, if we consider the wisest, most compassionate individuals throughout history, and more importantly in our own lives, they rarely live by the standards of others. Instead, consider how your Cleric’s faith has been shaped by their own life experience and those around them as opposed to purely the idiosyncrasies of their religion.
For example, perhaps your Cleric’s religion teaches that those of other faiths are heretics to be shunned as blasphemers. Does your Cleric hold this view personally or do they reject it? In either case, consider the reason for this. Perhaps your Cleric held this view until they were saved by a member of an apparently heretical faith and a bond was formed which challenged their previous worldview.
Tropes
The Cleric has been a mainstay of fantasy media since its inception, and several figures from mythology could also be seen as Clerics of their deity. Here we offer a few examples of tropes to inspire your character.
The classic high-fantasy Cleric is an armoured warrior battling evil in the darkness with a mace in one hand and a blazing holy symbol in the other, driving back the creatures of night and shadow in the name of their god.
Though, any warrior-priest fighting against the evil plaguing their world could also fit the bill. This trope has inspired many iconic characters in novels, TV shows, and movies and it is still a fantastic basis for a Cleric today should you wish to follow a more traditional template for your character. Examples of this type of character are: Jedi in Star Wars, Abraham Van Helsing, and Jozan: Cleric of Pelor, to name a few.
However, as with any trope, one always has the option of subverting them instead! Should you wish your Cleric to follow a more morally dubious path you could create a Cleric of an evil deity like the aforementioned disciple of Baal, God of Murder. Clerics who use their power to subjugate, oppress, and destroy their enemies and the innocent fall into this category, and like their noble counter-parts, there are many examples of such villains to inspire you. Minthara from Baldur’s Gate 3, the Sith Lords from Star Wars, and Melissandre from Game of Thrones are all good examples of evil cleric characters.
Cleric Subclasses: Your Divine Domain
Your Cleric’s Divine Domain dictates the nature of their divine powers and is a foundational pillar of your character. In the PHB there are four Domains to choose from: Life, Light, Trickery, and War. Each with their own ways of worship and acts expected of their disciples. It is important to note that Domains are not tied to specific deities and are open to player interpretation. For example, Lathander: The Morning Lord, could easily grant power to a Cleric of either the Life or Light Domains.
Life
Life Domain Clerics seek to heal the pain in the world through their divine gifts and personal endeavours. They revere life in all its forms, cherishing the natural world and all who dwell within it. However, Life Clerics will fiercely defend those in their care, and are willing to take up arms to defeat foes which threaten the sanctity of life.
If your Cleric is a member of this Domain they likely worship a god of sunlight, nature, agriculture, or similar. Consider how their faith shapes their worldview and principles. Life Domain Clerics often fit the archetype of the “blessed healer”, supporting the wounded, down-trodden, and afflicted in whatever way they can. Another important consideration if you choose this Domain is how your Cleric feels about hurting others.
An adventurer’s life is not a peaceful one, and blood is spilled on a near daily basis as quests are pursued and foes vanquished. Does your Cleric see violence against those who would threaten their allies as a justifiable act, or do they abstain from such things? Perhaps they have a nuanced view on the matter, refusing to harm sentient creatures, but striking down unnatural creatures without pause.
Light
Clerics of the Light Domain are holy warriors of their faith, driving back the darkness with spell, blade, and holy fury. Clerics of this Domain often seek out the darkest places of the world to cleanse them in the name of their deity, wielding their holy power to vanquish undead and other shadowy creatures. These Clerics often worship gods of the sun, fire, or even justice such as Pelor, Helm, or Lathander.
If your Cleric is a member of this Domain consider how they utilise their power in service to their deity. Are they on a divine quest to rid the land of a specific evil creature like an infamous vampire lord? Perhaps they have been tasked with venturing into a long-forgotten dungeon to reclaim a holy relic of their religion, or maybe they just seek to destroy as many evil creatures as possible. Clerics of Light are more focused on the cleansing of evil than the healing of others; consider how this manifests in your Cleric’s worldview.
Trickery
Clerics of the Trickery Domain are a strange breed, often more concerned with sowing mischief and chaos than the vanquishing of evil or healing the wounded. These Clerics specialise in misdirection and obfuscation and use their divine power to beguile, befuddle, and bedazzle their foes to achieve their esoteric goals. Trickery Domain Clerics often worship deities who reflect their chaotic whims such as Sheogorath and Clavicus Vile from The Elder Scrolls series, Loki from the Norse pantheon, Shar and Tymora from the Forgotten Realms.
If your Cleric is a member of this Domain, consider how they use their magical abilities, and to what ends. What is their goal? Perhaps they live to undermine the forces of evil, using their magic to distract or terrify those who would threaten the innocent. An illusory dragon would certainly give a group of Bandits pause for thought! Maybe they don’t have an overarching goal, they simply live to embrace the chaos of life and enjoy the ride.
When creating a character like this it is important to work with your GM and fellow players to ensure that they are an asset to your adventuring party and not a chaotic liability. That’s not fun for anyone else.
War
Clerics of the War Domain are warrior-priests without compare, fiery orators and fighters whose temple is the field of battle. Unlike their more magically-focused peers, Clerics of the War Domain are adept melee combatants who eagerly hurl themselves into the lethal chaos of combat to prove their devotion to their deity. Such Clerics often worship deities of martial prowess and chivalry or of conquest such as Bahamut, Bane, and Gru’umsh in the Forgotten Realms, Talos in the Elder Scrolls series, and Sigmar in Warhammer Fantasy.
If your Cleric is a member of this Domain, consider how they show their devotion to their deity and what their religious practices look like. More than other Domains, the War Cleric seeks battle to test their mettle and prove their skill rather than to vanquish evil (though mighty evils represent an inviting challenge to be conquered!).
How does your Cleric’s worldview interact with their faith? Do they exclusively battle the champions of evil, seeking out the worst creatures in their world to test their might? Perhaps morality is of less importance to them than a worthy opponent, and they will cross blades with anyone they see fit. Once again, if your Cleric is cut from a morally-grey cloth, then it is important to discuss this with your GM and fellow players during character creation to ensure that your Cleric contributes effectively to both the party and the story being told.
Conclusion
By now you should have a clear picture of your Cleric in your mind: who they are, how they gained their skills, and their Subclass. If not, don’t worry! Have a chat with your GM and ask them to help you create a Cleric who fits into the game you all want to play, fits into the world you’re playing in, and has connections with other player characters. Happy adventuring!
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