Here’s how the DnD 2024 Cleric works

Thanks to extensive playtesting and detailed marketing, we already know a lot about how the DnD 2024 Cleric is changing. But here at Wargamer, we’ve got our copy of the new Player’s Handbook. And as of August 1, we’re allowed to talk about the DnD Cleric 2024 in a bit more detail. The short version of the story is that this class has seen some serious quality of life tweaks – for the long version, read on.

While some DnD classes have seen a serious overhaul, the core parts of the Cleric class look pretty familiar:

As of 2024, a Cleric can choose to start with 110 GP or the following items:

• Chain shirt
• Shield
• Mace
• Holy symbol
• Priest’s pack
• 7 GP

DnD 2024 Cleric traits

The One DnD Cleric has several new features, and even some of their staple abilities appear at different levels or with rules tweaks. Here’s a complete list:

Straight away, you’ll notice some significant differences compared to the 2014 DnD Cleric. You don’t pick your DnD Cleric subclass until level three, but you get a lot more Channel Divinity slots to spend (two before level six rather than one, three until level 17 rather than two, etc).

There’s no longer a subclass feature at level seven, and Destroy Undead has been removed. However, there are the new Divine Order and Blessed Strikes features instead. Plus, like all classes, Clerics get an Epic Boon at level 19.

Spellcasting

Level: One

While spellcasting works in largely the same way for Cleric, there are some important tweaks to note. Firstly, the Cleric features table in the Player’s Handbook now gives you a set number of prepared spells that your Cleric knows – you no longer need to calculate this depending on your Wisdom modifier.

Secondly, you have the opportunity to swap DnD cantrips you know whenever you gain a Cleric level. As in the 2014 rules, you can change your leveled spells whenever you finish a DnD long rest.

Here’s a look at the 2024 Cleric’s known spells and spell slots:

Cleric spells

One major change in the Player’s Handbook is the addition of spells from previous DnD sourcebooks. Toll the Dead and Word of Radiance have both been ported over from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. Additionally, the Cleric spell list now features options that were first introduced in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything:

• Aura of Vitality
• Aura of Life
• Aura of Purity
• Summon Celestial
• Sunbeam
• Power Word Heal

Circle of Power and Sunburst have also been added to the Cleric spell list. There’s only one entirely new spell in the list, and that’s Power Word Fortify, a high-level spell that lets you dole out temporary hit points.

The rest of the spell list may look the same, but Wizards has done some serious remodelling in its spell section. The changes are so vast that we can’t list how every Cleric spell has changed here just yet – but keep an eye out for future updates.

Divine Order

Level: One

‘But wait!’, we hear you cry. ‘If I don’t pick my subclass until level three, what kind of Cleric am I before that?’. Wizards of the Coast has thought of the answer, and it’s summed up by your Divine Order feature.

This means, as part of their dedication to a DnD god, your Cleric has committed themselves to one of two disciplines. Protector gives you training with heavy armor and martial weapons, while Thaumaturge gives you an extra cantrip from the Cleric spell list and a bonus to your Arcana and Religion checks. That bonus equals your Wisdom modifier.

Channel Divinity

Level: Two

As we already mentioned, you get more uses of your Channel Divinity in general. However, when you take a short rest, you only regain one Channel Divinity slot rather than all of them. You only replenish all uses on a long rest.

All Clerics get two Channel Divinity options. The first is Turn Undead, which now frightens and incapacitates targets that fail their Wisdom saving throw. They still move as far as they can from your Cleric on their turn, but the incapacitated condition means they can no longer Dash (and get inconveniently far away).

Alternatively, you can spend Channel Divinity uses on Divine Spark. As an action, you present your holy symbol and target another creature you can see within 30 feet. You then roll 1d8 and add your Wisdom modifier. Finally, you can choose whether to give this sum to your target as hit points or as damage (radiant or necrotic). If you want to hurt your target, they take full damage on a failed Constitution saving throw and half as much on a successful save.

Cleric subclasses

Level: Three

The 2024 Player’s Handbook lets you choose from four Cleric subclasses:

Life Domain

Life Clerics no longer seem to be proficient in heavy armor. Their domain spells are also very different:

Divine Strike has now been moved to the main class features, but the remaining Life Cleric features work mostly as they did before. Preserve Life can now only target ‘Bloodied’ creatures (who have half their hit points or less), but it can target undead and constructs.

Blessed Healer has also been reworded to restore hit points “immediately after you cast a spell with a spell slot that restores hit points”. We’re wondering how this is going to affect our beloved Goodberry Life Cleric DnD character build.

Finally, Supreme Healing also applies to healing that’s done with your Channel Divinity, not just with spells.

Light Domain

The spells for the Light Cleric have also seen some changes:

Radiance of the Dawn and Warding Flare work pretty much as before, but Warding Flare now seems like it can affect blinded creatures. Improved Warding Flare now lets you replenish your Warding Flare uses on a short rest, and you can use it to give 2d6 plus your Wisdom modifier in HP to a creature you’re protecting with Warding Flare.

Finally, Corona of Light now gives enemies disadvantage on saving throws against Radiance of the Dawn as well as spells that deal fire and radiant damage. It’s also now got limited uses – you can use the feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier before you need a long rest to replenish them.

Trickery Domain

The Trickery Cleric is perhaps the subclass that has changed the most. You’ll first notice this in their spell list:

Invoke Duplicity works as it did in 2014, but it’s now a bonus action and no longer requires concentration. Blessings of the Trickster lets you choose yourself or someone else to benefit from advantage on Stealth checks, and its effects last until you take a long rest. Cloak of Shadows has been replaced with Trickster’s Transposition, a level-six feature that lets you teleport whenever you create or move your Invoke Duplicity illusion.

Improved Duplicity is also entirely new. When you or an ally attacks a creature within five feet of the illusion, that attack roll has advantage. Additionally, when the illusion ends, you or a creature you choose within five feet of the illusion regains HP equal to your Cleric level.

War Domain

Like all other Cleric subclasses, the War Domain has a new spell list:

The War Cleric also seems to have lost their heavy armor proficiency. Guided Strike still offers a +10 bonus to your attack rolls, but it triggers when you or a creature within 30 feet misses an attack roll. Giving this ability to your friends costs a reaction, but it could be well worth it.

The subclass’ War Priest feature can now be applied to unarmed strikes as well as weapon attacks. Additionally, War God’s Blessing has been given an overhaul. The new version lets you spend Channel Divinity to cast Shield of Faith or Spiritual Weapon without a spell slot or concentration (remember, Spiritual Weapon is concentration now).

Ability Score Improvement

Level: Four, Eight, 12, 16

This works exactly as it does in the 2014 rules. You can:

• Increase two DnD stats by +1
• Increase one stat by +2
• Pick a feat instead

Sear Undead

Level: Five

When you use Turn Undead, this feature lets you roll d8s equal to your Wisdom modifier. Any undead that fails its saving throw against you takes that much Radiant damage, and this damage doesn’t end the Turn Undead effect.

Blessed Strikes

Level: Seven

When you reach level seven, choose either Divine Strike or Potent Spellcasting as your new class ability. Divine Strike deals 1d8 extra necrotic or radiant damage when you hit with a weapon attack, while Potent Spellcasting adds your Wisdom modifier to Cleric cantrip damage.

Divine Intervention

Level: 10

Divine Intervention is now guaranteed to work, but its results are less explosive. Once per long rest, as an action, you can choose any Cleric spell that doesn’t cost a reaction and is level five or below. You can cast this spell without spell slots or material components.

Improved Blessed Strikes

Level: 14

Your Divine Strike or Potent Spellcasting gets even better. If you picked the first option, its damage increases to 2d8. As for the latter, you can grant temporary hit points to yourself or an ally whenever you deal damage with a Cleric cantrip. The temporary HP equals twice your Wisdom modifier.

Epic Boon

Level: 19

Your Cleric gains one of the new Epic Boon feats. See our DnD 2024 feats guide to learn what your options are.

Greater Divine Intervention

Level: 20

Your Divine Intervention now lets you choose Wish as the spell you cast for free. However, if you do, you have to wait 2d4 long rests before you can use Divine Intervention again.

Wondering whether you need the new rulebooks? Check out our 2024 Player’s Handbook review. We can also tell you more about DnD 2024 backgrounds and DnD tools in the new book.

Source: Wargamer