This guide will explain the best Cleric Build in Baldur’s Gate 3, the Cleric Class, and the Nature Domain subclass, for the optimal setup.
This build page has been updated for thePatch 8 versionof Baldur’s Gate 3.
Nature Domain Cleric Class Introduction
Clerics in Baldur’s Gate 3 are versatile and powerful spellcasters who can heal, buff, debuff, and deal damage, making them an asset to any party. Their ability to commune with the divine grants them access to a diverse array of spells and abilities. Clerics offer players a dynamic and engaging role-playing experience within the BG3 universe.
For this build, we will be using the Nature subclass which focuses on nature spells. This subclass grants heavy armour proficiency and makes a great Cleric support build. You want to use this build for sturdy and durable Cleric healing with an emphasis on nature.
Nature Domain Cleric Build Changes in Patch 8 for BG3
The most significant change for Clerics in Patch 8 of BG3 comes with the addition of the Booming Blade cantrip. While it’s a solid enhancement for melee-focused builds, it shines brightest in the Death Domain, which can fully capitalize on its potential. Overall, the core Cleric playstyles of healer, tank, or radiant damage dealer remain largely the same. However, recent buffs to enemy strength make Tactician andHonour Modenoticeably more challenging, so you may wish to use our alternative build for a Cleric with more survivability and strength.
Nature Domain Cleric Class Mechanics and Features
The following list are key features andclassmechanics of the Nature Domain Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Cleric Spell Mechanics
Nature Domain Subclass
The Nature Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a subclass of the Cleric class that focuses on the power of nature. Nature Clerics are skilled at healing their allies, buffing them for battle, and debuffing their enemies, but they also have several abilities that allow them to control and manipulate the natural world around them. This subclass is given domain spells which are always prepared and added to your spellbook. They are focused on nature, survival, buffs, and crowd control. This domain and subclass is balanced with an emphasis on nature and is a perfect choice for a nature character archetype.
Below is a list of the Nature Domain Cleric subclass progression, features, and spells:
Character Creation
Recommended Backgrounds
Acolyte is the BestBackgroundfor a Nature Domain Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3 because you gain two Wisdom-based proficiency. You want to pick a background that scales with your main ability Wisdom. This choice mostly influencesroleplayingand dialogue options aspects and allows you to create unique characters. Additional choices are:
Best Race Choice for Nature Domain Cleric Build
TheWood Elfis the bestracechoice for our Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Nature Domain Cleric Build Guide because you can have longsword proficiency along with Darkvision, an extra cantrip, and Fey Ancestry. Fleet of Foot gives the Wood Elf the best movement of all the races, which helps the Cleric’s weak movement speed and it fits the nature story and background. A secondary choice is theHumanbecause 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.
Recommended Skills for Nature Domain Cleric Build
MedicineandReligionare the best skills for our Baldur’s Gate 3 Nature 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 Nature Domain Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Best Nature Domain Cleric Ability Scores
Below is the bestability scoreto unlock the full potential of the best Nature Domain Cleric Build in Baldur’s Gate 3:
The best ability score for Nature Cleric is 16 Wisdom, 16 Constitution, and 14 Dexterity. Wisdom will influence your spell power, Constitution will determine health and concentration spell saves, while Dexterity helps with initiative and combat order. 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 Nature 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.
You can increase your ability score via a quest inAct 1, Act 2, andAct 3. ensure to check out ourPermanent bonus guideon how you can boost your ability score through quests.
Read More:All Acts in BG3 Ranked
Nature 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.
Nature Domain Cleric Spell Slots
Here is a list of the Nature Domain Clerics’ Spell Slots as they progress:
Nature Domain Cleric Illithid Powers
Illithid Powersare unlocked later in the game when you learn more about the Mind Flayers and tadpoles. you may 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.
Read More:Best Patch 8 Subclass Tier List in Baldur’s Gate 3
Here are the best Illithid Powers for our Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Nature Domain Cleric Build Guide:
Nature Domain Cleric Level Progression
Alternative Nature Domain Cleric Build
The best alternative to the Nature Domain Clerc build is a “tank” setup that debuffs enemies with Radiating Orb via Luminous Armour. you may obtain this gear in Act 1 and use it throughout the game while maintaining decent damage with Spirit Guardians. This build will require the Light Domain subclass, but can be very effective if you are struggling with survivability.
At Level one follow our character creator to pick all correct background, race, skills, and ability scores focusing on Wisdom and Constitution. 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 verify to use the loadout at the end of the level for a helpful guide. You want to find and equip heavy armour and one-handed weapons like a mace or quarterstaff and shield. A shield with heavy armor should give you a very high Armour Class (AC) starting the game and is the go-to armor from Acts 1 to 3.
Cantrips and Spells
Cantrip Selection
Spell Selection
Subclass Feature
Nature 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 can 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 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 Nature Domain subclass unlocks a lot of utility spells for speaking with or controlling animals. Feel free to experiment with a variety of spells depending on your party’s loadout and needs. The default setup will be support and healing for the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Nature Domain Cleric Build Guide.
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 heavy armor and a shield to keep your 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.
Nature 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 Nature Domain Cleric build is the following:
At Level 2 you will gain a class action, subclass feature, channel divinity charges, and one prepared spell.
Your subclass unlocks Charm Animals and Plants a useful questing and exploration spell. Your class unlocks Turn Undead which is very useful in limited fights where all the enemies are undead. verify to click on them, and examine which will tell you if they are undead.
Command is our spell selection and it makes for incredible crowd control early on. Grovel is great for knocking enemies prone and drop is awesome for dropping weapon users’ weapons and picking them up immediately following. The Command spell will help you control the battlefield throughout the initial part of the game. An alternative if you are having issues with survivability is Shield. Shield of Faith can give one player +2 AC until long rest or concentration is broken. This is a defensive replacement for Bless with a concentration spell and makes a good flex spell.
Nature Domain Cleric Level 2 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, and Command.
Now at Level 3, you will unlock two Level 2 spells, two subclass spells, and one new prepared spell.
At this level, you add another useful movement debuff spell with Spike Growth. This is great to throw in a choke point where the enemy is moving towards you and taking damage with reduced movement. Barkskin is a weak buff spell that does lack until long rest, but good armour and Shielf of Faith are usually a better option.
For spell selection, we want to take 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.
Nature Domain Cleric Level 3 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Command, and Spiritual Weapon.
Once you’ve reached Level 4 you will now be able to unlock one cantrip, one new prepared spell, and your first feat.
The best feat early is ability improvement +2 to Wisdom to increase your spell effectiveness and additional prepared spell. Immediately after your selection, you can select another spell and I’d go with Hold Person for a great single-target control spell. For your spell selection choice, go with Lesser Restoration to have more utility when you need a cleanse.
Nature Domain Cleric Level 4 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Command, Spiritual Weapon, and Lesser Restoration.
At Level 5 as a Nature Domain Cleric, you will unlock two level 3 spells, Destroy Undead, two subclass spells, and one newly prepared spell.
Level 5 is a massive spike in power due to subclass spells and level 3 spells. Your subclass gives you Plant Growth and Sleet Storm, both of which are great for area control and damage. Mass Healing Word is a good spell selection choice that acts as an upgraded Healing Word using a bonus action to AOE heal teammates. If you need to free up a spell slot, feel free to drop Healing Word at this point.
You should have a balanced single target and area-based damage and healing spell combination with good crowd control at level 5. Typically, turn one you need to buff your group with Blessed or Shield of Faith, the Spiritual Weapon with a bonus action. Second turn usually you crowd control or damage depending if your teammates need healing. Always default to healing, but sometimes your allies will be at near full health and it makes sense to use Sleet Storm for area damage and Guiding Bolt for a single target. As you progress with the Nature Cleric, this remains the type of gameplay but you have more utility and choices in healing, crowd control, and damage.
Nature Domain Cleric Level 5 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Command, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, and Mass Healing Word.
The level 6 Nature Cleric only gets one new prepared spell slot at this level.
The best level 6 spell selection here is Beacon of Hope. This is a concentration-based spell that lasts 10 turns and maximizes your healing potential. Use this spell in replacement for Blessed when you expect heavy incoming damage and most of your turns are spent on pure healing. Typically, I cast this once every 3-4 fights, but you will miss it dearly if it’s not prepared during a tough encounter.
Nature Domain Cleric Level 6 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Command, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Mass Healing Word, Beacon of Hope, and Hold Person.
At Level 7 you will unlock one level 4 spell slot, two subclass spells, and one prepared spell.
Level 7 Nature Cleric gives you a useful beast control spell and grasping vine control spell. Guardian of Faith is the best choice to select for spells at this level. It is another summon type of spell that doesn’t require concentration, but also cannot be relocated. You can 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.
Nature Domain Cleric Level 7 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Command, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Mass Healing Word, Beacon of Hope, Hold Person, and Guardian of Faith.
Upon reaching Level 8 you’ll unlock a subclass feature, feat, and one prepared spell.
The Nature Subclass unlocks Elemental Fury Divine Strike which won’t fit our build. The War and Tempest Cleric builds make greater use of these melee-damaging subclass features and rely more on martial damage than spells. War Caster is the suggested feat 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.
Nature Domain Cleric Level 8 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Command, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Mass Healing Word, Beacon of Hope, Hold Person, Guardian of Faith, and Banishment.
At Level 9 you’ll now unlock one level 5 spell slot, one new prepared spell, and two subclass spells.
Level 9 will give you only one level 5 spell slot and the go-to is Mass Cure Wounds. This is an upgraded area-based version of Cure Wounds and is a powerful heal. You can combine it with bonus action Mass Healing Word for two super powerful group heals in one turn. If you cast Beacon of Hope on turn one, then these two spells in conjunction will likely heal your team to full in one round.
Your nature subclass gives insect plague and a wall of stone. These spells are very situational and helpful when playing with terrain. Typically, I find better choices per turn, but they give you some utility when you need terrain-altering spells.
Nature Domain Cleric Level 9 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Command, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Mass Healing Word, Beacon of Hope, Hold Person, Guardian of Faith, Banishment, and Mass Cure Wounds.
When you hit Level 10 you’ll unlock Divine Intervention, one cantrip, and one prepared spell.
Unlocked here is another utility cantrip and spell selection. 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.
Flame Strike is a great area-based damage spell that does not require concentration. This is a great pickup at level 10 when you need a high-impact damage spell but be careful to not cast against enemies with flame resistance.
Nature Domain Cleric Level 10 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Command, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Mass Healing Word, Beacon of Hope, Hold Person, Guardian of Faith, Banishment, Mass Cure Wounds, and Flame Strike.
At Level 11 you will unlock 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 may 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 which has good health, high movement speed, and big damage. The best part of Planar Ally is it stacks with other summons; thus you may have a little team roaming with you until a long rest! Free damage, utility, and distractions.
Nature Domain Cleric Level 11 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Command, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Mass Healing Word, Beacon of Hope, Hold Person, Guardian of Faith, Banishment, Mass Cure Wounds, Flame Strike, 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.
Nature Domain Cleric Level 12 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Bless, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Command, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Mass Healing Word, Beacon of Hope, Hold Person, Guardian of Faith, Banishment, Mass Cure Wounds, Flame Strike, 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 Nature 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 Nature Domain Cleric Build Guide:
Advanced: Act 3 End Game
Below is the best gear for our Baldur’s Gate 3 Nature Domain Cleric Build Guide:
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 Nature 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 Nature Domain Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3
Nature Domain Cleric Combat, Gameplay Tips, and Tricks
Here are 10 gameplay tips and tricks for playing a Nature Domain Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Remember, this build guide serves as a foundation, and you may always adapt it to suit your preferences and the needs of your campaign. Enjoy playing as a formidable Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Nature Domain Cleric Build Guide!
Build Summary – Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Nature Domain Cleric Guide
Q. Is nature Domain Cleric good?
Ans. Yes, the Nature Domain Cleric is good as it provides heavy armor proficiency, good domain spells, and works well with a support or control centric playstyle.
Q. What are the 8 cleric domains?
Ans. The 8 Cleric Domains in BG3 offers unique playstyles, and different spells and abilities. These 8 Cleric Domains are: Life Domain, Light Domain, Trickery Domain, Knowledge Domain, Nature Domain, Tempest Domain, War Domain, and Forge Domain.
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