Summary
Clerics are a core class inDungeons and Dragonsand are known for their proficient healing and support abilities granted to them by the deity they worship. Though they don’t receive any new classes in the 2024Player’s Handbook, Clerics do get some profound changes that will make their healing and spellcasting more potent, particularly with some promised buffs to healing spells.
As the quintessential healing class inDungeons and Dragons, gamers who play them may feel pressured into playing a certain archetype. Changes to the Cleric subclasses and the class as a whole make subclasses such as Trickery and War Domain less of the Lawful Good healer archetype that Clerics tend to carry, while the overall changes to the class allow the player to choose between a martial or spellcasting focus, giving more freedom in roleplaying,
Changes to All Clerics in Dungeons and Dragons
At Level 1, Clerics will be able to choose between Protector or Thaumaturge. Protector allows theCleric to specialize in weapons and Heavy Armor, while Thaumaturge allows Clerics to specialize in spellcasting. All Clerics will still be able to cast spells from the Cleric Spell List, but Thaumaturge Clerics will get an extra cantrip and will get a buff to their ability checks that use Intelligence, Arcana, and Religion using their Wisdom modifier. Like all other spellcasters, all Clerics will be able to swap out one cantrip every time they level up.
Level 10 sees changes to Divine Intervention, which now allows the Cleric to use any Level 5 or lower spell without spell components and without using a spell slot. This includesspells like Revivify, meaning Clerics will be able to bring back party members without diamonds.
All Subclasses For Clerics in DnD 2024
Like the rest of the classes in the 2024Player’s HandbookinDungeons and Dragons,Clerics are granted their subclass at Level 3. None of the subclasses for the Cleric are new, but their tweaks do provide some improvements to gameplay and, because Clerics play such an active role in the party, these changes also go on to affect much of how the flow of combat will proceed going forward.
Life Domain
One of the biggest changes to this class is thatPreserve Life now works on Undead and Constructs. This is especially important for players of Reborn characters, are Constructs, use undead summons, or who simply have friendly undead or Construct allies who need to be healed in battle.
Light Domain
The focus of the Light Domain has shifted to not only bring light to the darkness, but also to find truth. To that end, the Spell List has been modified to be more nuanced for the Light Domain, with spells such as Divination and See Invisibility.
Trickery Domain
The Trickery Domain has seen several significant changes. The Blessing of the Trickster now lasts until the end of the next Long Rest, and can be used on both the Trickery Cleric and others. Invoke Duplicity allows the Cleric to cast an Illusion as a Bonus Action rather than an Action, and it no longer requires concentration.
War Domain
War Domain Clericshave become hardier with resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. At Level 6, their Channel Divinity grants them both Shield of Faith and Spiritual Weapon, which doesn’t require concentration. Casting these spells via Channel Divinity also means that they don’t use a spell slot.
Dungeons and Dragons
Created by Gary Gygax, Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop game in which players craft their own worlds and band together to take on adventures through mysterious realms outlined in companion materials. One of the best role-playing games ever made, it has been adapted into a variety of video games and other media.
