Knowledge Domain Clerics in Baldur’s Gate 3 should be evident from their names. This Cleric subclass is proficient in some extra skills by default without you having to unlock those skills. The Baldur’s Gate 3 Cleric Knowledge Domain build relies on disabling enemies through mind-altering status effects like Sleep, Calm Emotions, and Dominate Person. On top of that, the Knowledge Domain subclass can also boost the damage done by Cantrips by scaling with WIS ability.
Starting Abilities and Skills for Cleric Knowledge Domain
Race: High Elf. This race is the way to go as Clerics are not often used as offense and this race gives you proficiency with bows that maintain your distance from enemies.
Skills: Religion, Insight, History, Persuasion, Medicine, Perception
Ability Point Distribution: 8 STR, 14 DEX, 14 INT, 14 CON, 16 WIS, 8 CHA.
Best Background
The best BG3 background for Knowledge Domain Cleric is Acolyte. The Acolyte background gives Insight and Religion skill proficiency in Baldur’s Gate 3. They both scale with Wisdom and Intelligence, two stats that you have an ample amount of.
Best Feats for BG3 Cleric Knowledge Domain build
Since we are going with a single class, we have the option of selecting 3 feat points as we level up the Cleric Knowledge Domain subclass. Below is my recommendation for best feats to select for your character
Level Four: Ability Improvement. Increase the Wisdom ability stat to 18. Improves your spell and cantrip damage.
Level Eight: Pick Magic Initiate: Druid. This will allow you to learn two cantrips and 1 spell from the druid spell book. We recommend you pick Poison Spray or Shillelagh and Thorn Whip. Pick any spell you like.
Level Twelve: Pick War Caster which allows you to maintain concentration in Baldur’s Gate 3 while casting spells.
Best Spells for Cleric Knowledge Domain build
Level 3: Hold Person. One of the best crowd control spells in BG3 which can give you some time if an enemy is going to attack you, you can either fight or run from the situation.
Level 5: Pick Beacon of Hope and Revivify. Beacon of Hope heals the maximum amount of HP while Revivify will save you from using up your scrolls of Revivify.
Level 9: Dominate Person allows you to control enemies and have them fight at your side for a short while.
Best Armor and Weapons
Helm: Wapira’s Crown. Gain 1d6 hit points when healing.
Chest: Githyanki Half Plate or you can use any chest plate.
Gloves: Reviving Hands – Healing an ally automatically provides them Blade Ward.
Cape: Mantle of Holy Warrior – can cast Crusador Mantle making nearby allies do extra radiant damage.
Boot: Feather light boots – when health is below 50% your speed is increased by 3m
Necklace: Amulet of Greater Health – This amulet, stolen from House of Hope, increases your Constitution to 23 meaning your Knowledge Domain Cleric gets a nice HP boost.
Rings: Till Death Do Us Apart and Orphic Ring
Melee Weapon: Blood of Lathander – Blood of Lathander is easily one of the best BG3 weapons, being a legendary item in BG3, and an ideal choice for most Cleric builds.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Cleric Knowledge Domain build level progression
Level 2: Gain one level 1 Spell Slot and Knowledge of Ages Action. This gives you proficiency in all skills of the ability you have chosen.
Level 3: At level 3, you are welcomed with a level 2 spell slot along with a level 1 one. Two Knowledge Cleric Spells are unlocked; Calm Emotion and Hold Person. Calm Emotion makes humanoid immune to being Charged, Frightened, and Enraged while Hold Person makes the enemy unable to move and attacks within 3m are always critical.
Level 4: A feat is unlocked at a level that has been explained in the previous section.
Level 5: 2 Level 3 spell slots and a class feature, Destroy Undead are unlocked. Two class-based spells are also unlocked. Slow, changes time around 6 enemies making their movement speed restricted, and Speak with Dead spell, enables you to speak with the dead humanoids. You can answer up to 5 questions.
Level 6: Gain another level 3 spell slot and Channel Divinity Charge.
Level 7: Unlocks a level 4 spell slot. Also, unlock two spells Confusion, which makes the enemies well confused causing them to attack at random, and Outiluke’s Resilient Sphere which encloses the enemies into a sphere making them immune to attack you and vice versa.
Level 8: 2nd level 4 spell slot is unlocked. Class feature Potent Spellcasting is unlocked the add wisdom modifiers to the damage dealt with Cantrips. The feat is also unlocked at this level.
Level 9: You will unlock your 1st level 5 spell slot. Two subclass spells, Telekinesis and Dominate Person are also unlocked. You can throw objects using telekinesis while the latter makes a humanoid creature fight by your side.
Level 10: At level 10, Divine intervention is unlocked which you can use only one time in your whole adventure. An additional spell slot for level 5 spells is also unlocked.
Level 11: Unlocks Level 6 spell slot.
Level 12: Unlocks a Feat (explained Earlier).
