The Life Domain subclass for Clerics in BG3 is a true support character with numerous protection capabilities. The Life Domain subclass relies on healing spells and protection buffs to keep allies alive through every combat encounter while increasing their own survivability through heavy armor. Since our Life Domain build has so many healing capabilities, this can also easily be considered a healer build for BG3. This build can also be considered one of the best builds for Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3.
How good Life Domain Cleric build is in BG3?
Life Domain Cleric is one of the best support classes in BG3. They play an important role in keeping your part alive while serving as a tank. This build can deal moderate damage to enemies with access to a vast array of cantrips and spells. Life Domain clerics are very versatile when it comes to interacting with NPCs and using various checks.
However, the Life Domain cleric build in Bg3 has its own disadvantages too. They can’t deal massive amounts of damage to enemies and have way less movement speed. This makes them vulnerable to stronger enemies. Due to a huge number of spells at their disposal, Life Domain clerics can be a bit overwhelming for newcomers and veterans alike.
Starting Abilities and Skills for Cleric Life Domain
There are plenty of things that you can choose from when creating your Life Domain subclass in BG3 during character creation. For the ideal healer build using Life Domain Cleric, go with my starting recommendations below
| Race | Wood Elf | For the Life Domain Cleric, the recommended deity is Selune because of her passive healing and support capabilities. If you are using this build for Shadowheart, Selune will also unlock some unique dialogue options. |
| Ability Point Distribution | 12 STR, 14 DEX, 15+2 CON, 15+1 WIS, 8 INT, 8 CHR. | |
| Skills | Animal Handling, Survival, Perception, Stealth, Medicine, Insight | |
| Deity | Selune | For Life Domain Cleric, the recommended deity is Selune because of her passive healing and support capabilities. If you are using this build for Shadowheart, Selune will also unlock some unique dialogue options. |
Best Background
Since our build mainly focuses on Wisdom. Picking the Folk Hero background is the best background option for Life Domain Cleric in BG3. The background provides proficiency in Animal Handling and Survival skills, both of which scale with Wisdom.
If you want a stealthy experience, then you can also pick Urchin Background, which gives you skills like Sleight of Hand and Stealth, which are based on Dexterity stats.
Best Feats for Life Domain Cleric build
After every four levels, your character can pick a feat. Our suggestions of best feats for the Life Domain Cleric are
Ability Improvement: Sacrifice any feat to add +2 Ability points to Wisdom. The main goal of the Life Cleric is healing, and this helps you in doing that.
War Caster: This feat allows you to maintain concentration while using spells like Shocking Grasp.
Ability Improvement: Once again, select ability improvement at level 12 to max out Wisdom by giving it +2 additional points.
Best Spells for Life Domain Cleric build in BG3
While, for the most part, your unlocked spells will be fixed, below are my recommendations of the spells you should unlock or prepare as you level up your Life Domain build in BG3.
Level 3:
Mass Healing Word is a level 3 Evocation spell that heals up to 6 characters. This is one of the most important spells at lower levels.
Beacon of Hope is another level 3 spell that heals the maximum amount of HP.
Revivify is a level 3 necromancy spell that can revive others.
Level 5:
Greater Restoration is a level 5 abjuration spell that can remove charm, petrification, and stun from any creature.
Mass Cure Wounds is a level 5 abjuration spell that can heal you and nearby allies with 3-24HP.
Best Armor and Weapons
Helm: Helm of Balduran – Attackers can’t land critical hits on you. You are immune to stun, and your HP increases by +1 every turn.
Chest: Robust Chain Shirt – Below 50% hp, deals 1d4 piercing damage to the opponent when hit with a melee weapon.
Gloves: Reviving Hands – Healing a creature automatically provides him Blade Ward.
Cape: Vivacious Cloak – Gains 7 hit point temporarily after casting a spell.
Boot: Boots of Aid and Comfort – Gives three temporary hit points to a creature that is healed.
Necklace: Amulet of Greater Health – The amulet stolen from House of Hope increases your Constitution score to 23.
Rings: Ring of Protection and The Whispering Promise.
Melee Weapon: Legendary Mace Blood of Lathander is, as always, one of the best choices with any Cleric subclass in BG3, thanks to its weapon enchantment and radiant damage.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Life Domain Cleric build level progression
Level 1: At level 1, you will receive three cantrips. Cantrips are weak spells that you can use anytime, and there is no limit to using them. You will get three cantrips: Sacred Flames, Guidance, and Light.
Level 2: Gain one level 1 spell slot, Channel Divinity Charge, and Preserve Life Action. This action heals you and your allies. You will also unlock the spell Turn Undead.
Level 3: You will get another level 1 spell slot along with two level 2 spell slots. Two class-specific spells will also be given that do not need any preparation: Aid and Lesser Restoration. Aid heals your allies and increases their hit points, while the other one cures a creature from any disease, poison, blindness, or paralysis.
Level 4: You will unlock another level 2 spell slot, your fourth Cantrip, Thaumaturgy, which gives you an advantage while doing the intimidation skill check, making dialogues easier. A Feat is also unlocked at this level, which has been explained in the Feats Section.
Level 5: At this level, you will gain two level 3 spell slots. The Class feature Destroy Undead is unlocked and deals 4-24 radiant to undead when you turn them. Two class-specific spells are unlocked. Revivify: revive an ally, but they have only 1 HP and Beacon of Hope; upon healing, your companions will gain maximum HP, and they also get an advantage on wisdom saving and death saving throws.
Level 6: Gain an additional level 3 spell slot and Channel Divinity Charge. The blessed Healer subclass feature is also unlocked. When you heal others, you will also be healed.
Level 7: You will unlock one level 4 spell slot. Life Domain Spells unlocked at this level are Death Ward, which prevents a creature from dying, and Guardian of Faith, which summons a guardian to help you during the fight.
Level 8: Your second level 4 spell slot will be unlocked along with Divine Strike: Life action. This action adds a 1d8 radiant damage to your current weapon damage. Your second feat is also unlocked.
Level 9: You will unlock your first level 5 spell slot. You will also unlock two Life Domain spells. Mass Cure Wounds heals you and your nearby allies, and Greater Restoration, touching a creature negates effects of charm, curse, stun, or petrification.
Level 10: Unlocks the second level 5 spell slot. Also unlocks the Divine Intervention in BG3. This feature can only be used once in the whole adventure, so use it wisely.
Level 11: Unlocks Level 6 spell slot.
Level 12: Unlocks the last feat slot.
Life Domain Cleric Multiclass in BG3
Despite being a complete solo act, we do recommend the following multiclass option for the Life Domain cleric in BG3. Our option is a Fighter, and we recommend splitting 10 levels for Cleric and 2 for Fighter. This will unlock Action Surge class action for fighters, also available to Cleric. You can use this action to cast an additional spell every long rest. The only downside is you lose the level 12 feat and have no access to level 6 spells.
