Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Death Domain Cleric Build

Baldur’s Gate 3‘s Patch 8 introduced many new subclasses to the game for players to experiment with. Among these is the Death Domain Cleric, a cleric who works in harmony with the undead instead of against them. While these clerics can function in a similar niche to other clerics in the game, they really shine when used as a flexible Necromancer, capable of tanking, dealing damage, and bringing utility at the same time.

Keep reading to learn how to get the most out of the Death Domain subclass, such as the best leveling choices, multiclass options, best in slot gear, and tips for spell selection.

Introduction To The Death Domain Cleric

The Death Domain Cleric excels in melee due to its additional Necrotic Damage on hit (both from its Channel Divinity and Level 8 feature) as well as being able to ignore resistance to Necrotic damage. Many of its spells support a Drain Tank playstyle, such as Vampiric Touch. It also gives players one of the best thematic options for playing a Divine Necromancer — a playstyle for which there are many interesting items in the game.

Further cementing its role as a flexible front-line caster is its proficiency with martial weapons, something typically reserved for classes like the Fighter and Ranger. This proficiency allows it to wield the game’s highest damage weapons. However, it has a major weak point that players will need to build around. It lacks proficiency with heavy armor — a major downside for a melee caster as it means a lower AC. Expect to get hit and potentially lose concentration often unless covering this weak point by getting Heavy Armor Proficiency somewhere or building with high Dexterity and Medium Armor.

Death Domain Cleric Combat Strategy

In this build, the Death Cleric aims to maintain concentration on a necrotic damage spell such as Spirit Guardians or Vampiric Touch. Both spells benefit from the caster staying in melee. To do this without losing concentration, it focuses on survivability in high AC and high CON saves. Once concentrating, the Death Cleric spends subsequent actions summoning undead minions, controlling these minions, and using spells like Inflict Wounds, Toll the Dead, and Chill Touch to deal damage. Expect the build to really shine starting at level 6.

Best Character Creation Choices For A Death Domain Cleric

When creating a powerful Death Domain Cleric, important choices begin right at the character creation screen. Most important to this build’s success are an appropriate Ability Score distribution, and deciding whether to play a pure Cleric or a Multiclass. Either choice has the same items later on, but has slightly different strengths in combat. Namely, the Multiclass sacrifices spell power for Constitution saving throw proficiency and heavy armor proficiency. Meanwhile, the pure Cleric build will reach higher spell levels faster and retain all three ASIs available to characters in Baldur’s Gate 3. This build is a multiclass build that takes the first level in Fighter for Heavy Armor Proficiency, Second Wind, and Proficiency in Constitution Saves, and then takes 11 levels of Death Cleric to avoid losing out on 6th level spells.

Best Race Options For Death Domain Cleric

The race for this character is not a make-or-break decision. However, players might find going Human helpful, as they gain an increase in carrying capacity and an additional proficiency. There are a lot of things to pick up in this game, and Clerics typically struggle with encumbrance due to focusing on Wisdom instead of Strength. Additionally, a free proficiency is fantastic for this build, as it can help diversify the character’s skill set.

Best Background Options For Death Domain Cleric

When choosing a background, the most important thing is to avoid ones with the same proficiency the character receives elsewhere. Ideally, players also focus on a proficiency that their character has a good bonus to. For this build, that means anything in the Wisdom category and Strength. Acolyte, the Haunted One (for Dark Urge), or Outlander check all these boxes.

While Acolyte is typically a bad choice for a cleric because so many of their proficiency options overlap, in this case, it works very well. The Fighter start means players choose between a completely different proficiency list than that offered to Acolytes.

Best Ability Scores For Death Domain Cleric

When deciding on the Ability Score array for a Death Domain Cleric, players should first and foremost focus on Wisdom. This determines the chance Cleric spells will hit and the perception modifier (arguably the most important proficiency in the game). The maximum players can get in a single stat is 17, and this should be the character’s Wisdom Score.

After Wisdom, Constitution will be very important for this build. This number determines the character’s maximum hit points and is the save rolled to maintain concentration on spells such as Faerie Fire, Bless, or Bane. Aim to have this number at least 14, but 15 is better. Having a fifteen means players can split an ASI feat to hit 16 Con and 18 Wis, respectively.

Finally, choose an attack stat to focus on — Strength or Dexterity. Which of these is better depends on the weapon the character will be wielding, as well as what type of armor they will be wearing (more on that below). Typically, players should choose Dexterity as their combat stat unless they get Heavy Armor Proficiency. This build will have heavy armor proficiency, so it uses Strength.

Best Act One Leveling & Gear Choices (1-6)

Players should typically be around level 5 or 6 by the time they exit act one. These first few levels contain opportunities for good early gear for a Death Domain Cleric, as well as access to the subclasses’ most important features. See the table below for a short explanation of the Cleric’s early levels.

Which Feat To Take For 4th Level Cleric

This build takes an Ability Score Improvement at level 4. This is because the notable biggest power jump comes from hitting 16 CON and 18 WIS.

Best Low Level Spells For The Death Domain Cleric

The Domain Spells for this class already give the player a number of powerful tools, including everything they need to be a Necromancer. However, the Cleric class gets access to so many useful utility and combat spells that players can take alongside their domain spells. Some of the most powerful include:

It’s also a great idea to learn Chill Touch

when playing an Elf or Half Elf, as it benefits from the Reaper feature Death Clerics get at level one. However, keep in mind that it rolls at a disadvantage when the caster is threatened.

Protection from Evil and Good works on a number of enemy types, making it useful in almost any encounter. However, it requires concentration and will prevent the player from using Spirit Guardians or Vampiric Touch later on.

Best Act One Armor For The Death Domain Cleric

The first act lacks any really amazing heavy armor, so despite already having proficiency in it, players should focus instead on magical medium armor. The two best choices are the +1 Breastplate from Dammon in the Grove or the Slippery Chain Shirt

in the Festering Cove of the Underdark. Then, run these with a shield such as the Safeguard Shield

(also purchased in the Grove).

Boots and Gloves are much more flexible in this build, but some good options in Act One include the Disintegrating Night Walkers

, the Vital Conduit Boots

sold by the Githaynki Trader in the Creche, or the Gloves of Baneful Striking bought from Lady Esther in the Mountain Pass.

While this build will move away from frequent healing in the later stages of the game, Death Clerics will likely still heal often enough in Act One to make the Slippery Chain Shirt worth the slot. Character HP is low, and neither Vampiric Touch nor Animate Dead are yet eating up spell slots, so there is plenty of reason to throw out a Healing Word.

Best Act One Weapon For The Death Domain Cleric

One of the best weapons in Act One for the Death Cleric is the Doom Hammer

. Players can purchase this weapon from Trader Grat in the Goblin Camp. Not only does this weapon make use of the martial proficiency of this build, but it also prevents enemies from healing (an all-too-common occurrence) and gives undead disadvantage in their attacks — extremely useful if going to Act Two via the Mountain Path. Alternatively, the Unseen Menace

sold in the Creche is a good choice, although it prevents the character from using a shield.

Best Act One Jewelry For the Death Domain Cleric

Jewelry in Act One is rather lackluster for this build, but there are a couple of ring options that are good for nearly any build. The first is Crusher’s Ring

, worn by Crusher in the Goblin Camp. The extra movement speed can help players close the distance with enemies in the event that they are out of melee range. The second is the Ring of Jumping

sold in Ebonlake Grotto by Derryth Bonecloak, which can help players reach the various locations of hidden loot in Baldur’s Gate 3.

For Amulets, players can pick up the ever-useful The Amulet Of Lost Voices

from Withers’ Crypt, or the The Spectator Eyes

Amulet picked up from the Spectator in the Underdark.

Best Act Two Leveling & Gear Choices (7-10)

Over the course of Act Two, most players will be around levels 7-10. With this in mind, here are the best level-up choices, gear, and spells for a Death Domain Cleric.

Which Feat To Take For 8th Level Cleric

There are multiple good options here, especially since this build has reached all its major breakpoints. The most mathematically optimal choice is another Ability Score Improvement to hit 20 WIS, as this will impact hit chance and Spell Save DC. However, Warcaster for advantage on Concentration saves, is also very good here.

Best 4th & 5th Level Spells For A Death Domain Cleric

The Domain Spells once again really knock it out of the park for the Death Cleric, and players should be able to easily get by when merely upcasting lower-level spells. However, there are a couple general Cleric spells that can be useful during Act 2.

Best Act Two Armor For The Death Domain Cleric

Act Two is where this build gets some of its best items. For armor, players should be aiming for a mixture of Dark Justiciar Gear and Ketheric’s Items. Dark Justiciar Gauntlets

from the Gauntlet of Shar grant extra Necrotic Damage on Weapon attacks, along with other bonuses based on their rarity. Additionally, Reaper’s Embrace

offers the player a high armor class and a bonus action debuff on enemies. Finally, Ketheric’s Shield grants the player a bonus to their spell attack and Save DC, as well as advantage on one of the most common saving throws in the game (Dexterity).

Best Act Two Weapon For The Death Domain Cleric

There are many great weapons in Act 2 that Death Clerics can benefit from, though player access depends on the chosen route in Act Two. If playing a Good Run and saving Dame Aylin, use the Moonlight Glaive

. Alternatively, take Gale to Balthazar’s room to make the Conjure Shadow Lantern Wraith.

Best Act Two Jewelry & Accessories For The Death Domain Cleric

In Act Two, players can get a number of good jewelry options from Moonrise Towers and the Mausoleum. First and foremost, players should prioritize the Ring of Exalted Marrow

obtained from the roof of Moonrise. The second item players should loot is the Circle of Bones

from fighting Balthazar (regardless of where the player fights him). This headpiece makes the undead under the player’s control much more tanky, which will be important as the enemies become more powerful. Next, pick up the Crypt Lord Ring as a way to summon undead mummy followers. Finally, pick up the Vivacious Cloak from the chest in the Grand Mausoleum.

Best Act Three Leveling & Gear Choices (11-12)

The majority of players will be entering Act Three near the end of Baldur’s Gate 3’s Leveling system. However, these final two levels are very important to the build because they grant the character access to level 6 spells.

Best 6th Level Spells For A Death Domain Cleric

The Death Domain Cleric should be upcasting Spirit Guardians and Vampiric Touch much of the time, but the spell Harm

is simply too good to pass up. This single-target, high-damage spell does Necrotic Damage — meaning the player can ignore resistance courtesy of the Death Domain subclass. Create Undead is also a great choice, although players will already be able to cast that spell once from their Crypt Lord Ring.

Best Act Three Armor For The Death Domain Cleric

The body armor found in Act Two is already really solid, but players can find better boots and gloves in Act Three. The gloves in question are the Quickspell Gloves

, which will allow the wearer to use the reaper feature and their Necromancy Cantrips to attack two creatures as a bonus action every round. These gloves are bought either from Rolan or Lorrokan’s Projection in Sorcerous Sundries. The Boots of Persistence

, on the other hand, can be bought from Dammon in the Forge of the Nine for maximum mobility.

Best Act Three Weapon For The Death Domain Cleric

Players will get the chance at four amazing weapons in Act Three, all suited to this build in different ways. Choose the one most closely matching your playstyle.

1. The Staff of Cherished Necromancy is retrieved from Philgrave’s Mansion from one of the Mystic Carrion and is a spell-focused Death Cleric’s dream. It grants disadvantage on saving throws against the wielder’s Necromancy spells, and it uses the life force of slain enemies to substitute as spell slots.
2. Handmaiden’s Mace

   is a good choice for players who prefer making weapon attacks while concentrating rather than casting spells every turn. This weapon sets the wielder’s Strength to 18, allowing for a much higher hit chance than this build could normally have.

3. Markoheshkir

   is a legendary weapon that allows the wielder to cast a free spell each day, and raises their Spell Save DC and Attack Bonus by +1. Retrieve it from Ramazith’s Tower by disabling a Globe of Invulnerability.

4. Woe is the staff players receive for killing Cazador Szarr and grants the ability to cast Blight, increases their Spell Attack and Spell Save DC by +1, and heals the wielder when creatures fail saving throws against their spells. Excellent choice for increased survivability.

Best Act Three Jewelry & Accessories For The Death Domain Cleric

Much of the jewelry from earlier acts remains the best in slot for this build, but the Spellcrux Amulet

is a great choice to replace those equipped in Act One. It allows the wearer to restore a spell slot of any level, which is extremely powerful for a full caster like a Cleric.