This guide will explain the best Cleric Build in Baldur’s Gate 3, the Cleric Class, and the Tempest Domain subclass, for the optimal setup.
This build page has been updated for thePatch 8 versionof Baldur’s Gate 3.
Everything About the Tempest Domain Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3
In Baldur’s Gate 3 the Tempest Domain Cleric focuses on adding Thunder and Lighting elements to the standard Cleric toolkit. Therefore, this subclass plays best as a hybrid weapon and spell-casting damage dealer with some support. You will want enemies to attack you so that you can return lighting and thunder damage. More will details be explained in the Level Progression, but consider this a unique Cleric build with an elemental twist and big damage with weapon attacks.
The Cleric is a powerful and versatile class in Baldur’s Gate 3 that can be played in a variety of ways. Clerics are divine spellcasters who channel the power of their gods to heal their allies, buff their team, and kill their enemies. Clerics have a wide range of spells at their disposal, including healing spells, buff spells, and damage spells. They also have several unique abilities, such as Channel Divinity and Turn Undead. The Cleric is your typical support class but has flexibility depending on their chosen subclass.
Tempest Domain Cleric Build Changes in Patch 8 for BG3
Patch 8 brings a notable shift for Clerics in Baldur’s Gate 3 with the introduction of Booming Blade, a cantrip that significantly boosts the viability of melee-focused builds. Designed to reward aggression, the spell deals damage on hit and inflicts additional force damage if the target moves afterward—creating a tactical deterrent and a powerful tool for frontline control.
Even with this new melee option, the foundation of the Cleric class remains intact. Their traditional identities as healers, protectors, and radiant casters continue to define most builds. However, with the heightened difficulty of Tactician andHonour Modes, the demands on durability and resource efficiency have increased sharply. These modes punish overextension and reward smart, sustainable play.
For those looking to maintain survivability without sacrificing offensive capabilities, the Light Domain offers a compelling alternative. Its emphasis on radiant damage and crowd control, along with strong defensive spells, makes it a versatile choice for players seeking a more balanced approach in tougher encounters. We’ll include an alternative build below that outlines how to create a more tank-like build for the Cleric.
Tempest Domain Cleric Class Mechanics and Features
The following list are key features andclassmechanics of the Tempest Domain Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Cleric Spell Mechanics
Tempest Domain Subclass
For this build, we will use a unique Cleric subclass the Tempest. This subclass focuses on the Thunder and Lighting elements and plays best as a hybrid weapon and spell-casting damage dealer with some support. You will want enemies to attack you and return lighting and thunder damage. Will explain more about this later in the level progression but consider this a unique Cleric build with an elemental twist and big damage with weapon attacks.
Below is a list of the Tempest Domain Cleric subclass progression, features, and spells:
Character Creation for Tempest Domain Cleric Build
Recommended Backgrounds for Tempest Domain Cleric
Outlander is the BestBackgroundfor the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Tempest Domain Cleric Build Guide because you get two skills for your highest ability scores Athletics and Survival. You want to pick a background that scales with your main ability Wisdom. This choice mostly influences roleplaying and dialogue options aspects and allows you to create unique characters. Additional choices are:
Best Race Choice for Tempest Domain Cleric
Zariel Tieflingis the best race choice for our best Baldur’s Gate 3 Tempest Domain Cleric Build Guide because you gain fire resistance, two smite spells, and Darkvision. The second choice is theGithyankibecause you gain mobility spell Misty Step, Enhanced Leap, and Astral Knowledge.
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 Tempest Domain Cleric Build
MedicineandInsightare the best skills for our Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Tempest Domain Cleric Build Guide because they complement your class abilities and enhance your effectiveness in various situations.
Here are theskillsfor Tempest Domain Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3:
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, during respec or reroll screen.
Best Tempest Domain Cleric Ability Scores
Below is the bestability scoreto unlock the full potential of the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Tempest Domain Cleric Build Guide:
The best ability score for the Tempest Cleric is 16 Wisdom, 16 Strength, and 14 Constitution. This will give you the ability to hit hard with martial weapons, good spell power, and high survivability. This build will use heavy armour, so Dexterity isn’t as relevant and Charisma doesn’t influence our spells. 16 Strength is helpful since we will be using marital weapons with our unique Tempest subclass.
you’re able to increase your ability score via a quest in Act 1, Act 2, and Act 3. Make sure to check out ourPermanent bonus guideon how you can boost your ability score through quests.
Tempest Domain Cleric Spell Slots
Here is a list of the Tempest Domain Clerics’ Spell Slots as they progress:
Best Companions for Tempest Domain Cleric
For Cleric Build, we do not recommend another upfront damage dealer as both you and either Lae’zel or Karlach will 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.
Tempest Domain Cleric Illithid Powers
Illithid Powersare unlocked later in the game when you learn more about the Mind Flayers and Tadpoles. You can 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.
Here are the best Illithid Powers for our Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Tempest Domain Cleric Build Guide:
Tempest Domain Cleric Level Progression
Alternative Tempest Domain Cleric Build
If you’re looking for a tank-style Cleric that emphasizes durability and battlefield control over raw offensive power, the Light Domain offers a compelling alternative to the Tempest Domain. Rather than focusing on heavy weapon damage, this build revolves around controlling space and providing defensive support to your team. At the heart of this approach is Luminous Armour, which you can access early in Act 1. This unique armor radiates an aura that imposes Disadvantage on enemy attack rolls, allowing your Cleric to stand at the front lines, weakening enemies simply by being near them.
When paired with Spirit Guardians, this build becomes a formidable force in crowd control, turning the battlefield into a dangerous zone for your enemies. This defensive, area-denial playstyle shines in Tactician and Honour Modes, where survival often hinges on controlling the battlefield and minimizing incoming damage.
At Level one follow our character creator to pick all correct background, race, skills, and ability distribution focusing on Wisdom and Strength. You want to use heavy armor, and a two-handed weapon preferred Greatsword. you may get a super powerful one in the tutorialEverburn Blade. As you progress, theSword of Justicecan also be obtained early in Act 1, giving you a very powerful defensive two-handed Greatsword. Below are our recommendations as a Level 1 Tempest Cleric:
Cantrip Selection
Spell Selection
Alternative spells– Consider Sanctuary and Command important spells to consider. Sanctuary is helpful when you or an ally are in trouble and don’t plan on attacking. This prevents the enemy from attacking that ally. Command is important for crowd control if you need a spell. Swap those in for Cure Wounds and Healing Word if you are not healing.
Subclass Feature
For cantrips, we are mainly looking for utility with Sacred Flame being an okay damage source if you have zero spell slots and no melee range. For spells, Guiding Bolt is your best range damage, while Inflict Wounds is highest in the melee range. Early in the game, your weapon attacks won’t be high damage but are still useful when your spell slots are low in melee range. You also have good support at this level combing Healing Word and Cure Wounds for a double healing because one uses an action, the other a bonus action.
Tempest Domain Subclass at Level 1
The Tempest subclass selection at level one unlocks a lot! Heavy armour, marital weapons (Greatswords), two spells, and a feature. Any thunder damage is good, and Thunderwave is a great knockback ability with some thunder damage. Fog is helpful to shut down the range of casters and damage dealers. Wrath of the Storm is an amazing reaction, which doesn’t consume action or bonus actions. You can find this in your spellbook via the third tab on the right reaction. This procs when someone attacks you, doing free damage back. This is why in this build you always want to be in the action.
Your gameplay at this level is very simple, mainly Guiding Bolt at range for damage, Sacred Flame when out of spell slots, and you have very low mobility and initiative. So, expect to go last or very late in the round, which can be annoying and is dictated by the Dexterity ability score. There’s a potion that solves this later in the consumable section, but for now, it’s one of the downsides. Also, don’t be afraid to heal because you have the versatility to do so with this build. Use spells, cantrips, and weapon attacks and the big power jumps are levels 4, 5, and 9 with the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Tempest Domain Cleric Build Guide.
Tempest Domain Cleric Gameplay & Priorities
During the early phase of BG3, your Tempest Cleric should equip a Two-Handed Greatsword as soon as possible. Additionally, find a back-bar ranged weapon at the start of the game. The Tempest Cleric limited mobility early on, and ranged cantrips or bow attacks can help keep damage high. Moreover, look to acquire Elixir of Hill Giant Strength, Potion of Speed, and Oil of Accuracy consumables. These three consumables “stack” allowing for massive damage!
Your overall priority with the Tempest Domain Cleric build is the following:
Following these steps ensures a strong foundation for her especially if you plan on playingsoloor onHonour Modedifficulty.
Tempest Cleric Level 1 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Healing Word, Cure Wounds, Inflict Wounds.
At Level 2, you unlock one level 1 spell, Channel Divinity charge, Turn Undead, Subclass feature, and one more prepared spell.
Tempest Domain Gameplay at Level 2
At this level, you can pick up and or drop a couple of different spells depending on your playstyle. Bless is a great offensive buff for you and your group and requires concentration. You can only have one concentration spell active at a time, but this helps your group out especially you with weapon attacks. The flex skill is Inflict Wounds – yes it does more damage than Guiding Bolt, but only by a small amount and Guiding Bolt can do great damage at range. Consider Shield for a defensive single target buff or Command if you need more crowd control great options here. The spells listed below are suggestions and should be changed in and out depending on the circumstances, your party, and your playstyle.
The Destructive Wrath subclass features allow you to use your Cleric Resource Channel Divinity charges to deal maximum damage with Thunder or Lighting. So, if the roll says 2-10, you can expect 10. This becomes exceptionally powerful at level 9 with the Destructive Wave skill. You can also use this on melee attacks that do Thunder damage, and it doesn’t consume a spell slot. You will unlock more Channel Divinity charges, but keep in mind you benefit directly because of the feature which you should seek out and cast high damage lighting or thunder spells.
Tempest Cleric Level 2 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Healing Word, Cure Wounds, Inflict Wounds, Bless.
At Level 3 you unlock two level 2 spells, two subclass spells that are always prepared, and one new prepared spell.
Reaching Level 3 unlocks one of my favorite Cleric spells Spiritual Weapon. This is a non-concentration summon that gives you an ally during combat. The best part about this spell is it costs a bonus action rather than an action. Turn one I usually cast this in the center of combat with a bonus action, then Bless or Shield a concentration spell with my action. Turn two, I go offensive with a melee attack or Guiding Bolt.
Shatter is a useful ranged thunder damage spell, and you can take advantage of max damage with the Destructive Wrath reaction. Shatter is also a small radius so it can do damage to more than one target at a far range before you can close the distance. Gust of Wind is a utility knockback skill.
Mobility and the Tempest Domain Cleric
Something of note at this level, you may be frustrated with lack of mobility and that’s just a part of the Cleric. Misty Step is a useful spell that can be learned by theGithyanki race, and you also can acquire the scroll. Fly scroll and potions are another great option to increase your movement. You will get more tools to deal with lethargic movement and speed, but for now buff, range damage, and continue to press forward into the action. You want enemies to hit you and react for free damage.
Tempest Cleric Level 3 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Healing Word, Cure Wounds, Inflict Wounds, Bless, Spiritual Weapon.
At Level 4 you unlock one cantrip, one prepared spell, and a feat.
At Level 4 we want to increase our Wisdom mainly because it helps with overall spell success, and we don’t have all the melee damage tools yet at this level. Realize that Wisdom will help increase the chance to land spells, Strength will help with damage from melee and Constitution will help with making saving throws on concentration. Something that is VERY helpful and you should be on the lookout for is the Hill Giant potion.
These potions jack your Strength up to 21 until a long rest! Look to craft them, buy from vendors, and use them for a massive boost to Strength. I usually consume these before a tough battle and try to get a couple of fights in before a Long Rest. For spell selection, we take a flex skill Lesser Restoration which you may flex in or out depending on your party’s needs. If you struggle with survival, remember Shield is a great pre-fight spell that requires concentration.
Tempest Cleric Level 4 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Healing Word, Cure Wounds, Inflict Wounds, Bless, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration.
Level 5 the Tempest Cleric unlocks two level 3 spells, Destroy Undead, one more prepared spell, and two subclass spells.
Tempest Cleric Level 5 Gameplay and Spells
Level 5 is a big jump in power due to all the powerful spells we get. Call Lighting is a perfect use of a level 3 spell slot at this level because of all our passive reactions to increase lighting damage. This spell is also area-based and you may call it down again without using a spell slot. The trick to making this a big nuke is to throw down water or cast water in an enemy-dense area. Combine water with lighting, well you know what happens: boom!
Spiritual Guardian is a god-tier melee damage spell that you want to keep on you as you approach the melee fray. It will do Radiant or Necrotic damage near you in a radius and require concentration. The damage is significant, and the target’s movement is halved making it annoying and hard for them to get away. This is my preferred spell over Bless if I’m going heavily in the fray offensive in early turns.
Mass Healing Word is just an upgraded Healing Word that heals up to 6 allies and still uses a bonus action. Sleet Storm is also useful due to its enormous area, but it can be difficult to cast and use properly because of friendly fire. At this level consider Spiritual Guardian and Spiritual Weapon a good first turn cast combination as you move in.
Tempest Cleric Level 5 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Healing Word, Cure Wounds, Inflict Wounds, Bless, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Mass Healing Word, Spirit Guardians.
At Level 6 you unlock one Channel Divinity charge, subclass feature, and one more prepared spell.
Reaching Level 6 gives you a nice knockback reaction with Thunderous Strike. You can choose to knockback or not via reaction so you have some control over this. The spell selection at this level is dependent on your needs, with Hold Person being a great single-target crowd control ability. Shield, Command, and others make good substitutions here but try to have some crowd control at this level if you must CC someone during your turn.
Ending Act 1 as a Tempest Domain Cleric
As you approach Level 6 with the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Tempest Domain Cleric Build Guide, you should be close to completing Act 1. Be sure to visit vendors and stock up on camp and alchemy supplies. Additionally, make sure to pick up all of thebest Act 1 items. Furthermore, there are alsopermanent bonusesyou don’t want to miss in Act 1. Finally, theGrymforgehas powerful armor and weapons (Adamantine) that can be used well into Act 3. Consider taking the time to craft some items before moving on to Act 2, where you won’t be able to return.
Tempest Cleric Level 6 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Healing Word, Cure Wounds, Inflict Wounds, Bless, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Mass Healing Word, Spirit Guardians, Hold Person.
Level 7 gives you two free spells and one to select. Starting at this level and beyond, you will only get one spell slot at this level, so be careful what you pick. Guardian of Faith is another useful summon ability that does good damage in a small area but cannot move. This isn’t a concentration spell and stacks with Spiritual Weapon which you can cast both in one turn. Guardian of Faith is best used in choke points where enemies are forced to move through.
Freedom of Movement is a niche spell and I find it hard to justify a level 4 spell slot to cast it. Ice Storm is another mega nuke area-based spell, but it’s hard to cast with friendly fire. I typically use my spell slot for Guardian of Faith or upscale lighting spells. That simply means using a high-level spell slot to increase its power.
Tempest Cleric Level 7 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Healing Word, Cure Wounds, Inflict Wounds, Bless, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Mass Healing Word, Spirit Guardians, Hold Person, Guardian of Faith.
At level 8 we get a super powerful melee damage amplification, so we want to push our Strength with +2 Ability Improvement. The Banishment spell is a great selection for crowd control essentially removing a target for two turns. You want to cast this only with a high percentage chance to land so you don’t waste a turn. 65% or higher is a safe percentage chance, and always focus on the highest damage-producing enemy.
Divine Strike: Thunder turns your normal attack into a much better version of doing Thunder damage. you’re able to still attack with your main hand and use a reaction if you wish to use it. The strength of this ability is you can combine the attack with Destructive Wrath ensuring you do the maximum damage possible. This makes your melee attacks do much higher damage consistently without using any spell slots. You can consume Hill Giant’s potion to make it even nastier!
Tempest Cleric Level 8 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Healing Word, Cure Wounds, Inflict Wounds, Bless, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Mass Healing Word, Spirit Guardians, Hold Person, Guardian of Faith, Banishment
At Level 9 we get one of my favorite (and more dangerous) abilities in BG3: Destructive Wave. This is a powerful 9-meter radius, area-based damage spell that does thunder and radiant damage. This spell also does friendly fire so you have to be very intentional when casting it. I found it best to jump into the fray on turn one with a Misty Step scroll or Flying and blast the enemy team.
Destructive Wave Explained
Once you cast this, you’re able to select TWO reactions, one to maximize your damage and another to knock back enemies. In certain fights, it is hilarious because you can knock back or off cliffs multiple enemies in the first turn. The damage from Destructive Waves is substantial as well, but be very careful to cast this in the right area without friendlies. They have to pass a saving throw to not take damage. Lastly, this ability can knock enemies prone as well. Destructive Wave does tons of damage, huge radius, knocks prone, and can knock back making it your best nuke with a spell slot.
You can also take the Mass Cure Wounds spell to have an additional powerful AOE heal and provide good support with a level 5 spell slot. Beyond this level, your spells aren’t that effective or useful, so we are going to take a different path with the build and solve the biggest issue with the Cleric, and that’s the lack of multiple actions.
Tempest Cleric Level 9 Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Healing Word, Cure Wounds, Inflict Wounds, Bless, Spiritual Weapon, Lesser Restoration, Mass Healing Word, Spirit Guardians, Hold Person, Guardian of Faith, Banishment, Mass Cure Wounds.
At this level, I suggest multiclassing the Cleric. The main downside to the class is the lack of additional actions. The Fighter at level two gets Action Surge, a once-per-short rest way to get two actions per turn. The reason you stick in Cleric until level 9 is Destructive Wave, a huge area-based nuke. With the Fighter now, we can improve our two-handed damage, more utility with a new subclass, and better action usage.
If you don’t want to stray from the Cleric class, feel free to stay in and select spells. My favorite level 6 spell is Planar Ally which you get at level 11.
This feature will help with our two-handed weapon attacks. From this point forward, you won’t be dependent on spells for damage and can do massive single-target damage with weapon attacks and high Strength. You truly feel like a hybrid Cleric at this point and beyond.
At level 11 with two levels into the Fighter class, we unlock the amazing skill, Action Surge.
This ability replenishes on Short Rest and can be used once per fight. Don’t always use this turn one, rather get buffed up, into the fray and use it when you must heal, kill a target, or crowd control. This is your ace in the sleeve when you just must have another action, spell or attack use it.
At Level 12, you’ve reached the maximum level in Baldur’s Gate 3 and the Battle Master subclass unlocks with 3 levels into Fighter. The Battle Master subclass gives you four superiority dice which are a resource you may use for specific manoeuvres. These maneuver synergies extremely well with our Cleric, and below are my suggestions:
Riposte makes an awesome addition because you can react with two return fire skills. You can even stack this further if you took an Asmodeus Tiefling and Hellish Rebuke for three reactions! Goading Attack is also good because you incentivize a target to attack you or take a disadvantage, which feeds into your desire to get attacked and react. Disarming Attack is great because you can drop an enemy’s weapon. This is especially useful on Fighters and Barbarian heavy weapon users that depend on their weapon. At this level you have a very well-rounded build that can use a combination of spells, support, buff, and melee weapon damage attacks.
Here’s a summary of your abilities, skills, and spells for Tempest Cleric:
Best Gear for Tempest Domain Cleric
Beginner: Act 1
Here’s the best beginner gear for the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Tempest Domain Cleric Build Guide:
Below is the Best Act 1 Armour, Weapons, and Equipment for the Tempest Domain Cleric in BG3:
Advanced: Act 3 End Game
The following table presents the best advanced and end-game gear for the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Tempest Domain Cleric Build Guide:
Below are the Best Act 3 Armour, Weapons, and Equipment for the Tempest Domain Cleric in BG3:
Read More –Baldur’s Gate 3 Shadow Magic Sorcerer Build
Best Tempest Domain Cleric Consumables, Potions and Items
The following list represents the best individual useconsumableitems that will aid in our Tempest Domain Cleric Build:
Permanent Bonuses for Tempest Domain Cleric BG3
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 Tempest Domain Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3
Read More –Top 10 builds for Baldur’s Gate 3
Tempest Domain Cleric Combat, Gameplay Tips, and Tricks
Here are 10 gameplay tips and tricks for playing a Tempest Domain Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Remember, this build guide serves as a foundation, and you can always adapt it to suit your preferences and the needs of your campaign. Enjoy playing as a formidableThe Best Tempest Domain Cleric Build!
Tempest Domain Cleric Changes in Patch 7 for BG3
Overall, combat and gameplay for the Tempest Domain Cleric did not see any changes with the release of Patch 7 for Baldur’s Gate 3. Larian Studios’ main focus in this patch ismodsand some new cinematic scenes focusing on evil endings.
Therefore, the game now features amodding toolkitand anin-game mod manager. These allow players to create and install mods directly within the game. This update is intended to hand over creative control to the community, enabling players to produce unique content and continue the story in new ways. This best Tempest Domain Cleric Build Guide remains unchanged for Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 7.
Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Tempest Domain Cleric Build Summary Guide
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