Called to serve powers beyond most mortal understanding, Clerics are divine emissaries that work the will of their deities through force of arms and the miracles of their faith.
Devoted to the philosophies of the religions that inspire them, these holy crusaders crusade to spread the influence of their faith across the multiverse.
Graceful elves, stoic dwarves, and far-ranging humans, members from all races nurture strong faiths devoted to the pantheon that graces them. Clerics are more than mere priests, though; They are adventurers blessed by the divine to spread the holiness of their deity.
Numbers brought to the flesh.
The world’s most famous roleplaying game transports your table into majestic fantasy landscapes to quest against the cosmic forces that try to force the hand of faith.
You, the players, and the heroes of these stories must embody your characters, champions who defeat evil at the roll of shiny math rocks, and clerics are one of the most beloved classes in all of 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons.
There are so many races, from the monstrous orcs to the regal Dragonborn, choosing one of these races for your cleric can be a daunting task, but worry not, for tonight we’ll take you to mass where we’ll hear the divine chant talk about the best races for cleric!
We’ll be using options from the Player’s Handbook (PHB), Mythic Odysseys of Theros (MOoT), Volo’s Guide to Monsters (VGtM), and Eberron - Rising from the Last War (E: RftLW).
5. Hill Dwarf
Standing between 4 and 5 feet tall, Dwarves are skilled miners, masons, and warriors. Their courage and hardiness are the stuff of legends, earning them a spot on this list.
Dwarves who take up the adventuring life are often driven by the command or inspiration of a deity, enduring all hardships with stoic endurance and hard-boiled devotion.
Found in the Player's Handbook, Hill dwarves are sturdy, resilient, and wise, all the right things for a proper adventurer in 5th edition.
By choosing the Hill Dwarf, you’ll get a +1 to Wisdom on top of the Constitution Bonus Dwarves already have, boosting your survival chances as well as your most important ability score.
Why Hill Dwarf is Great for Cleric:
- A cleric’s most important ability is Wisdom, a stat Hill Dwarf increases, guaranteeing you’ll always be at the top of your game.
- Dwarves are sturdy and Hill Dwarves even more so, on top of the constitution bonus you get, you also get an additional Hit Point per level.
Pick Hill Dwarf if…
- You want to play a tanky, resilient cleric who is comfortable slinging spells from the back and in the melee of it.
- blacksmithing, mining, brewing, or masonry are downtime activities that interest you.
- You feel at home along cavernous halls carved into the bones of the earth.
Dwarf details: http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/dwarf
4. Centaur.
Found in the Mythic Odysseys of Theros, the half-horse, half-human hybrids known as centaurs are roamers at heart, wise warriors, and far-ranging explorers.
A Centaur’s ability score increases are strength and wisdom, the perfect combination for a melee-oriented cleric.
Why Centaur is Great for Cleric:
- Centaurs are a combat oriented race, with their high strength, mobility, and charge feature, you’ll be trampling the corpses of your enemies in no time.
- Their ability score increases naturally complements the cleric’s kit.
Pick Centaur if…
- You enjoy high mobility characters capable of outrunning their enemies.
- Maximizing the action economy during combat interests you.
Centaur details: http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/centaur
3. Firbolg.
Brought forth in Volo's Guide to Monsters, Firbolgs are fey-touched gentle giants who carry the strength of the forests with them.
Standing between 7 and 8 feet tall, Firbolg is perfect for clerics thanks to their +2 to Wisdom as well as their large frames, allowing them to demonstrate formidable skill with weapons.
Thanks to their utility-oriented racial features, Firbolg can turn invisible for one turn, conjure some spells innately, and even commune with the beasts of the land.
Why Firbolg is Great for Clerics:
- A +2 to your Wisdom score guarantees that your divine magic will always deliver your team from evil.
- Firbolgs can communicate with beasts and plants, letting them draw information from sources others could not.
- One-turn invisibility can change the flow of battle, formulating ambushes, closing in on allies, or even getting away to fight another day.
Pick Firbolg if…
- You want to focus on the spell-casting aspect of the cleric class.
- Utility and support are what interest you more.
Firbolg details: http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/firbolg
2. Kalashtar.
Born from the union of humanity and dream spirits, Kalashtar is found in Eberron - Rising from the Last War. Often seen as wise and spiritual, they commune with their otherworldly spirits to make the world a better place.
If you wish to play a cleric who is also comfortable with being the party’s face, their ability score increases are a perfect fit.
Additionally, Kalashtar has advantage on all wisdom saving throws and telepathy, making sure you’re always communicating and helping your cleric resist some of the worst effects in the game.
Why Kalashtar is Great for Clerics:
- Its ability score is generous for a cleric, boosting its primary ability and letting you take a leadership role.
- Your defensive features make you more resistant to some of the worst status effects in the game.
Pick Kalashtar if…
- You enjoy taking the role of a wise leader.
- Becoming an intellect fortress is something that interests you.
Kalashtar details: http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/kalashtar
1. Variant Human.
In most fantasy worlds, humans are the most common of the races, becoming the achievers, the colonists, the ever-driven bunch.
Humanity is no stranger to us, we’re one of the short-lived races when compared to dwarves or elves. Thanks to that, by placing our faith on the gods, we’re capable of achieving the greatest of things.
In 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons, Variant human is a sub-race that lets you increase two ability scores of your choice by 1 and also gain a feat of your choice.
If your game allows feats, getting one as early as level 1 can be an amazing boost in power, especially when paired with feats like Warcaster or Resilient.
Why Variant Human is Great for Clerics:
Humans are as vast as their racial features, extra skills and freely appointed ability score increases give you a broader control of your character’s attributes.
- Like most classes, Clerics are fairly feat starved. Getting an extra feat at 1st level freest up the choice of increasing an ability score at level 4 or reaching a particular synergy with another feat.
Pick Variant Human if…
- Versatility and adaptability are priorities for you.
- Your game allows the usage of feats.
Variant Human details: http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/human
