Multiclassing is one of the best ways to customize a character in Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition. It combines the abilities of two classes to make a character with a unique skillset. Clerics are already one of D&D 5e‘s most versatile classes. However, it can be challenging to blend another class with them.
Nearly every D&D 5e class can benefit from a level or two in cleric due to its proficiencies, spellcasting, and domain abilities. However, the cleric gets excellent abilities at almost every level that multiclassing delays. Ultimately, some options give better tradeoffs as a cleric multiclass in D&D 5e while others fall behind the curve.
Updated August 16th by Isaac Williams: Clerics are so effective by themselves in D&D 5e that a multiclass can sometimes hold them back. Nonetheless, there are many effective builds that blend their abilities with other classes’. This list has been updated to fit CBR’s current formatting and to give even more information about the best cleric multiclass builds in D&D 5e.
12 Barbarian
Most D&D multiclasses limit a character’s spellcasting progression. However, barbarians are uniquely hard to multiclass with spellcasters. This is because Rage prevents a character from casting or Concentrating on spells for its duration. Any combat where a character Rages is one where their spellcasting is useless.
A D&D barbarian could multiclass into cleric for some non-combat utility and spells. However, the barbarian’s unique anti-synergy makes it a very poor choice for a D&D 5e cleric multiclass. They miss out on spellcasting and waste most of their abilities in return for some meager combat prowess.
11 Sorcerer
The sorcerer falls into a common trap for many D&D 5e cleric multiclass builds. They rely on different spellcasting ability scores. Sorcerers use Charisma for their spells, whereas clerics rely on Wisdom. With how rare Ability Score Improvements are, a class has to focus on one ability score for much of the game.
A cleric and sorcerer multiclass will always underperform in one aspect. In addition, they’ll be limited in the level of their prepared spells despite having high-level slots. Additionally, there are few benefits. The D&D sorcerer spell list doesn’t contain many must-have choices for a cleric. Sorcerous Origin features often don’t synergize well with many cleric builds. The Divine Soul sorcerer blends the two much better.
10 Wizard
Wizards and clerics are two of the most straightforward and powerful spellcasting classes in D&D 5e. Both get much of their strength from their spellcasting and have some of the best spell lists in the game. However, this doesn’t translate into effective synergy between the two.
Because the D&D wizard and cleric rely on their spellcasting, they need it to be as powerful as possible. A cleric and wizard multiclass would have to let either their Intelligence or Wisdom suffer, or be underwhelming in both. Most cleric multiclass builds with the two involve small dips into Tempest Domain cleric or focusing on a wizard’s utility spells that don’t require Intelligence.
9 Artificer
Artificers and most D&D clerics are at odds thematically and mechanically. Clerics are divine priests and warriors who rely on Wisdom for their abilities. Artificers are arcane inventors who use Intelligence for almost everything. Both can be built for support but typically achieve this role in different ways.
Multiclassing a D&D cleric into artificer holds the build back in many ways. It slows spell slot progression due to the D&D artificer’s half-caster nature. It grants some combat and support spells that can’t be used well because of their reliance on Intelligence. The main point of overlap is between artificer and Forge Domain cleric, as both revolve around improving the party’s equipment.
8 Rogue
The stereotypical image of rogues and clerics clashes in D&D. However, both classes can be more versatile in roleplay. Rogues can be experts, scouts, and much more besides thieves. Cleric domains cover many aspects, including Knowledge and Trickery. However, there’s still limited mechanical synergy between the two.
A handful of levels in rogue can provide a cleric with some benefits. For instance, a cleric could take a level in rogue for Sneak Attack and Expertise in skills like Religion and Perception. A Trickery Domain cleric could take three levels to get Arcane Trickster features like Mage Hand Legerdemain. However, the delayed spellcasting makes this a costly cleric multiclass in D&D 5e.
7 Bard
D&D bards overlap with clerics in their flexibility and primary class role. Either class can be built to do almost anything well. However, their abilities and spell list naturally lend themselves to support. Despite this, a multiclass with the two isn’t as synergistic as it might look at first glance.
They suffer from the common problem of clashing ability scores. On top of that, D&D bards need to reach fifth level to get a good number of Bardic Inspiration uses per day. This is a staggering blow to a cleric’s own abilities and spellcasting. Although the bard’s abilities are welcome, they come too late to make this a good D&D 5e cleric multiclass.
6 Monk
Cleric and monk seem like a natural thematic D&D multiclass choice. However, their mechanics clash. Monks are warriors who fight best unarmed and unarmored. Clerics are spellcasters first and foremost and tend to wear medium or heavy armor as much as possible. The main strength of combining the two is that they both use Wisdom.
A cleric can bolster a D&D monk’s Ki abilities with the same ability score they use for spellcasting. This can encourage specific multiclasses like a Way of Mercy monk to double down on healing or a Way of the Astral Self monk to attack with Wisdom. However, a monk and cleric multiclass build will have very limited Ki points for these abilities unless they sacrifice spellcasting progression.
5 Fighter
Clerics and D&D fighters both often wear heavy armor and wield weapons in combat. However, most benefits that a fighter can bring to a cleric by multiclassing can be done better by other classes. More synergistic choices like the paladin or ranger can offer the cleric a D&D Fighting Style, weapon proficiency, and other combat features.
Action Surge is the only unique thing a fighter can bring to a D&D cleric. This can give the build a unique edge in casting two high-level spells in a single turn. However, it’s a steep investment for something that can be done once per short rest. Specific D&D 5e cleric multiclass builds can make effective use of this, but more general characters will suffer from the trade-off.
4 Warlock
Warlock and cleric run into many of the same problems as a cleric’s other D&D multiclass options. They use different spellcasting ability scores, and levels in warlock delay a cleric’s own abilities severely. However, the warlock can offer the cleric some utility to compensate for the trade-off.
The D&D warlock’s Pact Magic slots can be used with cleric spells and come back on a short rest. With the Harness Divine Power Channel Divinity, a cleric can sustain their spellcasting over the adventuring day. In addition, many Eldritch Invocations give utility spells or abilities that can complement a cleric Domains’ kit, as do several warlock Patrons.
3 Paladin
Paladin and cleric seem like a great D&D multiclass choice because of their thematic overlap. Both are divine spellcasters with a martial edge. However, differing ability scores and the paladin’s weaker spellcasting can hold the character back. A paladin’s features use Charisma rather than the cleric’s Wisdom. Furthermore, many of the paladin’s best features come several levels into the class.
Nonetheless, this combination can work for a more martial cleric multiclass. Enough levels to take a paladin Oath grants new Channel Divinity options the cleric can use several times per short rest. Clerics who use weapons have plenty of spell slots to Divine Smite with. A D&D cleric can even take paladin spells that don’t worry about ability scores, such as buffs or smite spells.
2 Druid
The druid is better than most D&D spellcasters for a cleric multiclass. For one thing, both classes share a thematic overlap as divine spellcasters. However, more vital is that they both use Wisdom as their spellcasting modifier. This means the multiclass can focus on increasing one stat without either side of its spellcasting suffering.
However, D&D clerics have to find specific druid features they want. Their low-level spell lists overlap heavily, with only a handful of choices like Absorb Elements missing from the cleric’s. Many druid subclasses reward investment in the class rather than a short dip. Nonetheless, clerics can benefit from a druid’s spells, subclass features, and the utility of Wild Shape, making it one of the best cleric multiclasses in D&D 5e.
1 Ranger
The ranger is another D&D class that casts with Wisdom, the same ability score the cleric uses. This already creates some synergy between the two. In addition, the ranger spell list has some options the cleric lacks such as Hunter’s Mark or Healing Spirit. A ranger’s martial features can bolster a cleric’s combat power.
Five or six levels in the D&D ranger class can synergize well with the cleric. However, this requires the player to accept that they will never get the highest-level spells or abilities of the cleric. With heavy armor, Hunter’s Mark, Extra Attack, ranger subclass abilities, and Divine Strike, the character can be a force to be reckoned with in combat. It also makes them an effective spellcaster. However, this multiclass build only reaches its full potential late into a D&D 5e game.