Cleric Spells 5e List

By Alexa Tanen

Last Updated on January 22, 2023

For most parties, Clerics are the go-to healers. While they can cast damage spells, most groups prefer that their Cleric focus on healing and reducing status effects to keep everyone alive. If you have many healers in your party, your Cleric can specialize in specialty spells or deal damage, but you are still playing a support caster.

Spell Slot Progression

Clerics have full caster abilities. Full casters can eventually learn spells up to 9th level as their adventures progress. When multiclassing, you add your level to the level of your other full casting class to determine how many spell slots and spell levels you have access to.

Prepared Vs. Learned Spells

Clerics are prepared casters, so you choose your spell load out daily. Cleric subclasses also include various spells that are always prepared, so you can’t switch those out, but they don’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. You cast always-prepared spells like usual and use spell slots for them.

Cantrips

Clerics begin with three cantrips at level 1. They gain a fourth cantrip at level 4 and a fifth at level 10. Unless you’re using the optional rule to switch cantrips when you gain an ASI, you should choose wisely, as you’ll have the cantrips for the entire game.

Guidance

You should take guidance since it is the best cantrip in the entire game. Guidance adds 1d4 to any kind of ability check, which means that it can also be used to bolster an initiative roll.

Sacred Flame

This nice, reliable cantrip deals radiant damage, something rarely resisted by monsters. Though some Cleric subclasses give proficiencies in heavy armor and martial weapons, you can soon outpace weapon damage and stay out of melee combat with this spell.

1^st Level

You gain access to 1^st level spells at level 1.

Bless

This spell can be the deciding factor in any level of conflict. Adding 1d4 to attack rolls can make a big difference even at higher levels because the most potent weapons and spell attack modifiers in 5e max out at +3. Adding two or three to your attack roll is equivalent to having a Very Rare permanent weapon. Check out our Bless 5e guide.

Healing Word

This is a handy healing spell that functions as a bonus action. On the same turn, you can heal someone and cast a cantrip.

2^nd Level

You gain access to 2^nd level spells at level 3.

Silence

Many spells have a verbal component, so casting a big space of complete silence can substantially impede an enemy spellcaster. However, the Metamagic option Subtle Spell allows someone to cast without requiring a verbal component, so if your opponent is a Sorcerer, this may be less useful.

Spiritual Weapon

This is an excellent way for clerics to spend their bonus actions during long battles, especially if other characters in the party have healing abilities. Furthermore, this isn’t a concentration spell, and your weapon remains hovering, allowing you to integrate subsequent attacks with leveled spells on your turn. Check out Spiritual Weapon 5e.

3^rd Level

You gain access to 3^rd level spells at level 5.

Revivify

Anyone with access to this spell should take it as soon as possible.

Spirit Guardians

Whether you prefer to fight in melee or not, this is an indispensable spell. It punishes enemies for getting within fifteen feet of you from any direction, surrounding you like a hamster ball.

4^th Level

You gain access to 4^th level spells at level 7.

Banishment

Banishment necessitates a Charisma saving throw, which nearly all monsters are woefully bad at. This works best against single enemies from another plane of existence because the creature will not return if you successfully maintain your concentration for the entire minute.

Death Ward

Death Ward is a fantastic defense mechanism because it lasts eight hours and does not require concentration. You can use it on a squishy character who frequently falls during combat, like a Monk or Rogue, or on your party’s tank.

5^th Level

You gain access to 5^th level spells at level 9.

Commune

One of the most important spells for Clerics is Commune, which allows you to ask your deity three questions and get yes or no answers. Your divine guidance will not specify, explain, or direct you. You can’t ask how far your opponent is, which direction the dragon is flying, or anything equivalent, even though the answers are single words. Furthermore, because deities in DnD aren’t omniscient, your god may say, “Unknown.”

Greater Restoration

You may not always require this spell, but you should always have it on hand. Numerous vicious status effects can destroy your party if you aren’t prepared to deal with them, and few other characters are as well-equipped as you.

6^th Level

You gain access to 6^th level spells at level 11.

Heal

It’s not fancy, but it’s effective. You heal certain status conditions and restore hit points to get someone back in the fight.

Heroes’ Feast

If you have access to the expensive consumable required for this spell (a gem-encrusted chalice worth 1,000 gold), you should cast it as many times as possible at the end of each day. The extra hit points stack with temporary hit points from other sources and last 24 hours.

7^th Level

You gain access to 7^th level spells at level 13.

Etherealness

The Ethereal Plane overlaps the Material Plane, but you can move through normally solid objects and creatures when you’re in it. This spell transports you to the Ethereal Plane, allowing you to scout around unseen (and unheard, even if you’re wearing heavy armor) or slip into difficult-to-reach places.

8^th Level

You gain access to 8^th level spells at level 15.

Holy Aura

This is a great way to keep your party safe during a battle. Everyone in range becomes more challenging to target, particularly by fiendish or undead creatures. Your friends also have advantage on all saving throws.

9^th Level

You gain access to 9^th level spells at level 17.

Mass Heal

Unfortunately, at 9th level, Clerics have few good options. Due to your role as the primary healer, mass heal is the best option. You have 700 hit points to allocate amongst your partners, so even at the highest levels or with big parties, you should be able to bring everyone back to near-complete health.

Complete List of Cleric 5e Spells

Here is a complete list of Cleric 5e Spells in 5th Edition DnD, which also includes some Spells from Unearthed Arcana (UA), which is not official Material.

Cantrip

Decompose (HB)
Guidance
Hand of Radiance (UA)
Light
Mending
Resistance
Sacred Flame
Spare the Dying
Thaumaturgy
Toll the Dead
Virtue (UA)
Word of Radiance

1st Level Cleric Spells

2nd Level Cleric Spells

3rd Level Cleric Spells

4th Level Cleric Spells

5th Level Cleric Spells

6th Level Cleric Spells

7th Level Cleric Spells

8th Level Cleric Spells

9th Level Cleric Spells

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01/30/2023 10:00 am GMT

Alexa Tanen

Alexa spends the majority of her days explaining the ins and outs of DnD to her two cats, much to their dismay.

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