Nature Cleric Build - Mielikki's Emissary

Nature Cleric Build - Mielikki's Emissary - Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3)

By zanuffas
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In this post, I will go through Nature Domain Cleric Build - Mielikki's Emissary for Baldur's Gate 3. It is often overlooked build but offers a very similar playstyle to a Druid. Still, you retain access to mighty cleric spells and get access to some crowd control options to cover the ground with nature effects.

Nature Domain Cleric Build - Mielikki's Emissary

Nature Domain is a truly overlooked option compared to very popular Light Cleric and Tempest Cleric Builds. It did get a slight boost in recent patches, making its Dampen Elements icon action bg3Dampen Elements​ reaction very good in fights against elemental damage.

However, this also fits well if you are roleplaying anything with Nature. Taking Mielikki as a Diety just cements its position as nature's protector. Moreover, various nature-related spells - Shillelagh icon action bg3Shillelagh, Spike Growth icon action bg3Spike Growth, Plant Growth icon action bg3Plant Growth, etc. give the cleric a unique spin throughout the game.

The build does work with Shadowheart, you will just not get access to the Mielikki Diety

Of course, as a Cleric you still maintain access to very powerful spells from its spellbook - Glyph of Warding icon action bg3Glyph of Warding​ and Spirit Guardians icon action bg3Spirit Guardians​ allowing you to debuff enemies and ensure victory before enemies even make a turn. If things go bad Sanctuary icon action bg3Sanctuary, Healing Word icon action bg3Healing Word and, Mass Healing Word icon action bg3Mass Healing Word will be always accessible to help anyone in dire situations.

Sadly, for the late game, there is not much that Nature Domain offers, but Cleric's level 6 spells like Heroes' Feast icon action bg3Heroes' Feast​ or Planar Ally icon action bg3Planar Ally​ are a great addition to the toolkit.

So if you are ready for some nature-themed build, let's go!

Thanks to Princeps08 for the build review!

Class Contribution

The build mostly goes into Cleric to obtain all the core parts of the build. The sorcerer will provide some help with managing spell Concentration.

11 Nature Domain Cleric

  • Access to control spells - Spike Growth icon action bg3Spike Growth, Plant Growth icon action bg3Plant Growth​, Sleet Storm icon action bg3Sleet Storm,​ and Grasping Vine icon action bg3Grasping Vine.
  • Unique reaction Dampen Elements icon action bg3Dampen Elements​ help to reduce damage from various elemental damage.
  • Shillelagh icon action bg3Shillelagh​ gives an edge in early-game combat with an option to improve damage based on the Wisdom modifier.
  • Access to healing and support spells - Mass Healing Word icon action bg3Mass Healing Word​ and Healing Word icon action bg3Healing Word.
  • Can apply wet status for other casters with Create or Destroy Water icon action bg3Create or Destroy Water, helping to make enemies vulnerable to Lightning and Cold damage.
  • Spirit Guardians icon action bg3Spirit Guardians​ - the ultimate cleric spell, to debuff enemies, making them miss their attacks. To make the most out of it you will need some gear.
  • Proficiencies with shields, medium and heavy armor, allowing to improve defensive capabilities further.

1 Sorcerer

  • Provides Constitution Saving Throw proficiency which will help maintain spell concentration.
  • Access to Shield icon action bg3Shield, which is an excellent cheap survivability boost if the situation demands it. The +5 Armour Class is a huge boon, allowing you to avoid deadly attacks.
  • Access to a variety of cantrips like Friends icon action bg3Friends, which are especially useful if you are the main character, as you can win over some of the dialogues with low charisma.
  • Unique Storm Sorcerer feature - Tempestuous Magic icon passive feature bg3Tempestuous Magic, giving a huge boost in mobility.

Leveling Overview

Here is a concise table with all the main picks during your leveling progression. For more detailed reasoning, I go further in the article. Also, do not forget to check the recommended gear as it is crucial.

Level Class Selection
1 Cleric 1 Cantrips: Sacred Flame icon action bg3Sacred Flame, Produce Flame icon action bg3Produce Flame, Guidance icon action bg3Guidance
Subclass: Nature Domain
Cantrips: Shillelagh icon action bg3Shillelagh
Recommended Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt icon action bg3Guiding Bolt, Command icon action bg3Command, Inflict Wounds icon action bg3Inflict Wounds, Sanctuary icon action bg3Sanctuary, Healing Word icon action bg3Healing Word
STR - 8, DEX - 16, CON - 15, INT - 8, WIS - 17, CHA - 8
Skills: any
2 Cleric 2 -
3 Cleric 3 Recommended Prepared Spells: Lesser Restoration icon action bg3Lesser Restoration, Enhance Ability icon action bg3Enhance Ability, Hold Person icon action bg3Hold Person, Spiritual Weapon icon action bg3Spiritual Weapon
4 Cleric 4 Cantrips: Thaumaturgy icon action bg3Thaumaturgy
Feat: Ability Improvement - +1 Wisdom, +1 Constitution
5 Cleric 5 Recommended Prepared Spells: Spirit Guardians icon action bg3Spirit Guardians, Glyph of Warding icon action bg3Glyph of Warding, Mass Healing Word icon action bg3Mass Healing Word
6 Sorcerer 1
(respec as first level)
Cantrips: Friends icon action bg3Friends, Minor Illusion icon action bg3Minor Illusion, Light icon action bg3Light, Mage Hand icon action bg3Mage Hand.
Spells: Shield icon action bg3Shield, Magic Missile icon action bg3Magic Missile
Subclass: Storm Sorcery
7 Cleric 6 -
8 Cleric 7 -
9 Cleric 8 Feat: Ability Improvement +2 Wisdom or War Caster: Concentration icon passive feature bg3War Caster: Concentration
10 Cleric 9 Recommended Prepared Spells: Flame Strike icon action bg3Flame Strike
11 Cleric 10 Cantrip: any
12 Cleric 11 Recommended Prepared Spells: Heroes' Feast icon action bg3Heroes' Feast, Planar Ally icon action bg3Planar Ally

Starting the Game - Level 1

This section covers the creation screen and what would go into the best Races, Abilities, and Skills for the Nature Cleric build. Some of these choices are impactful as you cannot respec them.

Races

Picking a race provides various benefits - abilities, dialogue options, looks, etc.

If you are having difficulties making a choice, pick whatever you prefer in terms of looks or roleplay. "The perfect race pick" is important if you are into extreme min-maxing.
Race Features Description
Half-Elf Baldur's Gate 3Wood Half-Elf The race picks are very similar, the main difference is weapon proficiencies. However, the cleric subclass will already provide everything that you need. The most important aspect is the increased movement speed that you will need when using Spirit Guardians icon action bg3Spirit Guardians.
elf bg3Wood Elf
  • Elven Weapon Training icon passive feature bg3Elven Weapon Training
  • Darkvision icon passive feature bg3Darkvision
  • Fey AncestryFey Ancestry
  • Fleet of Foot - your movement speed is increased by 1.5m.
Half-Elf Baldur's Gate 3High Half-Elf The High subraces of elves can be useful as they give access to cantrips like Friends icon action bg3Friends, which are especially good for the main character.
elf bg3High Elf
forest gnome icon bg3Forest Gnome
  • Gnome Cunning icon passive feature bg3Gnome Cunning
  • Darkvision icon passive feature bg3Darkvision
In terms of Nature roleplay, this is a perfect pick for the Cleric Build. Of course, as a smaller race, you will suffer from slower movement speed.
dragonborn bg3Green Dragonborn
  • Poison Breath icon action bg3Poison Breath
  • Draconic Ancestry icon passive feature bg3Draconic Ancestry
Why not? You are a nature protector, looking like a green dragon. What can be cooler?

Class

Overview
cleric bg3Cleric
Clerics are representatives of the gods they worship, wielding potent divine magic for good or ill.
Features
ico_mini_spellSlot Baldur's Gate 3Spell Slots These can be used to cast spells and are restored each long rest.
Domain Spells icon passive feature bg3Domain Spells Unique spell list accessible based on your cleric subclass.

Cantrips

Cantrips Description
Sacred Flame icon action bg3Sacred Flame The main damage cantrip of clerics deals radiant damage. Early in the game, it is underwhelming, due to low Spell Save DC, but later it can be a decent option when you are saving spell slots.
Produce Flame icon action bg3Produce Flame It can be used to light the area around you, but also deals 1d8 fire damage. This is a recommended general damage option early in the game
Guidance icon action bg3Guidance The most important cleric cantrip, which improves various ability rolls, works on yourself and party members.

Subclass

Overview
nature domain bg3Nature Domain
Features
Acolyte of Nature icon passive feature bg3Acolyte of Nature Access to a Druid cantrip and nature-related skill proficiencies.
Speak with Animals icon action bg3Speak with Animals Allows talking with animals. Generally, you can drink a potion for this, but now you can cast the spell from your hotbar, instead of opening inventory...
Animal Friendship icon action bg3Animal Friendship More or less useless action, in my opinion, has limited uses.

Cantrips

As a Nature Domain Cleric, you can pick additional cantrip from the druid Spell List:

Cantrips Description
Shillelagh icon action bg3Shillelagh One of the best early-game cantrips. Equip a Torch icon bg3Torch, and you have one of the best weapons in the game for the first 4-5 levels. Cleric can now effectively hit in melee using its Wisdom modifier. Later on, you can switch this via respec to Thorn Whip icon action bg3Thorn Whip​ which is much more useful in the late game.

Deity

As the build name implies, I recommend going with Mielikki. This does not mean that you are limited to it, but it does relate to nature and what the build aims for.

Prepare Spells

Clerics get plenty of good level-1 spells. You might not have enough slots to equip them all but don't worry, more will be available as you level up. Choose your preferred ones.

Spells Description
Guiding Bolt icon action bg3Guiding Bolt The main, long-range damage spell for the cleric in the early game.
Create or Destroy Water icon action bg3Create or Destroy Water
Excellent spell to keep on hand. It can be useful when allies will cast Cold or Lightning spells to double their damage.
Inflict Wounds icon action bg3Inflict Wounds If enemies are close to you, this is the go-to spell, which a strong damage rolls. It can also crit, inflicting even more damage.
Command icon action bg3Command One of the best control spells in the game, if you have a high chance of landing it. What makes it special is that it does not use a concentration slot.
Sanctuary icon action bg3Sanctuary Use this spell to make the ally untouchable, for example, if they have low HP, or you want to divert the enemy's attention.
Healing Word icon action bg3Healing Word The best healing spell, due to its cheap cost and ability to revive downed targets without wasting action points. Moreover, later with The Whispering Promise icon bg3The Whispering Promise ring you can buff specific allies.
Bless icon action bg3Bless This is an excellent spell, however, I would only use it before combat and in the early game. It loses value later on, especially with some excellent items you can get in Act 1 like The Whispering Promise icon bg3The Whispering Promise.
Shield of Faith icon action bg3Shield of Faith Excellent early game spell, that can be used to improve defensive capabilities. I would not use it too much at higher levels as you get better use for concentration slots.

Background

Backgrounds are mostly for role-playing and you can pick whatever you prefer. If you want to optimize, then it would be good to pick backgrounds that are based on your ability points.

Background Skills Description
Folk Hero Animal Handling
Survival
Both wisdom skills, that cleric can cover well. Fits, the build from a roleplay perspective.
Acolyte Insight
Religion
Insight is a Wisdom skill and Religion although Intelligence fits well with Cleric's theme.
Guild Artisan Insight
Persuasion
Excellent choice for the main character, you get Persuasion skills which help with dialogues.
Noble History
Persuasion
Similar to the above, but gives History skills.
Outlander Athletics
Survival
Mainly relevant for Survival skill which is wisdom-based.

Abilities

Now let's take a look at the abilities of the Nature Cleric build. Correct allocation will allow you to maximize the early gameplay and get good modifier bonuses.

Ability Value Description
strengthStrength 8 Not relevant ability
dexterityproficient_ability Baldur's Gate 3Dexterity 16 (15+1) Improves the initiative and Armour class bonus to medium armors.
constitution bg3Constitution 15 The constitution will play a major role in maintaining spell concentration and HP pool. If you will be getting Auntie Ethel's Hair, set this to 14, and put 2 points elsewhere.
intelligenceIntelligence 8 Irrelevant stat.
wisdomWisdom 17 (15+2) The main spellcasting ability for clerics. This should be maximized to have success with spells.
charismaCharisma 8 If you set Constitution to 14, you can allocate 2 points here.

Skills and Expertise

Overall, the skills should be impacted by your roleplaying and background decisions. However, you would still want those that will give you the best benefits. My recommendation would be to go for these, most relevant to the theme of the build:

  • Persuasion - great if you are the main character.
  • Animal Handling
  • Insight
  • Medicine
  • Perception
  • Survival

Leveling Progression - Levels 2-12

Here is the detailed progression for the Nature Domain Cleric build to get you started. You can use it as a guideline because early games can be daunting and overwhelming. Later on, once you get a feel for the class you can start picking your options

Level 2

This is where you will have left the tutorial area, and will start exploring the world. 

Action Description
Turn Undead icon action bg3Turn Undead Excellent against undead enemies, making them run away.
Charm Animals and Plants icon action bg3Charm Animals and Plants You can charm various beasts and plants. To be fair, this is mediocre Channel Divinity action, which has limited uses.

Level 3

At this level the Cleric gets access to Level 2 spells, further expanding the spellbook. Moreover, new always-ready spells are introduced.

Spells Description
Barkskin icon action bg3Barkskin I would disregard this spell.
Spike Growth icon action bg3Spike Growth It is one of the most useful spells from Nature Domain. This can be a death wish for many enemies as they walk through the spikes and chip away at their HP. Another thing is that many of the item effects can activate through it, like Reverbation.

Prepared Spells

Spells Description
Lesser Restoration icon action bg3Lesser Restoration I recommend being aware that you have this spell, as there are situations where it might be useful. It does not have to be always in the prepared spell list.
Warding Bond icon action bg3Warding Bond Excellent spell, that you can use to greatly improve the survivability of one of your party members.
Hold Person icon action bg3Hold Person Can be situationally useful, especially if you have an 80%+ chance to land it. This then opens up an easy way for Advantage and guaranteed critical hits from the 3-meter range.
Spiritual Weapon icon action bg3Spiritual Weapon Gives a good use for bonus action. The weapon deals okay damage and can act as a distraction.
Enhance Ability icon action bg3Enhance Ability Almost a mandatory spell to have by someone in the group. This can help with various ability checks and turn the tables to your side.

Level 4

Level 4 brings the first feat, it will be a huge improvement.

Cantrips

Cantrip Description
Thaumaturgy icon action bg3Thaumaturgy Especially recommended if you are the main character.

Feat

Feat Description
Ability Improvement Depending on whether you picked:
  • Took Auntie Ethel's Hair with +1 Wisdom - add +2 Wisdom
  • Did not take it - +1 Wisdom and +1 Constitution

Level 5

This level is a huge milestone, and that is why no multiclassing happened before. Access to level 3 spells makes Nature Cleric an extremely powerful build.

Feature Description
Destroy Undead icon passive feature bg3Destroy Undead When you use Turn Undead icon action bg3Turn Undead, you will also deal bonus radiant damage. I think this is a good addition, but nothing fancy as it has niche uses.

The Nature Domain subclass also gains special spells:

Spell Description
Plant Growth icon action bg3Plant Growth Generally overlooked spells, but it quarters enemy movement without any Concentration slot cost. Moreover, it works extremely well with something like Hunger of Hadar icon action bg3Hunger of Hadar​ or Insect Plague icon action bg3Insect Plague​ creating a total death field.
Sleet Storm icon action bg3Sleet Storm Extremely powerful control spell that is usually overlooked, because it does not have any damage. However, you can make enemies prone with it, cancel the concentration of spells, and cover an area in ice. After this, enemies will have to pass Dexterity Saving Throws to avoid falling once they start moving.

Prepared Spells

Now, this is probably the most important section as you will gain some game-changing spells, allowing you to win many encounters.

Spell Description
Spirit Guardians icon action bg3Spirit Guardians This is one of the strongest cleric spells, that will be your bread and butter throughout the game. It will be used to weaken enemies using the Radiating Orb status effect.
Remove Curse icon action bg3Remove Curse This can be useful throughout the game in case you or a party member gets cursed.
Glyph of Warding icon action bg3Glyph of Warding You can use this Glyph to apply various damage types and effects. For example - fire, cold, lightning, etc. The main highlight is Sleep, which works on multiple enemies and can outright win you an encounter.
Mass Healing Word icon action bg3Mass Healing Word Using this as a bonus action together with The Whispering Promise icon bg3The Whispering Promise will buff all allies with the Bless icon action bg3Bless​ effect.

Level 6 - respec to Sorcerer Lv 1

Now, to further empower Cleric and its capabilities you will have to respec at Withers and pick Sorcerer as a first class. Here are the main reasons for this switch:

  • Get proficiency in Constitution Saving Throws. This is important as it allows you to sustain Concentration on spells while being hit.
  • Access to defensive spells like Shield icon action bg3Shield.
  • Have the correct spellcasting modifier on items, which depends on the last class taken via multiclassing (it will be Cleric).

Class

Overview
sorcerer Baldur's Gate 3Sorcerer
Features
ico_mini_spellSlot Baldur's Gate 3Spell Slots These can be used to cast spells and are restored each long rest.

Cantrips

Take those cantrips that do not rely on damage as they will be using the Charisma modifier, which will be low for Cleric.

Cantrip Description
Light icon action bg3Light This cantrip will be useful together with the Coruscation Ring icon bg3Coruscation Ring or Callous Glow Ring icon bg3Callous Glow Ring to enable their effects.
Friends icon action bg3Friends If you are the main character and do most of the dialogues, this is also a good choice as it gives an advantage during rolls.
Blade Ward icon action bg3Blade Ward Can be useful in some situations, where an ally might be in a pinch, and you have no good use for action otherwise.
Mage Hand icon action bg3Mage Hand Can be used to solve some puzzles and overcome obstacles.
Minor Illusion icon action bg3Minor Illusion Can be used to distract targets before engaging them in combat and pull them together. It is also useful for pickpocketing to move unwanted eyes away from your character.

Spells

Spells Description
Shield icon action bg3Shield Very good spell that can ensure +5 Armour Class giving a good survivability boost.
Magic Missile icon action bg3Magic Missile I recommend this spell. It is not very powerful, but it can be used to specifically hit a foe, with multiple attacks and using Callous Glow Ring icon bg3Callous Glow Ring apply a lot of Radiating Orbs to weaken its hit chance.

Subclass

Overview
storm sorcery bg3Storm Sorcery
Features
Tempestuous Magic icon passive feature bg3Tempestuous Magic After you cast a Level 1 spell or higher you can Fly as a bonus action until the end of your turn without receiving Opportunity Attacks.

Abilities

Reuse the same ones from the 1st level - STR - 8, DEX - 16, CON - 15, INT - 8, WIS - 17, CHA - 8.

After you are done picking Sorcerer, multiclass back into Cleric and go through levels 1-6:

multiclass button level up bg3

Level 7 - Cleric Lv 6

This level unlocks one of the major features of Nature Cleric:

Feature Description
Dampen Elements icon action bg3Dampen Elements A reaction that allows halving elemental spell damage. This is a great option for improving support.

Level 8 - Cleric Lv 7

Level 4 spells are unlocked, also new permanent spells are added:

Spells Description
Dominate Beast icon action bg3Dominate Beast Can be situationally useful, against some enemies, sadly it targets only one enemy and is a contender with other Concentration spells.
Grasping Vine icon action bg3Grasping Vine The spell was updated and now costs only bonus action. Moreover, it does not require Concentration making it an extremely useful control option to create difficult terrain.

Prepared Spells

Sadly, there is nothing much to recommend. The spells can be situationally good. However, none of them will change the core rotations of Nature Cleric.

Level 9 - Cleric Lv 8

A new subclass feature is unlocked. Moreover, you can select one more feat.

Feature Description
Divine Strike: Elemental Fury icon action bg3Divine Strike: Elemental Fury Allows you to select different elemental riders on your weapon attacks once per turn. This gives 1d8 lightning, fire, or cold damage, which can be useful in some situations if the enemy has weaknesses in one of these elements.

Feat

Feat Description
Ability Improvement +2 Wisdom is the optimal pick here, especially if you have not reached 20 Wisdom with Auntie Ethel Hair. War Caster: Concentration icon passive feature bg3War Caster: Concentration​ would be relevant if you do not have items with a Concentration Saving Throw advantage.
War Caster: Concentration icon passive feature bg3War Caster: Concentration This will help maintain spell concentration while being hit. Some items give the same effect, but these will most likely go to other characters.
Alert icon passive feature bg3Alert If you constantly want to go first and avoid any surprise rounds, this feat guarantees that.

Level 10 - Cleric Lv 9

Level 9 gives access to a few additional nature-themed spells and a new list of level 5 prepared options.

Spell Description
Insect Plague icon action bg3Insect Plague Area control spells, that can impose difficult terrain and apply a decent amount of damage on targets walking through it. Works with ground control spells like Plant Growth icon action bg3Plant Growth.
Wall of Stone icon action bg3Wall of Stone To be fair, did not use this spell much.

Prepare Spells

Spell Description
Greater Restoration icon action bg3Greater Restoration Removes negative status effects, that can be useful in some situations.
Flame Strike icon action bg3Flame Strike Deadly spell that creates a pillar of fire dealing both fire and radiant damage.

Level 11 - Cleric Lv 10

Now you will get access to the highest tier spell slot - level 6, which will allow casting and upcasting some really powerful spells.

Feature Description
Divine Intervention icon action bg3Divine Intervention Once per playthrough action that can be used to activate special effects. To be fair, I usually forget to use it, but it can be extremely useful during Honour Mode playthrough.

Cantrips

Pick any cantrip, they will have a minor impact at this stage.

Level 12 - Cleric Lv 11

This is the last level, and the cleric will access level 6 spells.

Prepare Spells

Spell Description
Heroes' Feast icon action bg3Heroes' Feast Buff your allies with temporary health points. This makes them more likely to survive difficult encounters.
Planar Ally icon action bg3Planar Ally Summon a companion, that can deal adequate damage and also act as a distraction.
Blade Barrier icon action bg3Blade Barrier Deadly barrier, that can harm multiple foes if placed correctly on the choke point.

Maximizing Ability Scores

Now, as the build progression is covered there are a few aspects and important decisions you will have to make throughout the game. These will decide your final score for abilities.

There are two options here, first without Auntie Ethel Hair:

  1. First Feat - Ability Improvement - +1 Wisdom. The second point will go to the Constitution.
  2. Second Feat - Ability Improvement - +2 Wisdom.
  3. Act 3 - Mirror of Loss - pick +2 Wisdom.

Here is what you should do with Auntie Ethel Hair:

  1. Act 1 - Auntie Ethel Hair - you will want to get +1 Wisdom if you pick this choice.
  2. Feat - Ability Improvement - +2 Wisdom
  3. Act 3 - Mirror of Loss - pick +2 Wisdom.

These will allow you to reach 20-22 natural Wisdom, which is enough for a good Cleric setup.

Potions, Elixirs and Consumables

Let's take a look at what consumables you can use to further empower the build.

Potions

These are general consumables, and most of them are activated for a few turns. Potions are separate from Elixirs and can be active together.

Consumable Description
diluted oil of sharpness bg3Diluted Oil of Sharpness Gives a bonus attack roll and damage. It is a good coating if you can apply it before combat. It is extremely useful early in the game with Shillelagh icon action bg3Shillelagh.
potion of speed bg3Potion of Speed You can chug this potion before combat, or during combat using bonus action. It gives another action point that gives an additional attack or one more spell cast. Sadly its duration is only 3 turns.
potion of invisibility bg3Potion of Invisibility Can be used to get a perfect position before the encounter starts.

Elixirs

Unfortunately, only one Elixir can be active at a time. However, the good thing is that they last until a long rest, making them very useful and economical.

Be sure to activate them before combat as otherwise, you will need to use Bonus Action.

Remember to activate one elixir after each Long Rest. These are found plentiful throughout the game, so don't save them too much.
Consumable Description
elixir of bloodlust bg3Elixir of Bloodlust Very effective elixir that gives another action point if you kill an enemy. I would say this is the best one to use to maximize your output through the turn.
elixir of battlemage's power bg3Elixir of Battlemage's Power Gain 3 stacks of Arcane Acuity. I would say this should be the most used elixir for higher spell success.
elixir of peerless focus bg3Elixir of Peerless Focus Another good choice that allows to better maintain spell Concentration.
superior elixir of arcane cultivation bg3Superior Elixir of Arcane Cultivation Grant's a single level 3 spell slot. Could be useful in case you are preparing for a longer encounter.
supreme elixir of arcane cultivation bg3Supreme Elixir of Arcane Cultivation Grant's a single level 4 spell slot. Could be useful in case you are preparing for a longer encounter.
elixir of vigilance bg3Elixir of Vigilance For some encounters, you will want to go first. This elixir will ensure that it overcomes even surprise mechanics. However, if you have Alert icon passive feature bg3Alert​ this becomes redundant.
supreme elixir of arcane cultivation bg3Supreme Elixir of Arcane Cultivation Grant's a single level 4 spell slot. Could be useful in case you are preparing for a longer encounter.

Illithid Powers

This special mechanic in Baldur's Gate 3 allows you to consume tadpoles and unlock special Illithid Powers.

At first, you can only use the base powers. As you move to Act 3, you will be able to unlock the outer ring powers.

Illithid Power Type Description
Cull the Weak icon passive feature bg3Cull the Weak Base Can help to kill an enemy faster if it is left with a few HP.
Psionic Backlash icon action bg3Psionic Backlash Base A great way to weaponize your reaction before obtaining Counterspell icon action bg3Counterspell.
Illithid Expertise icon passive feature bg3Illithid Expertise Elite Can be used to maximize the effectiveness of charisma-based skills if you have not done that.
Black Hole icon action bg3Black Hole Elite Very powerful spell that can be used to pull enemies together.
Psionic Dominance icon action bg3Psionic Dominance Elite Can be used to save yourself from a deadly spell. This is especially relevant as you will have a disadvantage on mental saving throws.
Freecast icon passive feature bg3Freecast Elite Remove the cost of spell slots or charges.
Mind Sanctuary icon action bg3Mind Sanctuary Elite You can now use action and bonus action interchangeably, giving two full spell casts each turn. It's not as important for you, but it will help other casters in the group.

Equipment Recommendations

Now I would like to go through some gear recommendations to maximize the Nature Cleric Build. Items are especially important as they take the build to the next level thanks to their unique effects.

I recommend checking the Item Checklists this will help you plan your run and assign items so that they do not overlap.

Act 1

Slot Item Description
melee slot bg3Melee (One-Handed) Blood of Lathander icon bg3Blood of Lathander Extremely good weapon if you do not care about Phalar Aluve icon bg3Phalar Aluve unique effects. The Lathander's Light icon passive feature bg3Lathander's Light​ effect will help you activate additional debuffs from enemies and make combat easier in Act 2.
The Spellsparkler icon bg3The Spellsparkler This is a sleeping beauty of the build. It can be used together with Spike Growth icon action bg3Spike Growth​ to inflict lightning damage in addition to piercing one.
Phalar Aluve icon bg3Phalar Aluve This is one of the best weapons in the game for a supporting class like Cleric. If you can precast its Phalar Aluve: Melody before combat, I recommend using it both to improve companion damage or attack rolls.
Defender Flail icon bg3Defender Flail If you do not care about the unique effects, this is a go-to choice. The bonus Armour Class will help you avoid enemy hits and activate Holy Lance Helm icon bg3Holy Lance Helm.
ranged slot bg3Ranged Bow of Awareness icon bg3Bow of Awareness Gives bonus initiative, allowing one to go earlier in combat.
shield icon bg3Shield Adamantine Shield icon bg3Adamantine Shield It provides a substantial defensive boost by reducing critical hit damage.
Safeguard Shield icon bg3Safeguard Shield Gives a bonus to saving throws, easily accessible early in the game.
helmet slot bg3Head Holy Lance Helm icon bg3Holy Lance Helm A solid helmet that will deal 1d4 radiant damage if the enemy misses you. Moreover, it will also activate any reverbation effects from Gloves of Belligerent Skies icon bg3Gloves of Belligerent Skies.
Haste Helm icon bg3Haste Helm Improves movement speed, allowing one to reach important targets easily, early in the game.
cloak slot bg3Cloak - Nothing relevant for the build
armor slot bg3Armor Luminous Armour icon bg3Luminous Armour This is the best armor for the whole game.
gloves slot bg3Gloves Gloves of Belligerent Skies icon bg3Gloves of Belligerent Skies One of the best gloves for builds that apply status effects via various damage sources. This will create Reverbation, increasing the chance of making the enemy Prone.
Hellrider's Pride icon bg3Hellrider's Pride Defensive gloves that give damage resistance to those that the Cleric heals. Perfect combo to be used with Healing Word icon action bg3Healing Word​/Mass Healing Word icon action bg3Mass Healing Word​ + The Whispering Promise icon bg3The Whispering Promise.
boots slot bg3Boots Boots of Stormy Clamour icon bg3Boots of Stormy Clamour The best boots in terms of offensive damage. They will give Reverbation stacks when you apply status effects, for example, Spirit Guardians icon action bg3Spirit Guardians.
Disintegrating Night Walkers icon bg3Disintegrating Night Walkers One of the best boots, giving a total advantage for movement on difficult surfaces. It also gives Misty Step icon action bg3Misty Step​ to increase that mobility.
Boots of Speed icon bg3Boots of Speed Excellent boots that improve movement capabilities, especially useful when you are running around with Spirit Guardians icon action bg3Spirit Guardians​ active.
amulet slot bg3Amulet Amulet of Restoration icon bg3Amulet of Restoration The best cleric amulet early in the game. Use the spells together with The Whispering Promise icon bg3The Whispering Promise to apply buffs on your allies.
ring slot bg3Rings The Whispering Promise icon bg3The Whispering Promise The best ring for a cleric early in the game. This will apply Bless icon action bg3Bless​ to allies when you use the Mass Healing Word icon action bg3Mass Healing Word.
Crusher's Ring icon bg3Crusher's Ring Excellent ring that will allow you to move around more. This is especially useful before you obtain Tempestuous Magic icon passive feature bg3Tempestuous Magic​ from Sorcerer dip.
Ring of Protection icon bg3Ring of Protection The bonus Armour Class is a great boost for survivability.

Act 2 - mid-game

Slot Item Description
melee slot bg3Melee (One-Handed) - Continue using weapons from Act 1, as nothing comes close in terms of usefulness.
ranged slot bg3Ranged Bow of Awareness icon bg3Bow of Awareness Still the best bow, as initiative plays a vital role for Light Cleric.
shield icon bg3Shield Ketheric's Shield icon bg3Ketheric's Shield The best shield for casters as it gives +1 Spell Save DC, increasing spell success.
Sentinel Shield icon bg3Sentinel Shield What makes this shield amazing is that by wearing it you will be going first most of the time during encounters. This is a great way to apply Radiating Orb and Reverbation on enemies using Spirit Guardians icon action bg3Spirit Guardians.
helmet slot bg3Head Fistbreaker Helm icon bg3Fistbreaker Helm Adds +1 Spell Save DC improving spell success.
cloak slot bg3Cloak Thunderskin Cloak icon bg3Thunderskin Cloak Because most of the enemies you come across will have Reverbation this cloak will further help to weaken those foes.
Cloak of Protection icon bg3Cloak of Protection Improves survivability and Saving Throw success. You want to equip this cloak to maintain that good Armour Class.
armor slot bg3Armor Luminous Armour icon bg3Luminous Armour The best armor for clerics using Radiant damage.
gloves slot bg3Gloves Gloves of Belligerent Skies icon bg3Gloves of Belligerent Skies Stil the best gloves for the Nature Cleric.
Luminous Gloves icon bg3Luminous Gloves Alternative option, that will add 2 more Radiating Orb stacks as you inflict damage.
boots slot bg3Boots Boots of Stormy Clamour icon bg3Boots of Stormy Clamour Still the best boots in terms of applying various conditions.
amulet slot bg3Amulet Amulet of the Harpers icon bg3Amulet of the Harpers Allows casting a Shield icon action bg3Shield​ spell, and can be a lifesaver if attacked heavily for one turn.
ring slot bg3Rings Callous Glow Ring icon bg3Callous Glow Ring The ring's bonus radiant damage will help activate Gloves of Belligerent Skies icon bg3Gloves of Belligerent Skies and get more Reverbation stacks.
Coruscation Ring icon bg3Coruscation Ring This will help with building Radiating Orb stacks. However, with all the effects you will be applying, this might be overkill as you will already be proccing Luminous Armour icon bg3Luminous Armour.
Ring of Mental Inhibition icon bg3Ring of Mental Inhibition Excellent ring that can be used to apply Mental Fatigue from failed Saving Throws against your spells.
Ring of Spiteful Thunder icon bg3Ring of Spiteful Thunder Adds another Dazed effect that can be procced after 5 Reverbation stacks are activated and Thunder damage gets applied.

Act 3 - Final Build setup

To be fair if you are interested in doing the standard cleric strategy - Spirit Guardians icon action bg3Spirit Guardians, run around and debuff enemies, weapons from Act 1 are plenty.

Slot Item Description
melee slot bg3Melee (One-Handed) Markoheshkir icon bg3Markoheshkir The ultimate caster weapon. Generally, it would be taken by a Sorcerer or Wizard, but in case you are not using them, definitely try using this one with its unique effects.
ranged slot bg3Ranged Hellrider Longbow icon bg3Hellrider Longbow The bonus initiative is an excellent boost to go early in combat. If it is not a surprise round, it is almost guaranteed.
shield icon bg3Shield Viconia's Walking Fortress icon bg3Viconia's Walking Fortress One of the best shields in the game. Overall, it serves more of a defensive role giving advantages on Spell Saving Throws.
Ketheric's Shield icon bg3Ketheric's Shield The best shield for casters as it gives +1 Spell Save DC, increasing spell success.
helmet slot bg3Head Hood of the Weave icon bg3Hood of the Weave One of the best headwear for spellcasters, giving +2 Spell Save DC. This can be contested by other casters as it is in high demand.
cloak slot bg3Cloak Cloak of The Weave icon bg3Cloak of The Weave Improves Spell Save DC. However, the main caveat is that this cloak is in demand by all casters.
Cloak of Displacement icon bg3Cloak of Displacement Provides an increased chance of avoiding enemy attacks with attack rolls.
armor slot bg3Armor Luminous Armour icon bg3Luminous Armour Still the best armor in the game.
gloves slot bg3Gloves - Reuse the same gloves from previous acts.
boots slot bg3Boots - Reuse the same boots from previous acts.
amulet slot bg3Amulet Amulet of The Devout icon bg3Amulet of The Devout Overall, the best amulet for Cleric builds. Gives additional Channel Divinity Charge and improved Spell Save DC.
ring slot bg3Rings - Reuse the same rings from previous Acts.

Build Mechanics

In this section, I would like to dive deep into how to play the Nature Cleric Build. This will help you utilize it to the fullest and correctly use various actions and spells throughout the game.

Important Mechanics and Combos

Let's go through key mechanics and tips on how to use the build effectively. Nature Cleric has very interesting combos if you are willing to invest some time in the setup.

Shillelagh and melee attacks

If you have played Druid, you might know a sleeper cantrip - Shillelagh icon action bg3Shillelagh. It allows you to create the strongest weapon in the early game with a very simple interaction of Torch icon bg3Torch. The item comes with 1d4 fire damage rider, and then Shillelagh icon action bg3Shillelagh​ stats - 1d8 damage + wisdom modifier.

This makes normal attacks with the weapon extremely efficient at the start of the game, and activating it is easy - just costs a bonus action.

Healing and Buffs

The main misunderstanding about clerics is that people assume they should only be healing and supporting. However, this is far from the truth. In general, the best healing mechanic is just throwing potions, which is efficient, and cheap in comparison.

Overall, healing should be limited and in my opinion, used sparingly. My recommended spells are Healing Word icon action bg3Healing Word​ and Mass Healing Word icon action bg3Mass Healing Word. These are cheap to use and cost only bonus action, which does not interfere with your important spells that will be covered later.

However, the major highlight is that those healing spells activate The Whispering Promise icon bg3The Whispering Promise ring buffing your allies. This is very valuable early in the game, so that your party has a higher hit chance, making combat easier.

In addition, there are other items that you can use - Hellrider's Pride icon bg3Hellrider's Pride or The Reviving Hands icon bg3The Reviving Hands later in the game with more defensive bonuses.

Spirit Guardians - Cleric's bread and butter

So the most important spell for Cleric is Spirit Guardians icon action bg3Spirit Guardians. With the correct gear that I recommend each enemy you touch, will apply various status effects like Reverbation, Prone, and Radiating Orb.

So you are like a running Beyblade damaging everything that you touch and also weakening their combat potential. Just remember the core items to make this work - Luminous Armour icon bg3Luminous Armour, Boots of Stormy Clamour icon bg3Boots of Stormy Clamour, and Gloves of Belligerent Skies icon bg3Gloves of Belligerent Skies. There are some other options, but overall these are the best picks.

So the idea is to run around and have as many as possible enemies touched by your light. However, this might be limiting in some cases, where enemies might be on higher ground or behind covers. This is where the next step comes in...

Tempestuous Flight

Taking a level 1 dip into Sorcerer unlocked one of the features that will greatly improve Light cleric mobility - Tempestuous Magic icon passive feature bg3Tempestuous Magic. This will allow you to fly at the cost of bonus action, not use movement speed, and avoid opportunity attacks.

While flying any enemies you touch with Spirit Guardians icon action bg3Spirit Guardians, will be affected by it. This is an excellent way to spread Radiating Orbs and debuff most of the enemies in the combat zone.

Reverbation and status effects

The main highlight of the Light Cleric build is the sheer amount of status effects that you will be applying - Reverbation, Prone, Radiating Orb, Daze, etc. This can greatly weaken foes and make them harmless to your group.

The main highlight in my opinion is Reverbation. This at first weakens enemy strength, dexterity, and constitution saving throw proficiencies. As it stacks to 5, the enemy will get damaged with 1d4 thunder. This is finished by making the enemy prone if they fail a saving throw.

Once the enemy is prone they are easy pickings for your melee characters and waste their precious movement speed to stand up. To get these effects consistently be sure to use Boots of Stormy Clamour icon bg3Boots of Stormy Clamour and Gloves of Belligerent Skies icon bg3Gloves of Belligerent Skies.

Plant Growth with Prone and Other Spells

So I just covered Prone status and it is deadly. Now it can become even crazier. The thing is that to stand up enemies need to use half of their movement speed which is reasonable. However, you can quarter their movement speed with a very cheap and easy spell to use - Plant Growth icon action bg3Plant Growth.

Generally, you can run into a group of enemies with Spirit Guardians icon action bg3Spirit Guardians, later cast Plant Growth icon action bg3Plant Growth,​ and move using Tempestuous Magic: Flight icon action bg3Tempestuous Magic: Flight. This is a deadly combo that will easily stack Reverbation, make enemies fall, and then leave them grounded.

Special attention to Spike Growth

So Spike Growth icon action bg3Spike Growth​ is an outlier spell out of many ground control options. Maybe this is developer oversight or maybe it was intended. The thing is, that many effects from items or other statuses pass through them, creating some interesting combos.

Using different area Control spells

The interesting part of Nature Cleric is that it has access to plenty of area-of-effect spells. For example, you can use two types of controls, one for the air and another for the ground. So for example - Plant Growth icon action bg3Plant Growth​ and Insect Plague icon action bg3Insect Plague, making the area inaccessible and enemies getting destroyed.

The strongest combo in my opinion would be Sleet Storm icon action bg3Sleet Storm​ together with Hunger of Hadar icon action bg3Hunger of Hadar​ (that you need Bard or Warlock to cast). This outright makes enemies skip their turn and get damaged by the killing of dark clouds.

So the main two categories:

  • Ground - Sleet Storm icon action bg3Sleet Storm, Spike Growth icon action bg3Spike Growth, Plant Growth icon action bg3Plant Growth, Ice Storm icon action bg3Ice Storm, Grasping Vine icon action bg3Grasping Vine​ (be careful as it can get damaged by air effects), and so on
  • Air - Insect Plague icon action bg3Insect Plague, Cloudkill icon action bg3Cloudkill, Hunger of Hadar icon action bg3Hunger of Hadar​ (obtained from other classes)

Early Game Combat

Let's cover how you should progress combat levels 1-6. This plays as a normal Archer, where you utilize mostly your weapon attacks and a few spells.

  • Shillelagh icon action bg3Shillelagh​ is your bread-and-butter attack for most of the early levels until you unlock level 3 spells. If you can precast it before combat. If not, that's not a problem as it only uses bonus action.
  • For early encounters use normal spells like Guiding Bolt icon action bg3Guiding Bolt and, Inflict Wounds icon action bg3Inflict Wounds. To save spell slots I would prioritize Produce Flame icon action bg3Produce Flame​ followed by Sacred Flame icon action bg3Sacred Flame​ to inflict damage if in need of ranged attack.
  • If you can use Bless icon action bg3Bless​ to buff allies before combat. Once you get The Whispering Promise icon bg3The Whispering Promise, you can forgo the spell and use Healing Word icon action bg3Healing Word​ or Mass Healing Word icon action bg3Mass Healing Word​ to buff your allies.
  • Create or Destroy Water icon action bg3Create or Destroy Water​ is an excellent spell if you have other casters that use Cold or Lightning spells.
  • Spike Growth icon action bg3Spike Growth​ is a powerful spell to cover choke points, I talk about it more in the mechanics section.
  • Once you obtain Spirit Guardians icon action bg3Spirit Guardians​ use these to run around the battlefield and debuff the enemies. Check the equipment section for the items that work the best with it.
  • Your bonus action has plenty of uses. The already mentioned healing spells, Shillelagh icon action bg3Shillelagh​ but you can also summon Spiritual Weapon icon action bg3Spiritual Weapon, which can deal additional damage and distract foes.
  • Glyph of Warding icon action bg3Glyph of Warding​ can be used to put enemies to sleep without a Concentration slot. It is excellent if you see a few of them grouped up.
  • If things are turning for the worse, you can always use Sanctuary icon action bg3Sanctuary​ to save an ally or use it to flee combat.

Late Game Combat

Late game is where this build lifts off and can attack and cast spells on the same turn:

  • Spirit Guardians icon action bg3Spirit Guardians​ are still your bread and butter for most of the combat encounters. You want to weaken most of the enemies before they get their turn.
  • Heroes' Feast icon action bg3Heroes' Feast​ is an excellent spell to buff up your group with additional temporary HP and some resistance. Planar Ally icon action bg3Planar Ally​ is another great level 6 spell. Sadly, you have a limited amount of these so pick wisely.
  • Spike Growth icon action bg3Spike Growth, Sleet Storm icon action bg3Sleet Storm,​ and Plant Growth icon action bg3Plant Growth​ are extremely powerful control options. The latter doesn't use a Concentration slot, so you can use it together with other spell options.
  • Flame Strike icon action bg3Flame Strike​ is an excellent spell when you want to dish out damage, especially on the second turn, once you have prepared everything and weakened foes.

Build Variations

Here are some variations that work similarly and utilize the same classes at their core.

Setup Description
  • 3 Storm Sorcerer
  • 9 Nature Cleric
A more caster-oriented setup with access to Metamagic: Quickened Spell icon passive feature bg3Metamagic: Quickened Spell. This allows the cleric to self-set various combos like Plant Growth icon action bg3Plant Growth​ + Insect Plague icon action bg3Insect Plague​ to shut down enemies and bosses.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading the best Nature Cleric Build for Baldur's Gate 3. This has been one of the most enjoyable builds to make. The build offers a Druid playstyle with plenty of support and control. Moreover, the Diety pick offers excellent roleplay options if you are into that.

Cheers!

Discussion

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Post author zanuffas avatar zanuffas
Gamestegy Founder. I have been writing game guides and builds for 4 years. I like to push myself to create something wonderful for the readers!