Shadowheart Build - Trickery Cleric - Dark Justiciar - Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3)

Shdowheart Trickery Domain Cleric Build - The Dark Justiciar

The build idea is to create a lore-friendly Shadowheart build that reflects her evil or Shar's path through the game. This will result in a stealthy character that utilizes trickery, darkness, and stealth. As the game progresses you will also unlock Way of Shadow Monk to accommodate

First, this is a cleric build at its core and with Guidance, Spirit Guardians, Healing Word,​ and other goodies later in the game. So without a doubt, you can have a powerful radiant orb lawnmower that applies buffs.

Trickery Domain comes in when you have a party that can utilize stealth mechanics to their advantage. For example, activating Pass Without Trace​ and positioning yourself close to Gloomstalker Assassin and Swords Bard, will allow you to easily take out enemies before they spot you with +10 to stealth checks.

There are other ways to use Trickery Domain. You can help your melee combatants to obtain Advantage using Invoke Duplicity while also staying invisible thanks to Cloak of Shadows. If things come to worst, just cast Fear​ and see enemies fearful while also dropping their weapons.

The last part of the build is Way of the Shadows Monk. This will take the build to the next level - Cloak of Shadows, Shadow Step, Shadow Arts: Darkness, etc. All of these complement the Dark Justiciar theme extremely well. The last piece is Stunning Strike (Melee)​ which can disable enemies with your melee attacks.

So generally, the subclass is overlooked, but I do think it can play a vital role in correctly setting up the party.

Class Contribution

The build mostly goes into Cleric to obtain all the core parts of the build. The Monk will provide additional proficiencies and better combat capabilities.

6 Trickery Domain Cleric

• Invoke Duplicity​ to help your allies or yourself gain an advantage on attacks in the early game.
• Stealth-related actions - Pass Without Trace​ and Cloak of Shadows​ to avoid being detected by enemies.
• Fear​ is a very powerful control spell, to make enemies run and Disarm them. You would use it, once stealth breaks and combat initiates.
• Access to healing and support spells - Mass Healing Word​ and Healing Word.
• Can apply wet status for other casters with Create or Destroy Water, helping to make enemies vulnerable to Lightning and Cold damage.
• Spirit 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.
• Access to control spells - Command, Blindness, Glyph of Warding, Hold Person​ and others. These can be used depending on the situation.
• Proficiencies with shields, and medium armor, allowing to improve defensive capabilities further.

6 Way of Shadows Monk

Monks come with plenty of unique features. However, as this build uses medium or light armors, most of these will be skipped. Still, there are plenty of other things that empower this multiclass.

• The main thing that is needed from this multiclass is an Extra Attack​ to improve the martial capabilities.
• Martial Arts: Dextrous Attacks​ allows you to scale weapon damage with Dexterity instead of strength, saving ability points.
• Stunning Strike (Melee)​ to disable foes with weapon attacks.
• Evasion​ - decrease damage from spells that target Dexterity Saving Throws.
• Shadow Arts: Darkness​ to create a field of Darkness, from which you can safely attack enemies. Shadow Arts: Hide​ allows you to hide with a bonus action.
• One underlooked option is Minor Illusion​ which can be used to control enemy positions, move them to a specific location, or distract while you move around.
• Cloak of Shadows​ - one of the best invisibility actions in the game allowing you to leave combat. It can also be used to set up Surprise rounds if you are obscured.
• Shadow Step​ - move between shadows and gain advantage with melee attacks.

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.

This is general build leveling. In the progression sections I go much deeper into how to progress before the major Act 2 decision and what to do after that

Level	Class	Selection
1	Cleric 1	Cantrips: Sacred Flame, Thaumaturgy, Guidance​
		Subclass: Trickery Domain
		Recommended Prepared Spells: Guiding Bolt, Command, Inflict Wounds, Sanctuary, Healing Word​
		Abilities: STR - 8, DEX - 16, CON - 15, INT - 8, WIS - 17, CHA - 10
		Skills: any
2	Cleric 2	-
3	Cleric 3	Recommended Prepared Spells: Lesser Restoration, Enhance Ability, Hold Person, Spiritual Weapon​
4	Cleric 4	Cantrips:
		Feat: Ability Improvement - +1 Wisdom, +1 Constitution
5	Cleric 5	Recommended Prepared Spells: Spirit Guardians, Glyph of Warding, Mass Healing Word​
6	Monk 1 (respec as first level)	Abilities: STR - 8, DEX - 17, CON - 15, INT - 8, WIS - 16, CHA - 10
		Skills: Stealth
7	Monk 2	-
8	Monk 3	Subclass: Way of Shadow
9	Monk 4	Feat: Great Weapon Master: All In​
10	Monk 5	-
11	Monk 6	-
12	Cleric 6	-

Starting the Game - Level 1

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

Origin

So the obvious pick for this build is Shadowheart. The whole setup is aimed around her and makes use of her default Trickery Domain subclass.

Races

As this is Shadowheart setup, the race is picked by default:

Race	Features	Description
High Half-Elf	Civil Militia Darkvision​ Fey Ancestry	This is the default race, that Shadowheart starts. It is a decent pick and allows choosing additional cantrip.

High Elf Cantrip

If you have Shadowheart as a companion you will not be able to choose a different cantrip besides Fire Bolt. If you take her as an original character here are my suggestions:

Cantrips	Description
Friends​	This is an excellent pick for the main character as Advantage helps pass dialogue checks. Be careful, when playing on higher difficulties, as when canceled enemies may attack you. So only cancel its effect when you are further away.
Mage Hand​	This summon is useful in some combat encounters as you can make it throw items. Moreover, it can shove foes giving additional offensive action to the group.
Minor Illusion​	Although you will obtain Minor Illusion​ from the Way of the Shadow subclass later on, this can still be excellent for group enemies when approaching combat from stealth.

Class

Overview
Cleric
Clerics are representatives of the gods they worship, wielding potent divine magic for good or ill.
Features
Spell Slots	These can be used to cast spells and are restored each long rest.
Domain Spells​	Unique spell list accessible based on your cleric subclass.

Cantrips

Cantrips	Description
Sacred 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.
Thaumaturgy​	Especially recommended if you are the main character as it will help with Intimidation checks.
Guidance​	The most important cleric cantrip, which improves various ability rolls, works on yourself and party members.

Subclass

Overview
Trickery Domain
Features
Blessing of the Trickster​	Gives an advantage on stealth checks. It can be useful in some situations but does consume the concentration slot. Can be used for some early game encounters, but overall loses value as the game goes on.
Charm Person​	Gives an advantage to charisma checks in dialogues, but overall has limited uses.
Disguise Self​	More of a roleplaying spell that can help avoid various situations or pass racial dialogues. For example, Drows have special choices and an easy way to pass through fights in Act 1.

Deity

Shadowheart starts with Shar diety, which cannot be changed. Later on, in the game based on the decisions she can change her allegiance.

Background

Backgrounds are mostly for role-playing and you can pick whatever you prefer. However, as Shadowheart you will start with Acolyte, which cannot be changed.

Abilities

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

Ability	Value	Description
Strength	8	It is not a relevant ability, and can be addressed with Elixirs of Hill Giant Strength if all comes to worst.
Dexterity	16 (15+1)	Improves the initiative and Armour class bonus to medium armors.
Constitution	15	Constitution will help to maintain spell concentration when getting hit. Moreover, it will increase the overall HP pool.
Intelligence	8	Not relevant to the build
Wisdom	17 (15+2)	The main spellcasting ability for clerics. This should be maximized to have success with spells.
Charisma	8	I would leave it with minimal investment. There is an option to remove 1 point from Wisdom and add them here, but this complicates the progression regarding feats.

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. For Shadowheart there are not many choices, so I would go with these:

• Medicine
• Persuasion

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​	The main, long-range damage spell for the cleric in the early game.
Create 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​	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​	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​	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​	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 ring you can buff specific allies.
Bless​	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.
Shield 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.

Leveling Progression - Levels 2-9~

This part of the progression will cover most of Acts 1 and 2. Just before the major decision, you will have to make with Shadowheart close to the end of Act 2. You should be level 8-9 for this. The idea here is to fully utilize the Trickery and Cleric playstyle and get the most out of it.

Being a standard cleric for this part of the game will fit the theme of Shadowheart and also make you a very powerful combatant both in stealth and when you need to jump on enemies.

Level 2

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

Action	Description
Turn Undead​	Excellent against undead enemies, making them run away.
Invoke Duplicity​	A useful talent that can draw enemies' attention but also gives an easy way to obtain an Advantage. This will increase the chances of hitting enemies with melee attacks or spells like Inflict Wounds​ which use attack rolls.

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
Mirror Image​	A truly powerful spell that can almost guarantee the avoidance of 3 attacks. This is great for improving survivability and maintaining concentration.
Pass Without Trace​	This will be one of the core talents to maintain stealth for your party members when engaging with out-of-combat attacks. It can also help you pass various choke points with allies that have no stealth proficiency.

Prepared Spells

Spells	Description
Lesser 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​	Excellent spell, that you can use to greatly improve the survivability of one of your party members.
Hold 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​	Gives a good use for bonus action. The weapon deals okay damage and can act as a distraction.
Enhance 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
Produce Flame​	It can be used to light the area around you, but also deals 1d8 fire damage. This is a good cantrip to have on hand, especially if enemies have high Wisdom and Sacred Flame​ has a low chance of hitting.

Feat

Here there are a few choices that I would recommend. Let's go through the options:

Level 5

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

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

The Trickery Domain subclass also gains special spells:

Spell	Description
Bestow Curse​	Can be used to weaken an enemy. However, it targets only a single foe which makes it a weak option most of the game.
Fear​	A truly powerful control spell that can disarm foes and force them to run away. It has a short range, so you should be close to the foes.

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​	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​	This can be useful throughout the game in case you or a party member gets cursed.
Glyph 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​	Using this as a bonus action together with The Whispering Promise will buff all allies with the Bless​ 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.
• Have the correct spellcasting modifier on items, which depends on the last class taken via multiclassing (it will be Cleric).

This will make Shadowheart stronger in combat, at least until you get to the later part of the game.

Class

Overview
Sorcerer
Features
Spell 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​	This cantrip will be useful together with the Coruscation Ring or Callous Glow Ring to enable their effects.
Friends​	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​	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​	Can be used to solve some puzzles and overcome obstacles.
Minor 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​	Very good spell that can ensure +5 Armour Class giving a good survivability boost.
Magic 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 apply a lot of Radiating Orbs to weaken its hit chance.

Subclass

Overview
Storm Sorcery
Features
Tempestuous 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.

Level 7 - Cleric Lv 6

This level unlocks one of the major features of Trickery Domain Cleric:

Feature	Description
Channel Divinity: Cloak of Shadows​	Allows becoming invisible while obscured. This is a great option to be used in combat. The problem with it is that it lasts only 2 turns, so using it while in normal exploration without Turn-based mode is very limited.

Level 8 - Cleric Lv 7

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

Spells	Description
Polymorph​	A somewhat okay spell, but I think it is limited in its uses especially as Cleric has better control spells.
Dimension Door​	Excellent spell to improve movement, exploration and certain combat situations where you want to save an ally.

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 Trickery Cleric.

Level 9

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

Feature	Description
Divine Strike: Poison​	Add 1d8 poison damage to weapon attacks once per turn. The problem with this is that many enemies later in the game will be resistant to this damage type.

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​ would be relevant if you do not have items with a Concentration Saving Throw advantage.
War 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​	If you constantly want to go first and avoid any surprise rounds, this feat guarantees that.

Leveling Progression 9-12

This is the last part of the game, where the build takes the theme of Dark Justiciar, which Shadowheart embraces based on her decision. I also urge you to do a respec, as this is appropriate concerning the major decision you have made here.

Overall, you are ready to do the next steps once you obtain Shar's Spear of Evening with Dark Justiciar Half-Plate which represents your allegiance to Shar.

The first step is to respec to a Monk:

Respec into Level 1 Monk

Class

Overview
Monk
Some reach enlightenment by languid meditation - others do so in the heat of battle. Monks manipulate ki to empower their own strikes and debilitate their foes.
Features
Flurry of Blows​	Very powerful attack, allowing you to do two hits with bonus action and Ki points.
Ki	A unique resource for Monk actions.
Unarmoured Defence​	Allows getting armor class from Wisdom modifier.
Martial Arts: Dextrous Attacks​	Similar to how finesse weapons work, Monk attacks scale based on high ability between Strength and Dexterity.
Martial Arts: Deft Strikes​	Set the base attack of unarmed attacks to 1d4, later this becomes 1d6 and 1d8.
Martial Arts: Bonus Unarmed Strike​	Gives an option to attack with your fists using bonus action.

Abilities

Ability	Value	Description
Strength	8	It is not a relevant ability, and can be addressed with Elixirs of Hill Giant Strength if all comes to worst.
Dexterity	17 (15+2)	Improves the initiative and Armour class bonus to medium armors.
Constitution	15	Constitution will help to maintain spell concentration when getting hit. Moreover, it will increase the overall HP pool. It can be set to 14, if you will be getting Auntie Ethel's Hair with +1 Dexterity, as you will maximize your Dexterity score instead.
Intelligence	8	Not relevant to the build
Wisdom	16 (15+1)	The main spellcasting ability for clerics. This should be maximized to have success with spells.
Charisma	8	I would leave it with minimal investment. There is an option to remove 1 point from the Constitution and add it here, but this complicates the progression regarding feats.

Skill Proficiencies

The only relevant proficiency is Stealth and this is the reason why Monk is taken as first level.

Multiclass into Trickery Cleric with 5 levels

Now you are ready to go through the previous progression of Trickery cleric multiclass

Feat

Feat	Description
Great Weapon Master: All In​	This feat is a huge damage improvement for two-handed weapons and will work well with Shar's Spear of Evening.

Progress Monk to Level 4

Now let's go shortly through the main picks that you will have to do level Monk from level 2 to level 4.

Subclass

Overview
Way of Shadow
Features
Shadow Arts: Hide​	Allows hiding with just bonus action instead of action.
Shadow Arts: Pass Without Trace​	Can be useful if you need to pass stealth checks with companions. For example, sneaking through areas where enemies may see you.
Shadow Arts: Darkness​	Very powerful action that can complement both Shadow Monk and Warlock with Devil's Sight. You can use this to hide from ranged enemy attacks, and safely attack anyone that dares to enter. I recommend Eversight Ring if you plan on doing melee combat inside to avoid getting blinded.
Shadow Arts: Darkvision​	Not as good as it sounds. Sadly, it does not work with the Darkness​ spell.
Shadow Arts: Silence​	Another powerful action, that you can use to break enemy concentration or immobilize mages.
Minor Illusion​	You can use this while being invisible. Group enemies together and let your caster kill them, or cast Darkness to change the playing field.

Feat

Feat	Description
Ability Improvement - +2 Dexterity	Maximize the effectiveness with combat weapons, specifically Shar's Spear of Evening.

Level 10 - Monk Lv 5

This is a huge milestone for Shadow Monk build as it unlocks a few powerful features.

Feature	Description
Extra Attack​	Allows striking twice, greatly improving the damage output. However, for shadow monks, this will not be as important. The main reason is that the build will be saving that action point for Cloak of Shadows. So It would be best to utilize this if you have Haste or Potion of Speed activated on yourself.

Monk class also gains special action giving a little bit of crowd control capabilities.

Actions	Description
Cloak of Shadows​	The signature action of Shadow Monk. You can use an action point to become invisible while staying in obscured places. This is a truly powerful capability, that can be used without any limitations. I will cover more, on how to utilize this in the Combat section. Just to tell you, it allows Shadow Monk, to singlehandedly clear most of the encounters without getting hit.
Stunning Strike (Melee)​	This can be activated when using melee weapons. Makes the enemy skip the turn
Stunning Strike (Unarmed)​	It can be activated when using Unarmed attacks. Makes the enemy skip the turn.

Level 11 - Monk Lv 6

This is the last level of Shadow Monk, and it gives it signature action which fits perfectly for the Dark Justiciar setup.

Actions	Description
Shadow Step​	This allows you to move freely between shadows. As it costs bonus action, it can be used indefinitely without a spell slot or other limitations. This is a perfect way to reach enemy backlines or set yourself up before the combat starts.

Monk class also gets an additional feature:

Feature	Description
Ki-Empowered Strikes​	You can now overcome resistance to non-magical attacks.

Level 12 - Cleric Lv 6

The build is finished with Cleric, to unlock an additional spell slot and bonus Channel Divinity. You could also take another level of Shadow Monk, but I think Cleric is much more valuable here.

This level unlocks an additional feature, which I think is a bit better in certain situations than Cloak of Shadows.

Feature	Description
Channel Divinity: Cloak of Shadows​	Allows becoming invisible while obscured. This is a great option to be used in combat. The problem with it is that it lasts only 2 turns, so using it while in normal exploration without Turn-based mode is very limited.

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.

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

These will allow you to reach 20-22 natural Dexterity, which is enough for a good Dark Justiciar 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
Potion of Speed	In case you or your other casters have a Concentration spell slot taken and cannot cast Haste, use this potion. It acts similarly, but the effect is just for 3 turns.
Potion of Animal Speaking	Although not something powerful, it is worth stocking up and saving a spell slot.
Potion of Invisibility	Can be used to get a perfect position before the encounter starts or leave the encounter if it comes to worst.
Oil of Accuracy	Gives +2 to attack rolls, which minimizes the negative impact from Great Weapon Master: All In.
Diluted Oil of Sharpness	Gives a bonus attack roll and damage. It is a good coating if you can apply it before combat.

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.

Consumable	Description
Elixir 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 Vigilance	For some encounters, you will want to go first. This elixir will ensure that it overcomes even surprise mechanics.
Elixir of Hill Giant Strength	Sets strength value to 21 until the Long Rest. With this option, you can easily gimp on strength in the early game. You can put those points in Dexterity or Strength. Here is a farming guide for Elixir of Hill Giant Strength
Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength	An upgraded version that is available mostly in Act 3 via crafting or purchasing. Sets Strength to 27, the highest value possible.
Elixir 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	Another good choice that allows to better maintain spell Concentration, specifically when playing as a Trickery Cleric.
Superior 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	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
Favourable Beginnings	Base	Beneficial power to take as it does not have any costs, and provides only benefits on the first hits. Will be useful once Shadowheart starts using melee attacks.
Luck of the Far Realms​	Base	Guarantees a critical hit, use it on important targets, that you want to make sure are killed. This works well with spells like Inflict Wounds​ or later with melee attacks.
Ability Drain​	Base	Can weaken enemies ability and result in reduced armour class.
Cull the Weak​	Base	Can help to kill an enemy faster if it is left with a few HP.
Psionic Backlash​	Base	A great way to weaponize your reaction before obtaining Counterspell.
Illithid Expertise​	Elite	Can be used to maximize the effectiveness of charisma-based skills, especially relevant for the main character.
Black Hole​	Elite	Very powerful spell that can be used to pull enemies together.
Psionic Dominance​	Elite	Can be used to save yourself from a deadly spell.
Freecast​	Elite	Remove the cost of spell slots or charges.
Mind 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 Trickery Cleric Build. Items are especially important as they take the build to the next level thanks to their unique effects.

The general idea is that for most of Acts 1 and 2, you will be a Trickery Cleric and use the standard spells and rotations. However, late in Act 2, you will have a major shift where the build will become more of a melee build with access to cleric spells.

Act 1

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (One-Handed)	Blood of Lathander	Extremely good weapon if you do not care about Phalar Aluve unique effects. The Lathander's Light​ effect will help you activate additional debuffs from enemies and make combat easier in Act 2.
	Phalar 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	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.
Ranged	Bow of Awareness	Gives bonus initiative, allowing one to go earlier in combat.
Shield	Adamantine Shield	It provides a substantial defensive boost by reducing critical hit damage.
	Safeguard Shield	Gives a bonus to saving throws, easily accessible early in the game.
Head	Holy 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.
	Haste Helm	Improves movement speed, allowing one to reach important targets easily, early in the game.
Cloak	-	Nothing relevant for the build
Armor	Luminous Armour	This is the best armor for the whole game.
Gloves	Gloves 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	Defensive gloves that give damage resistance to those that the Cleric heals. Perfect combo to be used with Healing Word​/Mass Healing Word​ + The Whispering Promise.
Boots	Boots 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.
	Disintegrating Night Walkers	One of the best boots, giving a total advantage for movement on difficult surfaces. It also gives Misty Step​ to increase that mobility.
	Boots of Speed	Excellent boots that improve movement capabilities, especially useful when you are running around with Spirit Guardians​ active.
Amulet	Amulet of Restoration	The best cleric amulet early in the game. Use the spells together with The Whispering Promise to apply buffs on your allies.
Rings	The Whispering Promise	The best ring for a cleric early in the game. This will apply Bless​ to allies when you use the Mass Healing Word.
	Crusher's Ring	Excellent ring that will allow you to move around more. This is especially useful before you obtain Tempestuous Magic​ from Sorcerer dip.
	Ring of Protection	The bonus Armour Class is a great boost for survivability.

Act 2 - mid-game

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (One-Handed)	-	Continue using weapons from Act 1, as nothing comes close in terms of usefulness.
Ranged	Bow of Awareness	Still the best bow, as initiative plays a vital role for a Cleric.
	Darkfire Shortbow	Can be useful to precast Haste​ in some encounters.
Shield	Ketheric's Shield	The best shield for casters as it gives +1 Spell Save DC, increasing spell success.
	Sentinel 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.
Head	Fistbreaker Helm	Adds +1 Spell Save DC improving spell success.
Cloak	Thunderskin Cloak	Because most of the enemies you come across will have Reverbation this cloak will further help to weaken those foes.
	Cloak of Protection	Improves survivability and Saving Throw success. You want to equip this cloak to maintain that good Armour Class.
Armor	Luminous Armour	The best armor for clerics using Radiant damage.
Gloves	Gloves of Belligerent Skies	Stil the best gloves for the Cleric.
	Luminous Gloves	Alternative option, that will add 2 more Radiating Orb stacks as you inflict damage.
Boots	Boots of Stormy Clamour	Still the best boots in terms of applying various conditions.
Amulet	Amulet of the Harpers	Allows casting a Shield​ spell, and can be a lifesaver if attacked heavily for one turn.
Rings	Callous Glow Ring	The ring's bonus radiant damage will help activate Gloves of Belligerent Skies and get more Reverbation stacks.
	Coruscation 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.
	Ring of Mental Inhibition	Excellent ring that can be used to apply Mental Fatigue from failed Saving Throws against your spells.
	Ring of Spiteful Thunder	Adds another Dazed effect that can be procced after 5 Reverbation stacks are activated and Thunder damage gets applied.

Act 2 - becoming Dark Justiciar

This decision with Shadowheart will result in a major equipment shift. She will become more of a spellsword, that engages in melee combat and uses spells in between.

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (Two-Handed)	Shar's Spear of Evening	One of the best weapons in the game, with unique actions to create fields of Darkness and powerful enchantments.
Ranged	Bow of Awareness	Great bow which gives bonus initiative to improve combat turns.
	Darkfire Shortbow	Can be useful to precast Haste​ in some encounters.
Head	Helmet of Arcane Acuity	Will help you stack spell save DC and improve the chances of your spells landing. However, until you get Band of the Mystic Scoundrel in Act 3, this headwear can be substituted for other options.
	Diadem of Arcane Synergy	One of the best headwear if it's not used by other party members. It will give a flat damage boost based on the spellcasting modifier.
	Dark Justiciar Helmet	The Dark Justiciar-themed headwear looks cool and fits Shadowheart with a decent offensive stat boost.
Cloak	Thunderskin Cloak	Because most of the enemies you come across will have Reverbation this cloak will further help to weaken those foes.
	Cloak of Protection	Improves survivability and Saving Throw success. You want to equip this cloak to maintain that good Armour Class.
Armor	Dark Justiciar Half-Plate	The ultimate Dark Justiciar armor that looks cool and gives good stat for stealth and combat.
	Dark Justiciar Half-Plate	In case you did not get Dark Justiciar Half-Plate this armor is also an option that you obtain in the Gauntlet of Shar.
Gloves	Dark Justiciar Gauntlets	Awarded by Shar, gives a unique bonus action and a decent damage rider.
	Flawed Helldusk Gloves	Great gloves with additional fire damage rider.
Boots	Disintegrating Night Walkers	One of the best boots in the game, giving free movement on a lot of negative surfaces.
	Evasive Shoes	Gives additional armor class.
	Boots of Striding	Similar to Disintegrating Night Walkers, just requires concentration spell active.
Amulet	Broodmother's Revenge	One of the best amulets if you obtained it in Act 1. It gives a bonus poison damage rider.
	Amulet of the Harpers	Allows casting a Shield​ spell, and can be a lifesaver if attacked heavily for one turn.
Rings	Caustic Band	Adds additional damage rider on each hit.
	Shadow-Cloaked Ring	Gives 1d4 against targets that are at least obscured. This fits in well with the Dark Justiciar theme. However, if you see that in many combat situations, you still don't get the bonus look at other options.
	Strange Conduit Ring	As Shadowheart will be concentrating on some kind of spell all the time, this is an easy way to get 1d4 psychic damage bonus
	Ring of Protection	A good ring from Act 1 to get bonus armour class and saving throw values.

Act 3 - Final Build setup

The build goes all in on a melee martial setup and spellcasting using bonus action.

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (Two-Handed)	Shar's Spear of Evening	One of the strongest weapons in the game. If you will also equip or use Bhaalist Armour its damage will be doubled, making most of the enemies in the game a piece of cake.
Ranged	Vicious Shortbow	Gives additional damage on critical hits. As the the build has high initiative from Dexterity a slight damage boost will be much more valuable.
	Hellrider Longbow	The bonus initiative is an excellent boost to go early in combat. If it is not a surprise round, it is almost guaranteed.
Head	Helmet of Arcane Acuity	The go-to pick as it will pump Spell Save DC, which then allows for a very high spell success when casting with Band of the Mystic Scoundrel.
	Diadem of Arcane Synergy	One of the best headwear to apply Arcane Synergy from various effects.
	Helm of Balduran	If used together with Broodmother's Revenge you will have a consistent and easy way to apply poison damage rider.
Cloak	Cloak of Displacement	Provides an increased chance of avoiding enemy attacks with attack rolls.
	Cloak of Protection	Improves Armour Class by 1.
Armor	Bhaalist Armour	This is the best armor hands down in terms of damage potential, especially when using piercing weapons like Shar's Spear of Evening. Of course, this might not fit the Dark Justiciar theme, but will double weapon damage guaranteeing that you swiftly eliminate your target.
	Dark Justiciar Half-Plate	This armor from Act 2 will prove useful with its advantage on Stealth checks and Constitution Saving Throws. These are valuable additions to the build's idea.
Gloves	Legacy of the Masters	Gives +2 damage and attack rolls bonuses, improving the hit chance to counteract the Great Weapon Master: All In​ effect.
	Helldusk Gloves	Great gloves that add melee weapon damage rider and improve Spell Save DC by 1.
Boots	Boots of Persistence	Gives Freedom of Movement​ which does not limit your movement speed on various surfaces.
	Disintegrating Night Walkers	Still great boots, to enable moving on difficult surfaces.
Amulet	Broodmother's Revenge	One of the best amulets in terms of damage boost. Can be used with Helm of Balduran to ensure consistent activation.
	Amulet of Greater Health	An excellent amulet that improves health and gives a Consitution Saving Throw advantage. This is important for spell Concentration like Hold Person​ or Fear​.
	Amulet of Bhaal	Gives an easy option to apply Bleed for a slight damage boost each turn.
Rings	Band of the Mystic Scoundrel	The best ring in my opinion as it offers a way to cast illusion and enchantment spells with bonus action.
	Shadow-Cloaked Ring	Gives 1d4 against targets that are at least obscured. This fits in well with the Dark Justiciar theme. However, if you see that in many combat situations, you still don't get the bonus look at other options.
	Strange Conduit Ring	As Shadowheart will be concentrating on some kind of spell all the time, this is an easy way to get 1d4 psychic damage bonus
	Ring of Protection	A good ring from Act 1 to get bonus armour class and saving throw values.

Build Mechanics

In this section, I would like to dive deep into how to play the Trickery 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. Shadowheart Dark Justiciar has very interesting combos if you are willing to invest some time in the setup.

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​ and Mass 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 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 or The 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. 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, Boots of Stormy Clamour, and Gloves 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. 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, 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 and Gloves of Belligerent Skies.

Invoke Duplicity to help with attack rolls

One of the core mechanics that Trickery Domain unlocks is Invoke Duplicity​. This is especially useful in the early game if you have melee martials like Fighter or Paladin. The created illusion enables an easy source of Advantage on attack rolls. This also works with Inflict Wounds​ spell which is very powerful in the early game.

It is best to cast before combat (if you know that a combat encounter is coming) and save action points. Then you can attack with an advantage on the initial turn.

Stealth Mechanics

This probably requires a separate post so I will try to cover it shortly. The stealth mechanics are kind of confusing. At first, glance you just have to worry about the enemy cone of vision. But it does get more complicated when you start attacking from long-range or want to start with Surprise round.

Overall, the most important thing that Trickery Cleric enables is high stealth rolls using Pass Without Trace. With some practice, you can use another character to outright destroy enemies. The goal is to attack with a bow or crossbow from long range.

What happens, is that you either kill the enemy instantly or leave the hidden position and get Stealth ability roll. With high bonuses, you can easily hide again and stay in the position so enemies would start searching for you.

What I like to do, is after releasing arrows enter stealth again. Then you have an option of going into turn-based combat and getting additional free shots. Or if you are confident attack while the enemy is moving.

With some practice, your stealthy character getting bonuses from Trickery cleric can inflict a few hits before the main combat starts greatly weakening foes.

Using Minor Illusion to control enemy positions

One of the interesting actions that Shadow Monk provides you is Minor Illusion​. While invisible or Hiding, you can use it to lure enemies into a specific position. You may wonder why this is needed?

Well, your Shar's Spear of Evening has a unique Edge of Darkness effect which would hit multiple enemies with a single attack. Moreover, you have various spells like Fear​ or Glyph of Warding​ to follow up with area attacks and disable multiple foes.

Cast Control spells using Bonus Action

Another unique approach of this build is being able to cast some of the control spells using Helmet of Arcane Acuity + Band of the Mystic Scoundrel combo. Now Shadowheart can hit enemies using her weapon and cast control spells like Fear, Command, and Hold Person​ with just bonus action.

This opens up various possibilities where your allies can follow up on harmless foes paralyzed and ready to be destroyed. I think this perfectly fits the Dark Justiciar theme where you can cast spells and also be very powerful in combat.

Early Game Combat

For the most of Act 1 and 2 you will be playing as standard Cleric, so its tactics will apply. Trickery Domain does add additional level of complexity.

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Late Game Combat

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Conclusion

Thank you for reading the best Shadowheart Trickery Build for Baldur's Gate 3. This offers a lore-friendly setup that reflects her growth and changes throughout the game as a follower of Shar. I tried to optimize as much as possible to make this work not only in terms of role-play but also as a powerful combatant.

Cheers!