What is the best multiclass combination for a Cleric in Baldur's Gate 3?

Multiclassing a Cleric in Baldur's Gate 3 can create a versatile and powerful character, but it requires careful planning to ensure the build remains effective. One of the best multiclass combinations for a Cleric is with the Sorcerer class, specifically the Divine Soul Sorcerer if available, or the Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer. This combination allows you to blend the Cleric's healing and support capabilities with the Sorcerer's potent spellcasting and metamagic options. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to achieve this build, including mechanics, strategies, and tips.

First, letÔÇÖs discuss the mechanics involved. Clerics are divine spellcasters who gain their power from their deity, offering a mix of healing, support, and offensive spells. Sorcerers, on the other hand, are arcane spellcasters who draw their power from an innate magical source, such as a draconic bloodline or divine heritage. When you multiclass these two, you gain access to a wide range of spells and abilities, but you must manage your spell slots and ability scores carefully. The key ability scores for this build are Wisdom (for Cleric spells) and Charisma (for Sorcerer spells), so youÔÇÖll need to prioritize these during character creation.

To start, you should begin as a Cleric for the first few levels. This gives you access to heavy armor proficiency, which is crucial for survivability, and a strong foundation of healing and support spells. A good starting point is to take at least two levels in Cleric to gain access to Channel Divinity, which provides powerful abilities like Turn Undead or Preserve Life, depending on your chosen domain. The Life Domain is a strong choice for this build, as it enhances your healing capabilities and provides additional survivability.

After reaching level 2 or 3 as a Cleric, you can start taking levels in Sorcerer. The Sorcerer class will give you access to metamagic, which allows you to modify your spells in powerful ways. For example, you can use Twinned Spell to cast healing spells like Cure Wounds on two targets simultaneously, or Quickened Spell to cast a spell as a bonus action, allowing you to use your action for something else. The Divine Soul Sorcerer subclass is particularly synergistic with Cleric, as it allows you to choose spells from both the Cleric and Sorcerer spell lists, giving you even more versatility.

When multiclassing, itÔÇÖs important to consider how your spell slots will work. In BaldurÔÇÖs Gate 3, spell slots are determined by your total caster level, which is the sum of your levels in full caster classes (Cleric and Sorcerer are both full casters). This means youÔÇÖll have access to higher-level spell slots, but youÔÇÖll need to prepare spells of the appropriate level for each class. For example, if you have 3 levels in Cleric and 3 levels in Sorcerer, youÔÇÖll have the spell slots of a 6th-level caster, but youÔÇÖll only be able to prepare 2nd-level Cleric spells and 2nd-level Sorcerer spells. This is an important consideration when choosing which spells to prepare and cast.

One common mistake to avoid is spreading your ability scores too thin. Since this build relies on both Wisdom and Charisma, youÔÇÖll need to prioritize these scores during character creation and when gaining ability score improvements. ItÔÇÖs generally a good idea to focus on Wisdom first, as it affects your Cleric spellcasting and healing abilities, but donÔÇÖt neglect Charisma, as itÔÇÖs crucial for your Sorcerer spells and metamagic. You can use items and feats to help boost these scores if needed.

Advanced techniques for this build include using metamagic to maximize the effectiveness of your spells. For example, you can use Twinned Spell to cast powerful buffs like Bless or Haste on two allies at once, or use Quickened Spell to cast a healing spell and still have your action available for an attack or another spell. Another advanced tactic is to use the ClericÔÇÖs Spirit Guardians spell in combination with the SorcererÔÇÖs mobility options, such as Misty Step, to control the battlefield and deal consistent damage to enemies.

In terms of related D&D rules and mechanics, itÔÇÖs important to understand how multiclassing affects your characterÔÇÖs progression. For example, when you multiclass, you gain the hit points and proficiencies of your new class, but you donÔÇÖt gain all the class features. YouÔÇÖll need to carefully plan your level progression to ensure you gain the most important features from each class. Additionally, youÔÇÖll need to manage your spell preparation carefully, as youÔÇÖll have separate spell lists for each class.

Specific examples of this build in action include using your ClericÔÇÖs healing and support spells to keep your party alive while using your SorcererÔÇÖs offensive spells to deal damage to enemies. For example, you could cast Spiritual Weapon as a bonus action to deal consistent damage, then use your action to cast Fireball or another powerful Sorcerer spell. Alternatively, you could use your ClericÔÇÖs Channel Divinity to heal your party while using your SorcererÔÇÖs metamagic to enhance your spells.

In conclusion, multiclassing a Cleric with a Sorcerer in Baldur's Gate 3 can create a highly versatile and powerful character. By carefully managing your ability scores, spell slots, and class features, you can create a build that excels in both healing and damage-dealing. With the right strategies and techniques, this multiclass combination can be a valuable asset to any party.