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Pathfinder Cleric 2e class guide

A Pathfinder Cleric could be a healer, a holy warrior, or a mighty smiter – and this Pathfinder 2e Cleric guide can help you build your next TTRPG character

Pathfinder Cleric, seen from the shoulders up (art by Paizo)

The Pathfinder Cleric is imbued with the powers of the deity they dedicate their lives to serving. While some are more gifted with swords, all use spells to shape the world in their god’s name. Experienced Clerics are blessed with an immense amount of power, and it’s up to them whether they use this to heal or harm those around them.

Here you’ll find an overview of the Pathfinder 2e Cleric, the holiest of Pathfinder classes. We can help you fill out your Pathfinder character sheet with the right stats and features. After that, you can pick your perfect Pathfinder races, and get ready to play in a new campaign.

Here’s the full Pathfinder Cleric class guide:

Pathfinder Cleric with adventuring party (art by Paizo)

Pathfinder Cleric stats and proficiencies

All Clerics get a first-level boost to their key ability score, Wisdom. Your starting hit points are eight plus your Constitution modifier, and this is the number you’ll use to increase your hit point maximum at level-ups.

Here are the proficiencies a Cleric has at level one:

Type Name Rank
Skill Perception Trained
Skill Religion Trained
Saving throw Fortitude Trained
Saving throw Reflex Trained
Saving throw Will Expert
Attack Simple weapons Trained
Attack Unarmed attacks Trained
Defence All armour Untrained
Spells Divine spell attacks Trained
Spells Divine spell difficulty checks Trained

The character can choose one extra skill to be trained in, with their deity narrowing down the options to pick from. Additionally, Clerics are trained in a number of skills equal to their Intelligence modifier plus two. You can choose any skill you like for those last few extras.

A Pathfinder deity might have a favoured weapon, and Clerics who worship them are trained to use their weapon of choice. If it’s an uncommon weapon, you also gain access to it. Typically, Clerics are untrained in all armour, but a deity’s doctrine may again switch this up a little. It all depends on the Cleric you’d like to build.

Pathfinder Cleric wielding divine focus (art by Paizo)

Pathfinder Cleric class features

Below you’ll find all the Cleric-specific class features a character can adopt as they level up. If you’re after the generic level-up features, the Pathfinder Core Rulebook can tell you more about general character progression.

Level Class features
1 Deity, Divine Spellcasting, Divine Font, Doctrine
2 Cleric feat
3 Second-level spells, second Doctrine
4 Cleric feat
5 Third-level spells, Alertness
6 Cleric feat
7 Fourth-level spells, third Doctrine
8 Cleric feat
9 Fifth-level spells, Resolve
10 Cleric feat
11 Sixth-level spells, fourth Doctrine, Lightning Reflexes
12 Cleric feat
13 Seventh-level spells, Divine Defence, Weapon Specialisation
14 Cleric feat
15 Eighth-level spells, fifth Doctrine
16 Cleric feat
17 Ninth-level spells
18 Cleric feat
19 Final Doctrine, Miraculous Spell
20 Cleric feat

Deity

Level: One

There are plenty of gods to worship in Pathfinder, and Clerics must choose one particular deity to dedicate themselves to. As long as your alignment jives with that of your god, you’re good to become a Cleric in their service. However, you’ll need to make sure you stay in your god’s good books. Perform too many actions that go against the alignment or goals of a deity, and you might end up losing your magical connection with them.

Your deity will provide certain buffs, as well as proficiencies in a particular skill and weapon. They’ll also add spells to your Cleric spell list. These can be prepared like any other spell.

Pathfinder Cleric fights undead alongside a wizard (art by Paizo)

Divine Spellcasting

Level: One

This is your ability to cast Cleric spells. It means you can use the Cast a Spell activity, and Wisdom is your spellcasting modifier. You can prepare a certain number of spells and cantrips per day. While many of these require certain components to cast, a Cleric often uses a divine focus instead of material components.

Divine Font

Level: One

When preparing your spells, Divine Font gives you additional spell slots equal to your Charisma modifier plus one. These extra slots can only be used to prepare heal or harm spells. Which of these you choose will depend on what deity you worship; some may instruct you to use only heal or harm spells, while others may let you choose between the two. Whether you choose heal or harm, your choice can’t be changed without some dramatic personal or divine shift.

Doctrine

Level: One

Doctrines function a little like subclasses, and they represent different schools of belief among Clerics, even those who worship the same god. The Core Rulebook offers two potential Cleric doctrines: the Cloistered Cleric, who focuses on spellcasting, and the Warpriest, who invests more effort into martial combat options.

Pathfinder Cleric wielding divine focus and sword (art by Paizo)

Cloistered Cleric features

Level Doctrine description
1 Gain Domain Initiate feat
3 Fortitude saving throw proficiency rank changes to expert
7 Divine spell attacks and difficulty checks proficiency change to expert
11 Attacks with your deity’s favoured weapon and unarmed attacks gain expert proficiency; critical successes on attack rolls with your deity’s favoured weapon apply its critical specialisation effect
15 Divine spell attack rolls and spell difficulty checks proficiency change to master
19 Divine spell attack rolls and spell difficulty checks proficiency increase to legendary

Warpriest Cleric features

Level Doctrine description
 1 Become trained in light and medium armour; Fortitude saving throws proficiency changes to expert; gain Shield Block feat; gain Deadly Simplicity feat if your deity’s preferred weapon is simple
 3 Become trained in martial weapons
 7 Unarmed attacks and attacks with your deity’s favoured weapon gain expert proficiency; apply your deity weapon’s critical specialisation effect on attack rolls that land a critical success
11 Divine spell attack rolls and spell difficulty checks proficiency increase to expert
 13 If you gain the divine defence class feature, your proficiency in light and medium armour becomes expert
 15 Fortitude saving throw proficiency rank becomes master, and all successful Fortitude save rolls are now critical successes
19 If you gain the divine defence class feature, your proficiency in light and medium armour becomes master

Pathfinder Cleric in a crowded tavern (art by Paizo)

Alertness

Level: Five

Clerics who gain Alertness as a feature see their Perception proficiency increase to expert level.

Resolve

Level: Nine

From now on, your proficiency in Will saving throws is at master level. You also roll a critical success every time you roll a successful Will saving throw.

Lightning Reflexes

Level: 11

Your Cleric’s proficiency in Reflex saving throws is now at expert level.

Divine Defence

Level: 13

Thanks to plenty of training and holy protection from your deity, your proficiency in unarmoured defence reaches expert level.

Pathfinder Cleric fights dragon with party (art by Paizo)

Weapon specialisation

Level: 13

When using unarmed attacks or a weapon you have expert proficiency in, you can now add two extra damage to successful hits. If your proficiency in the attack is at master level, you can add three damage instead, or four if the proficiency is legendary.

Miraculous spell

Level: 19

Miraculous spell grants you a single 10th-level spell slot. This is a precious resource, so there are extra rules for using it. Namely, you can’t use the spell slot on any ability that lets you cast a spell without expending a spell slot, or that gives you more spell slots. 

Pathfinder Cleric holding a flaming sword (art by Paizo)

Pathfinder Cleric spells

Here are the spell slots for a Cleric as they level up:

Cleric level Cantrips 1st-level spells 2nd-level spells 3rd-level spells 4th-level spells 5th-level spells
1 5 2*  –
2 5 3*  –
3 5 3 2*
4 5 3 3*
5 5 3 3 2*
6 5 3 3 3*
7 5 3 3 3 2*
8 5 3 3 3 3*
9 5 3 3 3 3 2*
10 5 3 3 3 3 3*
11 5 3 3 3 3 3
12 5 3 3 3 3 3
13 5 3 3 3 3 3
14 5 3 3 3 3 3
15 5 3 3 3 3 3
16 5 3 3 3 3 3
17 5 3 3 3 3 3
18 5 3 3 3 3 3
19 5 3 3 3 3 3
20 5 3 3 3 3 3
Cleric level 6th-level spells 7th-level spells 8th-level spells 9th-level spells 10th-level spells
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11 *2
12 *3
13 3 *2
14 3 *3
15 3 3 *2
16 3 3 *3
17 3 3 3 *2
18 3 3 3 *3
19 3 3 3 3 1**
20 3 3 3 3 1**

* See Divine Font for additional spell slots at this level
** See Divine Font for additional spell slots at this level; see Miraculous Spell for info on unique spell slot 

Pathfinder Cleric fighting on a boat (art by Paizo)

Pathfinder Cleric feats

Here’s an overview of the Cleric feats available in Pathfinder 2e:

Character level Feats available
1 Deadly Simplicity, Domain Initiate, Harming Hands, Healing Hands, Holy Castigation, Reach Spell
2 Cantrip Expansion, Communal Healing, Emblazon Armament, Sap Life, Turn Undead, Versatile Font
4 Channel Smite, Command Undead, Directed Channel, Improved Communal Healing, Necrotic Infusion
6 Cast Down, Divine Weapon, Selective Energy, Steady Spellcasting
8 Advanced Domain, Align Armament, Channeled Succor, Cremate Undead, Emblazon Energy
10 Castigating Weapon, Heroic Recovery, Improved Command Undead, Replenishment of War
12 Defensive Recovery, Domain Focus, Emblazon Antimagic, Shared Replenishment
14 Deity’s Protection, Extend Armament Alignment, Fast Channel, Swift Banishment
16 External Bane, Eternal Blessing, Resurrectionist
18 Domain Wellspring, Echoing Channel, Improved Swift Banishment
20 Avatar’s Audience, Maker of Mircales, Metamagic Channel