One of the most powerful classes in the game that, yes, can do a lot more than just healing, okay? Clerics represent the will, benevolence, or wrath of their Gods inDungeons & Dragons, and they can cause a lot of damage and negate damage with their healing, all in the same character.
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To build you the perfect killing and healing machine, there are a lot of species you can use for your characters. And we’re here to recommend you some.
Though this will sometimes be mentioned, most newer books, such as Monsters of the Multiverse, let you choose where your ability scores go, giving you more versatility.
10Dwarf
A common race-class combination, Dwarf Clerics are quite strong, especially if you want to focus on being an off-tank as well as support. They also get a stronger weapon due to their proficiency, as most Clerics get a mace for starting gear, you can get a Warhammer.
All Dwarf subraceswill work well, but Hill Dwarves in particular will also increase your Wisdom score, and they’ll have extra hit points, making your spellcasting slightly better and making you even more durable.
9Goliath
Another great option for an off-tank character is the Goliath. Along with ability score boosts, you get resistance to cold damage, more carrying capacity, Athletics for free, and you get to use your reaction to decrease the damage you receive.
Considering Clerics are on the low side of hit-point dice, decreasing upcoming damage alone is a great asset. They won’t give you perks for your spellcasting, but you can choose where your ability score increases go.
8Orc
One more tanky option for you. Orcs aren’t usually paired up with casters of half-casters, but they are still good options thanks to their survivability. And you can choose your ability score increases, so it still helps.
They get free Intimidation, they also get more carrying capacity, the ability to Dash as a Bonus Action for extra maneuverability, and you can stay awake with one hit point when your health goes to zero, giving you time to recover yourself on your turn. An alive support is a helpful support.
7Half-Elf
Though Half-Elves don’t have anything particularly interesting for Clerics, they are one of the most powerful species, being effective overall. First, you get one more ability score increase compared to most species of the game, which is already nice.
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You also get Darkvision, you are resistant to being charmed, and you can’t be put to sleep through magic. Lastly, you get two extra skill proficiencies, and you can choose whichever you feel like. This is a good way to get Perception in case it didn’t make the initial cut in your build.
6Aasimar
Let’s get a very important part out of the way: you’re a Cleric, and Aasimar is a beautiful esthetical choice by itself. But we’re not going just for looks here. You’ll get resistance to both radiant and necrotic damage, which may be a big part of your story in case you’re hunting fiends.
Lastly, you get one of three special abilities when reaching level three, which can go from scaring people around you, causing radiant damage, or having temporary wings regardless of your armor type. All three are pretty good, so it’s up to you which is a better fit for your character.
5Kobold
Never underestimate the little guy. Kobolds arebeautiful support options, with a mighty cry that gives you and all your friends near you an advantage on their next attack. Not to mention your Draconic Legacy, which you’re able to choose from three different options during character creation, giving you a lot of control over your character.
You can be resistant against being frightened, get more skill proficiencies, or any cantrip of your choice, such as Booming Blade or Green-Flame Blade.
4Goblin
The little guys continue with D&D’s most famous enemy, Goblins. If you intend to focus on being a support character, a Goblin can ensure you help others while staying in a safe position yourself. Along with ability score increases and Darkvision, you are resistant to being charmed and to end the condition. But there’s more.
Not only can you occasionally cause extra damage equal to your proficiency bonus, but you also get Nimble Escape, which allows you to use Disengage or Hide as a Bonus Action. Essentially, you can do what you need to do and run away, without worrying about opportunity attacks.
3Fairy
One more little guy for you, and this time with one of the biggest game changers the game can offer: wings. Fairies can fly, allowing you to traverse the game like no other and, unlike other flying creatures, you’re also small, giving you even more opportunities. Just be careful; you may’t wear medium or heavy armor, making this species better for an unorthodox Dexterity-Cleric build.
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You’re also Fey rather than Humanoid, which changes which spells affect you and makes you immune to thingssuch as Hold Person.Finally, you get some spells for free, and some are very useful for support characters, such as Faerie Fire and Enlarge/Reduce, both of which are not available to the average Cleric.
2Yuan-Ti
Did someone say Magic Resistance? Both versions of the Yuan-Ti, from Volo’s Guide to Monsters and Monsters of the Multiverse, are pretty powerful, with strong defensive capabilities for you to use.
Volo gives you resistance against magical effects and poison immunity, at the cost of not letting you choose your ability score increases. Multiverse lets you choose your ability scores, at the cost of swapping your poison immunity for resistance. Both give you extra spells as well to mess around with, which is pretty fun.
1Human
Humans are by far the easiest species to use in the game, as their bonuses work well in any class — at least if you’re using Variant Human. You can choose your ability score increases, the extra skill proficiency you’ll get, and you get a feat right from the start.
Custom Lineage from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything is also a good option. They get the same thing, but you have the choice to swap that skill proficiency for Darkvision, which is very useful. Up to you, though.
