D&D Cleric Level Up – a step by step guide (5e)

I always found the level-up process to be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding nuances of any RPG, including Dungeons & Dragons.

It’s the feeling of seeing your character finally getting stronger after you spent so many hours slaying ferocious beasts, exploring dark dungeons, making new acquaintances, escaping from situations you couldn’t handle at your previous level, opening treasure chests filled with coins and jewels (and sometimes empty ones), and so on, that makes this part of the game so exciting.

When it comes to progress through levels in D&D there are quite a few things to remember and all the information you need are scattered on different pages of the Player’s Handbook (and sometimes on other manuals).

I’m pretty sure most of the players have already memorized all the pages they need to look at to level up their alter-ego, but for all the new players, for my friends that constantly ask me what to do when they have to level up and even for veterans who just want a tidy recap, I thought it would be handy to have a step by step guide to follow that will hopefully make the whole level-up process faster.

In this article, I’ll dive deep into the D&D Cleric level up process, and in particular what new abilities and feats you’d unlock, as well as any change of the character’s stats.

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D&D Cleric Level Up Advancement Table

Here’s a quick overview of the Cleric level up advancement if you want to get a sneak peek or if you need a quick recap.

Keep scrolling for a deeper description of each level.

1st Level – Cleric Starting Features & Abilities

Hit Points

• Basic Hit Points: 8 + Constitution (CON) modifier.
• Hit Dice: 1d8.

Proficiencies

• Armour: Light armour, medium armour, shields.
• Weapons: All simple Weapons.
• Tools: None.
• Proficiency bonus: +2.
• Saving Throws: Wisdom (WIS) and Charisma (CHA).
• Skills: Choose two between History, Insight, Medicine, Persuasion and Religion. 

Class Features

• Spellcasting
  As you are the conduit for divine power, you know how to cast spells. At level 1 you have the following:
  Cantrips known: 3.
  Prepared spells: your Cleric level (1) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
  Spells slots: 2 (1st level).
• Divine Domain
  At level 1 you can already choose your subclass among many Domains: Knowledge, Life, Light, Tempest, Nature, Trickery, War, Death, Grave, Order, Arcana, Forge, Peace and Twilight.
• Access to Domain-specific spells.

2nd Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (2) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Spell slots: +1 (1st level).
• Channel Divinity (1/rest)
  You can channel divine energy your deity gives to create magical effects such as Turn Undead or another effect given by your Divine Domain.
  You can use 1 Channel Divinity effect before you have to take a short or long rest to use it again.
• New Divine Domain subclass feature: this depends on which Divine Domain you have chosen for your Cleric.

3rd Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (3) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Spell slots: +1 (1st level), +2 (2nd level).
• Access to further Domain-specific spells.

4th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Cantrips known: +1.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (4) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Spell slots: +1 (2nd level).
• Ability Score Improvement: you can increase one ability score by 2 or increase two ability scores by 1. If you use the optional feats rule you can instead choose a Feat of your choice.

5th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Proficiency Bonus: +1.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (5) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Spell slots: +2 (3rd level).
• Access to further Domain-specific spells.
• Destroy Undead (CR 1/2)
  When you use the Channel Divinity “Turn Undead” and the undead fails the saving throw against it, you can destroy that creature if its challenge rating (CR) is below a certain value, which in this case is 1/2.

6th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (6) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Spell slots: +1 (3rd level).
• Channel Divinity (2/rest)
  You can channel divine energy your deity gives to create magical effects such as Turn Undead or another effect given by your Divine Domain.
  You can use 2 Channel Divinity effects before you have to take a short or long rest to use it again.
• New Divine Domain subclass feature: this depends on which Divine Domain you have chosen for your Cleric.

7th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (7) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Spell slots: +1 (4th level).
• Access to further Domain-specific spells.

8th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (8) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Spell slots: +1 (4th level).
• Destroy Undead (CR 1)
  When you use the Channel Divinity “Turn Undead” and the undead fails the saving throw against it, you can destroy that creature if its challenge rating (CR) is below a certain value, which in this case is 1.
• Ability Score Improvement: you can increase one ability score by 2 or increase two ability scores by 1. If you use the optional feats rule you can instead choose a Feat of your choice.
• New Divine Domain subclass feature: this depends on which Divine Domain you have chosen for your Cleric.

9th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Proficiency Bonus: +1.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (9) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Spell slots: +1 (4th level), +1 (5th level).
• Access to further Domain-specific spells.

10th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Cantrips known: +1.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (10) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Spell slots: +1 (5th level).
• Divine Intervention
  You can call on your deity to intervene on your behalf by imploring your deity’s help and describing the assistance you need (after rolling a percentile die).

11th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (11) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Spell slots: +1 (6th level).
• Destroy Undead (CR 2)
  When you use the Channel Divinity “Turn Undead” and the undead fails the saving throw against it, you can destroy that creature if its challenge rating (CR) is below a certain value, which in this case is 2.

12th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (12) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Ability Score Improvement: you can increase one ability score by 2 or increase two ability scores by 1. If you use the optional feats rule you can instead choose a Feat of your choice.

13th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Proficiency Bonus: +1.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (13) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Spell slots: +1 (7th level).

14th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (14) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Destroy Undead (CR 3)
  When you use the Channel Divinity “Turn Undead” and the undead fails the saving throw against it, you can destroy that creature if its challenge rating (CR) is below a certain value, which in this case is 3.

15th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (15) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Spell slots: +1 (8th level).

16th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (16) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Ability Score Improvement: you can increase one ability score by 2 or increase two ability scores by 1. If you use the optional feats rule you can instead choose a Feat of your choice.

17th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Proficiency Bonus: +1.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (17) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Spell slots: +1 (9th level).
• Destroy Undead (CR 4)
  When you use the Channel Divinity “Turn Undead” and the undead fails the saving throw against it, you can destroy that creature if its challenge rating (CR) is below a certain value, which in this case is 4.
• New Divine Domain subclass feature: this depends on which Divine Domain you have chosen for your Cleric.

18th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (18) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Spell slots: +1 (5th level).
• Channel Divinity (3/rest)
  You can channel divine energy your deity gives to create magical effects such as Turn Undead or another effect given by your Divine Domain.
  You can use 3 Channel Divinity effects before you have to take a short or long rest to use it again.

19th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (19) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Spell slots: +1 (6th level).
• Ability Score Improvement: you can increase one ability score by 2 or increase two ability scores by 1. If you use the optional feats rule you can instead choose a Feat of your choice.

20th Level

• Hit Points: add 1d8 (roll or 5) + Constitution (CON) modifier to the current hit points.
• Hit Dice: one additional d8.
• Prepared spells: your Cleric level (20) + your Wisdom (WIS) modifier.
• Spell slots: +1 (7th level).
• Divine Intervention Improvement
  You can call on your deity to intervene on your behalf by imploring your deity’s help and describing the assistance you need (automatic success without rolling any die).