Larian Studios has been routinely updating Divinity Original Sin 2 with more quests and content. This includes updates with powerful armor and new characters to meet. Regardless if it is your first experience or 100th time entering Fort Joy, you will want to plan out a cohesive and strong team. The Cleric is one of the most rock solid starting hybrid classes, using water and death magic to sustain the team.
The Cleric is a supportive healer that also leans into dealing a bit of damage in close quarters or with blood magic. Depending on your team makeup, you will need to decide which direction to take your hero: a sturdy tank, an expert doctor, a life drainer, and cryomancer are all potential aspects. But trying to cover every job at once will leave them watered down from their full potential. Thankfully, you can always restart any build using a Magic Mirror.
First Level Cleric in Divinity Original Sin 2
Larian Studios designed the default Cleric class with 1 Strength, 1 Intelligence, 1 Constitution, 1 Hydrosophist, 1 Necromancer, 1 Bartering; Restoration, Decaying Touch, Blood Sucker skills, and Hothead Talent. A serviceable start but can be reworked.
First, reallocate attributes for 3 Strength. You will be getting up close to the enemy, so aim to wear heavy armor, and wield a one-handed weapon and shield. With this setup you’ll have access to the Shields Up skill to regain lost armor. Stack your Civil Ability point onto your natural racial bonus – Persuasion for Lizards, Stealth for Dwarves, etc. Restoration will be your primary skill, as it heals vitality over a few turns. If the target is Undead, it will instead deal damage. Armor of Frost will be used to repair Magical armor. For the third skill go with either Mosquito Swarm or replace the Necromancer point with Warfare for Bouncing Shield.
For level one Talents aim for Living Armor to make you more beefy against mages, Leech to restore health via blood surfaces, or Far Out Man to increase casting distance.
Cleric Progression in Divinity Original Sin 2
Since you have both weapon attacks and spells, aim to raise Strength and Intelligence at a 3:1 ratio; adjust accordingly if you want to focus on one or the other. Keep Constitution at a minimum, raising it only to meet shield requirements. Hydrosophist should be prioritized to improve healing, Magic armor recovery, and water damage. Warfare will grant a multiplicative damage increase to your melee and Necromancer spells. It would also be helpful to have a point in Perseverance and Retribution, unless you already have them as equipment enchantments.
For Talents, go for Mnemonic to save on Memory, Opportunist to keep enemies locked down, Comeback Kid if there is a high chance of dying, and Elemental Affinity for lower AP costs. If you are using Gift Bags, Gladiator and Magic Cycles can also be useful.
Recommended Distance Skills
- Hail Strike (1 Hydrosophist): bring down a small barrage of ice that leaves a surface.
- Rain (1 Hydrosophist): douse fire, expose invisible creatures, and freezes already chilled enemies.
- Cryogenic Stasis (2 Hydrosophist): freeze a target and make them invincible.
- Healing Ritual (2 Hydrosophist): send out a healing wave that bounces to nearby allies.
- Steam Lance (3 Hydrosophist): creates Blessed Clouds, which heal and remove status effect like Decay.
- Blood Sucker (1 Necromancer): target absorbs blood surfaces and recovers vitality base on the amount. Works even on Undead allies.
- Raining Blood (1 Necromancer, 1 Hydrosophist): bring down blood surfaces, and causes Bleed on targets without Physical armor.
- Infect (2 Necromancer): deal a strong amount of Physical damage and Disease a target.
- Living On The Edge (2 Necromancer): the target cannot be killed for two turns. Great on allies that are prone to dying.
- Death Wish (2 Necromancer): character gains bonus damage the more health they have lost.
- Shackles of Pain (2 Necromancer): any damage the caster receives is duplicated to the target. With the enemy AI, will likely lead to enemies killing each other rather than protecting yourself.
Up Close and Melee Skills
- Healing Tears (1 Hydrosophist, 1 Polymorph): creates three water tears that heal allies that approach. Avoid if using an Undead ally like Fane as a melee character.
- Cleanse Wounds (1 Hydrosophist, 1 Warfare): heal at close range, remove status effects, and create a small water surface.
- Soothing Cold (2 Hydrosophist): recover Magic armor of yourself and nearby allies over several turns.
- Global Cooling (2 Hydrosophist): freeze nearby water and blood surfaces, and deal some water damage to enemies.
- Mass Cleanse Wounds (2 Hydrosophist, 2 Warfare): a larger version of Cleanse Wounds that effects all nearby allies.
- Deep Freeze (3 Hydrosophist): deal water damage and freeze enemies in a cone. If the damage leaves them with 9% health or less, they automatically die.
- Decaying Touch (1 Necromancer): touch a target and deal Physical damage. If they lack armor, this will inflict Decay, making healing abilities hurt them instead.
- Battering Ram (1 Warfare): charge at a target, causing Knock Down if they have no armor.
- Battle Stomp (1 Warfare): send out a shock wave that clears surfaces and can Knock Down enemies.
- Crippling Blow (1 Warfare): strike in a short cleave, dealing increased damage and setting Crippled status.
- Blitz Attack (2 Warfare): hop between two targets and deal reduced damage to each.
- Deflective Barrier (2 Warfare): use your shield to send projectiles back at the enemy. Includes arrows, skills, and even spells.
- Guardian Angel (3 Warfare): you take half of the damage intended for allies.
Other Skills to Consider
- Rallying Cry (2 Summoning): heal vitality and restore Magic armor based on the amount of nearby party members and summons.
- Soul Mate (2 Summoning): mark an ally who will receive the same recovery effects as you. Also recovers some status effects like Petrify and Freeze.
- Fortify (1 Geomancer): restore the target’s Physical armor and makes them immune to teleportation. Amount is based on your Geomancer score, so will require a large investment.
- Mend Metal (2 Geomancer): recover Physical armor of yourself and nearby allies over several turns.
- Reactive Armor (2 Geomancer): deals a large amount of damage in the area (including to yourself) based on your current Physical armor.
- Peace of Mind (1 Pyrokinetic): cure and prevent several mental status effects. Also increases Wits, Strength, Finesse, and Intelligence.
- Haste (1 Pyrokinetic): gives target extra AP at the start of their turn and increases their movement.
- Uncanny Evasion (2 Aerotheurge): boosts the character’s dodging by 90%.
- Mass Breathing Bubble (2 Aerotheurge, 2 Warfare): makes you and nearby allies immune to deadly cloud effects.
Unique Cleric Items in Divinity Original Sin 2
Since you’ll be mixing in fighting and casting, there will be some rather good equipment to keep an eye on. Remember, with Gift Bags you can also upgrade old unique items for a price.
- Fan of the Winter Dragon (One-Handed Sword): looted off Slane if you decide to fight. Grants bonuses to Strength, Warfare and cleaves.
- Hildur’s Plate (Body): bought (or stolen) from Hilde in Fort Joy. Decent armor with Fire resist and will reflect back Fire damage when hit.
- Djinn’s Scimitar (One-Handed Sword): in Reaper’s Coast head to X: 193, Y: 14 and loot the Ancient Lamp (requires teleportation or a leaping skill). Rubbing the lamp will summon the Djinn offering several rewards. You must make an Intelligence or Finesse check and then ask for “Power” to gain the weapon. Decent weapon that improves dodging and movement.
- Antique Armor (Body): found inside a chest at Reaper’s Coast X: 630, Y: 410. Lowers movement, but prevents being teleported by the enemy.
- Destroyer’s Gloves (Gloves): at Bloodmoon Island, agree to the Advocate’s request to kill the Black Ring Destroyer. Loot the creature to get these gloves, which have Reactive Armor.
- Truth Seeker (One-Handed Sword): bought from the Unarmed Elf in Arx at X: 330, Y: 373. High accuracy and crit change. Also can apply Blind.
- Dritta Evyet (Ring): head to X: 55, Y: 18 in the Arx Barracks. Open the locked door with buttons Mind, Society, Body, Divine. This ring will grant Healing Ritual.
- Ancient Belt (Belt): bought from Adam in Arx at X: 210, Y: 273. Great resistances, will heal the living, but damages Undead characters.
- Kemm’s Deflector (Shield): kill Lord Kemm around Arx, either while patrols or by trespassing in his vault. This shield gives innate Deflection, allowing you to bounce back ranged attacks.
- Gloach Girt (One-Handed Mace): obtained from a chest after killing Isbeil for Beast’s questline. Attacks in a cleave and give Terrain Transmutation.
The Cleric is an excellent addition to any party, with great personal survivability and magic to help their allies. They might not be the most deadly combatant, but will absolutely make many encounters trivial.
Divinity Original Sin 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch.
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