Dungeons & Dragons: Best Spells For 1st Level Clerics

The Clerics in Dungeons & Dragons only have access to a few spells at first level, with some slots needing to be dedicated to healing magic. Players need to make the most of their limited spell slots, so that their Cleric can keep the rest of their D&D murder hobo party alive.

When creating a new Cleric in D&D, the character will know three Cantrips. They can prepare a number of spells equal to their Wisdom modifier plus their Cleric level. Clerics also receive two spells from their Divine Domain, and these are always considered prepared without taking up slots. If the standard array D&D stat rules are used, then the maximum stat a character can have at level one is 17, which means that a Cleric can prepare four spells. The first-level Cleric can cast their Cantrips as many times as they’d like, but they can only cast two first-level spells per day. While other classes have limitations on their spell list, the Cleric has access to their entire spell list, allowing them to switch their prepared batch of spells after a long rest.

Clerics have one of the most defined roles of any class in D&D, as they are the best healers available to the party. They also have access to other helpful spells that can keep the party going, which is why players need to think carefully about their limited choice of spells at first level.

D&D 1st Level Cleric: Most Useful Cantrips

Unlike the other spell levels, the Cleric cannot switch out the Cantrips after they’re chosen. The best Cleric Cantrip is sacred flame, as it’s a damaging spell that they can throw out during the same turn as healing word. It also means they never need to worry about carrying ranged weapons in D&D.

Spare the dying is one of those spells that is extremely useful, but players hope they never need to use it. This is a spell that stops a character from dying, which is a good stop-gap solution for when the Cleric is out of spell slots or needs to save an NPC. Guidance is a better choice than Resistance, as the latter only affects a single D&D party member, and its effect is wasted if another party member needs to make a saving throw.

D&D 1st Level Cleric: Healing Word Vs. Cure Wounds

In the old editions of D&D, the cure wounds spells were the bread and butter of the Cleric class, dating back to the days when they couldn’t use swords in Dungeons & Dragons. The current edition of D&D has brought a new challenger to the throne, as healing word is the superior spell. Cure wounds heals 1d8 + Wisdom modifier (or more if cast at a higher level), while healing word is only 1d4 + Wisdom modifier. This is a small gap in terms of potential numbers. Cure wounds takes a standard action and requires the caster to touch the target. Healing word can be cast as a bonus action, allowing the Cleric to perform a Cantrip in the same round. It can also be used from 60ft away, which is the best part about the spell.

If an ally has been dropped to zero hit points, then chances are it’s standing next to the creature that wounded them. Healing word can be used to bring a character out of their death saves without putting the Cleric at risk. The fact that D&D party members can heal themselves during a short rest means there is less need to prepare cure wounds, especially as healing potions are cheaper and easier than ever to buy. Life domain Clerics can avoid this discussion entirely, as they get cure wounds as a Domain spell, which is partly why they are so popular.

Other Cleric Spell Options In D&D

Command is a great D&D spell for temporarily incapacitating a foe, especially if they possess a dangerous weapon or item, as they can be forced to drop it. Sanctuary is a great spell for keeping the Cleric alive, as they can focus on healing the D&D party with an extra layer of magical protection. Guiding bolt is an incredibly powerful attack spell for the level and it has the added benefit of giving the next attacker advantage.

Bless is the better choice than Bane, if only for the fact that it gets around the DM cheating its effect behind the screen. Protection from evil and good is a great choice for when the party knows what type of enemies they will be facing, especially when facing enemies that can charm characters, like fey or vampires.

D&D Clerics: The Age Of The Band-Aid Is Over

Clerics are the healers of D&D, but there are lots of classes with healing abilities. The fact that all characters can heal during a short rest means that there is less pressure on Clerics to focus solely on healing spells. Clerics have powerful incapacitating spells, are masters at vanquishing demons and undead, and have some amazing divination spells. If the party already has characters that are Bards, Druids, Paladins, or Rangers, then that takes some of the pressure off the Cleric’s player. These players should take the chance to experiment with their spell list a little, especially if they’re playing in a Dungeons & Dragons campaign that they know will present specific threats, like the vampires in Curse of Strahd.

About The Author

Scott Baird
(2503 Articles Published)

Scott has been writing for Screen Rant since 2016 and regularly contributes to The Gamer. He has previously written articles and video scripts for websites like Cracked, Dorkly, Topless Robot, and TopTenz.
A graduate of Edge Hill University in the UK, Scott started out as a film student before moving into journalism. It turned out that wasting a childhood playing video games, reading comic books, and watching movies could be used for finding employment, regardless of what any career advisor might tell you. Scott specializes in gaming and has loved the medium since the early ‘90s when his first console was a ZX Spectrum that used to take 40 minutes to load a game from a tape cassette player to a black and white TV set. Scott now writes game reviews for Screen Rant and The Gamer, as well as news reports, opinion pieces, and game guides. He can be contacted on LinkedIn.

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