Gnome Cleric Build Guide

Gnome Cleric Build Guide

Gnomish Cunning makes your Cleric exceptionally resilient to enemy magic, enhancing their divine support.

4/10 Synergy Support Role Medium Difficulty

Why Gnome Cleric?

The Gnome's innate resilience and magical aptitude make them a surprisingly sturdy choice for a Cleric. While not the most obvious pairing, the Gnome's natural ability to resist spells, thanks to Gnomish Cunning, complements the Cleric's role as a protector and healer. Imagine your tiny Gnome shrugging off a powerful curse that would fell a larger adventurer – that's the Gnome Cleric advantage!

With a starting Wisdom of 15, your Cleric will be well-positioned to cast potent divine spells. While their Dexterity might be on the lower side (starting at 8), making them less adept at dodging attacks, their other stats like Strength (14) and Constitution (13) provide a decent foundation for durability. This build focuses on leveraging your spellcasting and Gnomish Cunning to overcome physical shortcomings.

Recommended Ability Scores

Strength
14(+2)
Dexterity
8(-1)
Constitution
13(+1)
Intelligence
10(+0)
Wisdom★
15(+2)
Charisma
12(+1)
HP (Lv1)
9
AC
9
Initiative
-1
Passive Per.
12
Continue Building →

Gnome Traits That Benefit Cleric

Gnomish Cunning

Extra saving throw advantages protect against debilitating spells and effects.

Darkvision

Gnome Darkvision helps Clerics scout ahead and fight in darkness without needing a torch.

Combat Effectiveness

Level HP Melee DPR Spell DPR
Level 5 33 3.9 7.8
Level 11 69 3.58 10.18
Level 17 105 3.58 13.2

DPR = Damage Per Round (average, assuming standard combat conditions).

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths

  • ♦ Darkvision for dungeon exploration
  • ♦ Versatile spellcasting options

Weaknesses

  • ♦ Low Dexterity means poor initiative and AC
  • ♦ May require careful feat selection to optimize

Pro Tips

1

Use Gnomish Cunning to reroll saving throws against spells that target your mind or willpower.

2

Leverage your Darkvision to scout ahead in dark dungeons, protecting your party.

3

Focus your spell selection on buffs, healing, and area control spells.

4

Consider feats that boost your spellcasting or survivability, like War Caster.

Ready to build your Gnome Cleric?

Use our free character builder to bring this build to life.

Create This Character →

Cleric Subclass Builds

Explore specialized builds for each Cleric subclass:

Gnome Life Domain Cleric Support Gnome Light Domain Cleric Blaster Gnome Trickery Domain Cleric Controller Gnome War Domain Cleric Striker

Related Builds

Other Gnome Builds

Gnome Wizard 8/10 Controller Gnome Sorcerer 6/10 Blaster Gnome Warlock 5/10 Blaster Gnome Bard 4/10 Support Gnome Ranger 4/10 Striker Gnome Druid 4/10 Controller

Other Cleric Builds

Aasimar Cleric 8/10 Support Dwarf Cleric 6/10 Support Dragonborn Cleric 5/10 Support Halfling Cleric 4/10 Support Orc Cleric 4/10 Support Tiefling Cleric 4/10 Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gnome a good race for Cleric?
Gnomes offer a decent, if not optimal, synergy with the Cleric class, rating a 4/10. Their Gnomish Cunning is a significant advantage, helping them resist harmful spells, which aligns well with a Cleric's supportive role. While other races might offer more direct combat or spellcasting boosts, the Gnome's unique defensive perk is valuable.
What stats should a Gnome Cleric prioritize?
Prioritize Wisdom (starting at 15) to maximize your spellcasting power. Next, focus on Constitution (starting at 13) for more hit points, and Strength (starting at 14) to make melee attacks if needed. Keep Dexterity low (8) as your spells will be your primary offense and defense.
What party role does this build fill?
The Gnome Cleric fills the Support role. With access to spellcasting, this build offers both combat effectiveness and utility.

Create Your Gnome Cleric

Use Dice Will Decide's free character builder with optimized stats, spells, and equipment.

Create This Character →
Build This Character →