Gnome War Domain Cleric Build Guide
By blending Gnomish mental resilience with the raw martial power of the War Domain, this build creates a surprisingly durable, hard-hitting front-line striker.
Free — no signup needed for the free tier.
Why War Domain?
Playing a Gnome War Domain Cleric lets you smash the stereotype of the fragile, bookish gnome. In combat, you serve as your party's Striker, charging into the fray with heavy armor and weapons. While your physical attacks pack a serious punch, your innate Gnomish Cunning provides a massive boost to your mental defenses, giving you advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magical effects. This ensures that while you are holding the front line, enemy spellcasters will have a difficult time shutting you down with mind-controlling magic.
On the offensive side, your War Domain features turn you into a highly reliable physical threat. With the War Priest feature, you can use your bonus action to make an extra weapon attack, making up for the Cleric's lack of a natural Extra Attack. Furthermore, when you absolutely must land a crucial blow, you can invoke your Guided Strike to add a massive +10 bonus to your attack roll, turning a near-miss into a devastating hit.
Combined with Darkvision to help you navigate dim dungeons without a torch, this build is exceptionally well-rounded. You get to enjoy the spellcasting flexibility of a full Cleric while standing proud on the front lines as a miniature engine of war.
War Domain Features
Guided Strike
Level 3When you or a creature within 30 feet of you that you can see misses with a weapon attack, you can use your Reaction to grant that attack a bonus to the attack roll equal to your Wisdom modifier.
War Domain Spells
Level 3Your connection to this divine domain ensures that you always have certain spells prepared.
War Priest
Level 3As a Bonus Action, you can make one weapon attack or an Unarmed Strike. When a weapon attack hits a creature, the target takes an extra 1d8 damage of the same type as the weapon damage.
War God's Blessing
Level 6You can expend one use of your Channel Divinity to grant a magical blessing. When a creature within 30 feet of you that you can see makes an attack roll, you can use your Reaction to add your Wisdom modifier to the attack roll.
Avatar of Battle
Level 17You gain Resistance to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage.
Recommended Ability Scores
Gnome Traits That Benefit War Domain 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 |
👉 Stop reading. Start playing.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- ♦ War Domain grants Guided Strike at level 3
- ♦ Darkvision for dungeon exploration
- ♦ Versatile spellcasting options
Weaknesses
- ♦ Low Dexterity means poor initiative and AC
- ♦ May require careful feat selection to optimize
Pro Tips
Use your War Priest feature to make a bonus action weapon attack when you need to finish off a weakened enemy quickly.
Save your Guided Strike for high-damage strikes or crucial moments to ensure you do not waste your turn on a miss.
Rely on Gnomish Cunning to hold concentration on powerful War Domain Spells, even when enemy mages try to disrupt your mind.
Leverage your Darkvision to lead the charge into dark dungeons, keeping your hands free for your weapon and shield instead of a torch.
Other Cleric Subclasses for Gnome
Other Races for War Domain Cleric
Frequently Asked Questions
Is War Domain a good subclass for Gnome Cleric?
What makes War Domain different from other Cleric subclasses?
Create Your Gnome War Domain Cleric
Use Dice Will Decide's free character builder with optimized stats, spells, and equipment.
Create This Character