The 5 Best Races For Clerics 5e D&D

Clerics are the holy spellcasters of D&D, showing the power they were given by their deity through the casting of their spells.

A Cleric’s best races should not only have the necessary features to become a Cleric, but they must embody the Cleric’s teachings and be willing to serve as devoutly as they are expected to.

Best Races for Clerics 5e D&D

5. Wood Elf

Ability Score Increase – Dexterity by 2.

Ability Score Increase (Wood Elf) – Wisdom by 1.

Age – Elves reach maturity at the same age as Humans do. They usually claim adulthood at around 100 years of age and live to be 750 years old.

Alignment – Elves adore freedom and lean towards gentle aspects of Chaos. Most Elves value other races’ freedom and are most often Good, yet some, like the Drow, do become Evil.

Creature Type – Humanoid

Size – Medium, ranging from under 5 feet to over 6 feet in height and having slender builds.

Speed – Base walking speed of 30 feet.

Racial Features – Darkvision, Elf Weapon Training (Wood Elf), Fey Ancestry, Fleet of Foot (Wood Elf), Mask of the Wild (Wood Elf), Trance, and Keen Senses.

Languages – Speak, read, and write Elven and Common.

Playing as Wood Elf gives you innate increases to Dexterity and Wisdom, making it one of the better options for a Dexterity-based Cleric or one more attuned to stealthy means or creative ideas.

Furthermore, the extensive lore of the Elves makes it exceptionally interesting to build your character.

4. Warforged

Ability Score Increase – Constitution score by 2 and one score of your choice by 1.

Age – Most Warforged are between 2 and 30 years old, yet their maximum lifespan is unknown, and most Warforged don’t show signs of deterioration with age. They are immune to magical aging effects.

Alignment – Warforged value discipline and order, tending toward neutrality and law, yet some have absorbed the morality (Good or Evil) of their overlords.

Creature Type – Humanoid

Size – Medium, and your height and weight can be set randomly.

• Size modifier = 2d6

• Height = 5 feet + 10 inches + size modifier in inches

• Weight in pounds = 270 + (4 x size modifier)

Speed – Base walking speed of 30 feet.

Racial Features – Constructed Resilience, Sentry’s Rest, Integrated Protection, and Specialized Design.

Languages – Speak, read, and write Common and one other language you choose.

A Warforged has increased durability with Constructed Resilience, innate Consitution, and Integrated Protection, making it a valuable option when playing as a Cleric.

3. Protector Aasimar

Ability Score Increase – Charisma by 2.

Ability Score Increase (Protector) – Wisdom by 1.

Age – Aasimar mature at the same speed as humans, though they live up to 160 years.

Alignment – Most Aasimar are good, but outcast Aasimar are often Neutral or Evil.

Creature Type – Humanoid

Size – Medium or Small (choose when selecting this race)

Speed – Base walking speed of 30 feet.

Racial Features – Darkvision, Celestial Resistance, Healing Hands, Light Bearer, and Radiant Soul (Protector).

Languages – Speak, read, and write Common and one other language deemed appropriate by the DM.

Protector Aasimar make excellent Clerics, benefitting greatly from their Healing Hands, Light Bearer, and Radiant Soul features, giving increased healing, the Light Cantrip, and a flying speed of 30 feet combined with extra Radiant damage against one target.

2. Firbolg

Ability Score Increase – One score by 2 and a different one by 1 OR Three different scores by 1.

Age – Firbolgs are related to Fey and thus have longer lifespans. They mature at 30 years and live up to 500 years.

Alignment – Firbolgs tend to nature and often become Neutral Good and Evil. Firbolgs do exist, though they are rare and typically only become Evil because they have sworn enemies of their kind.

Creature Type – Humanoid

Size – Medium, Firbolgs are between 7 and 8 feet and weigh around 240 and 300 pounds.

Speed – Base walking speed of 30 feet.

Racial Features – Firbolg Magic, Hidden Step, Powerful Build, and Speech of Beast and Leaf.

Languages – Speak, read, and write Common and one other language deemed appropriate by your DM.

Firbolgs lets you choose your ideal ability scores, and their most compelling addition is their Firbolg Magic, which gives you access to two free spells (Detect Magic and Disguise Self).

Hidden Step is also pretty useful to get out of deadly situations, and Speech of Beast and Leaf can be useful if you need to talk to animals.

1. Hill Dwarf

Ability Score Increase – Constitution by 2.

Ability Score Increase (Hill Dwarf) – Wisdom by 1.

Age – Dwarves mature at the same pace as Humans, yet are considered young until reaching 50 and living around 350 years.

Alignment – Dwarves are mostly Lawful, believing in a well-ordered society. Dwarves are usually Good and would like everyone to share in the benefits that order brings about.

Creature Type – Humanoid

Size – Medium, ranging between 4 and 5 feet tall and averaging 150 pounds.

Speed – Base walking speed of 25 feet, though your speed will not be reduced by wearing heavy armor.

Racial Features – Darkvision, Dwarven Resilience, Dwarven Combat Training, Tool Proficiency, Stonecunning, and Dwarven Toughness (Hill Dwarf).

Languages – Speak, read, and write Dwarvish and Common.

Hill Dwarves make some of the best Clerics, having innate Constitution and Wisdom, as well as increasing in HP every time they level up with Dwarven Toughness.

You’ll also find that their Dwarven Resistance and Dwarven Combat Training will also help you choose your ideal weapon.

Honorable Mentions

Lizardfolk: Lizardfolk Clerics aren’t just cool, but their traditions fit with the Cleric, and their Nature’s Intuition has a few valuable skills a Cleric can use.

Human (Standard or Variant): Depending if you want more ability score increases, or you’re in need of a skill proficiency and free Feat, both Human options can work well for a Cleric.

Final Thoughts

Clerics are seen as pious religious priests, though their best races might not be what you’d expect.

Not only are these races great for the Cleric, but they open up entirely new paths of roleplay and allow players to create fantastical backstories.