The cleric is one of the less prestigious classes in Dungeons & Dragons, although he was overpowered in D&D 5e and is also more versatile than any other class. As a link between mortals and gods, he can heal, deal damage and stand between the front and backline. At the same time, he protects the party with divine power. With the new D&D 5.5e 2024 Player’s Handbook 🛒, the cleric rules have also been revised. Below you will find the changes with regard to mechanics, balance and player experience.
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Divine Order instead of subclass at level 1
One of the key changes is the choice of domain. As we have already explained with the patron for the warlock, the subclass for the cleric is no longer selected at level 1, but now at level 3. For the cleric, the 2024/5.5e version instead introduces the new Divine Order at level 1, where you choose a specialization:
Protector: Focus on armor and combat. They gain skills in heavy armor and with war weapons.
Thaumaturge: Focus on magic and knowledge. They gain an additional cantrip and may add the Wisdom modifier to certain Intelligence checks (e.g., Arcana or Religion).
This change has two major consequences: First, it makes the cleric a bit more “open” in the early levels before he fully bonds with the Divine Domain, and second, it allows for role differentiation between combat cleric and magic enhancer early on.
New options for Channel Divinity
Channel Divinity was an important linchpin of many domain capabilities in the classic 5e version. In the new version, this feature has been revised and expanded.
At level 2, the cleric gains Channel Divinity and additionally the new ability called Divine Spark alongside the already present Turn Undead from D&D 5e. With Divine Spark, the cleric chooses a creature and can either heal it or deal damage to it. A Constitution saving throw must be made against the damage. If this fails, the cleric deals either holy or necrotic damage.
Sear Undead instead of Destroy Undead for more flexibility
One particularly noticeable difference concerns the handling of undead: In the classic 5e version, the cleric can use Destroy Undead at higher levels to automatically destroy undead below a certain CR (Challenge Rating) if they fail their saving throw. In the 2024/5.5e version, this mechanism is replaced by Sear Undead.
Instead of automatically destroying, Sear Undead deals Radiant Damage to all undead that fail against the Turn Undead effect, regardless of their CR. This change removes hard cutoff thresholds and allows even powerful undead to take damage even if they are not destroyed.
Blessed Strikes and Potent Spellcasting at level 7
In the new version, Divine Strike is now called Blessed Strike and is available from level 7. The player can choose between two options:
Divine Strike: Gives additional holy or necrotic damage with weapon attacks.
Potent Spellcasting: You may add the Wisdom modifier to damage from cleric cantrips.
This dual option allows for a stronger specialization: either stronger melee damage or more magic efficiency.
The Divine Domains and specialized abilities in D&D 5.5e
The changes to the domains are minimal and mainly affect the four main domains:
Life (Life Domain): The domain spell list has been adjusted – e.g., Aid has been added to strengthen healing functions.
Light (Light Domain): See Invisibility has been integrated as a domain spell.
Trickery (Trickery Domain): The Invoke Duplicity ability has been expanded, new options have been added.
War (War Domain): Adjustments to Channel Divinity to utilize Shield of Faith or Spiritual Weapon without using a spell slot or concentration.
Conclusion
The changes to the Cleric in the 2024 Player’s Handbook 🛒 are subtle, but deeply impact the playstyle. Many features have been shifted to allow for a more consistent progressional feel, new options (Divine Orders, Divine Spark, Sear Undead) have been introduced, and traditional domain features have been reworked to better harmonize with the modern core system.
One of the stated design goals of the new version is to trim clerics more towards consistency rather than multiple overperformances. The focus should be on allowing players to work with clear decisions and without extreme outliers. This becomes particularly clear when you look at the abilities: The change from Destroy Undead to Sear Undead particularly takes out the powergaming aspect of the cleric but gives him more options in combat. In general, the new version feels less like a radical overhaul and more like a refinement: more consistency, more flexible use options, and a clearer role distribution between melee and spell focus. For cleric players, this means a leaner start but more decision-making freedom and more balanced class performance throughout the game.
