Overlooked Baldur’s Gate 3 Class: Unleashing Devastating Lightning Damage with a Single Spell

Many adventurers in Baldur’s Gate 3 gravitate towards the flashy Sorcerer, the brutal Barbarian, or the versatile Ranger. However, a more subtle, yet equally potent force lies within the ranks of the often-underestimated Cleric. Specifically, certain Cleric subclasses, when combined with a seemingly simple spell, can unleash devastating lightning damage that rivals, and even surpasses, the output of more conventional damage dealers. We will delve into the specifics of how this build functions, why it’s so effective, and how you can optimize it to dominate your Baldur’s Gate 3 campaigns.

The Power of the Tempest Domain Cleric

The cornerstone of this lightning-based damage build is the Tempest Domain Cleric. This subclass, available right from character creation, grants several crucial abilities that synergize beautifully with lightning spells.

• Wrath of the Storm: This is the defining feature of the Tempest Domain. When you are hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to deal 2d8 lightning damage to the attacker. While seemingly reactive, this ability becomes surprisingly impactful in prolonged fights, especially against multiple enemies.
• Thunderbolt Strike: Gained at level 6, Thunderbolt Strike allows you to push a Large or smaller creature back 10 feet when you deal lightning or thunder damage to it. This provides excellent battlefield control, allowing you to manipulate enemy positioning and create advantageous situations for your party.
• Divine Strike: Beginning at level 8, once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 thunder damage to the target. At level 14, the extra damage increases to 2d8. It allows the Cleric to deal decent damage, while the main damage comes from spells.
• Channel Divinity: Destructive Wrath: This ability is the key to maximizing lightning damage. As an action, you can use Destructive Wrath to maximize the damage of a lightning or thunder spell. This means that every single damage die rolled for that spell will result in its maximum possible value.

The Spell That Makes It All Possible: Create Water

The seemingly innocuous 1st-level spell, Create Water, is the catalyst that transforms the Tempest Cleric into a lightning-wielding god. While it simply conjures a puddle of water, its tactical implications are profound.

• Vulnerability to Lightning: Enemies standing in water become Vulnerable to Lightning Damage. This means they take double damage from all lightning sources. When combined with Destructive Wrath, the damage output becomes truly astronomical.
• Widespread Application: Create Water has a decent area of effect, allowing you to easily cover multiple enemies in water simultaneously. This enables you to capitalize on the vulnerability to lightning damage against entire groups of foes.
• Synergy with other abilities: The water created by Create Water also synergizes with other spells and abilities, such as the Wet condition, which can further amplify the damage output of your lightning spells.

The Lightning Spells: A Shocking Arsenal

While Create Water sets the stage, the Tempest Cleric needs powerful lightning spells to deliver the final blow. Here are some of the most effective options:

• Guiding Bolt: An early-game staple, Guiding Bolt deals radiant damage and grants advantage on the next attack roll against the target. While not lightning damage itself, the advantage it provides is invaluable for ensuring your more powerful lightning spells hit.
• Call Lightning: This is the bread-and-butter spell of the build. At 3rd level, Call Lightning allows you to summon a storm cloud that deals 3d10 lightning damage to a targeted area. The real power lies in its sustained nature: you can re-cast it on subsequent turns as an action, allowing you to continually bombard enemies with lightning. When maximized with Destructive Wrath and combined with vulnerability from Create Water, Call Lightning can obliterate enemies.
• Lightning Bolt: A classic spell that delivers a devastating line of lightning damage. While less versatile than Call Lightning, Lightning Bolt is excellent for dealing burst damage to enemies grouped in a straight line.
• Chain Lightning: The ultimate lightning spell. Chain Lightning allows you to target one enemy with a powerful bolt of lightning that then jumps to other nearby enemies. With Create Water applied, this spell can completely wipe out entire groups of enemies in a single cast.
• Thunderwave: A spell that produces a wave of thunderous force that pushes away and damages creatures. While not pure lightning, the thunder damage can benefit from Thunderbolt Strike, adding an extra layer of battlefield control.

Optimizing the Build: Feats, Equipment, and Multiclassing

To truly maximize the potential of this build, careful consideration must be given to feats, equipment, and even the possibility of multiclassing.

Essential Feats

• War Caster: This feat grants advantage on saving throws to maintain concentration when you take damage, which is crucial for maintaining Call Lightning. It also allows you to cast spells as an opportunity attack, potentially unleashing a devastating lightning bolt on an enemy attempting to flee.
• Elemental Adept (Lightning): While somewhat situational, this feat allows you to treat rolls of 1 on lightning damage dice as a 2. It also allows your lightning damage to bypass resistance. This can be useful against enemies with lightning resistance, but its effectiveness diminishes as you acquire gear that negates resistance.
• Resilient (Constitution): Improves Constitution saving throws, aiding concentration and hit points.
• Lucky: A universally strong feat, giving you rerolls when needed.

Key Equipment

• The Sparkswall: These gloves cause the wearer to deal an additional 1 lightning damage when dealing lightning damage. This effect triggers an additional time for each level of the spell cast. A spell like call lightning can do an additional 3 lightning damage for each hit, so 6 lightning damage when maximized with Destructive Wrath and combined with vulnerability from Create Water.
• Amulet of the Devout: Increases your spell save DC, making your spells harder to resist.
• Potent Robe: Adds your Charisma modifier to the damage of your cantrips. If you choose to take a few levels in Sorcerer, this robe synergizes well.
• The Watersparkers: When the wearer casts an AOE spell, they create a small wet surface.

Multiclassing Considerations

While the Tempest Cleric is powerful on its own, dipping into other classes can further enhance its capabilities.

• Sorcerer (Draconic Bloodline): A two-level dip into Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer grants access to the Draconic Resilience feature, providing a permanent +1 bonus to AC, as well as two sorcerer cantrips and two sorcerer spells. It can also grant access to Shield. However, the primary reason to consider this is that at level one draconic bloodline sorcerers select a type of elemental damage to empower, selecting lightning would result in Empowered Evocation where the character adds their charisma modifier to lightning damage spells.
• Wizard (Evocation): A two-level dip into Evocation Wizard grants access to the Evocation Savant feature, allowing the Cleric to learn Evocation spells much more efficiently, as well as the Sculpt Spells feature, which allows the character to create pockets of safety within their Evocation spells, preventing allies from being hit by friendly fire.
• Fighter (Action Surge): A two-level dip into Fighter grants access to Action Surge. Action Surge is an invaluable tool in almost every build, and it allows the Cleric to cast two maximized Call Lightning spells in a single turn.

Tactical Considerations: Positioning and Control

The Tempest Cleric excels in both burst damage and sustained damage output, but effective positioning and battlefield control are crucial for maximizing its effectiveness.

• Prioritize Positioning: Maintaining concentration on Call Lightning is paramount, so position your Cleric away from melee threats. Utilize cover and terrain to your advantage.
• Control the Battlefield: Use Thunderbolt Strike to push enemies into advantageous positions, such as into other environmental hazards or away from your squishier party members.
• Coordinate with your party: Communicate with your party members to ensure they are aware of your Create Water placements and can capitalize on the vulnerability to lightning damage.

Alternative Lightning Damage Builds: The Storm Sorcerer

While the Tempest Cleric is the primary focus of this article, it’s worth mentioning the Storm Sorcerer as another viable option for dealing absurd lightning damage. The Storm Sorcerer boasts abilities that complement lightning spells, similar to the Tempest Cleric.

• Tempestuous Magic: After casting a spell of 1st level or higher, you can use a bonus action to fly up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.
• Heart of the Storm: At 6th level, whenever you cast a spell that deals lightning or thunder damage, you also deal lightning or thunder damage to enemies within 10 feet of you. You also gain resistance to lightning and thunder damage.
• Storm’s Fury: At 18th level, when a creature hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to deal lightning damage to the attacker and push them away.

While the Storm Sorcerer lacks the raw damage maximization of the Tempest Cleric’s Destructive Wrath, its mobility and consistent damage output make it a formidable lightning damage dealer.

Conclusion: Embrace the Lightning

The Tempest Domain Cleric, with its potent combination of Destructive Wrath, Create Water, and powerful lightning spells, is a force to be reckoned with in Baldur’s Gate 3. By understanding the nuances of this build and optimizing your character accordingly, you can unleash devastating lightning damage that will leave your enemies shocked and awed. So, the next time you’re creating a character in Baldur’s Gate 3, don’t overlook the power of the Tempest Cleric. Embrace the lightning, and watch your enemies crumble before you.