BG3: BEST Healer Build & Progression [Definitive Guide]

The Cleric class is mostly preferred in case you wish to do a healer playthrough, but even then, the questions arise on which spells to choose and stats to invest in case you want your Cleric build to be the best healer possible in Baldurs Gate 3. Therefore, keep on reading if you wish to learn how to create BG3 BEST Healer Build 2023.

How To Create The Best Healer Build In Baldurs Gate 3

I have prepared a table containing all the things you have to select during character creation:

Races And Subraces

Subclass And Cantrips

• Cure Wound
• Bless

Cantrips, on the other hand, are basic spells that can be used by your character. The three Cantrips I would recommend choosing during character creation are

• Guidance
• Resistance
• Sacred Flame

The Guidance spell gives the target a +1d4 bonus to Ability Checks, while the Resistance spell makes the target more resistant to spell effects and conditions. And finally, the Sacred Flame is a basic spell that deals 1d8 Radiant damage.

Deity And Background

And for background, I will recommend choosing the Guild Artisan, as it offers the players bonus in Insight and Persuasion, and I never say no to some extra Persuasion.

Abilities And Prepare Spells

• Strength: 14
• Dexterity: 10
• Constitution: 16
• Intelligence: 8
• Wisdom:16
• Charisma: 10

In terms of Skill proficiencies, the combination you need to pick is Religion, Insight, Medicine, and Persuasion.

And finally, the four spells I will recommend choosing during character creation are:

• Guiding Bolt
• Inflict Wound
• Shield of Faith
• Bane

The Guiding Bolt has a range of 18 meters and does damage between 4-24. This spell also grants an advantage on the next Attack Roll. The Inflict Wound is a Necromancy spell that putrifies your target. It can do damage between 3-30.

The Shield of Faith is a fantastic spell in case you want some defense, as it protects the target from attacks, increasing its Armour Class by 2. This spell has a range of 18 meters. The Bane skill, on the other hand, can cause a -1d4 penalty to Attack Rolls and Saving Throws to three targets. It has a range of 9 meters.

What To Choose As You Level Up

Level 2 

Once you hit level two, players will gain two new actions called the Turn Undead and Preserve Life. Aside from these actions, players will also gain a new spell slot. In this slot, I will recommend choosing the Sanctuary spell for now. 

The Sanctuary spell is quite unique spell as it makes sure that you or your allies cannot be targeted until you have attacked or harmed a creature. You can still take damage from area spells though, so keep that in mind.

Level 3

• The Spiritual Weapon summons a spectral weapon that attacks alongside you. It offers 4-11 damage and has a range of 18 meters.
• The Warding Bond spell wards an ally. The ally gains resistance to all damage and gets a +1 bonus to their Armour Class and Saving Throw.

Level 4

• As for the Cantrip, you can choose whichever one you want, as they don’t influence the healer aspect of your build.
• In the case of Feat, you need to select Ability Improvement and increase your Wisdom stat from 16 to 18.
• In terms of which spell to learn in BG3, the Level 2 spell- Hold Person, will be the best choice for your BEST Healer build 2023.

The Hold Person spell allows you to hold a humanoid enemy. The enemy unfortunate enough to be under the influence of this spell can’t move, attack, or react. So, all attacks within a 3-meter radius will always be Critical Hits. The spell itself has a range of 18 meters.

Level 5

• With the Destroy Undead feature, the creature will also take 4-24 Radiant damage after you successfully turn it undead.
• The Beacon of Hope, on the other hand, makes sure that your allies regain the maximum hit points possible when healed while also gaining an advantage on Wisdom Saving Throws and Death Saving Throws.
• Revivify is used to revive a companion with one hit point.

In terms of which spells to use, players will gain access to level 3 spells once they hit level 5. For the two brand new slots that you have just unlocked, I will recommend choosing the Spirit Guardians spell and the Protection from Energy spell. But that’s not all; you also need to remove the Hold Person spell and exchange it with the Mass Healing Word Spell.

• The Spirit Guardians spell call forth spirits to protect you. It has a range of 3 meters, and nearby enemies take 3-24 Radiant damage or Necromatic damage.
• The Protection from Energy spell grants the target resistance to Fire, Lightning, Thunder, Cold, or Acid damage.
• Finally, the Mass Healing Word offers 5-8 healing and can heal up to 6 allies. It has a range of 18 meters.

Level 6

This one is not as lengthy as level 5, as reaching level 6 doesn’t offer much to your character. Players will unlock the Blessed Healer feature, which gives them the ability to heal themselves as they are healing others. 

At level 6, players will also unlock one new spell slot, but at this level in BG3, they can choose whichever spell they want for their BEST Healer build in Baldurs Gate 3.

Level 7

At level 7, players will gain two more Life Domain spells- The Death Ward and Guardian of Faith:

• The Guardians of Faith spell can call forth divine guardians that attack nearby enemies, but every time it deals damage, the guardian also loses an equal amount of hit points.
• The Death Ward skill protects the target from death. Suppose the target was to receive enough damage from an attack that was supposed to reduce its hit point to zero. The target will remain conscious with one hit point.

Aside from the Life Domain spells, players will also gain an extra spell slot and access to level 4 spells. From these spells, I will recommend selecting the Freedom of Movement spell, as it will allow you to snap an ally out of Stun, and Difficult Terrain won’t be able to slow them down.

Level 8

In terms of spells, players can choose the spell of their choice, and in terms of feats, you will need to choose War Caster. This gives you the War Caster: Concentration feature that gives you an advantage on Saving Throws to maintain Concentration on a spell.

Level 9

Once you hit level 9, you will gain access to two new Life Domain spells named the Mass Cure Wound and the Great Restoration.

• Mass Cure Wound offers 7-28 healing.
• The Greater Restoration spell negates charm, petrification, or Stun when used on the inflicted target.

At this level, players will also gain access to level 5 spells and a new spell slot. At the same time, you don’t exactly need these spells for a healer build. I will recommend getting the Flame Strike and Contagion in your arsenal by exchanging a spell that you’ve chosen on your own previously.

• The Contagion spell can poison your target, afflicting them with a disease of your choice.
• The Flame Strike offers 10-60 damage, with 5d6 fire damage and +5d6 Radiant damage.

Level 10

You are nearly at the end of creating the BEST Healer build in BG3 2023. At level 10, you will gain a new class feature named the Divine Intervention, which is used to invoke your God’s aid. Be warned, though, that this feature can only be used once throughout your playthrough.

Aside from the feature, players will gain one extra spell slot and a Cantrip slot. You can select whichever spell and cantrip you want at this level.

Level 11

At level 11, players will only gain one extra spell slot and also access to level 6 spells. Here, just select a spell that you chose on your own previously, alongside the level 2 Warding Bond and Spiritual Weapon spell, and exchange them with the level 6- Heal, Harm, and Heroes Feast spell.

• The Heal spell offers a whopping 70 healing to the target. 
• The Harm spell does 14-84 damage with 14d6 Necromatic damage.
• The Heroes Feast makes you and everyone around you immune to poison, disease, or fear. Your HP also increases, thus making it one of the ideal spells for the best healer build in Baldurs Gate 3.

Level 12

Here, you can choose the spell of your choice, and as for the feat, select Ability Improvement and increase your Constitution to 18. And with that, my guide on the BEST Healer build in Baldurs Gate 3 comes to an end. 

My Thoughts on The Healer Build

I am mostly a wreckless player, so I like to sacrifice my players for the sake of the fight. Granted, it is an expensive strategy, but it is effective nonetheless. However, healing is quite important in Baldur’s Gate 3, in and out of combat, especially if you want to recruit certain companions and they are about to die.

As mentioned above, Clerics are the best healers, and I would suggest going with the best Cleric of them all, Shadowheart. Her utility is already more than enough what your team would need, and she packs a punch as well. Just make sure you don’t keep healing the cleric and heal your team, too, unless your cleric is also filling a tank role.

I hope my guide helped you out. While you are at it, why not read the BEST Magic Items and the BEST Companions guide as well? Or why not check out this subreddit post where different people give their opinions on how to create the best healer?

But that is all from me. Is this your first time playing Baldur’s Gate 3, or have you already ended it and just want to play as a healer now? Please let me know in the comment section below.

Next:

• BG3: BEST Race and Ability Points for Bard 
• BG3: How to get to the Underdark Region
• BG3: How to defeat Lava Elemental Boss