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Faith Refined: The 2014 vs. 2024 Cleric – A Mechanical Breakdown

The Cleric has always embodied divine authority in Dungeons & Dragons, serving as both protector and conduit of divine power. Whether you’re turning the tide of battle with healing magic or channeling the wrath of your deity, the Cleric stands as a pillar of utility and durability. The 2024 revision of the Player’s Handbook doesn’t reinvent the Cleric—it refines, focuses, and buffs it in key ways to support modern play expectations.You can see more info about an all cleric party here. You can also check out the video of us talking about this topic over on YouTube here.

Let’s compare the two versions from a mechanical standpoint—no subclasses, just pure class design.

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1. Divine Domain Delay and Class Feature Frontloading

2014:

• Subclass (Divine Domain) chosen at Level 1.

• Many domain features kick in immediately.

• Leads to subclass identity being tightly entwined with Cleric identity from the start.

2024:

• Divine Domain now chosen at Level 3 (like most 2024 classes).

• Early class levels give more universal Cleric features before branching out.

🧠 Takeaway: The 2024 Cleric delays specialization to ensure all Clerics share a common foundation before diverging. This promotes balance and thematic cohesion early on.

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2. Channel Divinity: A Unified, Upgradable Core

2014:

• Gained at Level 2, usually used to Turn Undead or a subclass ability.

• 1 use per short/long rest, scaling to 2 uses at level 6 and 3 at level 18.

• Power of Channel Divinity varied drastically by domain.

2024:

• Also gained at Level 2, but now it’s a general-purpose feature with scaling effects.

• Now always includes Turn Undead and the ability to Heal using Channel Divinity, regardless of subclass.

• Uses per Proficiency Bonus, not fixed.

🧠 Takeaway: In 2024, Channel Divinity is reliable, flexible, and scales more consistently, allowing you to support your party without needing to specialize early.

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3. Spellcasting: More Structured, Less Overwhelming

2014:

• Full caster, preparing from the entire Cleric spell list each day.

• Strong flexibility, but could be overwhelming to newer players.

• Wisdom-based casting, tied to domain spells too.

2024:

• Still a full Wisdom-based caster, but now spells are drawn from a Divine spell group (shared with other divine casters like Paladins).

• Prepared list model remains, but with clearer thematic focus and fewer overwhelming options.

• New “Revelations” feature (see below) supplements spellcasting identity.

🧠 Takeaway: Spell prep is still central, but it’s more streamlined and thematically reinforced. Domain spells come later, and the Divine list is more curated.

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4. New Class Feature: Divine Revelations

2024 Only:

• Starting at Level 1, Clerics receive Revelations—innate magical abilities tied to divine power.

• These features supplement their spellcasting and combat ability, like casting Bless without expending a slot or gaining new reactions.

• They scale with levels and mirror the “invocations” style of design.

🧠 Takeaway: Revelations give Clerics more on-demand, spell-like utility and identity even before choosing a subclass.

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5. Turn Undead: Still Here, But Stronger and Smarter

2014:

• Classic Turn Undead begins at level 2 as a Channel Divinity option.

• Targets undead who fail a save flee for 1 minute or until damaged.

2024:

• Still gained at level 2 via Channel Divinity.

• Improved targeting mechanics, clearer duration/effects, and automatic scaling with proficiency.

• Later levels (via Destroy Undead) kick in more cleanly.

🧠 Takeaway: The undead-repelling staple is more tactically effective and simpler to resolve in combat.

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6. Font of Restoration: Short Rest Healing Boost

2024 Only:

• Starting at Level 5, you gain the Font of Restoration feature.

• You regain one expended spell slot of 3rd level or lower when you finish a Short Rest.

🧠 Takeaway: Font of Restoration is a powerful new mechanic that helps sustain Cleric casting over long adventuring days, rewarding short rest pacing—something often ignored in 5e.

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7. Divine Intervention: More Reliable, More Divine

2014:

• Level 10 feature.

• Call on your deity for aid; roll percentile dice, and succeed only on a roll ≤ your Cleric level.

• Once it works, can’t use it again for 7 days.

2024:

• Same idea, but more streamlined.

• At Level 20, success is automatic, with a more defined list of divine-level effects.

  

  The Entropy Domain gives clerics access to potent forces to “shield themselves from magic and annihilate arcane casters.” And they can summon a weird ball of void stuff too.

• Works once per long rest at that point.

🧠 Takeaway: The 2024 version removes the randomness and makes Divine Intervention a memorable capstone, not a gimmick.

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Final Verdict: Less Frontloaded, More Focused

The 2024 Cleric isn’t reinventing the holy wheel—it’s refining it. By delaying subclass choice, enhancing core features like Channel Divinity and Divine Intervention, and introducing new elements like Divine Revelations and Font of Restoration, the new Cleric is:

• Easier for new players

• More balanced at the table

• Built for consistency over chaos

If the 2014 Cleric was a buffet of divine power, the 2024 Cleric is a well-plated meal, focused, nourishing, and still powerful.

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TL;DR: Cleric Core Feature Comparison

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Do you prefer the older Cleric’s domain-rich identity right from Level 1 or the newer, cleaner core progression? Let me know which version of the holy healer fits your table best.

Thanks for reading. Until Next Time, Stay Nerdy!!