Rules edition: This build uses the 2014 cleric rules and the Forge Domain from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. Species options and ability score increases vary by source and table; use the versions your DM allows.
A Forge Domain cleric is a durable full caster who can hold a frontline position while protecting allies and controlling space. Heavy armor, a daily equipment blessing, and fire resistance support that role, but the build still depends on Wisdom, concentration, and choosing the right spell for the encounter. You are hard to hit; you are not required to stand still and absorb every attack.
What the Forge Domain gives you
At cleric level 1, Bonus Proficiencies grants proficiency with heavy armor and smith’s tools. Blessing of the Forge lets you touch one nonmagical suit of armor or simple or martial weapon at the end of a long rest. Until the end of your next long rest or your death, the item becomes magical and grants +1 AC if it is armor, or +1 to attack and damage rolls if it is a weapon. You can use the feature once per long rest. Choose one item; the feature does not bless both armor and a weapon at once.
At level 2, Artisan’s Blessing gives you a second Channel Divinity option. In a one-hour ritual, you can create one nonmagical object that contains some metal and is worth no more than 100 gp by presenting metal that includes the object’s metal components. It is useful for practical gear and repairs, but it does not replace a magic item or a skilled craftsperson for every project.
At level 6, Soul of the Forge grants fire resistance and a +1 AC bonus while you wear heavy armor. At level 8, Divine Strike adds 1d8 fire damage to one weapon hit on each of your turns, increasing to 2d8 at level 14. At level 17, Saint of Forge and Fire grants fire immunity and resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks while you wear heavy armor.
These defenses stack in useful ways, but AC depends on your actual armor and equipment. Plate armor is AC 18; a shield adds 2, Soul of the Forge adds 1, and Blessing of the Forge can add another 1 if you place it on that armor. Plate is expensive and heavy, and the blessing could instead improve an ally’s weapon.
Ability scores and species
Wisdom is your main ability. It sets your cleric spell save DC and spell attack modifier, so prioritize it. Constitution helps you maintain concentration and survive close combat. Strength matters if you want to use melee weapons and wear plate armor, which requires Strength 15 to avoid its speed penalty. Dexterity still affects initiative and Dexterity saves.
One legal 27-point-buy array before species bonuses is Strength 15, Dexterity 8, Constitution 14, Intelligence 8, Wisdom 15, Charisma 10. A table using the 2014 standard array can instead assign 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, and 8 among the abilities. Apply only the species bonuses from the rules version your group selected; Tasha’s optional origin rules and the revised 2024 rules change how those bonuses work.
Choose a species for the campaign and character you want to play, not because the domain requires one. A dwarf fits the smithing theme and has useful defenses; a species with a feat can help with concentration; and many other choices work well. If you use a legacy species with fixed ability increases, check that its source is allowed before building the array around it.
Feats and concentration
War Caster is useful when you often have a weapon and shield in hand: it helps with concentration saves, permits somatic components while your hands are occupied in the situations described by the feat, and can let you cast a qualifying one-action spell as an opportunity attack. That spell must target only the provoking creature. Spiritual Weapon is not eligible because it takes a bonus action to cast, and it is not an opportunity-attack spell.
Resilient (Constitution) is another strong concentration choice, especially if it raises an odd Constitution score. You usually want one dependable concentration plan rather than spending every feat on defense. Heavy Armor Master reduces bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks by 3 per attack. An increase to Wisdom improves nearly every cleric spell that calls for a save or attack roll.
Forge Domain spells
Your domain spells are always prepared and do not count against the number of cleric spells you prepare. The 2014 list is: identify and searing smite at cleric level 1; heat metal and magic weapon at level 3; elemental weapon and protection from energy at level 5; fabricate and wall of fire at level 7; and animate objects and creation at level 9.
Heat metal is especially effective against a creature wearing or holding a metal object. It requires concentration. The initial casting deals damage, and on later turns you can use a bonus action to deal damage again; a creature holding the object may also suffer disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks as described by the spell. It is less useful against foes without suitable metal gear, so keep other concentration options prepared.
How to fight as a Forge cleric
At low levels, decide who benefits most from Blessing of the Forge. A martial ally may gain more from a +1 weapon, while extra AC can help a character who expects to be attacked. Use your action for a spell, cantrip, or weapon attack based on the situation. Bless supports several allies but uses concentration; shield of faith also uses concentration, so you cannot maintain both at once.
At cleric level 5, spirit guardians becomes a powerful area-control spell. It requires concentration, deals damage when an affected creature enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, and halves the speed of affected creatures. It does not make the area difficult terrain. Position to catch enemies while leaving allies room to move, and remember that damage can force concentration saves.
Under the 2014 rules, casting a spell as a bonus action means you cannot cast another spell that turn except an action cantrip. Because spiritual weapon takes a bonus action to cast, you cannot cast it on the same turn as the action spell spirit guardians. On a later turn, the already-cast weapon can be moved or used to attack as a bonus action; that use is not casting a spell. The 2014 version of spiritual weapon has no concentration requirement, so it can remain active alongside spirit guardians.
Choose between concentration spells such as spirit guardians, heat metal, and bless rather than treating them as a single routine. Your bonus action may also be needed for healing word, a later spiritual weapon attack, or another feature. Your action remains flexible: attack, cast a cantrip, heal, or use a leveled spell when the turn’s bonus-action choice allows it.
At level 17, Saint of Forge and Fire makes you immune to fire damage while wearing heavy armor, but spells such as flame strike also deal radiant damage. Fire immunity does not erase that other damage type. Read each spell’s damage and area before choosing where to stand.
Official Rules Sources
- Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (Forge Domain)
- 2014 Basic Rules: Cleric
- 2014 Player’s Handbook errata: Heavy Armor Master
- 2014 Basic Rules: casting time and bonus-action spells
- 2014 Basic Rules: spells, including spirit guardians and spiritual weapon
- Sage Advice Compendium (2014): bonus-action spell interactions
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