Flaming swords and magical tomes of unbridled power. Magic dispelling plates and flying boots. Magical items are a staple in Dungeons & Dragons history, making everyone drool over that one shield that will complement their character’s eyelashes oh so goodly.
As one of the most popular classes in 5th edition, the cleric is a divine powerhouse that combines the miraculous magic of their gods with martial prowess fit for crusading. Like all adventurers, there is a whole arsenal of righteous blades and blessed armors to help you, oh devote one, retake the holy land!
These are our recommendations for the best all-around weapons and armors to outfit your cleric in 5th edition, to turn your already sublime scion to the next level! We’ll be using options from the Dungeon Master’s Guide (DMG), Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount (AGtW), Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything (TCoE), and Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (XGtE).
Keep in mind that magical items are an optional rule in 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons, so make sure to ask your Dungeon Master if they allow them before ordering their favorite pizza and slipping them five bucks under the table before asking for one of the following items!
10. Adamantine Armor
Wrought out of an extremely hard, black metal, this coveted armor has saved many lives.
Adamantine armor is an uncommon magical armor that offers a unique kind of protection for anyone lucky enough to pilfer one from an underground fortress filled with angry dwarves.
Fashioned out of one of the strongest substances in existence, wearing armor made of adamantine gives your cleric the ability to turn any critical hit inflicted upon them into a normal hit; Truly a gift of the gods.
Why Adamantine Armor is great.
- Fear no luck. The ability to turn all critical hits into normal ones is insanely good, yes, it doesn’t increase your Armor Class, but it mitigates one of the most painful sources of damage in 5th edition with no exceptions nor daily limits.
- Free of charge. Unlike most magical items, wearing Adamantine Armor doesn’t take an attunement slot, so you can shrug off critical hits while still looking out for more magical items.
- One size fits all. Since Adamantine can be used to fashion either medium or heavy armor, your cleric doesn’t have to worry about having the right proficiency for this amazing armor set!
Adamantine Armor details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Adamantine%20Armor#content
9. Mace of Disruption
Blessed by the might of the gods, this magical mace is a must-have for any battle-priest ready to visit the wrath of their deity on the legions of hell as well as the ravenous hordes of the dead.
Attacks made with this finely crafted mace deal an extra 2d6 radiant against fiends and undead, common foes in the life of a battle-hardened cleric. As if it weren’t enough, if the target has 25 Hit Points or left, they could be instantly destroyed, how good is that?
Why the Mace of Disruption is great.
- Divine destruction. Fiends and undead are the bread and butter enemies in most holy excursions, so any weapon which grants you the ability to flat out annihilate a foe it strikes no matter the damage done is a godsend.
- Right up your alley. Maces are one of the most recommended and common weapons for clerics, wielding this bad boy won’t take you out of your area of expertise while it offers a whole world of foe for the impious hosts.
Mace of Disruption details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Mace%20of%20Disruption#content
8. Spellguard Shield
Scintillating colors reflect off of this shield just as easily as spells do.
Don’t you hate it when you are about to split open an infidel’s skull, but in the very last second they utter mad words of eldritch magic, and suddenly you are sitting on your back while they run away? We got you covered.
Blanketed by protective wards, the Spellguard Shield gives your cleric advantage on Saving Throws against magical effects, including spells, thus increasing your chances to survive one of Dungeons & Dragons’ most dangerous threats.
Why the Spellguard Shield is great.
- Never be stopped. Sure, getting hit hurts, but spending turns paralyzed, charmed, and similar is grating. This shield gives you an edge, a permanent advantage against magical effects that potentially mitigates the most punishing status effects in 5th edition.
- Perfect preparation. The myriad perils of the world are impossible to account for, however, with this shield you no longer need to worry about individual effects, but rather be protected against all of those of magical nature in exchange for a single attunement slot. Sign me up!
Spellguard Shield details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Spellguard%20Shield#content
7. Duskcrusher
The dreaded vampire lord begs for mercy as the inquisitor brings down the fury of the sun upon its charred form. The raw power of sunlight can be channeled to cleanse the land of all darkness.
Found in the Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount, this +2 Warhammer manifests a radiant head to strike its foes which deals an extra 1d8 radiant damage to undead.
But wait, there’s more! While the radiant head is active, you call forth divine retribution by casting the Sunbeam spell from the weapon. What more can a devout follower of Father Sun ask for?
Why the Duskcrusher is great
- Radiant punishment. While the radiant head is active, Duskcrusher deals radiant damage instead of bludgeoning, perfect for those situations in which the foes you face just can’t be brought down conventionally.
- A powerful miracle. The ability to cast a 6th level spell out of a weapon is nothing to scoff at. This means you could free up your 6th level slot to cast something else as well as flat out grant your cleric a powerful tool to play with.
Duskcrusher details: http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/wondrous-items:duskcrusher
6. Armor of Invulnerability
Clad from head to toe in plate, fear no blade and feel no arrow, for no mundane blow shall take you.
A little bit jealous of the raging barbarian’s imperviousness? It’s ok, the gods have heard your prayers and parted the skies so you could surround yourself with their protection…if you take from the cold corpse of the fallen angel coming straight at you!
By attuning to this armor, your cleric gains resistance to nonmagical damage, that’s right, all nonmagical damage. This means that even elemental damage such as fire or lightning is halved as long as they are not from a magical source.
If you wish to do something particularly reckless, foolish, and brave, you can say goodbye to pain, because as an action, you can become immune to nonmagical damage for 10 minutes, looking like the gods whose words you carry to those you bring into the light.
Why the Armor of Invulnerability is great
- Being durable. Resistance to all nonmagical damage is no joke since most of the enemies in 5th edition don’t deal magical damage until the higher tiers of play. You can stride around the battlefield like a god blessed juggernaut and there’s nothing those infidels can do about it…except stripping you.
- Superb AC. The Armor of Invulnerability is a set of plate. This means that, besides resistance to all nonmagical damage, it will grant you a whopping 18 Armor Class just by wearing it.
Armor of Invulnerability details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Armor%20of%20Invulnerability#content
5. Moonblade
An artifact of great power and value, the Moonblade is truly a treasure to behold.
Zealously guarded and treated with the utmost respect, this sentient weapon allows only pure-hearted elves, and sometimes even half-elves, to carry it into battle.
A moonblade is a +1 longsword with a rune of power on it for each master it has served. This powerful weapon gets even better with age, for every rune on its blade gives it a magical property that grants it other magical item’s powers!
Why the Moonblade is great
- Versatility on demand. A Moonblade usually begins with 1d6 + 1 runes etched on its blade. Each rune beyond the first grants the Moonblade an additional property determined by the DM, some of which completely copy other powerful magic items, possibly granting you the benefits of many objects in one.
- A faithful companion. Unlike most other items, a Moonblade is sentient. This grants you a powerful ally who can be aware of the land surrounding you, grant advice, and sing elven lullabies when your cleric needs a good night’s rest.
Moonblade details: http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/wondrous-items:moonblade
4. Staff of Healing
Broken bones, a crushed throat, or a punctured lung, nothing is beyond the miraculous magic of the divine
Spellcasting is the main feature of any spellcasting class. And while clerics are so much more than healers and caretakers, they do have access to the widest selection of healing spells in 5th edition. This generally leads to the belief that you must use all of your precious spell slots to heal others, but what if it didn’t have to be that way?
The Staff of Healing has 10 charges which your cleric can expend to cast the cure wounds, lesser restoration, and mass cure wounds spells. This means you can preserve your precious spell slots for something other than healing without giving up on keeping your children up and running.
Why the Staff of Healing is great
- Resource management. Being a spellcaster in 5th edition is all about managing the finite resources that are spell slots. As an item devoted exclusively to healing, this staff is a must-have for anyone who wishes to save up their spell slots for big fights.
- More choices. As a cleric, you can prepare spells equal to your level plus your Wisdom modifier, which means every prepared spell counts. A Staff of Healing lightens the load by letting you not pick those spells for any given adventuring day.
Staff of Healing details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Staff%20of%20Healing
3. Amulet of the Devout
The cleric’s miracle-like spells excel not only in healing, but at controlling the battlefield and bathing their foes in debilitating effects and harm, which is why it’s always great when they land.
An Amulet of the Devout grants a +1 to +3 bonus to spell attack rolls and the saving throw DCs based on its rarity, thus greatly increasing the power of your spells to make you feel like the god-driven avatar that you are!
Why the Amulet of the Devout is great
- Bound accuracy. In 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons, every number counts. A single digit can be the difference between saving the world or succumbing to the dark lord’s minions, and the Amulet of the Devout does exactly that.
- Far and wide in between. Unlike past editions of Dungeons & Dragons, items that increase your Spell saving throw DCs are scarce, and, since otherwise they only raise when your Wisdom does, this is the best way to ramp those numbers up.
Amulet of the Devout details: http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/wondrous-items:amulet-of-the-devout
2. Necklace of Prayer Beads
Reflecting the light of the morning sun, this necklace carries beads fashioned out of aquamarine, topaz, and more, each holding the power to release the miracles which your cleric channels as spells.
Wearing this necklace greatly bolsters your cleric’s magical repertoire, from imparting a divine blessing to summoning the demons of the abyss into and coercing them into building a house.
Why the Necklace of Prayer Beads is great
- Fashionable power. This necklace has 2 to 6 prayer beads capable of releasing useful spells, some of these beads can even hold the same spells, giving you a nice repertoire of extra spells to play with.
- Utility on demand. Each bead holds a powerful spell that can be reused every day. This means you can plan the rest of your prepared spells around them, so you’ll likely find spells that fit your needs for specific situations.
Necklace of Prayer Beads details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Necklace%20of%20Prayer%20Beads#content
1. Talisman of Pure Good / Talisman of Ultimate Evil
Embodying the might of true goodness or raw, unfathomable evil, this Talisman has the potential to bring out the best of your cleric’s abilities…or turn them into cinders for overstepping their bounds.
While this talisman punishes creatures who are of the wrong alignment who touch it, it grants a +2 bonus to spell attack rolls while you wear or hold it.
An Amulet of the Devout is indeed more widely useful, however, this artifact which represents a whole axis of the cosmology has the unique ability to force an opponent to pass a DC 20, save-or-suck effect which completely takes them out of the game.
Why the Talisman of Pure Good / Talisman of Ultimate Evil are great
- Bosses be gone. These talismans have 7 charges, each of which can force a creature of evil or good alignment respectively, to make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by a planar fissure and be destroyed with nothing left behind. Absolutely savage.
- Vicious magic. A +2 bonus to your Spell Attack means that you can make sure more of your spells land. This way your righteous blessings will leave no foe unscathed.
Talisman of Pure Good details: https://roll20.net/compendium/dnd5e/Talisman%20of%20Pure%20Good#content
Talisman of Ultimate Evil details: http://https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/talisman-of-ultimate-evil#:~:text=This%20item%20symbolizes%20unrepentant%20evil.&text=A%20good%20creature%20takes%208d6,holding%20or%20carrying%20the%20talisman.
If you enjoy reading through ancient tomes of unfathomable mysteries or share raucous tales of adventuring bravado in the tavern, you could like:
