Channel Divinity 5e

A Cleric’s and Paladin’s Guide to Channel Divinity in 5e

If you’re drawn to the divine—whether as a stalwart Cleric or a righteous Paladin—you’ve likely been gifted the Channel Divinity feature as you’ve leveled up. This class feature lets you tap into your deity’s or oath’s power to turn the tide of battle, whether by repelling undead or empowering your very attacks with holy energy.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the many ways you can Channel Divinity as a Paladin or Cleric in 5e, and how to best employ these righteous gifts.

What is Channel Divinity?

Channel Divinity is a class feature available to Clerics (at level 2) and Paladins (at level 3), allowing them to tap directly into divine energy. While Channel Divinity effects may seem like spells, they are simply special abilities bestowed to the Cleric or Paladin because of the connection to their deity or oath.

Saving from Channel Divinity Effects

If a Channel Divinity ability requires a saving throw, the DC equals your spell save DC—calculated as:

8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your spellcasting ability modifier

For example, a level 5 Cleric with a Wisdom score of 16 (+3) would have a Channel Divinity save DC of 14 (8 + 3 proficiency + 3 Wisdom)

The same goes for Paladins, but they use their Charisma as their spellcasting ability modifier.

Channel Divinity for Clerics

Starting at level 2, Clerics gain access to the Channel Divinity feature. You can expend a use of your Channel Divinity to invoke a divine effect. At level 2, you get 2 uses, and the amount of uses increases as you level up:

Clerics begin with two Channel Divinity effects—Divine Spark and Turn Undead—and gain additional options from your subclass at level 3.

Cleric Channel Divinity Effects

Divine Spark. This versatile option is new in the 2024 Player’s Handbook and lets you either heal or harm with a burst of divine energy.

• Action Type: Magic action
• Range: 30 feet
• Mechanics: Point your Holy Symbol at a creature you can see within 30 feet and roll 1d8, adding your Wisdom modifier to the result. You then choose one of two effects:
  • Healing: Restore Hit Points equal to the total rolled.
  • Offensive: Force the creature to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes Necrotic or Radiant damage (your choice) equal to the total; on a successful save, it takes half as much damage (rounded down).
• Scaling: At cleric levels 7, 13, and 18, you roll an additional d8—making it 2d8 at level 7, 3d8 at level 13, and 4d8 at level 18.

Turn Undead. This is a classic Cleric response ability that can be used to thwart Undead minions:

• Action Type: Magic action
• Range: 30 feet
• Mechanics: Present your Holy Symbol and select any number of Undead within 30 feet. Each chosen Undead must make a Wisdom saving throw (using your Cleric spell save DC). If an Undead fails, it becomes both Frightened and Incapacitated for 1 minute, and on each of its turns, it will try to move as far away from you as possible. This effect ends early if the Undead takes any damage, if you become Incapacitated, or if you die.

Subclass Specific. Each Cleric subclass in the 2024 Player’s Handbook has a unique use for Channel Divinity. For example, this is how the Life Domain Cleric can use theirs:

Level 3: Preserve Life

As a Magic action, you present your Holy Symbol and expend a use of your Channel Divinity to evoke healing energy that can restore a number of Hit Points equal to five times your Cleric level. Choose Bloodied creatures within 30 feet of yourself (which can include you), and divide those Hit Points among them. This feature can restore a creature to no more than half its Hit Point maximum.

Life Domain Cleric subclass – D&D Free Rules

Channel Divinity for Paladins

Paladins gain access to the Channel Divinity feature when they take their oath at level 3. The feature works the same as for Cleric–you can expend a use to invoke an effect–but they have different effects they can create and a different pace at which they gain Channel Divinity uses. At level 2, they get 2 uses, and at level 11, the number of uses increases 3:

Every Paladin has access to the Divine Sense Channel Divinity effects and they gain an additional option from their subclass at level 3.

Paladin Channel Divinity Effects

Divine Sense. This tool helps Paladins uncover hidden threats or sanctified places:

• Action Type: Bonus action
• Duration: Up to 10 minutes or until you become incapacitated
• Range: 60 feet
• Mechanics: Activate Divine Sense to detect the presence of Celestials, Fiends, and Undead. For the duration, you know the location and creature type of any such creature within 60 feet. Additionally, you detect any place or object that has been consecrated or desecrated, as if affected by the Hallow spell.

Subclass Specific. Each Paladin subclass in the 2024 Player’s Handbook has a unique use for Channel Divinity. For example, this is how the Oath of Devotion Paladin can use theirs:

Level 3: Sacred Weapon

When you take the Attack action, you can expend one use of your Channel Divinity to imbue one Melee weapon that you are holding with positive energy. For 10 minutes or until you use this feature again, you add your Charisma modifier to attack rolls you make with that weapon (minimum bonus of +1), and each time you hit with it, you cause it to deal its normal damage type or Radiant damage.

The weapon also emits Bright Light in a 20-foot radius and Dim Light 20 feet beyond that.

You can end this effect early (no action required). This effect also ends if you aren’t carrying the weapon.

Oath of Devotion Paladin subclass – D&D Free Rules