Shadowheart is one of the most versatile and essential companions in Baldur’s Gate 3. As a High Half-Elf Cleric, she excels as a healer, support, and even a frontline tank, depending on her subclass and build. Whether you want her to be a dedicated healer, a radiant damage dealer, or a lore-friendly Trickery Domain specialist, this guide will help you optimize her for any playstyle.

This 2025 updated guide covers the best Shadowheart builds, including Life Cleric, Light Domain, War Domain, and multiclass options, as well as her best spells, feats, gear, and level progression. By the end, you’ll have a fully optimized Shadowheart who can dominate in combat, support your party, and align with her rich lore.

Why Shadowheart is a Must-Have Companion

Shadowheart is the only companion in Baldur’s Gate 3 who starts as a Cleric, making her the best healer in the game. Her Wisdom-based spellcasting allows her to cast powerful healing and buff spells, while her High Half-Elf racial traits provide additional utility with Fey Ancestry and Darkvision. She also plays a central role in the story, with deep lore ties to Shar and the Absolute, making her a compelling character for roleplay.

Her default subclass, Trickery Domain, is lore-friendly but can be respecced early into more powerful options like Life Domain for healing or Light Domain for radiant damage. With the right build, Shadowheart can:

• Heal your party with spells like Cure Wounds, Mass Healing Word, and Preserve Life.
• Buff allies using Bless, Aid, and Shield of Faith.
• Debuff and control enemies with Command, Hold Person, and Spirit Guardians.
• Tank damage with heavy armor and defensive spells like Warding Bond.
• Deal radiant or necrotic damage with spells like Guiding Bolt and Inflict Wounds.
• Support stealth and exploration with proficiencies in Stealth, Perception, and Sleight of Hand.

Best Shadowheart Builds in Baldur’s Gate 3

1. Shadowheart Life Cleric Build (Best Healer)

The Life Cleric build transforms Shadowheart into the ultimate healer and support for your party. This build maximizes her healing output and group utility, making her indispensable in tough battles.

Key Features:

• Disciple of Life: Healing spells restore additional hit points equal to 2 + the spell’s level.
• Preserve Life: A powerful Channel Divinity option that heals multiple allies without using spell slots.
• Heavy Armor Proficiency: Allows her to wear the best defensive gear in the game.
• Blessed Healer: Healing others also restores her own hit points, improving survivability.

Recommended Subclass Features:

• Level 1: Disciple of Life, Heavy Armor Proficiency, Bless, Cure Wounds
• Level 2: Preserve Life (Channel Divinity)
• Level 3: Aid, Lesser Restoration
• Level 5: Revivify, Beacon of Hope
• Level 6: Blessed Healer (self-healing passive)
• Level 8: Divine Strike (Life) (adds radiant damage to melee attacks)

Best Spells for Life Cleric Shadowheart:

• Cantrips: Sacred Flame, Guidance, Thaumaturgy
• Level 1: Cure Wounds, Bless, Shield of Faith, Guiding Bolt
• Level 2: Spiritual Weapon, Aid, Lesser Restoration
• Level 3: Mass Healing Word, Revivify, Spirit Guardians
• Level 4: Death Ward, Guardian of Faith
• Level 5: Greater Restoration, Mass Cure Wounds

Ability Scores (Life Cleric):

• Strength: 10
• Dexterity: 14
• Constitution: 16
• Intelligence: 8
• Wisdom: 18 (max for spellcasting)
• Charisma: 10

Best Feats for Life Cleric Shadowheart:

• Level 4: Ability Improvement (Wisdom +2)
• Level 8: War Caster (advantage on concentration saves)
• Level 12: Alert (improves initiative)

2. Shadowheart Light Domain Build (Best Radiant Damage Dealer)

The Light Domain build turns Shadowheart into a radiant damage powerhouse, ideal for players who want her to deal high single-target and AoE damage while still providing healing and support.

Key Features:

• Fire of Life: Deal extra radiant damage with spells like Sacred Flame and Guiding Bolt.
• Warding Flare: Impose disadvantage on attacks against allies.
• Corona of Light: Blind enemies in a radius around her.

Recommended Subclass Features:

• Level 1: Fire of Life, Warding Flare
• Level 2: Radiance of the Dawn (Channel Divinity)
• Level 6: Improved Fire of Life (extra radiant damage)
• Level 8: Divine Strike (Light)

Best Spells for Light Domain Shadowheart:

• Cantrips: Sacred Flame, Light, Fire Bolt
• Level 1: Guiding Bolt, Burning Hands, Faerie Fire
• Level 2: Flaming Sphere, Scorching Ray
• Level 3: Fireball, Spirit Guardians
• Level 4: Guardian of Faith, Wall of Fire

Ability Scores (Light Domain):

• Strength: 10
• Dexterity: 14
• Constitution: 14
• Intelligence: 8
• Wisdom: 18
• Charisma: 10

Best Feats for Light Domain Shadowheart:

• Level 4: Elemental Adept (Radiant) (ignores radiant resistance)
• Level 8: War Caster
• Level 12: Spell Sniper (extends spell range)

3. Shadowheart War Domain Build (Best Tank)

The War Domain build turns Shadowheart into a frontline tank who can deal melee damage while supporting her allies with buffs and healing.

Key Features:

• War Priest: Gain bonus attacks after casting spells.
• Guided Strike: Grant allies a +10 bonus to attack rolls.
• Divine Strike (War): Deal extra weapon damage.

Recommended Subclass Features:

• Level 1: War Priest, Guided Strike
• Level 2: War God’s Blessing (Channel Divinity)
• Level 6: Divine Strike (War)

Best Spells for War Domain Shadowheart:

• Cantrips: Booming Blade, Sacred Flame
• Level 1: Divine Favor, Shield of Faith
• Level 2: Magic Weapon, Spiritual Weapon
• Level 3: Spirit Guardians, Revivify

Ability Scores (War Domain):

• Strength: 14
• Dexterity: 12
• Constitution: 16
• Intelligence: 8
• Wisdom: 16
• Charisma: 10

Best Feats for War Domain Shadowheart:

• Level 4: Great Weapon Master (if using two-handed weapons)
• Level 8: War Caster
• Level 12: Sentinel (improves melee control)

Shadowheart Multiclass Builds

1. Shadowheart Fighter/Cleric Multiclass (Best Tank)

Multiclassing Shadowheart into a Fighter turns her into an unkillable tank with access to Action Surge, Second Wind, and heavy armor mastery.

Recommended Levels:

• Cleric 6 / Fighter 6

Key Features:

• Action Surge: Cast two spells in one turn.
• Defense Fighting Style: +1 AC while wearing armor.
• Eldritch Knight: Gain access to Booming Blade and Shield spells.

Best Spells for Fighter/Cleric Shadowheart:

• Cantrips: Booming Blade, Sacred Flame
• Level 1: Shield of Faith, Guiding Bolt
• Level 2: Spiritual Weapon, Magic Weapon

2. Shadowheart Rogue/Cleric Multiclass (Best Stealth & Utility)

Multiclassing Shadowheart into a Rogue enhances her stealth, mobility, and skill proficiencies, making her a versatile scout and support.

Recommended Levels:

• Cleric 5 / Rogue 3

Key Features:

• Sneak Attack: Deal extra damage when attacking with advantage.
• Cunning Action: Dash, Disengage, or Hide as a bonus action.
• Expertise: Double proficiency bonus in Stealth and Perception.

Best Spells for Rogue/Cleric Shadowheart:

• Cantrips: Guidance, Mage Hand
• Level 1: Cure Wounds, Disguise Self

Shadowheart Level Progression Guide

Levels 1–4: Early Game Setup

At Level 1, focus on:

• Respec Shadowheart into Life Domain using Withers in camp.
• Maximize Wisdom and Constitution for spellcasting and survivability.
• Equip her with the best heavy armor and shield available.
• Use Sacred Flame and Guiding Bolt for damage.
• Prioritize Cure Wounds and Bless for healing and buffing.

Levels 5–8: Mid-Game Power Spike

At Level 5, unlock:

• Mass Healing Word (AoE healing).
• Spirit Guardians (AoE damage and control).
• Revivify (revive fallen allies).

At Level 6, gain:

• Blessed Healer (self-healing passive).
• Glyph of Warding (AoE damage trap).

Levels 9–12: Late Game Dominance

At Level 9, unlock:

• Greater Restoration (remove curses and debuffs).
• Mass Cure Wounds (powerful AoE healing).

At Level 12, take the Alert or War Caster feat for improved initiative or concentration.

Best Gear for Shadowheart

Weapons:

• Blood of Lathander (best mace for healing and damage).
• Cazador’s Woe (best staff for radiant damage).
• The Whispering Promise (best dagger for stealth builds).

Armor:

• Adamantine Scale Mail (best heavy armor for tanking).
• Helmet of Arcane Acuity (improves spell save DC).
• Cloak of Protection (boosts saving throws).

Accessories:

• Amulet of the Devout (extra Channel Divinity charge).
• Ring of Regeneration (passive healing).
• Boots of Striding and Springing (improves mobility).

Pro Tips for Shadowheart

• Pre-buff before combat: Cast Bless and Shield of Faith before battles to maximize their duration.
• Use Spiritual Weapon: Summon it as a bonus action for extra damage and distraction.
• Position her safely: Keep her in the second row to avoid melee attacks while still supporting allies.
• Maximize concentration: Avoid taking damage while concentrating on spells like Bless or Spirit Guardians.
• Respec for lore: If you want to stay lore-friendly, keep her as a Trickery Domain Cleric but optimize her ability scores and spells.
• Use Elixirs: Elixir of Universal Resistance makes her nearly invincible in tough fights.
• Prioritize Wisdom: Always increase Wisdom at level-ups for better spellcasting.
• Combine heals: Use Mass Healing Word + Preserve Life for massive AoE healing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How do I respec Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3?

You can respec Shadowheart by talking to Withers in camp. It costs 100 gold and allows you to change her class, subclass, ability scores, and spells.

2. What is the best subclass for Shadowheart?

The Life Domain is the best subclass for a healer/support build, while Light Domain is ideal for a damage-focused build. War Domain is best for a tanky melee build.

3. Can Shadowheart be romanced?

Yes, Shadowheart is a romanceable companion. To unlock her romance, complete her personal quest and make dialogue choices that align with her values.

4. What are the best feats for Shadowheart?

The best feats are War Caster (for concentration), Ability Improvement (Wisdom), and Alert (for initiative).

5. Should I multiclass Shadowheart?

Multiclassing is optional but can be powerful. Fighter/Cleric is best for tanking, while Rogue/Cleric enhances stealth and utility.

6. What is the best armor for Shadowheart?

The Adamantine Scale Mail is the best heavy armor for tanking, while light or medium armor works for stealth builds.

7. How do I maximize Shadowheart’s approval?

Shadowheart approves of compassionate, selfless, and Shar-aligned choices. Avoid cruel or chaotic actions.

Conclusion

Shadowheart is one of the most versatile and powerful companions in Baldur’s Gate 3. Whether you build her as a Life Cleric healer, a Light Domain damage dealer, or a War Domain tank, she can adapt to any party role. By following this guide, you’ll have a fully optimized Shadowheart who excels in healing, support, and combat.

Experiment with different builds, gear, and playstyles to find what works best for your party. With the right setup, Shadowheart will be an indispensable asset in your journey through the Forgotten Realms.