The point of this thread is to illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of the various classes based on D&D 5e and how they are meant to interact with one another as a team - because D&D is a team-based game. It's not meant to be played solo.
Let's start with Cleric.
Basic Cleric is meant to be a Tank, Buffer and Healer. Usually able to wear heavy armor and wield shields, they standardly start with AC 18 - this with chain mail and shield or scale mail, Dex +2 and shield. So, even at level 1, they are hard to hit. This is so that they can focus on buffing spells and healing even if enemies are surrounding them. They are the best healers in the game with lots more healing prowess than any other class, and clerics are one of the only classes that can revivify and raise dead. Yes, no one else in EA so far should be able to do these things. Only Cleric, Paladin and Artificer can use Revivify, and only Cleric Paladin and Bard can Raise Dead.
What's bad about clerics? What balances them out? Weapon proficiency sucks. It's not the worst, but it is rather limited. They also don't usually get multiple attacks even at higher levels, not like fighters, paladins and rangers. Their spells can be powerful, but even they are not standardly area effect fireball-like powers. Basically, they aren't meant to really be damage dealers. They are meant to be Tanks, Healers and Buffers, and they are vital to survival since they are one of the few who can put you back into the fight even if you die. No cleric usually means no resurrection, and you have to make do with lots of potions and such to stay alive. Oh, and they typically suck at stealth (Trickery Domain being an exception.)
Clerics are also limited by spell slots, and unlike wizards, they don't even get an ability to let them recover spell slots during short rest. This is made up for, though, by providing them with Channel Divinity which allows them to use a special power or two which IS recharged by a short rest. This is often the power to turn undead, destroy them or depending on the domain, the ability to heal a bit more or Invoke Duplicity or Cloak of Shadows or Destructive Wrath.
How are clerics, therefore, nerfed in BG3? Potions galore that can be used as Bonus actions which is more effective than cleric spells. They can also be thrown to heal others, so even Healing Word is made virtually worthless because of potions. Anyone can use Revivify scrolls. Anyone can use cleric scrolls to cast their spells and buff others (last I checked anyway). Anyone can boost their AC with height, making them tanks, and since stealth is so broken, clerics are even more lame because they can't effectively use one of the biggest gimmicks in the game. So, they wind up being one of the most useless classes in BG3 because lots of other things replace the things that make them most valuable. The only real thing that sets them apart in BG3 is their Channel Divinity. That's pretty much all they are good for.
I don't have time now, but I'll follow up with more of an in depth on each Domain for Cleric; their pluses and minuses in 5e and how they differ in BG3.
