Role-playing Games Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for gamemasters and players of tabletop, paper-and-pencil role-playing games. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
The number of spells a sorcerer can learn is listed in the PHB, e.g. a 5th level sorcerer can know 6 spells total. For a wizard, it says they learn 2 spells per level.
This however is not shown for the cleric. How many spells can a cleric learn(not prepare) per cleric level, not including domain spells?
None, because Clerics 'Prepare' their spells without having to learn them.
Clerics, Paladins, and Druids are unique spellcasters in that, unlike every other spellcaster, they do not learn a certain number of spells per level up. This means that they have the entire list of spells to work from. A cleric doesn't learn any spells mechanically, but they do prepare them, which means they do not have to learn them as they gain levels. The process of preparing spells is detailed in the PHB on page 58:
... you prepare the list of cleric spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the cleric spell list. When you do so, choose a number of spells... The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
(The cleric spell list it mentions is found starting on page 207.)
A 1st level Cleric can prepare a number of spells from the full list of 1st level spells equal to their Wisdom Modifier + Cleric Level per day. Once a Cleric, Druid, or Paladin reaches the proper level to gain 2nd level spell slots, again they can prepare spells from the full list of 2nd level spells. (The same section on page 58 gives a good example of a level 3 cleric, who has 1st and 2nd level spell slots.) You can then change your list of prepared spells in between long rests, which makes Clerics, Druids, and Paladins very versatile with their spells, as they can be changed to suit the needs of the party.
Clerics (and other classes like Wizard and Paladin) prepare spells, they don't know spells (like the Sorcerer, Warlock, Bard and Ranger). Read the 'Preparing and Casting Spell' entry in the Cleric's 'Spellcasting' section. They can prepare a number of spells equal to their Wis modifier + their Cleric level. A Cleric knows no spells (unless you want to count domain auto-prepared spells as 'known')
In the magic system of D&D, Clerics are a bit unique in that they get their spells from their deity. While technically, they don't know their spells, the still need to prepare them. While that's the mechanical answer, it seems that you're asking for the more practical answer...
The Cleric is also unique in how the total number of spells that he has prepared is computed. He prepares (Wisdom modifier + Cleric level) spells between long rests. IN ADDITION, he prepares the spells that the Players' Handbook says that his domain gives him at the levels when he can learn them. For example, a 3rd level Cleric of Life Domain with a Wisdom of 16 (Modifier +3), would prepare 3 Cantrips and 6 spells PLUS he would also have Bless, Cure Wounds, Lessor Restoration and Spiritual Weapon automatically prepared.
