1 spell per level for domains?

[ciaran00]

Is having only 1 spell per level in a domain a req'd or necessary thing? Can I have 5 per level? The domains in 3.5 phb seem to follow this rule...

ciaran

 

[WCrawford]

Is having only 1 spell per level in a domain a req'd or necessary thing? Can I have 5 per level? The domains in 3.5 phb seem to follow this rule...

ciaran

There is nothing that I have been able to find that specifically forbids more than one spell per level in any domain.

As a matter of game balance, I would not reccommend having more than 2-3 spells at a particular level, and all domains should be reworked in a similar manner.

Keeping the domains with one spell per level is by far the simplest way to do things, but then come the choice of which spells for domains that have different spell listings in multiple sources. My suggestion is to allow the player to choose the spell they wish to recieve when they are first able to access that spell. I would also allow the PC to change out that spell one time after gaining access to the next higher level spell on the list (or later).

 

[the Jester]

I think it's a balance issue- you only have two spells per level to choose from (from having two domains). I've noticed that characters that pick up more domains have a little extra oomph (from prcs or whathaveyou). I have a few magic items that allow you to spend time and xp to swap domain spells though (very specific items, eg. the Book of Time contains certain alternate time domain spells).

 

[Gez]

Some resources (like Relics & Rituals) propose alternate spells for domains, and it's true that when more spells are out there, some will be better suited than others.

I restrict it to one spell per level -- when several spells are possible, only one can be chosen, and don't change, ever (save wish or weird stuff).

 

[Ferox4]

Some resources (like Relics & Rituals) propose alternate spells for domains, and it's true that when more spells are out there, some will be better suited than others.

I restrict it to one spell per level -- when several spells are possible, only one can be chosen, and don't change, ever (save wish or weird stuff).

I agree.

Of course, if you wish, you can have 2-3 domain spells per level, but I think that the Cleric is plenty powerful already (sometimes too powerful) and it just seems to be overkill to give them access to yet more spells. What? They don't have enough as it is? Why don't we just give them Bard Domain, Druid Domain, Paladin Domain, Ranger Domain, Sorcerer Domain and Wizard Domain? Heck, let's just give them all the spells......

 

[dcollins]

Whether you're talking about making new Domains, or altering the existing ones, this belongs in House Rules.

 

[Pax]

Well, here's how I see it -- some domain powers are seriously blow-average (+1 caster level for healing spells? bah!). Expanding the domain's flexibility in terms of having 2 or 3 choices for some or all levels might make the domain more attractive to a prospective cleric, especially if more of those choices were not already Cleric spells to begin with, or were slightly shifted in level (getting X spell a level sooner, if you spend your domain slot on it, for example).

The value of a domain is (or at least should be) a combination of both the attractiveness/utility of the domain Power, and the attractiveness/utility of the domain spells.

 

[ciaran00]

Thanks for your answers!

 

[Beholder Bob]

In the book Quintessential Cleric, they propose alternate versions of domains - for example, the death domain has 3 variations, say 'lay to rest', 'dying and nature', and 'necromantic death magics' (I do not have the book on me, this is just an attempt to describe the 'flavor'). It still limits you to a single spell per spell level in a domain, but it does allow for a more interesting / accurate style to each domain. As an argument for domains not being intended to have more spells then 1 per level, in no splat book, either for core d20 or in FR splat, have they offered spells to add to a domains list. RR adds spells to the domain list, plumping up certain domains to extreme while leaving others barren. You could, as a HR, have a wider list of spells in domains - but have clerics choose their 'domain' list of a single spell per LV from the wider selection. Sort of like having several variants or subgroups of a church, each taking slightly different assortments from the domains. Perhaps you could, as per the sorcerer, allow them to swap out spells at certain levels...

Then again, this is getting overly complex. Just call it a feat to add 3 related spells to your domain selection, no more then 3 spells per domain spell level.

 

[WCrawford]

Whether you're talking about making new Domains, or altering the existing ones, this belongs in House Rules.

Actually, this situation comes up on occasion when using published materials. Just look at the Darkness Domain. There are variations in the FRCS, D&D, BoVD, and a host of 3rd party sources.

Each source uses spells from the PHB and from the new spell listings in the particular source.