tombowings
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Underworld Domain
The underworld, the realm that houses the tortured and senseless spirits of the dead is an image universal to real world mythology and distinct from the Death domain presented in the Dungeon Masters Guide. While there is some amount of overlap, the death domain focuses on the creation of undead servants, the underworld domains is much subtler in its approach, bringing the sickness, disgust, and plagues that haunt the underworld out of netherworld and into the mortal realm.
Deities of the underworld are not universally evil. According to Greek myth, Hades performs many fewer immortal acts than his more esteemed brothers, Zeus and Poseidon. Perhaps the underworld god in your campaign is similar. Instead of a vile Lifetaker bent on the destruction of all life, she is instead a dark, gloomy sentinel that guards veil between the underworld and the mortal world from vengeful, undead spirits.
Underworld Domain Spells
Cleric Level Spells
1st - Hex, ray of sickness
3rd - Invisibility, ray of enfeeblement
5th - Bestow curse, spirit guardians
7th - Blight, phantasmal killer
9th - Contagion, insect plague
Bonus Cantrip
At 1st level, you learn the chill touch cantrip if you don’t know it already. It counts as a cleric spell for you.
Drain Strength
At 1st level, when an enemy within 30 feet of you that you can see makes an attack against you or an ally, you can use your reaction action to drain the attacker’s strength and impose disadvantage on the attack roll. An attacker that cannot be poisoned is immune to this class feature.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Channel Divinity: Cloud of Pestilence
Beginning at 6th level, you can use your channel divinity as an action on your turn to summon an sickly cloud of pestilence with a 15 foot radius within 30 feet. For 1 minute, all creatures that begin their turn in the cloud must make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. Creatures who make this saving throw are immune to this effect for 24 hours.
Channel Divinity: Sever Life
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your channel divinity to sever another creature’s life force by touch. When you roll necrotic damage, you can use your channel divinity to deal maximum damage instead of rolling.
Potent Spellcasting
Starting at 8th level, you add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal with any cleric cantrip.
Aura of Fear
Starting at 17th level, you can use an action to become the Visage of Death and surround yourself with an aura of fear and gloom that lasts for 1 minute. Any enemies who begin their turn or move within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 6d10 psychic damage and is frightened for 1 minute. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw is immune to this effect for the next 24 hours.
You cannot use this ability again until you finish an extended rest.
The underworld, the realm that houses the tortured and senseless spirits of the dead is an image universal to real world mythology and distinct from the Death domain presented in the Dungeon Masters Guide. While there is some amount of overlap, the death domain focuses on the creation of undead servants, the underworld domains is much subtler in its approach, bringing the sickness, disgust, and plagues that haunt the underworld out of netherworld and into the mortal realm.
Deities of the underworld are not universally evil. According to Greek myth, Hades performs many fewer immortal acts than his more esteemed brothers, Zeus and Poseidon. Perhaps the underworld god in your campaign is similar. Instead of a vile Lifetaker bent on the destruction of all life, she is instead a dark, gloomy sentinel that guards veil between the underworld and the mortal world from vengeful, undead spirits.
Underworld Domain Spells
Cleric Level Spells
1st - Hex, ray of sickness
3rd - Invisibility, ray of enfeeblement
5th - Bestow curse, spirit guardians
7th - Blight, phantasmal killer
9th - Contagion, insect plague
Bonus Cantrip
At 1st level, you learn the chill touch cantrip if you don’t know it already. It counts as a cleric spell for you.
Drain Strength
At 1st level, when an enemy within 30 feet of you that you can see makes an attack against you or an ally, you can use your reaction action to drain the attacker’s strength and impose disadvantage on the attack roll. An attacker that cannot be poisoned is immune to this class feature.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Channel Divinity: Cloud of Pestilence
Beginning at 6th level, you can use your channel divinity as an action on your turn to summon an sickly cloud of pestilence with a 15 foot radius within 30 feet. For 1 minute, all creatures that begin their turn in the cloud must make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. Creatures who make this saving throw are immune to this effect for 24 hours.
Channel Divinity: Sever Life
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your channel divinity to sever another creature’s life force by touch. When you roll necrotic damage, you can use your channel divinity to deal maximum damage instead of rolling.
Potent Spellcasting
Starting at 8th level, you add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal with any cleric cantrip.
Aura of Fear
Starting at 17th level, you can use an action to become the Visage of Death and surround yourself with an aura of fear and gloom that lasts for 1 minute. Any enemies who begin their turn or move within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 6d10 psychic damage and is frightened for 1 minute. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw is immune to this effect for the next 24 hours.
You cannot use this ability again until you finish an extended rest.
