Temptation and Corruption domains

[Bront]

For the boon--

Well, the save DC is pitiful (10 + Cha mod) plus they need to be willing or helpless, so the penalty probably only applies to willing subjects who have upset the cleric. At once a day and possibly costing a turn attempt (I'm cool with that either way) the bonus seems in line with other similar abilities, and it is certainly less powerful than, for instance, the War Domain's granted proficiency and focus in the deity's favoured weapon, particularly since it is not allowable as a self buff, so it encourages buffing the party.

It's the equivilent of a floating +2 atribute item though to any willing companions. Heck, have to temptation clerics kiss each other to keep it up.

It seems better than some 2nd level spells.

Strength domain adds +1 strength per cleric level for 1 round of non-combat. (Granted, that one should be till the feat is finished or some duration dependant on your level, but that's beside the point).

 

[Rystil Arden]

You're basicly allowing a power to corupt permanently (baring the few cures you mentioned) someone simply by touching them. A cleric could corupt an entire village's children in a matter of weeks, and they wouldn't be the wiser.

Would it be better if Dispel Magic worked for the first day too? That way a cleric with Dispel Evil could do them all in one sitting.

 

[Rystil Arden]

It's the equivilent of a floating +2 atribute item though to any willing companions. Heck, have to temptation clerics kiss each other to keep it up.

It seems better than some 2nd level spells.

Strength domain adds +1 strength per cleric level for 1 round of non-combat. (Granted, that one should be till the feat is finished or some duration dependant on your level, but that's beside the point).

Oh, I didn't mean for it to affect more than one companion at once--I agree that it would be unfair if it was usable on any willing companions. Should I insert language stating 'if the cleric somehow gives her boon to a second target while another target has her boon as well, only the most recent boon remains active'?

It seems fairly balanced with the Nobility Domain's 1/day deal that gives a +2 to all allies in a variety of things (+2 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls) albeit it for a shorter duration (the Nobility domain power is definitely better than most 2nd level spells--it is better than Prayer, a 3rd level spell, since it gives +2 to the good guys instead of +1 to the good guys and -1 to bad guys if they fail a save).

As to the Strength domain, that power is pretty much weaker than any other domain's, and somewhat with good reason--Strength has powerful spells on its domain list, whereas Temptation has spells more on par with Nobility.

 

[DerHauptman]

RA - I love the flavor of the proposals both of them and you math based guys are way better at balance numbers type stuff than I am. I won't even go there its over my head.

I do wonder if there are any SRD domains that effectively grant someone the benefit of a 2nd level spell for 24 hours? I just wonder if there is any precedent set for giving someone a domain benefit like that?

I mean aren't Bulls STR, Cats Grace and all those types 2nd level spells? They don't last near as long either.

The only abusable part of this I see would be to trick someone into a blessing of +2 for the res of the day then screw them for -4 instead. Might even make a funny trickery domain power too.

One could I guess if he had a cohort or animal companion just power it up every morning for 24 hours which if I am not mistaken was exactly the kind of thing the new buffing limits were supposed to change.

I think its cool for sure though. I want to be tempted by a cleric of temptation - been a long time over here in Afghanistan - LOL

 

[Rystil Arden]

The only abusable part of this I see would be to trick someone into a blessing of +2 for the res of the day then screw them for -4 instead. Might even make a funny trickery domain power too.

That's the idea. The stick if they don't behave and the carrot if they do



Hmmm...well I do have a much less interesting idea for a domain power that I'll swap in if we can't work something out with the boon, but here's a thought:

What if instead of 24 hours, the boon lasted only 1 hour / level. As per SlagMortar's suggestion, it will cost a turn attempt to activate it, but it won't be limited to once per day. However, the caveat that I mentioned above (if she uses it on a second target while it is still in effect on any other target, all but the most recent fade away) would still be in effect.

Thus, she'll need to burn tons of turning attempts to keep it up until she reaches high levels.

 

[Bront]

That's the idea. The stick if they don't behave and the carrot if they do



Hmmm...well I do have a much less interesting idea for a domain power that I'll swap in if we can't work something out with the boon, but here's a thought:

What if instead of 24 hours, the boon lasted only 1 hour / level. As per SlagMortar's suggestion, it will cost a turn attempt to activate it, but it won't be limited to once per day. However, the caveat that I mentioned above (if she uses it on a second target while it is still in effect on any other target, all but the most recent fade away) would still be in effect.

Thus, she'll need to burn tons of turning attempts to keep it up until she reaches high levels.

I like that one a bit better, mostly for the ability to do it more than once (My first worry about any willing companion was who you could target, not how many). Another thought would be to allow it to be used once per level, and have it only last an hour. No turn burning, balanced about with the spell (still better for duration), and distinctly different. Keep the fade away with a new target too.

I'm having fun pictures of blessing a donky animal companion thanks for that comment.

On that note, I'm going to suggest we simply make it a touch power, though the flavor being some warm gesture like a kiss, a pat on the back (or, alternitively, a disaproving slap, or some such thing), but doesn't force it to be a kiss. Temptation is not always about sexual temptation, and that forces it in that corner.

 

[Rystil Arden]

I like that one a bit better, mostly for the ability to do it more than once (My first worry about any willing companion was who you could target, not how many). Another thought would be to allow it to be used once per level, and have it only last an hour. No turn burning, balanced about with the spell (still better for duration), and distinctly different. Keep the fade away with a new target too.

I'm having fun pictures of blessing a donky animal companion thanks for that comment.

On that note, I'm going to suggest we simply make it a touch power, though the flavor being some warm gesture like a kiss, a pat on the back (or, alternitively, a disaproving slap, or some such thing), but doesn't force it to be a kiss. Temptation is not always about sexual temptation, and that forces it in that corner.

I'd prefer it to burn turn attempts and last hour / level, since a shorter duration with more uses (and not burning another ability) as you propose is probably equally balanced either way, but it means the penalty part is fairly useless because you have to keep refreshing it. "Here, let me give you the boon again, the hour's up." "Nice try, you just had a penalty on me."

As for any gesture other than a kiss, I fully agree--that makes a lot of sense.

So how about this:

The cleric can grant a dark boon to those who please her. She may expend a Rebuke undead attempt for the day in order to attempt to grant her boon to a willing or helpless target (but not herself) with a kiss, a hug, a pat on the back, or a similar gesture. An unwilling target receives a Will Save DC 10 + the cleric's Charisma modifier to resist the boon. So long as the cleric is pleased with the boon's recipient, the boon grants the target a +2 profane bonus to any one ability score, but if she chooses, she may transform the bonus to a -4 profane penalty as a free action, or back into a +2 profane bonus whenever she wishes. Either way, the boon's effects fade away after 1 hour per level. A cleric may only have one such boon active at any given time. If the cleric grants a boon while another of her boons is active, all boons but the most recent fade away immediately.

 

[Bront]

That works.

 

[Rystil Arden]

That works.

Cool. I'll update it--thanks for the input Bront, DH, and SM

How about Corruption?

 

[Bront]

Would it be better if Dispel Magic worked for the first day too? That way a cleric with Dispel Evil could do them all in one sitting.

That's still a fairly high level thing. It doesn't solve the problem of corupting an entire small village of children in a few weeks either. I mean, I love the flavor, but it begs the question "Why aren't there more corupted church members when one can convert several villages in a decade or two?"

I'd think more of a penalty to particular actions for some time, with a save to resist. Maybe induce a negitive emotion that hurts a few skills, or a rage that acts like the wolverine's without bonuses or something.