Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana Divine Domains

And, here's the direct link to the PDF

http://media.wizards.com/2016/dnd/downloads/UA_Cleric.pdf

Forge, Grave, and Protection domains...

 

[ScaleyBob]

They all look good. Some crossover with other Domains with Protection and Grave, but both are nice and flavorful. Great to see a non-evil Death type Domain.

Really like the Forge Domain. Could see myself playing a Forge Cleric.

Not so sure about it having Shield on its spell list, it gives it a truly ridiculous AC. Even in Splint (AC 17) and a Shield (+2 AC) and then its +1 bonus, that's an AC of 20. Add in Shield of Faith for another +2, and then Shield (the spell) for +5 as needed, that comes to an AC of 27 without to much effort.

 

[Cognomen's Cassowary]

Protection crossed with abjuration wizard could be fun.

 

[Mercule]

Wow. Six pages in and no one has mentioned that all three grant heavy armor proficiency. Do not like! At all.

Otherwise, they're nice. I especially like the grave domain as an alternate to the "evil" death. Forge is interesting and something I hadn't thought about (though it probably exists in one of the myriad 3e/4e books). Protection is somewhat meh -- I like the idea, but the implementation doesn't grab me.

 

[Satyrn]

For Forge domain, with it's +1 AC wearing heavy armour could, combined with multiclass fighter or paladin using defense fighting style, and shield and plate armour with blessing of the forge could lead to a really high AC. But I'm sure there's other multiclass combos that could get even more.

As written, multiclassing isn't even required. You can just give that fighter or paladin the magic armor.

 

[Prism]

I like these generally

I would prefer the Grave domain to get martial weapons rather than heavy armour so they could use a longsword (Kelemvor) or some form of war scythe maybe. I think a few of the spells could altered - not to sure about blight for an undead hunter

I'm not sure about the shield spell in the Forge domain as its quite hard to use that spell with an actual shield in hand, unless you take a certain feat. Clerics don't normally have reaction spells like that so it could catch out a few people.

That +1 to AC is going to give one party member AC 19 at first level.

 

[TheCosmicKid]

Wow. Six pages in and no one has mentioned that all three grant heavy armor proficiency. Do not like! At all.

Given their themes, both Forge and Protection darn well should get heavy armor. It's only Grave I'd quibble with. And since clerics of such deities would have gotten heavy armor proficiency as a matter of course in any previous edition of the game, I can't really work up the will to strenuously object to it.

 

[Serpine]

Artisan's Blessing has to be one of my favorite cleric abilities ever...

Warrior - "I really could use a sword but the closest town is several days away."

Cleric - "No problem. Hand me that large metal stewpot we found in the goblin camp."

<Cleric starts praying and punching the stewpot repeatedly for two hours>

Cleric - "Here is your new sword!"

Warrior - "It still smells faintly like goblin stew..."

Cleric - "Moradin be praised!"​

More seriously I think Blessing of the Forge should probably not provide a +1 when applied to weapons. It just seems a bit to good (especially at low levels or in magic item low campaigns), and just allowing the weapon to be treated as enchanted would still be a pretty solid ability without the bonus.

 

[Valetudo]

Wow. Six pages in and no one has mentioned that all three grant heavy armor proficiency. Do not like! At all.

Otherwise, they're nice. I especially like the grave domain as an alternate to the "evil" death. Forge is interesting and something I hadn't thought about (though it probably exists in one of the myriad 3e/4e books). Protection is somewhat meh -- I like the idea, but the implementation doesn't grab me.

Most editions gave clerics heavy armor, so it isnt a big surprise. I mean clerics are the militant side of a religion, so you would think armor would be a priority .

 

[TheCosmicKid]

Maybe a nitpick, but Radiant Defense pretty definitely needs to be run in such a way that would-be attackers know they risk getting smote, since it only triggers once and therefore won't serve as a learned deterrent. It can't be a surprise; that sort of booby-trapping might be an appropriate Trickery ability but is the opposite of what Protection is about. So the target should radiate a feeling of righteous menace or something. I'm not sure if the wording needs to make that explicit, but I feel like it probably should.

 

[Serpine]

I would prefer the Grave domain to get martial weapons rather than heavy armour so they could use a longsword (Kelemvor) or some form of war scythe maybe. I think a few of the spells could altered - not to sure about blight for an undead hunter

Reasonable thoughts, especially in regards to Blight ("I believe in the natural life/death cycle. Except for that tree, it looked at me funny."). I'd probably rather see Locate Creature (to help track down those that need protection from or assistance in achieving death) or Guardian of Faith (calling up an allied spirit to prevent interference in what needs to happen).

I also think the Grave Domain should have Reincarnate rather then Raise Dead in the last domain spell tier. Assigning the soul to a new spin of the wheel seems more in keeping with honoring a lifespan's mortal limits then forcing life back into a clearly dead body...