Kerrick
First Post
Awhile back, I was thinking about what to do with the cleric. For some reason, I thought about what Pathfinder had done with domains; I did something similar with my revised wizard and it worked out well. The problem with the PF cleric, though, is that they gain ALL the abilities from ALL the domains they get, which makes them even more powerful than before. I'd already limited clerics' domains - they get one at 1st level and another every 5 after that - but I didn't want to go that route as well.
Then I thought... why not ditch the spells and replace them with abilities, similar to PF? They only get four abilities (it's kind of an over-arching theme I've got, and a nice round number), plus the standard granted power. At 5th level, you can choose a new domain, or gain a second power from your first one, etc.
I also figured out a way to make greater and lesser access work. Limiting spells or doing spheres, like in 2E, doesn't work - I've tried it. But what you can do is limit domain abilities. If a cleric's god has greater access to the domain in question, he can choose all four abilities; if the god has lesser access, he gains only the first two.
As part of this system, turn undead is limited to the Good and Sun domains, and command/rebuke is limited to the Evil domain (and Undeath, if you use it); it also becomes a feat so other clerics can take it, but it's no longer a default ability. Instead, clerics' abilities are defined by their domains (and by extension, which god they worship). Most gods will have at least one alignment portfolio as a minor access, so there's still a good chance for a given cleric to have/get turning or rebuking.
Paladins are similar to clerics, except that they gain only lesser access to greater domains, and no access to lesser domains - while they're champions of their gods, they also focus more on force of arms than divine might (and they already have a load of abilities). Druids don't follow this system at all - besides having tons of abilities, they worship nature or the earth, not specific gods.
And finally... the Extra Domain feat lets you:
a) Choose a new domain that is related to the god in some way, but which he doesn't already have (subject to the DM's discretion; it's a good way to add new domains);
b) Choose a new domain the god already has, as normal;
c) Choose a power of the same level or lower from any domain you already have, as normal.
Here are the first several domains (some abilities are missing; ideas are welcome). I also want to put a brief description in each domain listing - just some flavor text to define what they are and how they work. I'm rather surprised they didn't do it in the PHB.
[sblock]
Air Domain
Granted Power: Summon wind. Once per day as a full-round action, the cleric can call up a gust of wind, similar to the spell, that grows more powerful as he gains levels. At Level 1, the wind is moderate; at Level 2, it's strong; at Level 3, it's severe; and at Level 4, it's equal to a windstorm. See Wind Effects for more details. The gust of wind lasts for 1 round per class level, or until the cleric chooses to end it.
Level 1: The cleric can communicate with all winged animals or magical beasts as if he were using the speak with animals spell, at will.
Level 2: The cleric is automatically affected by a feather fall if he falls more than 10 feet. This effect lasts for 1 round per class level or until he lands, whichever comes first.
Level 3: The cleric can fly, as the spell, for 1 minute per class level each day. This time can be split up however he wishes, but any period of time less than 1 minute is rounded up to a full minute.
Level 4: The cleric gains a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, damage, and Armor Class if both he and his foe are airborne. He can also fly with perfect maneuverability, and can choose any feats that require a fly speed (though they still can't be used unless he's flying).
Animal Domain
Granted Power: The cleric gains the wild empathy ability, with a bonus to his check equal to +2 per level in this domain.
Level 1: The cleric can use speak with animals at will, as a spell-like ability.
Level 2: The cleric can sacrifice a prepared spell to cast summon nature's ally of the same or lower level.
Level 3: The cleric can wildshape as a beastmaster druid of equal level.
Level 4: The cleric can dominate an animal, as the spell, three times per day. His caster level for this effect is equal to his class level.
Chaos Domain
Granted Power: The cleric can choose an alternate outcome to any event he witnesses. Three times per day, the player can reroll any single roll (his own or another being's) to get a better result, but he must take the result of the second roll, for better or worse. This ability can be used against any creature of less than divine status that the cleric is aware of (can see, sense, or otherwise knows is present).
Level 1: The cleric can give creatures good or bad fortune. He can affect up to one creature per three class levels, either all at once or split up over multiple uses, per day. All must be within the cleric's line of sight when first affected. Subjects receive a circumstance bonus of +1 per three class levels or a penalty of -1 per three class levels rank on attack rolls, saves, and checks for the next 12 hours. A remove curse or better spell will remove penalties incurred by this ability.
Level 2: ???
Level 3: The cleric has a "sixth sense" warning him of danger. He gains a permanent +2 insight bonus to Armor Class and Reflex saves. This ability is always active unless the cleric is helpless, unconscious, or otherwise unable to act on his prescience (this does not include being attacked while flat-footed).
Level 4: ???
Death Domain
Granted Power: The cleric can use a death touch three times per day. This is a supernatural ability that produces a death effect. He must succeed on a melee touch attack against a living creature (using the rules for touch spells). If it hits, roll 1d6 per cleric level; if the total is equal to or greater than the creature's current hit points, it dies (no save).
Level 1: ??? (Probably a bonus to save DCs vs. death effects)
Level 2: The cleric can animate skeletons or zombies, as the spell, by touch. This requires a full-round action for each undead to be raised; all undead so created are under the cleric's control and count against his normal maximum. There is otherwise no limit to the number of undead he can create each day.
Level 3: ???
Level 4: ???
Destruction Domain
Granted Power: The cleric gains the smite power. 1 + Cha bonus times per day, he can make a single melee attack with a bonus on the attack roll equal to his Charisma bonus and bonus to damage equal to twice his class level, plus his Charisma bonus. Any class-based abilities that would normally apply to a melee attack (sneak attack, e.g.) can be added to this roll also, if applicable.
Level 1: The cleric gains a +2 bonus to the save DC for any spell that deals damage directly to a creature or object (not an area effect spell), including all death spells. This bonus stacks with bonuses gained from other sources, like feats or other domain abilities. If the spell in question doesn't have a save, the cleric instead deals +2 points of damage per die.
Level 2: ???
Level 3: ???
Level 4: Once per day, the cleric can utterly annihilate a creature's body and soul merely by touching it. In order to use this ability, the creature must be dead or dying (at or below -1 hit points). It can make a Fort save (DC 10 + 1/2 cleric's class level + cleric's Wis modifier) to avoid this effect; if the save fails, the creature's body is turned to dust and its soul is completely destroyed - it can't be brought back by any means short of divine intervention.
Earth Domain
Granted Power: The cleric gains a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, damage, and Armor Class if both he deity and his foe are touching the ground.
Level 1: The cleric gains tremorsense out to a range of 5 feet per two class levels.
Level 2: 1 + Cha bonus times per day, the cleric can draw upon the power of the earth to give him great strength and endurance. In effect, he gains a +4 bonus to Strength and Constitution for 1 round per class level. This is a supernatural ability that is usable as a standard action.
Level 3: The cleric can move through earth or stone as easily as water, at half his normal movement rate. This ability is usable for up to 1 minute per class level each day; the time can be split up however he wishes, but any period of time less than 1 minute is rounded up to a full minute.
Level 4: Three times per day, the cleric can polymorph into an earth elemental of Huge size (or one size larger than his own, whichever is bigger) for 2 rounds per class level. He gains a +8 bonus to Strength, a -4 penalty to Dex, and a +6 bonus to Con; he cannot wield weapons, but can make slam attacks that deal damage according to his size. He otherwise gains an elemental's resistances and immunities.[/sblock]
Then I thought... why not ditch the spells and replace them with abilities, similar to PF? They only get four abilities (it's kind of an over-arching theme I've got, and a nice round number), plus the standard granted power. At 5th level, you can choose a new domain, or gain a second power from your first one, etc.
I also figured out a way to make greater and lesser access work. Limiting spells or doing spheres, like in 2E, doesn't work - I've tried it. But what you can do is limit domain abilities. If a cleric's god has greater access to the domain in question, he can choose all four abilities; if the god has lesser access, he gains only the first two.
As part of this system, turn undead is limited to the Good and Sun domains, and command/rebuke is limited to the Evil domain (and Undeath, if you use it); it also becomes a feat so other clerics can take it, but it's no longer a default ability. Instead, clerics' abilities are defined by their domains (and by extension, which god they worship). Most gods will have at least one alignment portfolio as a minor access, so there's still a good chance for a given cleric to have/get turning or rebuking.
Paladins are similar to clerics, except that they gain only lesser access to greater domains, and no access to lesser domains - while they're champions of their gods, they also focus more on force of arms than divine might (and they already have a load of abilities). Druids don't follow this system at all - besides having tons of abilities, they worship nature or the earth, not specific gods.
And finally... the Extra Domain feat lets you:
a) Choose a new domain that is related to the god in some way, but which he doesn't already have (subject to the DM's discretion; it's a good way to add new domains);
b) Choose a new domain the god already has, as normal;
c) Choose a power of the same level or lower from any domain you already have, as normal.
Here are the first several domains (some abilities are missing; ideas are welcome). I also want to put a brief description in each domain listing - just some flavor text to define what they are and how they work. I'm rather surprised they didn't do it in the PHB.
[sblock]
Air Domain
Granted Power: Summon wind. Once per day as a full-round action, the cleric can call up a gust of wind, similar to the spell, that grows more powerful as he gains levels. At Level 1, the wind is moderate; at Level 2, it's strong; at Level 3, it's severe; and at Level 4, it's equal to a windstorm. See Wind Effects for more details. The gust of wind lasts for 1 round per class level, or until the cleric chooses to end it.
Level 1: The cleric can communicate with all winged animals or magical beasts as if he were using the speak with animals spell, at will.
Level 2: The cleric is automatically affected by a feather fall if he falls more than 10 feet. This effect lasts for 1 round per class level or until he lands, whichever comes first.
Level 3: The cleric can fly, as the spell, for 1 minute per class level each day. This time can be split up however he wishes, but any period of time less than 1 minute is rounded up to a full minute.
Level 4: The cleric gains a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, damage, and Armor Class if both he and his foe are airborne. He can also fly with perfect maneuverability, and can choose any feats that require a fly speed (though they still can't be used unless he's flying).
Animal Domain
Granted Power: The cleric gains the wild empathy ability, with a bonus to his check equal to +2 per level in this domain.
Level 1: The cleric can use speak with animals at will, as a spell-like ability.
Level 2: The cleric can sacrifice a prepared spell to cast summon nature's ally of the same or lower level.
Level 3: The cleric can wildshape as a beastmaster druid of equal level.
Level 4: The cleric can dominate an animal, as the spell, three times per day. His caster level for this effect is equal to his class level.
Chaos Domain
Granted Power: The cleric can choose an alternate outcome to any event he witnesses. Three times per day, the player can reroll any single roll (his own or another being's) to get a better result, but he must take the result of the second roll, for better or worse. This ability can be used against any creature of less than divine status that the cleric is aware of (can see, sense, or otherwise knows is present).
Level 1: The cleric can give creatures good or bad fortune. He can affect up to one creature per three class levels, either all at once or split up over multiple uses, per day. All must be within the cleric's line of sight when first affected. Subjects receive a circumstance bonus of +1 per three class levels or a penalty of -1 per three class levels rank on attack rolls, saves, and checks for the next 12 hours. A remove curse or better spell will remove penalties incurred by this ability.
Level 2: ???
Level 3: The cleric has a "sixth sense" warning him of danger. He gains a permanent +2 insight bonus to Armor Class and Reflex saves. This ability is always active unless the cleric is helpless, unconscious, or otherwise unable to act on his prescience (this does not include being attacked while flat-footed).
Level 4: ???
Death Domain
Granted Power: The cleric can use a death touch three times per day. This is a supernatural ability that produces a death effect. He must succeed on a melee touch attack against a living creature (using the rules for touch spells). If it hits, roll 1d6 per cleric level; if the total is equal to or greater than the creature's current hit points, it dies (no save).
Level 1: ??? (Probably a bonus to save DCs vs. death effects)
Level 2: The cleric can animate skeletons or zombies, as the spell, by touch. This requires a full-round action for each undead to be raised; all undead so created are under the cleric's control and count against his normal maximum. There is otherwise no limit to the number of undead he can create each day.
Level 3: ???
Level 4: ???
Destruction Domain
Granted Power: The cleric gains the smite power. 1 + Cha bonus times per day, he can make a single melee attack with a bonus on the attack roll equal to his Charisma bonus and bonus to damage equal to twice his class level, plus his Charisma bonus. Any class-based abilities that would normally apply to a melee attack (sneak attack, e.g.) can be added to this roll also, if applicable.
Level 1: The cleric gains a +2 bonus to the save DC for any spell that deals damage directly to a creature or object (not an area effect spell), including all death spells. This bonus stacks with bonuses gained from other sources, like feats or other domain abilities. If the spell in question doesn't have a save, the cleric instead deals +2 points of damage per die.
Level 2: ???
Level 3: ???
Level 4: Once per day, the cleric can utterly annihilate a creature's body and soul merely by touching it. In order to use this ability, the creature must be dead or dying (at or below -1 hit points). It can make a Fort save (DC 10 + 1/2 cleric's class level + cleric's Wis modifier) to avoid this effect; if the save fails, the creature's body is turned to dust and its soul is completely destroyed - it can't be brought back by any means short of divine intervention.
Earth Domain
Granted Power: The cleric gains a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, damage, and Armor Class if both he deity and his foe are touching the ground.
Level 1: The cleric gains tremorsense out to a range of 5 feet per two class levels.
Level 2: 1 + Cha bonus times per day, the cleric can draw upon the power of the earth to give him great strength and endurance. In effect, he gains a +4 bonus to Strength and Constitution for 1 round per class level. This is a supernatural ability that is usable as a standard action.
Level 3: The cleric can move through earth or stone as easily as water, at half his normal movement rate. This ability is usable for up to 1 minute per class level each day; the time can be split up however he wishes, but any period of time less than 1 minute is rounded up to a full minute.
Level 4: Three times per day, the cleric can polymorph into an earth elemental of Huge size (or one size larger than his own, whichever is bigger) for 2 rounds per class level. He gains a +8 bonus to Strength, a -4 penalty to Dex, and a +6 bonus to Con; he cannot wield weapons, but can make slam attacks that deal damage according to his size. He otherwise gains an elemental's resistances and immunities.[/sblock]
