D&D 5E Should WotC Keep the Love Domain as is?

[Seramus]

to clarify, Aphrodite was not a patron of love by any modern usage of the term. She was a goddess of lust, desire, maybe obsession, etc, but love as most modern people (and thus players) understand it? Not at all.

Pandemos was, but Aphrodite Ouranous was a different matter.

 

[cbwjm]

I recall my classics professor mentioning that Aphrodite leaned more towards lust. I'm guessing she wouldn't care much about marriage considering that one of the myths has her cheating on her husband. Can't really judge her though considering Zeus was running around.

 

[Bardic Dave]

I recall my classics professor mentioning that Aphrodite leaned more towards lust. I'm guessing she wouldn't care much about marriage considering that one of the myths has her cheating on her husband. Can't really judge her though considering Zeus was running around.

Fyi, Zeus is her father, not her husband. Her husband is Hephaestus, who is also her brother. She cheats on him with her other btother, Ares. Zeus’s wife is Hera (though he had another wife before, whom he ate and who continued to live on inside his head, providing him with advice).

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Fyi, Zeus is her father, not her husband. Her husband is Hephaestus, who is also her brother. She cheats on him with her other btother, Ares. Zeus’s wife is Hera (though he had another wife before, whom he ate and who continued to live on inside his head, providing him with advice).

I’m nearly certain that they weren’t saying Zeus is her husband.

 

[Bardic Dave]

I’m nearly certain that they weren’t saying Zeus is her husband.

I came to the opposite conclusion, but I acknowledge that it’s somewhat ambiguous. What direct bearing do Zeus’s infidelities have on Aphrodite’s if they aren’t husband and wife?
Anyway, I’m sorry for somewhat derailing the thread.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I came to the opposite conclusion, but I acknowledge that it’s somewhat ambiguous. What direct bearing do Zeus’s infidelities have on Aphrodite’s if they aren’t husband and wife?
Anyway, I’m sorry for somewhat derailing the thread.

Why would someone judge Aphrodite for promiscuity if her “king” father is the biggest cheater in mythological history?

 

[Bardic Dave]

Why would someone judge Aphrodite for promiscuity if her “king” father is the biggest cheater in mythological history?

That’s a good answer to my question. I accept that could easily have been the intended meaning of the post.

 

[RSIxidor]

They changed the CD feature and renamed it to Unity. https://media.wizards.com/2020/dnd/downloads/UA2020_02_06_Subclasses2.pdf

 

[Celebrim]

They changed the CD feature and renamed it to Unity. https://media.wizards.com/2020/dnd/downloads/UA2020_02_06_Subclasses2.pdf

I would protest that they removed the feature and replaced it with another equally valid feature. It's great to have a 'Unity' domain, but a quick perusal of the deities suggested to be associated with this domain as well as pretty much everything else about it, suggests it isn't remotely the same concept that has just been given a new name. Which brings up a question, what would the domain associated with the missing idea... whatever you want to call it, actually be like?

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I would protest that they removed the feature and replaced it with another equally valid feature. It's great to have a 'Unity' domain, but a quick perusal of the deities suggested to be associated with this domain as well as pretty much everything else about it, suggests it isn't remotely the same concept that has just been given a new name. Which brings up a question, what would the domain associated with the missing idea... whatever you want to call it, actually be like?

They probably took it back to the drawing board. 2 years ago, MM designed a Beauty domain on twitter to show the design process of creating an archetype.

Clerics of Beauty bring joy and hope to the world. They are the beacon of light that reminds us that some things are worth fighting for. They seek to bring peace and amity among the world's folk. They fight only when they must, and prefer to use their magic to end fights with as little bloodshed as possible.

At each indicated cleric level, you add the listed spells to your spells prepared.

Beauty Domain Spells
Cleric Level Spells
1st charm person, heroism
3rd enthrall, suggestion
5th beacon of hope, hypnotic pattern
7th charm monster, compulsion
9th dominate person, hold monster

Beauty's Refuge
Starting at 1st level, your mere presence is enough to inspire hope and determination in others. When you complete a short or long rest, up to 12 allies of your choice gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).

Rebuke the Defiler
When you select this domain at 1st level, you gain the ability to rebuke those who lash out at your in violence.

As a reaction when a creature you can see within 30 feet of you inflicts damage, you force that creature to make a Wisdom save. On a failed saving throw, it takes psychic damage equal to the damage dealt. On a successful save, it takes half that damage.

If the creature made multiple attacks, select one attack to determine the damage dealt. If the creature used one or more effects that damaged multiple targets, choose the damage take by one of those targets from one of the effects.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Channel Divinity: Beauty's Truce
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to quell the flame of violence.

As an action, you force all creatures within 100 feet of you to make Charisma saving throws. Each creature that fails this saved is charmed by every other creature that also failed the saving throw. This benefit lasts for one hour. While charmed by this ability, creatures consider all other creatures charmed by it to be their allies. They fight to defend them from attackers.

While this ability persists, absent any threat creatures charmed by it will rest, talk among themselves, share stories of their lives, create a communal feast using food and drink they carry, and generally act as if they are old friends, long separated and brought together again for a joyous reunion.

Superior Refuge
Starting at 6th level, the temporary hit points granted by your Beauty's Refuge ability increase to 5 + your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).

Soul of Beauty
Starting at 17th level, you become an avatar of unearthly beauty. Your enemies attack with uncertainty, fearful of damaging the wondrous being they behold, while your magic draws upon your presence to augment its power.

As a reaction, you can impose a penalty on a creature's attacks against you or on its saving throws against your spells and abilities. This benefit lasts until the end of the current turn The penalty equals your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).