CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing (He/They)
Last month in a different thread, I created a new pantheon for an upcoming campaign and got a lot of great feedback. As part of that project, I ended up creating a lot of new domains that I thought would add some really good flavor to the game. (It is a tropical island-themed campaign.)
The trouble is, I don't really know what I am doing. I've never created domains before, and I'm sure that there are some balance issues and spell selection errors in here that need fixing. If you spot something that looks out-of-whack, please let me know.
Also, I think that 11 new domains might be too many. I enabled voting, and I'd like you to help me decide which ones to get rid of. If you don't mind, click on a handful of domains that you just don't care for...not because of balance or mechanics (which I can fix), but because you think they are dull or silly (which I can't fix). I'll throw out the half that get the most votes.
Ancestor Domain
This domain is most often selected by clerics who seek to learn what once was forgotten, and to see what is yet to come. Ancestor Clerics owe their gifts of divination and knowledge to an intimate link with the spirits of their ancestors.
Deities:
Granted Power: All Knowledge skills are class skills for your character. You gain a +2 bonus to all Diplomacy checks.
Bonus Spells
1 Bless – allies gain +1 on attack rolls and saves against fear
2 Auguary – learn whether an action will be good or bad
3 Speak with Dead – corpse answers 1 question/2 levels
4 Divination – provides useful advice for specific proposed actions
5 Telepathic Bond – link allows allies to communicate
6 Find the Path – shows most direct way to a location
7 Legend Lore – learn tales about a person, place, or thing
8 Moment Of Prescience - you gain insight bonus on single attack roll, check, or save
9 Astral Projection – projects you and companions onto Astral Plane
Bird Domain
Birds are revered throughout the Fire Islands, considered to be representatives of the gods themselves. In fact, many gods of the Fire Islands have symbolic birds, in much the same way that the gods of other lands have symbolic markings. This domain is a more highly-focused version of the Animal domain.
adapted from “Nyambe: African Adventures,” by Chris Dolunt
Deities:
Granted Power: you may speak with all birds (only), as if under the effects of a permanent speak with animals spell. Knowledge (nature) is a class skill.
Bonus Spells
1 Animal Messenger – sends a Tiny animal (bird only) to a specific place
2 Levitate – subject moves up or down at your direction
3 Fly – subject flies at a speed of 90 feet
4 Polymorph – give one willing subject a new form (bird only)
5 Commune with Nature – learn about terrain for 1 mile/level
6 Control Weather – changes weather in local area
7 Animal Shapes – one ally per level polymorphs into chosen animal (birds only)
8 Summon Nature’s Ally VIII – calls a creature to fight for you (winged creatures only)
9 Shapechange – transforms you into any creature, and you can change form once per round (birds only)
Fear Domain
This domain focuses on fear-based magic, and is most commonly selected by clerics who wish to manipulate or terrorize others.
Deities:
Granted Power: You gain a +2 competence bonus to the save DCs of all Necromancy [Fear] and Compulsion [Fear] spells. Intimidate is a class skill.
Bonus Spells
1 Doom - one subject suffers a -2 penalty on attacks, damage, save throws, and skill checks
2 Scare - panics creatures up to 5 HD (15-ft. radius)
3 Confusion - Makes subject behave oddly for 1 round/level
4 Fear - subjects within cone flee for 1 round/level
5 Emotion - arouses strong emotion in subject
6 Nightmare - sends vision dealing 1d10 damage, fatigue
7 Repulsion - creatures cannot approach you
8 Insanity - subject suffers continuous confusion
9 Wail of the Banshee - kills one creature/level
Fertility Domain
The clerics of Tiki are known for their fertility powers, which are always in high demand throughout the Fire Islands. In fact, a cleric of the Fertility domain can make a very good living off of providing his fertility charm services alone. This domain focuses on the miraculous powers of creation.
adapted from “Nyambe: African Adventures,” by Chris Dolunt
Deities:
Granted Power: once per day, you can use a special fertility charm that allows any willing adult subject to father children (if male) or become pregnant (if female), regardless of physical condition, age, or disease. This power will work on any creature capable of sexual production, be it humanoid, animal, or other. Though the spell makes conception possible, it does not guarantee it or a live birth. The effect lasts for 1 hour per cleric level.
Bonus Spells
1 Charm Person – makes one person your friend
2 Make Whole – repairs an object
3 Plant Growth – grows vegetation, improves crops
4 Charm Monster – makes creature believe it is your ally
5 Minor Creation – creates one wood or cloth object
6 Permanency – makes certain spells permanent
7 Major Creation – as minor creation, plus stone or metal
8 True Creation – as major creation, but permanent
9 Clone – duplicate awakens when original dies
Fish Domain
An important food source, fish are vital to the Fire Islands community. Clerics of the Fish domain are often servants of fishing communities or the protectors of sacred reefs.
adapted from “Nyambe: African Adventures,” by Chris Dolunt
Deities:
Granted Power: Knowledge (nature) and Swim are class skills. You may rebuke or command creatures with the [Aquatic] subtype as an evil cleric rebukes or commands undead. You may use this ability a total number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.
Bonus Spells
1 Bless Water – makes holy water
2 Hold Animal – paralyzes one animal for 1 round/level (fish only)
3 Water Breathing – subjects can breathe underwater
4 Freedom of Movement – Subject moves normally despite impediments
5 Polymorph Self – You assume a new form (aquatic creatures only)
6 Control Water – Raises, lowers, or parts bodies of water
7 Animal Shapes – One ally per level polymorphs into chosen animal (fish only)
8 Horrid Wilting – Deals 1d8 damage per level within 30 feet
9 Shapechange – Transforms you into any creature, and change form once per round (fish only)
Harvest Domain
While the Plant domain focuses more on the wild flora of the Fire Islands, the Harvest domain centers around cultivated plants, containing a variety of spells that enhance a community's farming capabilities.
Deities:
Granted Power: you may cast speak with plants once per day as a spell-like ability. Knowledge (nature) is a class skill.
Bonus Spells
1 Entangle – plants entangle everyone in 40-ft. radius circle
2 Soften Earth and Stone – turns stone to clay or dirt to sand or mud
3 Plant Growth – grows vegetation, improves crops
4 Create Food and Water – feeds three humans/level
5 Transmute Rock to Mud – transforms two 10-ft. cubes per level
6 Heroes’ Feast – food for one creature/level cures and grants combat bonuses
7 Animate Plants – one or more trees animate and fight for you
8 Control Plants – controls actions of one or more plant creatures
9 Genesis – creates a small demiplane[/SBLOCK]
Light Domain
The Light domain grants special powers over darkness. Many of the spells in this domain allow the cleric to harness the power of the rainbow, creating dazzling and often unpredictable effects.
Deities:
Granted Power: You may cast light as a spell-like ability, a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier (minimum 1/day.) You cast this spell and all spells with the [Light] descriptor at +2 caster levels.
Bonus Spells
1 Color Spray - knocks unconscious, blinds, and/or stuns weak creatures
2 Faerie Fire - outlines subject with light, canceling concealment
3 Daylight - 60-ft. radius of bright light
4 Rainbow Pattern - lights fascinate 24 HD of creatures
5 True Seeing - lets you see all things as they really are
6 Sunbeam - beam blinds and deals 4d6 damage
7 Sunburst - blinds all within 10 ft., deals 6d6 damage
8 Prismatic Spray - rays hit subjects with variety of effects
9 Prismatic Sphere - walls surround subject, have array of effects
Rain Domain
The Rain domain is a specialized version of the Weather domain, which grants its clerics the important power to forecast the weather. It is typically selected by clerics of good-aligned deities, who focus more on the positive aspects of inclement weather.
Deities:
Granted Power: Survival is a class skill. With a successful Survival check (DC 15), you can successfully predict the natural weather conditions over the next 48 hours.
Bonus Spells
1 Obscuring Mist – fog surrounds you
2 Fog Cloud – fog obscures vision
3 Quench – extinguishes nonmagical fires or one magic item
4 Sleet Storm – hampers vision and movement
5 Transmute Rock to Mud – transforms two 10-ft. cubes per level
6 Control Winds – change wind direction and speed
7 Control Weather – changes weather in local area
8 Whirlwind – cyclone deals damage and can pick up creatures
9 Storm of Vengeance – storm rains acid, lightning, and hail
Star Domain
This domain is typically chosen by those who wish to be close to the gods in the literal sense. High-level clerics of the Star Domain are rarely met on the Material Plane, preferring to spend their time on the Astral Plane with their patron.
Deities:
Granted Power: you turn or destroy creatures with the [Extraplanar] subtype as a cleric turns or destroys undead. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your charisma modifier.
Bonus Spells
1 Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good/Law - +2 to AC and saves, counter mind control, hedge out elementals and outsiders
2 Rope Trick - as many as eight creatures hide in extradimensional space
3 Blink - you randomly vanish and reappear for 1 round/level
4 Dismissal - forces a creature to return to native plane
5 Contact Outer Plane - lets you ask question of extraplanar entity
6 Plane Shift - as many as eight subjects travel to another plane
7 Ethereal Jaunt - you become ethereal for 1 round/level
8 Dimensional Lock - teleportation and interplanar travel blocked for one level/day
9 Astral Projection - projects you and companions onto Astral Plane
Storm Domain
In contrast to Rain, the Storm domain focuses on the fury and power of the storm. It is typically selected by clerics of evil-aligned deities, who admire the widespread destruction of the strongest storms.
Deities:
Granted Power: you gain electricity resistance 5.
Bonus Spells
1 Entropic Shield – ranged attacks against you have 20% miss chance
2 Gust of Wind – blows away or knocks down smaller creatures
3 Call Lightning – calls down lightning bolts (3d6 per bolt) from sky
4 Sleet Storm – hampers vision and movement
5 Ice Storm – hail deals 5d6 damage in cylinder 40 feet across
6 Call Lightning Storm – as call lightning, but 5d6 damage per bolt
7 Control Weather – changes weather in local area
8 Whirlwind – cyclone deals damage and can pick up creatures
9 Storm of Vengeance – storm rains acid, lightning, and hail
Underworld Domain
The domain for clerics who serve the dark gods of the Underworld, their powers focus on the creation and manipulation of the undead. Non-evil clerics of this domain are very rare.
Deities:
Granted Power: You can cast detect undead at will as a spell-like ability
Bonus Spells
1 Deathwatch - Reveals how near death subjects within 30 ft. are
2 Ghoul Touch - paralyzes one subject, which exudes stench
3 Animate Dead - create skeletons or zombies
4 Death Ward - grants immunity to death spells and negative energy effects
5 Commune - deity answers one yes-or-no question/level
6 Create Undead - create ghouls, ghasts, mummies, or mohrgs
7 Undeath to Death - destroys 1d4 HD/level of undead (20d4 max)
8 Create Greater Undead - create shadows, wraiths, spectres, or devourers
9 Soul Bind - traps newly dead soul to prevent resurrection
The trouble is, I don't really know what I am doing. I've never created domains before, and I'm sure that there are some balance issues and spell selection errors in here that need fixing. If you spot something that looks out-of-whack, please let me know.
Also, I think that 11 new domains might be too many. I enabled voting, and I'd like you to help me decide which ones to get rid of. If you don't mind, click on a handful of domains that you just don't care for...not because of balance or mechanics (which I can fix), but because you think they are dull or silly (which I can't fix). I'll throw out the half that get the most votes.
Ancestor Domain
This domain is most often selected by clerics who seek to learn what once was forgotten, and to see what is yet to come. Ancestor Clerics owe their gifts of divination and knowledge to an intimate link with the spirits of their ancestors.
Deities:
Granted Power: All Knowledge skills are class skills for your character. You gain a +2 bonus to all Diplomacy checks.
Bonus Spells
1 Bless – allies gain +1 on attack rolls and saves against fear
2 Auguary – learn whether an action will be good or bad
3 Speak with Dead – corpse answers 1 question/2 levels
4 Divination – provides useful advice for specific proposed actions
5 Telepathic Bond – link allows allies to communicate
6 Find the Path – shows most direct way to a location
7 Legend Lore – learn tales about a person, place, or thing
8 Moment Of Prescience - you gain insight bonus on single attack roll, check, or save
9 Astral Projection – projects you and companions onto Astral Plane
Bird Domain
Birds are revered throughout the Fire Islands, considered to be representatives of the gods themselves. In fact, many gods of the Fire Islands have symbolic birds, in much the same way that the gods of other lands have symbolic markings. This domain is a more highly-focused version of the Animal domain.
adapted from “Nyambe: African Adventures,” by Chris Dolunt
Deities:
Granted Power: you may speak with all birds (only), as if under the effects of a permanent speak with animals spell. Knowledge (nature) is a class skill.
Bonus Spells
1 Animal Messenger – sends a Tiny animal (bird only) to a specific place
2 Levitate – subject moves up or down at your direction
3 Fly – subject flies at a speed of 90 feet
4 Polymorph – give one willing subject a new form (bird only)
5 Commune with Nature – learn about terrain for 1 mile/level
6 Control Weather – changes weather in local area
7 Animal Shapes – one ally per level polymorphs into chosen animal (birds only)
8 Summon Nature’s Ally VIII – calls a creature to fight for you (winged creatures only)
9 Shapechange – transforms you into any creature, and you can change form once per round (birds only)
Fear Domain
This domain focuses on fear-based magic, and is most commonly selected by clerics who wish to manipulate or terrorize others.
Deities:
Granted Power: You gain a +2 competence bonus to the save DCs of all Necromancy [Fear] and Compulsion [Fear] spells. Intimidate is a class skill.
Bonus Spells
1 Doom - one subject suffers a -2 penalty on attacks, damage, save throws, and skill checks
2 Scare - panics creatures up to 5 HD (15-ft. radius)
3 Confusion - Makes subject behave oddly for 1 round/level
4 Fear - subjects within cone flee for 1 round/level
5 Emotion - arouses strong emotion in subject
6 Nightmare - sends vision dealing 1d10 damage, fatigue
7 Repulsion - creatures cannot approach you
8 Insanity - subject suffers continuous confusion
9 Wail of the Banshee - kills one creature/level
Fertility Domain
The clerics of Tiki are known for their fertility powers, which are always in high demand throughout the Fire Islands. In fact, a cleric of the Fertility domain can make a very good living off of providing his fertility charm services alone. This domain focuses on the miraculous powers of creation.
adapted from “Nyambe: African Adventures,” by Chris Dolunt
Deities:
Granted Power: once per day, you can use a special fertility charm that allows any willing adult subject to father children (if male) or become pregnant (if female), regardless of physical condition, age, or disease. This power will work on any creature capable of sexual production, be it humanoid, animal, or other. Though the spell makes conception possible, it does not guarantee it or a live birth. The effect lasts for 1 hour per cleric level.
Bonus Spells
1 Charm Person – makes one person your friend
2 Make Whole – repairs an object
3 Plant Growth – grows vegetation, improves crops
4 Charm Monster – makes creature believe it is your ally
5 Minor Creation – creates one wood or cloth object
6 Permanency – makes certain spells permanent
7 Major Creation – as minor creation, plus stone or metal
8 True Creation – as major creation, but permanent
9 Clone – duplicate awakens when original dies
Fish Domain
An important food source, fish are vital to the Fire Islands community. Clerics of the Fish domain are often servants of fishing communities or the protectors of sacred reefs.
adapted from “Nyambe: African Adventures,” by Chris Dolunt
Deities:
Granted Power: Knowledge (nature) and Swim are class skills. You may rebuke or command creatures with the [Aquatic] subtype as an evil cleric rebukes or commands undead. You may use this ability a total number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.
Bonus Spells
1 Bless Water – makes holy water
2 Hold Animal – paralyzes one animal for 1 round/level (fish only)
3 Water Breathing – subjects can breathe underwater
4 Freedom of Movement – Subject moves normally despite impediments
5 Polymorph Self – You assume a new form (aquatic creatures only)
6 Control Water – Raises, lowers, or parts bodies of water
7 Animal Shapes – One ally per level polymorphs into chosen animal (fish only)
8 Horrid Wilting – Deals 1d8 damage per level within 30 feet
9 Shapechange – Transforms you into any creature, and change form once per round (fish only)
Harvest Domain
While the Plant domain focuses more on the wild flora of the Fire Islands, the Harvest domain centers around cultivated plants, containing a variety of spells that enhance a community's farming capabilities.
Deities:
Granted Power: you may cast speak with plants once per day as a spell-like ability. Knowledge (nature) is a class skill.
Bonus Spells
1 Entangle – plants entangle everyone in 40-ft. radius circle
2 Soften Earth and Stone – turns stone to clay or dirt to sand or mud
3 Plant Growth – grows vegetation, improves crops
4 Create Food and Water – feeds three humans/level
5 Transmute Rock to Mud – transforms two 10-ft. cubes per level
6 Heroes’ Feast – food for one creature/level cures and grants combat bonuses
7 Animate Plants – one or more trees animate and fight for you
8 Control Plants – controls actions of one or more plant creatures
9 Genesis – creates a small demiplane[/SBLOCK]
Light Domain
The Light domain grants special powers over darkness. Many of the spells in this domain allow the cleric to harness the power of the rainbow, creating dazzling and often unpredictable effects.
Deities:
Granted Power: You may cast light as a spell-like ability, a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier (minimum 1/day.) You cast this spell and all spells with the [Light] descriptor at +2 caster levels.
Bonus Spells
1 Color Spray - knocks unconscious, blinds, and/or stuns weak creatures
2 Faerie Fire - outlines subject with light, canceling concealment
3 Daylight - 60-ft. radius of bright light
4 Rainbow Pattern - lights fascinate 24 HD of creatures
5 True Seeing - lets you see all things as they really are
6 Sunbeam - beam blinds and deals 4d6 damage
7 Sunburst - blinds all within 10 ft., deals 6d6 damage
8 Prismatic Spray - rays hit subjects with variety of effects
9 Prismatic Sphere - walls surround subject, have array of effects
Rain Domain
The Rain domain is a specialized version of the Weather domain, which grants its clerics the important power to forecast the weather. It is typically selected by clerics of good-aligned deities, who focus more on the positive aspects of inclement weather.
Deities:
Granted Power: Survival is a class skill. With a successful Survival check (DC 15), you can successfully predict the natural weather conditions over the next 48 hours.
Bonus Spells
1 Obscuring Mist – fog surrounds you
2 Fog Cloud – fog obscures vision
3 Quench – extinguishes nonmagical fires or one magic item
4 Sleet Storm – hampers vision and movement
5 Transmute Rock to Mud – transforms two 10-ft. cubes per level
6 Control Winds – change wind direction and speed
7 Control Weather – changes weather in local area
8 Whirlwind – cyclone deals damage and can pick up creatures
9 Storm of Vengeance – storm rains acid, lightning, and hail
Star Domain
This domain is typically chosen by those who wish to be close to the gods in the literal sense. High-level clerics of the Star Domain are rarely met on the Material Plane, preferring to spend their time on the Astral Plane with their patron.
Deities:
Granted Power: you turn or destroy creatures with the [Extraplanar] subtype as a cleric turns or destroys undead. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your charisma modifier.
Bonus Spells
1 Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good/Law - +2 to AC and saves, counter mind control, hedge out elementals and outsiders
2 Rope Trick - as many as eight creatures hide in extradimensional space
3 Blink - you randomly vanish and reappear for 1 round/level
4 Dismissal - forces a creature to return to native plane
5 Contact Outer Plane - lets you ask question of extraplanar entity
6 Plane Shift - as many as eight subjects travel to another plane
7 Ethereal Jaunt - you become ethereal for 1 round/level
8 Dimensional Lock - teleportation and interplanar travel blocked for one level/day
9 Astral Projection - projects you and companions onto Astral Plane
Storm Domain
In contrast to Rain, the Storm domain focuses on the fury and power of the storm. It is typically selected by clerics of evil-aligned deities, who admire the widespread destruction of the strongest storms.
Deities:
Granted Power: you gain electricity resistance 5.
Bonus Spells
1 Entropic Shield – ranged attacks against you have 20% miss chance
2 Gust of Wind – blows away or knocks down smaller creatures
3 Call Lightning – calls down lightning bolts (3d6 per bolt) from sky
4 Sleet Storm – hampers vision and movement
5 Ice Storm – hail deals 5d6 damage in cylinder 40 feet across
6 Call Lightning Storm – as call lightning, but 5d6 damage per bolt
7 Control Weather – changes weather in local area
8 Whirlwind – cyclone deals damage and can pick up creatures
9 Storm of Vengeance – storm rains acid, lightning, and hail
Underworld Domain
The domain for clerics who serve the dark gods of the Underworld, their powers focus on the creation and manipulation of the undead. Non-evil clerics of this domain are very rare.
Deities:
Granted Power: You can cast detect undead at will as a spell-like ability
Bonus Spells
1 Deathwatch - Reveals how near death subjects within 30 ft. are
2 Ghoul Touch - paralyzes one subject, which exudes stench
3 Animate Dead - create skeletons or zombies
4 Death Ward - grants immunity to death spells and negative energy effects
5 Commune - deity answers one yes-or-no question/level
6 Create Undead - create ghouls, ghasts, mummies, or mohrgs
7 Undeath to Death - destroys 1d4 HD/level of undead (20d4 max)
8 Create Greater Undead - create shadows, wraiths, spectres, or devourers
9 Soul Bind - traps newly dead soul to prevent resurrection
Last edited:
I'll probably keep all eleven of the new domains, but I'll rework them (especially the Bird and Fish domains) so that they are more unique and less cheesy. I like Grollo's suggestion for the Fertility domain's granted power...I will try incorporate it in some fashion to make that particular domain more useful to players (because unless you are running an adult-themed campaign or using the BoEF, pregnancy isn't going to be much of an issue in the game.)
