Anybody else not satisifed with domains in their current incarnation?

[Bendris Noulg]

I had considered a system like that. While I had settled on another alternative (see above), what I had thought about involved a Cleric getting two Primary Domains. The Primaries would grant spontaneous casting and their associated abilities, with the other Domains not providing anything but the spells themselves.

 

[KDLadage]

Options for Clerics...

Well, not to be too self promoting, but the UMBRAGIA Volume IV: Liber Sacerdoti sneak peek shows some options... the book itself is not complete yet, but the ideas are there to show you what direction we are taking with the servants of the divine.

For more information on what we are doing, check out hte sneak peek and more here.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

I started my campaign permitting clerics to spontaneously cast domain spells. That had to stop when the party reached sixth level and the cleric (healing and travel domains) realized that he could give the entire party the ability to fly whenever he wanted.

It not only overpowered the cleric (for all intents and purposes, he was a 6th level sorceror with 30 known spells) but it also changed the capabilities of the party dramatically. The kinds of manuevering that should only be possible when a sorceror hits 7th or 9th level and feels secure enough in his spell selection to choose fly became routine at 6th level. That necessitated much more difficult challenges than were healthy for the party. So, I went back to the PH version of domains and spontaneous healing. Sure, it doesn't have as much flavor but it works and its balanced. Domains with spells that the cleric would want to sponaneously cast a lot of (travel is a particularly egregious example of this but war's Flame Strike would be another example) can really unbalance the cleric class.

 

[Mr Fidgit]

I don't think there is anything wrong with the domain system; I think it's peoples perceptions of and how they play clerics that is the problem. Most people tend to see clerics as healers. If I am playing a cleric of a god of healing or life, then I too see my cleric as a healer. But if I am playing, say, a cleric of Surtur (the Asgardian fire god) then I am more likely to play him as a pyromaniac.

If you are the DM, talk to your players and try to change their view of clerics. If you are a player, try what i have suggested.

i have to agree with Eternalknight. i think the domains players choose, along with the god's dogma, can be the basis of great roleplaying.

all clerics having access to the same general spell list just doesn't bother me that much.

 

[the Jester]

This is something Piratecat allegedly does in his campaign: allow your clerics to switch spells from their base class list for others in supplements. For example, instead of just allowing all clerics to use the spells in DotF, if a cleric wants to use them they must sacrifice other spells from the PH on a one-for-one basis.

A mind-oriented cleric might be able to switch bull's strength and endurance for owl's wisdom and fox's cunning (2nd level), for instance.

The changes, once made, should be permanent or else they aren't really a change.

 

[ShawnLStroud]

I've thought seriously about limiting a cleric to his/her domain spells and Universal spells. This would immediately make each cleric different, and make the choice of deity for the cleric waaay more important than it is now.

I'd also then allow the cleric to default to healing/harm spells, based on alignment, which isn't a change from the situation now, but ought to be mentioned anyway.