Brew Potion and the Healing Domain

[Aulayan]

One of the players in the FR Game I recently joined had a question for the GM, and the GM has allowed me to post it here.

If a Cleric with the Healing Domain brews a healing potion, does it get the +1 caster level bonus from the Healing Domain?

 

[Spatula]

By a strict reading of the rules: sure, but he has to pay for it. The market price of a potion is spell level x caster level x 50. The potion maker is free to set the caster level to anything he likes, as long as it's > or = the minimum needed to cast the spell, and < or = his own caster level. So, for a 3rd level cleric with Brew Potion and the Healing domain, a Cure Light Wounds potion can have a caster level between 1 and 4: 1 is the minimum needed to cast the spell, and 4 is the cleric's maximum. If the cleric didn't have the Healing domain, his max caster level for a CLW would be 3. If the cleric decides to make the potion with a higher-than-minimum caster level, it's going to increase the price.

But higher caster levels mean very little to Cure spells. In most cases, +1 caster level gives you +1 point of damage healed - not a big deal. I kind of like the idea of potions made by cleric of a god of healing being a little more potent than those made by cleric of other gods, so I would allow the bonus to apply at no extra cost.

 

[Xarls Taunzund]

Thank you Spatula. I am the above GM. Another question on rules allowance. The above cleric is actually a Monk1/Cleric 2, who just got that second level of cleric at the end of last session. As his third level feat he chose Brew Potion. At the time I forgot the fact that the Brew Potion feat requires a 3rd level caster (apparenltly he did as well). However, he is, effectively, a 3rd level caster with regard to healing spells. My question is this, should I allow him to take Brew Potion, but only be able to brew potions of spells with the healing descriptor? Would you, as a GM allow this, or is it stretching it a bit far?

 

[drnuncheon]

I'd allow it, mostly because you already allowed him to take the feat, and it's better to stretch things to keep continuity (IMO) than it is to go back and have to change things.

J

 

[Spatula]

I agree with Dr. Nuncheon. And what you propose sounds like a reasonable compromise.

 

[thorimar]

I did this with my cleric

I was in the same position, having taken a level of fighter and two levels of cleric to reach third level. My DM allowed me to take the Brew potion feat, but I couldn't USE it until I reached caster level 3 at fourth level. Just another compromise. Unless you spent weeks crafting potions for the party that have already been used.