D&D 5E Changing clerical domains

[Baron Opal II]

Back in the day, 2E I think, clerics would pick 2-3 different "spheres" dependent on their deity. Now, they gain one domain, although a particular deity might have 2-4 of them. New to 5E, I was wondering if people had tried having clerics that could exchange their domains? So, Oglethorpe of the Bright Temple could choose either Light or Order at the temple before setting out on his adventure. His choice would be fixed until he returned to a temple and spent the requisite time in prayerful meditation to change his domain to one that his faith offered. His colleague Leshif of the Septeon has the options of Life, Knowledge, and Tempest based on the deities in the Septeon pantheon.

I was thinking of making custom blended domains based on the pantheons and their roles, but there aren't that many powers per domain and this seems to abbreviate a lot of work.

 

[GlassJaw]

That sounds fine, within reason of course. If Tasha's has shown us anything, it's that 5E is incredibly modular. Bounded accuracy has taken care the numeric balance so much of the features are fairly interchangeable.

I'd allow a cleric to choose domain features/spells from multiple domains of a deity's sphere. Heck, you could put all the domain features in a big pool and make a custom domain that way.

Just to add: I'd be more inclined to create a custom domain for a player or allow a swap of one feature for another than exchanging one domain for another completely.

 

[Charlaquin]

Tasha’s cauldron has an optional rule allowing you to change subclasses at levels when you get an ability score increase. Balance-wise, I don’t see any issue with allowing it after a long rest if you really want to.

 

[cbwjm]

I think this is a fine houserule, I'd allow a change of domain if the cleric moves to another god, no reason I can see that you couldn't allow a change between the gods domains unless you consider selecting a domain to be in large part training in that area of the god's portfolio. It can seem a little weird if you move from having bonus proficiencies like weapons, armour, and skills to not having them, but you could always consider them divinely inspired benefits.

 

[see]

Back in the day, 2E I think, clerics would pick 2-3 different "spheres" dependent on their deity.

"Spheres" in 2e were a lot more extensive than 2-3, and were fixed if you were a cleric; it was specialty priests where they got customized around.

What you're talking about is a lot more like 3.x, where "domains" were "Pick two from your deity's list", plus an occasional means (feats, prestige classes) to gain an additional one.

New to 5E, I was wondering if people had tried having clerics that could exchange their domains? So, Oglethorpe of the Bright Temple could choose either Light or Order at the temple before setting out on his adventure. His choice would be fixed until he returned to a temple and spent the requisite time in prayerful meditation to change his domain to one that his faith offered.

That proposal shouldn't be a balance problem in the slightest.

 

[Blue Orange]

Sounds reasonable. Real-life churches (I'm thinking Roman Catholic, but others may know better) often have multiple orders and priesthoods within them, and religions are well-known to have various sects that try to sway people between them.