Khelon Testudo
Cleric of Stronmaus
I found this seemingly reasonable homebrew:
Darkness Domain
The darkness domain focuses on harnessing the negative energy common to areas like the shadowfell and other regions of encroaching darkness. There is much variety in the gods that claim influence over this domain. Some are obvious—such as Shar, goddess of darkness and loss—but gods of death—including Myrkul and Bhaal—also have their fair share of clerics of darkness, as do deities of the night or moon. Whatever their god, these clerics are known for their fearsome magical powers and martial prowess. They can serve as divine assassins or hunters, and their presence often inspires fear in the common folk they come across.
Darkness Domain Spells
Bonus Proficiencies
When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons and the Stealth skill.
Blessing of Shadow
Also at 1st level, your magic becomes imbued with shadow. Whenever you cast a spell of 1st level or higher, you can cause wisps of shadow magic to begin to obscure the area around that spell's effect. If the spell affected an area, then these wisps cover the same area as the spell. Otherwise, if the spell affected specific targets, then these wisps cover areas that extend 5-feet outwards from each target. The wisps last for up to 1 minute, and the area they cover is lightly obscured for the duration.
If you cast another spell of 1st level or higher that affects a creature within one of these areas of shadow magic, you can choose to animate the shadows within the existing area, rather than creating a new area. When you do so, the wisps of shadow within that area (and any areas of shadow magic directly connected to that area) become momentarily animated, and attack creatures of your choice within those areas. Each creature you choose must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your cleric spell save DC or take necrotic damage equal to 2 + the spell's level. After the wisps animate and attack, they dissipate into nothingness and any areas that became animated disappear.
Channel Divinity: Deathly Gloom
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to invoke the dark magic of your deity.
As a bonus action, you present your holy symbol and conjure magical darkness within 20-foot radius area centered on a point you can see within 30 feet of you. This magical darkness is considered difficult terrain for hostile creatures, and its area is also considered an area of shadow magic for the purpose of your Blessing of Shadow feature.
The magical darkness lasts until the end of your next turn, or until you animate it with your Blessing of Shadow feature.
Beholder of the Dark
Beginning at 6th level, you gain darkvision with a range of 60 feet, or increase the range of your darkvision by 60 feet if you already have it. Within the range of your darkvision, you can see through any magical darkness that you created.
Divine Strike
At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon attacks with inky blackness. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 necrotic damage to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.
Born of Shadow
At 17th level, your body has become one with the dark. When you start your turn in dim light or darkness or enter it for the first time on a turn, your speed increases by 15 feet until the end of the turn. Additionally, while you are within dim light or darkness, you can spend your movement to teleport a distance equal to double the movement you spend. The location you teleport to must also be within dim light or darkness.
And also Mearl's work-up:
Which one looks more balanced, and would you have other suggestions - either alterations to the above, or your own take on the idea?
Darkness Domain
The darkness domain focuses on harnessing the negative energy common to areas like the shadowfell and other regions of encroaching darkness. There is much variety in the gods that claim influence over this domain. Some are obvious—such as Shar, goddess of darkness and loss—but gods of death—including Myrkul and Bhaal—also have their fair share of clerics of darkness, as do deities of the night or moon. Whatever their god, these clerics are known for their fearsome magical powers and martial prowess. They can serve as divine assassins or hunters, and their presence often inspires fear in the common folk they come across.
Darkness Domain Spells
Cleric Level | Spell |
| 1st | Arms of Hadar, Bane |
| 3rd | Darkness, Shadow Blade |
| 5th | Fear, Hunger of Hadar |
| 7th | Evard's Black Tentacles, Shadow of Moil |
| 9th | Danse Macabre, Enervation |
When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons and the Stealth skill.
Blessing of Shadow
Also at 1st level, your magic becomes imbued with shadow. Whenever you cast a spell of 1st level or higher, you can cause wisps of shadow magic to begin to obscure the area around that spell's effect. If the spell affected an area, then these wisps cover the same area as the spell. Otherwise, if the spell affected specific targets, then these wisps cover areas that extend 5-feet outwards from each target. The wisps last for up to 1 minute, and the area they cover is lightly obscured for the duration.
If you cast another spell of 1st level or higher that affects a creature within one of these areas of shadow magic, you can choose to animate the shadows within the existing area, rather than creating a new area. When you do so, the wisps of shadow within that area (and any areas of shadow magic directly connected to that area) become momentarily animated, and attack creatures of your choice within those areas. Each creature you choose must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your cleric spell save DC or take necrotic damage equal to 2 + the spell's level. After the wisps animate and attack, they dissipate into nothingness and any areas that became animated disappear.
Channel Divinity: Deathly Gloom
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to invoke the dark magic of your deity.
As a bonus action, you present your holy symbol and conjure magical darkness within 20-foot radius area centered on a point you can see within 30 feet of you. This magical darkness is considered difficult terrain for hostile creatures, and its area is also considered an area of shadow magic for the purpose of your Blessing of Shadow feature.
The magical darkness lasts until the end of your next turn, or until you animate it with your Blessing of Shadow feature.
Beholder of the Dark
Beginning at 6th level, you gain darkvision with a range of 60 feet, or increase the range of your darkvision by 60 feet if you already have it. Within the range of your darkvision, you can see through any magical darkness that you created.
Divine Strike
At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon attacks with inky blackness. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 necrotic damage to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.
Born of Shadow
At 17th level, your body has become one with the dark. When you start your turn in dim light or darkness or enter it for the first time on a turn, your speed increases by 15 feet until the end of the turn. Additionally, while you are within dim light or darkness, you can spend your movement to teleport a distance equal to double the movement you spend. The location you teleport to must also be within dim light or darkness.
And also Mearl's work-up:
Which one looks more balanced, and would you have other suggestions - either alterations to the above, or your own take on the idea?
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