How many domains are too many?

[Brennin Magalus]

Up to four for a particular cleric/divine caster seems fine to me, but more than four seems excessive. What do you think?

 

[I'm A Banana]

Do you mean how many for one particular class, or how many in the game?

If it's the latter, I say the more the merrier. Domains are the best way to add flavor and function to a divine spellcaster. Ever. I'd adopt them for arcane casters, if I could get away with it.

If it's the former, it varies. My homebrew divine caster uses a total of 6 over 20 levels...though to be honest, they don't get much else... A domain is a bit more potent than a feat, and a fighter gets, what, about 10 of those? So I think about 2-8 seems about right, depending upon the other class features they get.

 

[Brennin Magalus]

Do you mean how many for one particular class, or how many in the game?

The former. Specifically, I am referring to the total number of domains gained from the cleric class, prestige classes, an alternate class, etc.

 

[Nightfall]

Well I would like to point out the following:

1) Domains are dependent on the number of gods you have. If you say have 18 total, doesn't mean there will be a lot of domains to go around... Usually.

2) Prestige classes and alternate classes SHOULD be the per-view of the DM. So I don't see why if you have a cleric, you need another core divine spellcaster. Other than Druid mind you.

 

[Aaron L]

Why is the druid so special he gets exemption from your "no need for more divine spellcasters" rule?

I use clerics, hong's priest, favored souls, druids, mystics, and shugenja. Each is representative of a different religion or set of religions. Each fills a different role in my world. And they all fit nicely.

 

[Li Shenron]

Up to four for a particular cleric/divine caster seems fine to me, but more than four seems excessive. What do you think?

I would say that the max number of domain for an individual Cleric should be in line with the domains of her deity. If you have very many deities in a campaign, they probably get a few domains each (like the GH or FR deities), which may reflects the fact that a large number of deities has to divide among themselves the existing portfolios. If you had a campaign with only 4 gods, they would probably hold many domains each, and possibly with less overlaps, in which case a Cleric of a single deity may be granted access to more domains herself.

IMHO, a Cleric of a god is always more or less concerned with the whole portfolio of her deity. For example, a Cleric of Obad-Hai would probably enjoy all 4 elements AND animals AND plants. For balance reasons, the rules give her only 2 domain powers & spells, but this doesn't mean that she doesn't care for the other interests/aspects of her deity.

For these reasons, from a RP point of view I don't see restrictions on how many of these could be a Cleric's interests. If you are questioning instead how may should a class get before being too much power-wise, well of course it depends on what else the class/PrCl gets. Remember that every domain gives an extra power, while domain spells per day are always the same number (although the more the domains, the broader the choice). Domain powers are IMHO usually definitely better than a feat, the weakest of them giving a bonus feat exactly, so I would try to limit them to about 2 (to begin with) plus 1 every 5 levels, in the best case!