Ok, this is a far out question and has probably been addressed before, but I would like it settled once and for all for my players and other rules lawyers I know.
I ask that readers keep an open mind and reason out their arguments please.
Does a Cleric who takes a Prestige Class that grants +1 caster level/spells per day get more domain spells? What level do some effects of domain powers function at (see examples below)?
For example, Jozan an 8th level cleric, takes a level of Church Inquisitor (DotF). Jozan has Healing and Good Domains from his cleric levels and now he has the Inquisition Prestige Domain from Church Inquisitor. Jozan wants to prepare spells the full day after taking his level of Church Inquisitor. How many spells does Jozan get?
The description of Cleric in the PH states that his Healing and Good domains are class features of being a cleric. (Page 31 [Both 3.0 and 3.5 PH] under Class Features Heading, "All of the following are class features of the cleric" ).
Jozan's Church Inquisitor level under his Class Features Section (Once again, "All of the following are class features of the church inquisitor prestige class", p 51) states that Jozan gets a prestige domain, the granted power of that domain, and can choose the spells in that domain as his daily domain spells.
Now under Jozan's "Spells per Day" class feature for Church Inquisitor, it states that "...when a new church inquisitor level is gained, the character gains new divine spells per day as if he had gained a level in whatever divine spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of controlling or rebuking undead, more frequent remove disease and so on). This means that he adds the level of church inquisitor to the level of another divine spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day accordingly. For example if (Jozan), an 8th level cleric, gains a level as a church inquisitor, he gains new divine spells as if he had risen to 9th level as a cleric, but uses the other church inquisitor aspects of level progression such as base attack bonus and save bonuses. If he next gains a level as a cleric, making him a 9th-level cleric/1st-level church inquisitor, he gains divine spells as if he had risen to 10th level as a cleric."
With this stated, it would appear at first glance that Jozan should be able to prepare a 5th level domain slot as a cleric 8/church inquisitor 1, in which he can prepare his Good, Healing, or Inquisitor domain spells.
Here's where the nitpicking starts:
The Good and Healing domains are class features of Jozan's cleric levels, and the Inquistion domain of his prestige class. Therefore, if he truly prepares divine spells "as if he had risen to 9th level as a cleric", then Jozan would only get Good and Healing spells as options for his 1st,2nd,3rd,4th, and 5th level domain slots, and Inquisition domain spells as an option for his 1st level domain slot.
Why is this the case? Because the Inquisition domain is not part of the class features of cleric. Jozan gains increased spells per day as a cleric, using his cleric class features. The Church Inquisitor level indeed let him "gain the granted power associated with the domain and choose the spells in that domain as his daily domain spells." However, since Jozan only has 1 level in ChInq, he can only prepare 1st level domain spells, per his distinct class ability of ChInq.
The key here is to keep spells per day distinct from what can go into those spell slots. While Jozan's domain spell slots are class features of his cleric level, he can only put certain spells into them, as determined by his class level and his domains.
I'm sure the above will generate a vigorous response, but let's muddy the waters further and talk about granted domain powers. Let's suppose instead of the Good domain, Jozan has the Air domain from his Cleric levels. What level does Jozan turn/rebuke elementals?
His ChInq level lets him get more spells per day, but it does not advance other class features (improved chance of controlling or rebuking undead for example), because the turn/rebuke undead is a class feature of the cleric. Now since his Air Domain granted power is a class feature of cleric, he should not be able to turn/rebuke elementals at higher level, because the domain power specifically references turn/rebuking elementals "as a cleric turn/rebukes undead."
I'm not done with Jozan yet. Let's make Jozan a Shaman for a moment (OA) Jozan the Shaman decides to take the Nature Domain as one of his two Shaman Domains. The granted power of the Nature Domain is "Rebuke or command nomal animals or plant creatures as an evil cleric rebukes or commands undead..."
Poor Jozan doesn't have any cleric levels, and therefore can't use his domain power.
We could make a leap of logic and use Shaman levels in place of cleric levels, but why stop there? Why not let all Jozan divine spellcasting levels or even character levels count toward his cleric levels for rebuking animals?
So we have a few issues here:
1: When taking a PrC with a Pr Domain, what can Jozan prepare in your domain slots at each spell level?
2: If a tree falls on a rules lawyer in the forest, does anyone care?
3: How does Jozan the Shaman rebuke/command animals with no cleric levels?
Discuss :Casts Protection from Energy: Fire:
I ask that readers keep an open mind and reason out their arguments please.
Does a Cleric who takes a Prestige Class that grants +1 caster level/spells per day get more domain spells? What level do some effects of domain powers function at (see examples below)?
For example, Jozan an 8th level cleric, takes a level of Church Inquisitor (DotF). Jozan has Healing and Good Domains from his cleric levels and now he has the Inquisition Prestige Domain from Church Inquisitor. Jozan wants to prepare spells the full day after taking his level of Church Inquisitor. How many spells does Jozan get?
The description of Cleric in the PH states that his Healing and Good domains are class features of being a cleric. (Page 31 [Both 3.0 and 3.5 PH] under Class Features Heading, "All of the following are class features of the cleric" ).
Jozan's Church Inquisitor level under his Class Features Section (Once again, "All of the following are class features of the church inquisitor prestige class", p 51) states that Jozan gets a prestige domain, the granted power of that domain, and can choose the spells in that domain as his daily domain spells.
Now under Jozan's "Spells per Day" class feature for Church Inquisitor, it states that "...when a new church inquisitor level is gained, the character gains new divine spells per day as if he had gained a level in whatever divine spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of controlling or rebuking undead, more frequent remove disease and so on). This means that he adds the level of church inquisitor to the level of another divine spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day accordingly. For example if (Jozan), an 8th level cleric, gains a level as a church inquisitor, he gains new divine spells as if he had risen to 9th level as a cleric, but uses the other church inquisitor aspects of level progression such as base attack bonus and save bonuses. If he next gains a level as a cleric, making him a 9th-level cleric/1st-level church inquisitor, he gains divine spells as if he had risen to 10th level as a cleric."
With this stated, it would appear at first glance that Jozan should be able to prepare a 5th level domain slot as a cleric 8/church inquisitor 1, in which he can prepare his Good, Healing, or Inquisitor domain spells.
Here's where the nitpicking starts:
The Good and Healing domains are class features of Jozan's cleric levels, and the Inquistion domain of his prestige class. Therefore, if he truly prepares divine spells "as if he had risen to 9th level as a cleric", then Jozan would only get Good and Healing spells as options for his 1st,2nd,3rd,4th, and 5th level domain slots, and Inquisition domain spells as an option for his 1st level domain slot.
Why is this the case? Because the Inquisition domain is not part of the class features of cleric. Jozan gains increased spells per day as a cleric, using his cleric class features. The Church Inquisitor level indeed let him "gain the granted power associated with the domain and choose the spells in that domain as his daily domain spells." However, since Jozan only has 1 level in ChInq, he can only prepare 1st level domain spells, per his distinct class ability of ChInq.
The key here is to keep spells per day distinct from what can go into those spell slots. While Jozan's domain spell slots are class features of his cleric level, he can only put certain spells into them, as determined by his class level and his domains.
I'm sure the above will generate a vigorous response, but let's muddy the waters further and talk about granted domain powers. Let's suppose instead of the Good domain, Jozan has the Air domain from his Cleric levels. What level does Jozan turn/rebuke elementals?
His ChInq level lets him get more spells per day, but it does not advance other class features (improved chance of controlling or rebuking undead for example), because the turn/rebuke undead is a class feature of the cleric. Now since his Air Domain granted power is a class feature of cleric, he should not be able to turn/rebuke elementals at higher level, because the domain power specifically references turn/rebuking elementals "as a cleric turn/rebukes undead."
I'm not done with Jozan yet. Let's make Jozan a Shaman for a moment (OA) Jozan the Shaman decides to take the Nature Domain as one of his two Shaman Domains. The granted power of the Nature Domain is "Rebuke or command nomal animals or plant creatures as an evil cleric rebukes or commands undead..."
Poor Jozan doesn't have any cleric levels, and therefore can't use his domain power.
We could make a leap of logic and use Shaman levels in place of cleric levels, but why stop there? Why not let all Jozan divine spellcasting levels or even character levels count toward his cleric levels for rebuking animals?So we have a few issues here:
1: When taking a PrC with a Pr Domain, what can Jozan prepare in your domain slots at each spell level?
2: If a tree falls on a rules lawyer in the forest, does anyone care?
3: How does Jozan the Shaman rebuke/command animals with no cleric levels?
Discuss :Casts Protection from Energy: Fire:
