Strength Domain Power: Any way to make it better?

[HeapThaumaturgist]

So I've got a 13th level cleric with the Strength domain ... and I find I RARELY use my granted power.

It's a 1round 1/day ability that ... it could be pretty cool, but it doesn't happen very often that I need to, say, break down a door or some other 1-round strength-based "thing". Usually it's something extended like a climb or a combat where this would come in handy, and I use the ability so seldomly that when something DOES come up where it would be useful, it doesn't come to mind that I have it. Back when I started playing my cleric, the ability was so weak that it wasn't worth the bother ... a +1 on a strength check at lvl2-3, etc, to move a stuck door didn't really blow the hinges off. Now that it is +6 it would be more useful for moving those stuck doors, if it wasn't just easier to Sunder the door with a big adamantine power attack or use some other higher-level ability to bypass the stuck door entirely.

Are there any feats/magic/abilities that could extend this into something a little more applicable? Any feats that can make it more than 1/day so that there are enough uses to warrant breaking it out every session? I'd like to see the STRENGTH of Strength domain, but I pretty much use it on a grapple check once every month or two of table time "when I think of it". I'd like it to be something I'd keep in mind. I'd like it to be dramatic and cool: "I activate my Strength ability!" and something really HAPPENS instead of a great grapple check becomes great+ or a hit becomes hit+.

Even, if anybody can think of it, a regular good use for the ability beyond a momentary burst in damage.

--fje

 

[comrade raoul]

Very large momentary bursts in damage are not to be underestimated, though. On a full attack in an important round, they can turn the tide of a fight.

 

[pawsplay]

This is one ability that does not need to be better. It's an essential ingredient in the ECL 20 Hulking Hurler build that does 25 million d6 damage.

 

[Krel]

I think its a fine ability. What if you are trying to get out of a grapple? Or you are buried because of an earthquake spell? Or, as you said, if you need to break down a door? Or deal more damage? I think its quite useful.

 

[Legildur]

My only complaint is that it provides an enhancement bonus. So there is no stacking with belts or gauntlets of strength, or Bull's Strength spell etc. It would have been much better as a Divine or even unnamed bonus (or similar).

Aside from that, the domain spell list provides access to some non-clerical spells - that's got to be worth something over and above the domain power?

 

[Bad Paper]

I had a BBEG turn the party's meat shield into a pile of jelly in one round because of this domain power. It is totally fine as it is.

 

[Musrum]

I had a BBEG turn the party's meat shield into a pile of jelly in one round because of this domain power. It is totally fine as it is.

And a good demonstration as to why this sucks for a PC. A 1/day ability is fine for an NPC.

How different it would be if the DM had a number of tokens that he could use on "per day" abilities for ALL the NPCs & Monsters...

 

[Evilhalfling]

okay so it doesn't stack with your bull str / item
that takes it down to a +4 hit and damage as a free action - @ 13th

as for making it better - action points may get you more uses, but thats not much help in an existing game. srry.

 

[HeapThaumaturgist]

Yea, I'm not claiming the ability itself is "bad", but that it's just so limited in utility that it becomes utterly forgettable. On one hand, I forget that I have it half the time ... on the other, it's usually part of something else. I'm already using "The Big Whallop" and spending a Smite and Power Attacking and Raging and using an AP (we have 2/lvl), etc, so the Strength Domain Power just gets added in there ... an additional 4 damage in a 70-damage dealorama.

For instance, the Extra Smite feat turned my Destruction Domain power into something I use pretty much every gaming session. Now I've got 3 of them, so I don't feel like I have to hold on to the 1/Day whammy "for when I need it". I've got 2 I can spend elsewhere, so they don't have to be just part of a giant all-out blast on the most powerful monster there.

Too bad there's no feats that would ... add additional uses per day or turn it into something that would allow me to use it to throw a foe across a room or something suitably spectacular. I'm not dissatisfied with the domain, as I enjoy many of the spells and whatnot ... just was looking to punch up the ability a bit. Even if it were something odd and flavorful ... not especially looking for POWER, but some 'punch'.

---fje

 

[Dross]

... just was looking to punch up the ability a bit. Even if it were something odd and flavorful ... not especially looking for POWER, but some 'punch'.

---fje

I don't know if this helps but.....

There is an exaple of a half-orc fighter using STR for intimidate instead of Charisma. You could see if a similar use is viable.
Use it in some sort of Bluff (Look how strong I am, I can do THIS!)

Bull rushing, trip or similar other combat uses.

With everything that you can do, see if a better STR does help.