TYRANT DOMAIN: Balanced?

[Iron_Chef]

Please rate this cleric domain.

TYRANT DOMAIN

Deities: Bane, Hextor, Lolth, Loviatar, any god who encourages slavery

Granted Power: You gain Spell Focus: Enchantment.

TYRANT DOMAIN SPELLS
1. Command
2. Hold Person
3. Compel (as command, but duration is 1 minute/level or until completed, whichever is first, and you can issue a short sentence as the command, such as "Give me the sword of power, worm!" or "My dear princess, place these manacles around those lovely wrists of yours.")
4. Dominate Person
5. Greater Command
6. Geas/Quest
7. Mass Domination
8. True Domination
9. Monstrous Thrall
_______________________________________

Here's an alternate spell you could swap out for hold person, if desired.

Benediction of the Iron Fist
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] [Evil]
Level: Clr 2
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 50 ft.
Area: All those of your faith within 50 ft.
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

This spell calls upon the power of a tyrannical god to empower its faithful to smite their enemies. Each subject receives a brief mental vision of their god both exhorting them onward to glorious victory as his "chosen", while simultaneously threatening them with dire punishment should they fail to fulfill the god's will.

All those of the same faith as the caster within 50 ft. of where the spell is cast gain a +2 morale bonus on all attack and damage rolls, and a +1 luck bonus to all saving throws. These bonuses are inspired partly by fanatical bloodlust and greed, and part mortal terror of failing to win the fight for their evil god, whose penalty for failure is often death... or worse.

 

[SteelDraco]

Looks pretty good. The domain power is rather weak, but it's made up for in the strength of the spells.

I'd suggest that you should formally write up the psionic powers you're using as spells (True Domination and Thrall, unless I'm mistaken).

If you have access to Magic of Faerun, the various 'Nybor's X Y' spells (Gentle Reminder, Wrathful Castigation, etc) might fit in here. They're essentially torture spells, designed to cause penalties due to pain. The domain seems a bit too focused on the mental control - there's more to slavery than that, after all.

 

[Frostmarrow]

Extremely cool! I don't know if it's balanced but know that I like it. Sometimes that is enough.

 

[Iron_Chef]

I swapped out "Lesser Domination" (from Psi HB) for "Compel" from Joe's Book of Enchantment (LOL).

I thought the granted power should be weak because the spells are so strong, and the whip seemed to fit the bill.

I've seen the various Nybor's spells and don't care much for them. This is a domain focused on dominating others utterly; there are various Pain and Torture domains out there already. I assume a cleric with the Slavery domain would also have access to those domains as well, or the various Corruption, Lust, and Pleasure domains if of an S&M bent (Loviatar!).

 

[SteelDraco]

You might simply consider renaming it Domination, then. Slavery has more connotations than just mind control, IMO.

I'm liking Compel a lot more than Lesser Domination. Much creepier. Obviously a full write-up would be nice, but I think we can infer it pretty well from your description.

 

[seasong]

I like it! The domain name needs to change, though - I was expecting stuff related to the maintenance and control of actual slaves (as a societal thing) rather than D&S stuff .

Possible names: Master, Dominance, Will, Control, Submission, Discipline?

 

[Fenes 2]

I'd check up on the slaver prestige class in the Kingdoms of Kalamar Player's Guide for possible domain powers.

 

[Iron_Chef]

The Slaver PrC in KoK is weak, IMO, as is the Slaver PrC in AEG's Gods. Checked 'em both out already.

I've renamed it the Tyrant domain and changed the granted power to something (hopefully) more appropriate.

Other ideas for a granted power are:

1) Spell Focus: Enchantment

2) +1 DC to all mind-affecting spells

3) the Leadership feat free (at 6th level).

4) The "Sign of the Crown" feat from Mongoose's Ultimate Feats (p.189): You are gifted with immense presence, along with a tendency to believe you are right in all things. Once per day, you may make a Diplomacy check as a free action to overwhelm a target with your presence. If the target fails to make a Will save with a DC equal to your skill check result, you gain a +10 circumstance bonus on your next Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate check against them. This is an extraordinary ability.

The Domination domain (FR) already gives Spell Focus: Enchantment, the Tyranny(FR) domain already gives +2 DC to compulsions, and some other domains already give +1 DC to mind-affecting spells, so I thought I should do something different here. But the Tyrant domain above, with its reliance on compulsion spells, should get +2 DC to compulsions, I think, and probavbly should replace the FR Tyranny domain IMC. Opinions?

 

[SteelDraco]

I do prefer this domain ability. You might consider tying it in to turn/rebuke uses - perhaps instead of the opposed check, the priest just has to use one of his turn/rebuke attempts for the day as a standard action.

Then again, I'm rather fond of finding alternate uses for that mechanic.

 

[Iron_Chef]

Here's an alternate take on the Sign of the Crown feat inspired by SteelDraco for possible consideration as the domain's granted power...

You are gifted with immense presence, along with a tendency to believe you are right in all things. Once per day, you may spend a Turn/Rebuke Undead attempt as a free action to overwhelm a target with your presence. You gain a circumstance bonus equal to your cleric level on your next Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate check against them. This is an extraordinary ability.