Without the War domain, what's the point of a cleric's favored weapon?

[Numion]

Are there any gods of peace in D&D? Sounds like wuss gawds to me

 

[Gez]

There's at least Eldath in the FR.

And a lot in various homebrews.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Additionally the listing of these weapons gives worshippers (including non-clerics) a good steer for a chosen weapon.

I'm just quoting me because I think this is a damn good point that nobody has picked up on yet

The fighter who follows Thor chooses a warhammer. The paladin who follows BadAxeMcHearty chooses an axe.

Favoured weapons of deities give distinctive flavour to the martial classes who follow said deities.