Recommend me some cleric domains

[Falconer]

I'm preparing a character for an upcoming campaign, and I could use a bit of help. I'm thinking of making a cleric, and in terms of domains I am allowed to choose any I wish.

I want the domains I choose for him to have vaguely lovecraftian overtones, as his religion reflects this. I could easily just keep the cosmic horror-itude merely to RP, but I figure it'd be fun to have his domains reflect it. Preferably something involving aberrations.

So, in brief: can anyone recommend me some mildly lovecraftian cleric domains, and/or role-play ideas? i think I'e got my character's personality pretty well in mind, but good ideas are always appreciated.

[RTGoodman]

Well, there's the Madness (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/domains.htm#madnessDomain) domain from the SRD:


Madness Domain

Granted Power
The character gains an Insanity score equal to half his or her class level. For spellcasting (determining bonus spells and DCs), the character uses his or her Wisdom score plus his or her Insanity score in place of Wisdom alone.

For all other purposes, such as skills and saves, use Wisdom minus Insanity in place of Wisdom.

Once per day, the character can see and act with the clarity of true madness. Use the character’s Insanity score as a positive rather than a negative modifier on a single roll involving Wisdom. Choose to use this power before the roll is made.

Madness Domain Spells
1. Lesser confusion
2. Touch of madness
3. Rage
4. Confusion
5. Bolts of bedevilment
6. Phantasmal killer
7. Insanity
8. Maddening scream
9. Weird


Outside that, maybe Destruction (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spellLists/clericDomains.htm#destructionDomain)? Can't think of any other good ones off the top of my head.

[JellyPooga]

Dream and Madness Domains are the only ones that really come to mind for me, but I've never really paid all that much attention to what Domains are out there, to be honest, so there may be better ones. Both can be found in Complete Divine.

[kjones]

The Oracle domain, also from Complete Divine, feels kind of Lovecraftian to me, if only because you could be seeing Terrible Secrets Man Was Not Meant To Know.

[Keld Denar]

Hunger, Darkness, Ooze, Madness, Domination

I really like Darkness. It has Darkbolt...a really fun and powerful spell that is completely unique to that domain. Hunger is also fun, since it gives you a bite attack!

[Zaq]

Time. So many Lovecraftian horrors come to us from beyond immeasurable gulfs of time.

I agree with Darkness and Madness.

Mentalism, maybe? It's kind of got a "things man was not meant to know" feel to it.

Pact could work, if you roleplay it properly.

Moon isn't directly Lovecraftian, but it's got a higher-than-average number of spells that aren't found outside of it, so it's got the "unique and alien magic" feel to it. Maybe.

[Blackjackg]

The Night domain from Dragon #342 isn't bad either, if you have access to it.

[Ganurath]

Madness and Pact. Use DMM cheese to Persist Bolts of Bedevilment, a spell unique to the Madness Domain that (normally) gives you a Mind-Effecting stun gun for 1 round/level. The Pact domains lets you offset Madness's penalty to Sense Motive, allowing you to be a properly paranoid cultist, as well as a fair number of domain spells that let you sacrifice your memories (XP) for power.

[AslanCross]

Fate could be Lovecraftian (don't think it's SRD though).

Heck, you could even say Travel is vaguely Lovecraftian. Just how do those Cosmic Horrors get around? (It's a very, very good domain too.)

[Curmudgeon]

You can't forget the Slime domain (Spell Compendium)!

[Blackjackg]

Come to think of it, the Thirst domain from Sandstorm is kind of Lovecrafty. In a deserty kind of way. Then there's Corruption and Pain from the Book of Vile Darkness. And one or another of the Dragon magazines has domains for each of the Seven Deadly Sins. Might be getting a little off your intended purpose, but it certainly meets the cosmic horror requirement.

EDIT: It's Dragon #323

[Set]

Dragon Below domain, from the Eberron Campaign Setting, feels appropriate as well.

That book also has Decay, Necromancer and Shadow, which are similarly creepy in feel.

[Devils_Advocate]

The problem with the SRD's Madness domain, from Deities & Demigods I think, is that it's pretty plainly broken. Fortunately, the updated version is available in a Complete Divine excerpt (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20040502a&page=3).

[Paul H]

Hi

What about Magic Domain for all that Arcane feel?

Summoning (SpC) can also be quite useful, especially with the Alienist PrC (CA), but the Wis penalty & familiar bonuses, it's probably best with an Arcanist.
(Yes - Alienist does allow familiars, but better if you can add Alienist levels to leevl of Wizard, etc).

Cheers
Paul H

[Paul H]

Hi

And of course - follows Zagyg (The Mad God)!
Domains: Chaos, Knowledge, Madness (SpC), Magic, Trickery
Alignment: CN

Cheers
Paul H

[Tempest Fennac]

All of the domains which were mentioned can be found on http://crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Spells-ClericalDomains.pdf if you don't have the original sources. From what I know of Lovecraft, I'd say Madness and Darkness would be best here.

[Person_Man]

My favorites are Travel, Trickery, Time, Slime, Transformation, Truth, and Domination.

Travel: Freedom of Movement domain power. Fly and Teleport on spell list.

Trickery: Bluff/Disguise/Hide as class skills. Invisibility, Mislead, Polymorph any Object, and Time Stop on spell list.

Slime: Grease, Acid Arrow, Poison (as 3rd level spell!), and Black Tentacles on spell list.

Transformation: +1 CL on Transmutation spells. Enlarge Person, Alter Self, and all the Polymorph spells on your spell list.

Truth: +1 on Div spells, bonus to Sense Motive equal to your Cleric level. Detect Thoughts (as 1st level spell) and See Invisibility on spell list.

Domination: Spell Focus (Enchantment). Dominate Person, Monstrous Thrall.

Also, I have a homebrew Domain Favored Soul (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57097) that you may wish to look at. It's been playtested pretty extensively, and it's quite fun without being broken.