Alternate Domain Powers

[SilverLeaf167]

Does anyone know of, or have ideas for, alternate Domain Granted Powers for the elemental domains (Air, Earth, Fire, Water)? Being able to turn/rebuke specific elements is sort of boring and will rarely come to play... unless, of course, you can use it to fuel feats that require turn attempts, but then it approaches cheesiness.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Complete Divine has the Elemental Smiting and Elemental Healing feats, which work like divine feats but they're powered by your elemental domain turning.

The Divine Restoration alternate class feature in Dungeonscape allows a 3rd level Cleric to trade one of his domain's granted powers for the ability to spontaneously cast Lesser Restoration, Restoration, and Greater Restoration.

[TiaC]

Well, they could give resist 5 against the associated element. They could give abilities from the elementals (Air mastery, Earth Mastery...). They could give some form of elemental movement for a limited amount of time each day (Flight, Swim, Burrow, Flamejump?). They could give a limited but scaling form of Summon Elemental.

[SilverLeaf167]

Good points and good ideas from both :smallwink:

The energy resistance thing brings to mind a pretty much unrelated issue: does anyone else feel weird about Acid being associated Earth? Yes, it was the only combination left, but it's still weird, and I doubt most people really think of "Acid" when they want to make an Earth-focused caster; they think of something like Earthbending from Avatar... which there actually is oddly little of in D&D. Pretty much all Earth-related spells are defensive.

[mabriss lethe]

You could always swap out your cleric domains for the associated Domain feat from Complete Champion, in this case, Fire Devotion, Earth Devotion, Water Devotion and Air Devotion.

FD allows you to use turn attempts to grant extra fire damage to a melee attack for 1 minute.

AD allows you to create a shroud of wind around you that gives you defensive buffs.

ED allows you to manipulate terrain to your advantage

WD allows you to summon a water elemental.

[Psyren]

The Pathfinder versions give you a little elemental ray you can fire off Wis+3 per day. The damage scales and it helps make your elemental cleric feel like more than just another cleric when you're firing off a lightning ray or an acid dart.

They also get the elemental resistance power, but you can go a bit further there and grab a subdomain for different powers, such as Cloud for Air or Smoke for Fire.

[Fax Celestis]

The d20r Cleric (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124934) gives some intrinsic powers for domains. Here's a few substitution options for the more "like turning, but different" domains.

Air: Intrinsic Power: You gain a bonus on saving throws against gas and fog effects (such as acid fog and cloudkill) equal to one-third your cleric level (round down, minimum +1). If the effect does not normally allow a saving throw, you may still make a Fortitude saving throw at a -5 penalty to ignore its effects.

Earth: Intrinsic Power: You gain a slam attack, which deals damage and inflicts critical hits as a mace according to your size. This is a natural attack. If it is your only natural attack, it is your primary natural attack; otherwise, it is a secondary natural attack. Your slam attack gains a +1 enhancement bonus at fifth level and increases this bonus to +2 at 10th, +3 at 15th, and +4 at 20th.

Fire: Intrinsic Power: You gain the ability to shoot a small ball of fire at your foes. This is a ranged touch attack with a 30' range that deals 1d4 fire damage, plus an additional 1d4 fire damage per three cleric levels.

Sun: Intrinsic Power: You gain the ability to surround yourself with a glowing halo of sunlight. This corona, in addition to giving off light as a torch does, grants a modicum of protection to you. You gains a deflection bonus to your armor class equal to your Charisma modifier. You may activate this ability a number of times per day equal to your Charisma modifier. You can activate his corona as a swift action and deactivate it as a free action. If you do not deactivate it yourself, it remains active for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier.

Water: Intrinsic Power: You may hold your breath for quadruple the normal time. If you already have the ability to breathe water, you instead gain the (Amphibious) subtype.

[OldTrees1]

Improved Domain Power (Dragon Magazine 342 pg22+):
Trade a Domain, Turn Undead or take a feat to gain a secondary power for a domain.

Air
Far-Reaching Wind – A touched ranged weapon has its Range Increment doubled. A touched melee weapon can be thrown with a
Range Increment of 20’. Effect lasts for 1 minute and may be used Cleric level times per day.

Earth
Tremor Step – When activated, all creatures within a 20’ radius of the Cleric are knocked Prone (Balance check to avoid, DC is Charisma based). Cleric must be standing on a solid, natural surface. Usable (Cleric level / 2) times per day

Fire
Flame-Guiding Song – The Cleric may command non-magical fires (up to the size of a Bonfire) to extinguish themselves –or– order fire from an existing blaze to reach out up to 10’ to deal 2d6 Fire amage (no save) –and– make the target Catch Fire (RefNeg, DC is Charisma-based). Usable (Cleric level / 2) times per day.

Water
Waves Protect Their Own – The Cleric and his/her allies within 30’ receive no penalties from Underwater combat and have no chance of being drowned by rough water. The Clerics opponent’s receive a penalty on Attack rolls equal to the Cleric’s Charisma modifier. The Cleric must be at least waist deep in water to use this ability. Usable (Cleric level) times per day, though they do not need to be consecutive.

Personally I think most of the improved domain options are weak but I do like Healing and Magic.

[Helcack]

My idea's for alternatives are as follows
Earth: Gain the Knight ability to make the area around you considered difficult terrain 1+1/3 Cleric level times /day
Air: Reduce the damage you take from any fall by 20 ft
Fire: You may activate and dismiss the spell Light at will with yourself as the target, the CL is equal to your class level.
Water: Gain a swim speed equal to 1/2 your base land speed and a +4 Divine Bonus on Swim Checks