bronzemountain
2017-07-14, 01:53 AM
I'm about to start a campaign and one of my players wanted to play a priestess of death, without the 'evil priest summoning an army of undead' kind of action. The UA Grave domain came immediately to mind, but I wanted to tweak it for a couple of reasons:
1. Some of the features feel just a bit underpowered
2. I think Psychopomps / Grave priests should be more mystical, less melee (so, more like Light clerics). These are spirit guides and custodians of a vital part of the cycle of life and rebirth, after all.
Figured I'd share here and see what you fine folk think.
Domain spells - remain the same. These are fine and make sense.
1st Level
Bonus proficiency heavy armor is fine. Similarly, lack of martial weapons also fine. Just like Light.
Circle of Mortality remains the same. In fact, this might be my single favorite heal-boosting ability in the game. It's flavorful, theme-appropriate, and it provides burst healing in the way encounters actually demand it.
Lose Eyes of the Grave. Weird Ranger-y undead detection is not great and tying it to highest CR is even weirder. Instead, Grave Clerics add two Necromancer cantrips to their cantrip list, and treat them as Cleric Cantrips. Those cantrips are Chill Touch and, if you're using UA Starter Spells, Toll the Bell. Chill Touch is particularly nice for the disadvantage to undead bit (Grave clerics don't like undead) and Toll the Bell has a swingy 'accelerate your passage towards death' damage rider that fits well.
2nd Level
Channel Divinity: Path to the Grave. This is largely fine but I've turned it into a bonus action. CD is already limited uses per day (2, basically), so the ability to spike an ally's damage as a bonus action doesn't feel overpowered. If the cleric decides to use it for herself, that's fine, but she's not going to do too much damage with it. Removing resists remains nicely thematic as a 'please do go gently into that dark night' kind of thing.
6th Level
Replace Sentinel@Death's Door with The Flesh is Weak but the Spirit is Strong. When an ally within 30' takes damage you can, as a reaction, give that ally your cleric level in temporary hit points. Crits just don't happen enough for the original ability to be meaningful, and infrequent bonuses require particular effort to remember at the table in the heat of combat. This feels more fun, active, and allows the cleric to be all 'No, hang on to life, you are not ready for the grave yet!' The ability can be used WIS mod times per long rest.
8th Level
Switch the melee smite out for WIS mod damage bonus to cantrips (as per Light, other pew pew clerics).
17th Level
I don't know what to do here. And, as an aside, how bizarre and terrible is it that clerics have no customization abilities from 8th to 17th level?! Anyway, I don't like this domain capstone. It's weak and boring. But I'm open to suggestions as to alternatives.
I'd love to hear thoughts and feedback!
1. Some of the features feel just a bit underpowered
2. I think Psychopomps / Grave priests should be more mystical, less melee (so, more like Light clerics). These are spirit guides and custodians of a vital part of the cycle of life and rebirth, after all.
Figured I'd share here and see what you fine folk think.
Domain spells - remain the same. These are fine and make sense.
1st Level
Bonus proficiency heavy armor is fine. Similarly, lack of martial weapons also fine. Just like Light.
Circle of Mortality remains the same. In fact, this might be my single favorite heal-boosting ability in the game. It's flavorful, theme-appropriate, and it provides burst healing in the way encounters actually demand it.
Lose Eyes of the Grave. Weird Ranger-y undead detection is not great and tying it to highest CR is even weirder. Instead, Grave Clerics add two Necromancer cantrips to their cantrip list, and treat them as Cleric Cantrips. Those cantrips are Chill Touch and, if you're using UA Starter Spells, Toll the Bell. Chill Touch is particularly nice for the disadvantage to undead bit (Grave clerics don't like undead) and Toll the Bell has a swingy 'accelerate your passage towards death' damage rider that fits well.
2nd Level
Channel Divinity: Path to the Grave. This is largely fine but I've turned it into a bonus action. CD is already limited uses per day (2, basically), so the ability to spike an ally's damage as a bonus action doesn't feel overpowered. If the cleric decides to use it for herself, that's fine, but she's not going to do too much damage with it. Removing resists remains nicely thematic as a 'please do go gently into that dark night' kind of thing.
6th Level
Replace Sentinel@Death's Door with The Flesh is Weak but the Spirit is Strong. When an ally within 30' takes damage you can, as a reaction, give that ally your cleric level in temporary hit points. Crits just don't happen enough for the original ability to be meaningful, and infrequent bonuses require particular effort to remember at the table in the heat of combat. This feels more fun, active, and allows the cleric to be all 'No, hang on to life, you are not ready for the grave yet!' The ability can be used WIS mod times per long rest.
8th Level
Switch the melee smite out for WIS mod damage bonus to cantrips (as per Light, other pew pew clerics).
17th Level
I don't know what to do here. And, as an aside, how bizarre and terrible is it that clerics have no customization abilities from 8th to 17th level?! Anyway, I don't like this domain capstone. It's weak and boring. But I'm open to suggestions as to alternatives.
I'd love to hear thoughts and feedback!