Adding Dawn Burst to Cleric Spell List (3.5)

[SirNibbles]

As the title says, I am looking for a way to add Dawn Burst (and possibly other light spells) to a Cleric's list. I want to do a Radiant Servant of Pelor build that focuses on light and healing.

I'm hoping to do so without dipping Wizard and using Alternate Source Spell.

[Ruethgar]

Off hand, Customize Domain feat with the Light Domain.

[Goaty14]

Extra Spell? (Feat, CL 3rd, Complete Arcane)

[Troacctid]

The arcane disciple variant (Dragon #311) lets you pick any sorcerer/wizard spells to add to your cleric list. Loses domains and turning.


Off hand, Customize Domain feat with the Light Domain.
Do you mean the Sun domain? I don't think there is a Light domain.

[Fizban]

Pop open Races of Destiny to page 155, and take a look at the Initiate feat for Pelor. Initiate feats add spells to your main cleric list, however the writer feels like, rather than using the uinform domain mechanics- they're basically more specific domains that are fixed by being written more individually, or at least that's the idea.

Now consider the fact that this particular initiate feat, Radiant Fire, has 4/5 spells actually do nothing because clerics already have Summon Monster and elementals are neutral.

Now ask your DM to make you an initiate feat for Pelor that actually works. You could crib from Lathander's initiate feat, which also gives you the ability to spontaneously cast any light spell on your list (Nimbus of Light [SpC] and Sun Bolt [Shining South] are on cleric). And Lathander is essentially the less generic FR version of Pelor (still pretty generic). And if your game is high enough power that you need Dawnburst to fit in, put Dawnburst on the initiate feat list.

[SirNibbles]

Thanks everyone for the help.

Customize Domain still requires me to add those spells to my list in some way before I can cast them, but it still may be worth it.

I'll probably end up going with Initiate of Lathander and Extra Spell to grab Dawnburst and Anger of the Noonday Sun, and seeing if I can get both Morninglord of Lathander and Radiant Servant of Pelor with some minor refluffing.

[Fizban]

On the one hand, Extra Spell does not work that way (cue standard seven page argument). On the other hand, if you really want to pay a feat for it, I don't see a problem with getting Dawnburst onto a Cleric. On the other other hand, for someone with a specific light theme and a feat that gives light spells, I don't see why a DM would charge you an extra feat on top of the initiate just to add Dawnburst.

The primary effect is a weaker version of Glitterdust and Faerie Fire's revealing effect, which seems to exist solely because Faerie Fire is a DruidTM spell so the Sor/Wiz version has to be different. But Clerics get Invisbility Purge, which is also a revealing effect. If there's a specific continuum of Druids revealing at 1st, Sor/Wiz at 2nd, and Clerics at 3rd, then Dawnburst shouldn't even exist, because it violates the Sor/Wiz's limitation of no See Invis/reveal Invis effects until 2nd level. If there is no such continuum, then there is no reason Clerics shouldn't get Dawnburst aside from "because they said so," because the spell itself is still far weaker than Faerie Fire and Glitterdust, without infringing on Invisibility Purge, when there are other "paint the target with light" spells being allowed on the Cleric list (unless your DM has removed Guiding Light) and which can deal damage at 1st on the Cleric list (the aforementioned Nimbus of Light, to any creature type, as well as Light of Lunia). So why isn't Dawnburst on the Cleric list?

There's an extremely strong argument that Dawburst should just be a Cleric spell without spending any feats, but you're taking Initiate of Lathander already. A deity who is specifically about the dawn, with one of the spells on his initiate list being Sunrise. I would be disappointed if your DM made you spend an entire extra feat just for this spell. The only reason would be a very specific desire that Clerics have no ability to reveal or mark invisible creatures until 3rd level spells. If they actually supply that reason, then honestly I'd just skip the spell.

[Troacctid]

Extra Spell doesn't work at all for clerics, since they don't actually have spells known, unless you're using the spontaneous variant.

[Goaty14]

Extra Spell doesn't work at all for clerics, since they don't actually have spells known

But the feat doesn't say you need a spells known list? :smallconfused: It just says "you learn a spell"


unless you're using the spontaneous variant.

You mean the standard cleric, as in the one that casts spells spontaneously? :smallbiggrin:

[Thurbane]

Probably the exact opposite of a light-based character, but Shadowcraft Mage can advance divine casting, and can mimic Sor/Wiz evocation spells. Also has a racial requirement, which is annoying.

I'm a little chaky on the mechanics, but would a Drake Helm (Explorer's Handbook) work for a cleric? No, specifically for spontaneous arcane casters.

[PrismCat21]

Probably the exact opposite of a light-based character, but Shadowcraft Mage can advance divine casting, and can mimic Sor/Wiz evocation spells..

Make any Light based spell cast with Shadow shine like a Blacklight. :D
Possibly with a bonus on Search and/or Track :P