Death domain cleric, the one domain that didn't choose what it wanted to be?

[Mystical-man]

I've been considering the idea of playing a death domain cleric and being the main source of damage in our adventuring party and I was excited to play it but when I looked at the subclass something about it confused me in terms of mechanics. First of martial weapons make it look like a melee based cleric and channel divinity plus divine strike also seems to say it's a melee cleric. Then reaper, inescapable destruction and improved reaper seem to make it a heavily spell based casting cleric. My main gripe is that it seems like it has abilities to work with spellcasting and melee but not really work in one of them specifically. Anyone else have maybe more insight on this then me and maybe how I should build this?

[RogueJK]

As you noted, every other domain is clearly caster-focused or melee-focused (with a few that start to blur the lines like Tempest), whereas Death is all over the place and doesn't really excel at either.

If it's the Death flavor you're wanting, I'd suggest looking at Grave Domain instead. It's still Death-related, but its abilities are more consistently focused on casting.

[Mystical-man]

As you noted, every other domain is clearly caster-focused or melee-focused (with a few that start to blur the lines like Tempest), whereas Death is all over the place and doesn't really excel at either.

If it's the Death flavor you're wanting, I'd suggest looking at Grave Domain instead. It's still Death-related, but its abilities are more consistently focused on casting.

I was more thinking about a death flavor but going more melee based instead of spell casting based which is why I've not chosen the grave domain.

[RogueJK]

I guess you could always reflavor another melee-centric domain to have a more edgy, death-ish slant.

Something like a death-obsessed Nature Cleric focused on the survival of the fittest and the circle of life. Or a "fire and brimstone" Tempest Cleric who's all about the terrifying power of the storm and the destruction left in its wake. Or a War Cleric who revels in bloody battles, and desires nothing more than to crush his enemies, drive them before him, and hearing the lamentations of their women.

[Mystical-man]

I guess you could always reflavor another melee-centric domain to have a more edgy, death-ish slant.

Something like a death-obsessed Nature Cleric focused on the survival of the fittest and the circle of life. Or a "fire and brimstone" Tempest Cleric who's all about the terrifying power of the storm and the destruction left in its wake. Or a War Cleric who revels in bloody battles, and desires nothing more than to crush his enemies, drive them before him, and hearing the lamentations of their women.

Hmmm interesting ideas, I was mainly considering lizardfolk for this and being a tribal hunter so maybe changing the flavour of nature cleric could be interesting.

[MeeposFire]

Well if they or you created a necrotic weapon cantrip then you would probably be golden. Get on it folks!

[Corran]

Spellcasting and melee don't have to be mutually exclusive in the case of a cleric. If you play melee, but instead of weapon attacks you use sth like toll the dead, the only thing that goes to waste is the level 8 smite feature, which IMO is a bit wasteful already for any domain. Also, keep in mind, that the CD works with spells that include a melee attack, like inflict wounds, spiritual weapon, etc.

[Dalebert]

I don't think it was intended to be taken seriously. They threw it together as an example of how to design a subclass. That a few people are actually able to play them in AL now is a mistake IMHO.

[Edenbeast]

They threw it together as an example of how to design a subclass.

Not true. Both the Death domain cleric and Oathbreaker paladin are presented in the DM as "Villainous class options." The fact that the Death domain is mentioned in the PHB makes it quite clear that these are serious class options, but with the side note that they're mainly designed for evil NPC's and available to players at the DM's approval. Neither is there any mention in the DMG that these two class options are an example of "how to design a subclass." What you refer to is on page 285: Creating new character options, where Eladrin and Aasimar are indeed presented as examples of a new sub race and race respectively.

[Sigreid]

It was created to be a villain, so it was designed to be a multi-fascited threat.

[PeteNutButter]

If you ask me, at it's current state the death domain is better more melee focused. The first level feature is just a good option to share toll the dead on two targets.

Otherwise, that channel divinity is seriously out of line on the damage. Cleric level x2 + 5? That's 25 damage at level 10. Combine that with a class that gets extra attack(or just TWF/PAM) and you can toss out both in one round for a 50 point damage boost that can't be resisted.

If I unlock it in AL, I'll probably make the MAD Paladin/Death Cleric just for the silly burst damage. Though it hurts my soul that those CDs don't stack.

[DarkKnightJin]

My Dragonborn Death Cleric started with a level of Fighter for Heavy armor, and he's sort of the main tank for the group. It helps that it's a homebrew setting with a Death deith that's not Evil.

It turned into a fun character that has slight schizophrenic tendencies. Outside of combat, he's a gentle giant, and one of the nicest people you're likely to meet. Even a bit introverted most of the time.
Bit when his blood gets pumping with a good fight.. He goes Mr. Hyde/'Full Dark Side' as I described it.
And suddenly this 7'4" bulky dude is ripping hearts out of chests like he's in Temple of Doom, and absorbing the lifeforce of his slain enemies.
(Vampiric Touch, with the Touch of Death CD for a healthy opening strike of 30 damage vs the boss of the fight)