Questions on Domain Access Sorcerer

[AnonCastillo]

Does the Domain Access Sorcerer (Complete Champion 52) cost just a level 1 and level 2 spell known or does it cost 1 spell known at every spell level as you level up and gain higher level spells?


Your depth of belief allows you to channel divine power the
way a cleric does. By doing so, you gain access to a single
cleric domain.
Level: 5th.
Replaces: To gain this benefit, you do not learn a new
1st-level sorcerer spell and a new 2nd-level sorcerer spell at
5th level. From now on, you know one less sorcerer spell
that you can cast at each subsequent level (not counting the
domain spells from this alternative class feature).
Benefit: Choose one cleric domain. If you worship
a specific deity, the domain you choose must be one to
which your deity grants access. You gain the granted
power of the chosen domain. In addition, you can cast one
domain spell of each spell level available to you per day
from that domain.

As written, where it says "each subsequent level" it's not clear if they just mean you continue to know one less 1st and 2nd level spell at each class level from there on or if you know one less spell of each spell level you unlock. Since you normally know only 1 spell at your highest spell level when you first get it, and since the domain only lets you cast the highest level spell you can cast from that domain once, it makes it sound like your highest level spell slots are basically going to waste unless you have metamagic feats, making this a terrible alternate class feature. But if it just means you continue to know 1 less 1st and 2nd level spell as you level up, then it seems pretty OP as you're sacrificing 2 spells known for eventually 9 spells known. I'm also seeing conflicting takes online. This thread (https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/13554/domains-for-a-sorcerer-with-domain-access) implies you only lose the 1st and 2nd level spells known, but this list of ACFs (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?444354-3-5-Alternative-Class-Features-(ported-from-Wizards-community-boards)) says you lose a spell known at every spell level. Do you just lose the 1st and 2nd level spells known, or a spell known at every level?

Also, where it says you can cast one domain spell of each spell level available per day, it's not really clear whether it means you cast them from your normal sorcerer spell slots or whether you get an additional spell slot specifically for your domain spells at each level (as a cleric does). Do they come out of your sorcerer spell slots or do you get a domain spell slot at each spell level?

Or is it between player and DM to figure it out since RAW is really unclear?

[FaerieGodfather]

It looks unambiguous to me-- you lose a 1st level spell and 2nd level spell at 5th level, and you lose one spell of each subsequent level, starting with one 3rd level spell at 6th.

Whether or not you get domain slots for your domain spells is... up in the air, but I'd argue that if you're limited to one per level per day, that means you're not allowed to use your regular slots on them so you must gain bonus slots for them.

[Aracor]

Looks to me like you lose a spell at every spell level as you get access to them. But I'd also agree that since you get domain access as per cleric, that's full domain access including the granted power. Per page 20 of Complete Divine, they do not get bonus spell slots to use for it. And the spells are still cast as arcane spells.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

It's not unclear at all. You have one less spell known at every spell level, as soon as you gain a new level of spells (you know one less sorcerer spell that you can cast at each subsequent level).

Only Clerics gain domain spell slots, per Complete Divine p20. The general rule there says Sorcerers who learn a domain spell can cast it as often as they have spell slots to spend, but the specific rule on that ACF says you're instead limited to one per level.

However, if you know a 2nd level domain spell, you can cast it from a 2nd level slot, again from a 3rd level slot, again from a 4th level slot, etc. but then you can't cast another 3rd or 4th level domain spell that day. You're limited to one spell of the domain spell category per spell level per day.

[Thurbane]

As written, it's not a great ACF. You lose too much for too little gain.

[AnonCastillo]

Per page 20 of Complete Divine, they do not get bonus spell slots to use for it. And the spells are still cast as arcane spells.
Only Clerics gain domain spell slots, per Complete Divine p20.

That only applies to domains gained from prestige classes. Alternate class features often allow you to take another class' feature as written for that class, which seems appropriate in this case because otherwise


As written, it's not a great ACF. You lose too much for too little gain.

So it seems like it's just a poorly thought out RAW ACF. Since you're generally giving up a lot of variety of spells by taking a domain (whose spells are generally all similar), and as written you're losing the use of your highest level spell slots at every even level unless you have metamagic feats, and all you get is the domain power, it's a mostly useless ACF unless you're picking a domain with a really good domain power and/or spells you can't get any other way. That's disappointing, but I guess players and DMs can always work out a non-RAW compromise on how to make it more balanced.