Add a Domain

[Rev666]

Is it overpowered to give a custom magic item that allows access to cleics domain spells?

The group has a dwarf wizard but no dedicated healer (5th level) so i was thinking of giving him a magic item that lets him have access to life domain spells as though he were a cleric of appropriate level (so hed have bless, cure wounds etc as memorised and when he got to 7th level wizard hed get Death Ward and Guardian of Faith).

Does this seem okay and if so how should i handle it if he multiclasses into cleric and pics s different domain (he worships Dumathoin even though hes not a cleric btw).

[Dankus Memakus]

I'd say go for it. However if you want to be more thematic for a wizard you could make a magic item similar using the alchemist artificer bonus spells. Alot of them overlap with wizard but it still has healing word and mass healing word. Really though if you wanna go with the cleric domain do it. Give the other party members something cool and just roll with it.

[Mastikator]

Isn't this scenario (no healer) what Staff of Healing is for?

[kingcheesepants]

Is this item like a staff of healing that uses its own charges to cast the spells? Or is it more like the Eberron marked races where they add bonus spells to spellcaster's lists but the caster still uses his own slots to cast? Either has its advantages and disadvantages and while both are powerful I'd say that since both of these things already exist in the game you really only need to tweak them slightly in order to make them work for yours. Maybe your dwarf can get a mark of healing and have the same healing spells that a mark of healing halfling gets (or life domain spells as you mentioned, which please note includes spiritual weapon) or maybe just allow the staff of healing or prayer beads to be usable by wizards (or anyone really no need to force your wizard into it).

[Rev666]

Isn't this scenario (no healer) what Staff of Healing is for?

Staff of healing is bard, druid or cleric which the group doesn't have.


Is this item like a staff of healing that uses its own charges to cast the spells? Or is it more like the Eberron marked races where they add bonus spells to spellcaster's lists but the caster still uses his own slots to cast? Either has its advantages and disadvantages and while both are powerful I'd say that since both of these things already exist in the game you really only need to tweak them slightly in order to make them work for yours. Maybe your dwarf can get a mark of healing and have the same healing spells that a mark of healing halfling gets (or life domain spells as you mentioned, which please note includes spiritual weapon) or maybe just allow the staff of healing or prayer beads to be usable by wizards (or anyone really no need to force your wizard into it).

Its gonna be a medallion that he can use as the material component of the domain spells.
And its the latter. The medallion is basically just gonna add the life domain spell to his list of prepared spells. He'll use Int and his own slots to cast.

[RSP]

The list of class spells isn’t the end-all-be-all of in-world known magic, RAW; it’s just a list of the “most common spells.” Nothing prevents you from having the Wizard find a couple scrolls, or even a whole spell book, from a Wizard who had previously researched healing magic and copied the spells he learned.

This might be a much easier implementation of what you’re looking for (though nothing wrong with the item idea, in my opinion), and can let you specifically grant what spells you think are appropriate without veering away from RAW.

[stoutstien]

IMO the party made the decision not to have a lot of healing, which isn't necessarily to being with, so I wouldn't go out of my way to remove that decision from them.

[Mastikator]

Staff of healing is bard, druid or cleric which the group doesn't have.

Good point. Now that I think about it it wouldn't be overpowered at all. Spiritual Weapon would be really good on a wizard though, not OP, just really good. Beyond that spending spell slots on healing is typically very wasteful. But revivify and raise dead will ensure that PCs don't stay dead so easily.

[Nagog]

Personally? I'd go for a magic item that gives one of the players essentially the Lay on Hands feature from Paladin. It's healing, its a stand-in for Lesser Restoration, and it isn't typically strong enough to become overpowered. Giving them Life Domain spells has a lot of exploitable niches, not the least of which is Spiritual Weapon, which is solid gold for a Wizard, as Wizards don't have a lot of bonus action spells and that's essentially a concentration free, unhittable minion.

[HPisBS]

IMO the party made the decision not to have a lot of healing, which isn't necessarily to being with, so I wouldn't go out of my way to remove that decision from them.

A decent point.

Are the players expressing much concern about their lack of healing? If so, there's already plenty of ways they can gain some without multiclassing.

Maybe try presenting an opportunity to pick up proficiency with the herbalism kit with downtime first, so that someone can make their own healing potions and pass them around for everyone in the party to carry. Or, suggest someone take the Healer, or even Chef feat. For that matter, Artificer Initiate would kinda tick every box for your Wizard.

One artisan's tool proficiency (herbalism kit technically isn't "artisan," but if you want it to apply, then it's close enough)
One Artificer spell (Cure Wounds) -- usable for free once/day, and with normal spell slots thereafter
Bonus: one Artificer cantrip (Spare the Dying?)



If you want, you could turn it into "Alchemist Initiate." Restrict the tool options to the player's choice of herbalism kit or alchemist's supplies, scrap the cantrip, and say "You learn two spells from the list of Alchemist sublass's spells. You may replace one of these spells with another one for which you already have spell slots whenever you gain a level. You gain one first level spell slot which may only be used to cast one of these spells, and may also cast them using any other spell slots you have."

That would effectively add his choice of Healing Word, Mass Healing Word, Death Ward, or Raise Dead to his list, as well as one extra 1st lvl slot.

[Segev]

This is one of those things that depends heavily on the group and game. For some games it'll be fine. For others, it could lead to hugely problematic combinations.

If you aren't sure, I would recommend that you give them a magic item that is fragile or rickety. Something that is notably flawed and/or falling apart. Every day, roll a d20; on a 1, it doesn't work that day and they need to spend time during their next long rest to jury rig a fix of some sort. (The exact nature of the fixing and ricketyness will depend on the item's actual form.) Give them an indication that there might - just might - be some side-quest they could go on that will let them get it permanently fixed or upgraded to be durable and reliable. If they look into it, use it as a hook for other things in the plot you have, and watch to see how much of an effect it has on the play. If it has a negative effect, just have it start failing more and more often and break down entirely, or get destroyed when something happens that could reasonably break party gear that is fragile.

If it is having the effect you want, you can make the sidequest something they can find and get done, and upgrade it to a permanent item. If you're not sure, keep their progress on the side quest as a question of whether it's even possible to fix.

You can even be honest with the players about what you're doing with this. The meta-knowledge that whether it's permanent or not hinges on how balanced it is can't hurt. Unless you don't trust them not to be deceptive and save broken interactions for after it's permanent.

[HPisBS]

Or, just let them find an Alchemy Jug with an added Potion of Healing option. Maybe just let it produce 1/4 of a potion each day. (RAW, it can produce 1/8 of a basic poison [100 gp] each day, so it's the same value.)