[4E] Channel Divinity

[Duos Greanleef]

Question:
When building a divine character, would the Playground consider it acceptable to swap one channel divinity power from another source (i.e. domain or divinity feats, but not other classes)?
For instance, I want to build a cleric of Vecna, but I don't want to go around Turning my God's Undead. Could I take the undeath domain power instead?
Fill in the fluff for whatever character and deity you choose, but the original question remains?
Thanks in advance.

[ashmanonar]

Question:
When building a divine character, would the Playground consider it acceptable to swap one channel divinity power from another source (i.e. domain or divinity feats, but not other classes)?
For instance, I want to build a cleric of Vecna, but I don't want to go around Turning my God's Undead. Could I take the undeath domain power instead?
Fill in the fluff for whatever character and deity you choose, but the original question remains?
Thanks in advance.

It would depend on the nature of the power you're trying to swap. For flavor reasons, if you were replacing divine fortune with something related to your theme, I might allow it.

The problem lies in cherry-picking; plus, the fact that they're domain and channel divinity feats suggests that you're supposed to be using the feat resource to gain them. Most of them aren't actually powerful enough to really justify it, but hey, many options for many classes aren't super-optimal.

I would actually allow class-to-class transfers more readily; for example, I would allow a wis cleric to trade divine fortune for the Avenger aid another power. (I wouldn't allow two different **** Undead powers, for instance.) But a STR cleric taking Divine Strength instead of Divine Fortune? Fine by me.

[Duos Greanleef]

...Most of them aren't actually powerful enough to really justify {spending a feat}...

That was exactly the reason I feel it justifiable.
Turn undead is way more powerful than (for instance) Undeath's Ally.

But I do see what you're saying about inter-class divinity swapping and it makes good sense.

[Starsinger]

But what about other gods' undead? I'm sure Orcus has some undead guarding valuable knowledge or items that Vecna would be interested in.

[Mando Knight]

Taking the CD feats adds another CD option to your repertoire, so I'd say that it's not too overpowered to pick a different CD power that's more in line with your deity if the default ones aren't fitting.

I'd be careful about allowing this, though, since some are more powerful than others, and some of the powers (I'm looking at you, Turn/Rebuke/Abjure Undead) require specific campaign focuses to be used more often than their counterparts. For example, I'd allow a Vecna cleric to grab Rebuke or Abjure Undead rather than Turn, but Divine Strength is almost all-around better for Strength clerics than Divine Fortune, so I'd be leery of not requiring Versatile Channeler for that power.

For deity/domain CD powers, I'd look at it on a case-by-case basis. Basically, if the player is looking for a freebie-combo, I'd say no (or rather, "spend the feat on it"), but if the player gives a good in-character reason why he should have the one power and not the other, and the replacement power itself is within reason, I'd allow it.

[Kurald Galain]

Divine Strength is almost all-around better for Strength clerics than Divine Fortune,

Yes; however, given how Divine Fortune is one of the most utterly worthless powers in the book (seeing how it has a 95% chance of doing exactly nothing) that's not really a bad thing.

Just because Thunderwave is better than Ray of Frost doesn't mean it's necessary to require wizard characters to spend a feat to replace the latter with the former.

[Asbestos]

But what about other gods' undead? I'm sure Orcus has some undead guarding valuable knowledge or items that Vecna would be interested in.

Orcus ain't no god, berk.

Though, it is concievable that there are undead in opposition to Vecna. Like, say, his former underling that tried to kill him. I don't imagine that Vecna has any love for undead that would prevent his mortal puppets from having anti-undead powers... But it might be unwise to allow your likely betrayal prone followers some ability that makes it easier for them to foil you.