Protection Domain: Defensive Cleric

[sandmote]

This page on the Homebrewery

This is based on the 4e Runepriest. I think an ability to switch between states would be broken on a cleric or paladin, so I've just transferred the core of the Rune of Protection over to a Cleric subclass. The nice thing about transferring over the two rune states (Destruction is still in the works) is it flavors War Domain a bit more specifically, by peeling off some of the gods that are a bit more focused on a type of war (see Ares vs Athena as examples). The gods then grant a different domain based on how they wage war, rather than all being lumped in together.

I think the only major comment about the design is that Grant Self Protection isn't meant to stack with "on a hit features," possessed by a character making the retributive strike.

Fluff
Gods of protection focus not merely on warfare, but on support for the community during times of peace, and in protection during times of war. Gods of protection include Yondalla, Gorm Gulthyn, Luthic, Hera, Corellon, and Helm who have a more significant focus on protection others than on harming their enemies. This isn't to say clerics of the Protection Domain shy away from battle, but that their preferred focus is to guard allies and noncombatants.

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Domain Spells
Travel Domain Spells
Level Spell
1st Bless, Cure Wounds
3rd Aid, Protection From Poison
5th Fear, Tiny Hut
7th Guardian of Faith, Private Sanctum
9th Greater Restoration, Mislead

Repair Health
When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain proficiency with the medicine skill if you don't already. You also gain the Mending cantrip if you don't already know it.

When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain proficiency with the Medicine skill. If you are already proficient in it, you gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Insight, Nature, Persuasion, or Survival.

You also gain the Mending cantrip. If you already know the Mending cantrip, you instead learn an additional cleric cantrip of your choice.

Inure Ally
When an ally within 10 feet of you makes a saving throw, When an ally within 10 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against that ally. You can only use this feature to halve the damage against one ally.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Channel Divinity: Aura of Peace
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to inure creatures around you against attack, and to hamper attacks made.

As an action, you present your holy symbol, surrounding the area within 30 feet of you in a protective aura until the end of your next turn. Creatures within the Aura have advantage on saving throws, and attack rolls against creatures in the aura are made with disadvantage.

As an action on your turn, you can extend the duration of the aura by one round, to a maximum of 10 minutes.

Mark of Skilled Effort
Starting at 6th level, you can reach out and touch a creature as an action. Choose a skill as you do so. The creature gains proficiency with the skill for 1 minute. You can use this feature once, and regain it at the end of a long or short rest.

Save of the Winds
Starting at 6th level, you can summon protective winds as an action. The winds forcibly move one willing creature of your choice 30 feet. This movement does not have to be in one direction.

Starting at 6th level, you can summon protective winds as a bonus action. You can choose one willing creature within 60 feet, which is forcibly moved 30 feet by the winds. This movement does not have to be in one direction.

Once you have used this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Potent Spellcasting
Starting at 8th level, you add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal with any cleric cantrip.

Grant Self Protection Retributive Empowerment
As an action, you can present your holy symbol, imbuing those around you with protective power. Up to two creatures of your choice within 30 feet of you can use their reaction to make a retributive strike against a creature in their reach.

If a creature making a retributive strike hits it regains 2d10 hit points. Additionally, a creature hit by a retributive strike takes 3d4 damage and is pushed 10 feet from the creature making the strike, as well as succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be frightened of the creature making the retributive strike until the start of your next turn.

You can use this feature once, and regain the ability to use it at the end of a short or long rest.

[JNAProductions]

Domain Spells
Fine.

Repair Health
Grant a bonus skill if you already had medicine, similar for Mending. Since Clerics get their domain at level 1, not as big a deal, but it should still be there.

Inure Ally
Why only saves? Why not against attack rolls too?

CD: Aura Of Peace
Give it a maximum duration-probably not more than ten minutes. But overall, I like it.

Mark Of Skilled Effort
Feels unthematic. Not unbalanced-but not thematic to this.

Potent Spellcasting
Standard feature.

Grant Self Protection
I dislike that name. It's clunky and just doesn't sound very good.

The feature itself is fine, though!

Overall!
Feels fine. I'd obviously recommend making those changes I suggested, and the 6th level feature, while fine balance-wise, should probably be something more... Protective. In the end, though, if a player wanted to use this, they'd be allowed to in my game.

[sandmote]

Repair Health
Grant a bonus skill if you already had medicine, similar for Mending. Since Clerics get their domain at level 1, not as big a deal, but it should still be there.

Inure Ally
Why only saves? Why not against attack rolls too?

CD: Aura Of Peace
Give it a maximum duration-probably not more than ten minutes. But overall, I like it.

Should all be fixed.

Mark Of Skilled Effort
Feels unthematic. Not unbalanced-but not thematic to this.

I wanted an out of combat effect. How's the replacement?

Grant Self Protection
I dislike that name. It's clunky and just doesn't sound very good.

Any suggestions? I'm not going to pretend to be good at naming.

What about, "Retributive Empowerment," or something?

[JNAProductions]

Make it usable as a reaction or action. As-is, far too weak.

Your other name is much better.