Cleric: Chooser of the Slain/Soul Guide Domain (Valkyrie Profile inspired)

[Zaile]

Hey Playground. Currently playing Valkyrie Profile (PS1) and got bit by the brew-bug. I started a 3E PRC but figured a 5E version would be better first.

If you are not familiar with the game, you should be. One of the best JRPGs I've ever played.

So here goes... something. No clue how well it balances as I have only played one cleric in 5E and my group clerics tend to default to "Spirit weapon, spirit guardians, heals" (not that those are bad or ineffective)

Chooser of the Slain/Soul Guide Domain 5E

As a Valkyrie your first duty is to the gods and selecting mortal souls who can assist in the affairs of the higher realms. As a guard of the boundary between life and death, you use your judgment to know if a soul can do more now in the mortal or the next realm. Additionally, you have a sacred charge to purge undead wherever they may be. To carry out this mission, you are granted certain powers.

Bonus Proficiency
At 1st level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons and heavy armor.

Collector of Souls
You can touch the body of any creature that has recently died, you can tell if the soul will be worthy to serve the gods. You commune with that soul and give it a choice to go to the afterlife or gain a second life serving the gods in a higher realm. If the creature does not willingly accept your offer, you may make a diplomacy check with a DC = 10 + CR + the creature's Charisma or Wisdom modifier (it's choice) to convince it to serve the gods. You make this check with advantage if they know you are an usher of souls.
The gods will require a certain minimum of souls to continue accessing your power. You must send them at least 1 soul every month or your class features (except spiritual concentration) cease to function until you atone by sending double the souls you are behind. You do not have to send combatants or spellcasters; skilled tradesmen, diplomats, healers, crafters, researchers, etc. are also need in the higher realms.

At your DMs option, the soul may ask for a favor or task to be completed before moving on. Some basic ones are saying goodby to an aggrieved loved one, getting revenge on the person that killed them, or delivering the important message they were carrying to an awaiting town so they can prepare for an invasion.

Spiritual Concentration
Valkyries choose the souls of the dead to go to a celestial realm where they will fight for the gods of the universe. To do this, they are given the gift of Spiritual Concentration.
By concentrating for 1 minute, you know if any living humanoids within 1 mile who meet the current needs of your deity will likely die within 3 days. You know generally how they die, such as “in battle” or “drown”, but not specifics such as the exact time, place or the name of the person that killed them. You may receive images, sounds, and voices if a soul is especially valuable to the gods. The chosen creatures give off energies only a Valkyrie can perceive. Those who will be the most useful to the gods give off an especially potent aura.

You can choose to mark several creatures you detect this way up to your Cleric level. If they die within 3 days, the soul instantaneously goes to you, waiting to be communed with. You can allow their souls to choose between eternal rest or to gain a second life serving the gods. You also know the exact location of the body and can find it without any assistance, check, map or knowledge of the area. You gain this knowledge directly from the threads of destiny, protection from magical scrying does not block this effect, but it does not work on very powerful beings, like gods. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Wisdom modifier, you regain all uses after you finish a long rest.

Spoiler: Note on Spiritual Concentration

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Work with your DM on the kinds of souls need, like a shopping list or commands given by your deity as needed. When you use your spiritual concentration, the DM must let you know the souls within range that best meet deity’s your needs. This also makes for a great bult-in hook if you are between adventures. Will there be a bandit riad? An opposing army advancing? Undead rising? A dragon? This can be used to cheat fate, but the gods frown on abusing their power to unbalance the scales of life and death.

Agent of Destiny
After you send your first soul to the gods, you gain a pool of destiny points. You may spend a Destiny point to once per round whenever a creature makes an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check, you can use your reaction to cancel out any Advantage or Disadvantage (your choice) the roll had, then re-roll any one d20 once. You may also use it to reroll all 1s and 2s on a damage or healing dice roll. You can have a maximum number of Destiny Points equal to your proficiency bonus. Unlike other pools, this does not recharge after resting, you only regain points when you send a soul to the gods. Each soul sent refills the pool entirely. This ability cannot be used on the same roll the Lucky feat or other similar ability is used.

Spoiler: DESIGN NOTE

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Not sure about the balance here. This was intended to be close to or slightly more powerful than the Storm Rune or Silvery Barbs spell. You get a non-recharging pool if your DM is stingy with souls so the feature should be better than a per-rest one, but not too powerful. May cut for another ability.

Channel Divinity: Summon Einherjar "To my side my noble einherjar"

Spoiler: Design Notes

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This is the signature ability. If you are not familiar with the game 1) you need to be and 2) the main character, Valkyrie, summons souls to aid in battle as she travels through the dungeons and world. The idea is to make this similar to a summon spell, but more limited in use, as you are summoning humanoids who can have multiple ways to help the party instead of just being beat-sticks.

Beginning at 2nd level, you can call down souls from the higher realms to aid you in battle. As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer calling your deity for aid. You expend a use of your Channel Divinity to call down Einherjar who fight by your side. The einherjar can be any humanoid NPC of CR 1 or lower appears in an empty space within 30 feet you can see. Einherjar can be any generic NPCs from the world you inhabit. At your DMs option, you may summon NPCs from other sources or worlds.

The einherjar is an ally to you and your companions and acts as you instruct it. In combat, the creature shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It obeys your verbal commands (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any, it takes the action most beneficial to the party or Dodge/disengage if it is in immediate danger. All weapon and unarmed attacks by einherjar are magical. The creature returns to the plane from which it came after 10 minutes or upon being reduced to 0 hit points, leaving behind no remains, items or gear (it all disappears). As you gain levels in this class you can summon higher CR creatures as shown on the Einherjar Strength table.

While you have einherjar summoned, you cannot concentrate on any spell of 3rd level or higher.

Spoiler: DESIGN NOTE

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Having summons and being able to concentrate on powerful spells would be too much for any class. This lets the player use spells like Bless without allowing spiritual guardians or other summon spells. Yes, I could just make Summon Einherjar a spell, but what's the fun in that?

By expending a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can summon additional einherjar. These additional einherjar are one level lower than your maximum on the Einherjar Strength table. A 3rd, 4th, or 5th level slot summons you one additional einherjar; a 6th or higher summons two additional einherjar.

Einherjar Strength Table

Level	Max CR
2nd	CR 1
5th	CR 2
8th	CR 3
11th	CR 4
14th	CR 5
17th	CR 7

Final Rest
At 6th level, your ability to choose and guide souls improves. You gain proficiency in Religion, if you already have proficiency, you gain expertise instead. After defeating a foe, you can choose to perinatally send its soul to the netherworld. To do this, you must make a Religion check vs the target's CR + 8. If the target is an undead, demon or fiend, you have advantage on the check. If you succeed, the soul is forever banished to either the heavens or to suffer in Niflheim and can never be resurrected, turned undead, or return to the material plane.

Extra Attack
Beginning at 8th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Spoiler: DESIGN NOTE

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Most clerics get either Divine Strike or Potent Spellcasting, the flavor of the class and the character it is based on is a warrior. Extra attack at 8th is a bit more powerful than other features but getting it 2 levels after Bladesinger Wizards or Bards feels like a balance for a martial-focused character.

Bonus Spells
1st – Command, Divine Favor
2nd – Consecration, Rime’s Binding Ice
3rd – Counterspell, Revivify
4th – Divination, Sickening Radiance
5th – Commune, Steel Wind Strike (Divine assault, Nibelung Valesti!)

[sandmote]

There's two sets of issue I see: cases where I think there's a balance issue on top and cases where you've forgotten to specify something or are just using 3.5e language that doesn't quite carry over to 5e. The overarching issue is that 5e features are much more narrowly balanced compared to 3.5e. 5e classes and subclasses typically range from upper tier 4 to the lower rungs of tier 2, not all the way from 1 to 6 the way 3.5e classes are ranked. As initially written I think this subclass is firmly in tier 2, and fails to reach tier 1 only because 5e heavily limits 8th and 9th level spells.

I do thing the subclass could be cool though; effectively a good-themed version of the College of Whispers. On the other hand Agent of Destiny and Wings of the Aesir might work with a paladin where they're not great with a cleric.

I'm also unfamiliar with Valkyrie Profile. If you're basing the subclass on an individual character I'd suggest writing them up as a Protector Aasimar and removing features you've got on the subclass that overlap (mainly Wings of the Aesir).

Collector of Souls
You can touch the body of any creature that has recently died, you can tell if the soul will be worthy to serve the gods. You commune with that soul and give it a choice to go to the afterlife or gain a second life serving the gods in a higher realm. If you wish, you may make a diplomacy check with advantage, as they know you are a usher of souls.
The gods will require a certain minimum of souls to continue accessing your power. You must send them at least 1 soul every month or your class features (except spiritual concentration) cease to function until you atone by sending double the souls you are behind. You do not always have to send combatants or spellcasters; skilled tradesmen, diplomats, healers, crafters, researchers, etc. are also need in the higher realms.

• The phrase "recently died" needs a specific time listed. What's "recent" in this context? An hour? A day? A minute?
• "Diplomacy" has been renamed "Persuasion" for this edition.
• What is the DC of the Persuasion check?

Agent of Destiny
For each soul you send to the gods, you gain one Destiny Point. You may spend a Destiny point to enter a divine state for 1 minute. Once per round whenever a creature makes an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check, you can use your reaction to re-roll any one d20 once and automatically cancel out any Advantage or Disadvantage (your choice) the roll had. You can have a maximum number of Destiny Points equal to your proficiency bonus. Unlike other pools, this does not recharge after resting, you only regain points when you send a soul to the gods. This ability cannot be used on the same roll the Lucky feat or other similar ability is used.

This is half of the Silvery Barbs spell granted every round for a minute straight with an extra effect to make up for not giving the second effect.

Maybe if you let the attack ignore advantage/disadvantage from one source before rolling? If you give it a reasonable range and require the Soul Guide Cleric to see the target, that might be okay. Main thing is it needs to be weaker than casting a 1st level spell every round for an entire combat.

Of course, it also depends on how "send a soul to to gods" actually works, but I assume it means "use the Collector of Souls feature." That should probably be clarified.

Channel Divinity: Spiritual Concentration
Valkyries choose the souls of the dead to go to a celestial realm where they will fight for the gods of the universe. To do this, they are given the gift of Spiritual Concentration at 2nd level.
By spending a use of your channel divinity and concentrating for 1 minute, you know if any living humanoids within 1 mile will likely die within 3 days. You know generally how they die, such as “in battle” or “drown”, but not specifics such as the exact time, place or the name of the person that killed them. You may receive images, sounds, and voices if a soul is especially valuable to the gods. Affected creature gives off energies only a Valkyrie can perceive. Those who will be the most useful to the gods give off an especially potent aura.

You can choose to mark several creatures you detect this way up to your Cleric level. If they die within 3 days, the soul instantaneously goes to you, waiting to be communed with. You can allow their souls to choose between eternal rest or to gain a second life serving the gods. You also know the exact location of the body and can find it without any assistance, check, map or knowledge of the area. You gain this knowledge directly from the threads of destiny, protection from magical scrying does not block this effect, but it does not work on very powerful beings, like gods.

This is an adjudication nightmare.

When the other PCs are within one mile, the DM is forced to list if a PC is expected to die in the next three in-game days and what kills them. I have no idea how anyone is supposed to provide a meaningful answer to that question. The PCs are controlled by the players, not the DM, and there's dice rolling involved that neither the DM nor the players are aware of beforehand. The only way you can really confirm a PC will survive the next three days is those days don't involve any combat. The only way you can really confirm a PC will die is if you take away player agency as DM.

On the other hand, consider a PC using this ability inside a city. As DM, I don't have every person's life in the entire city planned. I wouldn't hand this sort of thing over to a computer, much less have a human person track it through gameplay. What am I supposed to do? There's no limit on which humanoids are dying soonest, so I can't make up three dying people, and I can't

There's also the issue that Channel Divinity options typically provide a benefit either to combat, to social abilities, or to skill challenges. This just helps you gather destiny points. Maybe make Summon Einherjar the channel divinity and grant some ability to cast "Locate Creature" targeting the nearest creature to die at 6th? Although this would require a significant rebalance to Summon Einherjar.

On Extra Attack:
This post is long enough as it is, I'm not adding a quote box here. There are full casters that can get extra attack as part of their subclass. However, these are usually squishy casters (wizards, bards, or warlocks). Compare the War Cleric, a subclass which avoids giving this feature. I suggest dropping Extra Attack and focusing on balancing Summon Einherjar.

Also at 6th level, you can call down champions from the divine realms to aid you in battle. These can be any generic NPCs from the Monster Manual, DMG or campaign sourcebooks. At your DMs option, you may summon NPCs from other sources, worlds or campaign settings. The NPC you summon cannot have more hit dice than you do.

Summoning einherjar is an Action and you must expend a spell slot of 3rd level or higher. A 3rd or 4th level slot summons you one einherjar; a 5th or 6th summons two, a 7th or 8th three; and a 9th four. They stay summoned for 1 hour or until they die, returning to the celestial realm. While any einherjar remain summoned, you cannot cast any other summoning spell. Einherjar are subject to banishment effects that affect other summoned creatures.

You may use this ability once at 6th level, twice at 10th and a third time at 17th. You regain all uses after a long rest.

This is incredibly 3.5e design. Its a balance issue, but I'm also impressed.

• 5e doesn't measure monsters in hit dice, just CR.
• Allowing you to summon stronger einherjar as you level and more of them with larger spell slots more times is larger power growth than works with 5e rules. I assume that in Valkyrie Profile you are specifically summoning your party, but in D&D the other players are supposed to be your party, not some summons one player pulls out.
• "Banishment effects that affect other summoned creatures" aren't a technical definition. Just specify the creatures aren't from the plane the PC is on.
• 5e doesn't distinguish between sourcebooks. Maybe say something about it being "creatures that exist in this world," instead; that give the DM back some control about what can be summoned vs what doesn't exist in their world.

Wings of the Aesir
Starting at 8th level, you can draw on your power to sprout a pair of angelic wings made of divine energy. Doing so is a bonus action and grants you a flying speed equal to your walking speed for 1 minute. You can use this bonus action a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Sounds like the main racial feature the Protector Aasimar gets. Anyway, 5e clerics generally get either Divine Strike (a bonus to weapon attacks) or Potent Spellcasting (a bonus to cantrips) at 8th level. This level 8 feature should really follow in the same vein.

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Its a really cool concept, but I'd say it needs a rewrite.

Or maybe make a 1st level spell that sends off the soul of a dying creature and run a Divine Soul Sorcerer with a dip in Grave Cleric?

[Calen]

Sandmote pointed out the language/jargon issues so I will not comment on those.

Collector of Souls: Some nice RP potential, might be a problem in some campaigns (like a dungeon crawl full of cultists). I like the concept though.

Spiritual Concentration: The prophetic aspect of this is mechanically problematic (as Sandmote pointed out). Identifying souls that are valuable would be a good feature. This really feels like a ribbon skill that the DM could use as a hook for the player. I suggest a new Channel Divinity and that "the god you serve may send you dreams or visions showing which souls are valuable to them." A evil aligned cleric could use this as a hit list if they wanted.

Needs some work mechanically but I like the concept and think it shows some great potential.

[Zaile]

Thanks for the notes so far! Really good notes Sandmote.

For spiritual concentration i had the note "Work with your DM on the kinds of souls need, like a shopping list or commands given by your deity as needed. When you use your spiritual concentration, the DM must let you know the souls within range that best meet deity’s your needs. This also makes for a great bult-in hook if you are between adventures. Will there be a bandit riad? An opposing army advancing? Undead rising? A dragon? This can be used to cheat fate, but the gods frown on abusing their power to unbalance the scales of life and death."

Probably going to make this the baseline as suggested.

As for Summon Einherjar, this is the signature ability. I made it once per long rests with additional uses as scaling but does not require concentration. However, in the game, she walks through the dungeons and summons the warriors each battle. This may be more appropriate as a PB/Long Rest ability that uses spell slots to bring it in line with 5E mechanics.

My other though was to allow more uses, but a shorter time-frame, like 10-minute increments. I don't want it to be concentration (Valkyrie can die in battle and the einherjar still fight), but maybe "while your einherjar are summoned you cannot concentrate on any spell of 3rd level or higher" which would allow for Bless or Spiritual Weapon, but not spirit guardians.

I was initially going to make this a Paladin subclass, as Valkyrie in the game is a divine fighter. Might actually be more appropriate as a paladin summoner doesn't exist.

Also thoughts on making the einherjar weapon attacks magical?

[sandmote]

As for Summon Einherjar, this is the signature ability. I made it once per long rests with additional uses as scaling but does not require concentration. However, in the game, she walks through the dungeons and summons the warriors each battle.

This actually sounds like it fits well for the Channel Divinity feature. In this case a cleric would actually make sense, as they get more uses of channel divinity at higher levels.

Maybe something as follows?

Channel Divinity: Summon Einherjar
As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer calling your deity for aid. One creature of your choice of CR 1/2 or lower appears in an empty space within 30 feet you can see. The creature is friendly to you and acts as you instruct it, acting on the same initiative directly after your turn. The creature returns to the plane from which it came after 10 minutes or upon being reduced to 0 hit points, leaving behind no remains. As you gain levels in this class you can summon higher CR creatures as shown on the Enherjar Strength table.

Enherjar Strength Table
Level Max CR
2nd CR 1/2
5th CR 1
8th CR 2
11th CR 3
14th CR 4
17th CR 5

The scaling is based on the Cleric's Destroy undead feature.

Then (as this would be a strong feature) grant a version of Spiritual Concentration at 6th level, maybe Wis mod times / long rest.

I was initially going to make this a Paladin subclass, as Valkyrie in the game is a divine fighter. Might actually be more appropriate as a paladin summoner doesn't exist.

Paladins and summoning are both relatively strong in 5th edition. I'm not sure this would be a good idea.

Also thoughts on making the einherjar weapon attacks magical?

That could reasonably be added to the feature. It would certainly be useful to keep the Einherjar from being rendered useless in certain fights, particularly at higher levels. I think Einherjar CR and how you summon them is more important to balancing right now.

[Zaile]

This actually sounds like it fits well for the Channel Divinity feature. In this case a cleric would actually make sense, as they get more uses of channel divinity at higher levels.

Maybe something as follows?

Channel Divinity: Summon Einherjar
As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer calling your deity for aid. One creature of your choice of CR 1/2 or lower appears in an empty space within 30 feet you can see. The creature is friendly to you and acts as you instruct it, acting on the same initiative directly after your turn. The creature returns to the plane from which it came after 10 minutes or upon being reduced to 0 hit points, leaving behind no remains. As you gain levels in this class you can summon higher CR creatures as shown on the Enherjar Strength table.

Enherjar Strength Table
Level Max CR
2nd CR 1/2
5th CR 1
8th CR 2
11th CR 3
14th CR 4
17th CR 5

The scaling is based on the Cleric's Destroy undead feature.

Then (as this would be a strong feature) grant a version of Spiritual Concentration at 6th level, maybe Wis mod times / long rest.

Paladins and summoning are both relatively strong in 5th edition. I'm not sure this would be a good idea.

That could reasonably be added to the feature. It would certainly be useful to keep the Einherjar from being rendered useless in certain fights, particularly at higher levels. I think Einherjar CR and how you summon them is more important to balancing right now.

Updated, thanks for all the notes!