5e-Hellfire Domain-Thoughts?

[RustyDemiGod]

Hellfire Domain

Disciples of the Hellfire Domain have bargained their services to the Archdukes of Hell for horrendous power. In exchange for services rendered, Hellfire Clerics are blessed with fiendish fortitude and the use of Hellfire. Hellfire Clerics make good use of this caustic fire that clings to body and soul.

Hellfire Domain Spells
Cleric Level Spells
1st Burning Hands, Command
3rd Scorching Ray, Darkness
5th Melf’s Minute Meteors, Summon Lesser Demons
7th Wall of Fire, Summon Greater Demon
9th Immolation, Dominate Person

-Hellish Cohort: You learn the find familiar spell and can cast it as a ritual. The spell doesn't count against your number of spells known. When casting this spell you summon an Imp as your familiar.

-Hellfire Infusion: Also at 1st level, you gain the ability to infuse your form and magic with infernal power. You become resistant to fire damage. Additionally, when casting a cantrip or spell that deals fire damage you may convert half of the damage dealt into Necrotic or Acid damage. Any cantrip or spell that deals Radiant damage can be converted entirely into either Necrotic or Acid damage.

-Channel Divinity, Chastise Fiends: Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to turn Celestial and Infernal outsiders. As an action, you present your holy symbol, and each celestial or infernal creature within 30ft of you that can hear you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, these creatures are turned for 1 minute.
A turned creature must spend it’s turn trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can not willingly move into a space within 30ft of you. It also can not take reactiocns. For it’s action, it can only use the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there’s nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.
If a Celestial or Infernal’s true form is concealed by an illusion, shape shifting, or other effect, that form is revealed while it is turned.

-Infernal Oculus: Starting at 6th level, one or both of your eyes take on the malevolent power of your fiendish overlord. You gain the ability to see normally in darkness, and magical darkness, to a range of 120ft. Additionally your eye/eyes are constantly under the effect of the Detect Magic spell.

-Unholy Strikes: When you reach 8th level, you are blessed with infernal might in battle. When a creature takes damage from one of your cantrips or weapon attacks, you can also deal 1d8 Necrotic, Acid, or Fire damage to that creature. Once you deal this damage, you can’t use this feature again until the start of your next turn.

-Tongue of the Black Speech: At 17th level, you gain the ability to speak a few words of the dark god’s destructive tongue. You gain Disintegrate, Power Word: Pain, Power Word: Stun, and Power Word: Kill as bonus spells. You add them to your list of domain spells, and like other domain spells, they are always prepared and count as Cleric spells for you. Additionally, these spells only require verbal components for you.

[JNAProductions]

About to finish break, but this feels a bit overtuned.

Remind me to post more in-depth later.

[RustyDemiGod]

Shoot high then trim the fat. Upon several read throughs I think I overdid the Channel Divinity.

[MrStabby]

Hellfire Domain

Disciples of the Hellfire Domain have bargained their services to the Archdukes of Hell for horrendous power. In exchange for services rendered, Hellfire Clerics are blessed with fiendish fortitude and the use of Hellfire. Hellfire Clerics make good use of this caustic fire that clings to body and soul.

Hellfire Domain Spells
Cleric Level Spells
1st Hellish Rebuke, Command
3rd Scorching Ray, Darkness
5th Fireball, Summon Lesser Demons
7th Wall of Fire, Summon Greater Demon
9th Immolation, Dominate Person

All looks fine, though you have a very strong set of spells here. For example most domains have a mix of cleric and non cleric spells so their additional power is a bit muted. Here... you just get command. Also, this is stacked with really powerful/efficient spells that do things other than what the base cleric does so it opens up new playstyles. THis isn't bad, but putting something overtuned like fireball on a spell list is always going to be a big deal. The natural point of comparison is light cleric hat also gets fireball as one of the main attractions of the class.

There ae other spells that can play into the theme whilst being less powerful. Things like vitriolic sphere.

-Hellish Cohort: You learn the find familiar spell and can cast it as a ritual. The spell doesn't count against your number of spells known. When casting this spell you summon an Imp as your familiar.

-Hellfire Infusion: Also at 1st level, you gain the ability to infuse your form and magic with infernal power. You become resistant to fire damage. Additionally, when casting a cantrip or spell that deals fire damage you may convert half of the damage dealt into Necrotic or Acid damage. Any cantrip or spell that deals Radiant damage can be converted entirely into either Necrotic or Acid damage.

Find familliar is a great out of combat spell and imp is a strong addition. Not combat related but potentially a big addition.

Hellfire infusion is also a significant addition. Fire damage is common and resistance is very nice to have as a secondary ability. The ability to change damage types is another nice to have, but possibly a bit safer. Doing 3/4 damageraher than half damage against resistant enemies is still not quite as good as using the right tools. Still, I compare this a bit with something like the draconic sorcerer and you seem to be a better fire blaster AND you are a cleric on top with all their spells and armour. Its looking kind of a bit strong at first level.

-Channel Divinity, Chastise Fiends: Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to turn Celestial outsiders or command Infernal outsiders. As an action, you present your holy symbol, and each celestial or infernal creature within 30ft of you that can hear you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, Celestial creatures are turned for 1 minute or until it takes damage, and Infernals are forced under your command for 1 minute
A turned Celestial must spend it’s turn trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can not willingly move into a space within 30ft of you. It also can not take reactiocns. For it’s action, it can only use the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there’s nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.
If a Celestial or Infernal’s true form is concealed by an illusion, shape shifting, or other effect, that form is revealed while it is turned.

Just let it turn fiends and celestials - like the devotion paladin can turn fey and fiends or like the arcana cleric. Adding on other effects isn't really needed.

-Infernal Oculus: Starting at 6th level, one or both of your eyes take on the malevolent power of your fiendish overlord. You gain the ability to see normally in darkness, and magical darkness, to a range of 120ft. Additionally your eye/eyes are constantly under the effect of the Detect Magic spell.

A decently strong abiity for level 6. The envy of some clerics. Not overpowered but certainly among the stronger options, especially on a spellcaster that needs to see targets.

-Unholy Strikes: When you reach 8th level, you are blessed with infernal might in battle. When a creature takes damage from one of your cantrips or weapon attacks, you can also deal 1d4 Necrotic and 1d4 Acid damage to that creature. Once you deal this damage, you can’t use this feature again until the start of your next turn.

This seems like a needless departure from the core format. You could go down the nature cleric route of choseing from necrotic or acid (and why not fire). On the other hand I would just make it attacks or cantrips and let players ask to use Tasha's optonal rules f they want somehing more.

-Form from the Pit: At 17th level, you gain the ability to further empower your magic with the dark powers of the pit. All cantrips and spells affected by your Hellfire Infusion, or Unholy Strikes feature, ignore all resistances and immunities to the damage being dealt by fire, necrotic, or acid. Additionally when damaging an enemy with either of these abilities you may force them to make a Wisdom save, and on a failure inflict one of the following conditions: poisoned, frightened, blinded, or deafened. This effect lasts for 1 minute. Once you use this ability you can not use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

I get that this is level 17,but this is really powerful. Blindness on a wisdom save, no further saves allowed? As a free thing added on to other spells its a bit crazy. It also feels like you are creating a beter blasting class on a chassis that still has all the cleric good things and beaing blaster sorcerers, evocation wizards, light clerics and fiend warlock at their thing.


I think there is more to the helsand hellfire than just blasting, and whilst I like a lot of the abilities it seems to be geting a bit much in that one area.

[RustyDemiGod]

I made some revisions to the original post:

-Replaced Fireball with Melf’s Minute Meteors, and replaced Hellish Rebuke with Burning Hands.

-Revised Channel Divinity for simplicity

-Reworded unholy strikes to bring it more in line with blessed strikes wording.

-Replaced capstone with Tongues of the Black Speech feature.

[MrStabby]

Hellfire Domain

Disciples of the Hellfire Domain have bargained their services to the Archdukes of Hell for horrendous power. In exchange for services rendered, Hellfire Clerics are blessed with fiendish fortitude and the use of Hellfire. Hellfire Clerics make good use of this caustic fire that clings to body and soul.

Hellfire Domain Spells
Cleric Level Spells
1st Burning Hands, Command
3rd Scorching Ray, Darkness
5th Melf’s Minute Meteors, Summon Lesser Demons
7th Wall of Fire, Summon Greater Demon
9th Immolation, Dominate Person

I terms of power, this seems beter aligned with the rest of the game. Thematically I miss hellish rebuke, but burning hands is a fine addition. If, on testing, the class is found to be underpowered at low levels swapping command for hellish rebuke might be a nice adjustment.

-Hellish Cohort: You learn the find familiar spell and can cast it as a ritual. The spell doesn't count against your number of spells known. When casting this spell you summon an Imp as your familiar.

-Hellfire Infusion: Also at 1st level, you gain the ability to infuse your form and magic with infernal power. You become resistant to fire damage. Additionally, when casting a cantrip or spell that deals fire damage you may convert half of the damage dealt into Necrotic or Acid damage. Any cantrip or spell that deals Radiant damage can be converted entirely into either Necrotic or Acid damage.

Level one abiities are fine. I might be tempted to remove the fire resistance - this type of ability tends to be either racial or come online at about level 6. Cleric is already a great class to dip - this might be a bit too tempting. Its not a big thing though. I would also maybe allow you to replace half the radient damage with necrotic/acid just for symmetry really and to streamlin the ability. YOu might also want to specify "cleric cantrips and cleric spells" as usually is the phrasiology to curtail abuse and unforseen interactons.

-Channel Divinity, Chastise Fiends: Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to turn Celestial and Infernal outsiders. As an action, you present your holy symbol, and each celestial or infernal creature within 30ft of you that can hear you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, these creatures are turned for 1 minute.
A turned creature must spend it’s turn trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can not willingly move into a space within 30ft of you. It also can not take reactiocns. For it’s action, it can only use the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there’s nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.
If a Celestial or Infernal’s true form is concealed by an illusion, shape shifting, or other effect, that form is revealed while it is turned.

This is fine. I think. Its a cool addition.

-Infernal Oculus: Starting at 6th level, one or both of your eyes take on the malevolent power of your fiendish overlord. You gain the ability to see normally in darkness, and magical darkness, to a range of 120ft. Additionally your eye/eyes are constantly under the effect of the Detect Magic spell.

Probably one of the main reasons to take the class, but thats cool. These options should have good abilities.

-Unholy Strikes: When you reach 8th level, you are blessed with infernal might in battle. When a creature takes damage from one of your cantrips or weapon attacks, you can also deal 1d8 Necrotic, Acid, or Fire damage to that creature. Once you deal this damage, you can’t use this feature again until the start of your next turn.

Standard. Fine.

-Tongue of the Black Speech: At 17th level, you gain the ability to speak a few words of the dark god’s destructive tongue. You gain Disintegrate, Power Word: Pain, Power Word: Stun, and Power Word: Kill as bonus spells. You add them to your list of domain spells, and like other domain spells, they are always prepared and count as Cleric spells for you. Additionally, these spells only require verbal components for you.

Awesome. Really awesome. I might be tempted to go a bit further, given that the arcana cleric gets to have similar and actualy pick better spells. Maybe add in eyebite, planeshift, incendiary cloud and blade of disaster as well? Adding a bit of fexability - especially with spells that are useful, but generally not quite good enough for most arcane casters to actually chose to prepare should sit well at most tables.



I think this is looking pretty good and I would allow it at my table. From a player satisfaction perspective I still have a couple of issues. You do want a mix of acive and passive abilities, but I am worried that a lot of the good stuff here is a bit passive. Passive boosts to spells letting you substitute damage, passive vision improvements and some of the active stuff like the CD might not come up on some days. The spells are good at covering this though.

I wonder if the Hellfire infusion could stand to be an activated ability proficiency bonus number of times per day or something? Make it add some damage instead of substituting it? Maybe for each die of fire damage or radiant damage from a spell you get to ad a point of necrotic or acid damage? For a spell doing 3d6 fire damage (burning hands) for example, your expected damage would go from 10.5 to 13.5 - an increase of 29%. As it scales with spell it should stay somewhat relevant. Something like sacred flame at high level could be doing 5d8+5 damage (expected 27.5 damage) which is not terrible whilst also not puting other blaster focussed classes to shame (though arguably thinks like scorching ray where you get to add more damage than classes like the draconic sorcerer would).

Trying to find a balance where the class can do special things and those things feel special whilst at the same time not overshadowing other classes is pretty hard because there are already a good number of other otptions in multiple classes that do blasting and within that have fire damage focus.