Thursday, November 24, 2016

Dark Sun Cleric Domains

A few months ago I took a crack at working up some 5th Edition Dark Sun rules. I was sidetracked by creating an actual document for my Birthright conversion, so I didn't get back to Dark Sun until last night while dreaming of warmer locations.

I'm a wuss and I hate the onset of winter. And winter itself. And snow. And the Maryland Lasagna -- layers of ice, sleet, snow, and slush topped with road grime.

Anyway, I finished up the cleric domains and figured I'd throw them up here for visibility and feedback. I'm not really sold on the Water cleric domain yet. It's lacking something. The others feel pretty standard and useful, and they all share a 17th level ability, just flavored differently. I may whip up alternate ones for Sun, Rain, Silt, Magma, et cetera, once I get around to it.

These are probably (and unintentionally) similar to other attempts, but they feel right. I'm also aware I haven't picked domain spells for them yet, that will come in a later iteration.

Air

Fangs on the Wind. When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain proficiency in all martial ranged weapons.

Channel Divinity: Redirection. At 2nd level, the air cleric may use their Channel Divinity as a reaction when they are targeted by a melee or ranged weapon or spell to impose disadvantage upon the attack. If the attack hits regardless, they gain resistance to the damage from the attack as powerful air currents cushion the blow.

Channel Divinity: Ignore Air. Upon reaching 6th level, the air cleric may expend their Channel Divinity to ignore the presence of air for 1 minute. The cleric is not subject to the effects of high winds or extreme temperatures (though they still suffer damage from fire or supernaturally cold sources) and do not need to breathe for the duration of this effect.

Charged Strikes. At 8th level, the air cleric treats any ranged weapon they use in combat as magical and deals an additional 1d8 points of lightning damage on successful attacks with such weapons.

Inescapable Gale. At 14th level, the air cleric may attack any creature they can see with their ranged weapon attacks, regardless of range, without suffering disadvantage from distance.

Form of Air. When the air cleric reaches 17th level, they may use their bonus action to polymorph into an air elemental. This form lasts for one minute or until the cleric uses a bonus action to return to their normal form. You revert to your normal form if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. The cleric cannot use this ability again until they complete a short or long rest.

While you are transformed, the following rules apply:

  • Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of an air elemental. You retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the elemental. If the elemental has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the elemental’s bonus instead of yours.
  • When you transform, you assume the elemental’s hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form.
  • You may cast cleric spells that you have prepared. You can communicate with air elementals even if you do not speak Primordial.
  • You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the elemental is physically capable of doing so. You cannot use any special senses unless the elemental also possesses them.
  • You can choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space or merges into your new form. The elemental cannot wear armor or wield weapons, or use equipped and attuned magical items. Equipment that merges with your form has no effect until you leave the form.

Earth

Strength of Earth. When you select this domain at 1st level, you gain proficiency in heavy armor and all martial melee weapons.

Channel Divinity: Unstoppable. At 2nd level, the cleric may use their Channel Divinity as a reaction when struck by any effect that causes them to become paralyzed, prone, or restrained, or when affected by any force or ability that would move them against their will. The cleric immediately shakes off the effect as if it never happened.

Channel Divinity: Ignore Earth. At 6th level, the cleric may use their Channel Divinity to ignore the presence of earth for 1 minute. They can pass through walls or floors made of dirt, stone, or sand, and ignore damage from non-magical weapons made of any kind of stone or metal.

Heavy Blows. Upon reaching 8th level, the earth cleric treats any weapon made of stone (but not obsidian) that they wield as magical and deals an additional 1d8 points of damage with any attack made while wielding such a weapon. When you reach 14th level, the damage increases to 2d8. This extra damage is of a type corresponding with the weapon’s normal damage type.

Form of Earth. When the earth cleric reaches 17th level, they may use their bonus action to polymorph into an earth elemental. This form lasts for one minute or until the cleric uses a bonus action to return to their normal form. You revert to your normal form if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. The cleric cannot use this ability again until they complete a short or long rest.

While you are transformed, the following rules apply:

  • Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of an earth elemental. You retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the elemental. If the elemental has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the elemental’s bonus instead of yours.
  • When you transform, you assume the elemental’s hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form.
  • You may cast cleric spells that you have prepared. You can communicate with earth elementals even if you do not speak Primordial.
  • You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the elemental is physically capable of doing so. You cannot use any special senses unless the elemental also possesses them.
  • You can choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space or merges into your new form. The elemental cannot wear armor or wield weapons, or use equipped and attuned magical items. Equipment that merges with your form has no effect until you leave the form.

Fire

Obsidian Armaments. When you select this domain at 1st level, you are considered proficient in any weapon crafted from obsidian.

Touch of Flame. You know the produce flame cantrip, and it does not count against any of your cleric spell selections.

Channel Divinity: Ignite. At 2nd level, the cleric may use their Channel Divinity as a reaction when inflicting fire damage from any spell, weapon attack, or other ability they possess. They may pick any single target affected by one of these sources, and force it to make a Wisdom saving throw against their spellcasting DC or be engulfed in flames. At the beginning of the creature’s turn, they suffer 1d8 points of fire damage, and may repeat the saving throw at the end of their turn to end the effect. This damage increases to 2d8 at 6th level, 3d8 at 11th level, and 4d8 at 16th level.

Channel Divinity: Ignore Flames. At 6th level, the cleric can expend their Channel Divinity to ignore the presence of fire for 1 minute. They can stride through flames, walk across the surface of lava (quickly), or stand in the breath of a fire drake and suffer no damage. The cleric and their equipment are immune to all fire damage during this time.

Igneous Armaments. Upon achieving 8th level, the fire cleric treats any obsidian weapon they wield as magical and deals an additional 1d8 points of fire damage with any attack made while wielding such a weapon. When you reach 14th level, the damage increases to 2d8.

Form of Flame. When the fire cleric reaches 17th level, they may use their bonus action to polymorph into a fire elemental. This form lasts for one minute or until the cleric uses a bonus action to return to their normal form. You revert to your normal form if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. The cleric cannot use this ability again until they complete a short or long rest.

While you are transformed, the following rules apply:

  • Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of a fire elemental. You retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the elemental. If the elemental has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the elemental’s bonus instead of yours.
  • When you transform, you assume the elemental’s hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form.
  • You may cast cleric spells that you have prepared. You can communicate with fire elementals even if you do not speak Primordial.
  • You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the elemental is physically capable of doing so. You cannot use any special senses unless the elemental also possesses them.
  • You can choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space or merges into your new form. The elemental cannot wear armor or wield weapons, or use equipped and attuned magical items. Equipment that merges with your form has no effect until you leave the form.

Water

Flow Like Water. When you are unarmored or wearing light armor, you may add your Wisdom bonus to your AC. You may also benefit from the use of a shield.

Channel Divinity: Sustain. At 2nd level, the cleric may use their Channel Divinity to stave off the effects of dehydration for a number of Medium-sized creatures equal to their Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). The cleric concentrates for one minute and then touches each creature they wish to affect. The affected creatures are treated as though they received a sufficient quantity of drinking water for the day. You may instead sustain two Small creatures as though they were one Medium creature, one Large creature as though it were two Medium creatures, one Huge creature as though it were three Medium creatures, or one Gargantuan creature as though it were four Medium creatures.

Channel Divinity: Ignore Water. At 6th level, the water cleric may use their Channel Divinity to ignore the presence of water or silt for 1 minute. During this time, they can ignore the effects of currents and pressure, may breathe while submerged in any liquid that is composed primarily of water or silt, and gain a swim speed of 40 feet.

Potent Spellcasting. At 8th level, the water cleric adds their Wisdom modifier to the damage of any cleric cantrip.

Form of Water. When the water cleric reaches 17th level, they may use their bonus action to polymorph into a water elemental. This form lasts for one minute or until the cleric uses a bonus action to return to their normal form. You revert to your normal form if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. The cleric cannot use this ability again until they complete a short or long rest.

While you are transformed, the following rules apply:

  • Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of a water elemental. You retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the elemental. If the elemental has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the elemental’s bonus instead of yours.
  • When you transform, you assume the elemental’s hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form.
  • You may cast cleric spells that you have prepared. You can communicate with water elementals even if you do not speak Primordial.
  • You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the elemental is physically capable of doing so. You cannot use any special senses unless the elemental also possesses them.
  • You can choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space or merges into your new form. The elemental cannot wear armor or wield weapons, or use equipped and attuned magical items. Equipment that merges with your form has no effect until you leave the form.

2 comments:

  1. Hello,

    I don't know Dark Sun in detail, but perhaps replacing Potent Spellcasting and Sustain with something like these would fit the other themes more satisfactorily.

    Charged Strikes[Thunder/Sonic] with Trident/Spear/../Net.

    Channel Divinity as Redirection but with Shield/Blade Ward.
    I'm picturing it somewhat like the Isana character in a particular scene in the last - I think - Codex Alera book.

    David

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    1. That's a good thought, I hadn't considered comparing the cleric domains to the way furies work in the Alera books. I only got through the first one, I should go back and read the others for some more inspiration.

      I'll see what I can do. Thanks for the suggestion!

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