Early Look - Cleric Domains

[Severlin]

Greetings.

As we work on a Divine pass, we want to add in our version of Domains for Clerics. Rather than having them simply be a series of spell options, we wanted players to pick a Domain that gave the Cleric interesting build options that worked with enhancement trees.

That said, we wanted to give the players a preview of how Domains work in DDO, and want options would be available for Clerics.

Domains
Starting at level 2, a Cleric will pick one Domain which will provide additional (free) class feats as they level.

Air Domain

Level 2: You gain +1 to the DC of your Evocation spells. This increases by +1 at 6th, 12th, and 18th level Cleric.

Your lightning spells will use Light Spell Power if it is higher.

Your light spells will use Lightning Spell Power if it is higher.

Your Turn Undead works on Elementals

When you use Turn Undead your party gains a bonus to Reflex saving throws equal to half you Cleric level, and points of Electric Resistance equal to twice your Cleric level for 20 seconds

Level 5: You gain Shocking Grasp as an SLA

Level 9: You gain Lightning Bolt as an SLA

Level 14: You gain Chain Lightning as an SLA


Animal Domain

Level 2: You gain +1 Spot, +1 Listen, and +1 Reflex saving throws for every 2 Cleric levels.

Your Turn Undead works on Animals

When you use Turn Undead your party gains points of Constitution equal to half your Cleric level for 20 seconds

Level 5: You gain 10 hit points per Cleric level. You also add 10 hit points for each epic level you have gained.

Level 9: You gain +15% fortification bypass.

Level 14: You gain the Feral Charge ability. Your character to briefly morphs into a bear and charges forward through foes, attacking all foes in the charge area. The attack does weapon damage based on your equipped weapon with a +3(W) bonus, and enemies must make a Reflex saving throw with a DC of 19 + Wisdom modifier + Trip Bonuses or be knocked down. Cooldown is 15 seconds.


Chaos Domain

You cannot take this domain if you are Lawful.

Level 2: You gain +1 to Will saving throws for every 2 Cleric levels.

When you use Turn Undead your party gains 1d20 points of Universal Spell Power and 1d10 points (each rolled separately) of Melee Power, Ranged Power, Physical Resistance Rating and Magical Resistance Rating.

Level 5: You gain Chaos Hammer as an SLA

Level 9: Your spell critical chance is increased by 3%

Level 14: You gain Prismatic Spray as an SLA


Death Domain

Level 2: You gain +1 to the DC of your Necromancy spells. This increases by +1 at 6th, 12th, and 18th level Cleric.

You gain +2 to your effective Cleric level to Turn Undead, and +2 to the hit dice of undead effected.

Level 5: You gain Necrotic Ray as an SLA

Level 9: You are immune to Energy Drain.

Level 14: You gain Destruction as an SLA


Destruction Domain

Level 2: You gain +1 Melee and Ranged Power. You gain another point of each at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level Cleric.

You can cast your Cleric spells while raging.

When you use Turn Undead your party gains a Divine bonus to Melee Power and Ranged Power equal to half your Cleric level for 20 seconds

Level 5: Durability damage for your items is reduced by 75%.

Level 9: You weapons gain +2 to hit and damage.

Level 14: Your weapon strikes add a stack of Improved Destruction.


Earth Domain

Level 2: You gain +2 Acid Spell Power (Corrosion) per Cleric Level

Your acid spells will use Light Spell Power if it is higher.

Your light spells will use Acid Spell Power if it is higher.

Your Turn Undead works on Elementals

When you use Turn Undead your party gains a bonus to Fortitude saving throws equal to half you Cleric level, and points of Acid Resistance equal to twice your Cleric level for 20 seconds

Level 5: You gain Melf's Acid Arrow as an SLA

Level 9: You gain Stoneskin as an SLA

Level 14: You gain Earthquake as an SLA. The cooldown for this version is 15 seconds.


Fire Domain

Level 2: You gain +2 Fire Spell Power (Combustion) per Cleric Level

Your fire spells will use Light Spell Power if it is higher.

Your light spells will use Fire Spell Power if it is higher.

When you use Turn Undead your party gains points of Fire Resistance equal to twice your Cleric level for 20 seconds

Your Turn Undead works on Elementals

Level 5: You gain Scorching Ray as an SLA

Level 9: You gain Wall of Fire as an SLA

Level 14: You gain Firestorm as an SLA


Good Domain

Level 2: You gain +2 Light Spell Power (Radiance) per Cleric Level. You gain +1 to the Heal skill for every 2 Cleric levels.

When you use Turn Undead your party gains temporary hit points equal to five times your Cleric level for 20 seconds

Level 5: You gain Deific Vengeance as an SLA

Level 9: You gain Blade Barrier as an SLA

Level 14: You gain +3 to hit, damage, and armor class against evil creatures in combat. You gain +3 to saving throws against spells cast by evil creatures.


Healing Domain

Level 2: You gain +2 Positive Spell Power (Devotion) per Cleric Level

When you use Turn Undead your party gains 20 point of Healing Amplification.

Level 5: You gain Cure Moderate Wounds as an SLA

Level 9: You gain Panacea as an SLA

Level 14: Your healing spells are empowered, as if you had the Empower meta-magic. This does not increase their cost.


Knowledge Domain

Level 2: You gain +2 to all skills.

When you use Turn Undead your party gains points of Intelligence equal to half your Cleric level for 20 seconds

Level 5: You gain Suggestion as an SLA

Level 9: You gain Feeblemind as an SLA

Level 14: You gain +4 Spell Penetration. You gain +2 to the DC of all spells.


Law Domain

You cannot take this domain if you are Chaotic.

Level 2: You gain +1 to the DC of your Enchantment spells. This increases by +1 at 6th, 12th, and 18th.

When you use your Turn Undead your party gains a Sacred bonus to saving throws equal to half your Cleric level for 20 seconds

Level 5: You gain Order's Wrath as an SLA

Level 9: You gain Greater Command as an SLA

Level 14: You gain +3 to hit, damage, and armor class against chaotic creatures in combat. You gain +3 to saving throws against spells cast by chaotic creatures.


Luck Domain

Level 2: You gain +1 to your Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saving throws. This increases by +1 at 6th level, +1 at 12th level, and +1 at 18th level.

When you use Turn Undead your party gains a Divine bonus to saving throws equal to half your Cleric level for 20 seconds

Level 5: You gain Displacement as an SLA

Level 9: You add +2 to the DC of your spells.

Level 14: You no longer automatically fail your saving throws on a roll of 1.


Magic Domain

Level 2: You gain +1 to the DC of your Evocation spells. This increases by +1 at 6th, 12th, and 18th level Cleric.

When you use Turn Undead your party gains a Divine bonus to Universal Spell Power equal to twice your Cleric level for 20 seconds

Level 5: You gain Chain Missiles as an SLA. (This shares a cooldown with the Archmage SLA.)

Level 9: You gain a number of bonus Spell Points equal to your character level x 10.

Level 14: You gain points of Universal Spell Power equal to your twice your Cleric level.


Protection Domain

Level 2: You gain +1 to AC, PRR, and MRR. This increases by +1 at 5th level, 10th level, 15th level, and 20th level.

When you use Turn Undead your party gains a Divine bonus to PRR and MRR equal to twice your Cleric level for 20 seconds

Level 5: You gain the Shield spell as a permanent effect on you.

Level 9: You gain Radiant Forcefield as an SLA

Level 14: Your Armor Class and Physical Resistance Rating are increased by your Cleric level.


Strength Domain

Level 2: You gain +2 Strength and become immune to Strength damage.

When you use Turn Undead your party gains a Divine bonus to Strength equal to half your Cleric level for 20 seconds

Level 5: Your Reflex saving throws are now based on Strength instead of Dexterity.

Level 9: You become immune to knock down effects

Level 14: You always make your saving throw against Stun effects.


Sun Domain

Level 2: You gain +2 to Fire (Combustion) and Light Spell Power (Radiance) per Cleric level.

When you use Turn Undead you and your allies gain True Sight. in addition, for 20 seconds enemies in the radius of the Turn Undead have their incorporeal miss chance negated and will be inflicted with 10% vulnerability to Light damage.

Level 5: You gain Searing Light as an SLA.

Level 9: You gain Sun Beam as an SLA

Level 14: You gain Sunburst as an SLA


Trickery Domain

Level 2: You gain +1 to the DC of your Enchantment spells. This increases by +1 at 6th, 12th, and 18th.

When you use Turn Undead your party gains points of Charisma equal to half your Cleric level for 20 seconds

Level 5: You gain Invisibility as an SLA

Level 9: You gain Mind Fog as an SLA

Level 14: You gain Charm Monster, Mass as an SLA


War Domain

Level 2: You gain +1 Damage with melee and ranged weapons. This increases at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th.

When you use Turn Undead your party gains a Divine bonus to Melee Power and Ranged Power equal to half your Cleric level for 20 seconds

Level 5: You gain proficiency in all martial and exotic weapons.

Level 9: Your tactical DCs are increased by half your Cleric level.

Level 14: You gain Holy Sword as an SLA.


Water Domain

Level 2: You gain Water Breathing. You gain +1 to Swimming and +2 Cold Spell Power (Glaciation) per Cleric level.

Your cold spells will use Positive Spell Power if it is higher.

Your healing spells will use Cold Spell Power if it is higher.

Your Turn Undead works on Elementals

When you use Turn Undead your party gains a bonus to Will saving throws equal to half you Cleric level, and points of Cold Resistance equal to twice your Cleric level for 20 seconds

Level 5: You gain Solid Fog as an SLA

Level 9: You gain Cone of Cold as an SLA

Level 14: You gain Greater Creeping Cold as an SLA

Sev~

[Captain_Wizbang]

Any discussion on how many levels needed to obtain the full scope of @ domain?

And will the incremental increases for the base bonus granted at lvl 2 be affected by how many cleric levels?

[Severlin]

Any discussion on how many levels needed to obtain the full scope of @ domain?

And will the incremental increases for the base bonus granted at lvl 2 be affected by how many cleric levels?

~ Each feat has the required Cleric level listed above if that answers your first question. I apologize if I misunderstood.

~ Each of the level two Domain powers has a unique benefit, and many do increase as you gain Cleric levels.

Sev~

[Captain_Wizbang]

~ Each feat has the required Cleric level listed above if that answers your first question. I apologize if I misunderstood.

~ Each of the level two Domain powers has a unique benefit, and many do increase as you gain Cleric levels.

Sev~

TY, outstanding base line. Can't wait to see this unfold.

[slarden]

More easy-button self-healing reaper builds. I approve.

[bioseb]

Amazing. Cannot wait

[Gabrael]

about turn undead

I am totally for keeping the ability to outright destroy undeads via either rolling twice the monster die (or simply rolling above with the appropriate cleric enhancement)
but I want to know if the domains that extend the turn effects to other critters like elemental or animals are also gonna carry over this ability to destroy undeads.
I really hope they they can't be destroyed that way, seem like too much of a stretch lore wise. have the turn work for ele/animals, but immune to the destroy aspect.

[alancarp]

about turn undead

I am totally for keeping the ability to outright destroy undeads via either rolling twice the monster die (or simply rolling above with the appropriate cleric enhancement)

My concern with turn undead is - and has been - whether it is a viable tool into epic levels. Currently, it is extraordinarily difficult to raise your hit dice sufficiently to aid a party effectively at those higher levels.

The other weird problem (bug?) is that once you attempt to turn a mob of several undead at once, those surviving the turn become immune to future attempts _unless_ a individual creature is specifically targeted and a turn applied.

A good example for testing this is Spies in the House, where a ring of skeletons appears after the ramp where the fire/wind/grease traps are.

[Gregen]

Looking pretty good. Couple questions:

Does the Empower Healing Spell effect granted from Healing Domain apply to everything the feat normally would, such as Positive Energy Burst?

Do the spell-like abilities have normal SP cost/increased SP cost when using meta-magics?

about turn undead

I am totally for keeping the ability to outright destroy undeads via either rolling twice the monster die (or simply rolling above with the appropriate cleric enhancement)

I agree, as well as allowing Radiant Servants to destroy them through the enhancement tree as is already the case. I don't know what the plans are, the last thing I saw regarding domains suggested a change to this. As a long-time Radiant Servant w/ Divine Disciple (been playing one since before the enhancement tree view was even a thing), I like the trees just as they are and would prefer they stay as is.
After putting a lot of time and energy into building a Cleric for both healing and Turn Undead, I would prefer not to be forced to use the Death Domain to retain the undead destruction I already have. Healing Domain is looking more attractive at the moment.

[Severlin]

~ The basic mechanics for Turn Undead isn't changing.
~ Our strategy to boost its usefulness for Clerics is by adding an additional effect when you use the ability.
~ If you can affect animals or elementals, you can also destroy them as if they were undead.

Sev~

[Gleep_Wurp]

no discussion needed.

[kanordog]

You just left Holy sword in, thanks for making a paladin 2.0
Better than any melee class, great!

[ThomasHunter]

I think this looks really excited. I'll admit that I am a bit sad about taking away the damaging part of Turn Undead though. I was REALLY excited for that!

Sev, maybe you could strengthen Divine Light from the KotC tree and add it to a Cleric tree? That would be sweet!

[CSQ]

Looks great. I'm especially a fan of War Domain. I was actually thinking the other day "I have all these exotic weapons I never use because of proficiency issues..." and this would answer that and give cleric a breath of fresh air! I also love a lot of the other domains making cleric play with much more versatility. I still worry that cleric will be a mediocre caster compared to FvS, but that's not really a cleric's role anyway and the SLAs look good. The only thing I really worry about is the Strength domain immunity to strength damage. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this seems to be unprecedented and I worry that it will be a fighter splash thing instead of a cleric thing (not that STR damage is super common, but it's still something I wonder about). Still I'm going to need to roll up some clerics when this goes live!

[HuneyMunster]

How does Divine Disciple interact with the elemental spells?

Does Spell Critical: Light or Spell Critical: Universal effect them or Both?

Does Divine Empowerment give +1 caster level and maximum caster level?

[Vrdf]

I would suggest to use SLAs that require turn charges for the buffs instead of the actual turn attempts. It would make it easier to keep track of what is happening visually, particularly if the visual effect differs between domains.

Another interesting possibility would be to change, expanding and restricting, the available spells based on the domain. Actual spells, not the SLAs. Something like additional arcane necromancy spell options for the death domain in exchange for light and holy spells that would otherwise be available.

Also, like Gregen asked, what is the scope of the Empower Healing passive? Only cure spells? Panacea and heal? Enhancement abilities with healing effects like divine healing, cleansing, reactive heal? Enhancement passives that cure like positive energy aura?

[MonadRebelion]

These look a lot better than when they were first introduced. I'm not a huge fan of the idea of using turns to give 20 second boosts, but it doesn't ruin anything for me. Some of the 20 second boosts strike me as thematically appropriate. Others seem chesseball. The Good and Healing domains stand out to me as deserving some rethinking. It's hard to see why anyone would want them. Also, I think the level 14 ability for the Law domain should be rethought.

[SirValentine]

So, this looks pretty much identical to the same proposal you already gave us an early look at earlier.

Too much uncalled for vertical power creep, and very little of what domains should be providing, more options.

Huge DC/saving-throw/etc. boosts.
Only 1 domain instead of 2. No spellbook diversity added.
Turning Turn Undead into an action boost.

...a preview of how Domains work in DDO...

So you're saying it's a done deal, then?

There's a big boost for the FotM players to swap to Cleric until the next FotM comes along, and a big FU to longtime Cleric players.

Well, now I don't have to have any debate about whether to buy Ravenloft, or anything else from SSG.

Repeatedly destroying any chance of an endgame and turning everything into endless TR grinds drove me to the edge. Destroying my character's class is the last straw.

Somebody call me if there's ever a major change in direction and they decide to stop taking out "Dungeons and Dragons" out of so-called "Dungeons and Dragons Online".

[Enoach]

I am curious why Air Domain is getting DC boosts like the magic domain while the other elemental domains get spell power boosts?

Air Domain
Level 2: You gain +1 to the DC of your Evocation spells. This increases by +1 at 6th, 12th, and 18th level Cleric.

[Fnordian]

~ The basic mechanics for Turn Undead isn't changing.
~ Our strategy to boost its usefulness for Clerics is by adding an additional effect when you use the ability.
~ If you can affect animals or elementals, you can also destroy them as if they were undead.

Sev~

Cool, but personally I liked the earlier damage idea for Turn Undead (even more than the extra Domain abilities). That's unfortunate it won't be included now (presumably due to some vocal complaints against it, although there were many who said they liked it too).

For the animal domain, Turn Undead affecting animals doesn't seem logical. They're not undead (or even supernatural) and if you have an affinity for animals, being able to magically kill them doesn't seem right either. The same goes for elementals but at least some argument could be made that they're "not quite of this world" or something.