Death Domain Power

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xalaram
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Joined: Wed May 16, 2018 1:27 pm

Death Domain Power

Post by xalaram » Tue Aug 14, 2018 2:55 am

In short, it sucks!

It's a wet noodle with little to no scaling, some health per level and maybe other scaling stats would be a nice addition. However, I dont play with any Conjuration foci so I'm unsure if that gives it any more oomph.

Alox
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by Alox » Tue Aug 14, 2018 1:04 pm

Perhaps illusion bufs it up a bit, but yeah that summon is terrible.

The only reason to go death domain is the added 50% damage on harm spells.

But that is a PRETTY GOOD reason to go death domain.

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Peppermint
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by Peppermint » Wed Aug 15, 2018 12:14 pm

Yes, it's garbage. Though death domain itself is pretty strong.

A popular request has been to make it work more like the Shades/shadowdancer summons. While it would've been easy, I refused to do so, because I feel that Death domain should grant something unique.

You can blame me for its current state.

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Cortex
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by Cortex » Wed Aug 15, 2018 10:11 pm

A round of buffing to nearly all domains is necessary, but likely will only occur when haks come in so there's more freedom and less hassle.
:)

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xalaram
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by xalaram » Wed Aug 15, 2018 10:37 pm

Many thanks for the replies, I can make do in the mean time.

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ArcanaFTW
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by ArcanaFTW » Thu Aug 16, 2018 2:19 am

Change the death domain summon to instead create a static phylactery which makes the character immune to death for a small amount of time, scaling with level. Destroy the phylactery and the character suffers from the effects of a harm spell.

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xalaram
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by xalaram » Fri Aug 17, 2018 4:48 am

I feel that coupling that with the healer path would lead to some really broken interactions; imagine a cleric that's unkillable, can make their phylactery unkillable for awhile and does all the usual cleric things. As much as this appeals to me, it wouldn't be healthy for the server.

Nitro
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by Nitro » Fri Aug 17, 2018 11:51 am

It also seems like a really weird interaction for some of the deities that have the death domain, Kelemvor, Jergal or Osiris wouldn't want people to make phylacteries, even temporary ones.

Hinty
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by Hinty » Fri Aug 17, 2018 4:26 pm

That is actualy a problem with PnP not NwN for once.

Death domain is very much not appropriate for Kelemvor, Jergal, Osiris or Urogalan. All being death gods that abhor undead (In Kelemvors case going so far as to make sure his evil clerics still still Turn undead rather than Rebuke) It is, however, an issue that they fixed. While these gods have Death Domain in the FR Source book, in the Faiths and Pantheons book that followed shortly after they had Death domain taken away and were given Repose domain instead, a domain revolving around death without the undead.

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Wytchee
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by Wytchee » Fri Aug 17, 2018 5:52 pm

I mostly typed this up for fun, as I'm sick in bed ATM. But here's a few suggestions I had re: cleric domains.

Air Domain
- call lightning 1/day per 6 cleric levels (innate ability)
- at level 28, the cleric's Summon Creatures VIII and IX summon an air elemental one tier higher (elder -> ancient -> monolithic)

Animal Domain
- can take an aesthetic-only pact, as a ranger does, changing their summons into that creature
- Animal as a known language

Death Domain
- gain Lifeline ability, even if not a healer cleric

Destruction Domain
- Turn Undead's magic damage vs. constructs increased from d3 to d6
- At cleric level 16, Horrid Wilting 1/day as an innate ability. 2/day at level 22. 3/day at level 28

Earth Domain
- vine mine 1/day per 6 cleric levels (innate ability)
- at level 28, the cleric's Summon Creatures VIII and IX summon an earth elemental one tier higher (elder -> ancient -> monolithic)

Evil Domain
- any evil creature summoned using "Planar Ally" progresses in tier (up to tier 5) with cleric levels
- (alternatively) Aura vs. Alignment (Good) lasts turns/level

Fire Domain
- Inferno 1/day per 6 cleric levels
- at level 28, the cleric's Summon Creatures VIII and IX summon a fire elemental one tier higher (elder -> ancient -> monolithic)

Good Domain
- any good creature summoned using "Planar Ally" progresses in tier (up to tier 5) with cleric levels
- (alternatively) Aura vs. Alignment (Good) lasts turns/level

Healing Domain
- leave as is

Knowledge Domain
- at cleric level 1, gain Skill Focus: Lore. At level 21, gain Epic Skill Focus: Lore.

Magic Domain
- Draconic as a known language
- Auto Quicken Spell I at Cleric Level 25

Plant Domain
- 5 bonus points added to Herbalism

Protection Domain
- can Ward as a PDK does, thus guarding two PCs, but has no access to other PDK abilities

Strength Domain
- ???

Sun Domain
- Turn Undead does additional fire damage to all undead in the area

Travel Domain
- at cleric level 21, can -teleport even without GSF: Transmutation. If the cleric has GSF: Transmutation, can -teleport twice a day.

Trickery Domain
- Leave as is

War Domain
- Leave as is

Water Domain
- Drown 1/day per 8 cleric levels
- at level 28, the cleric's Summon Creatures VIII and IX summon a water elemental one tier higher (elder -> ancient -> monolithic)
Current character: Abigail Duskwood

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Opustus
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by Opustus » Fri Aug 17, 2018 7:22 pm

On my former home server, Amia, they implemented a full-scale Domain rework, introducing all the domains in FR with haks and tweaking the already existing ones. They were very well thought-out and added a lot to playing Cleric. Worth checking out! http://www.amiaworld.net/phpBB3/viewtop ... 2#p1016002

Also, the local deity system, if someone's curious: http://www.amiaworld.net/about/deities.php
Characters: all poor babies suffering from neglect

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Sockss
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by Sockss » Fri Aug 17, 2018 10:03 pm

The problem with the Amia system was some domains were woefully overpowered and some woefully underpowered; making only the worship of a few gods viable.
Thankfully this team is no longer being used.

Sockss#5567 for nwn mechanics questions.

strong yeet
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by strong yeet » Fri Aug 17, 2018 10:08 pm

I've never been especially fond of enforced cleric domains like Amia had done. The difference of being able to cast Haste or instead have a useless extra effect on your (already trash) Turn Undead ability has never been a thing that I've seen expressed in character where it has a real, tangible effect on telling a story.

Tourmaline
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by Tourmaline » Sat Aug 18, 2018 4:35 am

Sockss wrote:
Fri Aug 17, 2018 10:03 pm
The problem with the Amia system was some domains were woefully overpowered and some woefully underpowered; making only the worship of a few gods viable.
Though honestly our piety system can be just as lopsided. T&D is an awful aspect for example, depending on a skill clerics don't have (and a mechanic that is currently busted).

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Sockss
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by Sockss » Mon Aug 20, 2018 5:31 pm

Tourmaline wrote:
Sat Aug 18, 2018 4:35 am
Sockss wrote:
Fri Aug 17, 2018 10:03 pm
The problem with the Amia system was some domains were woefully overpowered and some woefully underpowered; making only the worship of a few gods viable.
Though honestly our piety system can be just as lopsided. T&D is an awful aspect for example, depending on a skill clerics don't have (and a mechanic that is currently busted).
Absolutely, Arelith isn't without its design faults, but they're not as significant as that - mostly they just necessitate tedious un-fun things.
Thankfully this team is no longer being used.

Sockss#5567 for nwn mechanics questions.

Hinty
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by Hinty » Mon Aug 20, 2018 11:39 pm

Personally I feel that enforced domains are a great thing. They give flavour to clerics, help them by giving them spells that fit the flavour of their deity, give people reason to pick domains that they might normally never look twice at.

That said, it does work better when you have a bigger list, the current list is a bit pants. One of my more memorable times as a cleric on NwN was having an 8 str cleric that walked around in robes, carried a staff and cast fun little spells like Mage armour and Fireball. People had quite the shock when they saw the wizard casting healing spells.

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BegoneThoth
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by BegoneThoth » Tue Aug 21, 2018 12:30 am

Some gods are just more viable then others.
\

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Hunter548
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Re: Death Domain Power

Post by Hunter548 » Tue Aug 21, 2018 3:22 am

Hinty wrote:
Mon Aug 20, 2018 11:39 pm
Personally I feel that enforced domains are a great thing. They give flavour to clerics, help them by giving them spells that fit the flavour of their deity, give people reason to pick domains that they might normally never look twice at.

That said, it does work better when you have a bigger list, the current list is a bit pants. One of my more memorable times as a cleric on NwN was having an 8 str cleric that walked around in robes, carried a staff and cast fun little spells like Mage armour and Fireball. People had quite the shock when they saw the wizard casting healing spells.
What's more likely is that the deities with "optimal" domains will be over-represented, cleric-wise, and those without will be under-represented. You can already see elements of this; When was the last time you saw a cleric of, say, Lathander? Or Mask?

Amia had the same sort of deal; Cleric domains were enforced. What happened was you ended up with a lot of clerics of Shar and Ghaunadaur (?) because those two had access to the Cavern domain, and cavern domain was really strong.
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