Can a cleric change his domains? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Can a cleric change his domains? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
AnAverageDM
10-12-05, 12:57 AM I have a player who want’s to change domains for his cleric. I can’t seem to find anywhere where it says that he can’t. Should I let him? He’s a 12 level cleric of Pelor and want’s to change from sun to heal.
smrtgmp
10-12-05, 01:52 AM By the rules, I think he's stuck.

However, if he feels that the new domain is more fitting with his character, and said domain is one made available by his patron deity, then I would probably let him make the switch, though I would make a mini-adventure out of it.
LordofNightmares
10-12-05, 04:23 AM I've dealt with something *similar* to this as a player before. I was playing a Dwarvan Cleric of Moradin, and in the beginning I was taking the Law and Good Domains (as a LG character), and my alignment slowly changed to LN. Well, by time the character's behavior was far enough to warrant an alignment change, the character lost access to the Good abilities, but he went to a temple of Moradin and went into fasting and meditation (for 9 days, appropriatly enough equal to his class level). And came oput of that with the Earth and Law domains.
So basically it seems reasonable that a small quest or in story down time (maybe even with a small XP loss (10xp per level) to represent some adventure downtime) of spiritual cleansing and meditation to change one's domain.
Seeker95
10-12-05, 10:56 AM I would allow it "in game", with the deity granting such a change as a reward for a task performed at the request of the deity. I would NOT allow it to occur "out of game".
tarkin
10-12-05, 12:05 PM I might allow a feat to change your domain. A wish or Miracle spell should also do it.
Seeker95
10-12-05, 01:32 PM A wish or Miracle spell should also do it.I would say a wish definitely cannot. The change of a domain is affecting the will of the deity, not the cleric. A miracle definitely can, since it is basically asking the deity to do so if the deity wills to do so! Mircale can do anything if the deity allows it. :D
Zetakya
10-12-05, 02:27 PM In my homebrew setting, I have rules that allow this, mostly because Clerics represent & pray to the entire Pantheon.

Once set, your clerical domains can only be changed by the use of an Attonement cast by a Cleric who has the Domain you wish to assume (this is a variant use of Attonement specifically for this setting).

Essentially, I allow the Restore Cleric Spell Powers function of Attonement to act as an alteration as well, subject to Allignment restrictions and the requirement to find a Cleric who channels the same aspect of the Divine Ones.

I almost always impose a Quest, unless the character has already done something spectacular towards that aspect of the Divine. In addition I almost always withdraw the Domain that is to be lost (if it hasn't already gone due to Allignment) before the Quest and don't grant the new one until afterwards.

Miracle, in my campaign, could change Domain choices without needing to have a Cleric with the Domain to be assumed.

Bear in mind, however, that alteration of Clerical Domains may be viewed poorly by certain sections of the religion, depending on internal matters to the religion. Downsides like this are a matter of Roleplaying rather than game mechanics, but the reactions of NPCs to a Cleric who shifts Domains should not be overlooked.
MageofMyth
10-12-05, 02:32 PM I think that there is a feat to add a third domain, he might try that. I don't think that the rules allow for changing domains.
MSW
10-12-05, 05:06 PM I have a player who want’s to change domains for his cleric. I can’t seem to find anywhere where it says that he can’t. Should I let him? He’s a 12 level cleric of Pelor and want’s to change from sun to heal.A Radiant Servant of Pelor requires the Sun domain. So if he's thinking of taking that Prc, he will need to keep Sun, and swap out a different domain.

If the cleric doesn't have any Prc's that require a certain domain, I can't see why you couldn't let him swap one out. Just so long as it is a one time thing and not a sneaky way for him to get the best domain for each adventure.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
AnAverageDM 10-12-05, 12:57 AM	I have a player who want’s to change domains for his cleric. I can’t seem to find anywhere where it says that he can’t. Should I let him? He’s a 12 level cleric of Pelor and want’s to change from sun to heal.
smrtgmp 10-12-05, 01:52 AM	By the rules, I think he's stuck. However, if he feels that the new domain is more fitting with his character, and said domain is one made available by his patron deity, then I would probably let him make the switch, though I would make a mini-adventure out of it.
LordofNightmares 10-12-05, 04:23 AM	I've dealt with something similar to this as a player before. I was playing a Dwarvan Cleric of Moradin, and in the beginning I was taking the Law and Good Domains (as a LG character), and my alignment slowly changed to LN. Well, by time the character's behavior was far enough to warrant an alignment change, the character lost access to the Good abilities, but he went to a temple of Moradin and went into fasting and meditation (for 9 days, appropriatly enough equal to his class level). And came oput of that with the Earth and Law domains. So basically it seems reasonable that a small quest or in story down time (maybe even with a small XP loss (10xp per level) to represent some adventure downtime) of spiritual cleansing and meditation to change one's domain.
Seeker95 10-12-05, 10:56 AM	I would allow it "in game", with the deity granting such a change as a reward for a task performed at the request of the deity. I would NOT allow it to occur "out of game".
tarkin 10-12-05, 12:05 PM	I might allow a feat to change your domain. A wish or Miracle spell should also do it.
Seeker95 10-12-05, 01:32 PM	A wish or Miracle spell should also do it.I would say a wish definitely cannot. The change of a domain is affecting the will of the deity, not the cleric. A miracle definitely can, since it is basically asking the deity to do so if the deity wills to do so! Mircale can do anything if the deity allows it. :D
Zetakya 10-12-05, 02:27 PM	In my homebrew setting, I have rules that allow this, mostly because Clerics represent & pray to the entire Pantheon. Once set, your clerical domains can only be changed by the use of an Attonement cast by a Cleric who has the Domain you wish to assume (this is a variant use of Attonement specifically for this setting). Essentially, I allow the Restore Cleric Spell Powers function of Attonement to act as an alteration as well, subject to Allignment restrictions and the requirement to find a Cleric who channels the same aspect of the Divine Ones. I almost always impose a Quest, unless the character has already done something spectacular towards that aspect of the Divine. In addition I almost always withdraw the Domain that is to be lost (if it hasn't already gone due to Allignment) before the Quest and don't grant the new one until afterwards. Miracle, in my campaign, could change Domain choices without needing to have a Cleric with the Domain to be assumed. Bear in mind, however, that alteration of Clerical Domains may be viewed poorly by certain sections of the religion, depending on internal matters to the religion. Downsides like this are a matter of Roleplaying rather than game mechanics, but the reactions of NPCs to a Cleric who shifts Domains should not be overlooked.
MageofMyth 10-12-05, 02:32 PM	I think that there is a feat to add a third domain, he might try that. I don't think that the rules allow for changing domains.
MSW 10-12-05, 05:06 PM	I have a player who want’s to change domains for his cleric. I can’t seem to find anywhere where it says that he can’t. Should I let him? He’s a 12 level cleric of Pelor and want’s to change from sun to heal.A Radiant Servant of Pelor requires the Sun domain. So if he's thinking of taking that Prc, he will need to keep Sun, and swap out a different domain. If the cleric doesn't have any Prc's that require a certain domain, I can't see why you couldn't let him swap one out. Just so long as it is a one time thing and not a sneaky way for him to get the best domain for each adventure.