Spontaneous Domain Casting [Archive] - Wizards Community

Spontaneous Domain Casting [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
JustinA
04-16-07, 10:01 PM When I read the Spontaneous Domain Casting house rule in UA, I was immediately enamored with it and instituted it as a house rule. The details match Andy Collins' original suggestion exactly:

- Clerics lose their "domain slot".
- Clerics gain the ability to spontaneously cast domain spells.
- Clerics DO NOT lose the ability to spontaneously cast cure spells.
- Clerics with the Healing domain cast their cure spells with d12s instead of d8s.

On top of that, I have also maximized cure spells in my campaign: If a cure spell normally does 1d8+1 points of curing, for example, it automatically cures 9 points of damage. (I mention this, because it almost halves the number of spell slots that get chewed up by healing.)

I like the rule. But over the course of two campaigns I've had the same complaint from both of my clerics: "I don't have enough spells!"

Should I bend and give them back their domain slot? I've been tempted to, but it seems like an unwarranted power boost.

I don't like the PHB2 version of Spontaneous Domain Casting for a couple of reasons: First, if a cleric choosing this option can't heal effective then the odds of the option ever being played minimal or nonexistent. Second, there just doesn't seem to be any justification for "cure-only" slot of spells except to provide a game balance band-aid for the first problem.

Thoughts? Can I get away with restoring domain slots while still using UA-style spontaneous domain casting? Or is that too much to give the clerics?

Justin Alexander
http://www.thealexandrian.net
trapspringer
04-16-07, 10:43 PM Hell no.

You've been generous with your house rules. Their spells are uber-effective. They are the second most powerful class in the game.

They can **** well deal with it.
RobbyPants
04-17-07, 11:44 AM Yeah, this is similar to the spell point varient, where the cleric adds their domain spells to the list of prepared spells, but don't get extra SP for them. The idea is that the loss of raw casting power is made up for with versitility. With the choice of two good domains, I would think the spontaneous varient would be more powerful than the regular casting.

Espescially with your maximized healing rule, they shouldn't need any more spell slots. Also, do your players remember to buff themselves/their allies? Remember that a well placed buff or two can make up for several more healing spells later on...
Arcade
04-17-07, 12:29 PM I have to say I agree with everyone else- your rules are just fine. With maximized healing, you're reducing healing spells a decent amount- though not by half. A 10th level cleric casting cure moderate wounds does an average of 19 points of damage while a maximized spell would heal 26 points of damage- which doesn't quite equal half.

On the other hand, they are losing only 1 spell per spell level and in my experience, clerics end up casting multiple cure spells per day so it should make up for it. And I think the versatility is not only far better, but much better thematically.
Wiz_Eldrick
04-17-07, 06:07 PM If you feel the need to "bend" at all (and I'd say there's no need. The maximized healing alone probably makes up for the loss of the extra spell, let alone the versatility of spontaneous domain casting.), why not let them have the option of being an either/or cleric? They can choose to be a cleric with spontaneous domain casting, or they can have the old domain slot system.

Given the choice, I don't know which I'd choose, and depending on the character concept, I suspect it would vary. That passes my first test for either/or rule changes: If it isn't obvious which one I'd choose, it probably is reasonably balanced. Of course, having not seen the spontaneous caster in play, maybe I don't know what I'm talking about.

Flavour-wise I like the spontaneous domain casting, even leaving spontaneous curing in the game. Given the time, I'd redesign the cleric to have more of his powers/abilities domain centered, and this is a great place to start (followed by a progression of some kind for granted powers). Of course, with the obvious jump in power, you'd have to start providing things to other classes, and so on.

Anyway, I wouldn't just hand it over. If they are really upset, ask them if they'd trade what you've given to go back to the old way. If they'd rather stick with what you've given them, they like what you've done just fine, and they're just pushing to get more. You can't blame them for trying, but there's no need to give another bump to what is arguably the most powerful class already.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
JustinA 04-16-07, 10:01 PM	When I read the Spontaneous Domain Casting house rule in UA, I was immediately enamored with it and instituted it as a house rule. The details match Andy Collins' original suggestion exactly: - Clerics lose their "domain slot". - Clerics gain the ability to spontaneously cast domain spells. - Clerics DO NOT lose the ability to spontaneously cast cure spells. - Clerics with the Healing domain cast their cure spells with d12s instead of d8s. On top of that, I have also maximized cure spells in my campaign: If a cure spell normally does 1d8+1 points of curing, for example, it automatically cures 9 points of damage. (I mention this, because it almost halves the number of spell slots that get chewed up by healing.) I like the rule. But over the course of two campaigns I've had the same complaint from both of my clerics: "I don't have enough spells!" Should I bend and give them back their domain slot? I've been tempted to, but it seems like an unwarranted power boost. I don't like the PHB2 version of Spontaneous Domain Casting for a couple of reasons: First, if a cleric choosing this option can't heal effective then the odds of the option ever being played minimal or nonexistent. Second, there just doesn't seem to be any justification for "cure-only" slot of spells except to provide a game balance band-aid for the first problem. Thoughts? Can I get away with restoring domain slots while still using UA-style spontaneous domain casting? Or is that too much to give the clerics? Justin Alexander http://www.thealexandrian.net
trapspringer 04-16-07, 10:43 PM	Hell no. You've been generous with your house rules. Their spells are uber-effective. They are the second most powerful class in the game. They can **** well deal with it.
RobbyPants 04-17-07, 11:44 AM	Yeah, this is similar to the spell point varient, where the cleric adds their domain spells to the list of prepared spells, but don't get extra SP for them. The idea is that the loss of raw casting power is made up for with versitility. With the choice of two good domains, I would think the spontaneous varient would be more powerful than the regular casting. Espescially with your maximized healing rule, they shouldn't need any more spell slots. Also, do your players remember to buff themselves/their allies? Remember that a well placed buff or two can make up for several more healing spells later on...
Arcade 04-17-07, 12:29 PM	I have to say I agree with everyone else- your rules are just fine. With maximized healing, you're reducing healing spells a decent amount- though not by half. A 10th level cleric casting cure moderate wounds does an average of 19 points of damage while a maximized spell would heal 26 points of damage- which doesn't quite equal half. On the other hand, they are losing only 1 spell per spell level and in my experience, clerics end up casting multiple cure spells per day so it should make up for it. And I think the versatility is not only far better, but much better thematically.
Wiz_Eldrick 04-17-07, 06:07 PM	If you feel the need to "bend" at all (and I'd say there's no need. The maximized healing alone probably makes up for the loss of the extra spell, let alone the versatility of spontaneous domain casting.), why not let them have the option of being an either/or cleric? They can choose to be a cleric with spontaneous domain casting, or they can have the old domain slot system. Given the choice, I don't know which I'd choose, and depending on the character concept, I suspect it would vary. That passes my first test for either/or rule changes: If it isn't obvious which one I'd choose, it probably is reasonably balanced. Of course, having not seen the spontaneous caster in play, maybe I don't know what I'm talking about. Flavour-wise I like the spontaneous domain casting, even leaving spontaneous curing in the game. Given the time, I'd redesign the cleric to have more of his powers/abilities domain centered, and this is a great place to start (followed by a progression of some kind for granted powers). Of course, with the obvious jump in power, you'd have to start providing things to other classes, and so on. Anyway, I wouldn't just hand it over. If they are really upset, ask them if they'd trade what you've given to go back to the old way. If they'd rather stick with what you've given them, they like what you've done just fine, and they're just pushing to get more. You can't blame them for trying, but there's no need to give another bump to what is arguably the most powerful class already.