Cleric: Death Domain

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Overview & Creation

Clerics are intermediaries between the mortal world and the distant planes of the gods. As varied as the gods they serve, clerics strive to embody the handiwork of their deities. No ordinary priest, a cleric is imbued with divine magic.   You must have a Wisdom score of 13 or higher in order to multiclass in or out of this class.   The Death domain is concerned with the forces that cause death, as well as the negative energy that gives rise to undead creatures. Deities such as the Raven Queen, Baldur, Vulcanis, and Helena are patrons of clerics, whereas the death deities such as Shiva and the unknown god of time and decay both are generally served by the most evil of mortal beings in the material plane. The goddess Mercy, being a death / light god could take on clerical servants if she needed them but has resigned herself to guard the gates of the afterlife than mess with the affairs of mortals.

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Class Features

Reaper At 1st level, you learn one necromancy cantrip of your choice from any spell list. When you cast a necromancy cantrip that normally targets only one creature, the spell can instead target two creatures within range and within 5 feet of each other.   Channel Divinity: Touch of Death   Starting at 2nd level, you can use Channel Divinity to destroy another creature's life force by touch. When you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can use Channel Divinity to deal extra necrotic damage to the target. The damage equals 5 + twice your cleric level.   Inescapable Destruction   Starting at 6th level, your ability to channel negative energy becomes more potent. Necrotic damage dealt by your cleric spells and Channel Divinity options ignores resistance to necrotic damage.   Divine Strike   At 8th level, you gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with necrotic energy. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an a 1d8 necrotic damage to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.   Improved Reaper   Starting at 17th level, when you cast a necromancy spell of 1st through 5th level that targets only one creature, the spell can instead target two creatures within range and within 5 feet of each other. If the spell consumes its material components, you must provide them for each target.

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Starting Equipment

Equipment   You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a mace or (b) a Warhammer (if proficient)
• (a) scale mail, (b) leather armor, or (c) chain mail (if proficient)
• (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a priest's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• A shield and a holy symbol

 

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Spellcasting

Spellcasting Ability   Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your cleric spells. The power of your spells comes from your devotion to your deity. You use your Wisdom whenever a cleric spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a cleric spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.   Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier   Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier   Ritual Casting You can cast a cleric spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared. Spellcasting Focus   You can use a holy symbol as a spellcasting focus for your cleric spells.   Spellcasting As a conduit for divine power, you can cast cleric spells.   Cantrips At 1st level, you know three cantrips of your choice from the cleric spell list. You learn additional cleric cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Cleric table.   Spell Slots The Cleric table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of lst level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. You prepare the list of cleric spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the cleric spell list. When you do so, choose a number of cleric spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + your cleric level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.   For example, if you are a 3rd-level cleric, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With a Wisdom of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell Cure Wounds, you can cast it using a 1st-level or 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells.   You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of cleric spells requires time spent in prayer and meditation: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.

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Subclass Options

Death Domain Spells   Cleric Level Spells (Spells you get access to at specific Cleric levels)   1st False Life, Ray of Sickness   False Life:

• 1st-level necromancy
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S, M (a small amount of alcohol or distilled spirits)
• Duration: 1 hour

  Bolstering yourself with a necromantic facsimile of life, you gain 1d4 + 4 temporary hit points for the duration.   At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you gain 5 additional temporary hit points for each slot level above 1st.   Ray of Sickness  

• 1st-level necromancy
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Instantaneous

  A ray of sickening greenish energy lashes out toward a creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 poison damage and must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it is also poisoned until the end of your next turn.   At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.   3rd Blindness/Deafness, Ray of Enfeeblement   Blindness/Deafness  

• 2nd-level necromancy
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 30 feet
• Components: V
• Duration: 1 minute

  You can blind or deafen a foe. Choose one creature that you can see within range to make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, the target is either blinded or deafened (your choice) for the duration. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make a Constitution saving throw. On a success, the spell ends.   At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 2nd.   Ray of Enfeeblement

• 2nd-level necromancy
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

  A black beam of enervating energy springs from your finger toward a creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target deals only half damage with weapon attacks that use Strength until the spell ends.   At the end of each of the target’s turns, it can make a Constitution saving throw against the spell. On a success, the spell ends.     5th Animate Dead, Vampiric Touch   Animate Dead

• 3rd-level necromancy
• Casting Time: 1 minute
• Range: 10 feet
• Components: V, S, M (a drop of blood, a piece of flesh, and a pinch of bone dust)
• Duration: Instantaneous

  This spell creates an undead servant. Choose a pile of bones or a corpse of a Medium or Small humanoid within range. Your spell imbues the target with a foul mimicry of life, raising it as an undead creature. The target becomes a skeleton if you chose bones or a zombie if you chose a corpse (the DM has the creature’s game statistics).   On each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to mentally command any creature you made with this spell if the creature is within 60 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can command any or all of them at the same time, issuing the same command to each one). You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete.   The creature is under your control for 24 hours, after which it stops obeying any command you’ve given it. To maintain the control of the creature for another 24 hours, you must cast this spell on the creature again before the current 24-hour period ends. This use of the spell reasserts your control over up to four creatures you have animated with this spell, rather than animating a new one.   At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you animate or reassert control over two additional undead creatures for each slot level above 3rd. Each of the creatures must come from a different corpse or pile of bones.   Vampiric Touch:

• 3rd-level necromancy
• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Self
• Components: V, S
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

  The touch of your shadow-wreathed hand can siphon force from others to heal your wounds. Make a melee spell attack against a creature within your reach. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 necrotic damage, and you regain hit points equal to half the amount of necrotic damage dealt. Until the spell ends, you can make the attack again on each of your turns as an action.   At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 3rd.   7th Blight, Death Ward   9th Antilife Shell, Cloudkill