Had an idea for a Disease domain and wanted to get input as to whether it seems balanced. It will be used in my campaign by clerics of a demon. In the core it could be used by any God, Devil, or Demon having Infestation in their portfolio.
Disease Domain
Deities:
Granted Powers: You are a beacon of corruption and disease. Your touch sickens people and eventually even your very presence spreads disease. You do not take any damage or take any penalty from diseases. You can still contract diseases and spread them to others, but you are otherwise immune to their effects.
Sickening Touch (Sp): As a melee touch attack, you can cause a living creature to take 1d6 points of damage and to become sickened for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your cleric level (minimum 1). You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
Plague Bearer (Su): At 8th level, you can emit a 30-foot aura of contagion for a number of rounds per day equal to your cleric level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. Living creatures in this aura (except you) must make a Fortitude save with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 your cleric level + your Wisdom modifier. Creatures that succeed on their saving throw are immune to this aura for 24 hours. Those failing suffer from a disease as per contagion and take 1d6 points of damage per round as their flesh rots. The rotting ceases as soon as they move out of range or the ability ends, however, the disease remains until cured.
Domain Spells: 1st—doom, 2nd—pox pustules, 3rd—contagion, 4th—poison, 5th—insect plague, 6th—eyebite, 7th—creeping doom, 8th—horrid wilting, 9th—energy drain.
Thanks for your time and help!
Thanks for your input. To be honest, I felt a little iffy on that one myself. I was basing Sickening Touch on the Evil domains' Touch of Evil which has the following in addtion to the sickening effect: Creatures sickened by your touch count as good for the purposes of spells with the evil descriptor. To differentiate it I eliminated that minor effect and was looking for a minor effect to replace it, do you have any suggestions?
Thanks Tim4488, I like it. Maybe something like this then:
Sickening Touch (Sp): As a melee touch attack, you can cause a living creature to become sickened for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your cleric level (minimum 1) during which time they suffer an additional -2 penalty on saves against Disease Domain spells. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
Here's what I did waaaay back in the day, going off what Mr Mona did in his "Armies of the Abyss: Book of Fiends, Volume Two".
Disease Domain
Patron: Apollyon, Cyth-V'sug, Ghlaunder, Urgathoa
Caster Level Ability
1st Sickening Touch (Su): You can cause a living creature to become sickened as a melee touch attack. This ability has no effect on creatures of higher level than you or with more HD. This effect lasts one round per caster level. Once a creature has been affected by your sickening strike, he is immune to its effect for 1 day.
2nd Ray of Enfeeblement (Sp): You can cast ray of enfeeblement 1/day per 2 caster levels you possess.
4th Summon Swarm (Sp): You can cast summon swarm (rat swarm only) 1/day.
8th Disease Harbinger (Su): You become immune to ability damage or drain caused by any disease, though you still carry them and suffer any superficial effects (boils, odors, sores, and so on). Also, a number of times per day equal to half your caster level (rounded down), you can imbue a spell that deals hit point damage to be resistant to healing. Any creatures targeted by this ability cannot heal the damage dealt by the augmented spell until they receive either a heal, remove disease, or are treated by a DC 10 + half your caster level + your Charisma modifier Heal check. Once a creature has been affected by this ability, it is immune to its effects for 1 day.
12th Eyebite (Sp): You can cast eyebite 1/day.
16th Regenerate (Sp): You can cast regenerate 1/day.
20th Energy Drain (Sp): You can cast energy drain 1/day.
Thanks Tim4488, I like it. Maybe something like this then:
Sickening Touch (Sp): As a melee touch attack, you can cause a living creature to become sickened for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your cleric level (minimum 1) during which time they suffer an additional -2 penalty on saves against Disease Domain spells. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
My only concern is that the sickened condition already imposes a -2 penalty on saves--this would make that a -4 penalty, which seems pretty darn big, even if the ability is only usable a limited number of times per day.
Other than that, I like this domain.
My only concern is that the sickened condition already imposes a -2 penalty on saves--this would make that a -4 penalty, which seems pretty darn big, even if the ability is only usable a limited number of times per day.
Not only is it limited to a certain number of uses a day, but it is limited to the nine spells in the disease domain. I believe that it matches up fairly well with other first level powers. I guess one thing I like about the power as is, is that it represents the fact that once you has an illness you are more likely to catch something else. However, if you have an alternative I would love explore other options. Thanks!
Well, after the arrival of Ultimate Magic we have several changes to the domain spell list.
Disease Domain
Deities:
Granted Powers: You are a beacon of corruption and disease. Your touch sickens people and eventually even your very presence spreads disease. You do not take any damage or take any penalty from diseases. You can still contract diseases and spread them to others, but you are otherwise immune to their effects.
Sickening Touch (Sp): As a melee touch attack, you can cause a living creature to become sickened for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your cleric level (minimum 1) during which time they suffer an additional -2 penalty on saves against Disease Domain spells. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
Plague Bearer (Su): At 8th level, you can emit a 30-foot aura of contagion for a number of rounds per day equal to your cleric level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. Living creatures in this aura (except you) must make a Fortitude save with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 your cleric level + your Wisdom modifier. Creatures that succeed on their saving throw are immune to this aura for 24 hours. Those failing suffer a disease as per contagion and take 1d6 points of damage per round as their flesh rots. The rotting ceases as soon as they move out of range or the ability ends, however, the disease remains until cured.
Domain Spells: 1st—ray of sickening, 2nd—pox pustules, 3rd—contagion, 4th--fleshworm infestation, 5th—greater contagion, 6th—epidemic, 7th—waves of exhaustion, 8th—horrid wilting, 9th—cursed earth.
What do you think?
Damn! I clicked in this thread to see about an awesome new cleric domain called "Clerical". Hoped to get some good ideas on playing a cleric that does paperwork and files taxes and such. instead its just a disease domain!
My two cents on Sickening touch: I would go with 1d4 damage and sickened. Reducing their resistance even more is a little powerful. The domain disease spells are mostly save or really bad stuff happens and you are proposing one action to make them a lot more effective for a while. if you go this route then maybe: 1d4 damage, if they succeed on a Fort Save (DC 10+1/2 cl) then they are sickened if they fail then they are sickened AND suffer an additional -2 to their saves against disease domain spells.