I'm trying to come up with a time domain for clerics for my homebrew setting but I don't understand the balance of 5e enough yet to make informed decisions.
I already picked a list of domain spells that seems to fit, because they all somehow involve or can be reflavored to involve manipulation of spacetime:
1st - expeditious retreat, feather fall
3rd - gentle repose, hold person
5th - haste, slow
7th - dimension door, freedom of movement
9th - hold monster, modify memory
But this part was easy, i just needed two spells each of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th spell level, which is not a problem, considering that spells in 5e are the same spell level for all classes that can use them.
So what I need is a 1st level ability, a channel divinity ability for 2nd level, a 6th level ability, a divine strike for 8th level and a 17th level ability.
I've been thinking about one of these giving one or more subjects the ability to slow down their perception of time momentarily giving them speed advantage on a single ability check, save or attack roll until the beginning of the clerics next turn (or perhaps for a longer time, similarly to bardic inspiration). But that's really all i've been able to think of so far that would definitely be in line with 5e abilities in power and design philosophy.
So I would appreciate some help, I feel quite lost.
I'm trying to come up with a time domain for clerics for my homebrew setting but I don't understand the balance of 5e enough yet to make informed decisions.
a few ideas out of order:
1st level ability to reroll initiative once per combat
channel divinity to gain extra reactions (not sure how useful that would be)
channel divinity to take some actions as bonus actions
some kind of misty step divine strike
afb at the moment, but is there a time stop spell in 5e? You could do a similar 17th level ability (not as powerful in 5e due to concentration mechanics)
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Possibilities for a 1st-level ability:
• Advantage on initiative, as already suggested.
• Able to take the Dodge, Disengage or Dash actions as bonus actions ("bullet time").
• Able to give people advantage or disadvantage DEX saves for a round. (For the advantage version, make it usable as a reaction, to try and save someone from an AoE.)
Remember that the general practice is that the 1st-level ability is usable WIS/day, not 1/rest or at-will or whatever else.
Might be back later for the other abilities.
I like the idea of granting advantage on initiative rolls.
Most of the domains also grant a bonus cantrip or proficiencies also, I think I'd go for mending (I like the image of time reversing and fixing something broken).
There is a timestop spell.
The advantage on initiative is a nice idea but I also like the bullet time idea.
Maybe one of these could be the higher level ability by allowing it to affect the entire party.
I've been thinking of homebrewing a Time Domain for my Clock Queen deity.
I really like the mending idea. Maybe a bonus tool proficiency in clockworks, too?
Timestop would make a really good 17th level ability.
I was also thinking of a "Perfect Timing" ability. Roll 1d12 whenever you roll a d20, and if both numbers match, you get advantage on that roll. Kind of cumbersome, but I want to use a d12 because there are 12 months a year, 12 hours on the face of a clock, etc.
That doesn't fit my deity very well. The deity in my world that has the time domain is basically the conscious universe that created itself, the human applied meaning of hours is basically meaningless to this deity and months would be associated with the moon deity rather than this one. And clockworks are more the interest of the deity of artifice and magic.
But for a deity that does directly have to do with clocks it would fit well.
My Clock Queen deity is the creation deity, too. She started the flow of time that gave the universe a beginning. Before that, everything was static and happened all at once and not at all.
Maybe a "Turn Back Time" ability where you can use your reaction to back in time for a moment and re-roll. Maybe for the Channel Divinity ability?
Here's where I'm at at the moment:
1st - expeditious retreat, feather fall
3rd - gentle repose, hold person
5th - haste, slow
7th - dimension door, freedom of movement
9th - hold monster, modify memory
Bullet time: At 1st level, you can momentarily speed up yourself and your perception of time. You may take the Dodge, Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Channel Divinity: Ravages of Time Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to rapidly age your foes' bodies.
As an action you present your holy symbol and each hostile creature within 30 feet of you must make a constitution save. A creature takes necrotic damage equal 2d10 + your cleric level and gains a level of exhaustion on a failed saving throw, and half as much damage on a successful one.
The aging effect is completely reversed if the creature finishes a long rest.
Shared Time: Starting at 6th level, whenever you use your bullet time ability allies within 30 feet gain the same benefit as if they took the dodge action.
Divine Speed: At 8th level, you gain the ability to make your weapon strikes with supernatural speed. When you take the attack action you make an additional attack. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage dealt by this attack unless this modifier is negative. When you reach 14th level, you add your ability modifier to the damage as normal.
Time Stop: At 17th level, you gain the ability to cast time stop once. This spell cannot be prepared otherwise, however it does not need to be prepared and does not expend a spell slot.
You regain use of this ability once you finish a long rest.
It looks good, but for Shared Time, do your allies use their Reaction to Dash, Dodge, or Disengage? Or do they gain the ability to use their bonus action to Dodge, Dip, Dive, Duck, and Dodge on their next turn?
Maybe a bonus proficiency in History?
Shared time does seem powerful unless the ally has to spend their reaction (or a bonus action on their turn or something).
I may have misunderstood, but it sounded like you were spending a bonus action to grant your whole party dodge/dash/disengage action which seems beyond 6th level, to me.
Shared time is no action or anything for allies. The idea is that until their respective turns enemies simply have disadvantage on attack rolls against them. They don't have to spend a reaction and don't get it as abonus action.
This also does mean that any ally whose initiative comes up before any enemies basically gets no benefit.
Let's say the initiative is
Cleric
Ranger
Bugbear 1
Bugbear 2
Fighter
Troll
The cleric uses his ability and the ranger and fighter are essentially dodging.
Ranger is on next so his dodge conludes.
Bugbear 1 attacks the ranger, and doesn't have disadvantage because the ranger's dodge is already over.
Bugbear 2 attacks the fighter and has disadvantage.
The fighter is on and his dodge also concludes.
Troll attacks the fighter and doesn't have disadvantage.
Would this be better?
Shared Time: Starting at 6th level, whenever you use your bullet time ability allies within 30 feet may use the dodge action as a reaction.
Or
Shared Time: Starting at 6th level, whenever you use your bullet time ability allies within 30 feet may use the dodge or dash action as a reaction.
The 2nd. Allies using their reaction to Dodge or Dash.
Rather than letting the ally use a dash action (which is a little weird, since it does nothing at the time but means they can move faster later). Perhaps you could let them move their speed as a reaction? That way the 'bullet time' effect happens and everyone zips around or whatever, then things revert to normal after a moment.
You're right, I had it in my head that dash is basically just an extra move up to your speed as an action.
Yes your suggestion fixes it and makes it work as I intended it.
Shared Time: Starting at 6th level, whenever you use your bullet time ability, allies within 30 feet may use the dodge action or move up to their speed as a reaction.