I personally am not fond of a great variety of different core classes or a plethora of ill-conceived prestige classes (though good, flavored PrC are a win in my books). Personally I prefer the core classes to have enough options and alternate class powers to make the hero as I envision him (or her) in my head.
To this end I'm slowly going through the Pathfinder core classes and adding new twists and ideas as I go along. One of the key tenets I'm trying to maintain as I do so, is to give each class a new attribute to play with, making different attribute builds more viable.
I've just finished the third class (the cleric) - and I would love some feedback to give it the polish and finish it deserves. So please have a look and don't feel shy to comment :)
To give the curious a short summery: the idea is to have intelligence-based "domain philosophers" - clerics that study their faith's dogmas and traditions to the point where they do not Channel Energy as a normal cleric but instead Channel Domains. (This manifesting the essence of the domains a cleric has access to cleric.)
Seems like basically a specialist wizard who casts divine spells and can spontaneously cast potent area-effect magic; instead of a school they gain a domain but the idea remains very similar.
At least, that's what it came off as, to me.
Not really, they are still proper clerics. Wisdom for spells (divine) and so forth.
But instead of Charisma-based "Channel Energy" they gain Intelligence-based "Channel Domain" - meaning they can channel effects of their domains (and can channel additional domains with the help of a feat).
Not wizardly at all.
I think I like the idea. You're not going for balance right? I say this because of the difference between the effect of channeling the strength domain and the charm domain.
Seems like you took the long way around here though. If channeling positive energy (and spontaneous casting) is meant to free up clerics to take more fun/utility spells then removing the ability to channel positive energy means more of their spells will likely be used to heal. Will the new abilities make up the difference - likely not (for example a 5th level cleric channels for 3d6 in an area - arguably the equivalent of a 2nd or 3rd level spell). And instead of being able to choose from a wide variety of spells, the cleric has to use the same 'new channeling' power(s) all of the time. I think what this does is give the appearance of more variety while actually limiting options.
Maybe keep channeling of energy and instead allow spontaneous casting of domain spells (with some tweaking if you are also going to allow spontaneous cures). Make the different types of channeling you came up with into feats available only to clerics (hey, there are fighter-only feats) and scale their powers so they come roughly in line with other feats.
Ok, so I don't like the idea after all. Hope the feedback is useful.
Why not 'tenletters'?
Make the different types of channeling you came up with into feats available only to clerics (hey, there are fighter-only feats) and scale their powers so they come roughly in line with other feats.
There are a lot of Cleric-based feats in the Book of Divine Magic, might be worth a look as well.
I think I like the idea. You're not going for balance right? I say this because of the difference between the effect of channeling the strength domain and the charm domain.
Seems like you took the long way around here though. If channeling positive energy (and spontaneous casting) is meant to free up clerics to take more fun/utility spells then removing the ability to channel positive energy means more of their spells will likely be used to heal. Will the new abilities make up the difference - likely not (for example a 5th level cleric channels for 3d6 in an area - arguably the equivalent of a 2nd or 3rd level spell). And instead of being able to choose from a wide variety of spells, the cleric has to use the same 'new channeling' power(s) all of the time. I think what this does is give the appearance of more variety while actually limiting options.
Maybe keep channeling of energy and instead allow spontaneous casting of domain spells (with some tweaking if you are also going to allow spontaneous cures). Make the different types of channeling you came up with into feats available only to clerics (hey, there are fighter-only feats) and scale their powers so they come roughly in line with other feats.
Ok, so I don't like the idea after all. Hope the feedback is useful.
Why not 'tenletters'?
Well, I cannot have both Channel Energy and domain channeling - because it is an alternate class ability. But in terms of power level, consider it as follows: you have less healing potential, but more options.
Consider a level 5 cleric of Sarenrae with the Healing and Fire domains and the domain channeling ability. He still channels healing energy (albeit at 3d4 rather than 3d6) and additionally can channel a mini-fireball of 3d4 fire damage.
Typically a good cleric cannot use his channel power to deal damage (except to undead - or with feats to outsiders or elementals) - but this alternate class power allows the cleric to have access to healing as well as damaging uses for his channels.
Additionally, with Domain Study (feat) the character could spend 1 feat to get access to all domains of Sarenrae, in other words the ability to channel all the domains Fire, Glory, Good, Healing and Sun. These are a substantial range of new options that are not individually as powerful as a pure Channel Energy - but collectively allow the cleric to help out in a far greater diversity of situations.
PS - additionally there damaging domain channels that are resisted with either Fort, Reflex or Will - thus it is possible to build a cleric that can specifically channel damaging area effects that enemies are weakest to resist.
"Tenletter" because it raises the question :P - also it's a friend's blog site and his choice of name. ;)
I think I misunderstood.
A first level Cleric with this domain power starts with two domain powers and then gets domain powers for all her god's domains with one additional feat?
I thought it was start with one and then take two feats.
Regarding your example: At fifth level how often will a Cleric want to fire off a 3d4 fireball centered on herself? Neat that he CAN do it, but this will be like the 'shield of blinding' - sorta neat but weak for the level and can't be used without hurting the party too...except for the odd time the character is off by themselves and has nothing better to do.
I still say leave the clerics to channel positive energy. Maybe let them spend a spell slot to power 'x' uses of the domain channel ability.
Anyway, just an opinion. Hope you get some playtesting in. I will steal (as in no footnotes) this idea to add some WTF factor to a couple of NPC clerics, and I've got a player about to start a new cleric character...I'll point him to your post and let you know what he goes with.
I wish this site had some PM ability to facilitate followup.
Ah - I think I see your point too; after balance testing maybe all the Xd4s will become Xd6s - though then the power is almost strictly better than Channel Energy is (since the healing domain will then be identical to Channel Energy - and you'd have two or more).
However "Selective Channeling" still works on Charisma, meaning a cleric would have to spend his/her points across 3 stats (Int, Wis, Cha) to maximize the power and versatility.
...what do you think of using Xd6s flat out in both cases - but Channel Energy has 3 + Cha mod uses, while Channel Domain would be only 1 + Int mod uses? (Or some similar balance effect.)
Any interesting feedback will be welcome :D
Addendum: I like the idea of more powerful channels at the cost of the number of channels that can be performed, so currently the post on tenletter reflects this balance change.