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This came up a while back in the Alpha and I promised to repost.
Essentially, my group was discussing referring to Channel Energy when I came upon an idea for the elemental domains.
The four energy domains (acid=earth, cold=water, electricity=air, fire=fire) currently grant a touch attack that deals elemental damage. In the interests of disclosure, I'm not a fan of this mechanic, but it could stay with no problem. What my group would be keen on is allowing a cleric with one of these domains to Channel Energy as their element. In other words, an Air cleric could unleash a burst of electricity. Like the other channeling, they can leave themselves out of the damage and can use Selective Channeling to omit their allies. Unlike positive/negative channel, it would allow a Reflex save instead of a Will save.
It's a minor change, could even be a feat. But something worth doing to provide a bit of flavour to Channel and domains at the same time.
Thoughts?
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i would agree if they lose the ability to channel positive/negative energy
you are right they are infused by their god's elemental power...
in my campaigns i would not do this... but let some thematic change on how positive/negative channeling works with the use of different domains...
fire domain positive channeling would unleash divine fire that ehals theliving andburn the undead...while engative channeling will do the exactly opposite... burning the living
but using them as elemental channeling i will maybe enhance the damage... but allow the reflex save you mention... and sparing allies (ok ti doesn't ehal them... but it won't kill them) unless its an evil deity (if they can burn... why the god would oppose them to burn... fire, burn and destruction are his main goals in the end)
personally, i think this should be taken a step further.
the type of channeling should be determined by the deity worshipped. by this i mean, not every god should allow their clerics to affect undead or use positive/negative channeling. some gods, such as gods of magic or community for example, probably have little care for positive or hegative energy channeling.
so why not come up with different types of channel energy- maybe the god of magic allows his clerics the use of a dispel magic affect. maybe the god of community allows his clerics the use of a calm emotions effect, and such.
as above, i could see the gods of elemental forces giving their clerics a energy burst effect. as it cant heal anyone, they get a partial benefit that they can use selective channeling to exclude others (without having to take the feat or they get it for free).
some channeling abilities would have more combat uses while others would be more non-combat; not everything has to be useful in combat.
my 2 coppers......
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1) because it would be a bit overcomplicated... at leastwith written gods for pathfidner they can put the info in the table along their domains... mmm
2) backward compatibility... channel energy might be used by clerics in exchange of turn undead, menaing that if a player wanted to use an old god from earlier editions or other company, he either will need his DM to rule how they would work it, ormage a suggestion (i doubtr most of the old companies would give any assitance in this)
aside of that... I FULLY AGREE, that would work nice and would be indeed a cool way to add mood