I'm going to make my final pitch to get spontaneous domain casting into the final PFRPG.
Below is the link to the last time I brought this up:Link
I dislike the new domains. They all seem too combat-centric, and some of them (plant for example) are really unsatisfying. They get more ire from me than perhaps they ought, because they seem like exactly the kind of powers that found a home in 4e.
I loved the 3.5 domains. Spontaneous Domain casting was the best house rule we ever used at are table, it made everyone want to play a cleric even though (in my group) they could no longer default to cure spells unless they had the Healing domain. We adopted this variant fairly early (around when 3.5 came out) and it is one of those things I would never part with in my ruleset. It really balances out the cleric in many ways (fewer spell slots, mainly).
I'm going to use spontaneous domain defaults anyway, irrespective of what's in Pathfinder Final. Adopting this rule in Pathfinder final would be a good move. Fix the domain powers if you must, but leave the spell lists alone... in fact, make Arcane Schools work more like domains.
I've been thinking about this a bit, and here is how I would ideally fix up the cleric with spontaneous domains:
Strip down the domain powers to look more like school powers and less like bloodline powers: That is, a low-level at-will ability, a mid-level ability, and a 20th level capstone power.
Then let the 'sponaneous casting' slot fill the same role as the Wizard's bonus spell slots. Do this by printing the old domain lists (or tweaked version thereof) as the lists of 'bonus spells' for the domains. Then, at every level, allow the cleric to choose one they can cast spontaneously. Thus, at every odd level, when the cleric just gained a new level of spellcasting, they will only have one spontaneous spell at their highest level. At even levels, they get the spell from the other domain. Making this part of the domain rules ensures that it doesn't continue level if a +1 caster level PrC is taken.
Making the spontaneous casting part of the domain also ensures that the mechanics continue to work with Domain-using druids. (For that matter, it may be wise to make Druid sponaneous casting work similarly, so that Summon Nature's Ally is something that can be bartered in PrCs.)
This way, for the added power and versatility of spontaneous domains, clerics lose something too, and they don't just get to keep it in a PrC unless the PrC specifically says so.
I like that alot, Ross.
I'd even go so far as to say that with Channel Positive Energy,
Spontaneous Heal Casting can be DROPPED in favor of Spontaneous Domain Casting.
Legacy NPC Clerics all need to choose an extra Domain ANYWAYS, so if Spontaneous Heal Casting (beyond Channel Energy) is important to their schtick, they simply choose the Healing Domain.
Overall, I just feel that Spontaneous Domain Casting feels more flavorful, and makes each Cleric more unique, than Spontaneous Cure/Inflict.
Spontaneous Heal Casting can be DROPPED in favor of Spontaneous Domain Casting.
Of course. I never meant to suggest that Clerics should get both.
I have been a theoretical fan of spontaneous domain casting ever since it was introduced in Unearthed Arcana, but I have never implemented it in game. My fear was the loss of versatility for Clerics, who would be forced to memorize healing spells for fear of not being able to cast them spontaneously. With Channel Positive Energy, this fear disappears for most Clerics and I too have since then been advocating getting rid of automatic spontaneous casting of Cure spells.. Clerics who Channel Negative Energy still face this problem, but that is mostly NPCs and I can handle that as a DM. At least the PCs would think twice before making a Cleric with Channel Negative Energy.
In summary:
1) Return to the old domains instead of current domain powers
2) Get rid of extra domain spell slot of 3.5E
3) Enable spontanous casting of domain spells
I am undecided on whether to make spontaneuos spellcasting continue advancing with Prestige Classes that grant full casting progression or not. On the one hand, it would give the Cleric something unique not to allow Prestige Classes to continue the progression, but on the other hand some Prestige Classes grant extra domains - it could be pretty confusing tracking what domain grants what spontaneous casting up to which level, especially with a mix of such Prestige Classes.
As such, I would probably permit Prestige Classes with spellcasting progressions to continue spontaneous casting progressions of domains and rely on Channel Positive/Negative Energy and domain granted powers to provide a unique schtick for single-classed Clerics. Since Channel Positive/Negative Energy is so powerful, it is a pretty powerful incentive to stick with the single classed Cleric*.
*Of course, there are some Prestige Classes that grant both full spellcasting and full Turn Undead progression (which translates to Channel Positive/Negative Energy Progression). I can think of the Radiant Servant of Pelor as one such example. I think the solution here is to alter these Prestige classes. If neither full spellcasting nor Channel Positive/Negative Energy can be removed for flavor reasons, they can still be altered in other respects - perhaps lowering their BAB and hit dice to compensate.