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So it appears that both the Strength and War Domain Powers are intended only to be used on targets OTHER than the Cleric of those domains?
Strength Surge (Sp): As a standard action, you can touch a creature to give it great strength. For 1 round, the target gains an enhancement bonus equal to 1/2 your cleric level (minimum +1) to melee attacks, combat maneuver checks that rely on Strength, Strength-based skills, and Strength checks. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
Battle Rage (Sp): You can touch a creature as a standard action to give it a bonus on melee damage rolls equal to 1/2 your cleric level for 1 round (minimum +1). You can do so a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
I say this because both effects last "until the next round" and require a Standard Action to use. Therefore, if the Cleric uses them on himself, it takes his Standard Action to target himself in round 1, and then the effect ends just before his next action. So effectively the domain powers are useless to him, and only effective on others.
Is that a correct reading of the rules as written and if so, is that how it was intended to work?
That is a correct reading of the rules. It does seem strange; I'd think a cleric of Strength or War should actually have abilities that help him in combat rather than just his allies.
Luckily, you could take the Quicken Spell-Like Ability feat to use the abilities as swift actions 3 times per day :)
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I found both of those pretty uninspiring, and, while making up alternate class powers for all of the Domains, Bloodlines and Schools, came up with some for them as well;
Strength 1 (replaces Strength Surge)
Flying Fist (Sp): As a standard action, you can make a punching motion towards a foe within 30 ft. and inflict your normal unarmed damage (or the damage of a spiked gauntlet you are wearing at the time). You can choose to inflict lethal or nonlethal damage with an unarmed attack, as if you possessed the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, and gain a bonus to the attack roll equal to your Wisdom modifier. At 2nd level, your damage improves to 1d6 (1d4 if you are size Small), as if you were a 1st level Monk, and continues to improve, progressing as if half of your Cleric levels were Monk levels for the purposes of damage with these flying fist attacks. You do not gain any other Monk-like benefits, such as Flurry of Blows or Stunning Fist, nor can you attempt a combat maneuver with this attack. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
War 1 (replaces Battle Rage)
Warrior’s Blow (Sp): As a swift action, you can enhance the power of a single weapon attack, whether melee or ranged, giving you a morale bonus to your attack roll as if your Cleric levels were replaced by Fighter levels for the purposes of calculating your Basic Attack Bonus (+1 for a 1st to 4th level Cleric, +2 for a 5th to 8th level Cleric, etc. to a maximum of +5 at 17th level), and causing the attack to inflict an extra 1d6 damage +1 hit point per 2 class levels if it hits (this damage is added last, and is not multiplied upon a critical hit). If the attack misses, that use of the ability is wasted. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your wisdom modifier, and no more than once in a single round.
Luckily, you could take the Quicken Spell-Like Ability feat to use the abilities as swift actions 3 times per day :)
I created a half-orc cleric of war and strength, initially thinking those abilities could be used on himself. The PC is currently 2nd level so the pre-req for Quicken Spell-Like Ability makes that off-limits for some time (Prerequisite: Spell-like ability at CL 10th or higher.) Also, some GM's may believe/rule that feats identified as "monster feats" can not be used by player's, no matter whether that is correct or not.
@Set: Thanks for the ideas but the GM is unlikely to allow custom rules. I'll likely just ask him to allow me to rebuild the cleric, as those domains suck if you want to imagine the cleric of war and strength being.. strong and war-like lol I really suspect its a design error and not intentional, but it is what it is absent any comment from Jason.
Swap out Strength for Ferocity if you can (It's a subdomain from the APG that trades strength surge for an extra-damage-on-attack 3+wis mod/day), and war...well, that's up to you, lol.
I would link the subdomain, but apparently it's not on the Archives of Nethys yet...hopefully it'll be added soon.
Yeah I'll see about that. Random sidenote, the subdomains should be hitting d20pfsrd.com tonight sometime.
Both of those abilities actually say "For 1 round", not "until the next round". It's quite reasonable to interpret this as through the end of your next round, e.g. the spell true strike. I'd suggest pointing that out and discussing it with your GM,
Also, some GM's may believe/rule that feats identified as "monster feats" can not be used by player's, no matter whether that is correct or not.
This is true for Pathfinder Society, and Improved Natural Attack has been clarified as not to work with unarmed strike (for monks). Other than those, it's GM option.
Is there a rule that says you can't touch yourself?
...I can't believe I just typed that...so wrong... XD
The uses are still somewhat limited, but if you *ahem* touch yourself, you'd get the bonus for your move action, swift action and AoOs up till the start of your next round.
You can use it on yourself, but it only lasts until the same initiative count you go on in the next round, so you'd only get to use it for AoOs and the like (since it takes a standard action to activate). It's too bad it didn't get the paladin's "swift action if used on yourself" thing like lay on hands...
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Therefore, if the Cleric uses them on himself, it takes his Standard Action to target himself in round 1, and then the effect ends just before his next action. So effectively the domain powers are useless to him, and only effective on others.
Is that a correct reading of the rules as written and if so, is that how it was intended to work?
Don't clerics have Divine Power or something? Maybe the domain powers were written that way to prevent the despised "CDzilla" that was a better fighter than a fighter?
