Hatred subdomain - submitted for your approval

[Koja of Khazari]

I'm slowly, on an as-needed basis, converting Forgotten Realms domains into Pathfinder domains or subdomains, as appropriate. So, here's my conversion for the Hatred domain:

Hatred Subdomain
Associated Domain: Evil
Replacement Power: The following granted power replaces the scythe of evil power of the Evil domain.
True Loathing (Su): At 8th level, you can give a weapon touched the bane special quality for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your cleric level. Each time you use this ability, you must choose a creature type (or subtype, in the case of humanoids and outsiders). You can use this ability once per day at 8th level, and an additional time per day for every four levels beyond 8th.
Replacement Domain Spells: 1st level- wrath (from Advanced Player's Guide), 3rd level- bestow curse, 6th level- song of discord.

I decided to make Hatred a subdomain of Evil because, for one, it's an obvious fit. Also, upon looking over the Forgotten Realms deities that grant the Hatred domain, I found that every single one, without exception (and perhaps obviously), was evil (and thus grants the Evil domain anyway). The two domains even have a key spell in common (blasphemy).

The "true loathing" power was modeled after similar powers granted by the alignment domains. The bane weapon quality is a bit weaker than the unholy weapon quality (looking at the weapon qualities in the core rulebook, bane is a +1, while holy/unholy/axiomatic/anarchic are all +2). However, I figure the ability to choose your creature type before each use balances that apparent weakness.

Wrath is a 1st-level inquisitor spell from the APG, but it's a perfect fit, and even resembles the Hatred domain power from the FRCS. Anyone using subdomains probably has the APG, but on the outside chance that you don't (and you should!), I recommend instead using doom from the core rulebook.

Song of Discord is a 5th-level bard spell. Bards start casting 5th-level spells at 13th level. Making it a 6th-level domain spell means clerics with the Hatred domain can cast it at 11th level, which is, I think, thematically appropriate. Also, this means it replaces create undead, and leaves blasphemy intact as the 7th-level spell (imagine not getting a spell called blasphemy as part of the Hatred domain!).

Hopefully this will be of use to someone. If anyone has any ideas to make it better, or sees a game-breaking balance issue I may have missed, I'm all ears... er, eyes?

[+5 Toaster]

i gonna make such a naughty cleric with this and the rage sub-domain. best baddie ever.

[HaraldKlak]

Andrew Phelps wrote:

The "true loathing" power was modeled after similar powers granted by the alignment domains. The bane weapon quality is a bit weaker than the unholy weapon quality (looking at the weapon qualities in the core rulebook, bane is a +1, while holy/unholy/axiomatic/anarchic are all +2). However, I figure the ability to choose your creature type before each use balances that apparent weakness.

When you get to pick it for the occasion the bane ability is significantly better than the holy/unholy ability. The usual drawback of of bane is limited application, but when you choose it on the spot, you actually get a more versatile bonus than holy or unholy. While it takes a +3 weapon for the bane to overcome aligment damage reduction, that equals the time where the holy weapon overcomes silver/cold iron. At the same time it got +2 to hit and damage.

I am not saying that the ability is too strong to allow, but it is definately above par than the alternative.

Wrath: It seems like a fine choice. A powered up divine favor against a single creature, no problem.

Song of Discord: Generally I don't like giving bard-only spells away, especially not to someone who gets it earlier. However, it doesn't seem off as a lvl 6 cleric spell at all.