Lesser Deity Domain

  The cleric belongs to the cult religion of a letter deity or demigod.  There are numerous lesser deities and demigods throughout many different religions, this domain is a generic dogma pantheon of a cult religion.  This cleric's religious cult has had a first-person exposure to the deity they worship and have seen their influence.  They may at times embellish the power of their deity, but they know that the individual they worship does exist and they have godlike power and influence.  The deity they worship will not have the stature of a greater (or intermediate) deity, but they will still have the ability to grant their dedicated worshippers power through prayers. 

  This subclass has been constructed with many options to act as cannon for the many different types of lesser deities that can attract followers in various campaign worlds.  There may be others that fall outside the scope of this subclass, but the guidelines of this subclass should cover the majority of cult religious groups.

  The early life of these clerics may be plagued with doubt, but by the time they reach the status of a 1st level cleric, they have seen the power of the deity they worship.  The cleric will be blessed with their abilities through an event called an "Awakening" where their faith in this deity will grant them the abilities to spread the deity's influence.

Lesser Deity Domain Spells

Awakening

1st level Lesser Deity Domain feature

  When the cleric chooses this domain at 1st level, they gain the blessing of certain abilities based upon what type of lesser deity they worship.  There are five basic types of lesser deities that attract worshipper influence: elemental, geographical, heroic, principle, or racial influence.  The cleric will choose one of these five types of deity influence and be blessed with certain abilities to help their deity spread their influence and attract more worshippers.

Elemental Influence

  This cleric has chosen a lesser deity that spreads their influence through their relationship with a force of nature.  The cleric is granted the ability to speak primordial and use their reaction to grant resistance to elemental attacks. They can use this once per short rest per point of proficiency. A use of this ability can reduce the damage caused to a single individual from an acid, cold, electricity, fire, or thunder attack by half.  To protect an ally with this ability they must be within a 60' foot range.

Geographical Influence

  The cleric worships a lesser deity that spreads its influence through their relation to a geographical boundary (God of the great mountain, God of the misty bay, God of the mysterious valley, etc.).  The cleric will be blessed with proficiency in martial weapons, a +5 to their base walking speed, and will no longer be affected by forms of non-magical difficult terrain.

Heroic Influence

  This cleric's deity spreads their influence through acts of heroism.  The cleric gains proficiency in heavy armors and martial weapons.

Principle Influence

  The cleric worships a lesser deity that spreads its influence through an intellectual philosophy, a trade, or a principle (God of brewers, God of great literature, God of navigators, etc.)  The cleric will be blessed with the ability to speak one exotic language, skill in one form of artisan's tools, and a +2 bonus to their Intelligence skill checks and saving throws.

Racial Influence

  The cleric worships a lesser deity that spreads its influence through being a great leader amongst their race.  The cleric will be blessed with proficiency in heavy armors, an additional language of their choice, and advantage all Charisma skill checks when dealing with members of their own race.

Influence Affinity

1st level Lesser Deity Domain feature

  Based upon the deity's influence, the cleric will gain familiarity (half-proficiencies rounded down) in certain skills.

Elemental Affinity

  The cleric's affinity to their deity grants them familiarity in animal handling, nature, and survival.

Geographical Affinity

  The cleric's affinity to their deity grants them familiarity in nature, perception, and survival.

Heroic Affinity

  The cleric's affinity to their deity grants them familiarity in animal handling, religion, and survival.

Principle Affinity

  The cleric's affinity to their deity grants them familiarity in history, nature, and religion.

Racial Affinity

  The cleric's affinity to their deity grants them familiarity in history, persuasion, and religion.

Channel Divinity: Divine Influence

2nd level Lesser Deity Domain feature

  Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to bless an ally with your deity's influence.  As an action, you present your holy symbol, and one ally within 30 ft. will be inspired by your deity's influence for 1 minute. This influence will have an effect much like a bless spell, but it will not require the cleric to concentrate. As long as the target of this blessing does not move more than 30' feet from the blessing cleric, they will be able to add a 1d4 to their hit rolls and saving throws (including death saves.)

  Because lesser deities need their clerics to spread their influence to attract worshippers, clerics of a lesser deity cannot grant this blessing to themselves.

Apostille to the Deity

6th level Lesser Deity Domain feature

  At this level the cleric has been raised to the level of an apostille to their deity.  The deity's power will bless the cleric appropriately based upon why type of letter deity they are. The apostille will receive additional hit point per level they attain in their deity's service (+1 hit point per level in cleric.)  In addition to this, they will also receive a new benefit appropriate for a cleric of such stature.

Elemental Apostille

  The cleric gains the ability to cast protection from energy without having to concentrate on the spell.  They will be granted the ability to cast this spell once per short rest without having to use a spell slot, but to cast it more than that will require one spell slot per casting.  Elemental apostilles are no longer required to concentrate when casting this spell.

Geographical Apostille

  The cleric gains the ability to attempt to hide even if they are only lightly obscured. Natural foliage, heavy rain or show, fog, and similar visual obstructions, can be used by the cleric for your purposes of concealment. Additionally, the cleric will also be able to misty step (as a natural ability,) a number of times between long rests equal to their proficiency bonus.

Heroic Apostille

  The cleric gains an additional +1 to your armor class while they are wearing armor.

Principle Apostille

  The cleric gains an additional language and can raise a skill or tool they are proficient to expert.

Racial Apostille

  The cleric gains an ability to bless themselves and allies one time between short rests.  When the cleric activates this blessing, they use a bonus action and chose a number of willing allies up to their proficiency bonus to receive this blessing.  If the cleric wishes to receive this blessing, they must include themselves as a recipient.  All who receive this blessing will receive temporary hit points equal to 2d6 (plus the cleric's wisdom modifier,) and will be allowed to make their next saving throw at advantage, if they make this saving throw before the end of the casting cleric's next turn.  If the temporary hit points are not depleted, they are lost the next time a character attempts to rest.

Divine Strike

8th level Lesser Deity Domain feature

  The cleric gains the ability to infuse their weapon strikes with the furry of their deity. Once on each of their turns when they hit a creature with a weapon attack, they can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 damage to the target. When they reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.  As a cleric of a lesser deity, they can choose the damage type as either necrotic or radiant, but once you chose it cannot be changed afterwards.

Necrotic Damage

  The cleric has chosen necrotic damage.

Radiant Damage

  The cleric has chosen radiant damage.

Blessing of Divinity

17th level Lesser Deity Domain feature

  The cleric has been promoted to the highest rank a priest can attain, and with that the deity has given them their personal blessing. The cleric will gain a +1 bonus to all saving throws and they can choose to receive one of the following blessings: divine knowledge, divine lifeforce, divine prowess, or infernal damnation.

Curse of Disgrace

  The cleric has chosen the blessing of being able to deliver a curse of disgrace. As a bonus action, this curse can be used one time between short rests on any opponent within 120' feet that can see and hear the caster. When the cleric uses this curse, the target is not allowed a saving throw to resist it, but at the end of every round they will be allowed a Wisdom saving throw (at disadvantage) to break it. While under the effects of this curse the target will make all saving throws at disadvantage and must make a concentration saving throw (at disadvantage) to cast any spells. This curse will last for a maximum duration of 1 minute. Once someone has resisted the effects of this curse, they cannot be affected by this effect from the same cleric until five days have passed.  This blessing comes with natural resistance to necrotic damage.

Divine Knowledge

  The cleric has chosen to the blessing of divine knowledge. Once per short rest the cleric can temporarily attain the ability to read, write, and speak any language of their choosing.  The use of this attained language is lost the next time the cleric rests.  Additionally the cleric will become resistant to radiant damage, attain proficiency in one skill of their choice, and improve a skill (or tool) they are already proficient to expert level.

Divine Lifeforce

  The cleric has chosen the blessing of divine lifeforce. This blessing will grant the cleric resistance to necrotic and radiant damage, and make them immune to effects that would drain their maximum total hit points.

Divine Prowess

  The cleric has chosen the blessing of divine prowess. This blessing can be used up to four times between long rests. When attacking an opponent in combat, if the cleric perceives that they missed their opponent with a "to hit" roll, they can use their reaction and one of the uses of this blessing to re-roll that attack, possibly turning that miss into a potential hit. This ability can be used once per turn, and the cleric must state that they wish to use this blessing before they know the result of the original attack roll. Once this blessing is used, the cleric must accept the result of the second roll even if the original roll was greater.