I made a cleric homebrew called Aberrant Domain, which is based off of cleric who worship gods of madness like Tharizdun or particularly powerful aberrations, such as an aboleth. I haven't tested it yet, so i wanted some outside opinions on it. Here are the features:
Domain Spells (Level gained-spells)
1st- Hex, Dissonant Whispers
3rd- Darkness, Crown of Madness
5th- Fear, Hunger of Hadar
7th- Shadow of Moil, Hallucinatory Terrain
9th- Contact Other Plane, Negative Energy Flood
1st level feature: Maddened Mind
Starting from 1st level, the maddened state of your mind makes mental effects less effective on you. You have resistance to psychic damage and advantage on saving throws against being charmed, frightened or stunned. In addition, when mind-reading abilities are used on you, the mind-reader must make an Intelligence saving how or suffer the effects of one form of short term madness. However, you are afflicted with one effect of long term madness.
1st level feature: Curse of the Far Realm
You may attempt to afflict a creature with a horrible curse. As a bonus action, target one creature within 30ft of you. It must make an Intelligence saving throw or be afflicted by your Curse. For 1 minute while afflicted by this, the creature has disadvantage on Intelligence checks and takes additional damage equal to your Wisdom modifier when you hit it with an attack. If the creature succeeds on its save, it cannot be targeted by this ability again for 24 hours.
You may use this an amount of times equal to your Wisdom modifier per short or long rest (minimum of 1).
2nd level feature: Channel Divinity- Whispers of Madness
Starting from 2nd level, you may expend a use of Channel Divinity to hold up your holy symbol and invoke the maddening power of your deity. All hostile creatures within 60ft of you much make an Intelligence saving throw or take 2d8+cleric level psychic damage and be frightened of you till the end of their turn. On a success, they take half damage and are not frightened.
6th level feature: Scion of the Outer Planes
Starting from 6th level, you gain telepathy out to a range of 60ft. Any creature that understands a language can understand you when you speak telepathically to it. In addition, as an action, you may force a creature within range of your telepathy to make an Intelligence or Wisdom saving throw (your choice) against your spell save DC or they come under the effects of the Crown of Madness spell, which end at the end of their next turn. You may do this an amount of times equal to your Wisdom modifier per short or long rest.
8th level feature: Potent Spellcasting (don't think i need to explain this)
17th level feature: Servants of the Deep
Starting from 17th level, you may use your action to summon servants of your deity to fight alongside you. You may summon abberations of a total CR of 6 (i.e. 6 abberations of CR 1, 3 abberations of CR 2 etc). These abberations roll intiative and act on their own turns, but you control how they act. These abberations persist for 1 minute until you are reduced to 0 hp, they are reduced to 0 hp, after which they disappear back to the Far Realm. After using this ability, you may not again till you finish a long rest.
Edit: I've changed some things based on the feedback so far. The edits are in bold.
Starting from 1st level, the maddened state of your mind makes mental effects less effective on you. You have resistance to psychic damage, immunity to being charmed and advantage on saving throws against effects caused by non-physical means. In addition, when mind-reading abilities are used on you, the mind-reader must make an Intelligence saving how or suffer the effects of one form of short term madness. However, you are afflicted with one effect of long term madness.
First of damage resistance is rarely given out by subclasses at level 1 but psychic damage isn’t common so that will probably be fine. Immunity to charms is very powerful for level 1. Perhaps make that advantage. Advantage on saving throws agains “non physical means” if that mean illusions re word it as such. Overall this gives you a lot of power at level 1, but is not the most overpowered thing.
1st level feature: Hex of Madness
You may afflict a creature with a deadly hex. As a bonus action, target one creature within 30ft of you. It must make an Intelligence saving throw or be afflicted by your Hex of Madness. For 1 minute while afflicted by this, the creature has disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma checks and saving throws and takes an additional 2d6 psychic damage every time you hit it with a spell attack. If the creature succeeds on its save, it cannot be targeted by this ability again for 24 hours.
Youmay use this an amount of times equal to your Wisdom modifier per short or long rest (minimum of 1).
Ok so this is crazy good. Hex a spell that this cleric gets has absolutely no point now because this gives disadvantage on 3 ability checks not 1 and gives disadvantage on three saving throws as well. It also does double the damage of hex. This definitely needs some work. I would look to the warlocks “hex blades curse” for more balancing.
2ndlevel feature: Channel Divinity- Whispers of Madness
Starting from 2nd level, you may expend a use of Channel Divinity to hold up your holy symbol and invoke the maddening power of your deity. All hostile creatures within 60ft of you much make an Intelligence saving throw or take 2d10+your cleric level psychic damage and be paralyzed till the end of their turn. On a success, they take half damage and are not paralyzed.
This is just the light clerics ability, but harder to pass save and better after effect. A single target hold monster is a 5th level spell, this could potentially do that to everyone within 60ft. Granted only for one turn.
6th level feature: Scion of the Outer Planes
Starting from 6th level, you gain telepathy out to a range of 60ft. Any creature that understands a language can understand you when you speak telepathically to it. In addition, as an action, you may force a creature within range of your telepathy to make an Intelligence or Wisdom saving throw (your choice) against your spell save DC or they come under the effects of the Crown of Madness spell, which end at the end of their next turn. You may do this an amount of times equal to your Wisdom modifier per short or long rest.
This seems overall pretty balanced.
17th level feature: Servants of the Deep
Starting from 17th level, you may use your action to summon servants of your deity to fight alongside you. You may summon abberations of a total CR of 6 (i.e. 6 abberations of CR 1, 3 abberations of CR 2 etc). These abberations roll initiative and act on their own turns, but you control how they act. These abberations persist for 1 minute until you are reduced to 0 hp, they are reduced to 0 hp, after which they disappear back to the Far Realm. After using this ability, you may not again till you finish a long rest.
"Effects caused by non-physical means" probably needs to be better defined. Does a fireball count? What about Toll the Dead or Sacred Flame? Or are you just talking about stuff like "Cause fear?"
Hex of madness is BUSTED. Even if you removed the incredible damage, strapping disadvantage on a bunch of saving throws for a whole minute for just a bonus action is incredibly powerful.
Your channel divinity is also far too powerful. Try just looking at the other existing channel divinity options. Order can charm everyone within 30 feet, while Light can deal 2d10 damage. You should drop the range to 30 feet, remove all damage, and probably drop the effect to something like frightened. Paralyzed is way too strong for an effect like this.
I've switched it up now, changing the 'non-physical means' and immunity to being charmed to advantage on saves against being charmed, frightened or stunned, Hex of Madness is now Curse of the Far Realm, giving disadvantage on Int checks ,and causing additional damage equal to your wisdom, much like Hexblade's Curse . Channel Divinity now only does 2d8+your cleric level in damage and frightens instead of paralyzes, I realize how broken that was.
I've switched it up now, changing the 'non-physical means' and immunity to being charmed to advantage on saves against being charmed, frightened or stunned, Hex of Madness is now Curse of the Far Realm, giving disadvantage on Int checks ,and causing additional damage equal to your wisdom, much like Hexblade's Curse . Channel Divinity now only does 2d8+your cleric level in damage and frightens instead of paralyzes, I realize how broken that was.
That looks very balanced now! If you get a chance to play test that’s great.
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I made a cleric homebrew called Aberrant Domain, which is based off of cleric who worship gods of madness like Tharizdun or particularly powerful aberrations, such as an aboleth. I haven't tested it yet, so i wanted some outside opinions on it. Here are the features:
Domain Spells (Level gained-spells)
1st- Hex, Dissonant Whispers
3rd- Darkness, Crown of Madness
5th- Fear, Hunger of Hadar
7th- Shadow of Moil, Hallucinatory Terrain
9th- Contact Other Plane, Negative Energy Flood
1st level feature: Maddened Mind
Starting from 1st level, the maddened state of your mind makes mental effects less effective on you. You have resistance to psychic damage and advantage on saving throws against being charmed, frightened or stunned. In addition, when mind-reading abilities are used on you, the mind-reader must make an Intelligence saving how or suffer the effects of one form of short term madness. However, you are afflicted with one effect of long term madness.
1st level feature: Curse of the Far Realm
You may attempt to afflict a creature with a horrible curse. As a bonus action, target one creature within 30ft of you. It must make an Intelligence saving throw or be afflicted by your Curse. For 1 minute while afflicted by this, the creature has disadvantage on Intelligence checks and takes additional damage equal to your Wisdom modifier when you hit it with an attack. If the creature succeeds on its save, it cannot be targeted by this ability again for 24 hours.
You may use this an amount of times equal to your Wisdom modifier per short or long rest (minimum of 1).
2nd level feature: Channel Divinity- Whispers of Madness
Starting from 2nd level, you may expend a use of Channel Divinity to hold up your holy symbol and invoke the maddening power of your deity. All hostile creatures within 60ft of you much make an Intelligence saving throw or take 2d8+cleric level psychic damage and be frightened of you till the end of their turn. On a success, they take half damage and are not frightened.
6th level feature: Scion of the Outer Planes
Starting from 6th level, you gain telepathy out to a range of 60ft. Any creature that understands a language can understand you when you speak telepathically to it. In addition, as an action, you may force a creature within range of your telepathy to make an Intelligence or Wisdom saving throw (your choice) against your spell save DC or they come under the effects of the Crown of Madness spell, which end at the end of their next turn. You may do this an amount of times equal to your Wisdom modifier per short or long rest.
8th level feature: Potent Spellcasting (don't think i need to explain this)
17th level feature: Servants of the Deep
Starting from 17th level, you may use your action to summon servants of your deity to fight alongside you. You may summon abberations of a total CR of 6 (i.e. 6 abberations of CR 1, 3 abberations of CR 2 etc). These abberations roll intiative and act on their own turns, but you control how they act. These abberations persist for 1 minute until you are reduced to 0 hp, they are reduced to 0 hp, after which they disappear back to the Far Realm. After using this ability, you may not again till you finish a long rest.
Edit: I've changed some things based on the feedback so far. The edits are in bold.
1st level feature: Maddened Mind
Starting from 1st level, the maddened state of your mind makes mental effects less effective on you. You have resistance to psychic damage, immunity to being charmed and advantage on saving throws against effects caused by non-physical means. In addition, when mind-reading abilities are used on you, the mind-reader must make an Intelligence saving how or suffer the effects of one form of short term madness. However, you are afflicted with one effect of long term madness.
First of damage resistance is rarely given out by subclasses at level 1 but psychic damage isn’t common so that will probably be fine. Immunity to charms is very powerful for level 1. Perhaps make that advantage. Advantage on saving throws agains “non physical means” if that mean illusions re word it as such. Overall this gives you a lot of power at level 1, but is not the most overpowered thing.
1st level feature: Hex of Madness
You may afflict a creature with a deadly hex. As a bonus action, target one creature within 30ft of you. It must make an Intelligence saving throw or be afflicted by your Hex of Madness. For 1 minute while afflicted by this, the creature has disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma checks and saving throws and takes an additional 2d6 psychic damage every time you hit it with a spell attack. If the creature succeeds on its save, it cannot be targeted by this ability again for 24 hours.
You may use this an amount of times equal to your Wisdom modifier per short or long rest (minimum of 1).
Ok so this is crazy good. Hex a spell that this cleric gets has absolutely no point now because this gives disadvantage on 3 ability checks not 1 and gives disadvantage on three saving throws as well. It also does double the damage of hex. This definitely needs some work. I would look to the warlocks “hex blades curse” for more balancing.
2nd level feature: Channel Divinity- Whispers of Madness
Starting from 2nd level, you may expend a use of Channel Divinity to hold up your holy symbol and invoke the maddening power of your deity. All hostile creatures within 60ft of you much make an Intelligence saving throw or take 2d10+your cleric level psychic damage and be paralyzed till the end of their turn. On a success, they take half damage and are not paralyzed.
This is just the light clerics ability, but harder to pass save and better after effect. A single target hold monster is a 5th level spell, this could potentially do that to everyone within 60ft. Granted only for one turn.
6th level feature: Scion of the Outer Planes
Starting from 6th level, you gain telepathy out to a range of 60ft. Any creature that understands a language can understand you when you speak telepathically to it. In addition, as an action, you may force a creature within range of your telepathy to make an Intelligence or Wisdom saving throw (your choice) against your spell save DC or they come under the effects of the Crown of Madness spell, which end at the end of their next turn. You may do this an amount of times equal to your Wisdom modifier per short or long rest.
This seems overall pretty balanced.
17th level feature: Servants of the Deep
Starting from 17th level, you may use your action to summon servants of your deity to fight alongside you. You may summon abberations of a total CR of 6 (i.e. 6 abberations of CR 1, 3 abberations of CR 2 etc). These abberations roll initiative and act on their own turns, but you control how they act. These abberations persist for 1 minute until you are reduced to 0 hp, they are reduced to 0 hp, after which they disappear back to the Far Realm. After using this ability, you may not again till you finish a long rest.
For 17th level this also seems to be balanced.
Levels 1 and 2 are quite overpowered.
Levels 6 and 17 are more reasonable features.
I've switched it up now, changing the 'non-physical means' and immunity to being charmed to advantage on saves against being charmed, frightened or stunned, Hex of Madness is now Curse of the Far Realm, giving disadvantage on Int checks ,and causing additional damage equal to your wisdom, much like Hexblade's Curse . Channel Divinity now only does 2d8+your cleric level in damage and frightens instead of paralyzes, I realize how broken that was.
That looks very balanced now! If you get a chance to play test that’s great.