In a universe teetering on the brink of cosmic collapse, some clerics find themselves attuned to the Apocalyptic Domain, a divine source that grants them visions of the universe’s eventual demise. These clerics are seers of the end times, their powers rooted in the prophetic glimpses of cataclysmic events that will one day unravel the fabric of reality.

Clerics of the Apocalyptic Domain are driven by their foreknowledge, seeking to prepare themselves and others for the inevitable end. They wield radiant energy infused with the knowledge of cosmic destruction, using their abilities to reveal hidden truths, shield allies from harm, and strike with the fury of a dying star. Their visions make them both revered and feared, as they carry the burden of knowledge that few can comprehend.

As a cleric of the Apocalyptic Domain, you are a harbinger of the universe’s final days, using your divine gifts to guide, protect, and, when necessary, unleash the apocalyptic power that courses through you. Your journey is one of preparing for the end while striving to make a difference in the present, navigating the balance between foreseen doom and the hope for salvation.

Playing a cleric of the Apocalyptic Domain offers unique roleplaying opportunities centered around prophetic visions and the looming end of the universe. Here are four tips to help you embody this character:

1. Embrace the Prophetic Burden

Your character carries the heavy weight of knowing the universe's eventual demise. This knowledge can shape their personality, making them serious, contemplative, or even melancholic. Embrace this burden in your roleplaying by frequently referencing your visions and the importance of preparing for the end. Your character might often speak in cryptic or foreboding terms, offering warnings and insights about the future.

2. Develop a Sense of Urgency

Given your character’s awareness of the impending apocalypse, they may have a heightened sense of urgency in their actions. Roleplay this by showing impatience with delays or unnecessary risks, pushing the party to stay focused on their goals. Your character might prioritize tasks that align with their prophetic visions, driving the narrative toward crucial events that could alter or delay the foretold end.

3. Cultivate an Aura of Mystery

Your prophetic abilities and connection to the apocalyptic domain can make you a figure of mystery and intrigue. Use this to your advantage by maintaining an enigmatic demeanor. Share your visions selectively, providing cryptic hints or partial information to keep others guessing. This aura of mystery can make interactions with NPCs and party members more engaging, as they seek to understand the full extent of your knowledge and abilities.

4. Balance Hope and Despair

While your character foresees the end of the universe, they don’t have to be a figure of doom and gloom. Explore the balance between hope and despair in your roleplaying. Perhaps your character believes that, while the end is inevitable, the journey toward it can be filled with meaningful actions and positive change. Use this belief to inspire and motivate your party, offering a glimmer of hope even in the face of cosmic destruction.

By incorporating these roleplaying tips, you can create a complex and compelling cleric of the Apocalyptic Domain, navigating the challenges of prophetic knowledge and the struggle to prepare for the universe’s end.

Apocalyptic Spells

1st-level Apocalyptic Domain feature

You gain domain spells at the cleric levels listed in the Apocalyptic Domain Spells table. See the Divine Domain class feature for how domain spells work.
Cleric Level    Spells
1st    Alarm, Guiding Bolt
3rd    Augury, Scorching Ray
5th    Clairvoyance, Fireball
7th    Divination, Wall of Fire
9th    Commune, Flame Strike

Foreboding Insight

1st-level Apocalyptic Domain feature

Your visions of the universe’s end grant you heightened awareness. You gain proficiency in the Perception and Insight skills. Additionally, you can use your action to grant yourself advantage on all Wisdom (Perception) and Wisdom (Insight) checks for 1 minute. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Your visions of the apocalypse fill your spells with radiant power. When you deal radiant damage to a creature with a cleric spell, you can add your Wisdom modifier to the damage dealt.

Prophetic Glow

2nd-level Apocalyptic Domain feature

You can use your Channel Divinity to harness the light of your apocalyptic visions to reveal the hidden. As an action, you present your holy symbol, and any invisible creature or object within 30 feet of you becomes visible for 1 minute. Additionally, each hostile creature within 30 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes radiant damage equal to 2d10 + your cleric level on a failed saving throw, and half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that has total cover from you is not affected.

Apocalyptic Shield

6th-level Apocalyptic Domain feature

Your foresight shields you and your allies from harm. When you or a creature within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to grant that creature resistance to all damage types until the end of your next turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Divine Strike

8th-level Apocalyptic Domain feature

You gain the ability to infuse your weapon strikes with the radiant power of your apocalyptic visions. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can cause the attack to deal an extra 1d8 radiant damage to the target. When you reach 14th level, the extra damage increases to 2d8.

Vision of the End

17th-level Apocalyptic Domain feature

Your visions of the universe’s end become all-encompassing, allowing you to momentarily bring a fragment of the apocalypse into reality. As an action, you can choose a point you can see within 60 feet. A 30-foot-radius sphere of radiant light erupts centered on that point. Each creature in that area must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 10d10 radiant damage and is blinded for 1 minute. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and is not blinded. You are immune to this effect. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.