Optional Class Features: Cleric

<div class='cover-header'> Optional Class Features: Cleric</div>

<div class='cover-footer'>Additional options for wielding divine magic in the world's greatest roleplaying game.</div>

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### Equipment
*1st-level cleric feature*

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

- (*a*) a simple melee weapon, or (*b*) a longsword, warhammer or battleaxe (if proficient) 
- (*a*) leather armor, (*b*) scale mail (if proficient), or (*c*) chain mail (if proficient)
- (*a*) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (*b*) any simple weapon
- (*a*) a priest’s pack or (*b*) an explorer’s pack
- A shield (if proficient) and a holy symbol

### Unarmoured Defense
*1st-level cleric feature*

Beginning at 1st level, your faith in your deity protects you from your enemies. While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.

### Ferryman's Mercy
*1st-level Grave Domain feature, which replaces the Circle of Mortality feature*

At 1st level, you stand as a warden at the Black Gates of death, keeping nearby allies out of the grave.

You project an aura of stygian vigilance that extends 10ft from you in every direction. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30ft. When a creature within your aura is reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can use your reaction to make a Wisdom saving throw. The DC equals 15 or half the damage the creature took, whichever number is higher. If you succeed, the creature is reduced to 1 hit point instead, and you can’t use this feature on that creature again until you finish a long rest. You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

In addition, you learn the *spare the dying* cantrip. For you, it has a range of 30ft, and you can cast it as a bonus action.

### Warrior of Life
*1st-level Life Domain feature, which replaces the Bonus Proficiencies feature*

When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain proficiency in the Medicine skill and with herbalism kits and heavy armour.

### Sacred Illumination
*1st-level Light Domain feature, which replaces the Bonus Cantrip feature*

When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain the *light* and *dancing lights* cantrips and either the *create bonfire* or *produce flame* cantrip (your choice). For you, these cantrips count as cleric cantrips.

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### Nature's Catechism
*1st-level Light Domain feature, which replaces the Bonus Cantrip feature*

At 1st level, you learn the *druidcraft* cantrip and one other druid cantrip of your choice. You also gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Nature, or Survival.

### Doctrine of the Storm
*1st-level Tempest Domain feature, which replaces the Bonus Proficiencies feature*

When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons and heavy armor.

Additionally, you learn the *gust* and *shape water* cantrips.

### Faith and Steel
*1st-level War Domain feature*

Your seminary studies mix martial training with theological study, making you as much warrior as priest. You learn one Fighting Style option of your choice from the paladin class. If you already have a style, the one you choose must be different.

Additionally, if you’re proficient with a simple or martial melee weapon, you can use it as a spellcasting focus for your cleric spells.

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### Channel Divinity: Blessed Aim
*1st-level War Domain feature, which replaces the Channel Dvinity: Guided Strike feature*

Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to ensure weapon strikes land with supernatural accuracy.

When you or a creature within 30 feet of you makes a weapon attack roll, you can use your Channel Divinity to grant a +10 bonus to the roll. You make this choice after you see the roll, but before the DM says whether the attack hits or misses.

### Channel Divinity: Deus Vult!
*6th-level War Domain feature, which replaces the Channel Divinity: War God’s Blessing feature*

Beginning at 6th level, as an action, you can use your Channel Divinity to imbue yourself with holy energy as an action. Choose one of the following benefits, which lasts for 1 minute:
- When you are hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to gain a bonus to your AC against that attack. The bonus equals your Wisdom modifier.
- Once on each of your turns, you can add your Wisdom modifier to the attack roll or the damage roll of a weapon attack you make. You can choose to use this feature before or after the roll, but before any effects of the roll are applied.

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## Art Credits

- Front Cover Art: ['Taram the Cleric'](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/zBa8L) by [Guilherme Batista](https://www.artstation.com/batistaguilherme)
- [Rooster Icon](https://www.flaticon.com/free-icon/cock_2490782) in front cover "Rooster Homebrew" splotch made by [Smashicons](https://www.flaticon.com/authors/smashicons) from [www.flaticon.com](https://www.flaticon.com/)
- Page 2: ['Cleric of the Flaming Rose'](https://witcher.fandom.com/wiki/Order_of_the_Flaming_Rose?file=Gwent_cardart_northern_cleric_of_the_flaming_rose.png) by unknown
- Page 3: ['Cathedral'](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/WNmJN) by [Karine Villette](https://www.artstation.com/villette)

## Notes v1:

### Equipment

- Changed mace to "any simple melee weapon"
- Changed warhammer (if proficient) to warhammer, longsword or battleaxe (if proficient)

More variety without really any buff. I still wanted to limit it a little, as I think that helps make starting with any martial weapon feel more special for those who can. But if I can have a warhammer, it feels like I be able to have a battleaxe or a longsword.

### Unarmoured Defence

- Added feature

It's the same as monk Unarmoured Defence, obviously. It just *feels* like clerics should have this; tonsured Benedictine monks in sackcloth, Buddhist priests in saffron robes. Another word for a clergyman is literally "man of the cloth". Thematically, clerics shouldn't need armour for their AC just as much as is the case for monks or barbarians.  This doesn't really make cleric's stronger, or give them higher AC than they would have anyway. I think especially looking at racial power creep to AC (Warforged, Loxodon, Lizardmen) then this isn't OP.

### Ferryman's Mercy

- Removed 0hp = max healing 
- Added reaction ability based on Barbarian's *Relentless Rage*

I never liked the 0hp = max healing idea; love the "Not Today" theme, but I'm not a super fan of the mechanics. I do feel like this is still pretty strong, especially for level 1 (it's not that far from on-tap *Death Ward*) but I'm pretty happy with it.

So I tried to limit it; it uses your reaction, you need to succeed on at least a DC 15 save (which is fairly steep at level 1), 10ft range, and each creature only gets one (successful) use per long rest. Might still be too strong for level 1, but I much prefer where this is headed.

### Warrior of Life

- Added proficiency in Medicine and with Herbalism Kits

Very minor ribbon buff. If you're the healer cleric, you should have Medicine proficiency and be able to make potion's of healing, right?

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### Sacred Illumination

- Added *dancing lights*
- Added choice of *create bonfire* or *produce flame*

Very minor ribbon buff. Sure a damage cantrip is nice but it's not like it's outdoing *sacred flame* or *toll the dead*. \\[T]/

### Nature's Catechism

- Added *druidcraft*

Fairly minor ribbon buff. *Shillelagh* is rather good, but certainly nothing gamebreaking here.

### Doctrine of the Storm

- Added *gust* and *shape water*

Another minor ribbon buff. I did think about *thunderclap* and/ or *lightning lure*, but thought it might be a little much.

### Faith and Steel

- Added a fighting style from the Paladin.
- Added using a weapon as a spellcasting focus

Part 1 of the War Domain rework. I grew up on Warhammer, I want proper Warrior Priests dammit! Realistically, it's not a huge huge buff (especially given that extra attacks got moved, but that's next) though it's not nothing.

### Channel Divinity: Blessed Aim

- Rolled "Guided Strike" and "War God's Blessing" together

Part 2 of the War Domain rework. Small buff, as Guided Strike always felt a little underwhelming. And Guided Strike + War God's Blessing felt *really* underwhelming as basically two features giving you the same thing. Compare to other domains that get two CD effects; Knowledge Domain or Trickery Domain's CDs together feel a lot more substantial

### Channel Divinity: Deus Vult!
- Added feature

Part 3 of the War Domain rework. This one is a bit meatier. It's all still only once per turn, plus the stronger effect (AC buff) uses your reaction, plus Channel Divinity is a limited use feature that competes with other strong effects (particularly now that Harness Divine power exists) so I don't think it'll break anything.

Wording is based on War Wizard's *Arcane Deflection* and Ranger's *Foe Slayer*. And yes I know Foe Slayer is technically a level 20 feature but that's garbage, it's nowhere near strong enough for a level 20 capstone; it compares more closely to Devotion Paladin's *Sacred Weapon* or Hexblade Warlock's *Hexblade’s Curse*, which are both level 3.