The Dungeon’s Master Guide for DnD 5E introduced a couple of options for evil versions of classes like Cleric and Paladin, one among which becoming the Death Domain. The Death Domain focuses on things that cause death and giving rise to undead creatures. this is often intended as an evil archetype, so make certain to speak together with your GM before taking it, or risk being dependent on your zealous Paladin ally. With morally ambiguous allies, or a GM willing to twist some rules, you’ll find your resident gods of pain and murder are looking forward to more worshippers. See what’s possible with our Death Cleric 5E Guide.
The Death Domain is primarily a damage-dealing frontliner, with some interesting options for support and reducing damage to itself and allies. due to its proficiencies and ranged options, the Death Domain does have some backline potential. However, you’ll find that sending enemies to your god may be a bit easier with melee combat.
Death Cleric 5e
We start our Death Cleric 5E Guide with Domain spells. The domain spells for the Death Cleric are, interestingly, more concerned with support options and reducing damage, instead of dealing it. However, they get some options from outside of the Cleric spell list to bring the pain.
For the frontline role, the Death Cleric actually gets some things that specialize in unconventional ways to tank damage. instead of counting on heavy armor, you’ll use False Life to offer yourself an over the shield. you’ll debuff your enemies with blindness or by reducing damage potential. You get a healing option with Vampiric Touch; helpful if you’re taking tons of injury. Restricting the quantity of injury you’re taking with Death Ward and Antilife Shell means you’ll be upfront for tons longer, and you’ll keep living enemies nearby you for extended. Of course, you’ll also use these to remain back and keep your allies alive.
The damage spells are pretty few and much between. Vampiric Touch may be as strong as ever but somewhat better as a sustaining-yourself spell since the damage is a bit low. Blight and Cloudkill are more familiar death-bringers, with Blight being burst damage and Cloudkill offering environment control.
The odd-one-out, curiously enough, is Animate Death. this is often a summoning spell, the cornerstone spell of necromancers, so it is sensible that the Death Domain gets access thereto. this is often another aspect of battlefield control, though it’s resource-intensive, requiring material components and constant upkeep. Still, no ally will admit to not liking some free bodies to require hits for them… Unless they’re SUPER uppity about it.
Features:
- Domain Spells
- Bonus Proficiency
- Reaper
- Channel Divinity: Touch of Death
- Inescapable Destruction
- Divine Strike
- Improved Reaper
The Death domain cares with the forces that cause death, also because the negative energy that provides rise to undead creatures. Deities like Chemosh, Myrkul, and Wee Jas are patrons of necromancers, death knights, liches, mummy lords, and vampires. Gods of the Death domain also embody murder (Anubis, Bhaal, and Pyremius), pain (Iuz or Loviatar), disease, or poison (Incabulos, Talona, or Morgion), and therefore the underworld (Hades and Hel).