Hello everyone, and welcome to another installment in a series of articles focusing on the Cleric Domains in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. The goal for each of these is to provide you with a quick overview of your domain powers, spells, and introduce you to a god or goddess from real-Earth mythology who could be a deity using this particular domain.
All that said, welcome to this week’s article on the domain of Fire
The fire domain is described as “You can call forth fire, command creatures of the inferno, and your flesh does not burn.” – So this is someone who’s capable of summoning fire and who’s immune to the effects of it, but is NOT necessarily an arsonist like you’d expect, though the actual spells you gain access to beg to differ.
The powers given are Fire Bolt that allows a ranged touch attack for 1d6+1 points of damage for every 2 cleric levels you possess. The important parts of this are of course that it’s ranged touch, making it easier to hit. Unfortunately, this just isn’t as strong as things like Acid Bolt from the Earth domain, as so many creatures have fire resistance.
The second ability is fire resistance. Generally the most effective of the resistances, as so many creatures use various forms of fire damage. So, to continue the comparison with the Earth domain, this version is much stronger, or at least more useful, than the acid resistance that you get with the other domain.
So a bit of 50-50 on those. One weaker, one stronger.
Spells:
The spells you get with the Fire domain are as follows:
Burning Hands
Burning Hands is one of the main damage dealers among the 1st level spells, able to cause up to 5d4 points of damage in a 15-foot cone, or up to 7 people, depending on positioning. Of course, a saving throw reduces the damage by ½ – but it is very useful in “horde” situations at low levels.
Produce Flame
This basically works like your Fire Bolt ability, in that it’s a touch attack causing 1d6+level points of damage (though limited to 1d6+5). However, it has a much longer range when hurled (120 ft. compared to Fire Bolt’s 30 ft.), and can be used in melee combat as well. Bear in mind though that each attack reduces the spell’s duration by 1 minute. (The normal duration is 1 minute/level).
Fireball
Probably the most iconic spell in the game, or at least close to it. There are a few considerations with this spell, but it mostly depends on your style of Game Master. This comes from the area that it’ll fill when it detonates. A Fireball is a 20 feet radius SPREAD, which means that it can turn corners and “figure the area the spell effect fills by taking into account any turns the spell effect takes.” That means that you should be counting the number of squares that it affects (44 squares for a Fireball), and then filling 44 squares from the point of detonation (effectively becoming backdraft from the Fireball). However, not all GMs allow this, and will only allow you to fill any squares that are within the 20 feet radius of the detonation, so that you could be filling up much less space. Discuss that with your GM, to ensure that you know his stance on this.
-It is also worth bearing in mind that you have to be able to see the detonation point, for you to affect it, and that if you’re trying to shoot the fireball through a small area, like an arrow-slit, a porthole or similar, then a ranged touch attack might be required to hit the narrow opening. (And finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that this is one of the smelliest spells out there, in that you have to carry bat-droppings to cast it. If you do, a GM might well give a creature tracking you a bonus to the Survival check, provided the tracker has the scent ability).
Wall of Fire
The Wall of Fire spell does what it says on the tin, functioning as an area-denial spell, that allows you to control the battlefield, limiting enemy movement, unless they wish to suffer damage. Place it in areas that you do not wish for an enemy to approach or come through, and watch them burn. As the Wall only does fire damage on one side of the Wall, you can also make turn it around, so that the cold side is where they want to be, funneling them to an area of your choosing, by allowing them “safe passage” down the tunnel. As the spell doesn’t allow a saving throw, it is a good solution against nimble foes who could dodge things like a Fireball, and even more so against the undead, as they suffer double damage from it. As the Wall can be made permanent with permanency, it also has a role in games that use the kingdom building rules, as you’d be able to make a castle surrounded by a fiery moat, instead of the usual water.
Fire Shield
A bit of a misleading name, as this can allow you to do both cold and fire damage (and unlike many other domain spells, this does NOT limit you to one of the types of damage). It punishes an attacker when they hit you, causing them to suffer damage PER SUCCESSFUL hit, so someone could literally beat themselves to death. It’s important to note that it calls out natural attacks and handheld weapons that strike you, so a bow is not affected, but there’s NO caveat against reach weapons. As long as they are handheld and strike you, they will take damage.
On a side note, because it also provides fire/cold resistance (depending on the type chosen), it can also render you immune to the relevant environmental effects, provided the damage suffered from those do not overcome your resistance.
Fire Seeds
Essentially allowing you to create magical grenades or bombs that you can detonate on command. The grenades (acorn grenades) cause more damage at 1d4 points of damage per level (minimum 11d4 at the point where you get them) with a range increment of 20 ft. – and you can have 4 of these (potentially 44d4 points of damage at minimum).
The holly berry bombs version cause less damage (at 1d8+level, minimum 1d8+11), but you can place up to 8 of them (potentially 8d8+88 points of damage at minimum), but they can be activated up to 200 ft. away with a verbal command. – More or less allowing you to place a minefield, provided you have time to set up the battlefield first.
Elemental Body IV (Fire only)
This spell allows you to take the form of another creature, in this case, that of a Fire Elemental. Fire Elementals come with a +6 bonus to Dexterity and a +4 bonus Constitution and a natural armor bonus of +4. You are also immune to bleed damage, critical hits, and sneak attacks while in elemental form and gain DR 5/—. On top of that, you gain resist fire 20, vulnerability to cold (a bit of a downside), and the burn ability, as well as darkvision 60 ft.
Incendiary Cloud
Incendiary Cloud provides both cover and damage in one handy package, in a large and long-lasting package. If anyone caught in it hasn’t got a way out, they take 6d6 points of fire damage for up to 15 rounds. Very handy spell if you can keep your targets from moving.
Elemental Swarm
This spell allows you to, given time, summon a small swarm of elementals; as in, within 20 minutes you have 2d4 Large Fire Elementals, 1d4 Huge ones, and 1 greater Fire Elemental, all with maximum hit points. Pair that with Augment Summoning and Superior Summoning feats and this becomes rather dangerous as a backup. But just to give you an idea: Each Large Fire Elemental is CR 5, each Huge one is CR 7 and a greater Fire Elemental is CR 9. That gives you a potential CR ranging from 11 to 14 – so while it takes 20 minutes to get them all though, it is a HUGE boost to any group of adventurers, if nothing else than in sheer terms of adaptability.
New Deity
Prometheus
Master of Fire, Father of Civilization, Forethought
Alignment NG
Worshipers all the good races, those who use fire and who do not succumb to authority without merit
Cleric Alignments LG, NG, CG, N
Domains: Community, Fire, Good, Knowledge, Protection, Sun
Sub-domains: Education, Martyr, Redemption, Solitude, Thought
Favored Weapon: Sling
Symbol: a fiery boulder
Prometheus is one of the original creators of the intelligent races, a benevolent figure who stole fire from the gods and gave it to mortals, and ensured that sacrifices no longer require mortals to sacrifice so much to the gods that they cannot thrive or survive.
However, as popular as he is among the mortals, most of the other gods are severely unhappy with him. And as such, he has been tied to the Prime Material Plane, chained upon the highest mountain peak, and forced to be eaten by eagles, vultures and other scavengers each day, only to revive every morning with the sun rising.
Prometheus himself loves the mortal races, and believes, even after eons of suffering that he did the right thing, enduring the punishment stoically, all while secretly hoping to be released.
Prometheus’ clergy takes on a similar role within their communities, working hard for the people, but not for the established authority. They see meritocracies as the ultimate expression of how society should work, but they do not shy away from rebellion in the face of unworthy rules, which tends to make them unpopular with the authorities.
They rise with the dawn, and retreat to their quarters at sundown, spending their days working the forges of their temples, churning out the tools and implements that their communities require, though, in times of war, the temples turn into industrious foundries, with even the smallest temple turning out weapons by the hundreds in a matter of weeks.
Prayers to the Master of Fire take place at dawn and sundown, and with each completed tool or weapon, the clergy thanks Prometheus for the ability to produce. Those whose work does not include creating tools thank him whenever their tasks is done if they are happy with the results.
We hope you enjoyed the look into this week’s domain. Next time, the Glory domain.
Kim Frandsen
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