Hello everyone, and welcome to another 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: Protection.
The Protection domain is described as “Your faith is your greatest source of protection, and you can use that faith to defend others.” From this, we can safely say that the god of this type of domain is one who’s a guardsman more than anything and a protector of their charge(s).
With this domain, you actually get 3 powers, though the first one is passive. It’s a resistance bonus to your saving throws, starting at +1 at 1st level, but increasing by +1 for every 5 levels you possess (i.e. +2 at 5th, +3 at 10th and so on. This, however, does not specify a maximum, so you could, at least in principle, advance beyond the +5 at 20th level).
The first active power granted is “Resistant Touch,” where you transfer the bonus over to an ally. While it’s transferred, however, you do not get the bonus from it.
The second power gained is “Aura of Protection.” This is probably one of the most useful, all around, domain powers. It gives both a deflection bonus AND energy resistance to any allies within 30 feet. The deflection bonus to armor class starts at +1 at 8th level (ending with +4 at 20th level), and is more or less a free ring of protection for your entire group, as long as they’re within reach. On top of that is the energy resistance, which starts at 5 at 8th level and increases to 10 at 14th level. Importantly, it’s against ALL energy types, so it allows you to go in a bit more safely, when unprepared for a particular foe, especially those cases where you do not know what type of energy damage they cause, or where they can change between multiple types.
Spells:
The spells you get with the Protection domain are as follows:
Sanctuary
This spell is one of my personal favorites, as it prevents an opponent from attacking you unless they succeed on a Will saving throw. This goes for all types of attacks, spells, ranged AND melee. Of course, if you attack them, the spell breaks, but this makes for an excellent (and easily accessible) defensive spell for the healer in an adventuring party.
Shield Other
Potentially a life saver, due to the +1 bonuses to AC and saves, and the half damage that people receive while under the effects. The downside is that you, as the caster, take the other half of the damage. But put it on the right ally, in the right circumstances, and you could keep them in the fight for much longer. (Since they only take half damage, you could, in theory, heal yourself, and keep out of harm’s way at the same time. While this doesn’t heal them, it does prevent the damage, and stop you from taking incidental attacks).
Protection from Energy
Protection from energy grants you complete immunity to a type of energy of your choice so that you can go unscathed through a dragon’s fire or anything similar, although anything beyond 60 hit points worth of damage will end the spell (when cast at minimum level). Just remember that it only protects against one type of energy, and once it’s been used up, you have nothing to protect you.
Spell Immunity
This is a very specific spell and one where you benefit from doing your research ahead of time. It makes you completely immune to a specific spell, but ONLY to that one spell, so in a way, it’s extremely powerful, but at the same time incredibly limited. At the point where you get it, you can only choose one spell to be immune to, but you get an extra, as soon as you gain a level, i.e. you become immune to a spell of your choice for every 4 levels you have. So if you know your opponent very well, you should choose his most powerful spells to become immune to. If not, then it’s probably a safe bet to choose something iconic, like fireball.
Spell Resistance
This spell quite simply gives you spell resistance of 12 + your level (at the level where you get this spell, 9th, it makes your spell resistance 21). Obviously rather handy.
Antimagic Field
This spell creates an area in which magic cannot exist. It simply stops working, and summoned creatures get sent back to where they came from, but crucially it does not dispel the magic. As such, a creature under the effects of a spell, such as confusion, would still be affected when they leave the area, provided there is still duration left of the spell.
Repulsion
This is basically a spell that allows you and other creatures to works as magnets against each other, with you denying them access to the area in which you currently are. They can still attack you with ranged weapons or spells, but they must stay at least 10 feet away from you. (Potentially much more; depending on your choice, at the level, you gain the spell, it can be a maximum of 130 ft.)
Mind Blank
Probably the strongest anti-scrying magic available, it protects you from all divination magic, and grants you a +8 resistance bonus against mind-affecting spells and effects on top. It’s so strong that it even fools limited wish, miracle, and wish spells.
Prismatic Sphere
Prismatic sphere is one of the best defensive spells out there, in that it is multilayered, and each layer needs to be destroyed separately (unless using specific spells or items to do so). Each field works in both a defensive and offensive manner, so it’s a great defensive spell that can protect you from pretty much anything (as long as the layer protecting you isn’t breached).
New Deity
Heimdall
The Vigilant, Son of Seven Mothers, Guardian of Bifrost
Alignment LG
Worshipers guards, soldiers, watchmen, investigators, travelers
Cleric Alignments LG, NG, LN
Domains: Glory, Good, Law, Protection, Travel, War
Sub-domains: Defense, Exploration, Fortification, Heroism, Tactics
Favored Weapon: greatsword
Symbol: a rainbow with a greatsword thrust into the ground at one end
Heimdall is the guardian of the realms of the gods and has the powers to control Bifrost, the enchanted rainbow bridge, that allows the gods to move between the various realms and planes. It is said that he can hear the grass grow, and see the wool growing on sheep, needs barely any sleep, and is eternally vigilant. With him, he always carried his unbreakable sword Hofund, that allows him to control the Bifrost, and the Gjallarhorn, that shall only be sounded upon the invasion of the realm of the gods, or at the end of the world, Ragnarok.
The clergy of Heimdall tend to be very welcome amongst cities, armies and amongst soldiers and guards. They are well known to be steadfast and vigilant in their work, and even their very temples are usually created as fortresses or citadels in their own right, often featuring thick walls, moats and at the very least, a heavy portcullis to keep out unwanted guests.
In some cities and built-up areas, the temples of Heimdall function as armories and banks, often being the safest areas around, especially in smaller, rural areas, where they might even serve as the final refuge for anyone trying to avoid bandits or marauding hordes of monsters.
The priesthood itself runs a lot like an army. The days are split into 3 – 1) guard duty, 2) temple duty, and 3) off duty. Guard duty is spent patrolling the temple grounds (in some cities this includes areas of the city itself, or taking part along with the city guards). Temple duty is spent cleaning the temple, cooking food, praying for guidance and other duties of that sort, all the practical needs of the temple itself being tended to. And finally off duty, where the priests and clergy tend to their own needs, usually sleep.
The important thing to note here though is that all of this is shifted from each other, meaning that at any point in time, a third of the clergy is performing one of the 3 duties, so there’s always someone on guard duty, someone on temple duty and some off duty.
As for holidays, the temple of Heimdall sticks to those of the society in which the temple has been built, though there is ALWAYS someone on guard duty, with the clergy’s signature white cloaks with golden trim being easily recognizable.
Kim Frandsen
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