Love is out, Unity is in.
Wizards of the Coast have republished Subclasses part 2 and given new playtest options for the bard, cleric and sorcerer.
Usually, new playtest material is cause for excitement, and the return of subclasses 2 is especially noteworthy.
On Tuesday, WotC first published subclasses part 2. It wasn’t done in secret, the content appeared on the site for anyone to read and RSS feeds updated.
Why is that even in doubt? Well, the new Unearthed Arcana content was deleted and the PDF replaced. The swift removal appears to have some people doubting it was ever published.
A tweet from Jeremy Crawford alluded that the content would return, but there was still speculation as to why it was removed.
One suspect was the Love Domain. The original subclass for the Cleric was about not necessarily sexual love, but bonds of friendship and camaraderie.
The holy magic from the Love Domain worked by giving two (willing) people bonuses when they were near to each other and in need of help. The Channel Divinity was called Impulsive Infatuation as those affected by it would have to attack a target designated by the cleric or, if there were no nearby targets, admire the cleric.
However, the concept of ‘love magic’ unsettled people. An early comment on the content suggested an alternative name for the Love Domain was the Roofie Domain. It’s not clear whether any specific ability was at the heart of these concerns.
The new subclasses part 2 keeps the Bard’s College of Creation and the Sorcerer’s Clockwork Soul. The Love Domain has been replaced by the Unity Domain.
The abilities of a Unity Domain Cleric are similar to that of a Love Domain Cleric but have different names, but the Channel Divinity has changed to Shared Burdon and has different powers. The compulsory admiration has been removed. With Shared Burden, the Unity Cleric can redistribute damage to willing creatures.
The Charm Person spell remains part of D&D Basic and is unchanged.
You can download the new subclasses from Wizards’ site.
Creative Commons credit: Neverwinter Nights: The Path of a cleric by xardax2000.
What do you make of these subclasses and if you saw the original Love Domain cleric, do you think it crossed an awkward consent line?
I think it’s a win. Love domain is out there now and folks who use UA just got 2 new domains for their cleric.
Seriously? No one is upset about fantasy role play with magic and demons, nevermind wholesale violence but don’t put none of that LOVE MAGIC in Rev Jones koolaid lest you wake sumptin’ in me britches.
Seriously? I thought the Love Domain was creative and awfully cute. I don’t really see the difference between in and rolling to seduce someone, but I guess it s too much for the hardcore nerds out there just concerned with combat and no RP.
I just be viben with whatever…
Love should never be viewed in the light this subclass was. People have too much time on their hands and just want to create controversy.
yay, outrage culture triumphs in ruining another thing. we did it.
Of course there are problems with a Love domain in 2020. Forget the fact that simular mechanics have existed in every addition since 2e. Forget the fact that many polytheistic culture features a patron of love.Forget the about the players who want to play clerics of love.
You get a crappy unity cleric instead, as if the Forgotten Realms is slamed packed full of straight edge vegans.
Thankyou for this underwhemling pandering to woke culture and creative cowardice.
All this over some stupid woman throwing a shit fit over the word “Love”. Her argument was pure bs. She is ok with vampires over riding human control and being used to seduce. And saying this isnt “true love” wtf is that anyway, it doesnt exists, stop watching fairy tales. Love is your brains way of overriding your body with endorphins to feel something for someone/something. So… you brain roofies you to feel this so called love.. The cleric was fine and a decent build. Just sad that stupid people cry over a word to describe it. The clerics love… Read more »
Concerns were raised about the Love Domain from many different people. It’s wholly incorrect to say it was just one woman.
This is the same same where SUCCUBUS’S exist. Why was this ever an issue?
As I see this. Another company pandering to a group that doesn’t even buy a damn thing. All getting offended by little things.
As I see it. Those who are offended by the Love Domain. These are the people who dislike the fact of two caring persons fight together. They deserve a bonus. Long with a penalty. If one of the two die.
Yet I guess these mouth breathers. Do not believe in others having fun. For them it is all about numbers and power gaming. No, such thing as “Role Playing” in a RPG.
I think the course of events run counter to your theory. If the concerns about the Love Domain had no commercial impact on WoTC they wouldn’t even have noticed. They took action because the concerns were raised by their core audience, and most important one of young and socially conscious gamers.
No one objected to the bonuses. That’s a straw man of an argument. People objected to artificial infatuation as being creepy.
In a world where i can literally kill your child, rise him as an undead and make him fest with your flesh. Right… Love domain i creepy….
Damn, lotta people in these comments who think that whining counts as an argument. If you want to engage with the conversation with WotC over this, feel free to write them an email. This ain’t the place to get heard by them. But of course, you don’t want to engage with the argument, do you? You just want to whine about those mean people who had an opinion and stated their argument where WotC would hear it. Well, you showed them. WotC is suffering now because they didn’t get to hear your insults and straw manning! Way to stick it… Read more »
If murder-hoboing your way through the lands is ok then some simple admiration spells millennially called up to “non-consent” should be fine… I mean you have a spell called Dominate Person and Power Word Kill…