Adding Domains for Cleric variant classes

[ted11]

My campaign has lots of variant rules for each of its 21 deities, on allowed weapons, armor, class skills, extra powers, even limited spell selection (continuing the vein of the 2nd edition spheres).

So in HL, I created a different class for the faiths (the ones used frequently anyway) to cover these many changes, doing New(Copy) from Cleric. But the domains don't seem to come out right, though I don't change the copied bit from base Cleric.

When creating a character in the new class, it says "Add more Domains (2 left)!", but when you click, it says "Nothing to choose from!"

Any help resolving would be much appreciated.

[Sendric]

I'm not positive, but I think that because of how Cleric Domains are handled internally, they don't transfer to other classes. Someone with better knowledge might be able to suggest a better solution, but you may have to re-create all of the domains as custom abilities to get them attached to your new cleric class. Another option would be to use the Class Variant system which would not require you to re-create all of the domains.

[RavenX]

Domains are different. I've found that creating a domain requires me to make copies of he existing spells and then tagging them to that new domain. It's a lot of work. You may need to look at the debug fields to determine which one is granting domain choices before you can change it.

[Mathias]

I'd recommend using Variant classes, rather than creating new classes for each deity's version of the Cleric. That way, you don't have to recreate the basic mechanisms of the class, like the domains.

[Mathias]

If you do want to make entirely new classes, choose "Cleric" in "Allow Class Abilities", since the domains are set up as a cleric ability, and you want your new classes to use the ability from that class.

[Kendall-DM]

I did a great deal of work on my clerics to work similar to 2nd Ed (though not as far as you're attempting to take it). Anyhow, getting the domains to work right was a struggle, and I ended up using the variant class because it didn't complain near as much there, and I was able to get it all implemented. I'd suggest starting at variant classes and not to try making a whole new class, because the custom abilities of the base classes are a bear to work with unless you want to make all those custom abilities all over again for the new class. As I said, better to do the variant, and then you don't need to do all that work.

[ted11]

Thanks--interesting ideas.

Hadn't used the Class Variant thing before. Will have a look at that and weigh up the options.