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Divine Piety

This playtest document presents a possible new subsystem for our customized version of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. These rules are designed to offer a more dynamic and active representation of a character's connection to their patron deity, intended primarily for classes that draw power from their faith, such as Clerics and Paladins - any class could join it. This system can be used to replace or supplement the standard Channel Divinity feature (feedback is wanted on this).

The Nature of Piety

Your faith is a wellspring of power, a direct conduit to the divine. This connection is represented by Piety Points, a resource you can call upon to alter the flow of battle, protect your allies, and call down your deity's wrath. These points are not granted freely; they are earned through fervent prayer and divinely inspired acts, representing your god's active favor in moments of great consequence.

Gaining and Using Piety

You have a pool of Piety Points that ebbs and flows with the tide of battle.

Maximum Piety. You can hold a maximum number of Piety Points equal to your Wisdom or Charisma modifier (whichever is your spellcasting ability for the class granting you these features) + your proficiency bonus. Any points gained beyond this maximum are lost but still count to your lifetime accumulation.

Starting Piety. When you start a new game, you begin with a number of Piety Points equal to your proficiency bonus.

Replenishing Piety. Outside of combat or other stressful situations, you can spend one minute in prayer and contemplation to gain restore your Piety Points up to your proficiency bonus.

During an encounter, you gain Piety Points through the following methods.

Prayer

As an action on your turn, you can pause to beseech your deity for aid, opening your spirit to their power. When you do so, you make a Wisdom (Religion) check to determine the outcome. Performing this prayer is an act of intense focus that can leave you vulnerable and becomes more taxing with each attempt.

  • Result: 10 or lower. Your prayer is met with a severe test of faith. You lose a number of Piety Points equal to one-quarter of your current total (rounded up). In addition, your vulnerability is exposed; the next attack roll made against you before the start of your next turn has advantage.

  • Result: 11–15. Your deity hears and answers your call. You gain 2 Piety Points.

  • Result: 16 or higher. You achieve a state of perfect communion. You gain 3 Piety Points, and you may immediately use one of your Invocations of the Divine Domain without spending any Piety Points or requiring an action.

Escalating Risk

The spiritual toll of prayer is significant. The first time you use the Prayer action during an encounter, you make the Wisdom (Religion) check with disadvantage. The second time, you make the check normally. The third and any subsequent times you use this action during the same encounter, you make the check with disadvantage, and you also have disadvantage on all saving throws until the start of your next turn.

Divine Resonance

Your deity rewards actions that advance their cause. When an enemy fails a saving throw against one of your Cleric or Paladin spells, you gain 1 Piety Point. You can gain a point in this way only once per turn.

Acts of Faith

You can spend your accumulated Piety Points to create a wide variety of miraculous effects, known as Acts of Faith. The following options are available to you.

Invocations of the Divine Domain

Cost: 3 Piety Points, 1 Action

As an action, you can expend 3 Piety Points to manifest one of the Invocations granted by your Divine Domain. These are potent abilities that channel the core essence of your deity's portfolio.

Miracles of the Battlefield

Divine Empowerment. Cost: 2 Piety Points, 1 Reaction When an ally you can see within 30 feet of you makes an attack roll or a saving throw, you can use your reaction to grant them a bonus to the roll equal to your spellcasting ability modifier.

Sacred Strike. Cost: 1 Piety Point, No Action Immediately after you hit a creature with a weapon attack or a spell that requires an attack roll, you can spend 1 Piety Point to infuse the strike with divine energy. The attack deals an additional 1d10 radiant damage. This damage increases to 2d10 if the target is an undead or a fiend.

Overwhelming Spell. Cost: 2 Piety Points, No Action When you cast a spell that forces one or more creatures to make a saving throw, you can spend 2 Piety Points to choose one target of the spell; that creature has disadvantage on its initial saving throw against the spell.

Boons of Protection and Healing

Restorative Grace. Cost: 1 Piety Point per die, 1 Bonus Action As a bonus action, you can touch one willing creature and spend up to your proficiency bonus in Piety Points. For each point spent, the creature regains 1d8 hit points.

Aegis of Faith. Cost: 1 Piety Point, 1 Reaction When you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you is hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to manifest a shimmering shield of divine energy. The target gains temporary hit points equal to 1d10 + your spellcasting ability modifier, which are expended immediately to absorb the triggering damage.

Purifying Spirit. Cost: 2 Piety Points, 1 Action You touch one creature and channel cleansing energy. You can end one condition afflicting it. The condition can be blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, or poisoned.

Invocations of the Divine Domain

Each Divine Domain grants access to a specific, powerful Invocation.

  • Creation. You cause a wall of solid stone to rise from a solid surface you can see within 60 feet. The wall can be up to 30 feet long, 10 feet high, and 1 foot thick. Each 10-foot section has AC 15 and hit points equal to 15 times your proficiency bonus.

  • Death. You channel the chilling touch of the grave. Choose up to two enemies you can see within 60 feet. They must each make a Constitution saving throw. A target takes necrotic damage equal to 3d8 + your proficiency bonus on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

  • Fate. You tug at the threads of destiny. Choose a creature you can see within 60 feet. The next time that creature makes an attack roll or saving throw before the end of your next turn, you can use your reaction to change the die roll to either a 1 or a 20.

  • Knowledge. You open the minds of your allies to divine insight. Choose up to three allies you can see within 60 feet. For the next minute, when those allies make an attack roll, they can add your spellcasting ability modifier to the result. An ally loses this benefit after they hit with an attack.

  • Life. A wave of pure vitality washes out from you. You and up to five allies of your choice within 30 feet either regain hit points equal to 2d6 + your proficiency bonus or can immediately end one effect on them that is causing them to be grappled or restrained.

  • Love. You evoke a feeling of profound loyalty and affection. Each ally within 30 feet of you gains temporary hit points equal to 2d6 + your proficiency bonus, and they have advantage on their next saving throw made within the next minute.

  • Nature. You call upon the primal power of the wild. The ground in a 20-foot radius centered on a point you can see within 60 feet becomes difficult terrain for your enemies for 1 minute. Additionally, you can cause grasping vines to lash out at one creature within the area, forcing it to make a Strength saving throw or be pulled up to 20 feet in any direction and be restrained until the start of your next turn.

  • Protection. You create a sanctuary around an ally. Choose one ally you can see within 60 feet. Until the start of your next turn, that ally has resistance to all damage, and opportunity attacks against them are made with disadvantage.

  • Storm. You summon a localized squall. Each enemy in a 20-foot cube originating from a point you can see within 60 feet must make a Dexterity saving throw. A target takes lightning damage equal to 2d10 + your proficiency bonus on a failed save, and they are pushed 10 feet away from the center of the cube.

  • Sun. A mote of pure sunlight appears and strikes one enemy you can see within 60 feet. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 3d10 fire damage and is blinded until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, it takes half damage and is not blinded.

  • Trickery. You bend reality around a creature you can see within 60 feet. You can teleport that creature to an unoccupied space you can see within 30 feet of its current location. If you choose a willing ally, this movement does not provoke opportunity attacks and they have advantage on the next attack roll they make before the end of their turn.

  • War. Your deity's favor guides your strikes. For 1 minute, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20. Additionally, the first time you hit with a weapon attack each turn, you deal extra damage equal to your proficiency bonus.