The Merchant Domain - 5E Homebrew Cleric Subclass
by Nines, V1.1
Money, Money, Money!
Civilizations rise and fall by the flow of currency. Whether in the form of coin, goods, blood, or bodies, a society that cannot bring its resources to bear will fade away in due time. Merchants play a vital role in this cycle, allowing the wealth of the world to power the gears of civilization. And if they take a little bit for themselves in their travels – well, that’s just business!
Domain Spells
Each domain has a list of spells - its domain spells that you gain at the cleric levels noted in the domain description. Once you gain a domain spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.
If you have a domain spell that doesn’t appear on the cleric spell list, the spell is nonetheless a cleric spell for you.
| Cleric Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | alarm, unseen servant |
| 3rd | enthrall, rope trick |
| 5th | bestow curse, Leomund’s tiny hut |
| 7th | arcane eye, fabricate |
| 9th | animate objects, hallow |
Surplus Stock
When you choose this domain at 1st level, you learn to efficiently procure goods and raw materials. The gold cost of both purchasing and crafting items is reduced by 10 times your cleric level, up to a maximum of half the item’s value.
Customer Service Voice
Also at 1st level, you can use a bonus action to enchant your voice with a calming magic which puts customers at ease. For 1 minute, you gain a bonus equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of +1) to Charisma checks made against creatures that can hear you.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Channel Divinity: Secret Shop
At 2nd level, you gain access to the Secret Shop, an interdimensional bazaar that always seems to have what you need – for a price. As an action, you can expend your Channel Divinity to obtain a spell scroll of a cantrip or 1st-level spell from any class’s spell list. If the spell has a costly component, you must provide the component or an equivalent amount of gold as part of obtaining the scroll. This spell scroll disappears if not used within 24 hours, and counts as a cleric spell for you.
The scroll’s maximum spell level increases to 2nd at 5th level, 3rd at 9th level, 4th at 13th level, and 5th at 17th level.
Protective Suite
A merchant often deals in more than gold. At 6th level, you can exchange a sliver of your magic for protective services. When a creature within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher as a reaction to give it 1d10 temporary hit points. The temporary hit points granted increase by 1d10 for each slot level above 1st.
Potent Spellcasting
At 8th level, you add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal with any cleric cantrip.
Set Up Shop
At 17th level, over the duration of a long rest, you can magically designate an area as your shop, granting you complete dominion over all things within it. This area can have a radius up to 60 feet, and you have control over its cosmetic appearance. While you remain within it, you gain the following benefits:
- Creatures of your choice gain a +2 bonus to AC, attack rolls, and saving throws while within your shop. Alternatively, you can choose for all creatures within the shop to be immune to damage. You can switch between these effects as an action on your turn.
- You are aware of the position of any creature that steals an object within this area for 24 hours. Such creatures are vulnerable to all sources of damage for the duration.
- You can cast the identify spell without spending a spell slot (no action required).
- You can instantly procure nonmagical items from the Secret Shop for half of their usual cost. Such items can only be sold for two-thirds of their usual cost, the rest being taken as the Secret Shop’s cut.
Your shop remains until you finish a long rest or leave its area. You can only have one shop at a time.
Image Credit
Anna (Fire Emblem: Awakening) - by junkpuyo
Mystery Merchant - by Agus Yunanto
Special thanks to Bee (@dreadful-5e) for helping out with conceptualizing this subclass!
This subclass is also available on DNDBeyond here: https://www.dndbeyond.com/subclasses/1477901-the-merchant-domain