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Cleric Domain: The Host – A Playtest Subclass of Divine Symbiosis

“I speak, but not alone. I bless, but not by my hand alone. We are many. We are one.”

Not all gods send visions from lofty thrones or answer prayers through golden light. Some embed themselves directly into their followers—melding flesh and spirit, weaving divine will into living tissue like strands of fate. These clerics are not merely servants of their deity. They are habitats.

The Domain of the Host channels the unsettling yet compelling concept of a celestial parasite, an ancient hive-mind, or an eldritch fragment that sustains itself through the cleric’s body and faith. This isn’t a patron in the traditional sense—it’s a permanent guest. Whether that relationship is one of trust, necessity, or creeping dread is entirely up to you. Last week I shared the Bard subclass in this series. Check out the Hollow Choir here.

Important Note: This subclass is in playtest form and intentionally leans toward the strong side of the cleric chassis. Make sure you get your DM’s permission before bringing it to the table.

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Domain of the Host Features

Domain Spells
Your connection to the Host grants you access to unsettling yet powerful magic:

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Infestation of the Divine (1st Level)

Your body is permanently bonded with the Host—an entity that sustains you and grows within you.

• You gain resistance to poison damage.
• Your hit point maximum increases by 1 for each cleric level.
• Your blood is no longer entirely your own. When you take necrotic damage, you may use your reaction to gain temporary hit points equal to half the damage taken.

You share the thoughts with your bonded entity choose one mental skill and gain proficiency with it.

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Communion (1st Level)

Your Host whispers, guiding your faith and actions.

Once per long rest, when you take a short or long rest, you may consult the Host, entering a trance of shared thought. Roll a d6:

d6	Whispered Insight
1-2	Gain advantage on Insight and Perception checks for the next hour.
3-4	You sense the presence of any celestial, aberration, or undead within 60 feet, even if hidden.
5-6	For the next hour, you may use your Wisdom modifier instead of Strength or Dexterity for attack rolls.

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Channel Divinity: Evolve the Flesh (2nd Level)

You may invoke your Host to alter your physical form, triggering a temporary mutation for 1 minute.

Choose one of the following:

• Hardened Carapace – Your AC increases by +2, and you gain resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
• Lashing Tendrils – As a bonus action, you can make a melee spell attack against a creature within 10 feet, dealing necrotic damage equal to 2d8 + your Wisdom modifier.
• Quickened Form – Your movement speed increases by 15 feet, and you may Dash or Disengage as a bonus action.

This feature may be used once per short or long rest.

 

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Symbiotic Resilience (6th Level)

The Host defends its vessel.

• You gain resistance to necrotic and psychic damage.
• When you are reduced to 0 HP but not killed outright, roll a d4. On a 4, your Host reactivates your body, returning you to 1 HP instead of falling unconscious.
• Once this feature activates, you must finish a long rest before using it again.

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Divine Consumption (8th Level)

When you cast a spell that deals necrotic, poison, or radiant damage, you may consume part of the enemy’s vitality.

Once per turn, when a creature fails a saving throw against one of your cleric spells, you may:

• Regain hit points equal to half your cleric level.
• Reduce the target’s movement speed by 10 feet until the end of your next turn.

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Avatar of the Many (17th Level)

You are no longer a single being. Your body erupts with symbiotic growth, shifting, twisting, and moving in unsettling ways.

For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:

• You may make two melee attacks when you take the Attack action, as limbs and tendrils extend unnaturally.
• You gain blindsight up to 30 feet, able to perceive creatures even through magical darkness.
• When a hostile creature moves within 10 feet of you, they must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + Prof + Wis). On a failure, they become frightened of you for 1 minute.
• You may use Channel Divinity: Evolve the Flesh twice while in this form.

You may use this feature once per long rest.

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Why This Subclass Stands Out

The Host Domain sits in a unique niche—it blends body horror and divine purpose, borrowing aesthetic notes from symbiotes, hive minds, and eldritch infection. In play, it offers:

• Toughness rivaling frontline clerics.

• Mutability through evolving combat forms.

• Control elements via fear and speed reduction.

• High sustain through temporary HP and self-healing.

It leans strong, with above-average survivability and versatility. A DM may wish to monitor its performance in combat-heavy campaigns.

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For the Dungeon Master: Integrating the Host

The Host can be as divine or as alien as your setting needs. Here are a few ways to weave it into your world:

• Cult of the Many – A secretive faith worships the Hive God, implanting chosen vessels with symbiotic fragments. The PC is one of these vessels, marked as both sacred and dangerous.

• Living Relic – The cleric carries a shard of an imprisoned celestial or aberration, sought by cultists and scholars alike.

• Contagion of Faith – The Host’s influence is infectious, spreading not through disease, but through dreams and whispers. NPCs might become temporary agents.

• Variable Motives – Is the Host benevolent, manipulative, or secretly steering the PC toward a larger, hidden goal? The DM can use this as a long-running mystery.

This subclass is ripe for roleplay tension—the Host might sometimes speak in dreams, push the cleric toward certain choices, or withhold power unless a cryptic demand is met.

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Final Thoughts

The Host Domain is a high-flavor, high-power cleric option that fuses divine magic with unsettling symbiosis. If you’re looking for a character that blurs the line between servant and sovereign, vessel and wielder—this subclass delivers.

Just remember: you’re never truly alone. Next week I will share the druid. Stay tuned.

Thanks for reading. Until Next time, Stay Nerdy!!