Subclass Cleric Death Domain

What Is the Death Domain?

The Death Domain is a Cleric subclass built around Necrotic damage. At Level 3, Reaper grants a cantrip from a fixed list of five and makes Chill Touch, Poison Spray, and Toll the Dead hit two targets at once, while Touch of Death spends Channel Divinity to add Necrotic damage to a melee hit. Inescapable Destruction at Level 6 makes your Necrotic damage bypass resistance entirely.

Class Features

Progression Overview

LEVEL	FEATURE
3	Death Domain Spells, Reaper, Touch of Death
6	Inescapable Destruction

Level 3

Death Domain Spells The following spells are always prepared and don't count against your prepared spell limit.

Level 3: False Life, Ray of Sickness, Blindness/Deafness, Ray of Enfeeblement
Level 5: Animate Dead, Vampiric Touch
Level 7: Blight, Death Ward
Level 9: Cloudkill, Contagion

Reaper You learn one cantrip of your choice from a fixed list: Blood Bolt, Bursting Sinew, Chill Touch, Poison Spray, or Toll the Dead. Separately, Chill Touch, Poison Spray, and Toll the Dead always target two creatures instead of one for you, with a separate attack roll or saving throw for each — whether or not you picked them here. Blood Bolt and Bursting Sinew do not get the second target.

Touch of Death When you hit a creature with a melee attack that doesn't kill it, you can spend a Channel Divinity use as a Reaction to deal an extra 5 + twice your Cleric level Necrotic damage.

Level 6

Inescapable Destruction Necrotic damage dealt by your spells and Channel Divinity options ignores resistance to Necrotic damage.

Playstyle Notes

The Death Domain is the necromantic offensive Cleric subclass. Reaper at Level 3 grants a free cantrip pick, and if you pick Chill Touch, Poison Spray, or Toll the Dead it doubles that cantrip's target count — both targets roll independently, meaning the damage applies twice from one action. Touch of Death converts a Channel Divinity use into a large Necrotic spike on a melee hit — 25 damage at Cleric 10 — which is the Domain's main reason to stand in melee at all.

Inescapable Destruction at Level 6 removes the ceiling on Necrotic damage against resistant creatures — monsters with Necrotic resistance (many undead, devils, and death-adjacent creatures) take full damage from your spells. Combined with Blight at Level 7 and Vampiric Touch at Level 5, the Death Domain Cleric functions as a sustained Necrotic damage dealer while maintaining the Cleric's spell support role.