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The Ambition Domain originates from the Amonkhet setting, a crossover betweenMagic: The GatheringandDungeons & Dragons. In a world where kings and queens rule, the need arises for those who can channel that ambition, nursing it from within courts and outside of them.
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The Ambition Domain seeks to assist those who feel like enough is never enough, and clerics who fall under that domain may find themselves drawn to the greedy, the righteous, and the charismatic. In other words: adventuring parties. Ambition Clerics seek to aid those open to their guidance, especially as they start to plant the seeds of discord within the hearts of satisfied people. After all, for the Ambition Cleric, satisfaction is but a brief stepping stone to something better.
Ambition Domain Cleric Features Overview
Your Ambition Domain cleric will gain similar features to theLight Clericatfirst level.In fact, you’ll notice throughout the guide that theAmbition Cleric borrows from multiple cleric types, receiving one buff to spellcasting and no extra weapon proficiency. This is seen first with the acquisition ofWarding Flare:
Warding Flare
You use your reaction toimpose a disadvantage on an attackagainst you as long as the enemy attacking is within 30 feet. If the creature is unable to be blinded,they are immune.
The next feature you get comes atsecond level, with the feature being borrowed from theTrickery Cleric.
Invoke Duplicity
Atsixth level, you gain the ability to vanish into the shadows withChannel Divinity.
Cloak of Shadows
As anaction, you becomeinvisibleuntil the end of your next turn. You become visible if you attack or cast a spell.
Ateighth level, your spellcasting finally gets a boost.
Potent Spellcasting
You add your Wisdom modifierto any damage you inflict with anycleric cantrip.
Finally, you round off your features with the last one you get, once again borrowing from the Trickery Domain.
Improved Duplicity
You can create up tofour duplicates of yourself usingtheInvoke Duplicityfeature. As abonus action, you can move any of them up to 30 feet, like your previous feature, to 120 feet. They appear in a space you can see within 30 feet of you.
Best Ambition Domain Cleric Species
Because your cleric shares features with other classes, we have other guides that have suggestions for species that work well with both Light and Trickery domains. These will suit the subclass fine, but here are some other suggestions that may be particularly thematic.
Thewarforgedensures a level of resilience anddurabilitywhile theaarakocraprovidesflight. These two also make good choices if you want to play into the Amokhet setting, and can be customized to fall into a fantasy Ancient Egyptian aesthetic by perhaps decorating the warforged to look like a sarcophagus or lending the aarakocra to mirror the animal features in art.
Outside the setting, thechangelingmay make a particularly fascinating Ambition Domain Cleric from a trickery perspective, though note that the changeling’sshapechange ability will be more useful in roleplay than outside of it.
Alotusdenorghostwise halflingwill also be extraordinarily beneficial, with ghostwise’sSilent Speechallowing you to speak telepathically with your party. As you cancast through your duplicate, your Dungeon Master may rule that you can speak through your duplicate, extending the telepathy’s 30-foot range, but be sure to ask! Lotusden will provide you with druidic spellcasting to line your spell list.
Eladrinallows you access tomisty stepin the spring alternate of the species, and having somemobilityworks really well for this subclass, as none of the class features provide you a quick getaway should you be discovered. To this elven end,shadar-kaiworks not only within their lore but with their teleportation feature.Droworhalf-drowmay also be considered from a lore perspective, and their access toFaerie Firemakes them a valuable asset.
Most of the Ambition Domain’s features focus on makingyoueffective,not your party, so think about whether you want to give your character a way to aid others or not. Being able to buff isnot a must for clericsand will depend on your playstyle.
Best Ability Scores For Ambition Domain Clerics
Wisdom
Wisdomis yourspellcasting modifier, soit should be your highest stat.You’ll want to be succeeding on Wisdom saving throws anyway, so your character isn’t paralyzed or mentally incapacitated, but note that thisshould be your highest score for damage-dealing purposes.
Constitution
Constitution makes up yourhit point maximum, and the cleric only has a1d8hit die. Make sure this stays second on your priorities!
Dexterity
Finally, yourarmor classis determined by your Dexterity score. This can be flavored as being able to avoid attacks or simply taking them harmlessly, but regardless, you want to keep your armor class high.The higher your armor class, the longer you stand.
Strength is possibly the last score you should focus on, andIntelligence will be useful if you want a better proficiency in religion.Charisma may be useful if you want to have a particularly manipulative Ambition Cleric, but it’s not required.
Ultimately, you can play an Ambition Cleric how you want. If you see a reason to make Intelligence or Charisma higher, then you can move around these scores as you see fit. Customized Origin makes species and ability score spreads more customizable than ever, so play around and be unconventional if the need should arise.
Recommended Spells For Ambition Clerics
The spells you get as you level are designed to better your chances against your enemy, with spells likeBaneandBestow Cursemaking the list. You get some neat options likeDimension DoorandModify Memoryfrom theTrickery Cleric spell list,andVampiric Touchis a nice riff on ‘using people for your gain.’ This is a pretty powerful spell list, and the Ambition Cleric almost reads like a slightly more powerful Trickery Domain Cleric.
First level
Third level
Fifth level
Seventh level
Ninth level
Dominate Person
Modify Memory
You don’t receive any clerical cantrips from the subclass, so you’re free to take your own.
Description
Guidance
Ad4to every ability check is excellent throughout the game and is one of the best choices for any cleric. Further, this cantrip lets yougive that 1d4 to any of your party members, should you want that.
Sacred Flame
Sacred Flame lets you havea source of radiant damage.Not many creatures resist it, and the Ambition Domain has asurprising lack of damage-oriented spells, so this might be a good one to pick up.
Toll the Dead
For the same reason one might have Sacred Flame, Toll the Dead gives you access to more damage, and what’s better,a different type of damage.The damage clocks in atd12, potentially letting you finish off enemies without risking a spell slot.
Light
Even withdarkvision, Light is useful because it’s an unlimited source of sight. Slap that cantrip on a rock and throw it past the range of your darkvision. Or, have a party member do it.It won’t be doused by anythingand will let you get the jump on any enemies attempting an ambush by night.
You’ll have access to the entire cleric spell list as an Ambition Domain Cleric andyou can switch out your spells every long rest.Here are a couple of spells that you can use at thefirst level, as you initially build your character:
Guiding Bolt
Guiding Bolt deals a lot ofradiant damagewhen you’re atearly levels.It also gives youadvantageon yoursubsequent attack.
Detect Magic
Not only does it let you know if there aremagical effects in the area, but it also alerts you to effects on your party or on your person. It also helps you identify the location of magic items near you, ormagically trapped areas in a dungeon.
Bless
You already have Bane, so you might as well head to the opposite side and give members of your party1d4to their attack rolls. While it may seem a bit altruistic,this spell can be the difference between that foe knocking you prone and your party fighter knocking them out.
Command
Aone-word commandmakes this spell ridiculous with creativity. You have your basics: flee, grovel, drop, throw, swim, and silence. You also have ‘defenestrate’ and ‘ingest.’ Any spell that takes control of your opponent is rough for the enemy and works well with what the Ambition Domain outlines.
