Tempest Domain questions . . . - Rules & Game Mechanics - Dungeons & Dragons Discussion - D&D Beyond Forums (2024)

I am currently in the middle of constructing a character I have conceptualized but need some clarification on several mechanics, specifically toward the Tempest Domain of the Cleric Class.

1) The Channel Divinity ability specific to the Tempest Domain; Destructive Wrath? Does it need to be activated or is it a static effect?

2) If it is static, when I multiclass the Tempest Cleric towards a martial class, can that Destructive Wrath transfer over into other spells or weapon attacks?

Channel Divinity is not a passive ability. As the feature says, it's something you use; you choose one of your Channel Divinity effects to create and then you have to take a short or long rest before using it again.

Destructive Wrath doesn't care where the lightning or thunder damage is coming from. If it only worked on cleric spells or class features the feature would say so. Multiclass away.

Quote from InquisitiveCoder >>

Destructive Wrath doesn't care where the lightning or thunder damage is coming from. If it only worked on cleric spells or class features the feature would say so. Multiclass away.

The Destructive Wrath shows no time length and for how long. Is that a DM's discretionary judgment or is it only for one round?

1) Channel Divinity is usable once per Short Rest at 2nd level. So you have to declare when you're using it. For Destructive Wrath, you'd declare this "when you roll lightning or thunder damage." That's the only requirement listed in the PHB. So it could be lightning or thunder damage from a spell, a class feature, a magic item, or whatever.

2) If you multiclass, then sources of lightning or thunder damage you gain from your new class would be valid for use with Destructive Wrath, as I'm reading it. Note that at Cleric/6 and Cleric/18 you gain additional uses of Channel Divinity. I'd wait until at least after Cleric/6 to multiclass so you've got twice as many uses of Destructive Wrath available.

When you roll lightning or thunder damage, you can use your Channel Divinity to deal maximum damage, instead of rolling.

You use Destructive Wrath when you make a damage roll and it applies to that roll only.

Quote from KorvusRock >>

Quote from InquisitiveCoder >>

Destructive Wrath doesn't care where the lightning or thunder damage is coming from. If it only worked on cleric spells or class features the feature would say so. Multiclass away.

The Destructive Wrath shows no time length and for how long. Is that a DM's discretionary judgment or is it only for one round?

It is once per activation. When you do lightning or thunder damage, you can use channel divinity (which has a limited number of uses) to do max damage for that roll.

Quote from dkronikmusic >>

hey if someone could tell me if it costs an action to activate, that would be great....

No, it does not. It requires no action to trigger it, you simply decide to use it at the appropriate time (ie when you deal lightning or thunder damage).

Quote from Budmathews >>

Where is that specified though

Each Channel Divinity effect that takes an action to activate specifies so, if it says nothing then you just choose to use it.

Also it says "When you roll lightning or thunder damage, " which means that you are in the middle of resolving an attack or spell action, can't start taking another action then.