Gods of the Afterlife ferry souls to wherever they are headed next, and clerics of those deities are granted powers to help them along the way. In Midgard, Hel collects souls in her icy realm, and Odin takes the brave warriors who fall in battle to train in Valhalla. Gods of the Afterlife in other pantheons include Hades, Osiris, Kelemvor, Myrkul, and Wee Jas. This subclass was inspired by the 5e14 Death and Grave domains.
This domain is not purely the purview of evil, although it can certainly be used for evil purposes. Rather, its adherents see death as the next step of the natural cycle all life goes through, and seek to ease the suffering of those who make that transition. Their magic also allows them to stave off death for a while, but this delay is never permanent - in the end, death will always collect what is owed.
Some clerics of this domain use their powers to rid the world of undeath, others see the the creation of undead as merely borrowing souls for a short detour. Regardless, as wielders of necromantic magic, they face a certain stigma from the uninformed masses.
Level 3: Afterlife Domain Spells
You always have certain spells prepared after you reach the Cleric level shown in the following table.
| Cleric Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Inflict Wounds, Cause Fear, Gentle Repose, Silence |
| 5th | Soul Trap, Summon Undead |
| 7th | Death Ward, Blight |
| 9th | Antilife Shell, Dispel Evil and Good |
Level 3: Soul Shepherd
You are tasked with guiding the souls to their afterlife. When a creature dies within 60 feet of you, you can use your reaction to temporarily bind their soul to your service. Undead and constructs do not have souls. You can only bind a number of souls equal to your proficiency bonus to you at any time.
While a soul is bound to you, a spectral echo of that creature walks by your side. The echoes are incorporeal and cannot be interacted with beyond the following ways:
- Soulsearch: As an action, you release a soul and ask it a single question. It will answer according to what it knew in life, but is under no obligation to be truthful to you. You do not need to share a language with the creature who the soul belonged to.
- Soulward: As a bonus action, you release a soul and use its energy to ward yourself from harm, gaining Temporary Hit Points equal to your Cleric level plus your Wisdom modifier.
- Soulsplit: When you cast a Necromancy cantrip that targets a single creature and doesn't have a range of self, or use Channel Divinity: Divine Spark to deal necrotic damage, you can release a soul to also target a second creature within range.
Releasing a soul frees it from your servitude and allows it to move on to the afterlife. If you have several souls bound, you choose which soul is used. While you have a creature's soul bound, it cannot be revived or raised to undeath. Any souls you have fade into the afterlife when you finish a long rest, or if you die.
Level 3: Channel Divinity: Foretell Doom
As an action, you pronounce a sentence of doom on a creature. The next time that creature takes damage before the end of your next turn, it has vulnerability to the damage caused.
Level 6: Sentinel at Death's Door
You are the arbiter of death, and hold the fate of others in your hand. When a creature within 30 feet of you suffers a critical hit, you can use your reaction to expend a soul to intercept the attack, turning the crit into a normal hit.
Additionally, as long as you have atleast one bound soul, you have advantage on Death Saving Throws.
Level 17: Ferryman of the Departed
Just as the journey leaves both the traveller and the road ever changed, the souls that travel with you impart their knowledge on you. When you fail a Test, or are hit by an attack, you can expend a soul and use its power to reroll the Test or force the attacker to reroll the attack.
Additionally, you can use Soulsplit when you cast levelled necromancy spells that only target a single creature.