Murder Subdomain
The Murder Subdomain is Pathfinder’s weapon-focused branch of Death, turning critical hits into supernatural bleeding. It keeps Bleeding Touch, replaces Death’s Embrace with Killing Blow, and swaps three spells for sharper tools of assassination.
At a Glance
| Associated Domain | Death |
|---|---|
| Published Rules | Pathfinder 1e |
| Retained Power | Bleeding Touch |
| Replacement Power | Killing Blow replaces Death’s Embrace |
| Play Style | Weapon criticals, bleed damage and offensive death magic |
Edition Applicability
Murder is an official Pathfinder 1e subdomain associated with Death. It is not a standalone D&D 3.5 or 5e domain.
Murder Subdomain — Pathfinder 1e
Bleeding Touch (Sp)
As a melee touch attack, cause a living creature to take 1d6 bleed damage per round for a number of rounds equal to half your cleric level, minimum 1, or until the bleeding is stopped by a DC 15 Heal check or magical healing. You can use this ability 3 + your Wisdom modifier times per day.
Killing Blow (Su)
This replaces Death’s Embrace. At 8th level, whenever you confirm a critical hit with a melee or ranged weapon, the attack deals additional bleed damage equal to half your cleric level. You can use this ability once per day at 8th level, plus one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 8th.
Murder Subdomain Spells
| 1st | Cause Fear |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Death Knell |
| 3rd | Keen Edge (replaces Animate Dead) |
| 4th | Death Ward |
| 5th | Suffocation (replaces Slay Living) |
| 6th | Create Undead |
| 7th | Destruction |
| 8th | Create Greater Undead |
| 9th | Mass Suffocation (replaces Wail of the Banshee) |
How the Murder Subdomain Plays
Murder shifts Death toward weapon combat. Bleeding Touch remains useful at close range, while Killing Blow rewards critical hits and the replacement spells improve weapon lethality or attack breathing directly. It is far more aggressive than the funerary Repose Domain.
Priests, Cults and Sacred Duties
Murder cults sanctify deliberate killing rather than death as a natural boundary. Their rites are therefore very different from the work of undertakers, ancestor priests or guardians of the dead.
Related Domains and Character Options
Rules Sources and Licensing
Pathfinder 1e: Murder Subdomain from the Advanced Player’s Guide-era subdomain rules. It modifies the Death Domain by replacing Death’s Embrace and three domain spells.
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