Earth Domain
The Earth Domain turns earth, stone, soil, mountains, metal and elemental creatures of earth into a cleric’s sacred practice and usable rules. Its exact mechanics depend on edition, so the published Pathfinder and 3.5e versions are kept separate rather than blended together.
At a Glance
| Divine Sphere | Earth, stone, soil, mountains, metal and elemental creatures of earth |
|---|---|
| Typical Role | Durable elemental priest, terrain shaper and stone-focused controller |
| Published Rules | Pathfinder 1e and D&D 3.5e |
| Modern D&D Status | Complete GM-approved original 2024 and 2014 campaign subclasses, not official same-named published domains. |
| Typical Patrons | Geb, Papatūānuku, Ops, Rūaumoko |
| Primary Ability | Wisdom in Pathfinder 1e; edition-specific Cleric rules otherwise |
Edition Applicability
Earth priests bring stone and unstable ground under divine protection. The published Pathfinder and 3.5e versions retain their original powers; 2024 and 2014 are playable original conversions requiring GM approval.
Earth Domain — D&D 2024
Complete original campaign conversion requiring GM approval; not a published official same-named subclass. Choose at Cleric level 3, following the 2024 Divine Order, Channel Divinity and Blessed Strikes rules. Spells from earlier supplements used in a 2024 campaign require GM-approved 2024 conversions; do not assume they were reprinted.
2024 Earth Domain Spells
The spells become always prepared when you reach the listed Cleric level, count as Cleric spells and don’t count against normal preparations.
| Cleric Level | Always-Prepared Spells |
|---|---|
| 3 | Earth Tremor, Shield, Earthbind, Spike Growth |
| 5 | Erupting Earth, Meld into Stone |
| 7 | Stone Shape, Stoneskin |
| 9 | Wall of Stone, Transmute Rock |
Level 3 — Stone-Warden
You gain proficiency in Nature or Mason’s Tools (your choice); if you already have both, gain Survival. Once on each turn when you make a Wisdom (Survival) check to read unstable ground or a check using Mason’s Tools, add your Proficiency Bonus a second time to that check.
Level 3 — Channel Divinity: Shifting Ground
As a Magic action, expend one Channel Divinity use and choose a 15-foot Cube of solid ground within 60 feet. Ground in the Cube becomes Difficult Terrain for 1 minute. Creatures standing there when you use this feature make a Dexterity saving throw against your Cleric spell save DC. A creature that fails takes 2d8 Bludgeoning damage and has the Prone condition; on success it takes half damage and isn’t Prone. This effect does not collapse buildings or affect creatures that aren’t touching the ground.
Level 6 — Bedrock Intercession
When you or an ally you can see within 30 feet takes Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage, use your Reaction to grant Resistance to that instance of damage. The target must be on earth or stone. Uses equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum one) per Long Rest.
Level 17 — The Living Rampart
As a Bonus Action, you gain a 20-foot Emanation of shifting protective stone for 1 minute, while you remain on earth or stone. Allies you choose in the Emanation gain Half Cover against ranged attacks. Hostile creatures in the Emanation treat the ground as Difficult Terrain. The effect ends if you have the Incapacitated condition. Once you use it, regain it on a Long Rest.
Earth Domain — D&D 2014
Complete original campaign conversion requiring GM approval; not a published official same-named subclass. Choose at Cleric level 1 and follow the 2014 Cleric domain and Channel Divinity progression. Spells from earlier supplements used in a 2024 campaign require GM-approved 2024 conversions; do not assume they were reprinted.
2014 Earth Domain Spells
The spells become always prepared when you reach the listed Cleric level, count as Cleric spells and don’t count against normal preparations.
| Cleric Level | Always-Prepared Spells |
|---|---|
| 1 | Earth Tremor, Shield |
| 3 | Earthbind, Spike Growth |
| 5 | Erupting Earth, Meld into Stone |
| 7 | Stone Shape, Stoneskin |
| 9 | Wall of Stone, Transmute Rock |
Level 1 — Stone-Warden
Gain proficiency in Nature or Mason’s Tools. If you already have both, gain Survival. You have advantage on Survival checks to recognise dangerous natural ground.
Level 2 — Channel Divinity: Shifting Ground
As an action, present your holy symbol and expend Channel Divinity to shift a 15-foot Cube of solid ground you can see within 60 feet. It becomes difficult terrain for 1 minute. Creatures standing there when you use it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your cleric spell save DC or take 2d8 bludgeoning damage and fall prone; on success they take half damage and don’t fall prone. No damage to structures.
Level 6 — Bedrock Intercession
When you or an ally on stone or earth within 30 feet takes bludgeoning, piercing or slashing damage, use your reaction to grant resistance to that instance. Uses equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum once) per long rest.
Level 8 — Divine Strike
Once on each of your turns when you hit with a weapon attack, the target takes an additional 1d8 bludgeoning damage. This becomes 2d8 at Cleric level 14.
Level 17 — The Living Rampart
As an action, you create a 20-foot-radius aura of protective stone for 1 minute while standing on earth or stone. Allies within it have half cover against ranged attacks, and the ground is difficult terrain for hostile creatures. It ends if you are incapacitated; regain use after a long rest.
Earth Domain — Pathfinder 1e
Rules status: published Pathfinder 1e Core Rulebook domain.
Acid Dart
As a standard action, make a ranged touch attack against one foe within 30 feet. On a hit, the dart deals 1d6 acid damage + 1 for every two Cleric levels. Uses per day equal 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
Acid Resistance
At 6th level you gain acid resistance 10. It becomes 20 at 12th level, and at 20th level you gain immunity to acid.
Pathfinder 1e Earth Domain Spells
| 1st | Magic Stone |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Soften Earth and Stone |
| 3rd | Stone Shape |
| 4th | Spike Stones |
| 5th | Wall of Stone |
| 6th | Stoneskin |
| 7th | Elemental Body IV (earth only) |
| 8th | Earthquake |
| 9th | Elemental Swarm (earth only) |
Earth Domain — D&D 3.5e
Rules status: published D&D 3.5e SRD domain.
Granted Power
You can turn or destroy Air creatures as a good Cleric turns undead, and rebuke, command or bolster Earth creatures as an evil Cleric rebukes undead. These abilities share 3 + your Charisma modifier uses per day.
D&D 3.5e Earth Domain Spells
| 1st | Magic Stone |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Soften Earth and Stone |
| 3rd | Stone Shape |
| 4th | Spike Stones |
| 5th | Wall of Stone |
| 6th | Stoneskin |
| 7th | Earthquake |
| 8th | Iron Body |
| 9th | Elemental Swarm (earth only) |
How the Earth Domain Plays
Earth clerics excel when terrain matters. Their spell lists turn walls, floors and stonework into tools, while Pathfinder adds a repeatable ranged attack and durability against acid.
Who Grants the Earth Domain?
Geb, Papatūānuku, Ops, Rūaumoko are strong existing site patrons where the relevant sphere is established in their portfolio. The domain should not be assigned solely because a deity has a superficial association with the same word or element.
Priests, Temples and Rites
Earth can mean fertile soil, mountains, buried wealth, stone architecture, earthquakes or the chthonic depth beneath settlements. The patron decides which aspect dominates. Temples, symbols and rites should therefore grow from the patron culture rather than from a generic domain template.
What Are Earth Priests Doing Now?
Earth priests are inspecting mines, stabilising damaged foundations, judging quarry rights, reading earthquake omens and dealing with elemental beings disturbed by tunnelling or warfare.
Related Domains and Character Options
Rules Sources and Licensing
Modern rules status: Both 2024 and 2014 Earth subclasses above are original campaign adaptations requiring GM approval and are not official same-named published subclasses. Spells from 2014 supplementary books used with 2024 rules may need conversion. Pathfinder 1e and 3.5e domain powers below retain their published editions.
- Pathfinder 1e: powers and spell list follow the Pathfinder Core Rulebook Cleric domain reference.
- D&D 3.5e: granted power and spell list follow the 3.5 SRD Cleric Domains.
- Modern D&D: No official same-named Earth Domain in 2014 or 2024 D&D. Nature and Forge cover different parts of the concept in 2014 material.
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