Ocean Domain
The Ocean Domain is an official D&D 3.5 sphere of life beneath the waves, cold water and the crushing movement of the sea. Its granted power lets a cleric breathe underwater for a limited time each day, while its spells build toward waterspouts, maelstroms and water elementals.
At a Glance
| Divine Sphere | Ocean, deep water, underwater survival and violent seas |
|---|---|
| Published Rules | D&D 3.5e |
| Granted Power | Water breathing for up to 1 minute per level per day |
| Campaign Associations | Amphitrite, Oceanus, Poseidon |
| Play Style | Aquatic exploration, cold control and large-scale water magic |
Edition Applicability
The Ocean Domain here follows the D&D 3.5 version collected in Spell Compendium. It is distinct from Pathfinder’s Oceans subdomain and is not presented as an official 5e domain.
Ocean Domain — D&D 3.5e
Granted Power (Su)
You can breathe water as though affected by water breathing for up to 1 minute per level each day. The effect begins automatically when needed, stops when no longer needed, and can activate multiple times so long as you do not exceed the total daily duration.
Ocean Domain Spells
| 1st | Endure Elements |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Sound Burst |
| 3rd | Water Breathing |
| 4th | Freedom of Movement |
| 5th | Wall of Ice |
| 6th | Freezing Sphere |
| 7th | Waterspout |
| 8th | Maelstrom |
| 9th | Elemental Swarm (water only) |
How the Ocean Domain Plays
Ocean is at its best in coastal, island and underwater campaigns. The granted power removes one of the most basic obstacles to aquatic adventuring, while the spell list mixes survival, movement, cold damage and increasingly dangerous control of water.
Ocean and Water
The Water Domain is the broader elemental sphere. Ocean is specifically maritime: depth, waves, ice, currents and the creatures and dangers of open water.
Priests, Temples and Sacred Duties
Ocean priests bless voyages, read dangerous seas, serve island and harbour communities and act as intermediaries between land-dwellers and powers beneath the waves. Their sacred places are often coasts, islands, sea caves and deep-water shrines.
Related Domains and Character Options
Rules Sources and Licensing
D&D 3.5e: Ocean Domain, collected in Spell Compendium. The granted power and nine-level spell list above follow that published rules entry.
Keep this reference growing
If this page helped with your reading or game, you can support its upkeep or explore the curated books.
Explore the Bookshop — epics, classics and stories behind imagined worlds.