Retribution Domain
The Retribution Domain has more than one published rules version. The official D&D 3.x version turns injury into a single devastating counterstrike, while a later Pathfinder-compatible third-party version uses fear, curses and a selective burst of force.
At a Glance
| Divine Sphere | Retribution, punishment, vengeance and consequences for wrongdoing |
|---|---|
| Official D&D Version | Forgotten Realms 3e / D&D 3.5e supplemental material |
| Later Variant | Pathfinder 1e-compatible third-party material from The Book of Divine Magic |
| Campaign Patrons | Horus, Loviatar, Osiris, Tyr and Hera |
| Play Style | Retaliation, judgement, curses and punitive divine magic |
Edition Applicability
The two panels below are separate published versions. Use one rules set at a time. The D&D 3.x panel is the official Wizards of the Coast Retribution Domain; the Pathfinder-compatible panel is third-party material and is labelled accordingly.
Retribution Domain — D&D 3.x / 3.5e
Rules status: official D&D supplemental domain.
Granted Power — Strike of Vengeance
Once per day, after you have been harmed by a creature in combat, you may make a melee or ranged weapon attack against that foe on your next action. If the attack hits, it deals maximum weapon damage.
Retribution Domain Spells
| 1st | Shield of Faith |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Bear’s Endurance |
| 3rd | Speak with Dead |
| 4th | Fire Shield |
| 5th | Mark of Justice |
| 6th | Banishment |
| 7th | Spell Turning |
| 8th | Discern Location |
| 9th | Storm of Vengeance |
Retribution Domain — Pathfinder 1e-compatible
Rules status: published third-party material from The Book of Divine Magic.
Retributive Touch
As a melee touch attack, you fill a foe’s mind with visions of retribution. On a successful touch, the target is shaken for 1 round.
Retributive Strike
At 8th level, once per day, you strike the ground with your fist or a melee weapon and release a 30-foot burst of force. Enemies in the burst take 8d4 force damage, with a Reflex save for half. Creatures you consider allies are unaffected.
Retribution Domain Spells
| 1st | Divine Strike |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Retribution |
| 3rd | Bestow Curse |
| 4th | Greater Retribution |
| 5th | Mark of Justice |
| 6th | Geas/Quest |
| 7th | Destruction |
| 8th | Holy Aura |
| 9th | Storm of Vengeance |
How the Retribution Domain Plays
The official D&D version is simple and dangerous: endure a blow, then answer with a perfectly placed retaliatory strike. Its spell list supports survival, finding wrongdoers and escalating punishment. The Pathfinder-compatible version is more overtly supernatural, moving from fear and curses into a burst attack that spares allies.
Who Grants the Retribution Domain?
The current domain directory associates Retribution with Horus, Loviatar, Osiris, Tyr and Hera. Those are campaign assignments; individual sourcebooks use their own deity lists.
What Are Retribution Priests Doing Now?
They are hunting oath-breakers, marking fugitives for judgement, investigating whether revenge has become disproportionate and deciding when punishment protects the community rather than simply satisfying anger.
Related Domains and Character Options
Rules Sources and Licensing
- D&D 3.x / 3.5e: Retribution appears in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting and Player’s Guide to Faerûn, with the domain also consolidated in later 3.5e references.
- Pathfinder-compatible variant: The Book of Divine Magic, 4 Winds Fantasy Gaming, 2009.
- Correction: the page now separates the official D&D domain from the later third-party variant rather than presenting only one as the whole history of the domain.
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