Samhain Subdomain
The Samhain Subdomain is Pathfinder 1e third-party material tied to the Death Domain. It treats Samhain as a sacred threshold between death and rebirth, replacing parts of the parent domain with bleeding magic and heightened command of necromancy.
At a Glance
| Rules Type | Pathfinder 1e subdomain |
|---|---|
| Parent Domain | Death Domain |
| Source | Book of the Faithful: Celtic Subdomains (2013) |
| Author / Publisher | Richard Moore / Jon Brazer Enterprises |
| Campaign Patron | Arawn |
| Play Style | Necromancy specialist, anti-undead caster and death-boundary priest |
Edition Applicability
These are Pathfinder 1e-compatible third-party rules. Samhain is a subdomain, so it modifies its parent Death Domain rather than functioning as an independent modern Cleric subclass. No D&D 5e/2014 or 5.5e/2024 conversion is presented here.
Samhain Subdomain — Pathfinder 1e
Rules status: published third-party Pathfinder-compatible subdomain.
Bleeding Touch
As a melee touch attack, you cause a living creature to take 1d6 damage per round. The effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to half your Cleric level, minimum 1, or until ended by a DC 15 Heal check or an effect that restores hit points. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
Secrets of Death
At 8th level, you may cast necromancy spells as though your caster level were 1 higher and your Wisdom score 2 higher. At 16th level, those increases become +2 caster levels and +4 Wisdom. The ability can be used a number of times per day equal to half your Cleric level.
Samhain Subdomain Spells
| 1st | Hide from Undead |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Death Knell |
| 3rd | Speak with Dead |
| 4th | Death Ward |
| 5th | Mass Ghostbane Dirge |
| 6th | Undeath to Death |
| 7th | Destruction |
| 8th | Undead Anatomy IV |
| 9th | Wail of the Banshee |
How the Samhain Subdomain Plays
Samhain is less about creating undead than about understanding the boundary they cross. Bleeding Touch gives the priest a repeatable offensive power, while Secrets of Death makes necromancy more reliable and potent at higher levels. The spell list supports speaking with the dead, defending against death magic, destroying undead and finally wielding deathly power directly.
Arawn and Samhain
The current domain directory associates the subdomain with Arawn. His rule of the Otherworld makes him a strong campaign patron for a subdomain centred on death, transition and the permeability of the boundary between worlds.
What Are Samhain Priests Doing Now?
They are guarding seasonal crossings, questioning spirits that should have moved on, deciding whether restless dead are messengers or intruders, and investigating places where the boundary between the living world and the Otherworld has become dangerously thin.
Related Domains and Character Options
Rules Sources and Licensing
Pathfinder 1e third-party: Book of the Faithful: Celtic Subdomains © 2013 Jon Brazer Enterprises; author Richard Moore. The old page’s four embedded videos were presentation clutter and have been removed.
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