Venom

Clerics of the Venom Domain are often falsely accused of worshiping the Serpent Mother, leading many to conceal their abilities. In reality, most Venom Domain clerics follow the Spider Queen. It is only through the tenuous Divine Truce that her clerics are accepted in civilized society. They are secretly employed as assassins and investigators willing to venture into the darker corners of the world. The grotesque spider-eye goblins have been known to exhibit some mastery over the Venom Domain, although it is unclear where they receive their abilities from.

Bonus Cantrip

When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain the poison spray cantrip if you don’t already know it.

Teachings of the Spider Queen

At 1st level, you become proficient with the poisoner’s kit, if you are not already.

Venom Domain Spells

Cleric Level	Spells
1st	ray of sickness, speak with animals (spiders only)
3rd	beast sense (spiders only), ray of enfeeblement
5th	conjure animals (spiders only), spiders’ potency*
7th	bite of the mamba*, inquisition*
9th	cloudkill, serpent hands*

*see note three: new spells

Blood of Venom

Also at 1st level, you can use your action to cause venom to run through your veins for 1 minute. During this time, you can use a bonus action to envenom a piercing or slashing melee weapon that you touch with your blood, damaging yourself according to the table below. On the next successful attack made with the weapon, the target must make a Constitution saving throw or take 1d10 additional poison damage. If the save fails by 5 or more, the target is also poisoned for 1 minute.

Weapon	Damage
Light	1
One-handed	3
Versatile	4
Two-handed	5

Channel Divinity: Spider’s Caress

Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity to place a vile curse on your enemies.

As an action, you present your holy symbol and invoke the name of your deity. Choose a number of creatures up to your Wisdom modifier within 30 feet of you that you can see. These creatures must make a Constitution saving throw or suffer disadvantage on saving throws against poison for 1 minute. Starting at 8th level, any resistance (but not immunity) the targets may have against poison damage is removed for the duration.

Thick Carapace

Starting at 6th level, your body begins to produce a strong carapace as you take on arachnid features. While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit. Additionally, you have advantage on saving throws against poison and resistance against poison damage.

Potent Spellcasting

Starting at 8th level, you add your Wisdom modifier to the damage you deal with any cleric cantrip.

Arachnoid Apotheosis

Starting at 17th level, you gain immunity to the poisoned condition and poison damage. Additionally, you gain a bite attack that deals 1d4 piercing damage. On a successful bite attack, the target must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 2d6 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If this poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.