Clerics can prove to be one of the most challenging characters to convince a PC to want to play. Despite being the most well-rounded (and strongest overall) class in the game, a cleric's role in the party quickly becomes that of support. Face it, support classes are not "fun". The cleric's primary niches are healing (which isn't exciting) and undead-fighting (which is contingent upon being up against undead). When playing a cleric, you have to accept that when it comes to combat (undead excluded), whether it's fighting prowess or spell-hurling, there's more than one class out there that's a lot better at it than you are.
The redeeming quality of the cleric is how much of a blast it is to role-play one. It's a challenge sure; you have to remember you're playing a character who is so dedicated to a particular way that he/she's devoted their entire life to it. It takes (or should take) a great deal of homework, but it pays off in the end.
First off, you get a legitimate excuse to be stubborn. If your deity doesn't like a particular action, your character would not do it (no matter how much the rest of the party may want you to); if your deity commands a particular action, your character must obey. You're a cleric and your deity is your life (that's why you're a cleric).
For example, I play a cleric of Wee Jas (lawful neutral goddess of death and magic) in one campaign. As a cleric of a death goddess, I will not accept a resurrection if one is cast on me nor will I resurrect slain party members as death is the natural and inevitable end of all things.
Second, you have (in my opinion) a significantly more interesting objective when it comes to adventuring: Furthering your deity's cause (if only in a general way, though sometimes not). To every cleric is a mission that is never finished. Whether that mission involves protecting the innocent, punishing the guilty or killing everyone (Erythnul) THAT is your mission. Everything else is just side-quests.
Here are a few things to think about when role-playing your cleric:
1. Is there a church hierarchy to climb? Church politics/intrigue to get embroiled in? Secular politics/intrigue to get embroiled in? Are you in good standing with your church, or did you defect (possibly due to politics/intrigue)? Clerics do not need to be a member of any religious order (nor do they need to worship any specific deity), but most are.
2. Besides obvious differences in class mechanics, what separates a cleric of Obad-Hai or Ehlonna from a druid or ranger? What separates a cleric of Heironeous from a paladin? If you're playing a cleric of a deity where a question like this could arise, you should have an answer to that question. "Class mechanics" is not a good answer.
3. How do you feel about clerics/worshippers of other deities? Keep in mind that while alignment is a good starting point, it is not black-and-white. Also, you may not like worshippers of other deities simply because they are worshippers of other deities, regardless of alignment or world-view.
4. Clerics of the same deity don't HAVE to be the same alignment. How do you feel about clerics/worshippers of your own deity with different takes on what your deity means? Do you accept their differences with open-mindedness, view them as misguided and attempt to educate them, or do you consider their views blasphemous (perhaps even hunting them as heretics)?
5. Do you prefer to further your cause through word or through deed? Are you out to convert the masses or are you a more subtle enforcer of your deity's wishes with little concern of attracting followers?
I'll be following up this post with posts regarding specific deities. I'll try and cover the entire core of the Greyhawk pantheon (all the ones in the Player's Handbook with a few, like Lolth, that aren't); though I'd like to branch out to other pantheons from there, especially real-world pantheons (I'm a mythology nut).
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Homemade Prestige Class: Legionary
While I still try to come up with an angle for this blog, here's a custom-made prestige class I drew up for a campaign I did some time ago. I really enjoyed playing the class. I'm sure something like it probably already exists somewhere, but I haven't find one yet.
I wasn't thinking of it at the time, but now that I think about it this class could be re-named Spartan.
Legionary
A 10 level prestige class with Fighter in mind as the base class. It has a slower bonus feat progression (3 over the course of 10 levels instead of 5) but gains additional offensive and defensive uses of a shield.
A Paladin could easily become a viable Legionary as well, but I left out the ability to multiclass freely between the two classes on purpose (Legionaries are a martial class (basically specialized Fighters) and a Paladin would face the same restrictions as if multiclassing Fighter).
Requirements:
Proficient with all martial weapons, heavy armor and shields
Endurance and Improved Shield Bash feats
Base attack +5
Must be lawful
Class skills and skills per level are same as a Fighter's
Hit die are d10s
Good base attack progression and good fort saves (as Fighters)
Bonus feats: Legionaries select bonus feats from the Fighter bonus feat list. They gain one at every 3rd level (3, 6 and 9).
Impenetrable Wall: Starting at 1st level, whenever a Legionary is wielding a heavy or tower shield and is adjacent to an ally who is also wielding a heavy or tower shield, they both gain an additional +1 shield bonus to their AC. At 4th level this bonus becomes +2, at 7th level it becomes +3 and at 10th level it becomes +4.
Sword and Board: At 2nd level a Legionary gains the Two-Weapon Fighting feat. At 6th level he gains Improved Two-Weapon Fighting and at 10th level he gains Greater Two-Weapon Fighting. He does not need to meet the normal prerequisites for these feats, but he must be proficient with the weapon in his main hand and using a shield as his off-hand "weapon".
Indomitable: Once per day starting at 4th level, a Legionary may take 10 minus his Con modifier (minimum 1) in minutes of rest to have the effect of a Lesser Restoration on himself. This functions as an extraordinary ability.
I wasn't thinking of it at the time, but now that I think about it this class could be re-named Spartan.
Legionary
A 10 level prestige class with Fighter in mind as the base class. It has a slower bonus feat progression (3 over the course of 10 levels instead of 5) but gains additional offensive and defensive uses of a shield.
A Paladin could easily become a viable Legionary as well, but I left out the ability to multiclass freely between the two classes on purpose (Legionaries are a martial class (basically specialized Fighters) and a Paladin would face the same restrictions as if multiclassing Fighter).
Requirements:
Proficient with all martial weapons, heavy armor and shields
Endurance and Improved Shield Bash feats
Base attack +5
Must be lawful
Class skills and skills per level are same as a Fighter's
Hit die are d10s
Good base attack progression and good fort saves (as Fighters)
Bonus feats: Legionaries select bonus feats from the Fighter bonus feat list. They gain one at every 3rd level (3, 6 and 9).
Impenetrable Wall: Starting at 1st level, whenever a Legionary is wielding a heavy or tower shield and is adjacent to an ally who is also wielding a heavy or tower shield, they both gain an additional +1 shield bonus to their AC. At 4th level this bonus becomes +2, at 7th level it becomes +3 and at 10th level it becomes +4.
Sword and Board: At 2nd level a Legionary gains the Two-Weapon Fighting feat. At 6th level he gains Improved Two-Weapon Fighting and at 10th level he gains Greater Two-Weapon Fighting. He does not need to meet the normal prerequisites for these feats, but he must be proficient with the weapon in his main hand and using a shield as his off-hand "weapon".
Indomitable: Once per day starting at 4th level, a Legionary may take 10 minus his Con modifier (minimum 1) in minutes of rest to have the effect of a Lesser Restoration on himself. This functions as an extraordinary ability.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Introduction
I first gained an interest in Dungeons & Dragons at the ripe age of 8 or so. My oldest brother had obtained a copy of the Monstrous Manual for AD&D 2.0. I'd been playing games like Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior since I was 4-5; I loved the concept of fantastic worlds of monsters and magic. Needless to say, I was absolutely enamored by the book. I would borrow it and look at the pictures and read about the monsters whenever his back was turned.
Three years later I finally realized that there was significantly more to D&D than monsters and I bought the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide and High-Level Campaigns book (don't ask me why I got the last one). I also appropriated my brother's book (he'd lost interest in it). About a year after that, I approached one of my best friends with the idea of starting a campaign.
For the original campaign there were five of us (four regulars and one who made it when he could, about every other session). I was the DM. However, the rules of AD&D 2.0 are fairly complicated (at least for a group of middle-schoolers) and we didn't bother to learn them through and through. Battles would consist of d20 rolls that either 'sounded like they were probably high enough to hit' or were 'probably not high enough to hit'. Speed factors were thrown out the window, as were miniatures/battle-maps.
Still, the story my friends and I invented kicked ass (I wish I remembered most of it). We all had an absolute blast.
Now, several years later, I play in two campaigns (v3.5) with a different group of people (my old friends and I have all gone our seperate ways since high school). I spend a sizeable portion of my free time playing around with new ideas for characters, magic items, classes, etc. My mother once asked me why I don't teach a class on it (I told her they don't have those, she followed up with a 'why not?'). I decided to start a blog on it instead.
Three years later I finally realized that there was significantly more to D&D than monsters and I bought the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide and High-Level Campaigns book (don't ask me why I got the last one). I also appropriated my brother's book (he'd lost interest in it). About a year after that, I approached one of my best friends with the idea of starting a campaign.
For the original campaign there were five of us (four regulars and one who made it when he could, about every other session). I was the DM. However, the rules of AD&D 2.0 are fairly complicated (at least for a group of middle-schoolers) and we didn't bother to learn them through and through. Battles would consist of d20 rolls that either 'sounded like they were probably high enough to hit' or were 'probably not high enough to hit'. Speed factors were thrown out the window, as were miniatures/battle-maps.
Still, the story my friends and I invented kicked ass (I wish I remembered most of it). We all had an absolute blast.
Now, several years later, I play in two campaigns (v3.5) with a different group of people (my old friends and I have all gone our seperate ways since high school). I spend a sizeable portion of my free time playing around with new ideas for characters, magic items, classes, etc. My mother once asked me why I don't teach a class on it (I told her they don't have those, she followed up with a 'why not?'). I decided to start a blog on it instead.
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