User:ThunderGod Cid/Cleric Stuff
Contents
Programmable Subtype[edit]
As the name suggests, programmable creatures do not think for themselves. They have not even the capacity for the slightest bit of processing ability, and are little more than shambling automatons that obey the orders of their creators as best as their limited comprehension allows.
A programmable creature left to its own devices typically has a deactivated form; when deactivated, it is indistinguishable from an inanimate object (whether it be a statue or a corpse). Once activated, a programmable creature has a set of instructions coded instilled into it by its creator (or its last commander, if it is a different being) hereafter referred to as a program. But programmable creatures are usually unable to reach the full potential indicated by their Challenge Rating unless a sentient creature (with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher) assumes direct control over them to enhance their abilities and coordinate their attacks.
Programmed[edit]
A programmed creature can obey the commands that its creator gives them. These commands can be as simple or complex as the creator desires, but are obviously limited by what the creature can actually do (for example, a creature commanded to go through a pit of acid may attempt to do so but will likely not survive, and a creature ordered to negotiate peace terms is not going to be able to do so when it cannot speak). It is not unreasonable, however, to direct your skeleton army to scale the enemy battlements with a pulley system and a winch or to alternatively set explosive charges and blast them straight to hell. The ability to perform such tasks is embedded in the creature’s programming; it just isn’t consciously aware of its knowledge.
Commanded[edit]
Command of programmable creatures is normally the right of their creator, but through appropriate abilities (rebuking attempts and control undead being two of the most notable) character can wrest control of programmable creatures.
By default, a character can control a number of programmable creatures that have a total combined Challenge Rating equal to his Hit Dice -2. Any others that they cannot control directly are automatically subject to their regular programming.
If a programmable creature is already under someone else’s command, anyone attempted to wrest control of the creature must make a caster level check which opposes that of the original controller. If the challenger’s check is higher, control over the creature(s) is transferred to them.
A commanded creature gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls and a +2 to damage rolls for every four Hit Dice its current commander possesses. In addition, he may directly govern the actions of the creatures on their turns (their place in the initiative count is unchanged) without any action on his part. Additional bonuses vary according to the creature’s original type and are noted in the creature‘s specific entry. In order to receive and maintain these benefits, the current commander must spend a swift action at the beginning of each of their turns, after which commanding any creatures under their control is a free action.
Why Are We Here?[edit]
OK, so the cleric is already one of the two or three best classes in Dungeons & Dragons (at least in terms of power level). So why is this even here? Despite the cleric’s undeniable awesomeness, the craptastical nature of some of its abilities and the sheer abusiveness of others have created an opportunity for revision.
But it’s not all the fault of the class itself; the other rules surrounding the cleric concerning the ambiguous relationship between Hit Dice and Challenge Rating have only hindered it in achieving cool powers. As a result, this cleric partly assumes the use of the Monster Level Equivalency Theory in its mechanics, although it is easily able to operate in other arenas as well.
In order to ensure that we aren’t fixing something that isn’t broken, let’s see what the SRD Cleric actually looks like:
- Ridiculously over-complicated turning/rebuking mechanics: No one really knows how turning undead is supposed to work; the best anyone can ever seem to come up with is conjecture. Why? Because the mechanic is poorly written and doesn’t help the cleric actually control or destroy any undead that aren’t a grossly lower Challenge Rating than himself. The only saving grace of turning attempts came with the introduction of Divine Metamagic in the Player’s Handbook II, which has problems of its own.
- Weak line of cure/inflict spells: Let’s face it, even with reduced levels, these spells suck. They heal nowhere near the amount of damage that they should, preventing the cleric from getting a decent healing spell until the appearance of heal at spell level 6. This has to change.
- Inability of clerics of any alignment to use either turning/rebuking or cure/inflict: The limitation of one of either turning and cure or rebuking and inflict was likely intended as a means to make clerics more varied by setting them apart by alignment, but instead it only took away what could have been a valuable option for both and mired it in their muddled perceptions of alignment.
- Divine Metamagic: The ability to substitute turning attempts for spell levels allows for the persisting of spells far beyond the normal capabilities of Persist Spell or any other Metamagic feat. This allows the cleric to persist spells as strong as divine power without a change in spell level. As undoubtedly cool as this is, it is a stratagem that is no longer possible if there are significant changes made to turning undead. A new--and possibly more balanced--version of Divine Metamagic is required to reflect this evolution.
- Domain spells & granted powers: Domains--and the powers they grant--are supposed to be what sets a particular cleric apart from his fellows. Too many granted powers are lame once-per-day abilities that don’t actually help the cleric do anything cool with any degree of regularity. Others grant access to other skills, which is fine but not worth a granted power in and of itself since it's mostly only used to allow the cleric access to prestige classes requiring certain skills that it doesn't otherwise have.
- Other spells: Certain cleric spells are ugly or unbalanced to a dangerous extreme; miracle is the most infamous offender. These spells are addressed separately, but will play a role in the class. Other spells are merely releveled in order to better suit the cleric’s needs. In a campaign where these relevels are permitted, it should be assumed that the wizard has similarly changed spell levels.
- Lack of competitiveness with prestige classes: There isn’t too much need to take base cleric levels once you can enter a prestige class. While prestige classes are great, they should be an equal option, not a clearly better option. There should at least be some incentive to be a cleric for all 20 levels of the game.
Cleric[edit]
The cleric (also sometimes called a priest) is the consummate user of divine magic, calling upon energy from another plane to make things happen. Whether or not a cleric believes in gods is more of a matter of choice rather than anything consequential; an ur-priest is now a cleric that hates gods and steals their powers rather than a prestige class.
| Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Saving Throws | Special | Spells per Day1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Cure, Turn/Rebuke Undead, Spells | 3 | 1+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | 4 | 2+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | Divine Metamagic | 4 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | 5 | 3+1 | 2+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | 5 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 | 5 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 | 6 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 | 6 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +6 | 6 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +7 | 6 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +7 | 6 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | 6 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13th | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | 6 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +9 | 6 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +9 | 6 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | 6 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 | 6 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | 1+1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 | 6 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | 2+1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | 6 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 3+1 | 3+1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | 6 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 5+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class Features[edit]
All of the following are class features of the cleric.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Clerics are proficient with all simple weapons, with all types of armor (light, medium, and heavy), and with shields (except tower shields).
If the cleric is affiliated with a particular deity, they are also automatically proficient with that deity’s favored weapon (and are treated as though they have the Martial Weapon Proficiency/Exotic Weapon Proficiency feats for that weapon for the purposes of qualifying for other feats).
If the cleric uses the SRD’s War Domain (or any homebrew versions with the same domain power) with this class, the normal War Domain power is replaced with a +2 competence bonus on attack and damage rolls made with their deity’s favored weapon.
Spells: A cleric casts divine spells, which are drawn from the cleric spell list. However, his alignment may restrict him from casting certain spells opposed to his moral or ethical beliefs; see Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells, below. A cleric must choose and prepare his spells in advance (see below).
To prepare or cast a spell, a cleric must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a cleric’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the cleric’s Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a cleric can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Cleric. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score. A cleric also gets one domain spell of each spell level he can cast, starting at 1st level. When a cleric prepares a spell in a domain spell slot, it must come from one of his two domains (see Deity, Domains, and Domain Spells, below).
Clerics meditate or pray for their spells. Each cleric must choose a time at which he must spend 1 hour each day in quiet contemplation or supplication to regain his daily allotment of spells. Time spent resting has no effect on whether a cleric can prepare spells. A cleric may prepare and cast any spell on the cleric spell list, provided that he can cast spells of that level, but he must choose which spells to prepare during his daily meditation.
Deity, Domains, and Domain Spells: A cleric’s deity influences his alignment, what magic he can perform, his values, and how others see him. A cleric chooses two domains from among those belonging to his deity. A cleric can select an alignment domain (Chaos, Evil, Good, or Law) only if his alignment matches that domain.
If a cleric is not devoted to a particular deity, he still selects two domains to represent his spiritual inclinations and abilities. The restriction on alignment domains still applies.
Each domain gives the cleric access to a domain spell at each spell level he can cast, from 1st on up, as well as a granted power. The cleric gets the granted powers of both the domains selected.
With access to two domain spells at a given spell level, a cleric prepares one or the other each day in his domain spell slot. If a domain spell is not on the cleric spell list, a cleric can prepare it only in his domain spell slot.
Cure (Sp): As a standard action, the cleric may spend a spell slot to heal a single target within Close range for a number of hit points equal to their caster level + their Wisdom modifier then multiplied by X, where X is equal to 1 plus the level of the consumed spell slot.
Surplus healing above the target’s maximum hit points is added as temporary hit points at a rate of 1 temporary hp per 2 points of excess healing. The temporary hit points last for 1 round per caster level and can be refreshed by additional uses of the cure ability on the same target.
By increasing the spell level of the spent spell slot by 2, you can have the cure effect target one creature per caster level in Close Range. Increasing the spent spell slot to generate this effect does not increase the healing per target. A single creature cannot be selected multiple times by using this effect.
Cure is not considered a prepared spell for the cleric and may be cast spontaneously using any spell slots which the cleric has not already used for the day. This allows the cleric to make better use of their spell list and still have healing covered.
Metamagic feats can also be applied to this ability using the standard modifiers to spell level (at the expense of the additional healing if a higher-level spell slot needs to be used).
If the cleric applies the cure effect as a melee touch, the healing is automatically Empowered (increased by half, rounded down) without a change in spell level even if the cleric does not have the Empower Spell feat. Because this use of the effect is already treated as Empowered, it cannot be Empowered again through use of metamagic. This bonus effect cannot be applied if the cleric is using the massed version of the cure effect described above.
Turn/Rebuke Undead (Su): Any cleric, regardless of alignment, has the power to affect undead creatures by channeling the power of his faith through his holy (or unholy) symbol. Alignment no longer determines a cleric's ability to either turn or rebuke undead; any cleric of any alignment can do either at their discretion, although certain religions will still frown upon the practice of rebuking/controlling the undead.
A cleric may attempt to turn undead a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. In addition, for every 5 ranks the cleric has in the Knowledge (religion) skill, they may turn undead one additional time per day.
When the cleric chooses to turn or rebuke, the ability affects undead within 60 feet (targeting the closest undead first). With each particular turning attempt, a total number of undead with a cumulative Challenge Rating equal to the cleric's caster level. For the purposes of calculating cumulative Challenge Rating for this ability, for every two Challenge Rating a creature is lower than the cleric's caster level their effective Challenge Rating is cut in half. For example, a 6th level cleric could turn one creature up to CR 6-8 (with varying effects based on the exact CR), two creatures of CR 4, three creatures of CR 3, four creatures of CR 2, six creatures of CR 1, and so on.
For every 2 points of turn resistance the creature has under legacy rules, increase their effective Challenge Rating for the purposes of being turned/rebuked by a cleric by 1. If a creature has turn immunity under legacy rules, their effective Challenge Rating for the purposes of being turned/rebuked by a cleric is increased by 4.
| CR of Creature | Effect of Turning | Effect of Rebuking |
|---|---|---|
| Greater than cleric’s CL (up to CL +2) | The undead incurs penalties as though inside a consecrated area. | The creature is bolstered as though in a desecrated area, except that any bonuses to turn resistance do not apply to the cleric granting the effect. |
| Equal to cleric’s CL | Creature is cleansed by the cleric’s holy energy, taking 1d6 points of damage per caster level. A successful Will halves the damage dealt. | The undead is infused with a high level of negative energy, being healed 1d6 points of damage per caster level of the cleric. Alternatively, the cleric may cut off the reserve of negative energy to the undead, forcing it to make a Will save or be dazed for 1 round. |
| Cleric’s CL -2 | In addition to taking damage, an undead that fails their Will save must flee with all speed from the cleric for one round per caster level. | Undead creatures no longer recognize the cleric as an enemy and will not attack him even if commanded to do so. |
| Cleric’s CL -4 or lower | Clerics that fail their Will save against the cleric’s turning are destroyed. A successful save deals normal damage. | The creature must make a Will save or fall under the cleric’s mental control. Controlled undead follow the caster's commands but this is limited to the caster's ability to concentrate. In case two clerics try to control the same undead; the cleric with the higher caster level wins. If the undead in question were created by one of the clerics trying to control them, add +4 to their effective caster level for the purposes of determining whose commands are obeyed. |
Divine Metamagic:
Cleric Spell List[edit]
Level 1[edit]
- enlarge person
- sanctuary
- rhino's rush SpC
- entropic shield
- obscuring mist
Level 2[edit]
Level 3[edit]
Level 4[edit]
Level 5[edit]
Level 6[edit]
Level 7[edit]
Level 8[edit]
