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View Full Version : D&D 3.x Class Clerical Variants



Xuldarinar
2014-03-11, 05:10 AM
Just some cleric variants that came to my mind so I thought I'd share. These are, at least so far, certainly usable with druids instead with little to no change (like nyctotheistic druids would either not gain domains since druids don't normally, or you could use the house rule mentioned in UA and give them a single domain). I'll almost certainly add more as time goes on, but for now, here you go.

CLERIC VARIANT: ARDENT CLERIC
Pledged towards philosophical concepts in place of deities, ardent clerics carry a differing assortment of abilities from their standard brethren.

Class Features

Spells and Domains: Ardent clerics, unlike standard clerics, do not draw from the cleric spell list except for when it comes to orisons. Instead, they gain a larger assortment of domains. At 1st level, an ardent cleric acquires access to two domains of their choice. At each level divisible by 4 thereafter (4th, 8th, 12th, ect.), an ardent cleric gains access to an additional domain.
Ardent clerics may possess domains that oppose their own alignment, and may cast spells of any alignment descriptor regardless of their own alignment.

Turn or Rebuke Undead: Ardent clerics do not inherently acquire this class feature. Should an ardent cleric obtain a domain that modifies turn undead, such as the sun domain, they then acquire the ability to turn undead.


CLERIC VARIANT: NYCTOTHEISTIC CLERIC
Drawing from faith warped by shadow, nyctotheistic clerics wield magics considered alien to standard clerics. What he gives up in verity, he gains in an ever growing bond to shadow.

Class Features

Mysteries: Instead of castings spells, nyctotheistic clerics cast mysteries. When preparing mysteries, which are generally prepared during the night in a manner not dissimilar to that of a cleric, a nyctotheistic cleric can prepare 3 fundamentals plus 1 for every 4 cleric levels they possess, and 1 mystery per cleric level. In order to prepare a mystery above 1st, they must have twice the mystery's level in non-fundamental mysteries prepared. For instance, in order to prepare a 5th level mystery, a nyctotheisitc cleric must have 10 other mysteries prepared of at least 1st level. As with shadowcasters, a nyctotheistic cannot skip in paths during preparation. Each fundamental may be cast 3/day as supernatural abilities. Each mystery may be cast 1/day as a divine spell, and observers may make a DC 15 Spot check to note that the nyctotheistic cleric's shadow is making different gestures from themselves. When a nyctotheisitc cleric has at least 1 4th level mystery prepared, all apprentice path mysteries prepared become usable 2/day as spell-like abilities. When a nyctotheisitc cleric has at least 1 7th level mystery prepared, all apprentice path mysteries become usable 3/day as supernatural abilities and all initiate path mysteries become usable 2/day as spell-like abilities.
They still may prepare a single domain spell per spell level, which may be used 1/day. They may spontaneously sacrifice uses of mysteries of the appropriate level to gain additional uses of their domain spell.
Nyctotheistic clerics, as standard clerics, cast entirely using Wisdom.


CLERIC VARIANT: MADDENED CLERIC
While clarity of mind drives forward most clerics, there are a rare few that a lack there of enhances their magics. These are maddened clerics.

Class Features

Spellcasting: Maddened clerics cast as normal clerics, but with one exception. Instead of using their wisdom score normally for preparing and casting spells, the score is effectively inverted for this purpose. Subtract their wisdom modifier instead of add it for the purpose of spell DCs, and in order to prepare or cast a spell the maddened cleric must have a wisdom score equal to 10 minus the spell level.

Maddened clerics with the madness domain may treat their wisdom score as 2 lower strictly for the purposes of spellcasting, even if this effective wisdom score would be negative.

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If you are using the sanity system, then instead of using the above follow the table below. The equivalent ability scores listed below are strictly for the purpose of casting spells as a maddened cleric and has no other purpose. Possessing the madness domain gives you a +2 bonus to this effective ability score. For instance, a maddened cleric who possesses a sanity score of 37 would cast as if they had a casting ability score of 13. A maddened cleric with the madness domain and the same sanity score would cast as if they had a casting ability score of 15.

{table=head]Sanity Score|Ability Score Equivalent
100+|1
90-99|2
85-89|3
80-84|4
75-79|5
70-74|6
65-69|7
60-64|8
55-59|9
50-54|10
45-49|11
40-44|12
35-39|13
30-34|14
25-29|15
20-24|16
15-19|17
10-14|18
5-9|19
0-4|20 [/table]

The Dragon
2014-03-11, 08:36 AM
Class Features

Spellcasting: Maddened clerics cast as normal clerics, but with one exception. Instead of using their wisdom score normally for preparing and casting spells, the score is effectively inverted for this purpose. Subtract their wisdom modifier instead of add it for the purpose of spell DCs, and in order to prepare or cast a spell the maddened cleric must have a wisdom score equal to 10 minus the spell level.

Maddened clerics with the madness domain may treat their wisdom score as 2 lower strictly for the purposes of spellcasting, even if this effective wisdom score would be negative.

-

If you are using the sanity system, then instead of using the above follow the table below. The equivalent ability scores listed below are strictly for the purpose of casting spells as a maddened cleric and has no other purpose. Possessing the madness domain gives you a +2 bonus to this effective ability score. For instance, a maddened cleric who possesses a sanity score of 37 would cast as if they had a casting ability score of 13. A maddened cleric with the madness domain and the same sanity score would cast as if they had a casting ability score of 15.

{table=head]Sanity Score|Ability Score Equivalent
100+|1
90-99|2
85-89|3
80-84|4
75-79|5
70-74|6
65-69|7
60-64|8
55-59|9
50-54|10
45-49|11
40-44|12
35-39|13
30-34|14
25-29|15
20-24|16
15-19|17
10-14|18
5-9|19
0-4|20 [/table]

Neat Concept.

20 wisdom on a cleric is a lot at level 1, and crap at level 20.

I'd recommend a table that looks like the bonus pp/day instead. Effective wisdom needs to scale with levels on a cleric.

Xuldarinar
2014-03-11, 10:39 AM
Neat Concept.

20 wisdom on a cleric is a lot at level 1, and crap at level 20.

I'd recommend a table that looks like the bonus pp/day instead. Effective wisdom needs to scale with levels on a cleric.

Thats not a bad idea, but will require some work. I'll certainly work on that.

TheFamilarRaven
2014-03-12, 10:22 PM
One concern with this Cleric of Madness is, well, one Touch of Idiocy spell could put him in a coma. And while I think the idea is neat, as The Dragon, not only would they need scaling bonuses by level, but immunity to abilities to drain/damage Wisdom, otherwise, no one would want to play them .... especially since they'll also take a huge hit to their Will saves.

Point buy really doesn't cover "buying" scores below 8. at least to my knowledge, so you'd have to find a race that takes a hit to Wisdom, and have the madness domain (the latter isn't all that hard), to have decent spell casting capabilities. And there's no rule that allows you to "decrease" an ability score every four levels.

All of these can be fixed pretty easily, wit ha bit of re-worded and extra fluff.