Clerical Clarification

[Jesterface]

The answer is probably completely obvious, but I can't spot anything in the PHB, so I thought I'd see what you lovely people thought.

Running a game IRL, and a friend is joining, his first ever game. He's seen my fluff for the setting, selected his race, the cleric class, his religion and alignment (either N or CN). His chosen religion is Neutral, and while I completely get the whole Spontaneous Casting and Turn/Rebuke rules for Neutral clerics/deities, it's left me wondering. If he's N (or indeed CN), and opts to channel positive energy, does he face the restrictions on alignment casting as if he were Good-aligned?

For a bit of context; he's looking to be a "Necro-cleric" type, looking at manipulating the undead (and sending them to their "final rest" as is only natural), but still utilising areas of necromancy (so things like Enervate, Death Knell, or so I'm thinking).



Additionally, I'm also looking at swapping out the spontaneous cure/inflict for one of the spontaneous domain casting variants. Which one do people generally prefer/recommend? Unearthed Arcana or PHB2?

Thanks in advance!

~J

[ZamielVanWeber]

To answer your first question: the positive/negative only determines spontaneous cure/inflict and turn/rebuke undead. The alignment the restrictions go solely off your alignment and your god's alignment (whichever is more restrictive).

[KillianHawkeye]

If he's N (or indeed CN), and opts to channel positive energy, does he face the restrictions on alignment casting as if he were Good-aligned?

No, those two things are entirely unrelated. Neutral Clerics who worship neutral deities can (unless the deity in question has a preference despite his or her alignment, which does happen occasionally) choose whether they channel positive or negative energy. This choice determines two things: whether they turn/destroy undead or rebuke/command undead, and whether they can spontaneously convert spell energy into cure or inflict spells.

The prohibition against casting spells of an alignment opposed to the Cleric or their deity is based only on the alignments involved. In the case of a chaotic neutral Cleric of a neutral deity, he could cast any spell except those with the Lawful alignment descriptor. If both the Cleric and their deity are neutral, there would not be any restriction at all.

[Jesterface]

I thought as much. Thanks for the response guys!

[KillianHawkeye]

You're welcome. Happy gaming!