The Priest: A Community Leader

[aimlessPolymath]

This is an attempt to rebuild the Cleric in a similar way to what I did with Druids in my Shaman, addressing the issue of T1 characters by shifting around their power and versatility. While it's still T1 or T2, ideally its power and versatility has been moved around, out of the spellcasting, and into class features. Once this is done, the class features can then be modified or nerfed in more discrete amounts, giving greater control of the powerlevel of the class. As a side effect, class features provide more flavorful and unusual abilities than pure spellcasting.

Unfortunately, I ran out of ideas for higher-level abilities, so it's currently designed as a prestige class, until I work out higher level abilities.


Prerequisites:
4 ranks in Knowledge(Religion)

Chassis:
HD: d8

Skills: As cleric

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Abilities
1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Blessing +1, Rally
2	+1	+0	+0	+3	Spellcasting
3	+2	+1	+1	+3	Domain
4	+3	+1	+1	+4	Gift
5	+3	+1	+1	+4	Blessing+2

Proficiencies: A Priest gains no new proficiencies.

Blessing: At 1st level, a Priest gains the ability to bless others. This is a ritual requiring one minute of talking and praying with a single creature, and grants them a blessing lasting 24 hours. A blessing provides either a +1 bonus to attack rolls, a +1 bonus to saving throws, a +1 bonus to AC, or a +1 bonus to a particular skill. Each deity has an associated skill; when priests of that deity provide a blessing boosting that skill, the bonus is +1 more than normal. A priest can take 10 minutes instead with a blessing; if they do, they can choose one:
-The benefits last one week
-All creatures within hearing range who are attentive to the priest are blessed.
If they take 1 hour and 40 minutes instead, they gain both benefits. If the blessing takes place within a church or temple of the priest's deity, the bonuses are increased by one. At fifth level, increase the benefits granted by Blessing by 1.

All bonuses granted by a Blessing are sacred(for good or neutral Priests) or profane(for evil Priests) bonuses. A creature can only receive one blessing at a time; new blessings supersede old ones.

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One of my goals with these class "fixes" was to move the class identity away from spellcasting, as mentioned before. As part of this, no class gets spellcasting at 1st level. This particular feature fulfills several functions for the Priest:
-The ability to moderately contribute to the group through small buffs.
-A social ability- the priest is now called upon to bless endeavours, and might be approached by someone looking for a blessing. There's no reason for a PC to refuse, either, since it doesn't expend spells.
-A touch of identity to religions through the minor extra bonus, giving worshippers of gods a touch more uniqueness than just domains
-Justification for weekly services in a temple- I really like this because it rewards players for behaving in a particularly archetypal way.

Rally: As a standard action, a priest can grant (level + Cha) temporary hit points to all allies within 30 feet. If they are currently granted a bonus from a Blessing, its bonuses are increased by 2 for one round. The temporary hit points last for one minute.

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I really, really, hate Channel Energy for what it meant for out-of-combat healing. This feels better to me. It blocks around one attack, so focused fire is an effective counter. I'm considering putting a 1d4 round cooldown on it

Spellcasting is as the bard, but with one extra spell per day and spell known of each level, drawn from the cleric list. It is only gained starting at 2nd level. It's Charisma based.

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I'll flesh this out later with a full table, but just see Shaman in my sig if you need a reference. I'm working on developing this so that the cleric is a two-stat class like the Shaman, but I went with Charisma based here because of the community themes of the class.

Domain At 3rd level, a priest chooses a domain from those his deity provides, gaining its domain spells, and its granted power. They do not gain domain slots. Instead, the domain spells are added to the priest's spell list. If they already know the domain spell, they may choose another cleric spell to replace it.

Gift: At 4rh level, a priest learns a unique power.

Spoiler: Gifts

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Exorciser: As long as the priest physically holds someone, they are continually affected by a protection from evil, except for the AC and save bonus, or the protection from summoned creatures.

Ward: In a process taking 10 minutes and 1 gp of materials, the priest may create a trinket that protect homes it is placed in. If it is placed over a doorway or other opening in a building, then outsiders, undead, incorporeal creatures or any creature which is possessed or affected by a compulsion effect cannot enter the building through the doorway unless invited by someone inside. They can still attempt to break down the building in other methods, or find an unwarded opening.

Knight's Honor: The priest learns a special Blessing that can only be granted to lawful creatures. When granted, it provides a pool of "virtual" temporary hit points equal to the target's level * the Priest's Charisma bonus, which stack with normal hit points. While it lasts, all damage dealt to the target is reduced to the minimum possible roll, and the remainder diverted to these "virtual" hit points. For example, if they were dishonorably attacked by a rogue, taking 6d6+2 damage, and the roll was 16, they would only take 8 points of damage, and the other 8 would be directed to the virtual hit points. This Blessing is not affected by Rally. Only one creature can have this Blessing at once. If it lasts more than one day, the hit points refresh at the same time that the priest regains spells.

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Something I noticed: The majority of bonuses which "take advantage" of their opponents, e.g. sneak attack, provide dice bonuses (1d6/2 levels), while "honorable combat" bonuses generally provide a static bonus (+1/level). This destroys the former, while barely impacting the latter.

Resistance: Whenever the Priest provides a bonus to saving throws though Blessings, they also provide the target with energy resistance to one energy type, chosen when the blessing is applied. The resistance is five times the value of the bonus.

Piercing: Whenever the Priest provides a bonus to attack rolls through Blessings, they also provide a bonus to weapon damage rolls, Concentration checks, and caster level checks to overcome spell resistance, as well as doubling the bonus to attack rolls on rolls to confirm critical hits.

Resiliency: Whenever the Priest provides a bonus to AC through Blessings, they also provide DR/magic with a value equal to the blessing bonus, and double the AC bonus against critical hits.

Valor: Whenever the Priest provides a creature with a Blessing, the creature gains a +4 bonus to saving throws against fear (in addition to whatever bonus it normally provides). Furthermore, the creature's attacks are treated as being magic and the priest's alignment for the purpose of overcoming DR.

Choir:
As you perform a Blessing, you or someone you choose on your behalf may make a Perform check. If multiple people attempt this check, use only the highest result. If you succeed, you may choose a skill. The resulting Blessing adds to this skill in addition to whatever effect it normally has, but with a bonus limited by the check result.

Result	Maximum bonus
10 or less	+0
11-15	+1
16-20	+2
21+	+3

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A work in progress. Ideas are welcome for fleshing this out, new Gifts.

Thoughts? Ideas for expanding this to higher levels? PEACH

[Kaskus]

Good to see new content from you!

Blessing Question: how did you come to settle on 1 hour 40? Is it just another x10 multiplier (1 min --> 10 min --> 100 min)? I like the ability and think it works perfect for your concept.

To advance blessings, you could Also allow additional effects to be granted by higher level priests. Perhaps gifts are meant to accomplish this?

Also, no domains? Need some way to differentiate priests of different deities besides just the blessing skill.

Rally seems fine to me without the cool down power wise unless you want to "force" them to do other things with their action. Could be upgraded later to more HP or letting 2 of them stack, then 3?

Gifts look good but definitely need more of them. I'm particularly fond of ward. This is a good place to put diety/domain theme powers. I assume they would get more of these as they level once this gets expanded to a full class.

Does slightly honor use the same mechanics as the 1st level blessing? Since blessings don't stack, they would then have to choose which one to grant, is that correct?

Some gift ideas
1. Energy resistance
2. Expanded spell list
3. Some sort of confession/absolution ability (small bonus to the confessor if they complete penance?)
4. Lead groups in song (choir) to enhance blessings of otherwise incentivize participation by others in the weekly services.
5. Rally as move action

For shield of faith, how about granting a bonus to the saves of others? Perhaps a single save (Will seems most appropriate). As they level, you could add the others in. That would also encourage groups of paladins to keep priests with them so they can have super saves.

Could also to with an ability to refill failed saves a certain number of times per day.

Rough expansion (still some gaps)
1. Blessing 1, Rally
2. Spells
3. Gift
4. Shield of Faith (Will)
5. Blessing +2
6. Gift
7. Improved Rally (2 can stack)
8. Shield of Faith (Fort)
9. Gift
10. Blessing +3
11.
12. Gift
13. Shield of Faith (Ref)
14. Blessing +4
15. Gift
16. Greater Rally (3 can stack)
17.
18. Gift
19. Blessing +5
20.

[aimlessPolymath]

Thanks for the review! I'll try to respond to your whole post.

1 hour 40: Yes, it was a x100 multiplier intentionally.

Gifts are meant to provide alternate effects for blessings

Domains... I hadn't thought in detail about domains, but a rough outline would have them work pretty much like they do for the Shaman,gaining one at level 6 and every 6 levels thereafter- but only the spells off them. I'm considering giving another domain when they first get spellcasting, on top of that.

Rally is not currently going to stack, I don't think. If I want to improved it, it would let the cleric "channel" for several rounds to increase the temp HP it gives, because stacking temporary hit points could get complicated otherwise.

The current plan for Gifts is one every 3 levels, once I work out more of them (see Shaman).

Honor is indeed an alternate Blessing mode, and cannot be on someone at the same time as another blessing.

Gift ideas:
Thank you thank you thank you so much! Ideas for Gifts were one of the places where I got stuck.
Drafting for Confession:
You act as a source of guidance and support to your community. By spending at least an hour speaking with someone, you give them (some number of) the following benefits:
-A +X bonus to Sense Motive checks and Will saves that they have failed in the past
(Justification: When someone confesses that they have failed with something in the past, you give them the ability to push through them in the future.)
-A voluntarily imposed geas, should they so choose.
You also gain a +4 bonus to all checks relating to redemption (Book of Exalted Deeds 28-29).

Rally as a move action won't happen- it's intended as "something else to do" when you run out of spells or don't want to use one right now.

Draft of Choir:
As you perform a Blessing, you or someone you choose on your behalf may make a Perform check. If multiple people attempt this check, use only the highest result. If you succeed, you may choose a skill. The resulting Blessing adds to this skill in addition to whatever effect it normally has, but with a bonus limited by the check result.

Result	Maximum bonus
10 or less	+0
11-15	+1
16-20	+2
21+	+3

Note: I'd ideally like to make the Gift extensible to community service projects, but my tries for that one didn't work out so well.


Shield of faith:
I'll think about it, but Blessing fulfills some of the same role in buffing up saves. The current ability was added in at a late stage, replacing an ability called Relic which infused spell slots to make temporary magic items (probably going to become a Gift). One alternative that I'm considering is that, a number of times per day, you choose a spell to be cast on yourself as a free action outside your turn- the idea is that your deity is directly intervening to cast, say, remove paralysis (This made its way into an unpublished Paladin rewrite).

[aimlessPolymath]

Bump for update.

Changes made:
Gifts moved to level 4, replacing Shield of Faith. Several new Gifts added, focused on enhancing Blessings. Am brainstorming gifts for Rally, spellcasting.
Domain added at level 3. A glaring omission in the original draft.

[Kaskus]

I just noticed the pre-req. Was that there previously? From what class do you intend entrance? Religion would make cleric a natural for but I thought this was a cleric replacement and you mentioned not giving anyone spellcasting at lvl 1.

Gifts seen more rounded now but with the current progression, you get only 1 :(

I feel like Knight's Honor should have a counterpoint for chaotic creatures but I can't think of anything that feels right.

[aimlessPolymath]

Prereq was already there, mostly because I felt that a PrC needed it. Entry is from 1 level in any class with Knowledge(Religion) as a class skill- it translates to 1 rank in Pathfinder.

Extra Gift will be a feat as soon as I reach level 10.

Trust me, you aren't the only one thinking about a chaotic Gift. Maximizing a damage roll is one possibility, I suppose? Alternatives might be some kind of luck feature? Honor works because it functions on several levels- not just the association of Law with surety, but also the way precision damage bonuses vs. precision bonuses line up.

Also, prerequisite Gifts for those two, once I flesh things out:
Audacious Blessing: Whenever you bless a creature, you can choose to add an additional effect: The manipulation of probability towards extremes. They take a -2 penalty to all d20 rolls for which an 8 or below is rolled, but gain a +2 bonus to all d20 rolls for which a 12 or above is rolled. These bonuses and penalties are doubled for rolls below 4 or above 16.

Sure Blessing: The reverse of the above.

Also-also, new spellcasting-related Gift in draft form:
Token of Favor: You can expend a spell slot to infuse a spell you know of that level or lower into a nonmagical item which you can gift to someone. If you do, you transform it into a temporary, one-use magic item which allows the user to use that spell, paying all costs as normal. If you pay the costs in advance and expend a spell slot at least one level higher than the spell, you instead create a contingent effect, which automatically casts the spell on the wielder under circumstances you specify.
You can only have one Token of Favor at a time.

Confession isn't going in until I'm satisfied with it.
Draft for community service ability:
You can spend time planning out a project or activity, recruiting among the community, and lending your divine support. When you do, choose a specific task with a defined timeframe. If you do, your blessing grants a +1 bonus to all skill checks made towards that task or to support those who are working on the task. Furthermore, anyone who makes at least two skill checks affected by this bonus receive a minor boon. When expended, the boon grants them +1 to a single d20 roll, of any kind (including background and event rolls), in a beneficial direction. The boon must be used within a specified timeframe.

Time Spent Planning	Maximum Number Affected	Maximum Task Timeframe	Boon Duration
10 min	5	2 hr	1 day
1 hour	20	1 day	1 week
1 day	100	1 week	1 month
1 week	1000	1 month	1 year*

*The boon recharges each month.
You don't need to spend the time planning continuously, but it must be spent actively working to prepare for the project. You must personally speak with each person to be affected- even a greeting is sufficient. Those who do the work cannot do so for external reasons, such as pay, or they lose the benefit.

In the final draft, there will be a level minimum attached to some of the tiers.

[Kaskus]

Totally missed the prereq initially and thought this was a base class. Also forgot how skill ranks work at level 1 for 3.x!

Cleanup notes:
1. Domain does not appear in the class table
2. Shield of Faith has no description (is this because your still working it out?)
3. Gift appears at level 3 in the table. Should be 4? (Is shield of Faith binned?)

Chaos Gift Idea: if you want to somewhat mirror knights honor. Grant a pool of points. Whenever you hit an opponent that is denied their dexterity bonus, roll damage and then use those points to increase the damage up to the Max possible. So rolling a 5 on a d8, you could use 3 points to make it max damage. Needs a better writeup but hopefully that makes sense.

Your probability effects are weighted on the high end. Is that on purpose? 8 or below is the first 8 numbers while 12 or above is the last 9 numbers. Should be 13 or higher if they are meant to be equal.

I dig token of favor. I love giftable magic.

I feel like confession should have penance of some sort built in. "Say 7 hail marys", etc. And then give a boon for completion of the penance. Maybe a time and gold mechanic? They have to do good works which take x days and cost x gold. Upon completion, they get x benefit.

It perhaps sinners can't benefit from Blessings. Confession / penance allows them to benefit again. That would create incentive for members of the community to go to confession regularly.

Perhaps community service should require more affected skill checks for longer projects so someone can't show up 1 day, make 2 skill checks and benefit for a full year. You might also want to require that the task itself be completed in order to get the boon.

[aimlessPolymath]

Table should be fixed; Shield of Faith has indeed been removed.

Chaos Gift is one thing I considered, but it doesn't really resonate with me the way Honor does- the nature of it is much more useful for some classes than others, but it doesn't really matter for how they interact with others beyond "more of what they already do".
Am currently considering: Whenever you gain a bonus/your opponent has a penalty from situational circumstances, you may increase the bonus granted/penalty applied.
This fits the idea of a Chaos unbound by the idea of honor and fair fights, taking every advantage that is given.

Probability gifts will be changed like you mentioned.

On Confession: The idea that only specific creatures can gain benefits from Blessings is a pretty neat idea, though, and might make it into a class feature. I rather like the idea of imposing a code of conduct on your people, all mark of justice-y...
Confession would fit into that, but probably as part of the class feature, not as part of a Gift.

Requiring more effort to gain longer-term benefits is going in in some fashion. Maybe drop the skill-check requirement for a time investment? If you work for 2 hr you gain the 2 hr benefit, if you work for 1 day you get the 1 day benefit, etc?
Task completion is something I'm wavering on- if you put in a good-faith effort, I feel like maybe you should get the benefits. It makes it easier to be more general with what a task is (help out with X), without necessarily defining an end state, but it might be more abusable?