WayneLigon said:
You don't get to use 'for the greater good' as an excuse for everything.
I also find it kinda hard to believe that someone who is at least a 13th level cleric doesn't have something other than Destruction left in his arsenal.
Yeah - attacking a person who isn't responsible for what you want to prevent doesn't fit into the "good" axis of lawful good. Technically following the rules of the race, but without conscience, is more like lawful evil.
What if you and the player agree to move his alignment from good to neutral? Maybe the church assigns him a quest to atone, to prove both his worth, and his dedication to the ideals of the faith.
On the other hand, I think it matters who he cast the spell against. For example, was this an opportunity to eliminate an enemy to the church/the church's ideals in accordance with the anything goes rules of the race? That, I think, is fair game, and kudos to the cleric for addressing two birds with one stone (the need to win the race, and taking out an enemy of the church). Or was it just Joe NPC who was wiped out to serve the cleric's agenda of peace? In the end, the definition of "innocent" matters, in the eyes of the greater good, necessary evils, the law, etc.
Also, how does preventing this war serve hieroneous? War is in his portfolio. Is it a just war? If it is, they shouldn't be trying to prevent it. If it's even reasonable for the country to be trying to expand or defend itself for the benefit of it's people, it's arguably an ok war to let happen - even if the church decided not to take sides.