D&D 5E Does your city have a cleric NPC and what can he cure?

[R_J_K75]

Death already has a penalty, I don't want the player to feel like their in "time out" for too long.

True, I've often found sometimes theres a fine line between raising or replacing a dead character versus game time. Its either too instantaneous and meaningless or takes too long if youre trying to make it impactful and set an example of what the results of dying, (well other than the dying part), are.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

In my game low level divine spellcaster nPCs are allowed to cast higher level spells. How? Using the temples and local population as help for rituals.

 

[Lanefan]

In my game low level divine spellcaster nPCs are allowed to cast higher level spells. How? Using the temples and local population as help for rituals.

1e had - in UA I think - the Combine spell, which achieved a similar end.

Maybe worth a look. It'd be a triviality to add this into 5e.

 

[R_J_K75]

In my game low level divine spellcaster nPCs are allowed to cast higher level spells. How? Using the temples and local population as help for rituals.

Cool. I think it was the Forgotten Realms supplement Warriors and Priest of the Realms that had an interesting section about shrines, churches and temples how they augment a clerics/priests power and what spells are granted or suspended while inside the structure. I dont remember exactly but for instance a cleric can always cast bless while in the house of his deity or if a character with lycanthropy entered a chapel on the night of a full moon the curse would temporarily be held at bay while inside the sanctuary.

 

[cbwjm]

Just had a look through my current setting. In the mining town (home base of the PCs) of Draven's Watch there is a single priest who can cast up to 3rd level clerical spells. In a small hamlet nearby the shadowed woods have a single fey-touched druid with access to 3rd level druidic spells. Considering that the PCs have reached 5th level, they are as powerful now as these NPCs. They'd likely need to go to a larger city to find a more powerful cleric.

Speaking of a larger city, they will soon be returning from Tymanther a, not too surprisingly, dragonborn city. The most powerful cleric in the city is Sunkeeper Yorval, a 17th level gold dragonborn cleric of the Sun and is therefore able to cast 9th level spells, assuming the PCs could get an audience. The PCs could likely get audience with a cleric of at least 9th level though. The other 4 temples of the high gods (being the gods the dragonborn most revere) have high priests of levels 12 to 14. I haven't defined any of the clerics of the low gods.

 

[akr71]

I should expand on my earlier comment that yes, spell casting is usually available depending on the size of the centre.

Not all priests are automatically clerics or have access to cleric spells. So while, it might be available, the party needs to find someone capable. My party recently found a group of injured acolytes, whom they aided. After one of the players said "shouldn't they be able to just heal themselves?" I replied they were essentially acolytes on a pilgrimage, not clerics. Even priests at a temple may not have spell casting abilities.

 

[aco175]

I also like to add quests to lower level PCs to repay for raising someone. I would raise them first so the player can play. We have also had the player use a NPC while his PC is dead, but only for a night or two before he can be raised.

 

[DND_Reborn]

1e had - in UA I think - the Combine spell, which achieved a similar end.

Maybe worth a look. It'd be a triviality to add this into 5e.

FWIW:

 

[Longspeak]

I just introduced an NPC. Funny side note, I was searching for good picture and ended up finding a picture expressly titled as being a cleric of the same god, so I went with it, even changing the name of the NPC to match the name on the picture. Had to introduce a new sub-race, but it was worth it.

She's the Abbess of the Matron of Ravens in Emon... A cleric of the Raven Queen. She has some serious spells under her belt, though she IS Blood domain. But... she's a cleric of the god of death. She's not going to use Raise Dead, unless your character was killed by undead, or suffered an equally unnatural demise.

She will use every spell or skill at her disposal to keep you from dying. She will use Revivify. Within a minute, the spirit hasn't moved on; Revivify is just magical CPR. She also only charges for components or supplies, saying the magic is a gift from the Matron, and it's not right to charge for it.

She does charge for performing blood rites. She charges blood.

She is also a foodie. She can be bribed or even paid with good food and drink, especially if you'll sit down and enjoy it with her. She's a bit starved for positive human interaction you see, a bit lonely. People tend to shy away the clerics of the God of Death, but c'mon, we're just like everyone else, aren't we? Need a bit of contact now and again, appreciate the company of a few lively people, like a bit of conversation over our lovely meals, don't we?

 

[Ashrym]

NPC's don't follow PC creation rules. I use the NPC's listed for the most part so the ability to cast raise dead is rare. Because the option is so rare most NPC's are not aware it's even an option.