Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Theocracy vs. Magocracy: who would win?
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Elder-Basilisk" data-source="post: 107620" data-attributes="member: 3146"><p>All other things being equal, my money's on the theocracy.</p><p></p><p>Assuming the gods stay out of it, my money's still on the theocracy.</p><p></p><p>Here's my reasoning:</p><p></p><p>1. Would you rather adventure in a party without a wizard or a party without a cleric?</p><p></p><p>2. The primary ability of the mageocracy is intelligence so they'll be able to come up with some creative plans and good analysis of situations. However, the primary ability of clerics is wisdom which means that they will be able to pick the most advantageous alternative available to them. They will be more likely than the wizards to see through their opponent's deceptions as well.</p><p></p><p>3. Clerics and paladins typically make more dynamic leaders than wizards or fighters. Charisma is a dump score for wizards and fighters. Clerics and paladins tend to have above average charisma. This would probably translate into higher morale and better discipline (since paladins would provide a good example to their troops and would also be more inspiring when convincing them to put their lives on the line) in their armies.</p><p></p><p>4. Did I mention that diplomacy is a class skill for clerics and paladins? This is likely to result in more harmonious and productive discussions among the leadership and will probably make outside forces more likely to support the theocracy. Granted, the wizards have charms and dominates but most rulers in a fantasy realm are well protected against such effects. (And some clerical domains grant similar spells).</p><p></p><p>5. The best clerical summoning spells are much easier and less time consuming to cast (compare the planar ally spells to planar binding spells--no preparation, lengthy rituals, risky circle inscribing, additional spells (dimensional anchor) or anything else is required for the planar ally series. Payment is required by both but beings summoned by planar binding are more likely to ask for payment in advance).</p><p></p><p>6. Clerical spells are really quite effective in the direct damage department (burning hands and produce flame (fire domain), sound burst, blade barrier, briar web, spiritual weapon, storm of vengeance, searing light, and flame strike, Holy Word, firestorm, symbol, control weather) although they're admittedly inferior to wizard spells. On the other hand, clerics have better (IMHO) buffing spells (bless, prayer, heroes' feast, shield of law, spell immunity), undisputed mastery of healing spells, and a better spread of divination spells (augury and divination--plus access to detect thoughts through the knowledge domain).</p><p></p><p>7. Harm <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> (Mass heal isn't half bad either).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Elder-Basilisk, post: 107620, member: 3146"] All other things being equal, my money's on the theocracy. Assuming the gods stay out of it, my money's still on the theocracy. Here's my reasoning: 1. Would you rather adventure in a party without a wizard or a party without a cleric? 2. The primary ability of the mageocracy is intelligence so they'll be able to come up with some creative plans and good analysis of situations. However, the primary ability of clerics is wisdom which means that they will be able to pick the most advantageous alternative available to them. They will be more likely than the wizards to see through their opponent's deceptions as well. 3. Clerics and paladins typically make more dynamic leaders than wizards or fighters. Charisma is a dump score for wizards and fighters. Clerics and paladins tend to have above average charisma. This would probably translate into higher morale and better discipline (since paladins would provide a good example to their troops and would also be more inspiring when convincing them to put their lives on the line) in their armies. 4. Did I mention that diplomacy is a class skill for clerics and paladins? This is likely to result in more harmonious and productive discussions among the leadership and will probably make outside forces more likely to support the theocracy. Granted, the wizards have charms and dominates but most rulers in a fantasy realm are well protected against such effects. (And some clerical domains grant similar spells). 5. The best clerical summoning spells are much easier and less time consuming to cast (compare the planar ally spells to planar binding spells--no preparation, lengthy rituals, risky circle inscribing, additional spells (dimensional anchor) or anything else is required for the planar ally series. Payment is required by both but beings summoned by planar binding are more likely to ask for payment in advance). 6. Clerical spells are really quite effective in the direct damage department (burning hands and produce flame (fire domain), sound burst, blade barrier, briar web, spiritual weapon, storm of vengeance, searing light, and flame strike, Holy Word, firestorm, symbol, control weather) although they're admittedly inferior to wizard spells. On the other hand, clerics have better (IMHO) buffing spells (bless, prayer, heroes' feast, shield of law, spell immunity), undisputed mastery of healing spells, and a better spread of divination spells (augury and divination--plus access to detect thoughts through the knowledge domain). 7. Harm :) (Mass heal isn't half bad either). [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Theocracy vs. Magocracy: who would win?
Top