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To Find a King (updated 06/26)
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<blockquote data-quote="Mortepierre" data-source="post: 2221393" data-attributes="member: 9765"><p>What can I say.. I'll strive to make you unhappier then <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Thank you! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite6" alt=":cool:" title="Cool :cool:" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":cool:" /> </p><p></p><p>That's a very good question and a tough one as well. Let me try to explain..</p><p></p><p>When I decided to rework the entire clerical system, I wanted to create a ‘hybrid’ of the 2nd and the 3rd editions. The spheres of the former made a lot more sense than the domains of the latter but, at the same time, I found the 3E system for handling clerical spellcasting rather nice. Plus, I wished to avoid confusing gamers used to the new system. So, I elected to keep the parts of it that made sense.</p><p></p><p>The first thing I did was to take the PHB’s clerical spell list and delete from it any spell that belonged to the domains (hence the fact that ILW isn’t on the list). The final result was far from satisfying because some spells that I deemed mandatory for every cleric out there were now confined to domains exclusively (i.e. <em>Dispel Magic</em>). So, I transferred those back to the main list and searched for suitable spells to fill the ‘gaps’ this had created in some domains (and, let me tell you, it gave me quite a headache!)</p><p></p><p>Now, I had the spells any cleric could access and the domains that would be granted by the different gods.</p><p></p><p>My second task was to make sure those domains fitted the deities. Unfortunately (and that’s the only negative thing I’ll ever say about BotR), they didn’t. Some gods had up to 7 (!!!) domains while others had but 3. I reworked the list, giving each deity 4 domains, including new domains I had picked up in various D&D accessories (be they from WotC or not), in an effort to give each and everyone of them a distinctive ‘feel’. Of course, since those new domains contained some spells that were on my ‘common’ list, I had to find replacements for these too <sigh></p><p></p><p>With that done, I reread it all at least a dozen times, making corrections until it looked ‘balanced’ enough. Then, I sent the draft to some DM friends of mine to get feedback and made additional corrections based on their comments. The document I posted on this board is - I think - version 1.13 and will probably change some more as new accessories are released. For now, though, it works.</p><p></p><p>The last annoying part was - and you nailed it perfectly - that some spells on the ‘common’ list still didn’t really fit with the kind of spells <em>any</em> priest would cast. At this point, I had a dilemma. Arguably, I could have tried to ‘excise’ those spells and place them in domains (for instance, I thought about replacing all the spells from Destruction with <em>Inflict</em> spells to make it a kind of reverse version of the Healing domain). In the end, though, I didn’t.</p><p></p><p>Why? Because when I reread the list of ‘universal’ spells, I realized that the only way to do this would be to go back fully to the 2E system. In other words, there wouldn’t be any ‘universal’ spells (or, at best, a paltry few) and clerics would be restricted almost exclusively to spells granted by their own deity.</p><p></p><p>I’ll admit the idea was tempting but I ruled against it. The basic premise of the 3E system (and I agree with it) is that <em>all</em> clerics should be able to cast certain spells. Frankly, it makes sense. Any priest <em>should</em> be able to purify water, dispel magic, or do other stuff everyone has come to expect from them.</p><p></p><p>I began to play D&D in the days of the 1E and, back then, any cleric worth his salt was able to cast hold person or create a zone of silence. Call it nostalgia, but I found myself unwilling to deprive them from it.</p><p></p><p>Oh, sure, I could have left those spells on an ‘universal’ list and leave it at that but, as I explained before, I didn’t want to change the clerical system so much that modern gamers wouldn’t recognize it at all.</p><p></p><p>And there is another thing: just because you <em>can</em> cast a spell doesn’t mean you <em>have to</em>. For instance, priestesses of Morwyn are very reluctant to use damage-dealing spells. So, even though they could pray their goddess for, say, <em>Inflict Moderate Wounds</em>, most (if not all) won’t.. even at the cost of their life. But the possibility must remain because there are some creatures in this world that have to be destroyed (fiends mainly) at any cost if the Children of the Tree are to survive, and that’s <u>any</u> cleric’s primary duty.</p><p></p><p>Plus (but you couldn’t know it), I wrote additional rules for each clergy. For instance, priestesses of Morwyn are forbidden to wear medium/heavy armor and to wield most weapons. In exchange, they get a few special abilities (like using Sense Motive to create an empathic link). In essence, that’s also a throwback to the 2E’s ‘specialty priest’.</p><p></p><p>Does this answer your question?</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Your wish is my command. Expect an update within the next few days (working on it as we speak) <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mortepierre, post: 2221393, member: 9765"] What can I say.. I'll strive to make you unhappier then ;) Thank you! :cool: That's a very good question and a tough one as well. Let me try to explain.. When I decided to rework the entire clerical system, I wanted to create a ‘hybrid’ of the 2nd and the 3rd editions. The spheres of the former made a lot more sense than the domains of the latter but, at the same time, I found the 3E system for handling clerical spellcasting rather nice. Plus, I wished to avoid confusing gamers used to the new system. So, I elected to keep the parts of it that made sense. The first thing I did was to take the PHB’s clerical spell list and delete from it any spell that belonged to the domains (hence the fact that ILW isn’t on the list). The final result was far from satisfying because some spells that I deemed mandatory for every cleric out there were now confined to domains exclusively (i.e. [I]Dispel Magic[/I]). So, I transferred those back to the main list and searched for suitable spells to fill the ‘gaps’ this had created in some domains (and, let me tell you, it gave me quite a headache!) Now, I had the spells any cleric could access and the domains that would be granted by the different gods. My second task was to make sure those domains fitted the deities. Unfortunately (and that’s the only negative thing I’ll ever say about BotR), they didn’t. Some gods had up to 7 (!!!) domains while others had but 3. I reworked the list, giving each deity 4 domains, including new domains I had picked up in various D&D accessories (be they from WotC or not), in an effort to give each and everyone of them a distinctive ‘feel’. Of course, since those new domains contained some spells that were on my ‘common’ list, I had to find replacements for these too <sigh> With that done, I reread it all at least a dozen times, making corrections until it looked ‘balanced’ enough. Then, I sent the draft to some DM friends of mine to get feedback and made additional corrections based on their comments. The document I posted on this board is - I think - version 1.13 and will probably change some more as new accessories are released. For now, though, it works. The last annoying part was - and you nailed it perfectly - that some spells on the ‘common’ list still didn’t really fit with the kind of spells [I]any[/I] priest would cast. At this point, I had a dilemma. Arguably, I could have tried to ‘excise’ those spells and place them in domains (for instance, I thought about replacing all the spells from Destruction with [I]Inflict[/I] spells to make it a kind of reverse version of the Healing domain). In the end, though, I didn’t. Why? Because when I reread the list of ‘universal’ spells, I realized that the only way to do this would be to go back fully to the 2E system. In other words, there wouldn’t be any ‘universal’ spells (or, at best, a paltry few) and clerics would be restricted almost exclusively to spells granted by their own deity. I’ll admit the idea was tempting but I ruled against it. The basic premise of the 3E system (and I agree with it) is that [I]all[/I] clerics should be able to cast certain spells. Frankly, it makes sense. Any priest [I]should[/I] be able to purify water, dispel magic, or do other stuff everyone has come to expect from them. I began to play D&D in the days of the 1E and, back then, any cleric worth his salt was able to cast hold person or create a zone of silence. Call it nostalgia, but I found myself unwilling to deprive them from it. Oh, sure, I could have left those spells on an ‘universal’ list and leave it at that but, as I explained before, I didn’t want to change the clerical system so much that modern gamers wouldn’t recognize it at all. And there is another thing: just because you [I]can[/I] cast a spell doesn’t mean you [I]have to[/I]. For instance, priestesses of Morwyn are very reluctant to use damage-dealing spells. So, even though they could pray their goddess for, say, [I]Inflict Moderate Wounds[/I], most (if not all) won’t.. even at the cost of their life. But the possibility must remain because there are some creatures in this world that have to be destroyed (fiends mainly) at any cost if the Children of the Tree are to survive, and that’s [U]any[/U] cleric’s primary duty. Plus (but you couldn’t know it), I wrote additional rules for each clergy. For instance, priestesses of Morwyn are forbidden to wear medium/heavy armor and to wield most weapons. In exchange, they get a few special abilities (like using Sense Motive to create an empathic link). In essence, that’s also a throwback to the 2E’s ‘specialty priest’. Does this answer your question? Your wish is my command. Expect an update within the next few days (working on it as we speak) :) [/QUOTE]
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