Alternative/variant of cleric: the PROPHET

[handforged]

Candidus- I know what you mean about historical druids and priests, but I only use the names, not necessarily what they were in the history of earth. The Druid name I took directly from the PHB and based my description of the class by how I see those powers being used in a fantasy setting. I took the priest name, rather than use the name cleric, since I envisioned a fairly different class, but I do not think that historical earth needs to bias the description of the classes. I do not use class names when DMing anyways and my players don't use them either. A warrior is someone who fights, as is a fighter. A priest may be any religious leader whether they have any class levels as a spellcaster. I realize that this is a personal habit that I was using without declaring such, but I don't think that the classes need any historical background as long as they are balanced and provide for a variety of abilities and mechanics.

Marauder- I like all your ideas, except for raising the spell levels. I am just confused on this one. Why do they need to be raised? I think that spontaneous casting and one additional turning check balances loosing all fighting power, if not leaving the class a little underpowered. Something we might look at for designing the class is the Shujenga from Oriental Adventures. It is a spontaneous divine caster that has to choose a limited number of spells per level, turns undead, can see ethereal creatures due to connection with the spiritual world, and gets a domain.

I was thinking that the spell list would be limited like a sorceror's, but that the list would not include domain spells. All domain spells are known in addition to spells known. Domains would be gained every four levels, with possibly another choice if a deity only offers two domains(divine feat?).

~hf

 

[MarauderX]

Good points, handforged. I was trying to even out the power of the Priest versus the Cleric. The cleric is one of the tougher classes, and I was thinking of how to equal them out as they advance through the levels. The extra feats would be ok, but IMO wouldn't add enough. The divine spell list is rather limited compared to the arcane, and to just take away armor & weapons and keep the spell lists the same doesn't do enough. To keep them the same would make the Prophet underpowered back-line class from 1st level all the way up. Domain or no domains, the cleric class would be able to take advantage of a lot of the spells that the Prophet could not - like Bull's Strength.
I like the idea of limited spell choices & spontaneous casting though, much like the sorcerer. That would help to even it out if the spell table was shifted up.
Or even use the sorcerer spell table, only have it with divine spells instead? I'm just thinking out loud now...

 

[handforged]

how about this...

Priest:

BAB: as cleric
Saves: as cleric
HD: d6
Alignment: within one step of deity
Skills: Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge (religion), Profession, Scry, and Spellcraft
Weapon and Armor Prof.: simple weapons, light and medium armor, no shields
Turning: as cleric
Spell list: as cleric, wisdom based
Spells per day: as cleric but without designated domain spell
Spell Conversion: as clerics, and can convert to domain spells of the same level
Domains: One at first level, one at fifth
Abilities: Augury, Channel/Hinder Healing Energy

Prophet:

BAB: as sorceror
Saves: as sorceror
HD: d4
Alignment: as deity
Skills: Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (any), Profession, Scry, and Spellcraft
Weapon and Armor Prof.: simple weapons, light armor, no sheilds
Turning: as cleric, plus one attempt per day
Spell list: as cleric, charisma based
Spells known: as sorceror plus domain spells
Spells per day: as sorceror
Domains: One at first level, one at seventh, and one at fifteenth. Instead of taking a domain, a prophet may take a divine feat.
Abilities: Augury, Channel/Hinder Healing Energy

The priest is the cleric, with lower HD, no Knowledge(arcana), no heavy armor or shields, better conversion, and spacing of domains.

The prophet is a sorceror with no familiar, better skills, light armor, turning, domains, and the cleric spell list.

Both have alignment restricions and the augury and channeling abilities that candidus proposed. I think that they look fairly balanced, and I am still somewhat confused as to how you want to change the spell levels. If you want to maintain the Cleric(rather than replace it with the Priest), I think that the Prophet would be a competitive class. You might want to remove the restriction on Spells Known.

~hf

 

[MarauderX]

I like it a lot. I would be a little worried that the class would be underpowered versus a cleric or sorcerer of the same level. I would remove the number of spells known limitation and perhaps even add druid spells as possible spells to cast from. This would add some more versitility and fire power that the Prophet seems to lack.
I like the alignment restriction and skill selections also.

 

[handforged]

What if it were cleric+bard or cleric+druid lists? I think that the bard list has some interesting things that a divine caster could use, even though some of the spells would be redundant. Some of the druid spells would be redundant anyway.

As far as making it completely unlimited for spells known, I think that may be a bit much. I understand that the spells are less powerful than those a sorceror gets to choose from, but a totally unlimited list. Plus, they get all the domain spells in addition to their spells known. This would completely free up all healing spells if they took that domain.

Maybe it could be an additional spell known per level beginning at the first level that level can be picked.

~hf