Clerics' alignments

[atomn]

The SRD says: "A cleric’s alignment must be within one step of his deity’s (that is, it may be one step away on either the lawful-chaotic axis or the good-evil axis, but not both). A cleric may not be neutral unless his deity’s alignment is also neutral. "

So what alignments are ok for a cleric of a Neutral Good deity? LG, NG and CG? (But not True Neutral since the deity is not true neutral?)

What if the deity is True Neutral? LN, N, CN, NG and NE?

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On a related note, it says: "A cleric of a chaotic, evil, good, or lawful deity has a particularly powerful aura corresponding to the deity’s alignment (see the detect evil spell for details)."

Does that mean a CG cleric of a CG god radiates as Good even though he's not?

Thanks!

 

[kenobi65]

So what alignments are ok for a cleric of a Neutral Good deity? LG, NG and CG? (But not True Neutral since the deity is not true neutral?)

Generally correct, unless the deity's description says otherwise. For example, St. Cuthbert is LN, but he won't accept LE clerics, even though the general rule suggests he would.

What if the deity is True Neutral? LN, N, CN, NG and NE?

Also correct, subject to the note above.

On a related note, it says: "A cleric of a chaotic, evil, good, or lawful deity has a particularly powerful aura corresponding to the deity’s alignment (see the detect evil spell for details)."

Does that mean a CG cleric of a CG god radiates as Good even though he's not?

I assume that's a typo...you meant something like, "a CN cleric of a CG god".

And, yes, Detect Good will ping off of such a character, due to his deity, even though he himself isn't Good.

Read the description of Detect Evil; direct servants of deities (like clerics and paladins) have much stronger alignment auras than "normal" people, and in the case of clerics, their deity's alignment overrides their own for this purpose.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Read the description of Detect Evil; direct servants of deities (like clerics and paladins) have much stronger alignment auras than "normal" people, and in the case of clerics, their deity's alignment overrides their own for this purpose.

Well, the deity's alignment applies in addition to their own.

A CG cleric of a CN god, for example, might radiate strong chaos and moderate good, for example.

-Hyp.

 

[atomn]

Great, thanks!

Additionally, is a CN cleric of a CG deity subject to shifting towards Good?

 

[Dross]

Great, thanks!

Additionally, is a CN cleric of a CG deity subject to shifting towards Good?

Only based on their actions like any other PC.

Although it may be a little more difficult for a cleric to stay "true" to their alignment and also to their deity's ideals if they differ.

 

[Musrum]

Great, thanks!

Additionally, is a CN cleric of a CG deity subject to shifting towards Good?

Not sure about shifting, but they would certainly radiate CG.

In Eberron the "one-step" restriction is lifted so you can have a CE, baby-eating Bishop of Boldrei who has a very strong LG aura without using deception magic.

 

[Nyeshet]

Hmm, this thread raised an odd question in my mind. Suppose we have a LN cleric of a LE deity. A paladin, having detected evil upon him and perhaps recognizing his holy symbol, tries to smite the cleric. Does the smite work despite the cleric not being evil, or is it wasted due to the cleric - despite having an evil aura and worshipping an evil deity - being morally neutral?

If it is wasted, I can see evil deities actually encouraging some of their clerics to take a more neutral moral path just so they are better protected against such effects as smite, PfE, Forbiddences, etc yet still able to carry out many of their patron's orders.

This is in some ways akin to that question a while back about a creature with an evil subtype but a good alignment: they are affected by all detect alignment spells, negatively affected by all protection from alignment spells, holy words, blasphemies, etc, a paladin's smite evil and a blackguard's smite good, etc. Really, really discourages any form of redemption amongst the fiends, I imagine, knowing that they are likely to be harmed by nearly everything alignment based until they find some way to change their type after changing their alignment.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Hmm, this thread raised an odd question in my mind. Suppose we have a LN cleric of a LE deity. A paladin, having detected evil upon him and perhaps recognizing his holy symbol, tries to smite the cleric. Does the smite work despite the cleric not being evil, or is it wasted due to the cleric - despite having an evil aura and worshipping an evil deity - being morally neutral?

The cleric has an evil aura, but is not an evil creature, so the smite doesn't work.

-Hyp.