divine varient for my game

[Scion]

I am making an npc divine varient, how does this look? It is designed to be able to fit with any diety or religious archtype out there and tends to be much less of a combatant than the normal cleric (hence holy crusader and the stay at home guy ). Sortof why you can always go to temples of specific dieties and expect someone there to have the spell you need if it falls within that portfolio. Oh, and dieties in my game tend to have at least 6 domains to choose from.

Priest
Hit Die: d4.
Class Skills
The priest’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff(Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information(Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 2 Bonus feats, Turning, Spontaneous Casting
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3
3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Bonus feat
4th +2 +1 +1 +4
5th +2 +1 +1 +4 Bonus feat
6th +3 +2 +2 +5
7th +3 +2 +2 +5 Bonus feat
8th +4 +2 +2 +6
9th +4 +3 +3 +6 Bonus feat
10th +5 +3 +3 +7 Bonus feat
11th +5 +3 +3 +7 Bonus Feat
12th +6 +4 +4 +8
13th +6 +4 +4 +8 Bonus Feat
14th +7 +4 +4 +9
15th +7 +5 +5 +9 Bonus Feat
16th +8 +5 +5 +10
17th +8 +5 +5 +10 Bonus Feat
18th +9 +6 +6 +11
19th +9 +6 +6 +11 Bonus Feat
20th +10 +6 +6 +12 Bonus Feat


Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Priest is proficient with all simple weapons and light armor.

Deity, Domains, and Domain Spells: A priest's deity influences his alignment, what magic he can perform, his values, and how others see him. A priest chooses domains from among those belonging to his deity. A priest can select an alignment domain (Chaos, Evil, Good, or Law) only if his alignment matches that domain.
If a priest is not devoted to a particular deity, he still selects domains to represent his spiritual inclinations and abilities. The restriction on alignment domains still applies.
Each domain gives the priest access to a domain spell at each spell level he can cast, from 1st on up, as well as a granted power. The priest gets the granted powers of all the domains selected.
If a particular diety does not have enough domains choose from related domains along similar lines of what the god believes in (ie talk with your dm and see what is appropriate)

Spontaneous Casting: The priest may spontanously cast any spell on his domain lists.

Turn or Rebuke Undead (Su): Any priest, regardless of alignment, has the power to affect undead creatures by channeling the power of his faith through his holy (or unholy) symbol (see Turn or Rebuke Undead).
A good priest (or a neutral priest who worships a good deity) can turn or destroy undead creatures. An evil priest (or a neutral priest who worships an evil deity) instead rebukes or commands such creatures. A neutral priest of a neutral deity must choose whether his turning ability functions as that of a good priest or an evil priest. Once this choice is made, it cannot be reversed. This decision also determines whether the priest can cast spontaneous cure or inflict spells (see above).
A priest may attempt to turn undead a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. A priest with 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (religion) gets a +2 bonus on turning checks against undead.

A priest casts as many spells per day as a sorcerer of the same level. His primary casting stat is Wisdom.

Bonus Feats are any metamagic feats or divine feats, Augment Summoning, Diligent, Eschew Materials, Extra Turning, Improved Turning, Negotiator, Iron Will, Great Fortitude or a Domain. (a character cannot have more domans than their 2 + (class level/3) )

 

[Thanee]

Hmm... what spells do they cast, standard cleric spell list?

Do they have to prepare their spells (not the domain spells, obviously)?

They get access to the spells one level later, much like sorcerers, right?

The do not have extra domain slots, right?

6+Int skill points seems too much, that should be reserved for classes, that are especially good at skills (bard, ranger and rogue), I don't really see why a priest should fall into that category. 4+Int would be ok, tho, the same as a monk.

I also think that's a bit too much with the bonus feats. Just give them the fighter bonus feat progression, that's more than enough, really.

And I'd give them d6 Hit Dice, the study of arcane magic is much more demanding.

This is not really from a balance point of view now, just what "feels wrong" in my eyes.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Elephant]

Remove the bonus feats; they are overpowered for a caster.

 

[Scion]

Hmm... what spells do they cast, standard cleric spell list?

Do they have to prepare their spells (not the domain spells, obviously)?

They get access to the spells one level later, much like sorcerers, right?

The do not have extra domain slots, right?

Do read the 'spontaneous casting' line

They only cast spells on those domain lists that they have.

6+Int skill points seems too much, that should be reserved for classes, that are especially good at skills (bard, ranger and rogue), I don't really see why a priest should fall into that category. 4+Int would be ok, tho, the same as a monk.

Actually, this guy is a skill guy. He doesnt get very many spells at all. He has the lowest hd. He has the lowest BAB progression (save the ones that give no bab, but that is another matter entirely). He only has one good save.

There is a lot given up there He is primarily designed to be the guy who keeps up the temples. Lots of skills would help for that, and help make up for the loss in other areas.

Remove the bonus feats; they are overpowered for a caster.

You do realize that without the feats this class doesnt do anything besides have d4 hd, poor bab, 1 good save, and the ability to turn undead right?


The list that they can choose from for the bonus feats is also very restricted.

 

[Thanee]

Do read the 'spontaneous casting' line

Yep, did that... I just asked to be sure.

They only cast spells on those domain lists that they have.

Only those? So only 2 different spell per level? Ouch!

Actually, this guy is a skill guy. He doesnt get very many spells at all. He has the lowest hd. He has the lowest BAB progression (save the ones that give no bab, but that is another matter entirely). He only has one good save. There is a lot given up there He is primarily designed to be the guy who keeps up the temples. Lots of skills would help for that, and help make up for the loss in other areas.

Ok, I thought they can at least cast all cleric spells...

However, I'm not so sure what that class should represent... you called it priest, but why should a priest be a bad spellcaster and a great man of skill? They won't be the ones who do the maintencance work in temples... that's what Commoners and Experts are for.

Wouldn't it make more sense if they were better spellcasters?

Bye
Thanee

 

[Scion]

Skills are good as it is more of a social type of class.

They are bad spellcasters? Limited selection and slightly delayed sure, but bad? Even the wilder isnt 'bad' at manifesting, just limited.

 

[Scion]

The name of the class isnt really important, and this guy fits the role of 'head guy holding up the temple' much better than the base cleric does He can be the personification of his dieties portfolio itself.

 

[The Spectrum Rider]

Not to highjack the thread, but here's mine, somewhere in between the one posted here and the standard cleric. Less of a tank than standard, but, I think, playable as an adventurer. (I've played one and it worked out fine.) I'm interested in people's opinions - flavor, balance, etc.

THE WAYPRIEST

The waypriest is an alternative 20-level core class similar in many ways to the cleric. Like clerics, waypriests are devoted followers of a deity who are capable of casting divine spells. However, waypriests rely more on their wits, skills, and luck than clerics, and have correspondingly less familiarity with weapons and armor.

The vast majority of deities may have both clerics and waypriests among their followers. Deities of love, art, thievery, and magic are likely to have a high percentage of waypriests, while deities of war and destruction will have fewer.

A character cannot multiclass as a cleric and a waypriest.

The waypriest class is identical to the cleric class except for the following:

Hit Die
d6

BAB
As rogue

Class Skills
As cleric, plus Decipher Script, Gather Information, all Knowledge skills, and Sense Motive.

Skill Points
4 + Int modifier per level. (x 4 at 1st level.)

Weapon Proficiency
Any three simple weapons of the character's choice, plus the deity's favored weapon.

Armor Proficiency
All light armors.

Domains
The waypriest chooses three of his deity's domains, rather than two. He does not get to cast more domain spells per day, but has a wider choice of domain spells. He also gets the domain powers of all three domains.

[NOTE: Some deities may not have three domains. There are special rules for characters - clerics or waypriests - who want to "double up" on a domain, for example, a cleric of Pyerr who wants to take the Fire domain twice. Also, new domains can be created if needed.]

Divine Resistance (Su)
A 1st-level waypriest receives a +1 luck bonus to all saving throws. This bonus increases by 1 for every 4 additional levels (+2 at 5th level, +3 at 9th level, +4 at 13th level, +5 at 17th level).

Armor Limitations
Waypriests symbolically show their faith in wits and luck by wearing only light armor or no armor. If a waypriest tires to cast a divine spell while wearing medium or heavy armor (even if he has gained the appropriate armor proficiency), he suffers a chance of spell failure as though he were casting an arcane spell in armor. (The chance depends on the armor; see PHB, pg. 123.) A waypriest in medium or heavy armor also loses the benefits of his Divine Resistance. These penalties persist for as long as he wears medium or heavy armor.

The Spectrum Rider

 

[Thanee]

They are bad spellcasters? Limited selection and slightly delayed sure, but bad? Even the wilder isnt 'bad' at manifesting, just limited.

The point is, that they do not get to choose even their few spells. The Wilder can choose freely.

Yes, I think they are bad spellcasters. Sure, better than a Paladin or Ranger, but not even close to a Bard, for example, tho they get more spells per day at least.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Scion]

I dont think that makes them a bad spellcaster. Ranger, paladin and others such as that I consider bad spell casters, mainly because their spells come very late and tend not to be incredibly useful. Halfcaster levels suck.

They are limited, but that limitation makes them more in line with their diety. Likely they will wind up with about as many spells per level as the sorcerer but with less choice. That is fine though, they also get a few more benefits.

So, compared with the sorc they are probably ok. A bit weak for a divine class possibly, but hopefully not horribly so.

They are very good at fitting certain nitches, which is the whole point. If they want to be a good speaker with divine power to back them they can. If their diety is one of mischief then they will be able to personify that.


As for the waypriest, it sounds like he gives up a hd step, medium and heavy armor, and then gains a bunch of benefits. Not so sure if that is enough to give up, especially for that list