Does Clerical/Paladin turning stack?

[Alzrius]

If you're a good-aligned cleric/paladin, do you stack your class levels together in regards to turn undead attempts? If my character is a Cleric 10/Paladin 5, is he turning undead as a 12th-level cleric, or is it calculated separately as a 10th-level cleric and 2nd-level cleric?

There are advantages and disadvantages both ways; if they do stack, you're more likely to turn undead, but if they don't stack, you can turn undead a greater number of times per day. I can't seem to find anything in the PHB regarding this (though I could just be missing something obvious), but I thought I saw something about that somewhere.

 

[isoChron]

In my little world I always thougt the levels stack so your cleric/paladin would turn undead as a 12th-level cleric.
The only thing that hints to this is the fact that paladin turns as a cleric in all regards but 3 levels lower. Both is described as a similar use of channeling positive energy.
Perhaps there is something more in Complete Divine but i haven't found any more evidence in the SRD.

 

[Hypersmurf]

PHB p59:
In the special case of turning undead, both clerics and experienced paladins have the same ability. If the character's paladin level is 4th or higher, her effective turning level is her cleric level plus her paladin level minus 3. Thus, a 5th level paladin/4th level cleric turns undead as a 6th level cleric.

-Hyp.

 

[smootrk]

It has been discussed before. It is exactly the same ability, not a duplicate of a similar ability, therefore only the levels (or adjusted level in the case of paladin) stacks, and not the number of turns per day.

Now, there is a completely different pool in the case of special domain powers that grant Turning Ability against other types of creatures such as Elemental Turning. However, these alternative Turning pools do not provide the fuel for 'turn-undead powered feats' such as Divine Might.

I had the same questions regarding stacking these abilities previously myself. I can understand the confusion.

 

[moritheil]

Indeed. The truly weird case is when a class explicitly grants only turning or only rebuking, and one is a neutral cleric who has chosen the other ability for cleric. For example, a cleric/enforcer using the variant paladin rules from Dragon Magazine only gets rebuking from being an enforcer. If he has turning ability from being a cleric, what happens then?

 

[Quartz]

Now, there is a completely different pool in the case of special domain powers that grant Turning Ability against other types of creatures such as Elemental Turning. However, these alternative Turning pools do not provide the fuel for 'turn-undead powered feats' such as Divine Might.

Umm... why shouldn't they? They're both expressions of Holy / Unholy power

For example, a cleric of Merikka in Greyhawk might well have Turn Plant instead of Turn Undead. Why shouldn't he use his Turn Plant ability to power feats like Divine Might?

Now, if said cleric of Merikka had both Turn Plant and Turn Undead, I'd mandate one or the other and not both. Or have one use of each expended. Otherwise you'd get people taking extra domains simply to get extra uses - a particular problem at Epic levels and also with the Divine Metamagic feat.

Granted it's rare to have multiple Turning ability but with the introduction of Divine feats, I wonder if there isn't a case for not having multiple Turning pools? Just say that if you can Turn multiple types, you get +2 Turn attempts? Extra Turning grants +4 uses, but the character is getting added flexibility.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

I could have sworn I saw a FAQ entry or Errata somewhere that said Extra Turning applies to both Turn Undead and Turn Fire creatures (for example), rather than just for one (that has to be specified)...

 

[smootrk]

The animal domain grants additional turning ability against animals, not instead of Turn Undead.... and indeed Ogrork the Mighty is correct that the Extra Turning feat does affect both (all) pools of Turning ability. Mandating that the PC would have one or the other would be houseruling the abilities (and I do see that as a valid option to use for specific deities).

 

[Dross]

Umm... why shouldn't they? They're both expressions of Holy / Unholy power

For example, a cleric of Merikka in Greyhawk might well have Turn Plant instead of Turn Undead. Why shouldn't he use his Turn Plant ability to power feats like Divine Might?

While I do not have all the books (and IDNHMBIFOM), I can only remember the phrase "Use your Turn/Rebuke Undead ability to ....." for powering the divine feats, not "Use your Turn/Rubuke ability" which is different. I also think that all the prereqs require Turn/Rebuke Undead and not any ability to Turn/Rebuke.

Thus you would need to houserule that divine feats can be powered by any turn/rebuke ability.

 

[Alzrius]

While I do not have all the books (and IDNHMBIFOM), I can only remember the phrase "Use your Turn/Rebuke Undead ability to ....." for powering the divine feats, not "Use your Turn/Rubuke ability" which is different. I also think that all the prereqs require Turn/Rebuke Undead and not any ability to Turn/Rebuke.

It's in the FAQ that only turn/rebuke undead abilities can power divine feats, unless specifically stated otherwise.