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Message: <blockquote data-quote="roguerouge" data-source="post: 4633868" data-attributes="member: 13855">Also, how are you going to find these wounded people? Lacking gather information and knowledge (local), this cleric is going to end up wandering around aimlessly looking for someone to heal. That's not a very efficient service model, nor is it particularly safe. Much better for people to come to the hospital, I mean temple. Here's what I think: I think that there's enough of a scarcity of clerics and adepts that demand for their spells outstrips supply, and especially outstrips the supply of people who would give spells away for free. That's especially true for spells above second level.I think that the spells they don't charge for are either in exchange for services (quests, mopping floors, attending a sermon) or as a loss leader (spreading the faith to a captive and appreciative audience). I think they do that because it keeps those parishioners with barely enough faithful. I think that they do these exchanges because verifying who's truly needy vs. who has a great bluff skill takes time. I think they do that because it prevents some of the bad side effects of free spells. And I think that redemption and salvation are not gifts, but are rather the result of opportunities which require a great deal of effort over one's life to take advantage of. A free spell and off you go doesn't strike me as an effective means to save one's soul. I think that core DnD, as a heroic adventure game, aims its spell lists towards emergency use spell casting and thus doesn't have a great many spells that improve people's daily lives. I think that most spells outside of cures have negative social consequences, making enemies by costing people work. I think it's possible that wise sects strategically "don't have available" spells like mending or make whole and instead direct buyers towards the workers that would do the job and need the work. But I think that many sects might cast such spells and become part of the problem, unknowingly.I think that Runestar has it exactly right: clerics are people too. I'm sure that religions have centuries of experience preventing burn out. The more effort and time after hours devoted to donating superfluous spell slots, the more likely burnout is going to occur. Long term, it's better for these religions to insist that their most valuable assets lead healthy, well-rounded lives.</blockquote>

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