How do you handle your clerics?

[Kristivas]

In real life, many priests can be found preaching sermons every week, handing out food at soup kitchens, counselling convicts and the homeless, peforming marriages, teaching children, performing baptisms, hearing confessions, and everything in between. That doesn't leave a lot of time for adventuring, and it can become awkward if a PC has to keep running back to a specific temple every week to give a sermon, or some other priestly duty gets in the way.

In real life, there aren't undead wandering about and slaughtering innocents, evil gods using their followers to corrupt the populace, and demons cavorting about laying waste to souls. In real life, god(s) doesn't(don't) grant clergymen their divine power. However, look a little at what clergymen do in real life that could be akin to adventuring.

Catholic priests have been known to go on exorcisms (wether or not you believe in such isn't the point. they do). Missionaries go into third world countries and far off places to bring word of their religion. Religious folk can be found traveling to areas of natural disasters to help out. While we may not look at that as 'adventuring', per say.. it can be pretty dangerous, even life-threatening.

..As a player, depending on the god of the cleric I was playing, I have given a few sermons or done some priestly duties. Aside from tithing.. giving to poor folk and healing injured people for free always scored some bonus points (and bonus xp!). If your DM's into giving bonus xp for role playing or playing your class or whatnot, a religious-fueled sermon can sure win some points!

As a DM, I expect clerics to do what they need according to their faith/church/alignment. No, that doesn't mean they need to stay at the temple and preach the whole time. However, part of being a cleric (in most chruch's cases), is doing duties. Usually, I let them do this when the party is in town and resting up when not far away on a quest.

IMO, DnD clerics (as far as PCs go, anyway) are better left as adventuring clerics and not cloistered priests. At least, unless you're running an all-city campaign.

 

[VirgilCaine]

Honestly, that's a pretty good fit for a martial-oriented game that has a lot of crusading going on, but it's a piss poor fit for most (if not all) fantasy fiction that I've read outside of D&D novels.

D&D isn't meant to replicate a fantasy novel.

 

[Li Shenron]

How do you as a DM handle these things?

Downtime.

How do your clerics get along with other party members who may not belong to the faith? Are they allowed to travel in the company of such 'heretics'? Should they be required to convert before they can be healed?

If they don't get along, they don't end up belonging to the same party.

 

[DragonLancer]

In my campaigns, there are Clerics and they are Lay Priests.

Lay Priests are the backbone of any faith, those not gifted with spells but who perform the majority of temple duties.
Clerics are those the gods have invested with power for greater reasons. Many of these don't stay at temple but go out into the world to serve their respective deity.