Rationale behind Cleric not getting Cat's Grace

[WizarDru]

So 3.5 is out, and clerics still don't get Cat's Grace, even though they get to buff the other 5 stats. I assume this is by design, so I have to ask, WHY? What potential imbalance was perceived to keep this spell out of their hands?

I might understand denying them a WIS buff, for example, but I'm still frankly baffled why clerics get five out of the six buff spells. What is so unbalancing about Cat's Grace, especially now that it's duration is greatly reduced, to prevent clerics from having it?

 

[Tabarnak Smokeblower]

I've always thought (in the sense that it would be somewhat logical) that the buff spells you have access too have to be related to your God. If you worship Kord, you can cast Bull's stength and Yak's Endurance. If you worship Olidammara, you can cast Cat's grace and Tony Randall's splendor, etc.

As to why clerics do not have access to Cat's Grace, I have no idea/commentary.

TS

 

[Lorillomar]

The designers have stated that each spellcasting class was given the stat buffs that they would be most likely to want to cast upon themselves. Clerics are the only pure casters with access to Heavy Armor, and therefore Dexterity is less important to them than the other stats.

 

[Ysgarran]

I think that the Elf domain in FR grants it as a domain spell. For a god that valued dexterity (i.e. a god of the bow, rogues, etc.) I would have no problem as granting as a freebie to the cleric.

Ysgarran.

p.s. I agree with Lorillomar as to the 'why' the designers did not add the spell to the clerics spell list.

 

[Darklone]

I'd rather wonder why bards don't get Endurance. Or do they get it now?

 

[drnuncheon]

So 3.5 is out, and clerics still don't get Cat's Grace, even though they get to buff the other 5 stats.

Not true - they don't get Fox's Cunning either.

Str: Clr, Drd, Pal, Sor/Wiz
Dex: Brd, Drd, Rgr, Sor/Wiz
Con: Clr, Drd, Rgr, Sor/Wiz
Int: Brd, Sor/Wiz
Wis: Clr, Drd, Pal, Rgr, Sor/Wiz
Cha: Brd, Clr, Pal, Sor/Wiz

Looks like primary casters get 4 (or more in the case of Sor/Wiz) and secondary casters get 3.

J

 

[WizarDru]

So, in summary, then:

Bard - DEX, INT, CHA
Cleric - STR, CON, WIS, CHA
Druid - STR, DEX, CON, WIS
Paladin - STR, WIS, CHA
Ranger - DEX, CON, WIS
Sor/Wiz - STR, DEX, CON, INT, CHA

The paladin looks OK to me, as does the Druid and possibly the bard. They're designed to enhance the class' innate abilities, and allow them to improve their ability to do what they do best. Ranger is close, but probably doesn't have STR for balance reasons, so that makes sense to me.

I personally think the sor/wiz should probably loose STR, but that's me. For some reason I thought that the sor/wiz got all six, and the cleric all but one. All I can assume is that they're trying to enhance the versatility of the sor/wiz over the cleric's more diverse list, which doesn't bother me so much...I'd just like to hear the thought that went into the specific choices from a designer.

 

[coyote6]

So, in summary, then:
[SNIP]

Your list does not agree with drnuncheon's list.

I don't have 3.5e, so I don't know which is correct (but drnuncheon's matches what I recall of pre-release peeks).

 

[Sejs]

Originally, Clerics didn't have Cat's Grace and Bards didn't have Endurance because of their saves. Look at it - Clerics: good Fort/Will, bad Ref. Bards: good Ref/Will, bad fort.

Clerics with Cat's Grace and Bards with Endurance would have a real easy way around their only bad save.

*shrug*

 

[WizarDru]

Your list does not agree with drnuncheon's list.

I don't have 3.5e, so I don't know which is correct (but drnuncheon's matches what I recall of pre-release peeks).

It should, now. I misread his list when making mine. I don't have 3.5, yet (hurry up, Derek!). And a CHA buff makes a lot more sense for clerics, so I'm much happier, now that my reading comprehension skills aren't getting in the way.

My main point of discontent was the mistaken belief that arcanists got six and clerics got five (as opposed to 5 and 4). Now that I've got that cleared up, I'm good.