The reason for the cleric class' lack of popularity?

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

Aren't they called potions?

I guess some people see clerics as reactive characters, not active. Their role is patching up those who do stuff..

Naw, potions take too much time and don't deplete your immediate resources.

On a certain level I blame the equation of lack of cleric=having to pay more for potions for a lot of the classes unpopularity.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Mention of fantasy worlds with clerics. There seem to be more of them in the past 20 years.

Raymond E. Feist's books have clerics with something like a "turn undead" ability. Steven Erikson's Malazan series has spellcasting clerics, even though they seem to cast spells awfully similarly to non-cleric spellcasters. Scott Bakker's "The Darkness that Comes Before" has clerics, as well as non-oriental monks.

Then there are the Viking sagas. There seemed to be numerous holymen with supernatural abilities. Being viking tales, they were often quite the tough guys as well. Saying they have an ability to "turn undead" might be a stretch... but...


Regards,
Eric Anondson