Tips for playing an evil cleric?

[Magesmiley]

Something else to consider is the alignment choice on the other axis - if you're going to play an evil character, I highly highly recommend going with lawful evil. Lawful evil characters can (and often do) have a moral code and also tend to keep their agreements (despite having malevolent ends). This is critically important for the intergrity of the party. The ability of the other players to trust you (even if only within certain constraints) is critical to a long-term game.

 

[Tiberius]

Tiberius, IIRC that's Tomb-Tainted Soul.

Ah, yes. Thank you; I've not been able to take a look at the book for a while, but remember it being part of my Blood of Vol cleric.

 

[Drowbane]

...Does anyone have any good useful suggestions or anecdotes in regard to evil cleric-ness?...

- Tomb-tainted Soul + Inflict spells
- Hold Person/Monster + any x4 crit weapon (Scythes work nicely)
- Heal your party members only when absolutely necessary
- Control Undead as often as possible as undead are even more expendable than your party members.

 

[Sound of Azure]

-Get the Mother Cyst feat, and use Necrotic Cyst,Necrotic Domination and Necrotic Tumor o much as possible, and on your party members if you can do it in secrete.

Where are these feats from? Libris mortis? I don't know of these...


As for everyone else: Such great advice! Thanks very much!

My PC is Neutral evil, to be best in line to serve Shar (and to actually be able to enter the Nightcloak PrC). Had lots of fun with Clutch of Orcus today on this session's "villain".

I already seem to have the party Wizard following my PC's advice, as well as our Fighter/Sorcerer (I've taken him under my wing, somewhat). The rogue is more independent, and seems to have several dealings in the underworld (observed by me a couple of times).

 

[taliesin15]

Great advice, Magesmiley and Fenes--on undead and such, also the bit about playing Lawful Evil. Another suggestion which is hard for hardcore adventuring PCs sometimes is utilizing your followers. Clerics can and probably should have a temple or church--one would think a higher level Cleric would have quite a sizeable congregation. Seems to me there are a number of ways having a supporting community like this (with the very possible idea that most of these Commoners would have no idea that your PC is Evil) could be of benefit to the PC and the party.

 

[Sound of Azure]

Yeah, as my PC is ostensibly a cleric of Selune (actually a Sharran), my PC is acting outwardly friendly, kind, and sagely... defeating and showing mercy on a killer who had been terrorising the commoners. The killer was brought to "justice" and made an example of. I think the commoners' loyalty is forming as my Cleric is becoming known for his acts of assistance ot to community.

Eventually, if I start to gain a proper congregation the idea will be to subvert their activities and turn them to my own populance... perhaps evetually turning them against my enemies.

I fully intend on utilising the "selctive healing" advice given upthread. When we finished the session, we'd just finished a battle with half the party somewhat wounded.

As for undead, since I'm trying to be covert...I'll have to be careful here. They will certainly be of use when I am out of the public eye. I just have to be careful that the other PCs don't use this inforation against me. I suspect the Wizard will try to manipulate me in this fashion, perhaps the rogue as well (particularly if his masters ask him to work against me, or contrary to what I'm trying to achieve).

 

[moritheil]

Another suggestion which is hard for hardcore adventuring PCs sometimes is utilizing your followers. Clerics can and probably should have a temple or church--one would think a higher level Cleric would have quite a sizeable congregation. Seems to me there are a number of ways having a supporting community like this (with the very possible idea that most of these Commoners would have no idea that your PC is Evil) could be of benefit to the PC and the party.

Great idea - as long as you remember that the DM is well within his or her rights to demand you take the Leadership feat if you're benefiting from followers.

 

[moritheil]

Where are these feats from? Libris mortis? I don't know of these...

Yup, LM. If you read them, though, you'll find that they can be awfully detrimental in certain circumstances, so unless you really don't care if your teammates die, try to avoid using them on allies.

 

[Sound of Azure]

Cool. I'll have to look into that. Luckily, I have a air bit of time, as there's at least two more levels before I can take a new feat anyway (we're level 6), and several game sessions.

As for the team-mates, they seem useful for now while my PC cements his reputation in town. For certain team-members who are very careless with lightning bolts, maybe I couldn't care less what happens to them.