Where did all the specialty priests go?

[buzzard]

quote from buzzard:
You don't need a special set of rules to make a cleric into a specialty priest you just need common sense and a willingness to give up a little for the sake of the character.

You are kiddin me right? Do you "roleplay" your prestige classes instead of taking them? Do you impose those restrictions yourself? I highly doubt it, because there would be no need of taking a prestige class ever in your campaign. Specialty priests in my mind are like prestige classes. It helps differentiate you from the rest.

I make no claims to be a role player at heart. I'm a old fashioned powergamer to the core. However, my gaming inclinations aside, the specialty priests were munchkin city. If the complaints are that you can't play a cleric that is 'different' without those rules, you are just whining. The prestige class isn't a bad idea though. It would add the new powers, but not as a freebee like in 2nd.

Buzzard

 

[Cheiromancer]

So where did they?

A couple of weeks ago, I downloaded a passage on Wee Jas (she is in my opinion one of the most interesting deities to worship- better than the standard fluffy bunny type good deities or the mwahaha evil deities). Below the good solid details on dogma, history, personality and the like, it had the description of her specialty priest, the Archpriests, not to mention quite a few special impositions on her priests due to dogma.

Where did you get this? I'd like to have a look at it too.

 

[Henry]

I've often suggested this, yet I really have not yet seen anyone to take up the challenge seriously.

Why not have Deity-Specific Feats?

The purpose is to get a feat with two main requirements (a required level, and a required Deity), and give the feat a power that is unique or representative of that Deity. I have done something similar in my campaign.

For example:

Thunderclap
Requirement: Cleric Level 3
Must Worship the Thunderer

Once per day, the Cleric of The Thunderer can cause a mighty Thunderclap, a mighty sonic attack, in a 30' radius that forces all opponents to make a Fortitude Save vs. DC=10+1/2 Cleric's level +WIS Bonus or they are dazed for 1d4 rounds and are at -2 to all actions for 1d4 minutes.

Voila! Only clerics devoted to the god (who take a feat) are eligible for this gift. You could create several feats for each deity if you wish, to represent that path of enlightenment.

 

[Junkheap]

I don't think the problem with 2e was that the specialty priests were munchkin. Some of them were, but i remember in 2e NOBODY in my group wanted to play a cleric. NOBODY. It was more like turns, that everyone dreaded when thier turn came up. But with the 2e god books, it added a LOT of amazing possiblilities. Not everyone wanted to play a cleric, but more did and didn't fear thier turn coming up.

I am hoping they would continue thier diety specific pretge classes that they were doing in dragon magazine. I thought that was really cool, and was hoping the 3e god books also expanded on that stuff. I know its a lot to ask for, but i think it would be amazing for the "true priests" to actually be different from the masses. I would 110% buy this book if wotc ever brought it out, along with specific spells for followers of that diety.

 

[Celebrim]

I don't really want the 2 ed. specialty priests to come back. I think the 3 ed. system handles it nicely, and I do agree (with posters like buzzard) that really what is needed is guidelines and restrictions on spell selection or other general activity based on the deity doctrine and portofolio - not a new list of powers for each dieties cleric. Any class is vanilla if you don't role play the character as a unique individual, and it never hurts to give the newbies tips on how to do this.

I also agree with those that say that the cleric class ought to be custumizable. (In fact I have some suggestions on of custumizing all classes in a generally minimally abusable manner that maybe I ought to try to publish in the next Asgard.)

And I also agree that most of the 2ed. specialty priests were broken, and for all the reasons that everyone is suggesting.

And I further agree that part of the problem was that their was no way to adequately play test scores of new classes.

BUT...

That is exactly my problem with 3 ed. prestige classes. Sure, many of them are ok, but there are a few out thier that are munchkins delight and which are gauranteed to be showing up in any powergaming group. So I for one don't want to see this 'problem' 'fixed' by creating more prestige classes, especially in a misguided attempt to recreate the 'flavor' of the old 2 ed. specialty priests.

 

[Voadam]

I've often suggested this, yet I really have not yet seen anyone to take up the challenge seriously.

Why not have Deity-Specific Feats?

The purpose is to get a feat with two main requirements (a required level, and a required Deity), and give the feat a power that is unique or representative of that Deity.
Voila! Only clerics devoted to the god (who take a feat) are eligible for this gift. You could create several feats for each deity if you wish, to represent that path of enlightenment.

Have you seen the Twin Crowns campaign setting. They have dozens of divine feats (and ritual initiation so any class can be a god's blessed devotee) and every god in the setting has a set that are exclusive to them. They can have prereqs like character level 16+ and give benefits like automatic raising as an undead after death.

 

[radferth]

I find that multiclassing and prestige classes add quite a bit of customizability to clerics in 3rd edition. I like playing clerics of Wee Jas as multiclasses cleric/enchanters. I would like to see more deity specific prestige classes (pitty DoF didn't have more in the way of this).

 

[uv23]

I don't think prestige classes make sense in this context. When an individual is trained as a cleric, they are indoctrinated in all of the specific teachings of the church from day one. In fact, they are probably more different in the early years from their counterparts in other churches than they are in their later years.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

Well, running a low-magic game, I essentially went with the concept of non-magical heirarchies comprised mostly of scholarly and/or political minded Experts. By removing the Cleric and Paladin, I opened the door for various "champion-type" PClasses which are developed to fit specific religions and niches within those religions.

So, in a sense, I reduced the magic level and retained Specialty Priests all in one shot.

 

[yipwyg]

You may find this item usefull. The book should be out really soon.

It is called The Book of The Righteous. It is a generic pantheon hardback book. The churches described in this book could be adapted to any game. The infomation about the churches go into great depth (about 10 pages each for each god described). All you would have to do is just rename them to the gods of your camapign world.

Most of the churches come with 3 different sections. The clergy and their strictures and other info about worshiping the diety. The churches Holy Warrior, and a prestige class that others who worship the diety could take.

Check this link out for more infomation

http://www.greenronin.com