Why do clerics charge for spells?

[LostSoul]

What makes you so sure that his god cares about that particular adventurer? Your assumption is that gods think like humans do. But obviously gods let people die all the time. Bad things happen to good people all the time. The gods do not stop it.

"“Good” implies altruism, respect for life, and a concern for the dignity of sentient beings. Good characters make personal sacrifices to help others. "

That's what a Good god wants. So he does care about that adventurer.

Gods don't really have any say about what happens to people. They can't do anything - except through the faithful. (Or else the prime material would be flooded with gated Solars. Actually, why isn't it?) So it's up to the Good cleric to help out that adventurer.

I like your analysis of the "Divine Welfare State". But if people are reckless and fight all the time, they become Evil. When they die, they go somewhere nasty. Even if it is just for a little while, I think that would help keep people on the straight and narrow.

 

[Imperialus]

In my own campaign all of the PC's are strongly encouraged (and required in the case of clerics and paladins) to join a church. My method of doing so is simple and streightforward. Nobody knows what happens to the faithless when they die... at least no faithless person has ever responded to any kind of commune with dead spell and not a single one has ever been sucessfully brought back to life. Essentially they disappear and the inhabitants of the world know about as much about concerning what happens to them as we do. The churches while not money making enterprises in the strictest sence of the word do require a source of income. The goverenment does not support them in any meaningful way and though some of them are major landowners in their own right this support is usually localized and sporadic. Thus anyone who is a member of a church is required to tithe to it and everyone pays for services beyond a simple mass but the church has it's own obligations as well.

For example the human church of Cari'Homar. (roughly equivilant to Pelor) requires 10% of all incomes as well as one weeks service to the church per year. In exchange any healing spells below 3rd level are cast for free and individuals get a 20% discount on anything required above that level.

Wadarn (rather like Thor or Mars) on the other hand requires a 5% donation, and at least one enemy of the church killed over the course of a year with his weapons and armour being sacrificed. The second requirement is not always enforced but it is basically a method that the church can use to quickly raise an army in the event that it goes to war (which is quite frequent). However clerics Wadarn will give or loan conciderable equipment in terms of weapons, armour even training at little or no cost if you convince them that you are doing his work.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Crap, if my game weren't already fully established I would so yoink that idea. It is brilliant. BRILLIANT!

 

[Rogue765]

The same question gets raised by my players. They feel that since they are often performing services for the good of said church, community, government/nobility...etc, that they should receive healing and spellcasting services for free.

I try to explain OOC and IC that the temple charges as a means of generating income to keep the building in good order, pay for ingrediants and needed materials, and the like, but they are quite adamant that given the good they do, spells should be free.

Sad thing is, I can quite agree with them on some occasions.

Well, If they ARE performing a mission for the church, then they probably should receive healing for free.

Of course, they should be performing the mission without expecting any reward, also.

 

[genshou]

Man, I missed a lot of good threads while on vacation...

Clerics charge for healing spells for the same reason hospitals run by religious organizations do. True, there are some "goodwill" hospitals that survive by donation and do not charge for medical treatment, and these are represented in my campaign world by itinerant, goodly clerics who usually have no patron deity. They exchange their services for a meal and a place to sleep. Some even settle in a community, and trade spells for mundane goods such as bannock, chickens, a new pair of breeches, or perhaps in exchange for help in fixing a leaky roof.

 

[cattoy]

If a church isn't a money-making enterprise, then they aren't doing it right.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

If you don't trust the guys who are going to save the world for you, you got big problems.

First time I have heard 'common sense' called a 'big problem'.

King: So, I should give the group known to have failed on this, this, and this occassion a free Helm of Brilliance? Chencelor, send in the next party.

Or, more likely in a feudal setup:

King: An' We grant you the use of Our forefather's Helm of Brilliance thou must swear fealty unto Us, and thereby gain the priviledges and duties of a Knight of Our realm.

Back on subject - does the community expect any PC cleric to grant the same free spells for them?

The Auld Grump

*EDIT* Punctuation and spelling.

 

[DragonLancer]

Well, If they ARE performing a mission for the church, then they probably should receive healing for free.

Of course, they should be performing the mission without expecting any reward, also.

Agreed. However my players are somewhat mercenary and never think that way.

I do keep hoping however.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

That might make an amusing adventure hook. Just imagine, a bunch of litte old ladies selling cakes, pies, and brownies to raise money for the local church of St. Cuthbert. Then something goes wrong.

Yoink!

 

[genshou]

First time I have heard 'common sense' called a 'big problem'.

King: So, I should give tthe group known to have failed on this, this and this occassion a free Helm of Brilliance? Chencelor, send in the next party.

Or, more likely in a feudal setup:

King: An We grant you the use of Our forefather's Helm of Brilliance thou must swear fealty unto Us, and thereby gain the priviledges and duties of a Knight of Our realm.

Back on subject - does the community expect any PC cleric to grant the same free spells for them?

The Auld Grump

I think people are ignoring D&D's economic scale when they post things like what you're replying to. 125k gp is a LOT of money! It's enough to buy a couple border keeps, or add a significant amount to the royal palace, or buy a few small cities... And how many helms of brilliance are there floating around out in the world, anyway? I wouldn't ever give my kingdom's HoB to adventurers unless they were the absolute paragons of virtue and I already believed they had a good chance to survive without it.