Clerics have a strange history in tabletop gaming. I understand they are a mishmash of references, including Hammer films, and I've seen them described as "clerk" based on the name itself.
So, imagine my surprise when I discover "cleric" is not derived from clerk, but that "clerk" and "cleric" both hail from the Latin clericus. A cleric is a broad term for members of the clergy, specifically Christian or Muslim, that isn't empowered to perform rites or administer sacraments.
I like the idea of a Cleric class. Monks/Nuns have been explored as a class by Skerples, and they also created a generic Cleric class more as an obligation than for utility. It doesn't appear in his GLOG hack Many Rats on Sticks.
My homebrew world borrows heavily from the GLOG-o-sphere. I use The Authority as the predominant pseudo-Catholic church in a pseudo-European world. However, I struggle to fit magic into such a setting. I can't imagine chivalry, as we remember it, being sustainable with wizards (and the like) lobbing magic missiles around. Magic would be heavily regulated out of distrust of an entire group of people with mind-weapons and, I should think, a desire to exploit those people just like the peasantry. I imagine the nobility would do their best to ensure they had a monopoly on the practice, but I also want my players to have a chance to be a magic user without giving them Titles.
So I imagine the Authority, always in desperate need of powerful warriors for their crusades against the orcs, would find a way to exploit their own ban on magic. No, the Church says, you cannot use magic UNLESS you come fight orcs for us! We'll even train you!
To that end the Battle Cleric is born. A front-line fighter (more or less) empowered to wield magic in The Authority's name. They do not replace Paladin's of the Word, but since a Paladin has given their free will to the Authority I imagine they would rarely join in the drama perpetrated from the Church.
Class: Battle Cleric
Equipment: Leather, holy symbol, heavy weapon
Skills: Religion, Military, Crusade
A: +1 DD, +2 Spells (1-6), Divine Intervention, Calling
B: +1 DD, +1 Spell (1-8), +1 Attack
C: +1DD, +1 Spell (1-10), Battle Tested
D: +1DD , Divine Inspiration
You gain a +1 to Save vs Unholy and +1 HP for every two Cleric templates you possess.
As you level, gain spells from the Battle Cleric spell list.
Clerics do not need to prepare spells in the morning, as Wizards do. They can cast each of their spells once per day, provided they have DD remaining to power it. Spells return at sunrise. To cast a spell, select [dice] DD from your pool, and roll them to get their [sum]
Divine Intervention
You may take 1d6+level damage to cast a spell you have already cast today.
Calling
You can call the spirit of an emotion to possess creatures equal to the number of DD spent. The effects last for [sum] rounds. Emotions include: Terror, Panic, Strife, Fear, Courage, Bravery, Lust, Joy, Happiness, Shock, Awe, Despair, Peace, Hostility, Revulsion, Suspicion, Skepticism, Worry, Vulnerability, Isolation, and Confidence. Creatures who succeed a Cha Save are only affected for 1/2 duration.
Battle Tested:
Once per day your attack ignores the target's defense bonus. Must be declared prior to making the attack.
Divine Inspiration
Learn up to 6 miracles from the Battle Cleric miracle list, or a single Emblem Miracle
Cantrips:
1. By praying over a mixture containing water, you can cause the water to separate from the mixture. This requires at least a partial service (1hr), a consecrated container of up to 2L per cleric level, and no distractions. You will only distribute water to the faithful.
2. You brandish your holy symbol at an unholy, undead, or unnatural creature. It must Save to approach you on its next turn. This has no effect on most mortal creatures.
3. Once per day, you may smite an unholy creature and add damage equal to the number of Cleric templates you possess.
Mishaps
1. DD do not return to your pool for 48 hours
2. Take 1d6 damage, CON save or also concussed for 4 hours
3. Haunted by a minor demon for 1d6 rounds, then save. Demon remains for 1d6 days if failed.
4. Blind and Deafened for 1d6 rounds
5. The Authority does not approve, Burned for 24 hours
6. Overwhelmed by The Authority's power, Anathema for 1d6 rounds and all limbs Disabled for 1 day
Dooms of the Battle Cleric
1. For every spell you cast you have a 50% chance to take 1d3 damage
2. Anyone who takes up arms against you will instinctively know your weaknesses. Your defense is permanently lowered by two.
3. The Authority strikes you down. Become skull cracked and concussed forever. Any harm you bring to others will reflect twice as hard on yourself.
This doom can be avoided by throwing down your arms forever or, if you're not over Fourth Level, by surrendering your will to the Authority and becoming a Paladin of the Voice. However, if you harm an innocent with the power of the Authority's Voice you will die in agony as an example to others.
Miracle List:
1. Heal
2. Bless
3. Hold Person
4. Holy Smite
5. Bane Weapon
6. Sending
7. Banish
8. Aura of Doom
9. Deathless
10. Unwilling Shield
Emblem Miracles:
1. Abominate
2. Mighty Blow
Heal
R: touch T: creature or creatures D: concentration
Heal up to [sum] HP of creatures you touch. You may distribute healing among as many creatures as you would like, as long as the total HP healed does not exceed [sum] and you maintain concentration. If you invest 4 [dice] or more, you may instead heal a single target fully. Alternatively, you can choose to inflict [sum] damage, distributed among creatures you touch as long as you maintain concentration, or invest 4 [dice] to deal [sum] damage to a creature and force it to Save or lose a limb.
Bless
R: touch T: creature or object D: [sum] rounds
Choose one effect per [dice] invested: (a) The target treats all critical failures as critical successes for the duration of the spell, (b) The target automatically passes their next Save (c) Creature or object counts as holy for the duration of the spell, (d) Target gets a new save against any ongoing mental effect.
Hold Person
R: 50' T: creature D: concentration, up to [sum] rounds
Target creature or object is locked in place by divine force. You must maintain concentration for this spell to work. Target can breathe and move their eyes, but cannot swim, fly, or perform any other action. If the creature is particularly willful, blasphemous, or a spellcaster, it may Save each round to break free, with a penalty equal to the [dice] you invested.
Holy Smite
D: until death R: self
You indicate an undead/demonic/obviously evil creature you can see to be the target of your holy smite. Until that creature dies, you add +[dice] to all attack and damage rolls against them. You can only smite one creature at a time.
Bane Weapon
D: [dice] rounds R: touch
Touch the weapon and name a creature. The weapon [sum] extra damage to that creature for the duration. You can lock the dice used to make the effect permanent.
Sending
R: unlimited T: creature you have spoken to before and whose true name you know D: [sum] rounds
You send a message that can be spoken in [sum] rounds or less to your target. The message will appear in 24-[sum] hours. It may appear to them as a dream, as a waking
vision, or as a booming voice only they can hear.
Banish
R: [dice]x10' T: creature D: 0
Make an opposed Charisma check against a demon, spectre, ghost, shadow, spell, spirit, or disease. If you succeed, you banish it from an area determined by the dice you invest. 1 [dice]: immediate area (a room, a body), 2 [dice]: village or dungeon, 3 [dice]: province or nation, 4 [dice] Creation. The creature is banished for a year and a day. If you fail your Charisma check, you take damage [sum] damage. Holy icons, proper rituals, favourable circumstances, and firm convictions may add +2 to +4 to your Charisma.
[Banishing disease: Click me!)
Aura of Doom
D: [dice] rounds R: self
You exude an aura of terror. Creatures within 15’ of you save vs. CHA (with a penalty equal to [dice]) or are terrified of you (they roll Morale immediately).
Deathless
D: [dice] rounds R: touch
The target can’t be killed by hit point damage while the spell persists - their hp can be reduced to zero, but any blow that would kill them thereafter mysteriously misses or otherwise fails.
Unwilling Shield
D: [dice] rounds R: 120’
Any time you take damage, the target takes the same amount of damage.
Mighty Blow
D: [dice] rounds R: touch T: creature
Target's next attack sunders any armor or weapons their foe uses to protect themselves without granting them any benefit provided the attack occurs while the spell is active. Spell ends after the strike regardless of how many rounds remained on the spell.
Abominate
R: [dice]x10' radius T: area D: concentration
Declare one thing or type of thing to be Abominated. Examples: the Undead, people with bad breath, elves, the color green. That thing cannot enter the area of this spell. The spell is centered on the caster. Abominated things in the circle must Save each round or be pushed to its edges.
