Cleric
The Appeasement
Gods demand sacrifice. For some, like Llolth, that's more literal than figurative.
And sacrifice the Drow of Andunor must. The Spider Queen's favor determines their houses' positions.
Displease her, and another house will take all they have. Fail to please her as much as the other houses, the same result. Her priestesses work tirelessly to gain her favor, her gifts, her attention.
They sacrifice slaves on the altar; they sacrifice enemies on the altar; they sacrifice the weak members of their own house on the altar, all to avoid the wrath of their capricious goddess.
The priestesses who truly form a connection gain power for their adoration and submission.
The power to restore, the power to destroy, the power to enhance, the power to cripple.
Power over others. Borrowed power, for it is only through Llolth they can use these gifts, and to lose her favor means to lose this power as well.
Most likely it also means to lose their lives as a rival takes their place.
To keep their society moving, the altar runs red. If the blood ever dried, surely a catastrophic reckoning would come.
Overview:
The gods stand above all. They have great power over reality, and while they have been known to step foot on Toril or send avatars to do so, they mostly enact their more overt objectives through faithful agents. Those who demonstrate great insight and spend many months in prayer sometimes find their prayers are answered more directly, and arise as clerics- direct conduits of the power of the gods to the material realm. While faithful priests might preach and provide physical services, clerics are called above and beyond, and granted incredible power in exchange for their constant devotion and ceaseless drive to see their deity's will done. Clerics typically train in heavier armor, shields, and simple weapons to be effective combatants, but beyond the large array of miracles they can work, clerics of different faiths tend to have entirely different outlooks, preferences, and duties to the world.
Key Mechanics at Level 20:
BAB: 15/10/5
HP: 160+20x Constitution
Saves: +12 Fort, +6 Reflex, +12 Will
Skills: 40 + 20x Intelligence: Concentration, craft armor, craft trap, craft weapon, heal, lore, parry, persuade, spellcraft
Key Mechanics:
Turn Undead - Clerics can raise their holy symbol to make nearby undead flee in terror. Stronger undead can be affected as the cleric levels up, and having a high Charisma score increases the uses and effect of this ability. Using it will sometimes outright destroy very weak undead.
Spellcasting - Clerics are capable of casting up to 9th level spells as they level up. They have a variety of spells to cast, but make excellent healers or necromancers. They require a wisdom of at least 19 to cast all spells.
Wisdom also increases the difficulty of resisting the bard's spells and the number of spells that can be cast per day.
Clerics have access to every Cleric spell, but must prepare specific spells in their spellbook each rest in order to cast them.
Spells can be changed out every rest if desired. Spells of seventh, eighth, ninth, and epic level cost Piety to use.
Clerics can spontaneously cast Cure Wounds or Inflict Wound spells, using an appropriate spell slot. This will prevent the cleric from casting the spell converted into these spells.
Domains
Clerics select two domains upon taking their first cleric level, which is intended to represent their deity's unique portfolio.
- This is not enforced on Arelith, and any Cleric may select any Domains they wish.
Domains grant expanded spell lists, and sometimes confer other helpful effects.
Domain List
Air - Lightning spells, can turn Elementals in addition to Undead
Animal - Enhancing spells, summons higher-tier creatures when using Summon Creature spells
Death - Killing spells, able to summon a shadow to fight, Inflict Wounds and Harm spells deal more damage
Destruction - Painful cloud spells, able to damage constructs with Turn Undead
Earth - Defensive spells, can turn Elementals in addition to Undead
Evil - Negative energy spells, can turn Outsiders in addition to Undead
Fire - Fire spells, can turn Elementals in addition to Undead
Good - Defensive and summoning spells, able to turn Outsiders in addition to Undead
Healing - Healing spells, Cure Wounds, Heal/Mass Heal, and Circle of Healing spells heal more damage
Knowledge - Divination/Information Gathering/Detecting Spells
Magic - Wizardly spells
Plant - Defensive and insect spells, able to turn Vermin in addition to Undead
Protection - Defensive spells, able to give self a shield that requires attackers to make Will saves to attack
Strength - Combat spells, able to improve own strength dramatically for a time
Sun - Sun spells, able to turn more and stronger creatures
Travel - Movement hindering and enhancing spells
Trickery - Invisibility spells, able to enhance own rogue-like skills for a time
War - Enhancing spells, able to become more effective at physical combat for a time
Water - Cold spells, able to turn Elementals as if they were Undead
Path Option: Healer
Clerics who wish to focus intensely on healing wounds can choose to become a Healer. They lose all armor proficiencies and all weapon proficiencies except Simple, and can never regain these proficiencies.
Bless, Circle of Healing, and Mass Heal are enhanced.
They can spontaneously cast Circle of Healing, Heal, and Mass Heal just like Cure Wounds spells. Healing a target over their maximum hit points creates a shield of temporary hit points for the excess, with a total cap based on cleric level. Regeneration will continuously refresh this shield, otherwise it eventually fades.
They can cast Resurrection or Raise Dead on a living target to give them a one minute Lifeline that will prevent them from dying and restore them to the appropriate hit point total upon taking fatal damage.
At very high levels they can create a field for a short period of time that prevents all crowd control effects and prevents all creatures inside from dying. On expiration, this field heals all allies for a large amount.