Cleric question... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Cleric question... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Xavorin
08-09-07, 11:25 AM Hey all---

I couldn't find anything like this through a bit of searching, though maybe I just didn't search hard enough. Anyway:

I'm soon to start playing a Cleric who specializes in (what else) healing. I don't mind healing, but there are some other spells on the Cleric spell list that look very useful, if a bit controversial. Examples are Slay Living and Harm. Now, my cleric is Neutral Good and serves Pelor (he's on the RSoP path), and my question is this:

Are there any rules governing what spells a cleric can cast, based on his/her alignment/deity? For example, it seems odd that a Cleric who serves a deity bent on destroying evil and helping the sick and weak can cast spells that are usually cast by evil creatures. (E.g. Slay Living and Harm.)

Thanks for all help.

--Xavorin
efreeti
08-09-07, 11:47 AM AFAIK neither Slay Living or Harm have the evil descriptor and so are perfectly acceptable for a good aligned priest RAW. Much will depend on your DM however and how he interprets the spells in his\her campaign.

There are various save or die type spells available to priests many of which sound a bit dodgy like Slay Living, Destrucion, Power Word Kill! etc. They sound a bit evil but are not they are simply names for ways in which you channel your gods divine power to defeat your foes.

It also depends how you use them, sneaking up behind somebody and killing them with a word is not very Pelor! Shouting "Let Pelor's divine majesty destroy the darkness" as you throw yourself on the evil wizard is probably ok.

It is all in the phrasing! :)

Plus if your DM doesn't want you to use those sort of spells it would be worth discussing replacing them with similar spells with a different name to help keep the spell list balanced.

RAW a good cleric cannot cast spells with the evil descriptor and an evil cleric cannot cast spells with the good descriptor. There are not really too many of these spells in the PHB anyway. IIRC Protection from Good is an Evil Descriptor Spell as are Summon Monster spells when used to summon things like Imps, Salamanders and Fiendish X. There are a few more, you just need to have a good look through the PHB.
LoneFlame
08-09-07, 12:20 PM I'm soon to start playing a Cleric who specializes in (what else) healing.
Just make sure you never prepare any cure spells, since a cleric can just drop any prepared spell for a cure spell.

Just giving you needlessly obvious advice
Elrond Hubbard
08-09-07, 12:48 PM efreeti mentioned it, but to clarify:

as a good cleric, you cannot cast any spells listed as evil in the spell description. for example, the 2nd-lvl spell Desecrate is listed as Evocation [Evil]. But if the spell is not listed as evil in that manner, then have away at it. Neither Slay Living nor Harm are listed as evil spells.

Note that you can only summon good or neutral creatures with the spell Summon Monster. Summoning an evil creature converts the spell into an evil spell.

This is all in the PHB somewhere, but I can't point you to the page right now. Comb the cleric class description and the chapter on magic, before the spell lists.
Xavorin
08-10-07, 10:52 AM efreeti mentioned it, but to clarify:

as a good cleric, you cannot cast any spells listed as evil in the spell description. for example, the 2nd-lvl spell Desecrate is listed as Evocation [Evil]. But if the spell is not listed as evil in that manner, then have away at it. Neither Slay Living nor Harm are listed as evil spells.

Note that you can only summon good or neutral creatures with the spell Summon Monster. Summoning an evil creature converts the spell into an evil spell.

This is all in the PHB somewhere, but I can't point you to the page right now. Comb the cleric class description and the chapter on magic, before the spell lists.

Ok, thanks for the clarification! I think my DM will let me cast Slay Living, Harm, and such. At least, he hasn't told me not to yet!

Thanks again for all help.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Xavorin 08-09-07, 11:25 AM	Hey all--- I couldn't find anything like this through a bit of searching, though maybe I just didn't search hard enough. Anyway: I'm soon to start playing a Cleric who specializes in (what else) healing. I don't mind healing, but there are some other spells on the Cleric spell list that look very useful, if a bit controversial. Examples are Slay Living and Harm. Now, my cleric is Neutral Good and serves Pelor (he's on the RSoP path), and my question is this: Are there any rules governing what spells a cleric can cast, based on his/her alignment/deity? For example, it seems odd that a Cleric who serves a deity bent on destroying evil and helping the sick and weak can cast spells that are usually cast by evil creatures. (E.g. Slay Living and Harm.) Thanks for all help. --Xavorin
efreeti 08-09-07, 11:47 AM	AFAIK neither Slay Living or Harm have the evil descriptor and so are perfectly acceptable for a good aligned priest RAW. Much will depend on your DM however and how he interprets the spells in his\her campaign. There are various save or die type spells available to priests many of which sound a bit dodgy like Slay Living, Destrucion, Power Word Kill! etc. They sound a bit evil but are not they are simply names for ways in which you channel your gods divine power to defeat your foes. It also depends how you use them, sneaking up behind somebody and killing them with a word is not very Pelor! Shouting "Let Pelor's divine majesty destroy the darkness" as you throw yourself on the evil wizard is probably ok. It is all in the phrasing! :) Plus if your DM doesn't want you to use those sort of spells it would be worth discussing replacing them with similar spells with a different name to help keep the spell list balanced. RAW a good cleric cannot cast spells with the evil descriptor and an evil cleric cannot cast spells with the good descriptor. There are not really too many of these spells in the PHB anyway. IIRC Protection from Good is an Evil Descriptor Spell as are Summon Monster spells when used to summon things like Imps, Salamanders and Fiendish X. There are a few more, you just need to have a good look through the PHB.
LoneFlame 08-09-07, 12:20 PM	I'm soon to start playing a Cleric who specializes in (what else) healing. Just make sure you never prepare any cure spells, since a cleric can just drop any prepared spell for a cure spell. Just giving you needlessly obvious advice
Elrond Hubbard 08-09-07, 12:48 PM	efreeti mentioned it, but to clarify: as a good cleric, you cannot cast any spells listed as evil in the spell description. for example, the 2nd-lvl spell Desecrate is listed as Evocation [Evil]. But if the spell is not listed as evil in that manner, then have away at it. Neither Slay Living nor Harm are listed as evil spells. Note that you can only summon good or neutral creatures with the spell Summon Monster. Summoning an evil creature converts the spell into an evil spell. This is all in the PHB somewhere, but I can't point you to the page right now. Comb the cleric class description and the chapter on magic, before the spell lists.
Xavorin 08-10-07, 10:52 AM	efreeti mentioned it, but to clarify: as a good cleric, you cannot cast any spells listed as evil in the spell description. for example, the 2nd-lvl spell Desecrate is listed as Evocation [Evil]. But if the spell is not listed as evil in that manner, then have away at it. Neither Slay Living nor Harm are listed as evil spells. Note that you can only summon good or neutral creatures with the spell Summon Monster. Summoning an evil creature converts the spell into an evil spell. This is all in the PHB somewhere, but I can't point you to the page right now. Comb the cleric class description and the chapter on magic, before the spell lists. Ok, thanks for the clarification! I think my DM will let me cast Slay Living, Harm, and such. At least, he hasn't told me not to yet! Thanks again for all help.