Cleric of Heironeous [Archive] - Wizards Community

Cleric of Heironeous [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ograbme
08-03-04, 01:43 PM How would I play a cleric of Heironeous differently from a paladin? Moreover, how can either be played without falling into the "lawful stupid/goody two shoes" stereotype?
Rudysseus
08-06-04, 12:43 PM In my opinion LG is the toughest to RP well, as you run into sooo many choices that could assault your alignment. Just keep in mind that lawful good DOESNT mean you have to be a carpet for everyone else to walk over. You obviously respect the law and are very disciplined and try to help others become like you.
Now basically, being good doesn't mean being stupid. A lot of people think thats the case, and they go towards neutral so they can do the more obvious choices and not lose powers or fall out of favor with their gods. Keep in mind that as a cleric you should have finely tuned senses for whats going on around you (High Wisdom), so deceiving you is more difficult that it should be to deceive a fighter, or barbarian. Just because someone runs up to you and says help me some orcs are raiding my village, doesn't necessarily mean you have to just jump on your horse, and speed out of town to stomp the orcs. Obviously as a good person youll want to help this person with her problems, if they are indeed legitimate, and he's not trying to lure you into a trap.
As lawful good, you should be very pragmatic, and thoughtful. You need to contemplate matters before deciding on the best course of action. Now course of if a girl is being mugged on the streets, you cant take 10 minutes to decide if its a trap, so you need to lean towards goodness and help her out.
Don't take everything the DM says at face-value. Just because an NPC he introduces to the group is willing to help you out, it DOESNT mean that person has anything but their own interests in mind, and while you should always be the type of person to look for the good in others, it does not mean you have to trust someone without reservation, at least until they have done something to earn that trust, and just when you start to trust someone is usually when they say "oh ive got a short cut thru this alley" and you get jumped by assassins.

Being good is by no means EASY, but being lawful good also means you have to adhere to laws and regulations, which makes it that much HARDER. You can't usually dispense bloody justice like more chaotic or neutral people can, unless specifically ordered to by your commanders. You also have to stick up for honor and fairness, and while you don't have to make a major issue out of it, you should calmly remind the lying rogue that they should strive to be better than some lying thief, even if the rogue tells you to go away, itll show your dm that you are making an effort to stay in LG standing.

Try to think of your character as a detective in the police. Not like those Lethal Weapon Mel Gibson loose cannons. Just a guy that follows the laws and tries to help others, but always tries to figures out what's going on behind the scenes, takes clues the DM may give and never really trusts anyone except his close friends, especially anyone he doesnt know.

Just remember, you're the pillar of goodness and law in the world. YOU ARE NOT A PUSHOVER!
Passionateapathy
08-09-04, 03:18 PM Potentially the easiest way to differentiate a Cleric of Heironious from a Paladin would be to make him LN instead of LG...

He could 'strictly' enforce the law and frankly not care about 'good' or he could be a "judge dread" type character and just meet out what HE thinks is justice... more along the lines of 'might makes right'

War and Law would be good domain choices for a judge dread char...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ograbme 08-03-04, 01:43 PM	How would I play a cleric of Heironeous differently from a paladin? Moreover, how can either be played without falling into the "lawful stupid/goody two shoes" stereotype?
Rudysseus 08-06-04, 12:43 PM	In my opinion LG is the toughest to RP well, as you run into sooo many choices that could assault your alignment. Just keep in mind that lawful good DOESNT mean you have to be a carpet for everyone else to walk over. You obviously respect the law and are very disciplined and try to help others become like you. Now basically, being good doesn't mean being stupid. A lot of people think thats the case, and they go towards neutral so they can do the more obvious choices and not lose powers or fall out of favor with their gods. Keep in mind that as a cleric you should have finely tuned senses for whats going on around you (High Wisdom), so deceiving you is more difficult that it should be to deceive a fighter, or barbarian. Just because someone runs up to you and says help me some orcs are raiding my village, doesn't necessarily mean you have to just jump on your horse, and speed out of town to stomp the orcs. Obviously as a good person youll want to help this person with her problems, if they are indeed legitimate, and he's not trying to lure you into a trap. As lawful good, you should be very pragmatic, and thoughtful. You need to contemplate matters before deciding on the best course of action. Now course of if a girl is being mugged on the streets, you cant take 10 minutes to decide if its a trap, so you need to lean towards goodness and help her out. Don't take everything the DM says at face-value. Just because an NPC he introduces to the group is willing to help you out, it DOESNT mean that person has anything but their own interests in mind, and while you should always be the type of person to look for the good in others, it does not mean you have to trust someone without reservation, at least until they have done something to earn that trust, and just when you start to trust someone is usually when they say "oh ive got a short cut thru this alley" and you get jumped by assassins. Being good is by no means EASY, but being lawful good also means you have to adhere to laws and regulations, which makes it that much HARDER. You can't usually dispense bloody justice like more chaotic or neutral people can, unless specifically ordered to by your commanders. You also have to stick up for honor and fairness, and while you don't have to make a major issue out of it, you should calmly remind the lying rogue that they should strive to be better than some lying thief, even if the rogue tells you to go away, itll show your dm that you are making an effort to stay in LG standing. Try to think of your character as a detective in the police. Not like those Lethal Weapon Mel Gibson loose cannons. Just a guy that follows the laws and tries to help others, but always tries to figures out what's going on behind the scenes, takes clues the DM may give and never really trusts anyone except his close friends, especially anyone he doesnt know. Just remember, you're the pillar of goodness and law in the world. YOU ARE NOT A PUSHOVER!
Passionateapathy 08-09-04, 03:18 PM	Potentially the easiest way to differentiate a Cleric of Heironious from a Paladin would be to make him LN instead of LG... He could 'strictly' enforce the law and frankly not care about 'good' or he could be a "judge dread" type character and just meet out what HE thinks is justice... more along the lines of 'might makes right' War and Law would be good domain choices for a judge dread char...