Playing a Voodoo cleric [Archive] - Wizards Community

Playing a Voodoo cleric [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
The_Dark_One
07-23-03, 04:03 PM Can you help me with this? The full story is here (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=65462)
Talmariel
07-24-03, 11:35 PM Based on the ideals you wrote down, and what your character is willing to use, he is Lawful Evil, without a doubt. You could lean towards Lawful Neutral, but between the vengance, weak serving the strong, and using undead, that adds up to Evil.

Voodoo is a mish-mash "religion" based on a broad mix of African and Carribbean religions, throwing in Christianity at the tail end. Largely, I've found hard-core voodoo priests will give lip-service to any supernatural power. Original voodoo was essentially a communal religion for Africans who were separated from their cultures because of the slave trade, and evolved into what it is today.

Modern voodoo is largely in the realm of paying debts off through supernatural means. If a voodoo priest is wronged in some way, they will seek an appropriate punishment on their wrong-doer. However, most practitioners will agree that tampering with the supernatural in any way causes similar harm to come to the person casting the curse. It's rather like the witch's threefold rule, if you're familiar with that.

A large part of true voodoo also relates to healing arts, calling upon spirits to aid, or casting evil spirits out. Again, this is a mish-mash of African religions and Christian exorcism.

For the Lawful Evil voodoo priest, particularly a fantasy version, the Palemaster can work for the idea you set forth. So can the True Necromancer, for that matter. I would suggest looking towards Masters of the Wild for such things as the Bane of Infidels or Hexer. These are great "shamanistic" casters, although they take the druid as their fastest path. Still, the druid isn't a bad option to consider for a voodoo priest, particularly the skills and spell list.

Also, for the Evil version, do you have access to a copy of the Book of Vile Darkness? Any evil voodoo priest worth their salt needs things from this book. A great focus would be to become a servant of some devil to gain power. The Diabolist and Thrall of Orcus would work well for your idea.

As for a Neutral incarnation, I'm at a bit of a loss, honestly. Perhaps such prestige classes from Defenders of the Faith as the Contemplative, or Master of Shrouds (although that one's evil, too)?

Okay, maybe a better idea of your focus in voodoo would help. Also, which alignment would you use?

Oh, and yes, the Leadership feat should allow undead followers, although I'm sure you'd have to be evil to do that. Also, there was a great article on undead things on the D&D site last October, for Halloween. I highly recommend looking at that, as there's a whole feat called Undead Leadership. Very handy.
Mr. VanderMeer
07-25-03, 05:30 AM I know you are talking about cleric here, but I saw something interesting in dragon 280.

A new feat called 'Undead Familiar'. With this feat you can choose a familiar as normal (if you have that ability) but it will be undead. (With all changes that has like no com, immune to crit etc.).

That would be cool, a zombie cat, or a skeletal toad familiar.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The_Dark_One 07-23-03, 04:03 PM	Can you help me with this? The full story is here (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=65462)
Talmariel 07-24-03, 11:35 PM	Based on the ideals you wrote down, and what your character is willing to use, he is Lawful Evil, without a doubt. You could lean towards Lawful Neutral, but between the vengance, weak serving the strong, and using undead, that adds up to Evil. Voodoo is a mish-mash "religion" based on a broad mix of African and Carribbean religions, throwing in Christianity at the tail end. Largely, I've found hard-core voodoo priests will give lip-service to any supernatural power. Original voodoo was essentially a communal religion for Africans who were separated from their cultures because of the slave trade, and evolved into what it is today. Modern voodoo is largely in the realm of paying debts off through supernatural means. If a voodoo priest is wronged in some way, they will seek an appropriate punishment on their wrong-doer. However, most practitioners will agree that tampering with the supernatural in any way causes similar harm to come to the person casting the curse. It's rather like the witch's threefold rule, if you're familiar with that. A large part of true voodoo also relates to healing arts, calling upon spirits to aid, or casting evil spirits out. Again, this is a mish-mash of African religions and Christian exorcism. For the Lawful Evil voodoo priest, particularly a fantasy version, the Palemaster can work for the idea you set forth. So can the True Necromancer, for that matter. I would suggest looking towards Masters of the Wild for such things as the Bane of Infidels or Hexer. These are great "shamanistic" casters, although they take the druid as their fastest path. Still, the druid isn't a bad option to consider for a voodoo priest, particularly the skills and spell list. Also, for the Evil version, do you have access to a copy of the Book of Vile Darkness? Any evil voodoo priest worth their salt needs things from this book. A great focus would be to become a servant of some devil to gain power. The Diabolist and Thrall of Orcus would work well for your idea. As for a Neutral incarnation, I'm at a bit of a loss, honestly. Perhaps such prestige classes from Defenders of the Faith as the Contemplative, or Master of Shrouds (although that one's evil, too)? Okay, maybe a better idea of your focus in voodoo would help. Also, which alignment would you use? Oh, and yes, the Leadership feat should allow undead followers, although I'm sure you'd have to be evil to do that. Also, there was a great article on undead things on the D&D site last October, for Halloween. I highly recommend looking at that, as there's a whole feat called Undead Leadership. Very handy.
Mr. VanderMeer 07-25-03, 05:30 AM	I know you are talking about cleric here, but I saw something interesting in dragon 280. A new feat called 'Undead Familiar'. With this feat you can choose a familiar as normal (if you have that ability) but it will be undead. (With all changes that has like no com, immune to crit etc.). That would be cool, a zombie cat, or a skeletal toad familiar.