Daoist Clerics and Domains [Archive] - Wizards Community

Daoist Clerics and Domains [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Prak, the Mad
05-19-07, 07:26 PM I was wondering yesterday, what would be proper domains for a philosophical cleric who followed "The Way", what do you guys think?
JulesCARV
05-19-07, 07:45 PM Of course, as a general principle, I don't approve of using real religions in D&D and blah blah blah, but how 'bout meditation and liberation?
Prak, the Mad
05-19-07, 07:50 PM hmm... I was actually thinking destruction or retribution(i believe there is one, though I may be wrong...) would work, but I'd be more likely to play a more agressive daoist...
Joni-san
05-19-07, 08:00 PM Maybe some of the things listed in the Three Jewels of Taoism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Treasures_(Taoism)) would be good suggestions?

That said, Meditation was a good idea IMO.
The Ubbergeek
05-19-07, 09:54 PM Agreed - the more esoterical/inner Taoism is said to have mixed with classical buddhism to make Zen.
Joni-san
05-19-07, 11:02 PM What other Taoist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoism) ideas and concepts should we think about? Tao, de, wu wei, pu (the uncarved block) and the five elements come to mind.
Theskippingman
05-19-07, 11:53 PM The best choice may not be to make a cleric at all, but rather a shegunja (Complete Divine).

Clerics are western; clerics cast flashy spells; clerics fight; shegunjas are oriental; shegunjas are also simultaneously spiritual; shegunjas are all about balance of elements and yin/yang etc. etc. in so many ways, a cleric doesn't cut it, a shegunja is what you're looking for.

Theskippingman
The Ubbergeek
05-20-07, 12:01 AM Clerics, not spiritual? :rolleyes: they don't fight everytime.
JulesCARV
05-20-07, 12:23 AM Another thought... what are the best daoist ardent mantles? Freedom? Repose? Natural world?

I'm not sure about chaos (as a mantle or a domain). Daoism certainly does seem to have an element of "Screw you, you straight-laced, conformist, Confucian establishment squares!" but perhaps the chaos mantle/domain requires a bit more active promotion of chaos.
ElberethSilverleaf
05-20-07, 10:36 AM Be careful you don't step on a certain moderator's toes regarding "real" world religions...

Your post will be censored, like a certain cult ...er I mean tax evading business...oops no I mean tax free religion tried to do to a hilarous SouthPark episode.
Theskippingman
05-20-07, 11:40 AM I think Daoism, if memory serves, is more like 'philosophy with major implications' than religion, so we can be more lenient with discussions of what it is and isn't for the purposes of adaptation to D&D.

Theskippingman
Joni-san
05-20-07, 11:57 AM If the discussion is conducted with good manners and in good taste, the WizOs tend to be more lenient. I don't think we have to worry much in this discussion. Anything else wouldn't be the way :P
Toran_A_Sunder
05-20-07, 12:05 PM I do agree that it would make more sense to have a Shugenja or Wu Jen who follows a "Way" similar to Daoism.

However. If you wanted a cleric of "Daoism" and you wanted it to fit in with some of the more overt tennets of Daoism, you could do something like this.

If you look in Deities and Demigods (yeah, I know, hardly anyone finds use for it. I've found a lot of use for it) They have rules for having a Monothiest religion in your campaign setting. Normally, the God in said religion has a MULTITUDE of domains, and his/her portfolio is ginormous. Were it me, I would do something like this.

If Daoism is a large belief structure in your campaign setting, have the domains available be opposed to each other, like as follows

Good/Evil
Law/Chaos
War/Peace (is there a peace domain? if not something similar)
Sun/Dark
Healing/Death (or some variation there of)
etc.

Any number of those pairings or all or all and more would be fine. It's overt, and not what Daoism is all about. But its a simplified form and I doubt in the midst of adventuring your going to have a lot of time for philisopical debate anyway.

Thats what I would do at least
ElberethSilverleaf
05-20-07, 12:13 PM YEAH! But make Colbert the Prez. A fellow RPGer would hopefully have a better sense of the global world we live in....can you imagine the LARPGames going on in the underground warrens throughout DC?

Plus he can actually pronounce nuclear and library, not newculer and libary.
Theskippingman
05-20-07, 12:31 PM :heehee
Prak, the Mad
05-30-07, 12:48 PM what about destruction/healing?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Prak, the Mad 05-19-07, 07:26 PM	I was wondering yesterday, what would be proper domains for a philosophical cleric who followed "The Way", what do you guys think?
JulesCARV 05-19-07, 07:45 PM	Of course, as a general principle, I don't approve of using real religions in D&D and blah blah blah, but how 'bout meditation and liberation?
Prak, the Mad 05-19-07, 07:50 PM	hmm... I was actually thinking destruction or retribution(i believe there is one, though I may be wrong...) would work, but I'd be more likely to play a more agressive daoist...
Joni-san 05-19-07, 08:00 PM	Maybe some of the things listed in the Three Jewels of Taoism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Treasures_(Taoism)) would be good suggestions? That said, Meditation was a good idea IMO.
The Ubbergeek 05-19-07, 09:54 PM	Agreed - the more esoterical/inner Taoism is said to have mixed with classical buddhism to make Zen.
Joni-san 05-19-07, 11:02 PM	What other Taoist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoism) ideas and concepts should we think about? Tao, de, wu wei, pu (the uncarved block) and the five elements come to mind.
Theskippingman 05-19-07, 11:53 PM	The best choice may not be to make a cleric at all, but rather a shegunja (Complete Divine). Clerics are western; clerics cast flashy spells; clerics fight; shegunjas are oriental; shegunjas are also simultaneously spiritual; shegunjas are all about balance of elements and yin/yang etc. etc. in so many ways, a cleric doesn't cut it, a shegunja is what you're looking for. Theskippingman
The Ubbergeek 05-20-07, 12:01 AM	Clerics, not spiritual? :rolleyes: they don't fight everytime.
JulesCARV 05-20-07, 12:23 AM	Another thought... what are the best daoist ardent mantles? Freedom? Repose? Natural world? I'm not sure about chaos (as a mantle or a domain). Daoism certainly does seem to have an element of "Screw you, you straight-laced, conformist, Confucian establishment squares!" but perhaps the chaos mantle/domain requires a bit more active promotion of chaos.
ElberethSilverleaf 05-20-07, 10:36 AM	Be careful you don't step on a certain moderator's toes regarding "real" world religions... Your post will be censored, like a certain cult ...er I mean tax evading business...oops no I mean tax free religion tried to do to a hilarous SouthPark episode.
Theskippingman 05-20-07, 11:40 AM	I think Daoism, if memory serves, is more like 'philosophy with major implications' than religion, so we can be more lenient with discussions of what it is and isn't for the purposes of adaptation to D&D. Theskippingman
Joni-san 05-20-07, 11:57 AM	If the discussion is conducted with good manners and in good taste, the WizOs tend to be more lenient. I don't think we have to worry much in this discussion. Anything else wouldn't be the way :P
Toran_A_Sunder 05-20-07, 12:05 PM	I do agree that it would make more sense to have a Shugenja or Wu Jen who follows a "Way" similar to Daoism. However. If you wanted a cleric of "Daoism" and you wanted it to fit in with some of the more overt tennets of Daoism, you could do something like this. If you look in Deities and Demigods (yeah, I know, hardly anyone finds use for it. I've found a lot of use for it) They have rules for having a Monothiest religion in your campaign setting. Normally, the God in said religion has a MULTITUDE of domains, and his/her portfolio is ginormous. Were it me, I would do something like this. If Daoism is a large belief structure in your campaign setting, have the domains available be opposed to each other, like as follows Good/Evil Law/Chaos War/Peace (is there a peace domain? if not something similar) Sun/Dark Healing/Death (or some variation there of) etc. Any number of those pairings or all or all and more would be fine. It's overt, and not what Daoism is all about. But its a simplified form and I doubt in the midst of adventuring your going to have a lot of time for philisopical debate anyway. Thats what I would do at least
ElberethSilverleaf 05-20-07, 12:13 PM	YEAH! But make Colbert the Prez. A fellow RPGer would hopefully have a better sense of the global world we live in....can you imagine the LARPGames going on in the underground warrens throughout DC? Plus he can actually pronounce nuclear and library, not newculer and libary.
Theskippingman 05-20-07, 12:31 PM	:heehee
Prak, the Mad 05-30-07, 12:48 PM	what about destruction/healing?