Aerenal Clerics [Archive] - Wizards Community

Aerenal Clerics [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Atch
12-14-05, 10:30 AM I was just curious to see if anything had been published or discussed on the forums concerning a cleric of the Undying Court. Would said clerics be more armor and martial based or more casting based. Also, what would a cleric that directly serves the Undying Court versus hunting undead do, cast, or focus upon. Now, I know that clerics are diverse in both function and player design; however, I realize that a cleric fills three basic rolls: an enhanced melee fighter with the ability to heal, a priestly caster raining divine pain down on his enemies while healing his comrades, and a undead destroying divine instrument. Any thoughts?
Jagermeister
12-14-05, 10:37 AM I was just curious to see if anything had been published or discussed on the forums concerning a cleric of the Undying Court. Would said clerics be more armor and martial based or more casting based. Also, what would a cleric that directly serves the Undying Court versus hunting undead do, cast, or focus upon. Now, I know that clerics are diverse in both function and player design; however, I realize that a cleric fills three basic rolls: an enhanced melee fighter with the ability to heal, a priestly caster raining divine pain down on his enemies while healing his comrades, and a undead destroying divine instrument. Any thoughts?

All of the three basic cleric roles you desribed here are appropriate for a cleric of the Undying Court in my opinion. My first Eberron PC was a cleric of the Undying Court. At the time, all I had to work with was the information in the ECSB. Now there are two Dragonshard articles about the Elves of Aerenal. They might give you some more to work with.
You can find them here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20050613a
and
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20050530a
Firimar Elerrino
12-14-05, 11:39 AM I've not read the linked dragonshard articles on the elves, and I can't exactly read them at the moment because my damned school's filter blocks anything off Wizards.com. (I don't know HOW I managed to get to the forums, but I made sure to bookmark it!)

But to be more on-topic, I imagine the Clerics that are based in the homeland to be less focused on martial skills than those who travel abroad -- there are plenty of living and deathless soldiers to deal with any threat to nation. They would serve the Undying Court in a more spiritual way; leading the populace with the aid and guidance of the Court.
Azazyll
12-15-05, 04:39 AM many of the clerics so far have been rather combat intesive with their feats, I can't remember armor. Check out the entry in the explorer's handbook, for instance, or the other in races of eberron. I for one see it being pretty flexible, as the clerics could easily be crusading against undead and thus need to be tooled up for combat and spells. I have a player with an aerenal cleric right now, and I've allowed her to take the glory domain (specifically the one from BoED) and the anscestor domain from OA, since I felt they were excellently themed for the Undying Court and the domains they normally get are quite weak and bland in my opinion. The second level spell from anscestor, anscestral vengeance (renamed deific vengeance in CD) is particularly appropriate, since it deals increased damage versus undead, and make a pretty good low level attack spell for the cleric, which is unusual for the class. The deathless domain should really be changed to an initiate feat, perhaps incorporating right of council (which is also pretty underpowered and more appropriately a story award or background than a feat, IMO). I also let her switch the longsword racial proficiency for scimitar. Consider allowing them access to deathless grafts as well from MoE.
Psionycx
12-16-05, 08:56 PM It's important to remember that the Undying Court is not a single deity. A given cleric's emphasis may be open depending on the nature of their deathless ancestors (as well as dead spiritual ones). If they come from a warrior lineage then they may have greater interest in martial affairs and be drawn to the Good and Protection domains. A cleric with high Strength might fit in this niche.

Those of a more mystical lineage (and lower physical abilities) may be more inclined to a spellcasting emphasis and probably the Deathless and Good domains.

I do agree that the Undying Court should have more than three domains, especially since the Blood of Vol has four. The Glory domain would be my first choice given their emphasis on the energy of Irian.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Atch 12-14-05, 10:30 AM	I was just curious to see if anything had been published or discussed on the forums concerning a cleric of the Undying Court. Would said clerics be more armor and martial based or more casting based. Also, what would a cleric that directly serves the Undying Court versus hunting undead do, cast, or focus upon. Now, I know that clerics are diverse in both function and player design; however, I realize that a cleric fills three basic rolls: an enhanced melee fighter with the ability to heal, a priestly caster raining divine pain down on his enemies while healing his comrades, and a undead destroying divine instrument. Any thoughts?
Jagermeister 12-14-05, 10:37 AM	I was just curious to see if anything had been published or discussed on the forums concerning a cleric of the Undying Court. Would said clerics be more armor and martial based or more casting based. Also, what would a cleric that directly serves the Undying Court versus hunting undead do, cast, or focus upon. Now, I know that clerics are diverse in both function and player design; however, I realize that a cleric fills three basic rolls: an enhanced melee fighter with the ability to heal, a priestly caster raining divine pain down on his enemies while healing his comrades, and a undead destroying divine instrument. Any thoughts? All of the three basic cleric roles you desribed here are appropriate for a cleric of the Undying Court in my opinion. My first Eberron PC was a cleric of the Undying Court. At the time, all I had to work with was the information in the ECSB. Now there are two Dragonshard articles about the Elves of Aerenal. They might give you some more to work with. You can find them here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20050613a and http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20050530a
Firimar Elerrino 12-14-05, 11:39 AM	I've not read the linked dragonshard articles on the elves, and I can't exactly read them at the moment because my damned school's filter blocks anything off Wizards.com. (I don't know HOW I managed to get to the forums, but I made sure to bookmark it!) But to be more on-topic, I imagine the Clerics that are based in the homeland to be less focused on martial skills than those who travel abroad -- there are plenty of living and deathless soldiers to deal with any threat to nation. They would serve the Undying Court in a more spiritual way; leading the populace with the aid and guidance of the Court.
Azazyll 12-15-05, 04:39 AM	many of the clerics so far have been rather combat intesive with their feats, I can't remember armor. Check out the entry in the explorer's handbook, for instance, or the other in races of eberron. I for one see it being pretty flexible, as the clerics could easily be crusading against undead and thus need to be tooled up for combat and spells. I have a player with an aerenal cleric right now, and I've allowed her to take the glory domain (specifically the one from BoED) and the anscestor domain from OA, since I felt they were excellently themed for the Undying Court and the domains they normally get are quite weak and bland in my opinion. The second level spell from anscestor, anscestral vengeance (renamed deific vengeance in CD) is particularly appropriate, since it deals increased damage versus undead, and make a pretty good low level attack spell for the cleric, which is unusual for the class. The deathless domain should really be changed to an initiate feat, perhaps incorporating right of council (which is also pretty underpowered and more appropriately a story award or background than a feat, IMO). I also let her switch the longsword racial proficiency for scimitar. Consider allowing them access to deathless grafts as well from MoE.
Psionycx 12-16-05, 08:56 PM	It's important to remember that the Undying Court is not a single deity. A given cleric's emphasis may be open depending on the nature of their deathless ancestors (as well as dead spiritual ones). If they come from a warrior lineage then they may have greater interest in martial affairs and be drawn to the Good and Protection domains. A cleric with high Strength might fit in this niche. Those of a more mystical lineage (and lower physical abilities) may be more inclined to a spellcasting emphasis and probably the Deathless and Good domains. I do agree that the Undying Court should have more than three domains, especially since the Blood of Vol has four. The Glory domain would be my first choice given their emphasis on the energy of Irian.