Apathetic Cleric [Archive] - Wizards Community

Apathetic Cleric [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
MetalDrummer08
04-14-04, 06:29 PM After seven levels, and nearly dying numerous times, my player w/ a dwarven cleric of moradin has decided he doesn't like being a cleric. now we don't really need him, but he's been part of the party since level 1, and the storyline would suffer if his pc left. his excuse is that clerics suck and that he now has a job so he doens't have much time to play anymore. any ideas how i could prevent him from quitting?
Winternova
04-14-04, 06:55 PM Well, the whole 'having a job thing' is a semivalid concern. Most jobs should let you at least partially define your schedule.

One idea would be to find out why he thinks Clerics suck, see if there would be some way to salvage his liking for his character.

If that's not gonna work out, then you might find a new character that appeals to him.

If you have a big enough group, you might even be able to do without him as a last resort.
Kaminton
04-14-04, 07:57 PM What's the problem with working out a story-line twist that sees the cleric leaving and being replaced by a new character?

But I suspect the problem isn't with the class, but with something between the DM and player...
Inigo Carmine
04-14-04, 11:01 PM Originally posted by MetalDrummer08
his excuse is that clerics suck

If he thinks that clerics aren't powerful, he's going to have a real issue with any other class in the game, because they are going to really really really suck. If he means "suck" as it personally doesn't suit his tastes, that's another story.
Daemeon
04-14-04, 11:35 PM Easy way to get him to like clerics again is to have a BBEG with cleric levels school the party.. do it nicely, but show how clerics CAN be a viable power in any party.
Stormranger
04-14-04, 11:56 PM Sometimes I've found that players dislike clerics because they tend to be relegated to the status of 'mobile healing unit' and therefore tend not to see as much action as the other classes. If that's the case here (more information would make it easier to respond), you might care to introduce a party henchman specifically designed to handle all the party's healing needs (e.g. a cleric who has sworn a vow of non-violence), thereby freeing the PC cleric for a more active combat role. Alternatively, if you think this would be making things too easy for your players, you could consider taking away the cleric's ability to cast spontaneous cure spells, maybe replacing it with an additional domain power or some other benefit.
RobTzu
04-15-04, 12:09 AM Here is a twist. He keeps playing the character but he becomes an apostate. He loses spell casting ability, Turning, and Domain abilities. He retains Bab, Saves, Skills, Hd, and feats. He should probably start going up as a fighter or Barbarian. My next character is "Paul the Gnome Apostate" He has decided that the gods are just big bullies, they aren't special except in their power. Is it a power hit? Sure, but its a great roleplaying experience.
Nom
04-15-04, 12:18 AM It's never too late to pick up a few fighter levels? As long as you don't care about pure magical power, dwarven Ftr/Clrs can be devastating.

Though I've seen the same issue as Stormranger. It's totally legitimate for a Cleric to say "use potions to heal yourselves, I'm going to kick some butt". As long as you're not emotionally commited to Evocations, if you can't cause some serious damage with 2nd, 3rd and 4th level cleric spells, you're not trying very hard. And the Cleric is a pretty effective physical combatant too, especially when coupled with 'fire and forget' spells (buffs, summons, spiritual weapon).
MetalDrummer08
04-15-04, 02:18 PM after about 2 hours of negotiating we finally got him to stay. It turns out he was confused about the ability to use inflict spells. he thought that he wasn't able to use them at all, instead of just not being able to spontaneously cast them. also, we agreed to start buying some healing potions so that he would be able to use his higher level spells for damage instead of healing, thanks for the help.
ctuttle
04-15-04, 04:31 PM Originally posted by Inigo Carmine
If he thinks that clerics aren't powerful, he's going to have a real issue with any other class in the game, because they are going to really really really suck. If he means "suck" as it personally doesn't suit his tastes, that's another story.

hahah EXACTLY what I was thinking.
Darth K'Trava
04-15-04, 10:05 PM Or get a Wand of Cure Light Wounds.

And clerics can get quite uber at higher levels. Granted, higher than 7th level..... Get high enough and you'll have plenty of high level slots for fighting capability/flinging spells around and just use the lesser slots for healing spells. That's what I do with my epic level cleric. I use the 5th-9th level slots for combat-related spells, except for a few 6th level for Heal spells and relegate the lower ones for the Cure type spells. And get in the middle of the fray, even when I was the only cleric in the party. Didn't stop me.... :D
Nom
04-15-04, 10:56 PM Inflicts can be unpleasant, but IMO the low-mid level battle-cleric is better to focus on the auxilliary spells. Sure, you can buff up and charge in, but then your in the thick of melee and any combat casting is likely to bring on AoOs.

More than any other character except perhaps the bard, the cleric is equipped to be the general. It's all about minions, whether summoned (spiritual weapon and the summon monster family) or the other PCs. Send your minions forth, and hold yourself in reserve for a round or two while you summon, buff, and prepare to wade in to shore up the weak spot. And unlike the arcane casters, if they break through the front lines you can meet them head on (at least for a little while).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
MetalDrummer08 04-14-04, 06:29 PM	After seven levels, and nearly dying numerous times, my player w/ a dwarven cleric of moradin has decided he doesn't like being a cleric. now we don't really need him, but he's been part of the party since level 1, and the storyline would suffer if his pc left. his excuse is that clerics suck and that he now has a job so he doens't have much time to play anymore. any ideas how i could prevent him from quitting?
Winternova 04-14-04, 06:55 PM	Well, the whole 'having a job thing' is a semivalid concern. Most jobs should let you at least partially define your schedule. One idea would be to find out why he thinks Clerics suck, see if there would be some way to salvage his liking for his character. If that's not gonna work out, then you might find a new character that appeals to him. If you have a big enough group, you might even be able to do without him as a last resort.
Kaminton 04-14-04, 07:57 PM	What's the problem with working out a story-line twist that sees the cleric leaving and being replaced by a new character? But I suspect the problem isn't with the class, but with something between the DM and player...
Inigo Carmine 04-14-04, 11:01 PM	Originally posted by MetalDrummer08 his excuse is that clerics suck If he thinks that clerics aren't powerful, he's going to have a real issue with any other class in the game, because they are going to really really really suck. If he means "suck" as it personally doesn't suit his tastes, that's another story.
Daemeon 04-14-04, 11:35 PM	Easy way to get him to like clerics again is to have a BBEG with cleric levels school the party.. do it nicely, but show how clerics CAN be a viable power in any party.
Stormranger 04-14-04, 11:56 PM	Sometimes I've found that players dislike clerics because they tend to be relegated to the status of 'mobile healing unit' and therefore tend not to see as much action as the other classes. If that's the case here (more information would make it easier to respond), you might care to introduce a party henchman specifically designed to handle all the party's healing needs (e.g. a cleric who has sworn a vow of non-violence), thereby freeing the PC cleric for a more active combat role. Alternatively, if you think this would be making things too easy for your players, you could consider taking away the cleric's ability to cast spontaneous cure spells, maybe replacing it with an additional domain power or some other benefit.
RobTzu 04-15-04, 12:09 AM	Here is a twist. He keeps playing the character but he becomes an apostate. He loses spell casting ability, Turning, and Domain abilities. He retains Bab, Saves, Skills, Hd, and feats. He should probably start going up as a fighter or Barbarian. My next character is "Paul the Gnome Apostate" He has decided that the gods are just big bullies, they aren't special except in their power. Is it a power hit? Sure, but its a great roleplaying experience.
Nom 04-15-04, 12:18 AM	It's never too late to pick up a few fighter levels? As long as you don't care about pure magical power, dwarven Ftr/Clrs can be devastating. Though I've seen the same issue as Stormranger. It's totally legitimate for a Cleric to say "use potions to heal yourselves, I'm going to kick some butt". As long as you're not emotionally commited to Evocations, if you can't cause some serious damage with 2nd, 3rd and 4th level cleric spells, you're not trying very hard. And the Cleric is a pretty effective physical combatant too, especially when coupled with 'fire and forget' spells (buffs, summons, spiritual weapon).
MetalDrummer08 04-15-04, 02:18 PM	after about 2 hours of negotiating we finally got him to stay. It turns out he was confused about the ability to use inflict spells. he thought that he wasn't able to use them at all, instead of just not being able to spontaneously cast them. also, we agreed to start buying some healing potions so that he would be able to use his higher level spells for damage instead of healing, thanks for the help.
ctuttle 04-15-04, 04:31 PM	Originally posted by Inigo Carmine If he thinks that clerics aren't powerful, he's going to have a real issue with any other class in the game, because they are going to really really really suck. If he means "suck" as it personally doesn't suit his tastes, that's another story. hahah EXACTLY what I was thinking.
Darth K'Trava 04-15-04, 10:05 PM	Or get a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. And clerics can get quite uber at higher levels. Granted, higher than 7th level..... Get high enough and you'll have plenty of high level slots for fighting capability/flinging spells around and just use the lesser slots for healing spells. That's what I do with my epic level cleric. I use the 5th-9th level slots for combat-related spells, except for a few 6th level for Heal spells and relegate the lower ones for the Cure type spells. And get in the middle of the fray, even when I was the only cleric in the party. Didn't stop me.... :D
Nom 04-15-04, 10:56 PM	Inflicts can be unpleasant, but IMO the low-mid level battle-cleric is better to focus on the auxilliary spells. Sure, you can buff up and charge in, but then your in the thick of melee and any combat casting is likely to bring on AoOs. More than any other character except perhaps the bard, the cleric is equipped to be the general. It's all about minions, whether summoned (spiritual weapon and the summon monster family) or the other PCs. Send your minions forth, and hold yourself in reserve for a round or two while you summon, buff, and prepare to wade in to shore up the weak spot. And unlike the arcane casters, if they break through the front lines you can meet them head on (at least for a little while).