Domain conundrum... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Domain conundrum... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
AlanBruce
05-04-07, 04:06 PM Greetings. One of my players chose to play a dwarven cleric of St. Cuthbert. I was pleased, since my players choose between Pelor and Moradin all the time, so Cuthbert came in as a nice new addition. The dwarven cleric in question is NG.

Now, upon reading the cleric section in the PHB, it says that clerics of Cuthbert may not spontaneously switch spells to the inflict category (this makes sense as seeing that this god opposes evil, yet is not evil himself.. ok). However, this cleric chose Destruction and Strength domains, and the Destruction Domain has the inflict family of spells listed.

Isn't it a tad odd that a god who prohibits the use of those spells to his clergy owns a domain that includes them?
Droma
05-04-07, 04:21 PM Not really. Spontaneously casting inflict spells means your good at channeling negative energy. St. Cuthberts clerics should be good at channeling positive energy thus why you dont have the choice if your a neutral cleric. That doesnt mean he wants you to not be able to damage your enemies, thus the destruction domain. Even pelor with the good and healing domains doesnt forbid you from casting inflict spells.
MrSpaceBear
05-04-07, 04:21 PM Well the rules just says he cant spontaniously inflict, it doesn't say he can't use them right? He just has to prepare them as normal.

In the Forgoten Relms the god of death hates undead but has the death domain that allows the spell 'create undead'. Go figure.
Nephlite
05-04-07, 05:21 PM Greetings. One of my players chose to play a dwarven cleric of St. Cuthbert. I was pleased, since my players choose between Pelor and Moradin all the time, so Cuthbert came in as a nice new addition. The dwarven cleric in question is NG.

Now, upon reading the cleric section in the PHB, it says that clerics of Cuthbert may not spontaneously switch spells to the inflict category (this makes sense as seeing that this god opposes evil, yet is not evil himself.. ok). However, this cleric chose Destruction and Strength domains, and the Destruction Domain has the inflict family of spells listed.

Isn't it a tad odd that a god who prohibits the use of those spells to his clergy owns a domain that includes them?

No, it is saying nuetral clerics don't get a choice: they have to spontaously heal.
But you can still prepare inflict spells.
Kouk
05-05-07, 12:34 AM Yeah, the flavor of "wounds" spells just has to do with the character's proficiency with negative or positive energy coming naturally, or else the god's preference for negative or positive energy.

Clerics of any alignment can use the Cure or Inflict spells because they do not have [Good] or [Evil] descriptors. Not all clerics get to choose which kind of spell they can spontaneously cast though.
Solo_Phoenix
05-05-07, 02:16 AM The dwarven cleric in question is NG.

"A cleric’s alignment must be within one step of his deity’s (that is, it may be one step away on either the lawful-chaotic axis or the good-evil axis, but not both). A cleric may not be neutral unless his deity’s alignment is also neutral."

Cuthbert is LN, so the Cleric can be LE, LN, LG or N. Unfortunately NG is not an option.

EDIT: Reading of Deities and Demigods shows me that Cuthbert has even stricter rules on this than standard. His clerics may be LG or LN.
AlanBruce
05-05-07, 09:58 AM "A cleric’s alignment must be within one step of his deity’s (that is, it may be one step away on either the lawful-chaotic axis or the good-evil axis, but not both). A cleric may not be neutral unless his deity’s alignment is also neutral."

Cuthbert is LN, so the Cleric can be LE, LN, LG or N. Unfortunately NG is not an option.

EDIT: Reading of Deities and Demigods shows me that Cuthbert has even stricter rules on this than standard. His clerics may be LG or LN.

Hmmm... I thought his clerics could be LG, LN, or NG (I had read he didn't admit evil clerics into his faith). The player requested he be CG, but I knew Cuthbertines had to be non-chaotic. Oh well, I'll have to inform the player his alignment choices are even more restricted than originally thought.
Hillianar
05-05-07, 11:36 AM In the Forgoten Relms the god of death hates undead but has the death domain that allows the spell 'create undead'. Go figure.

Just derailing a little here, that major oversight was corrected in "Faiths and Pantheons", by swapping the Death domain with the Repose domain, now available in the SRD too.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
AlanBruce 05-04-07, 04:06 PM	Greetings. One of my players chose to play a dwarven cleric of St. Cuthbert. I was pleased, since my players choose between Pelor and Moradin all the time, so Cuthbert came in as a nice new addition. The dwarven cleric in question is NG. Now, upon reading the cleric section in the PHB, it says that clerics of Cuthbert may not spontaneously switch spells to the inflict category (this makes sense as seeing that this god opposes evil, yet is not evil himself.. ok). However, this cleric chose Destruction and Strength domains, and the Destruction Domain has the inflict family of spells listed. Isn't it a tad odd that a god who prohibits the use of those spells to his clergy owns a domain that includes them?
Droma 05-04-07, 04:21 PM	Not really. Spontaneously casting inflict spells means your good at channeling negative energy. St. Cuthberts clerics should be good at channeling positive energy thus why you dont have the choice if your a neutral cleric. That doesnt mean he wants you to not be able to damage your enemies, thus the destruction domain. Even pelor with the good and healing domains doesnt forbid you from casting inflict spells.
MrSpaceBear 05-04-07, 04:21 PM	Well the rules just says he cant spontaniously inflict, it doesn't say he can't use them right? He just has to prepare them as normal. In the Forgoten Relms the god of death hates undead but has the death domain that allows the spell 'create undead'. Go figure.
Nephlite 05-04-07, 05:21 PM	Greetings. One of my players chose to play a dwarven cleric of St. Cuthbert. I was pleased, since my players choose between Pelor and Moradin all the time, so Cuthbert came in as a nice new addition. The dwarven cleric in question is NG. Now, upon reading the cleric section in the PHB, it says that clerics of Cuthbert may not spontaneously switch spells to the inflict category (this makes sense as seeing that this god opposes evil, yet is not evil himself.. ok). However, this cleric chose Destruction and Strength domains, and the Destruction Domain has the inflict family of spells listed. Isn't it a tad odd that a god who prohibits the use of those spells to his clergy owns a domain that includes them? No, it is saying nuetral clerics don't get a choice: they have to spontaously heal. But you can still prepare inflict spells.
Kouk 05-05-07, 12:34 AM	Yeah, the flavor of "wounds" spells just has to do with the character's proficiency with negative or positive energy coming naturally, or else the god's preference for negative or positive energy. Clerics of any alignment can use the Cure or Inflict spells because they do not have [Good] or [Evil] descriptors. Not all clerics get to choose which kind of spell they can spontaneously cast though.
Solo_Phoenix 05-05-07, 02:16 AM	The dwarven cleric in question is NG. "A cleric’s alignment must be within one step of his deity’s (that is, it may be one step away on either the lawful-chaotic axis or the good-evil axis, but not both). A cleric may not be neutral unless his deity’s alignment is also neutral." Cuthbert is LN, so the Cleric can be LE, LN, LG or N. Unfortunately NG is not an option. EDIT: Reading of Deities and Demigods shows me that Cuthbert has even stricter rules on this than standard. His clerics may be LG or LN.
AlanBruce 05-05-07, 09:58 AM	"A cleric’s alignment must be within one step of his deity’s (that is, it may be one step away on either the lawful-chaotic axis or the good-evil axis, but not both). A cleric may not be neutral unless his deity’s alignment is also neutral." Cuthbert is LN, so the Cleric can be LE, LN, LG or N. Unfortunately NG is not an option. EDIT: Reading of Deities and Demigods shows me that Cuthbert has even stricter rules on this than standard. His clerics may be LG or LN. Hmmm... I thought his clerics could be LG, LN, or NG (I had read he didn't admit evil clerics into his faith). The player requested he be CG, but I knew Cuthbertines had to be non-chaotic. Oh well, I'll have to inform the player his alignment choices are even more restricted than originally thought.
Hillianar 05-05-07, 11:36 AM	In the Forgoten Relms the god of death hates undead but has the death domain that allows the spell 'create undead'. Go figure. Just derailing a little here, that major oversight was corrected in "Faiths and Pantheons", by swapping the Death domain with the Repose domain, now available in the SRD too.