I'll see your undead turning and raise you... [Archive] - Wizards Community

I'll see your undead turning and raise you... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Endarrion
10-03-06, 09:42 PM What exactly is a good trade for the cleric's ability to turn undead?

I need simple ideas, however, as my DM just so happens to be running her first EVER campaing as a brand new DM. So I want to keep it simple for her.

Limited character background: My character is a half-orc from the arctic coast. His clerical duities and studies do not concern undead in any way.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated.
DarkNick
10-03-06, 09:55 PM If you want to keep it simple just have a stock standard character i.e. a cleric that can turn undead.
molten_dragon
10-03-06, 10:08 PM Something related to your god would probably be best. For example, if you worshipped a god of war, maybe you could have inspire courage the same number of times per day as you would have had turn undead attempts. ALthough since you have a rookie DM, just sticking to the core rules might be best.
PhaedrusXY
10-03-06, 10:22 PM Umm... why is Turn Undead so complicated? It is useless unless the DM actually puts you up against Undead (assuming you're not using Divine feats... which you shouldn't be with a new DM). Even if the DM does, it still isn't that complicated. You make your rolls, and they run away/die.

With a half-orc cleric, you're probably going to suck at turning undead anyway, and it would probably be a waste of an action in most cases. So what is the real issue here? You wanting to make it "easy" for your DM? Or you wanting to get an actually useful ability for your Cha-penalized half-orc?
X-Codes
10-03-06, 10:25 PM Something related to your god would probably be best. For example, if you worshipped a god of war, maybe you could have inspire courage the same number of times per day as you would have had turn undead attempts. ALthough since you have a rookie DM, just sticking to the core rules might be best.
Ask for a free, appropriate Divine feat (I.E., your DM chooses which one you get). In exchange, you can't use Turn Undead attempts to actually Turn Undead. Theres plenty of Divine feats to choose from in Complete Warrior, Complete Divine, Libris Mortis, and the PHB II.
Magus Gar Kan
10-03-06, 11:06 PM Are you concerned with the complexity of turning? Or do you just want to get rid of it outright?

If the complexity is what bothers you just take a few divine feats from Complete warrior, they let you use up turn attempts to power the feats.
Alpha_Moose
10-03-06, 11:35 PM From Unearthed Arcana (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/unearthedCoreClass.html#simple-cleric), Smite Evil and Aura of Courage.
Reversefigure4
10-03-06, 11:46 PM Simpliest solution, while still in keeping with the character:

Like all deities, yours has power over the undead... it's just rarely exercised. Your character has the ability to turn undead... he's simply unaware he can do it! Don't turn undead, until your character is confronted at a suitable time and calls on his god for protection.
benma
10-04-06, 03:24 AM Unearthed Arcana suggests giving up Turn Undead in favor of Aura of Courage and either Smite Evil or Smite Good (as per a Paladin). It also suggest a variant using the Turn Undead mechanics for "Planar Banishment", if your character concept might include more Outsiders as enemies than Undead.

Several sources -- Player's Handbook II and Complete Divine, notably -- give you options for using Turn attempts to fuel other abilities: temporary bonuses to saving throws, temporary damage reduction, et cetera. This doesn't eliminate your Turn Undead, but does refocus it to do other things, and if you agree to drop the actual "affecting Undead" portion of Turning, your DM might let you have one of them for free without spending a Feat (and let you get the others by spending Feats as per usual); I'd certainly allow that.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Endarrion 10-03-06, 09:42 PM	What exactly is a good trade for the cleric's ability to turn undead? I need simple ideas, however, as my DM just so happens to be running her first EVER campaing as a brand new DM. So I want to keep it simple for her. Limited character background: My character is a half-orc from the arctic coast. His clerical duities and studies do not concern undead in any way. Any ideas are greatly appreciated.
DarkNick 10-03-06, 09:55 PM	If you want to keep it simple just have a stock standard character i.e. a cleric that can turn undead.
molten_dragon 10-03-06, 10:08 PM	Something related to your god would probably be best. For example, if you worshipped a god of war, maybe you could have inspire courage the same number of times per day as you would have had turn undead attempts. ALthough since you have a rookie DM, just sticking to the core rules might be best.
PhaedrusXY 10-03-06, 10:22 PM	Umm... why is Turn Undead so complicated? It is useless unless the DM actually puts you up against Undead (assuming you're not using Divine feats... which you shouldn't be with a new DM). Even if the DM does, it still isn't that complicated. You make your rolls, and they run away/die. With a half-orc cleric, you're probably going to suck at turning undead anyway, and it would probably be a waste of an action in most cases. So what is the real issue here? You wanting to make it "easy" for your DM? Or you wanting to get an actually useful ability for your Cha-penalized half-orc?
X-Codes 10-03-06, 10:25 PM	Something related to your god would probably be best. For example, if you worshipped a god of war, maybe you could have inspire courage the same number of times per day as you would have had turn undead attempts. ALthough since you have a rookie DM, just sticking to the core rules might be best. Ask for a free, appropriate Divine feat (I.E., your DM chooses which one you get). In exchange, you can't use Turn Undead attempts to actually Turn Undead. Theres plenty of Divine feats to choose from in Complete Warrior, Complete Divine, Libris Mortis, and the PHB II.
Magus Gar Kan 10-03-06, 11:06 PM	Are you concerned with the complexity of turning? Or do you just want to get rid of it outright? If the complexity is what bothers you just take a few divine feats from Complete warrior, they let you use up turn attempts to power the feats.
Alpha_Moose 10-03-06, 11:35 PM	From Unearthed Arcana (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/unearthedCoreClass.html#simple-cleric), Smite Evil and Aura of Courage.
Reversefigure4 10-03-06, 11:46 PM	Simpliest solution, while still in keeping with the character: Like all deities, yours has power over the undead... it's just rarely exercised. Your character has the ability to turn undead... he's simply unaware he can do it! Don't turn undead, until your character is confronted at a suitable time and calls on his god for protection.
benma 10-04-06, 03:24 AM	Unearthed Arcana suggests giving up Turn Undead in favor of Aura of Courage and either Smite Evil or Smite Good (as per a Paladin). It also suggest a variant using the Turn Undead mechanics for "Planar Banishment", if your character concept might include more Outsiders as enemies than Undead. Several sources -- Player's Handbook II and Complete Divine, notably -- give you options for using Turn attempts to fuel other abilities: temporary bonuses to saving throws, temporary damage reduction, et cetera. This doesn't eliminate your Turn Undead, but does refocus it to do other things, and if you agree to drop the actual "affecting Undead" portion of Turning, your DM might let you have one of them for free without spending a Feat (and let you get the others by spending Feats as per usual); I'd certainly allow that.