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Thread: Clerical Spells

  1. #1

    Clerical Spells

    Greetings,

    All this talk about Priests and their spells raised a question. Do *all*
    Priests get the ability to cast spells? A church, and particularly a
    network of them across a Province, must require a substantial clergy.
    Even if 99% of them are just 0-level they still have the potential to
    eventually cast spells. Within a few years you would end up with an
    inordinate amount of spellcasters. Particularly if a Regent pushed
    training all of them. Some of the most basic spells available to most
    Priests give fantasy characters a distinctive edge over their real-world
    counterparts. I know this *is* a fantasy, but by making this Clerical aid
    to commonplace we risk cheapening some of the more common threats that
    can make this setting so interesting(plagues, starvation, drought, etc.).
    In order to keep the number of spellcasting Priests down, there should be
    something besides just a Stat requirement to separate them from standard
    run-of-the-mill clergy. In order to cast spells a Priest should have to
    perform some exemplary task to prove his/her faith, and even then this
    should not guarantee that they will be granted spells(aka "become
    Ordained"). Perhaps this situation will be covered in the BoP, but I have
    yet to see it. So until I see if(and how)it is covered in there I have
    come up with the following solution: When a 0-level Priest accumulates
    enough Exp. to become 1st-level(I use 1d4+1 years of Training, at the end
    of which he/she must make a Wis. check or they must repeat the Training
    and roll again. Each time after the first he/she gets a cumulative +1
    bonus to the roll. Success means he/she becomes 1st-level.)they have the
    chance to become "Ordained" and be able to cast spells. A Priest can only
    be "Ordained" by a Priest Regent who uses the following Realm Spell.


    Anoint



    Regency: Special Sphere: All

    Gold: 1 GB Req'd Holding: 1

    Duration: Permanent Character Level: 1


    This ceremony allows the Regent to beseech his/her Diety to consider a
    newly raised Priest for the boon of spellcasting. Not all Priests will
    recieve this blessing. Many will continue their service to the clergy
    without the benifit of spells, but virtually all Priests undergo this
    ceremony at one time or another to see if they will be chosen by their
    Diety to perform miracles in his/her name. Please note that this ceremony
    is only nessecary for non-Blooded Priests, Blooded Priests can always
    cast spells.=20


    Before the spell is actually cast the aspiring Priest must undertake an
    act of extreme faith. This could be anything from a quest, or pilgramage,
    to a form of utter abasement. The nature of this task will be determined
    by the codes of the specific religion (in other words, the DM will
    decide), but the act should take anywhere from 1-6 months to complete.
    After this act is completed the spell may then be cast. If cast before
    the task is done it automatically fails.


    The spell can only be cast on 1 Priest at a time, and a Priest can only
    undergo the ceremony once in his/her life. If it fails the Priest becomes
    a 1st-level Priest and can continue to progress as a Priest in levels,
    but cannot cast any spells, Turn Undead, or use any other spell-like
    ability granted by the Diety. If the ceremony succeeds then they become
    1st-level Priest and are able to progress normally gaining all abilities
    due them.


    The actual nature and length of the ceremony again depends upon the
    requirements of the religion (again the DM will decide), but no matter
    the specifics of the ceremony a Priest Regent may only cast this Realm
    Spell once per a Domain Turn. Once cast the aspiring Priest must add
    his/her Wisdom and Charisma scores together, this gives a base percentage
    chance of success. This base chance can be modified by the casting
    Regent, for every RP the Regent puts toward the spell the chance is
    increased by 1 percent.=20


    Example: Arnof is ready to become a 1st-level Priest, and he has just
    completed a pilgrmage as he was instructed by his faith. Arnof has a 12
    Wisdom and a 9 Charisma. This gives the ceremony a base chance of 21% to
    succeed. The casting Regent has high hopes for Arnof so he puts 15 RPs
    into the spell, raising the chance of success to 36%.




    Sepsis, richt@metrolink.net (ICQ:3777956)


    "War is a matter of vital importance to the State;

    the province of life or death;

    the road to survival or ruin.

    It is mandatory that it be thoroughly studied."

    -Sun Tzu,(The Art of War)-=20


    BR Netbook: http://webpages.metrolink.net/~veleda/birth.html

  2. #2
    Adam Theo
    Guest

    Clerical Spells

    - --
    hello, Adam Theo here,
    i've addressed this problem by saying that all priests that can cast are
    chosen by the gods halfway. that is: the PC trains, but no matter how
    hard, he must thenn get the god's acceptance bfore he casts. the god
    won't accept those that have not proven them selves by training and
    faith.
    so the avg clergy member is just some guy trying to stay alive and a
    place for food/shelter. he doesn't usually have lots of faith in the
    god, just in the church that is feeding him.
    that's my take.
    Sepsis wrote:
    >
    > Greetings,
    > All this talk about Priests and their spells raised a question. Do *all* Priests get the ability to cast spells? A church, and particularly a network of them across a Province, must require a substantial clergy. Even if 99% of them are just 0-level they still have the potential to eventually cast spells. Within a few years you would end up with an inordinate amount of spellcasters. Particularly if a Regent pushed training all of them. Some of the most basic spells available to most Priests give fantasy c
    haracters a distinctive edge over their real-world counterparts. I know this *is* a fantasy, but by making this Clerical aid to commonplace we risk cheapening some of the more common threats that can make this setting so interesting(plagues, starvation, drought, etc.). In order to keep the number of spellcasting Priests down, there should be something besides just a Stat requirement to separate them from standard run-of-the-mill clergy. In order to cast spells a Priest should have to
    > perform some exemplary task to prove his/her faith, and even then this should not guarantee that they will be granted spells(aka "become Ordained"). Perhaps this situation will be covered in the BoP, but I have yet to see it. So until I see if(and how)it is covered in there I have come up with the following solution: When a 0-level Priest accumulates enough Exp. to become 1st-level(I use 1d4+1 years of Training, at the end of which he/she must make a Wis. check or they must repeat the Training and roll a
    gain. Each time after the first he/she gets a cumulative +1 bonus to the roll. Success means he/she becomes 1st-level.)they have the chance to become "Ordained" and be able to cast spells. A Priest can only be "Ordained" by a Priest Regent who uses the following Realm Spell.
    >
    > Anoint
    >
    > Regency: Special Sphere: All
    > Gold: 1 GB Req'd Holding: 1
    > Duration: Permanent Character Level: 1
    >
    > This ceremony allows the Regent to beseech his/her Diety to consider a newly raised Priest for the boon of spellcasting. Not all Priests will recieve this blessing. Many will continue their service to the clergy without the benifit of spells, but virtually all Priests undergo this ceremony at one time or another to see if they will be chosen by their Diety to perform miracles in his/her name. Please note that this ceremony is only nessecary for non-Blooded Priests, Blooded Priests can always cast spells.

    >
    > Before the spell is actually cast the aspiring Priest must undertake an act of extreme faith. This could be anything from a quest, or pilgramage, to a form of utter abasement. The nature of this task will be determined by the codes of the specific religion (in other words, the DM will decide), but the act should take anywhere from 1-6 months to complete. After this act is completed the spell may then be cast. If cast before the task is done it automatically fails.
    >
    > The spell can only be cast on 1 Priest at a time, and a Priest can only undergo the ceremony once in his/her life. If it fails the Priest becomes a 1st-level Priest and can continue to progress as a Priest in levels, but cannot cast any spells, Turn Undead, or use any other spell-like ability granted by the Diety. If the ceremony succeeds then they become 1st-level Priest and are able to progress normally gaining all abilities due them.
    >
    > The actual nature and length of the ceremony again depends upon the requirements of the religion (again the DM will decide), but no matter the specifics of the ceremony a Priest Regent may only cast this Realm Spell once per a Domain Turn. Once cast the aspiring Priest must add his/her Wisdom and Charisma scores together, this gives a base percentage chance of success. This base chance can be modified by the casting Regent, for every RP the Regent puts toward the spell the chance is increased by 1 percen
    t.
    >
    > Example: Arnof is ready to become a 1st-level Priest, and he has just completed a pilgrmage as he was instructed by his faith. Arnof has a 12 Wisdom and a 9 Charisma. This gives the ceremony a base chance of 21% to succeed. The casting Regent has high hopes for Arnof so he puts 15 RPs into the spell, raising the chance of success to 36%.
    >
    > Sepsis, richt@metrolink.net (ICQ:3777956)
    >
    > "War is a matter of vital importance to the State;
    > the province of life or death;
    > the road to survival or ruin.
    > It is mandatory that it be thoroughly studied."
    > -Sun Tzu,(The Art of War)-
    >
    > BR Netbook: http://webpages.metrolink.net/~veleda/birth.html ************************************************** ************************* To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line
    adamtheo@usa.net Florida, USA
    adamtheo@hotmail.com *Webmaster* want a website?
    ICQ: 3617306 * page me at http://wwp.mirabilis.com/3617306
    ichat: adamtheo
    * a free-market libertarian confucionist social-darwinist

    Destiny of Regents Birthright PBeM
    * http://www.Geocities.com/TimesSquare/Realm/2315

  3. #3
    Trizt
    Guest

    Clerical Spells

    On 12-Nov-97, Sepsis (richt@metrolink.net) wrote about [BIRTHRIGHT] - Clerical
    Spells:
    - ->Greetings,

    - ->All this talk about Priests and their spells raised a question. Do *all*
    - ->Priests get the ability to cast spells? A church, and particularly a
    - ->network of them across a Province, must require a substantial clergy.
    - ->Even if 99% of them are just 0-level they still have the potential to
    - ->eventually cast spells. Within a few years you would end up with an
    - ->inordinate amount of spellcasters.

    If this would be true, then all your level 0 pesants would a day be level 1 of
    some calss, mostly warriors and thiefs. It's extremly uncommon that a level 0
    character becomes level 1, and it's not a question of XP.



    //Trizt of Ward^RITE

    -

  4. #4
    Glenn Robb
    Guest

    Clerical Spells

    >



    > A Priest can only be "Ordained" by a Priest Regent who uses the follow=
    ing Realm Spell.
    >
    > Anoint
    >
    > Regency: Special Sphere: All
    > Gold: 1 GB Req'd Holding: 1
    > Duration: Permanent Character Level: 1

    Are you sure this has to be a realm spell? If I had designed this spell,=
    I would make it a fifth level priest spell instead. Of course that's ju=
    st me.

    =97 Elton Robb

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