Wednesday 22 August 2012

Classes for Into the OD&D - Cleric

Two majors change separating Into the Odd from D&D are its lack of classes and magic being entirely item-based rather than learning spells.

But what if I like the rest of Into the Odd but want a more traditional game with clerics and wizards? Easy!

Scrap everything from the game referencing Arcana and grab your D&D spell list of choice. Everything else stays the same but now after rolling your Ability Scores you choose a class. Today I've hammered out a proof-of-concept draft for how I'd handle Clerics in Into the OD&D.

Vancian Magic is something I'll talk more about in the Wizard post. For clerics I felt it has always been a much worse fit and I didn't like how it linked arcane magic with the blessings of a diety. With that in mind I'm severing all links between the Cleric and the D&D magic system. So here's a cleric from scratch.


Clerics

A cleric serves the code of a deity and receives blessings in return. Firstly, they can call upon a prayer each morning, providing an effect that lasts all day. Secondly, they carry a holy symbol that becomes imbued with some of the deity's power. 

Deity: The cleric chooses a diety to serve. This will determine what prayers they can make, the holy symbol they carry and the code they must live by to remain blessed.
Prayer: Each morning the cleric may choose a single prayer to make. This will bestow a particular effect on themselves, an ally or a group of allies. The effects wear off the next morning, when the next prayer is made.
Code: A diety's code details the rules a cleric must live by to remain blessed. If a Cleric breaks any of the rules dictated by their code they must atone as detailed in their code. Until they do this they are not considered blessed and any effects of prayers or holy symbols are immediately lost.
Holy Symbol: A cleric's symbol bestows certain powers on the cleric as long as they remain blessed.


Sample Deities

Pelor - The Sun God
Holy Symbol - Golden Sun: Touching a target will immediately restore one Ability Score to its full score and cure any disease by the next morning. No target can be healed more than once per day.
Prayers
Sun's Blessing: Anyone that joins you in this prayer will see their crops thrive, water source run clean and any ailments heal by the next morning.
Righteous Light: Your holy symbol repels undead creatures, who will do whatever possible to move away from it when brandished. If touched by the symbol undead suffer 1d6 damage plus your WIL Bonus.
Code
- At least one act of charity each day.
- Do not give up on a good cause.
- Give aid to the sick.
Atonement: Spend a day tending to the sick or needy without help from Pelor.

St Cuthbert - The Holy Avenger
Holy Symbol - Mace: Add your WIL Bonus to damage when you attack unholy creatures such as undead, devils or demons.
Prayers
Shielding Hand: Allies that follow the code of St Cuthbert add your WIL Bonus to HP until the next morning.
Smiting Weapon: You can turn any attack against a non-believer into a Smite for an extra 1d6 damage. If this does not kill the target you cannot Smite again.
Code
- Obey the law wherever you are.
- Protect the faithful.
- Smite the unholy.
Atonement: Destroy an unholy creature with your mace alone.

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