Cleric

Clerics spend most of their days on the road, seldom calling any one place home for very long. They are wanderers, following a path of Faith outside the confining walls of churches, temples, or monasteries. This does not mean they are rebels or deviants of the Faith, for they can go places where more formal agents of Faith cannot. Most Clerics see it as their solemn duty to spread word of their Faith far and wide, carrying it with them in whatever adventure, quest, or war they get caught up in. 

Their experiences in this vast and often violent world leaves them tough and combat ready. Clerics are comfortable standing toe-to-toe with a foe while calling for blessings from the heavens, controlling undead minions, assaulting the enemy with primal forces, or warping their opponents minds. This has garnered them a reputation as Warrior Priests, making them a welcome ally among bands of adventurers and even military battalions, though at a cost of the odd sermon preached on the eve of battle. While their individual messages may vary depending on the culture they hail from or the Faith they profess, Clerics believe that if they are to send men to their death, either fighting by their side or striking them down with their own hand, they should send them on prepared for whatever awaits them in the afterlife.

As Clerics gain more experience on the open road they tend to equip themselves with heavier armor, realizing that sometimes a well-made coat of plate mail can turn a blade better than a prayer. Clerics also prefer blunt weapons so that when they are forced to take up arms against a foe, they may yet have a chance to share their Faith when that foe lies broken at their feet. While comfortable in a variety of roles, Clerics excel in the thick of battle, even if they are not actively attacking. This makes them excellent tanks and front line healers, capable of holding the line against insurmountable odds. However, they are not restricted to a support role and are also very adept at casting offensive Faith powers while engaged in combat.

Class Overview

Typical Roles: Tank, Healer, Support/Utility, Melee Damage, Ranged Damage
Damage Types: Physical, Faith (Holy, Demonic, Psionic, Primal)
Class Mechanic: Vigor and Faith

Default Stats: During Character Creation you may choose to use the default stat line shown below, before racial modifiers. This can be instead of rolling for stats, or if after rolling ten sets of stats you don’t like the results.

During Character Creation you may choose to use the Default Stat Line, before racial modifiers, instead of rolling for stats, or if after rolling ten sets of stats you don’t like the results

Proficiencies

Natural Armor Proficiency: Cloth, Leather
Trainable Armor Proficiency: Mail
Natural Weapon Proficiency: Knives, Bludgeons, Staves
Trainable Weapon Proficiency: Bludgeons (2-Handed), Whips, Shields

See Equipment section for details. When using weapons or armor that your class is not proficient with, see Combat Penalties. There is no level or title prerequisite to train in a new proficiency, however you must receive the appropriate Training.

Class Skills

Class Passive Skill: Warrior Priest
Class Secondary Skill: (choose one) Commander, Teacher, or Combat Specialist (of Cleric’s choice)
note: If wishing to specialize in a particular combat style that requires weapons that the Cleric does not have as a starting proficiency, you may save the point to be spend at a later date

Primary Skills

Faith

Sacred Scriptures

Clerics carry the words of their Faith with them wherever they go. This most often includes the accepted mainstream text of their faith, but also could include scrolls or letters written by famous preachers or legendary Chaplains of old. In many cases a Cleric will carry the sacred scriptures into battle, even sometime wielding them as a weapon or etching them onto their armor. Regardless of the degree of reverence, these written teachings are an essential repository of knowledge that acts as a source book of sorts for all of the Faith Powers that they would have access to as part of their faith. Depending on the circumstance and character background, a GM might choose to restrict what Powers are recorded within those sacred writings and scriptures, however unless otherwise stated it contains the entirely of what would be available for their chosen Faith Path (i.e. if following the Holy Faith, it would contain all Holy Faith powers from all Disciplines)

From this repository, a Cleric can memorize powers for day-to-day use and for use in combat. As they gain levels they increase their capacity to retain or “know” powers, but this is not the same as actually learning them. For additional details see Learning New Faith Powers.

Battle Hymns

In order to actually cast any of their powers, a Zealot, Cleric, or Paladin must speak out a memorized scripture or verse while focusing their mind on the desired outcome. This must be paired with a simple but forceful casting gesture, often made with a symbol, relic, idol, or other such device of their faith (see Methods of Casting).

For Clerics, conflict and battlefields are common place. As such they have become adept at exercising their Faith in the powers they serve while in the thick of battle. Many choose to recite battle hymns or shout out words of power that can carry across a battlefield. Many also choose to forge the symbols of their faith into their weapons and armor to make it that much easier to cast while wading into the front lines to face their foes.

Vigor

A Clerics training includes a unique blend of battlefield experience and theological study. The martial components of their training see them mastering a variety of combat techniques, battle tactics and stances. However, as with any Vigor class, prolonged combat can tire a Cleric out, and they must use their skills wisely.

Learning new Vigor Skills is relatively simple, and follows the standard methods of training. Clerics are often wanderers, traveling throughout the land preaching their faith to any who will listen. Later, when they feel they have gained the requisite life experiences they will volunteer or find employment as a chaplain or spiritual advisor within a standing army, city or town guard, local militia, or mercenary force. Once attached to military force, training is typically included as part of their employment. However, they could just as easily pick up new skills from a veteran soldier, a fellow cleric or other vigor classes. At times they may even just pay a Combat Trainer to learn a new skill. Once a skill is learned though, it can be improved simply though repeated use.

New vigor skills require training unless they are upgrades (i.e. Offensive Stance -> Improved Offensive Stance), see Learning New Vigor Skills for details.

Level Ups

Clerics use the following chart for levelling up:

HP Dice (Regular): Small Race (1d8), Medium Race (1d10), Large Race (1d12)