The Anti-Paladin

[csperkins1970]

I've copied this over from the Specialist Wizards thread for easier access.
THE ANTI-PALADIN (Charisma)

The anti-paladin represents everything that is mean, low and despicable. No act of treachery is too base, no deed of violence too vile for him. Thoughtless cruelty, sheer depravity and senseless bloodshed are his hallmarks: chaotic and evil deeds are, in fact, his very lifeblood. Where the paladin is the champion of all that is good and lawful, the anti-paladin is the defender of the powers of chaos and evil. By nature, therefore, his alignment is always chaotic evil, without exception!

Recognizing an anti-paladin should be fairly easy. Perhaps its his preference for black: black horse, black armor, black sword; or his grim, skull-shaped keep-raised in black basalt or gleaming obsidianlooming ominously against a gray, brooding sky on some chilly, windswept mountaintop.

Maybe its the company he keeps: brigands, thieves and assassins if theyre human, orcs, ogres, hobgoblins and trolls if theyre not!
LEVEL PROGRESSION

As per the Paladin class
Prime Attribute: Charisma
Hit Dice: d10
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Weapons: Any
Armor: Any armor and shields
Abilities: Back attack, unholy lay on hands, poison use, aura, unholy health, cause disease, command undead, unholy mount
Back Attack: As per the Rogue ability, except they may back attack with any melee weapon and never inflicts more than double damage.
Lay on Hands: An anti-paladin can cure himself of up to 2 hit points per anti-paladin level once per day. If used on any other creature, this ability inflicts damage rather than heal it.
Poisons (Intelligence): An anti-paladin with this ability can identify and use poisons and antitoxins. An anti-paladin can identify a poison or antitoxin on a successful check. An anti-paladins training in the use of poison means that he never risks accidental poisoning when applying poison to a blade. Moreover, anti-paladins train with poisons of all types, and they slowly grow more resistant to their effects. This is reflected by a + 1 bonus to poison saving throws that is gained at 3rd level.

At 9th level, an anti-paladin gains the ability to make poisons and antitoxins. To make a poison or antitoxin, the anti-paladin needs some alchemical equipment and raw materials costing one half of the street value of the poison or antitoxin to be made.
Unholy Aura: Anti-paladins emanate a permanent unholy aura that wards against attacks from good, summoned, or conjured creatures. It creates a magical barrier around the anti-paladin that conveys a +2 bonus to armor class and a +2 bonus on all saving throws against good creatures. The divine aura also prevents bodily contact by summoned or conjured creatures. This causes the natural weapon attacks of such creatures to fail and the creatures to recoil if such attacks require touching the warded creature. Evil elementals and extraplanar creatures are immune to this effect.
Unholy Health: The anti-paladin is immune to all diseases, whatever their origin.
Cause Disease: At 3rd level the anti-paladin can cause disease, as the spell, once per week. This ability improves as the anti-paladin rises in levels. At 9th level, the anti-paladin can cause disease two times per week and, at 15th level, three times per week.
Command Undead (Wisdom): At 3rd level, the anti-paladin gains the ability to effect undead as an evil cleric of 1st level. When making a wisdom check to command undead, an anti-paladin adds his turning level to the roll, not the characters actual level. This ability improves with each level, so a 5th level anti-paladin turns or commands undead like a 3rd level cleric.
Divine Mount: At 4th level, the anti-paladin gains the ability to call a special warhorse to his service. An anti-paladins dark lords confer this boon upon the anti-paladin as a reward for his faithful service. The mount, usually an ill-tempered heavy warhorse, is unusually intelligent, strong, loyal, and ready to serve the anti-paladin in his crusade against good. Should this mount die, a year and a day must pass before another can be called. The Dungeon Master provides information about the mount that responds to the anti-paladins call.
Starting Funds: Anti-paladins begin play with 60-240 gold pieces (6d4) with which to purchase their initial equipment.

[csperkins1970]

Is there no love for the Anti-Paladin on these boards? Or does my version just bite it?

[miller6]

A nice write up, however, I would disagree on several points.

Generally, in my campaign the anti-paladin has the same powers as a paladin, they just use them for evil purposes.

The way I see it, causing wounds and disease is more of an undead thing so as fighter-types go, I reserve for the likes of death knights and other undead "fallen paladins".

Allowing them to both cause and cure gives them the best of both worlds...which is too much in my opinion since they're supposed to be an alignment-based counterpart to a paladin rather than a stronger or significantly different version.

I can see where you're coming from on the backstab...but think that confuses the concept of an "anti-paladin" with an evil fighter where I see a difference between them. IMHO Anti-paladins are lawful evil rather than chaotic evil, don't use poisons and don't backstab since to them the ways of thieves and assassins are cowardly, whereas anti-paladins may be evil but place a great deal of emphasis on courage. And laws are still important to them - their laws - which underlings must follow or be publically slain by their hand to set an example of what happens to would-be defiers.

I also see anti-paladins as bold rather than sneaky. They're so cocky and self-confident, they'd openly announce that they're going to kill someone before doing so...thus warning the opponent in advance. Characters that do so wouldn't believe they need poison or back stabs to win, and would probably think using either one is a sign of weakness which others would take note of...thereby encouraging attempts to overthrow them.

To me, anti-paladins firmly believe in survival of the strongest and victory by the sword, just like a paladin. However, rather than being humble like a paladin, they're just the opposite, the type to brag about being the greatest swordsman in the land and thereby the rightful ruler...and all contenders shall fall before their blade.

All that considered, I really think anti-paladins are simply standard paladins with an evil alignment and a major attitude.

And since the abilities remain the same that way, few would argue against this type of anti-paladin being allowed in a campaign.

But it's your campaign...run 'em however you like.
Brian Miller
_________________
"The adventure continues"

[csperkins1970]

Thanks for the feedback. The abilities for the anti-paladin, for the most part, come straight out of issue 39 of Dragon Magazine. As written, anti-paladins were chaotic evil and, at their heart, tended to be cowards.

I can see where that would turn people off to them... but I converted the old-school anti-paladin as best I could, trying to keep to the original write-up while ditching the bits that just wouldn't work in C&C (either because they were too complicated or unbalanced).

[miller6]

csperkins1970 wrote:
Thanks for the feedback. The abilities for the anti-paladin, for the most part, come straight out of issue 39 of Dragon Magazine. As written, anti-paladins were chaotic evil and, at their heart, tended to be cowards.

I can see where that would turn people off to them... but I converted the old-school anti-paladin as best I could, trying to keep to the original write-up while ditching the bits that just wouldn't work in C&C (either because they were too complicated or unbalanced).

I remember dragon mag publishing an anti-paladin but didn't recall the specifics. Generally, classes published in dragon tended to be overpowered which gave rise to arguments against their use (IMO most true of the revamped monk). I kinda liked their necromancer. Personally, I've always written up my own classes, but thanks for the trip down nostalgia lane anyway.

...And ask around, maybe others would like to see more of the dragon classes converted?

Brian Miller
_________________
"The adventure continues"

[miller6]

csperkins1970 wrote:
Thanks for the feedback. The abilities for the anti-paladin, for the most part, come straight out of issue 39 of Dragon Magazine. As written, anti-paladins were chaotic evil and, at their heart, tended to be cowards.

I can see where that would turn people off to them... but I converted the old-school anti-paladin as best I could, trying to keep to the original write-up while ditching the bits that just wouldn't work in C&C (either because they were too complicated or unbalanced).

Just curious. Did you reword the flavor text in your own words? If not, I highly suggest it. I don't know since I don't have that issue.

Brian Miller
_________________
"The adventure continues"

[csperkins1970]

miller6 wrote:
Just curious. Did you reword the flavor text in your own words? If not, I highly suggest it. I don't know since I don't have that issue.

Brian Miller

The flavor text is a modified, abridged version of the original flavor text. Should I rewrite it because of copyright issues or because the write-up is a little cheesy (or a combo of the 2)?

[miller6]

csperkins1970 wrote:
The flavor text is a modified, abridged version of the original flavor text. Should I rewrite it because of copyright issues or because the write-up is a little cheesy (or a combo of the 2)?

I just mention it because if it's a direct copy then, even with the C&C conversions, IMHO from an ethical perspective, posting any portions of the original text should only be done with the author's consent, whereas if you have rewritten the article then the posting is entirely your own words. At least that's my take on the copyright issue, but then again, I'm not a lawyer...(shrugs). Many people have different view points on the matter.

Brian Miller
_________________
"The adventure continues"

[Treebore]

I only have a problem with the backstab, but other than that it works for me. Whether Lawful or Chaotic evil.

Plus I am OK with them causing and curing, but that is because I don't disallow Paladins to do the same thing, its just that they rarely ever find justification to do such things as to harm rather than heal.

[old school gamer]

miller6 wrote:
I remember dragon mag publishing an anti-paladin but didn't recall the specifics. Generally, classes published in dragon tended to be overpowered which gave rise to arguments against their use (IMO most true of the revamped monk). I kinda liked their necromancer. Personally, I've always written up my own classes, but thanks for the trip down nostalgia lane anyway.

...And ask around, maybe others would like to see more of the dragon classes converted?

Brian Miller

You know, if I remember correctly, the Anti-Paladin was originally supposed to be an NPC class only.

[csperkins1970]

old school gamer wrote:
You know, if I remember correctly, the Anti-Paladin was originally supposed to be an NPC class only.

Yep, you're right. So was the Duelist, the Death Master (aka Necromancer), the Archer (one of my favorites... as my first character was an archer) and a slew of other classes (Bounty Hunter, Cloistered Cleric, .

The only Dragon magazine class that ever saw use in a game I played was the archer BUT I know others that used these "NPC" classes in their games, so I've been converting them for old-time's sake.

[Nelzie]

If they are all Chaotic-Evil, why would they all dress in Black and all have skull shaped keeps?

One might dress in black, with a skull motif.

Another might dress in Brown with a troll motif.

Yet another one may change his/her colors and motif by whim, once a week, if only to keep people guessing as to whether or not the being they face is the Anti-Paladin known to be plaguing the region.

I believe the Chaotic element of their alignment would keep them from all conforming as written. Maybe if they were Lawful-Evil, they would all wear the same basic "uniform" Anti-Paladin gear.
_________________
Earned the following:

50 Useless Trivia Points from Serleran

[csperkins1970]

Nelzie wrote:
If they are all Chaotic-Evil, why would they all dress in Black and all have skull shaped keeps?

Hey, don't blame me for the cheesy flavor text... blame the original authors of the Dragon magazine article.
I actually toned down some of the cheesedom so that the anti-paladin didn't seem too tongue-in-cheek.

[Dristram]

I think your write-up is pretty darn good! Though I completely understand how people's opinions on just what an anti-paladin should be is understandable. But for what you did, good job!

csperkins1970 wrote:
Master (aka Necromancer), the Archer (one of my favorites... as my first character was an archer) and a slew of other classes (Bounty Hunter, Cloistered Cleric, .

Do you happen to have the write-up for the Cloistered Cleric? I made a priest class that is a basic non-combative cleric and am curious what the Dragon write-up was like to do a comparison.

[csperkins1970]

Dristram wrote:
I think your write-up is pretty darn good! Though I completely understand how people's opinions on just what an anti-paladin should be is understandable. But for what you did, good job!
Do you happen to have the write-up for the Cloistered Cleric? I made a priest class that is a basic non-combative cleric and am curious what the Dragon write-up was like to do a comparison.

Thanks much!

I'll see what I can make up based on the old write up. I'm sure I'll have to pump up the class a bit because the Cloistered Cleric was inferior to a regular cleric in almost every way.

[Catweazle]

I like it overall, but I do think that the required alignment should be Lawful Evil.

I just don't see chaotically-aligned faiths to be organised enough to have a formal militant order. Mobs and agents provocateur are much more their style.
_________________
History teaches us that men behave wisely once they've exhausted all other alternatives.

[Dristram]

csperkins1970 wrote:
I'm sure I'll have to pump up the class a bit because the Cloistered Cleric was inferior to a regular cleric in almost every way.

No need. As is would be great. My priest is an inferior form of cleric for a reason.

[csperkins1970]

Dristram wrote:
No need. As is would be great. My priest is an inferior form of cleric for a reason.

THE CLOISTERED CLERIC

by Lenard Lakofka

Dragon Issue 68, December 1982
Authors Introduction

Beefing up the Cleric in issue #58 of DRAGON Magazine was the first installment in this column in a discussion of the cleric in the AD&D system. This second installment, brought about by much urging and assistance from Brad Nystul, will discuss the non-adventuring cleric. This material is not an official addition to the AD&D rules.
The non-adventuring cleric

The regular cleric, according to the AD&D rules, must have the following statistics: strength in a range of 6 to 18, intelligence 6 to 18, dexterity 3 to 18, constitution 6 to 18, charisma 6 to 18, and wisdom 9 to 18. (Half-elf clerics must have a wisdom of at least 13; it might be extrapolated that other demi-human clerics also must have a minimum wisdom of 13, though half-orcs, since their maximum wisdom is 14, might have their minimum lowered say, to 11.) If the cleric is not a human, his or her ability-score minimums and maximums must also be in accordance with the limits for that race.

However, one wonders if non-player characters must meet all the same requirements, especially with regard to the minimum scores necessary to be a cleric and, if they are allowed variation, how they might be balanced to retain some advantage for characters who do meet all the regular requirements.

The AD&D game models its cleric after the medieval fighter/cleric, la Templar or Hospitlar. Yet we are all aware that all clerics, then and now, do not meet that standard. The AD&D game does not take into account scholarly (sometimes called cloistered) clerics, or brothers who are not ordained but have some clerical functions. I would like to fill in those two gaps and allow for regular clerics, as non-player characters, who do not

meet the ability-score minimums for player character clerics.

The easiest group to rule on is those clerics who do not meet the required minimums in strength, intelligence, dexterity (for non-humans), constitution or charisma the minimum wisdom score must be kept at 9. If the cleric has a low strength, dexterity or constitution (less than 6), he or she will be at a great disadvantage in melee: the character will be -1 (or worse) to hit or to damage, +1 (or more) on defensive adjustment, and/or -1 (or worse) on hit point adjustment. The way to limit such a cleric is to say that if either strength or dexterity is less than 6, he or she cannot wield all the weapons permitted to the class.

Such a cleric could use a club, hammer, horsemans mace, and staff only. The flail is either too difficult to maneuver or too heavy; the footmans mace is too heavy. If strength is less than 6, the hammer can be wielded but not thrown. If both strength and dexterity are less than 6, the character will fight as a first level cleric forever no matter how many levels he or she might gain in the future.

Non-player character clerics with constitutions of 6 or lower will tire easily in melee, so that after some number of rounds they will be -1 to hit regardless of strength and/or dexterity. That number of rounds would be determined by rolling d6 and adding it to a base number: 4 rounds for a constitution of 6; 3 rounds for a constitution of 5; 1 round for a constitution of 4; and 0 rounds (use the d6 roll only) for a constitution of 3. Such non-player clerics might be encountered by a party but they will usually be part of a local clerical establishment (abbey, monastery, temple, etc.), or perhaps part of a pilgrimage. They would not appear as simple random monsters, nor would they ever be found as humanoid shamans. Such non-combatant clerics, who have full spell ability and other clerical powers, would likely never rise above the level of Patriarch (8th).
Cloistered clerics

We cannot call these characters monks in the AD&D game, though that term would be most applicable if we are using Europe as a model for this type of cleric. The cloistered cleric (lets call him or her a friar) will be apart from the outside world in a monastery, abbey, or other such structure. Some select friars will be allowed to greet and talk to those who might visit the monastery. The other friars might not be allowed contact with the outside world and might be under vows of silence as well. (They may only speak during church services, in emergencies, and to convey necessary information.)

The majority (85%) of cloistered clerics will have large libraries of from 100 to 10,000 books, manuscripts, and scrolls. Cloistered clerics of at least 9th level with wisdom and intelligence scores of at least 13 and 15, respectively, and who have a library of at least 5,000 items, will have the abilities of a minor sage.

They will have sage ability in one Major Field and one Minor Field only, and no other supporting knowledge whatsoever. Their percentage chances to know the answer to a question are as follows:

General Specific Exacting

In minor field 36%-47% (35+d12), 21%-28% (20+d8), 9%-14% (8+d6)

In major field 51%-70% (50+d20), 35%-46%(34+d12), 16%-25% (15+d10)

Such a cloistered cleric/sage will expect and demand a liberal contribution to the abbey (church, etc.) of not less than 1,000 g.p. for general information, 2,000 g.p. for specific information, and 3,500 g.p. for exacting information. There is no fee if the cloistered cleric/sage does not know the answer to a question.

Cloistered clerics will have the following statistics: Strength, 3-18 (roll 3d6); Intelligence, 6-18 (roll 4d4+2); Wisdom, 9-18 (d10+8); Dexterity, 3-18 (3d6); Constitution, 3-18 (3d6); Charisma, 3-18 (3d6).

Cloistered clerics fight as magic-users, and are allowed the use of the footmans mace, the hammer, the club, and the quarter staff only. They gain only one new weapon, that at 9th level. They do not wear armor or use a shield but are allowed rings of protection, cloaks of protection, and bracers of defense.

Their chance of owning such a protection device is 15% per level, as is their chance of owning a magic weapon. They are allowed to use any written item allowed to a cleric or a magic-user, except for those items which would grant them levels of experience. They may employ potions allowed to clerics or magic-users (or to all classes) as well as any magic ring.

They may use no rods, staves, or wand except a rod of cancellation, a rod of resurrection, a staff of curing, and wands of enemy detection, fear, illumination, and negation.

Cloistered clerics use four-sided dice for accumulated hit points. They make their saving throws as clerics, but at -2 in all cases.

They are usually (50%) lawful but might be neutral (35%) or chaotic (15%). They can be either good (40%), neutral (35%), or evil (15%) as well.

Cloistered clerics are almost always human, but on occasion a half-orc or half-elf might be found in their number. Cloistered clerics have no effect upon undead.

Their possible eventual level is strongly tied to their wisdom and intelligence scores. Experience-point ranges are not given for them, since they are always non-player characters.
Cloistered clerics table

Experience level/Min Int./Min Wis./Hit Dice

1/6/9/1

2/8/9/2

3/8/9/3

4/8/11/4

5/8/11/5

6/10/13/6

7/11/14/7

8/12/15/8

9/12/15/8+1

10/13/16/8+2

11/14/17/8+3
Level titles

1 Novice

2 Ostiary

3 Brother

4 Father

5 Padre

6 Chaplain

7 Subdean

8 Dean

9 Prior or Abbot

10 Father Superior

11+ Archimandrite
Spells usable by class and level

Cleric/Spell level

level/1/2/3/4/5/6

1//////

2/1/////

3/2/1////

4/3/2/1///

5/4/3/2///

6/4/3/3/1//

7/4/4/3/2//

8/4/4/4/3/1/

9/4/4/4/4/2/

10/4/4/4/4/3/

11/4/4/4/4/4/1

Note: Cloistered clerics do not gain bonus spells for high wisdom.
Spell list for cloistered clerics

Note: Spells printed in italic type are from the AD&D Players Handbook. Those marked were described in the Leomunds Tiny Hut column in DRAGON #56. Those marked are new spells devised for cloistered

clerics and are described in the following text. Those marked are reversible spells, but the reverse of the given spell is not allowed to lawful good cloistered clerics; likewise, it is 70% unlikely that a neutral good character will have the reverse spell, and 40% unlikely that a chaotic good cleric will have the reverse. Those spells containing the word evil can be reversed to either form by lawful neutral or chaotic neutral clerics.
1st level

Bless

Ceremony (Burial)

Ceremony (Coming of Age)
Create Water

Combine
Cure Light Wounds
Detect Evil

Detect Magic

Hand Fire

Magical Vestment
Protection from Evil

Purify Food & Drink

Remove Fear

Sanctuary

Scribe
2nd level
Augury

Ceremony (Dedication)

Ceremony (Investiture)

Ceremony (Consecrate Item)

Ceremony (Bless Newborn)
Chant

Death Prayer
Detect Charm

Detect Life

Holy Symbol
Know Alignment

Light

Slow Poison

Speak with Animals

Translate
3rd level

Ceremony (Special Vows)
Create Food & Water

Cure Blindness

Cure Disease

Detect Curse
Dispel Magic

Enthrall
Glyph of Warding (paralysis)
Hold Person

Locate Object

Prayer

Remove Curse

Remove Paralysis

Speak with Dead

Dismiss Undead
4th level

Ceremony (Consecrate or Desecrate Ground)
Continual Light

Detect Lie

Exorcise

Neutralize Poison

Protection from Evil 10 radius

Speak with Plants

Scroll
Tongues

Ward, minor
5th level
Atonement

Commune

Cure Critical Wounds

Dispel Evil

Quest

Raise Dead

True Seeing

Ward, major
6th level

Communicate
Heal

Stone Tell

Word of Recall
New spell explanations
Hand Fire (Alteration)

Level: 1 Components: V, S

Range: 0 Casting Time: 1 segment

Duration: Special Saving Throw: None

Area of Effect: Clerics hand

Explanation/Description: This spell allows the cleric, by turning his cupped hand upward and saying a command word, to produce a cold flame that casts the equivalent of torch light.

The hand fire will remain lighted until the cleric casts any other spell or until he or she uses his or her hand to perform some other function. The fire is non-harmful and will not ignite any combustible materials, even oil. It cannot be blown out, but magical darkness will dispel it instantly.
Scribe (Alteration)

Level: 1

Range: Touch

Duration: Permanent

Area of Effect: Variable

Components: V, S, M

Casting time: 1 round

Saving throw: None

Explanation/Description: Via this spell, the clerics handwriting, if it happens to be poor, is greatly enhanced. Furthermore, he or she can write twice as rapidly as normal and still produce high-quality copying of a text or map. The scribe spell can be used when writing down the text of magical scrolls. It further decreases the chance of error by 25% in the copying of any and all text. The scribe spell will stay in effect as long as the cleric continues to copy or compose a text, with a limit of eight hours

of such writing in any case. Any interruption of the copying will ruin the spell from that point forward. The material components are ink, quill and parchment (book or scroll) and perhaps that which is being copied. Note: Magical scrolls cannot be copied or composed by any cleric below 7th level.
Ceremony (Bless Newborn) (Abjuration)

Level: 2

Range: Touch

Duration: Six months

Area of effect: One infant

Components: V, S, M

Casting time: 1 turn

Saving Throw: None

DRAGON 31

Explanation/Description: This spell is used to protect a newborn (within 14 days) infant from possession and other ill effects that might befall him or her. Such a protected infant gains a saving throw bonus of +2 from any type of possession. Further, he or she is under the effect of a half-strength resist fire and resist cold spell for the full six-month spell duration. The ceremony of blessing the newborn has no effect upon infants

older than two weeks of age. (Note: usual cost is 2-5 g.p.)
Translate (Alteration)

Level: 2

Range: Self

Duration: 3 turns/level

Area of Effect: One text or scroll

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 1 round

Saving Throw: None

Explanation/Description: This spell allows the cleric to read texts (scrolls, maps) written in a foreign or alignment language (including thieves cant). It does not allow the reading of magic or the deciphering of some coded message. The spell can be used in conjunction with a scribe spell (see foregoing) if the translation is to be written down. Any scroll containing a spell or recipe for a potion or powder cannot be translated.
Detect Curse (Divination)

Level: 3

Range: Touch

Duration: Permanent

Area of Effect: One item

Components: V, S

Casting time: 6 rounds

Saving throw: Neg.

Explanation/Description: Via this spell the cleric can tell whether an item is cursed, if the item fails a saving throw allowed to it. The suspect item must be touched by the cleric and, in some cases, this might release the curse effect. Cursed scrolls must be opened, but not read, for the spell to have an effect. Artifacts will not answer to this spell in any case. The basic saving throw allowed to an item is 13, though very powerful cursed items will have a saving throw as low as 5 (the DM must decide the appropriate saving throw on an item-by-item basis). This spell cannot detect charms; it can detect curses on persons, though the person is allowed a normal saving throw versus magic. Casting of this spell will affect the cleric so strongly that he or she cannot cast any other spells whatsoever for four hours after this casting, though spells already prayed

for are not lost from memory.
Dismiss Undead (Abjuration)

Level: 3

Range: 6

Duration: 3-12 rounds

Area of Effect: 6 long cone, 2 diam. at base

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 2 segments

Saving Throw: Special

Explanation/Description: By the casting of this spell, a cloistered cleric can temporarily gain the ability to possibly turn undead or command it/them into service. For purposes of determining success or failure of the turning/commanding attempt while the spell is in effect, the level of the cloistered cleric will be that of an adventurer-cleric minus four levels. Thus, a 7th level cloistered cleric would turn undead as a 3rd level adventurer-cleric. Undead can be commanded to service by evil cloistered

clerics. Neutral cloistered clerics can only turn (not command) the undead.
Ceremony (Desecrate Ground) (Abjuration)

Level: 4

Range: 3

Duration: Permanent

Area of Effect: One building, graveyard, etc.

Components: V, S, M

Casting time: 1 hour

Saving Throw: None

Explanation/Description: This spell is the reverse of ceremony consecrate ground), which was described in DRAGON issue #58. It may be used by a cleric of any alignment versus a building or area of ground representing an opposing alignment.

For a building (generally a church or other cleric oriented edifice) to be desecrated, the altar inside must be covered with holy or unholy water, manure, etc., while the casting of the ceremony (desecrate ground) is in progress. A desecrated building is 1% likely per year to collapse; this chance is not cumulative. Roll at the end of each year of desecration to see if the structure collapses. A desecrated building can be consecrated at a later time by application of the unreversed form of this spell.

If an area of ground (such as a graveyard) is the object of the spell, it is necessary to know if the ground was consecrated in the first place. Desecrate ground will only remove the consecration if one was in effect. A second, subsequent desecration has no effect. The area can be reconsecrated. A graveyard that has never been consecrated is more likely to have its graves yield lesser undead. If the spell animate dead is cast in such a graveyard, one extra skeleton or zombie will rise from the

graveyard. Further, any attempt to turn undead in an unconsecrated graveyard (if and only if the undead come from these graves) will be as if the cleric were two levels lower than he or she actually is.
Scroll (Alteration)

Level: 4

Range: Touch

Duration: Permanent

Area of Effect: One scroll

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 1 hour

Saving Throw: Special

Explanation/Description: Via this spell, the cleric can compose a magical scroll of a spell he or she knows with a 40% smaller chance of error (see DMG, page 118). The scroll spell cannot be used in combination with a scribe spell (q.v.). Alternatively, the scroll spell can make the cleric write the scroll faster (double normal speed), but then the reduction in the

chance for an error is canceled.
Ward, minor (Abjuration)

Level: 4

Range: Touch

Duration: Until broken

Area of Effect: Hemisphere of 15 radius

Components: V, S, M

Casting time: 3 rounds

Saving Throw: Special

Explanation/Description: Via this spell, the cleric brings into being a special barrier of force. It cannot be physically broken through by a physical attack of any sort, including the use of powerful weapons like a vorpal blade. The minor ward, however, can be brought down by several spells: disintegrate, limited wish, phase door, shadow door, plane shift, or wish spell, or any one of the following spells that does at least 20 points of damage: fireball, lightning bolt, cone of cold, flame strike, Otilukes Freezing Sphere (second or third application), or meteor swarm.

Anything within the hemispherical area of effect is not damaged when the minor ward is brought down (but might be put in jeopardy). The minor ward cannot be entered or exited by traveling astrally, or via dimension door, passwall, or teleport.

Characters and creatures in the hemisphere cannot cast spells out, though spells can be cast so as to affect those inside the minor ward, such as cures, neutralize poison, commune, etc.

The minor ward will remain in effect as long as the cleric is conscious; in the round after he or she falls asleep or is knocked unconscious (or worse), the ward will collapse. The caster can will it to come down at any time, but this act takes 1 full round.

To effect the spell, the cleric must space seven small pearls (at least 100 g.p. value each) evenly on the ground in a 30-footdiameter circle. Smaller circles can be made, if desired, but never larger ones. The pearls are consumed in the casting.
Ward, major (Abjuration)

Level: 5

Range: Touch

Duration: Until broken

Area of effect: Hemisphere of 10 radius

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 3 rounds

Saving Throw: Special

Explanation/Description: This is a stronger variation of the minor ward. It can only be brought down by certain of the spells that affect a minor ward: a damage-producing spell (fireball, lightning bolt, cone of cold, flame strike, Otilukes Freezing Sphere, meteor swarm) that does at least 50 points of damage, or a disintegrate, limited wish, or wish spell. As with the minor ward, dispel magic has no effect whatsoever on it. The major

ward will remain up until the cleric casting it becomes unconscious.

The material component for the spell are seven gems (they can be of different types) valued at no less than 250 g.p. each. They are consumed in the casting.

It should be noted that the minor ward and major ward afford no protection from underneath, so tunneling into one is possible if the proper equipment or magic is available. The person(s) inside a ward cannot teleport, dimension door, travel astrally, use a word of recall, etc., unless the ward is brought down first.
Communicate (Divination)

Level: 6

Range: Unlimited

Duration: 1 turn + 1 rd/level

Area of Effect: Caster and one other person

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 3 rounds

Saving Throw: None

Explanation/Description: Via this spell, a cleric can communicate with another person anywhere on the Prime Material Plane. He or she casts the spell using a mirror as a material component. The person to be contacted must be known to the cleric, and the subject cannot be within any type of force field like a cube of force, minor ward, major ward, major or minor globe of invulnerability, etc., nor may the contacted person be under the protection of a mind blank spell or a psionic defense

like tower of iron will. The subject, if asleep, will awaken if that person makes a saving throw versus magic (a new saving throw is allowed every other melee round). Once contact is established the cleric can see, if the subject is willing, whatever that person can see, and vice versa. Hearing is also allowed, so someone speaking to the cleric or person can be overheard but the words must, of course, be repeated for others to have knowledge of them.

The communication link is so strong that the cleric can cast a curing spell of any type through the link to the person being contacted. Once the cure is so cast, the link breaks immediately.

The cleric who casts the cure spell can do no further spell casting for one full day plus one additional day for each level of the cure cast through the communication. The receiver, who may be of any character class, has no way to contact the cleric, although prearranged contacts are certainly possible.

Contact established by means of this spell while the subject is occupied (casting a spell or involved in melee, for instance) will require that the receiver stop pursuing the current activity in order to accept the communication. The cleric can only communicate with, or look in on, someone who is willing and doing nothing else at the time. If this is not the case, the cleric will realize the communication has been rejected, for a reason which may not be known to him or her, and the contact will

break. The cleric will see or hear nothing through the subjects senses if that person rejects the communication.
The life of the cloistered cleric The cloistered cleric is both literate (if his or her intelligence is 6 or above) and can write. The character spends most of his or her time studying or copying texts and scrolls. He or she may also have mundane duties to perform, and some groups of

cloistered clerics do not exempt even a Dean from such duties.

The abbey or monastery where the cloistered cleric resides is almost always (90%) made of stone and is usually (60%) surrounded by a wall of stone as well. Farm lands tended by the cloistered clerics surround the abbey or monastery. Most abbeys and monasteries exist outside of towns, and many are well away from main roads. Only cloistered clerics involved in teaching will have residence in a town or city. These teachers

will run schools and colleges, and such an individuals library will have a minimum of 2,500 scrolls and/or books.

The abbey or monastery never has fighting clerics or monks in it, nor are fighting clerics or monks ever employed on a permanent basis by cloistered clerics. For their own protection, in hostile territories, abbeys or monasteries may have in their employ men-at-arms (if evil, humanoids of one hit die or less) headed by a fighter (but not a ranger or a paladin) of 1st to 7th level. (A fighter of 3rd or higher level may have from 1-6 sergeants or even 1 lieutenant to aid him or her.) Cloistered clerics

do not hire a thief or assassin, unless to recover some item stolen from them. A magic-user or sage occasionally may be in temporary residence in an abbey or monastery, doing research (15% and 3% likely, respectively).
Learning and recovery of spells

Cloistered clerics have one important difference in the way they gain and use their spells. They must rest for the appropriate time, as any other spell caster. They then must pray for a period of not less than one hour per level of the highest level spell that they will memorize; i.e., an Archimandrite would have to pray to his or her deity for six hours to replace his or her 6th level spell, but could also replace any first to fifth level spells as well after this period. Once the cloistered cleric has prayed, he then reads the desired spell from a spell text, just as a magic-user

does, taking 15 minutes per spell level per spell. He or she does not have to roll a percent chance to know a spell in any case, but he or she must have the minimum intelligence and wisdom as outlined earlier! All cloistered clerical spells are written in large tomes as large as magic-user spell books. They are written in a language which, while it can be learned by another cleric, will never give spell power to any other type of spell caster including a druid.

An adventuring cleric who knows the language of cloistered clerics can read from their texts to learn a spell. This process will take the adventuring cleric 30 minutes per spell level per spell and in no way counts as a spell known to that adventuring class cleric. Further, if a given spell is not available until a higher level to a cloistered cleric, it must be memorized by an adventuring class cleric at that (higher) level. The adventuring class cleric must also pray to his deity, just as the cloistered

cleric must, before the book or text will release its power from the written word. A cleric who does not pray prior to reading will gain nothing from the text. Example: A 5th level adventuring cleric (a Prefect) wants to read hold person from a cloistered clerics book of spells. For the cloistered cleric this is a third level spell, so the adventuring cleric must pray for three hours and then read the spell text, memorizing it as a third level spell, in the next one and half hours. (The cloistered cleric would only

take 45 minutes to read the same spell.) If the adventuring cleric has not learned the prayer for hold person before, the character may not now pray to his or her deity for it, even though he or she has just memorized it. Cloistered clerics usually only have one or two spell books in their abbey or monastery, and thus they will not willingly part with a book, even a duplicate.

Cloistered clerics are very poor, using any wealth they may gain only to pay for food, clothing and items used in the abbey, monastery, or school. Even their altar wear is usually plain, as are the altar pieces and church/temple decorations. What monies they do collect from donations and spell casting they always charge for spell casting may be divided up and sent to other temples, churches, abbeys, etc.
Brothers

Brothers are clerics who are not ordained. They have functions around and about the church/temple, but often have a second occupation totally unrelated to the church (shopkeeper, blacksmith, housewife, etc.). A brother or sister (not the same as a nun) might also be a teacher, scholar, moneyhandler, assistant in the service, and so forth. His or her secondary profession might allow the character to be trained with a

weapon; in fact, the brother or sister might be an adventuring class character of some type.

Fully 60% of all brothers and sisters have no education in fighting. They would be unarmored and 50% likely to be unarmed as well. Those who do bear arms might carry a dagger (unless their organization forbids it), a short sword (again, some organizations might not allow edged weapons carried by any clerical figure), club, mace, quarter staff or hammer. They

would fight as zero-hit-dice figures but would obtain the saving throws of a first level cleric in all categories, because of their religious training.

The balance of brothers and sisters (40%) will have some weapon skills. Those weapon skills are apart from any secondary profession. These brothers and sisters can don armor in times of strife, wearing leather or studded leather most often and occasionally bearing a shield as well.

They fight as first level clerics and obtain the same saving throws. They will have one eight-sided die for their hit points (the non-fighting brother

and sister will use a six-sided die, as all zero-level figures do). The weapons allowed to them are as a cleric, but some might bear daggers, short swords, or broad swords as well. None of these brothers and sisters, in either category, ever obtain more hit points, nor do they ever become better at melee.

Brothers and sisters may also be deacons in the organization. One in four brothers will be a deacon, and a congregation with more than four deacons will have an archdeacon as well. Archdeacons and deacons are allowed two and one first level clerical spells, respectively, per day. (They cannot re-pray for their spell after four hours of rest like a first level cleric).

The list of spells available to archdeacons and deacons is limited to these only: bless, cure minor wounds (works as cure light wounds but does only 1d4 of healing), detect evil (might be reversible in some organizations), endure cold, endure heat, purify food and drink, remove fear, and sanctuary. Endure heat and endure cold are generally only known in

areas where extremes of heat and cold are in fact present. Remove fear cannot be reversed to cause fear, and purify food and drink cannot be reversed to putrefy food and drink. Some organizations might allow the reverse of cure minor wounds to cause minor wounds if the organization is evil or chaotic neutral, or if there is great need and the temple or church might fall if the spell is not made available to its deacons and archdeacons.

Brothers and sisters otherwise will be found in most churches and temples and occasionally in abbeys, monasteries, and schools. They will likely not reside on the organizations property. They will perform mundane duties in most cases (washing floors, cooking, cleaning the temple or church though rarely the altar and other services) but some, as mentioned earlier, will be scholars and teachers. A deacon is of equal rank to an

Acolyte or Novice, but an archdeacon is superior to an Acolyte or Novice.

Brothers and sisters do not go into battle unless the church or temple, or the town in which it is located, is threated with destruction. They surely do not adventure and do not go into dungeons. If a deacon or archdeacon administers a cure minor wounds spell, he or she can expect 40 g.p. from a stranger for the spell. He or she might cast this spell for free on the members of the churchs congregation.
If the reader would like to study the fantasy cleric, both the adventuring and non-adventuring types, he or she might wish to read the Camber of Culdi trilogy by Katherine Kurtz (Del Rey Books) or the Chronicles of the Deryni (Del Rey Books) Note: The Legends of Camber of Culdi is a prequel to the Chronicles of the Deryni.

[Dristram]

Wow! That's way more than I would have expect you to do. Awesome! Thanks!

[Tadhg]

csperkins1970 wrote:
THE CLOISTERED CLERIC

by Lenard Lakofka

Dragon Issue 68, December 1982

Most excellent. Thanks for posting!!!
_________________
Count Rhuveinus - Lejendary Keeper of Castle Franqueforte

"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth