Wednesday, October 10, 2018

The Neutral Cleric Problem

One issue I need to deal with in creating a Blueholm campaign is the neutral cleric problem.  The game is set up to have 5 alignments (LG, CG, N, LE, CE).   But, clerics must be either Good or Evil.  There's a real mechanical difference between the two types:   Good Clerics cast the positive version of the spells (Light, Cure Light Wounds, Remove Disease);  Evil Clerics cast the negative versions of the spells (Darkness, Deal Light Wounds, Inflict Disease).    There is no provision for neutral clerics.


I decided to make up a list of gods, taken from the OD&D book "Gods, Demi-gods and Heroes".  Surprisingly these gods aren't given a default alignment.   I just picked 3 gods that seemed to fit each one of the alignments for 15 gods total.   I didn't want to get into a theological structure, having done that many times in the past and having seen no in-game result of this structure arise. 


I really don't know what to do about the Neutral Gods and their clerics.   The system doesn't support it at all.  Perhaps when a neutral cleric reaches a new spell level, roll randomly as to which version of the spell the god grants?  (Maybe fudging Cure Light Wounds).  Maybe have magic-users acting as clergy of neutral temples? 


P.S. Asking the Question answers it: the main reason I do these posts is to clarify my own thinking.  Yes, the obvious solution is roll randomly for Positive or Negative Spells, but reserve CLW.  If you want all healing spells, be good.

7 comments:

  1. Couldn't the neutral cleric choose?

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  2. I thought about that, but if he chooses each one, he's suddenly got the best of both worlds and is better than the Good or Evil. Perhaps he could choose ALL POSITIVE or ALL NEGATIVE, then everything would be evil.

    I briefly thought about having his turning powers work on animals.

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  3. Ock! Maybe this is the answer. Whenever a neutral cleric gains a new spell level, he must choose whether he gets regular or reversed version of all the spells in that level.

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  4. Replies
    1. That's what I'm going with, it seems most balanced with the other 2 alignments

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  5. I think I'll also have Neutral clerics turn Lycanthropes and elementals instead of undead.

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