OOC Chat

[JadedDM]

So, uh, guys...Sunstar hasn't actually said anything yet.

[Jenara]

LOL!!! Yes, just noticed that myself.

[Breila]

just curious... did Goldmoon get consumed by the flames in the book as well?

[JadedDM]

Yes, it played out much the same way, although there were a couple of differences.

First, the dragon pinned Raistlin down with her claw in the book, using him as a hostage.

Second, Goldmoon didn't charge Onyx, but rather pretended to do what she asked. She approached her with the staff, as if to surrender it, but then struck her at the last moment.

Third, the scene with Tearsong is all me, not from the module or the books. I just wanted to give you something to do while the others escaped, and this seemed more fun than just PMing you an expo dump of what happened.

[Breila]

Thanks! I appreciate that!

[Breila]

Spells for Goldmoon

1st level: Cure Light Wounds, Detect Evil, Detect Poison, Protection from Evil, Sanctuary
2nd level: Resist Fire/Resist Cold, Silence, Slow poison, Withdraw, Wyvern Watch
3rd level: Cure Disease


How exactly do you handle this list? Does Goldmoon know all these spells every day when she has successfully prayed or them (that's how my long-ago DM handled it, so my character had CLW noted three times on her character sheet by the time she was 5th level, and two less 1st level spells) or are they a range of choice and I need to state every day which spells I pray for? Do unexpended spells vanish, so I have a full choice every day?

[JadedDM]

Casting a spell causes it to vanish from her memory. That 'slot' then remains empty until she has rested for 6-8 hours, at which point she can then pray to refill it (with the same spell or a different one). It takes 10 minutes per spell per level to pray for a spell (so it takes 10 minutes to pray for Cure Light Wounds, but 30 minutes to pray for Cure Disease.)

(However, this first time is one exception to the rule. Goldmoon will be 'reborn' with all of these spell slots filled already.)

You can fill each spell slot with a different spell, or stock up on the same spells (like how Locky tends to fill all of her 1st level slots with Cure Light Wounds.

Goldmoon has full access to all of the divine spells available to her at her level (except the druidic ones, I mean). She need not 'learn' new spells, like a wizard does. For instance, once she levels up to the point that she can use 4th level spells, she gains access to all of them immediately.

Unexpended spells do not vanish, although they can still be replaced after a rest period. For instance, if you pray for Detect Evil, but never use it or replace it, it will remain in your memory indefinitely.

However, if your character is ever knocked out (0 HP or less), all spells are wiped from her mind.

Oh, and in addition to casting, you can also now turn undead, as well.

[Breila]

Which spheres are the druidic spheres? Plant and Animal?

Does the spell access rules mean I can choose new spells to ask for every day if they seem more convenient than what I've done in the past?

[JadedDM]

Clerics can fully access all of the spheres in the PHB except the following:

Plant
Animal
Weather

They can access the Elemental sphere, but only if it's third level or less. Any higher than that, and it's forbidden.

But all of the other spheres are fair game.

You can ask for entirely new spells each and every day, yes. But it takes time to pray for them, as I said, so the higher level you get, the more spell slots you have, the longer it would take to fill all of them each day.

[Breila]

... just to know what the rules are...
I guess my former DM limited the things so that clerics don't become something like fighter/mages. In low levels, they are much more powerful than mages and sturdier as well. I guess that was why I never wanted to play a mage (that, and the fact that I never was able to think quickly enough to find a creative way of using a spell in the limited time of a tabletop game).

[JadedDM]

Clerics do have access to more spells, better HD, and can use better weapons and armor than mages. But the downside is, clerics have very few offensive spells at their disposal. And most of the time, they tend to get shoehorned into the role of healer, whether they like it or not.

[Breila]

I would be a change and challenge to play in a world without magical healing then.

[JadedDM]

That's right. There are only a handful of people in this world who can use magical healing right now, and with the exception of Goldmoon, all of them are evil.

[Jenara]

Just a comment but cure moderate wounds from the priests spell compendium is quite handy, its a 2nd level spell.

[JadedDM]

Oh, I almost forgot something, Breila.

I don't really make use of specialty priest classes. I toyed with them on my first world, and...long story short, I found they usually aren't worth the effort. So I tend to favor just using the standard cleric class these days.

Of course, the problem with applying the standard cleric (and druid) classes to all religions, is they all tend to wind up the same, at least mechanically. A cleric of Mishakal, cleric of Paladine, and cleric of Branchala, for instance...are all pretty much identical, at least in terms of weapons, spells, powers, etc.

The appeal of specialty priest classes is that they can make each priesthood feel different, mechanically. But it's just too much work to balance them out. So I came up with a compromise. I use the standard cleric class, but I give each one a unique power for their respective gods.

For Mishakal, I allow them to Lay on Hands once a day, like a paladin. It's basically like a cure spell, but without rolling, and you automatically heal an amount equal to your level, doubled (so 10 HP at level 5, 12 HP at level 6, etc.).

This is in addition to your regular spells and turning undead. It requires no verbal or material component (outside your medallion of faith), you just need to able to touch the recipient and will it to happen. Only once a day, though; it recharges at the beginning of a new day automatically.

As for Cure Moderate Wounds, yeah, I tend to shy away from the Tome of Magic as a rule, but I make an exception for that spell. It's second level, and heals 1d10+1, but is otherwise just like any other cure spell.