Re: (TFT) Priest type?

[Matt Fraser <matt@chem.queensu.ca>]

>Priest type?
>
>The rules arent to detailed on this type. i realize that you can get the 2 
>theology skills. And, I know there is a suggested skill set in ITL for 
>generating quick characters.
>
>Has anyone detailed it out more than that?

I can't resist an invitation like this.

[Author's Notes: First, I need to thank Rick Smith and Steven Parrot for
their considerable help in developing and playtesting these rules (which is
on-going.)  Any feedback from the list would be appreciated.  Since the
text descriptions of all of the boons would take up vast amounts of space,
I'm only including the PY 1 boons as examples.  Also, several of the boons
are translated from AD&D Clerical spells and I'm a little worried about
copyright issues.  If you are interested in the whole article (including
the full text of the boons,) I can email it to you as a WP 6/7/8 formatted
document about 240k in size.  If these rules have an 'AD&D feel' to them,
it's because that is where I got my start in gaming and I am running a
formerly AD&D based campaign where Clerics play a pivotal roll.]

				CLERICS IN TFT
				By Matt Fraser
				Version 2.2

Introduction
     This article deals with Clerics and introduces a system that gives
clerics special powers and spells.  It is designed to work within the
current TFT system (as modified by Rick Smith).  Although most such
adventures do not require Clerics, some do, and in the Dragonlance
adventures, clerics play a pivotal role.  Hopefully these rules will make
clerics more interesting to play, and will work well within a regular TFT
campaign.

Clerics as Characters
     Clerics in TFT are currently defined as those who have the Acolyte,
Priest or Theologian talents.  The benefit of the talents being a bonus to
their reaction roles with those of their faith and possibly some special
powers if the GM wishes.  Unfortunately, this may prove to be quite
imbalanced if the powers given are too great.  This is an outline of a new
system for clerics in TFT that (hopefully) balances greater powers with
certain restraints.
     Both Wizards and Non-wizards may be clerics.  Wizard Clerics must
still pay double for the clerical talents. Clerics might have restrictions
placed upon what kind of weapons that they may use and talents they may
acquire depending upon their particular deities' wishes.

Piety
     The first and most major change required is the introduction of a new
stat., Piety.  Piety (PY) is a combination of the approval of the deity,
and the effort the person makes in supporting that god.  All characters
have this attribute, but very few people have the opportunity to raise it
beyond 0, and hence it is not recorded on the character's sheet.
Characters with the priestly talents are known as clerics.  Characters with
the talents and PY above 0 are known as Clerics.
     Piety is counted like a regular attribute: it costs the same amount of
experience to raise it as a stat. and adds to your attribute total like a
stat..  Piety has three major aspects to it.  First it defines the level of
clerical spell to which a character has access.  Second, for many Clerical
Boons (clerical spells) it defines the limits of the spell's effect.
Third, it is the stat that is rolled against in order to turn undead.
     Piety cannot be automatically bought when a Cleric has the experience.
 Doing services for the Cleric's god will likely lead to the god permitting
the cleric to be able to increase his PY.  Each clerical talent gives the
semi-automatic right to acquire 1 PY.  Suggestions for other things which
can lead to the right to gain PY are listed in Table 1.


Table 1: Suggested reasons for the right to increase Piety

Being very pious, i.e. behaving the way the religion expects of you (about
95% of the time):
+1 PY

Being very pious at a time when it is very difficult (unprofitable) to do so:
+1 PY

Succeeding at a simple religious quest.  These will become more difficult
as time goes on:
+1 PY

Significantly helping the church (major quest, big gains for your god or
major weakening of an enemy god):
+1 to 3 PY

Long standing religious service resulting in many new followers:
+2 PY


     When a character gains the right to increase PY, it does not have to
be used immediately.
     Piety has a superscript called Devotion.  Devotion is to Piety as
memory is to IQ.  It adds to your attribute total like a superscript,
however, it can only be gained by being granted by the Cleric's god.  It
costs no experience when it is gained.  It can be used to memorize any type
of Clerical spell except Miracles (see below).  Typically when it is
gained, a particular spell is also granted with it.

Clerical Boons
     Clerical Boons (spells) cover a broad range of areas and very rarely
overlap with Wizard spells.  Some TFT wizard spells are now boons, or have
different clerical versions as well and this will be noted in the boon
descriptions.  Boons can be divided into four categories: Effects, Rites,
Wonders and Miracles.  The types of boons that may be cast are governed by
the clerical talents (see above) as well as the PY of the caster.
     Effects are the most basic type of boon.  They are like simple magical
spells.
     Rites are more complex than effects and usually require longer casting
times and/or more than one person to cast.
     Wonders require some divine involvement, typically in the form of one
of the god's messengers (like an angel.)  This is like an unseen blessing
which is necessary for the spell to work.  These boons are often more
powerful than Rites, but need only the Cleric to cast them.
     Miracles are the most powerful Clerical boons.  They usually require
the direct attention of the god and as such so only be cast rarely and at
the most desperate of times.
     Effects and Rites may be memorized with either memory or devotion.
Wonders may only be learned by using up Devotion.  Miracles are performed
by the gods and require no Memory or Devotion to learn.
     Spells which have been moved from wizards to clerics:  Weapon
Blessing, Tongues, Cleansing, Winter Warmth, Curse, MH Curse, Revival.
     Spells which are duplicated (although usually with changes):  Aid,
Persuasiveness, Staff to Snake, Tireless, 3 hex Tireless, MH Tireless,
Geas, Blind, Zombie, Magic Rainstorm, Greater Curse.
     Many spells have reverses which have the same area of effect, but the
opposite result.  These spells are listed usually have the same PY as one
another, but this is not always the case.  In some cases this reverse has
more complicated or different effects, and so will have their own
descriptions.  Note that often, the reverses of some spells are quite
harmful and only thoroughly evil people will use them, or else characters
will need special permission from their gods.  If you already know one
version of the spell, then the reverse will only take 1/2 the time to learn.
     The original clerical  talents remain unchanged, however they now
dictate to which spells Clerics have access.  The following table describes
which talents are required for each level of PY spells.


Table 2: Talents required for using clerical magic

Talent	Type of Spells that can be Cast

Acolyte	Effects
Priest		Rites
Theologian	Wonders, Miracles*

*Only for Clerics who have received the 'longtime service' bonus (see below).


     Learning Clerical boons is similar to learning talents.  Effects are
treated as 1 memory, Rites as 2 and Wonders as 3 memory talents for the
purpose of determining the time taken to learn them.  Boons are sometimes
granted by the Cleric's god (through of its servants) and may be blasted
immediately into the Cleric's memory with a point of Devotion.  Although
Miracles require no Memory or Devotion, a Cleric may still be required to
study and prepare for the rituals involved in casting these fantastically
powerful boons and these preparations may take a considerable amount of time.

Turning Undead
     Clerics can also turn undead.  To turn an undead being, a Cleric must
look at it and pray while gesturing with the holy symbol of their god.  The
Cleric must then make a 3 vs. PY (hence the Cleric must have an adjusted PY
of 3 or better.)  This takes an action and if the Cleric is unengaged, he
may move up to 1/2 his MA or 3 hexes (whichever is less) or if the Cleric
is engaged, he may shift up to 1 hex.  In either case, the Cleric may then
attempt to turn the undead being(s).
     The cleric gets +3 to PY if he only wishes to hold the undead creature
at bay.  If the roll is failed, there is no effect.  If the roll is made
exactly, the undead is held at bay (may not approach the cleric any more
closely.  If the roll is made by 1, the target is affected by a 1 hex Avert
(like the IQ9 wizard spell of the same name.)  If the roll is made by 2 or
more, the creature is affected by a 2 hex Avert.  If the roll is 8 under
the needed value or is a critical success, the undead creature is destroyed
unless the undead make a 3 vs. PY (powerful undead have a PY.)  The type of
undead, their number, and the location all have an effect upon the turning
roll.  Modifiers to this roll are summarized in Table 3.
     If the creature has been held at bay, it may not get closer to the
Cleric, but the Cleric can get closer to it.  I the creature was affected
by the Avert, it must continue to retreat as before as long as it is within
the Cleric's PY range.  This occurs even if the Avert would cause movement
that could result in the creatures death.
     The undead creature(s) must be within the creation range of the Cleric
to be affected.  If the Cleric turns and undead being, it loses its option
this turn, then must retreat until it is the Cleric's PY in hexes away from
the Cleric.  This effect can be automatically maintained for the Cleric's
PY in turns.  This time is modified by the values in Table 3.  After this
time, the Cleric must roll again if he wishes to maintain the turning.
Maintaining the turning use up the Cleric's action each turn.
     Not all undead can be turned by Clerics and there is a maximum number
of creatures that a Cleric may attempt to turn at one time.  Cleric's must
also have a certain minimum PY in order to have any chance at turning
certain types of undead.  These limitations are summarized in Table 4.
     When faced with undead, Clerics give the party +4 Bv. vs. panic roles
(this works even for PY 1 Clerics.)


Table 3: Modifiers to Roll for Turning Undead and Time Undead Remains Turned

Location:					Modifier:

Holy temple of Cleric's own god		+3
Holy temple					+2
In sunlight					+1
Holy place					+1
Evil temple					-1

Number of undead:

2						-1
3 to 4						-2
5 to 7						-3
8 to 11					-4
(+4)						(-1)

Type of undead:

Skeletons and Zombies			+4
Ghost						+3 (+7 if you destroy Ghost's focus)
Ghoul						+2
Night-Gaunt					+1
Wight						+0
Ghast						+0
Specter					+0 (+5 if you destroy Specter's focus)
Wraith						-1
Mummy						-2
Vampire					-6
Lich						-8
Lesser Demon*					-10

*Note: Demons are not necessarily undead, but thoroughly evil creatures can
also be turned by clerics.

Table 4: Limits on Turning Undead

Type of Undead:		Min. PY to attempt to turn:		Max. turned:

Skeletons and Zombies	1					20
Ghost				1					10
Ghoul				1					8
Night-Gaunt			3					15
Wight				3					12
Ghast				3					10
Specter			3					6
Wraith				4					6
Mummy				5					2
Vampire			9					1
Lich				11					1
Lesser Demon			13					1


Clerical Boons

Table 5: Clerical Boon List (by Piety)
Each boon has two letters before it - the first is the type of boon
(effect, rite,...), the second is the TFT spell classification (thrown,
special,...).  The number at the top of each group is the PY needed to cast
the boon.

1						2		
R	T	Create Holy Water		E	T	Aid
R	T	Healing: Minor		E	T	Bless
E	S	Last Rights			E	T	Cause Light Wounds
R	T	Priest?s Blessing		R	S	Channel Lives
						R	S	Consecrate Object
						R	S	Predict Weather
						R	T	Purify Water
						R	T	Putrefy Water
					
3						4		
R	S	Augury				E	T	Deafen
W	T	Cure Light			E	T	Persuasiveness
W	S	Detect Evil			R	T	Purify Food
W	S	Detect Good			R	T	Putrefy Food
E	C	Gust of Wind			E	C	Spiritual Hammer
R	T	Healing: Lesser		R	S	Spiritual Healing
R	S	Repel Insects			R	S	Weapon Charge
R	T	Resist Poison			R	T	Winter Warmth
R	T	Tireless			
					
5						6		
E	T	Cause Moderate Wounds	E	T	Blind
W	T	Curse				R	C	Create Water
E	T	Dissonance Dialects		W	T	Cure Deafness
R	T	Healing: Basic		W	T	Cure Moderate
E	C	Magical Rainstorm		R	T	Destroy Water
R	S	Sense Focus			R	S	Divination
E	S	Supernatural Calm		E	T	Slow Poison
E	S	Symbol of Belief		E	T	Stick to Snake
R	T	Tongues			E	T	3 hex Tireless
R	T	Trap Soul			R	S	Weapon Blessing
					
7						8		
R	S	Call Attention		R	T	Cause Disease
R	S	Consecrate Land		E	T	Cause Serious Wounds
E	S	Control Temperature		E	T	Chant
R	T	Healing: Greater		R	C	Create Food
R	S	Sense Spirit			M	T	Cure Blindness
E	T	Suggestion			E	C	3MH Magic Rainstorm
E	C	Summon Insects		W	S	Psychic Barrier
						R	T	Remove Curse
						R	S	Weapon of Vitiation
					
9						10		
E	S	Call Lightning		W	T	Cure Disease
W	T	Cure Serious 			W	T	MH Curse
R	T	Healing: Regenerative	E	T	Flame Strike
R	S	Hide from Searchers		R	S	Symbol of Devotion
R	S	Legend Lore			R	S	Weapon of Shivering
E	T	Neutralize Poison			
R	S	Speak w/ Dead			
E	T	MH Tireless			
					
11						12
W	T	Exorcize			W	T	Cleansing
E	C	Hail Storm			R	S	Consecrate Temple
E	T	Harm				E	S	Control Winds
E	C	Insect Plague			M	T	Heal
E	T	Prayer				E	T	Life Drain
W	T	Quest				W	S	Vision
E	C	Sleet Storm			R	S	Weapon of Dissolution
E	T	Sticks to Snakes		R	S	Zombie
					
13						14
R	C	Chariot of Sustarre		M	S	Earthquake
R	S	Dispel Evil			W	T	Geas
R	S	Dispel Good			W	T	Sentence Soul
W	S	Part Water			R	S	Weapon of Loathing
M	T	Restoration			R	S	Weather Summoning
W	T	Soul Siphon			E	T	Wither
					
15						16		
M	S	Cleric?s Curse		M	S	Cause Plague
W	S	Commune			W	S	Control Weather
E	C	Creeping Doom			W	S	Kill Living
W	S	Holy Word			W	T	Revival
W	T	Reincarnate			
W	T	Regenerate			
W	S	Symbol of Faith			
W	S	Unholy Word			
					
17						18		
W	S	Destruction			M	T	Resurrection
M	T	Raise Dead			
					


Descriptions of Clerical Boons
Unless specifically mentioned in the boon's description, casting times for
spells are as follows:
     Effects - 1 turn
     Rites - 1 minute
     Wonders - 1 hour
     Miracles - 1 day

PY 1
T     R  Create Holy Water     This boon allows a Cleric to turn normal
water into Holy Water.  Holy Water is an important component of many
Clerical Boons and no Cleric should be without it.  The water must be
potable to start with, and this boon will not rid the water of any poisons
or diseases already present (see the PY 2 Boon Purify Water.)  The Cleric
may convert 1 liter per PY.  Casting time is 10 minutes.
     Cost: 5 fST

T     R  Healing: Minor     This boon allows the subject to heal wounds and
recover from damage from exposure without bed rest.  The subject will
recover from wounds at the normal rate for his race (1 PY / 2 days for
humans) while dungeon crawling, climbing tall mountains, or fighting Giant
Slugs in howling
jungles.
     If the subject does get bed rest, he will heal one extra point of
damage / 10 days.  This boon lasts for one day unless willed off by the
caster, or removed by Remove Thrown Spell or Dissolve Enchantment.   This
spell cannot be maintained, it must be recast. (See IQ 7 wizard spell.  No
longer a wizard spell.)
     Cost: 4 fST

S     E  Last Rites     This is normally the first Holy Rite that acolytes
receive, and any priest worth her salt will have this.  It is the basic
priestly rite.  The rite should be done over the body within 2 days of the
death, but within one hour is better.  If soul eating demons are near by it
should be done at once or the soul may be destroyed.  If the roll is
failed, the cleric can try again with no penalty (except on a critical
failure when the soul is trapped here or some other disaster happens).
     The purpose of Last Rites is to help the soul escape from this plane
and go onward, guiding it to the final destination.  It is strongly
believed by most clerics that last rites performs 3 services:
     It gives the soul power to leave this plane.
     It speeds the soul on his way, getting to where ever quicker, with
less chance to become lost.
     It lowers the chance that the soul will be way-laid on the way.
     Depending on the religion Last Rites may be used in different ways:
only for members of your own religion,  to help any being on to where it
wants to go, to condemn members of other religions to some terrible fate.
When consigning some soul or spirit to some horrible fate (that it is
unwilling to go to) Last Rites costs twice as much fST to cast and will
take at least 4 times as long to preform.
     Note: A character can not be brought back to life by most of the
clerical boons if his soul has been sent on, so doing this to someone you
don't wish to be brought back to life is a valid tactic.  If Last Rites has
been cast on a person, only Raise Dead or Resurrection will bring them back.
     Last Rites are a clerics most important function, and they should go
out of the way to give these rites to poor souls where ever they are.
     Casting time is 30 seconds.
     Cost: 5 fST  (double fST cost and quadruple time for unwilling souls).

T     E  Priest's  Blessing     The Priest's Blessing will help protect the
blessed person's soul from dangers. If the person should die, the soul will
stay firmly in the body until last rites can be given, and even if they are
not given, the soul when it eventually leaves (in up to 5 days), will have
an extra boost of
power.  If a evil entity tries to eat a blessed soul, the soul should be
able to fight free and try to escape onward.
     Occasionally the blessing will give a living figure a 1 die bonus when
rolling against possessions.  This will only work on the class of
"Spiritual Possessions", it has no effect against magical possessions or
psionic possessions.
     This rite has an additional effect that is purely psychological: very
strong believers in the cleric's religion, will have their moral improved
if they feel that they have been blessed by their cleric.  The higher the
status and fame of the cleric, the more impersonal the blessing can be for
this moral bonus.  (Though with many people as apposed to an individual
normally the blessing is much more involved than a 10 second prayer.)
     Casting time is 10 seconds.
     Cost: 2 fST



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