[PFS] Is a neutral cleric choosing `Channel Negative Energy` legal?

[harmor]

I was looking in the guide and didn't see anything mentioned. Checked the faq and nothing there. Other than, obviously, PvP issues (e.g. can't channel to do damage if it'll hit other players without their express permission), can a Neutral cleric from a Neutral god select 'Channel Negative Energy'?

Pathfinder Society Guide 4.2 (page 10) wrote:

... For clerics, this is an especially important choice, since the deity’s alignment determines whether the cleric channels positive or negative energy, a decision with significant tactical implications for the cleric and her allies. ...

The reason I ask is in the last 4.2 guide all the evil stuff has been removed from classes.

[LazarX]

Yes it's legal. It's also an irrevocable choice. You don't get to flp flop between positive and negative. It also means that you don't spontaneously cast cure light wound spells, but you're probably not interested in that anyway.

[Chris Mortika]

I'm not sure what you mean, harmor. Evil-aligned characters have been banned since Season 0.

While being a Neutral-aligned Undead Lord is banned as of the beginning of the season, you can still be a Neutral-aligned negative energy channelling cleric of Urgathoa with the Undead domain.

And Neutral characters of Neutral deities can still choose to channel negative energy.

[harmor]

Chris Mortika wrote:

I'm not sure what you mean, harmor. Evil-aligned characters have been banned since Season 0.

While being a Neutral-aligned Undead Lord is banned as of the beginning of the season, you can still be a Neutral-aligned negative energy channelling cleric of Urgathoa with the Undead domain.

And Neutral characters of Neutral deities can still choose to channel negative energy.

Oh no, no Evil alignment here. Just didn't know if the whole "channeling negative energy" is evil with respect to PFS...was going to create a character around this ability, that's all.

[Chris Mortika]

If you play a Neutral-aligned cleric of an Evil deity, you have to channel negative energy.

[Dylos]

With versitle channeling you can even have a cleric capable of channeling both positive and negative.

[Chris Mortika]

Dylos, that requires both the cleric and her deity to be Neutral-aligned.

[Dylos]

Chris Mortika wrote:

Dylos, that requires both the cleric and her deity to be Neutral-aligned.

And the OP was asking about a neutral cleric with a neutral god.

[Chris Mortika]

(nods) No question there, and I apologize for not being clearer.

But I've caught about a dozen Good-aligned clerics, or Neutral clerics of Good- or Evil-aligned gods, trying to by and use that feat. Maybe it's just this area of the country, but that's one of the most popular errors in cleric builds..

[Wraith235]

this is not a complaint

for an additional note I would not be suprised to see a rulling come down the pipe at some point banning negative energy channeling, with the recent round of Ban hammers being somewhat based on flavor I just see the possibility

[kinevon]

Wraith235 wrote:

this is not a complaint

for an additional note I would not be suprised to see a rulling come down the pipe at some point banning negative energy channeling, with the recent round of Ban hammers being somewhat based on flavor I just see the possibility

Not a possibility without losing at least two factions before it could even be considered.

Cheliax, especially, would have to go, since the whole flavor of the country revolves around worship of an evil deity, so a cleric of the Cheliax faction would be likely to be a neutral cleric of an evil deity, and therefore a negative energy channeler.

Whlie there probably aren't a lot of them, clerics who are members of the Szcarni faction would likely have problems if they worshiped Good-aligned deities. Just look at the debate over a Szcarni faction mission when they were first introduced...

And, in addition, hitting negative energy channeling with the ban hammer, along with the ability to worship evil deities, would undoubtedly require character rebuilds for PCs up to and probably past 12th level.

[Wraith235]

Point

and Im just saying I wouldnt be suprised not that it would actually happen

[Thorkull]

I would be very surprised to see than happen, Wraith.

[Dust Raven]

I'd be surprised if there was ever a ban on negative energy channeling. Thematically it's appropriate for PFS, which is a neutral or "non-good" group as the books keep reminding me. Tactically it's a disadvantage over positive energy channeling given the way most of the encounters are written. I see no reason to take it away from those players who want to make use of it.