Judaism in Pathfinder


Advice


I have made a human cleric/paladin for a modern zombie game using pathfinder rules. However, we have to use religions from our know cultures. I have made a Jewish rabbi(cleric)/Paladin. He follows the orthodox law. I have maxed out his level for paladin at 3rd. Now he is going to focus his levels on cleric. Any help from anyone would be helpful on what type of feats he should take and anything else you can think of. He has Fast Learner, Eclectic, turn undead, craft wondrous item.


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I'm not familiar with too many useful sources outside the Core Rulebook, but if your cleric a certified Sofer, you should give him the Scribe Scroll feat.

He could have the Law and Knowledge domains.

By the way, this thread probably belongs another forum, like "Advice" or "Pathfinder RPG General Discussion". If any moderator sees this thread, do you want to move it?


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If your GM is okay with it, you may want to look up Green Ronin's 3E supplement Testament: Roleplaying in the Biblical Era.


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You may also want to consider the Cardinal and Cloistered Cleric archetypes for the Cleric class. They both make the Cleric into more of a scholar and less of a warrior.


What are you wanting to get out of Cleric? If you just want him to be priestly, that could probably be accomplished by staying Paladin. Personally, I'd be tempted to go bard or skald and make him a psamlist, along the lines of David.


Aaron Bitman wrote:
...if your cleric a certified Sofer...

D'oh! I meant "...if your cleric is a certified Sofer..."

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I played in a d20 Modern campaign that was essentially "What if Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a bunch of Catholic priests?" Less cute outfits, the same amount of sarcastic rejoinders. I played a Dedicated Hero that was a Jesuit surgeon that dual wielded Uzis when he wasn't dual wielding "medical bags" (one for taking bullets out of people, one for doing the other thing). We had a Strong/Fast sword wielder, and I think a Charismatic Hero or Smart Hero (I don't think he was another Dedicated Hero) turned divine spellcaster.

So we had lots of different kinds of priests. d20 Modern even has a "starting profession" background-like character feature that gives you some extra class skills, possibly some feats, and some wealth and reputation stuff. There's one for priests, rabbis, imams, and other spiritual guides. In Pathfinder, traits kind of fill this role. Heck, there are both Religion traits AND Faith traits, aren't there?


i played a Kabalistic hermetic mage in shadowrun (all them names and numbers ,used red stringes and scrolls for fetish etc).

since you allready picked craft woundrius items id advice rp-wise to focus on juju fetish with small parchemnt filled with names making the main fetish (they can be placed in a lockbox on amulet or rings as well) the 'spirit tear' juju-fetish if placed in a 'hand' formed talisman is a basic 'hamsa' (the eye is blue intentily).

if you can afford it taking craft arms and armor and then craft construct can lead to crafting a Golem (in hebrow that mean the undeveloped butterfly in the husk stage,basickly an undeveloped human.) but that might be very expencive.

as for play style keep in mind that unlike christian teaching the devil,Satan,angel of death and many other davils and spiritss are not fallen angels or being that opposed god rather specificly assigned angels or being set out with the duty of preforming nasty necesery things. (like a district aturny out to condem a suspect. in the start of Job's book Satan is set is part of the devine court set out to find the guilt in humans)
in jewish folklore some known rabbi's had a close freindship with ether the angel of death or Satan. while others sometimes negotiated and made bargens with melicius spirits.
so at least try to bergin with such being before banishing them.

evil spirits that are out to harm humans with no regard to god are another thing. but again while deserve punishment and or distruction some have reason for attacking and might be preswade with words.

as for 'spellcasting' while sorcery of any kind is prohibited by the jewish law. the kabala is understanding how the world work from divine angele and trying to influance the world through it.using names and holy passages to influance matter. a thing and it's destiny are defined by its name so altering the name will alter the thing and it's destiny. also by knowing the true name of divine spirits you can summon them to your aid and knowing the name of evil spirits can help banish or submit them.
also a lot of the methods of setting things stright start with learning what you face so use a lot of divination. (face\palm\name\dream raeding etc are very common)


I printed out the 613 laws to help keep the 10 commandments. I also printed out the tree of life and I think I am going to see if I can use that as my holy symbol which should date back before David and his star. I do agree with you that words and questioning spirits and demons before banishment, however, I think that a pacifist towards life and all things living sounds appropriate since Yahaweh is the one who created life. but since this is based in an undead modern style game, I think he will destroy all undead.
next, the priest of Levites were to shave all the hair off from their bodies before entering the tabernacle. Do you think that he would always have his body shaven to show that he is the face of Yahaweh on earth? thoughts?


Many Jewish stories involve a golem. Specifically, the clay golem is based on Jewish folklore and is one of few 'clerical' golems in the game (meaning mostly divine stuff to create it, though such requirements can now be ignored with increasing penalties to the item creation DC.)

Certainly, needing to be 11th-level to make one and have Craft Constructs probably puts it out of reach of most character concept builds (except as a long-term goal), but the idea or story might work well. I suppose you could also use the homunculus creations (they are described as being partly clay) to create smaller scale 'golems' as you work your way up to a creating a powerful guardian of your faith and people. Although, if your GM is nice enough, you may be able to quest for a clay golem manual which would make things immensely easier.


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hellstorm wrote:
the priest of Levites were to shave all the hair off from their bodies before entering the tabernacle. Do you think that he would always have his body shaven to show that he is the face of Yahaweh on earth? thoughts?

The face of Moses would radiate light whenever he would meet YHWH face to face in the tabernacle, so much so that he wore a veil. It is one direction that you could go.

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Pizza Lord wrote:

Many Jewish stories involve a golem. Specifically, the clay golem is based on Jewish folklore and is one of few 'clerical' golems in the game (meaning mostly divine stuff to create it, though such requirements can now be ignored with increasing penalties to the item creation DC.)

Certainly, needing to be 11th-level to make one and have Craft Constructs probably puts it out of reach of most character concept builds (except as a long-term goal), but the idea or story might work well. I suppose you could also use the homunculus creations (they are described as being partly clay) to create smaller scale 'golems' as you work your way up to a creating a powerful guardian of your faith and people. Although, if your GM is nice enough, you may be able to quest for a clay golem manual which would make things immensely easier.

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hellstorm wrote:


next, the priest of Levites were to shave all the hair off from their bodies before entering the tabernacle. Do you think that he would always have his body shaven to show that he is the face of Yahaweh on earth? thoughts?

that was a once in a lifetime ceremony to anoint them and their descendants. but your mixing two different things. the 'priests' who work in the temple can only come from a 1 specific family (A'haron's) But Rabbi's and Kabalists can come from anywhere. some were even converts from non Jewish nations.

the priest role was to serve (in the temple) the Rabbi's role was to teach and act. and although many of the priests ALSO taught and acted. it was because they were 'rabbi' as well (using the term loosely as it was before the name Rabbi was used.)
the meaning of 'Rabbi' drive from 'Rav' - meaning 'a lot' ,as a lot of wisdom or experience, and uses for naming a master\teacher ('Rabbi' is the use of 'Rav' with the letters that name him as mine. rabbi means " my 'Rav' " or "my teacher\master")

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