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I don't like that clerics get deities favored weapon, but it doesn't even mention clerics without a deity. I know a lot of people are up in arms about non-deity clerics, but there are also a lot of people that don't use deities or go with pantheons. At the same time, I don't think it should be a "pick one" situation for them, so I was thinking of making a list of favored weapons for clerics without a deity.
I was wanting to have two options for each alignment component, and maybe 1 for each domain.
Lawful: Longsword or warhammer
Chaotic: Battle axe or ?
Good: ?
Evil: Battle axe or Hvy Flail
Animal, Plant, and Death: Scyth
Things like that. I don't have my book though, so what do you guys think. For the most part, I wan't to stay mostly martial, with a few exceptions. Like Magic, no problem with Staff.
I don't like that clerics get deities favored weapon, but it doesn't even mention clerics without a deity. I know a lot of people are up in arms about non-deity clerics, but there are also a lot of people that don't use deities or go with pantheons. At the same time, I don't think it should be a "pick one" situation for them, so I was thinking of making a list of favored weapons for clerics without a deity.
I was wanting to have two options for each alignment component, and maybe 1 for each domain.
Lawful: Longsword or warhammer
Chaotic: Battle axe or ?
Good: ?
Evil: Battle axe or Hvy FlailAnimal, Plant, and Death: Scyth
Things like that. I don't have my book though, so what do you guys think. For the most part, I wan't to stay mostly martial, with a few exceptions. Like Magic, no problem with Staff.
Yeah, I'm pretty much against this idea. Clerics without deities are essentially people who looked at the class and thought "Sweet abilities, but I don't wanna get bogged down with the balancing factor of having to run with my god's intentions." Having no deity lets them cherry pick the best domains (Protection/Animal anyone?) and not run into DM issues when "your god says no."
Plus, not getting proficiency with a weapon isn't even really a hit to the cleric, since (depending on the campaign setting) at least half the deities have simple weapons as favored weapons, or something stupid like a shurikin or throwing axe.
If anything, let clerics with the war/strength domain choose proficiency with a single martial weapon, like humans got in the beta.
However, since my last post probably didn't help you solve your problem, I also offer this:
The Spell Compendium has a spell called Weapon of the Deity which, basically, pumped up the favored weapon of your deity. If you were a cleric without a god you could instead pump up an alignment weapon:
Good - Warhammer
Evil - Light Flail
Neutral - Heavy Mace
Law - Longsword
Chaos - Battleaxe
Thought I'd toss that out there.
Which is in turn based on the form that a spiritual weapon takes, in both 3.5 and 3.P.
"chaos (battleaxe), evil (light flail), good (warhammer), law (longsword)"
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Thats the problem. For my own religious ooc reasons, and also just a lot of my groups personal preference, we don't use deities all that often, Cleric or not. To us, for Clerics, it is a lot more fun and interesting, to make up your own religions and philosophies. Or to make the character you want, by choosing Domains and things that they want, rather than what some group offers.
This was one o the primary reasons I hate FR. It has nothing to do with being broken or powerlevel, as much as the ability to do something. To be perfectly honest, saying that all Clerics/Paladins need a patron deity is about as balanced as all Fighter must choose a fighters school that dictates all their feats, or a Rogue has to ave a guild, which dutomatically forces them to take skills ranks and tricks.
[Snip]
Plus, not getting proficiency with a weapon isn't even really a hit to the cleric, since (depending on the campaign setting) at least half the deities have simple weapons as favored weapons, or something stupid like a shurikin or throwing axe.
If anything, let clerics with the war/strength domain choose proficiency with a single martial weapon, like humans got in the beta.
This is probably your best bet. Personally speaking, I would probably just allow a cleric proficiency with any martial weapon, so long as they give a good reason as to why such a weapon makes sense for them to use (Ex, a cleric of a good deity uses a light hammer because it causes the least amount of bloodshed). I can't see this being game-breaking or anything, but then again, I haven't tried it before.
I quoted the upper portion of this as well because Mr. FitzSimon makes a point that's always bothered me: Clerics have simple weapon proficiency already, so why do so many deities have simple weapons?? It's a little anti-climactic, to some degree.
Honestly, the simplest solution to the deities with simple favored weapons is to give those clerics Weapon Focus. They both amount to a feat, and the clerics with a martial weapon proficiency are still gonna be better off.
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What about a neutral cleric?
EDIT: Ah, nevermind. Missed the above post.
Mace would be a good choice, except all are proficient with it already. What about something else, say the Scimitar or Trident?
EDIT 2: I changed the war domain in my 3.5 games from proficiency with the deity's weapon and focus to proficiency with all martial. It might sound a little unbalanced, but I cannot recall a probelm arising from it.
As it so happens, most dieties who favor simple weapons tend to be less martially inclined than those who favor martial weapons. I'd be tempted to give them some other boon, specific to each religion.
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While I like the idea, it's a lot of work to come up with religion based powers and I'm not asking anyone to do that.
I like the Weapon Focus idea for simple weapons, it just seems a little unfair to me. From the side that it may allow them to qualify for others feats or prestige classes early.
To be honest, neutral is one of the problems they failed to address, and neutral clerics have the advantage of being able to use all cleric spells.