Clerics and Cat's Grace and Fox's Cunning

[AlanM]

Do clerics really not get the ability to cast Cat's Grace or Fox's Cunning? Even though they can cast Bull's Strength, Bear's Endurance, Eagle's Splendor, and Owl's Wisdom? Is there a reason why that I don't know about?
I ask because it seems a bit odd that they would get four of the six enhancement spells, seemingly without a reason.

[keltic1701]

AlanM wrote:

Do clerics really not get the ability to cast Cat's Grace or Fox's Cunning? Even though they can cast Bull's Strength, Bear's Endurance, Eagle's Splendor, and Owl's Wisdom? Is there a reason why that I don't know about?

I ask because it seems a bit odd that they would get four of the six enhancement spells, seemingly without a reason.

I've often though of the very same question. From my point of view I think they just didn't want to give clerics all the ability enhancement spell and gave some to the arcane users. Also it allowed arcane users to craft some ability enhancing items as well. That's my take on it anyway.

[Andrew Betts]

If I'm remembering correctly it is a carry over from 3.5. The cleric couldn't cast all of them in 3.5 either.

[Matthew Morris]

The four they get work thematically with the 'generic cleric'

The generic cleric is often heavily armoured, expected to be a front line, or close to it, fighter with spells to buff himself and his party.

Taking that as the example...

Bull's strength: Medium or Heavy Armour*, and allowing the righteous smackdown upon his foe.

Bear's Enducance: Extra HP is always a plus, as is fortitude save bumps.

Owl's Wisdom: Used to get the cleric an extra oomph to their spells and their DCs.

Eagle's Splendor: Does for turning what Owl's Wisdom does for spells.

Dex and Int are often seen as 'cleric dump stats' so giving them the instant bumps would not make 'sense'**

*

Spoiler:

Please don't devolve this into the 'clerics suck w/o heavy armor' debate again.

**

Spoiler:

or as much sense as any magic based system does. I'd go so far as to have the cloistered cleric remove Bull's strength and add Fox's Cunning, since he relies more on intelligence than strength

[AlanM]

I was asking because I have a somewhat DEX-based Cleric of Sarenrae for PFS and STR does nothing for him, but DEX is important

Oh well

[Matthew Morris]

AlanM wrote:

I was asking because I have a somewhat DEX-based Cleric of Sarenrae for PFS and STR does nothing for him, but DEX is important

Oh well

As always "Talk to your GM" Maybe he'll let you add it, or swap Bull's Strength for it.

[Dire Hobbit]

AlanM wrote:

I was asking because I have a somewhat DEX-based Cleric of Sarenrae for PFS and STR does nothing for him, but DEX is important

Oh well

Clerics can "research" new divine spells. So a long religious retreat may be in your character's future.

[Louis IX]

Matthew Morris wrote:

The four they get work thematically with the 'generic cleric'

I asked myself the same line of questions when building my last druid (they do get Cat's Grace but not Eagle's Splendor, for instance) and came to the same conclusion: the spell list seems linked to the class' "role".