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Hi all,
I seem to recall some restrictions on divine spellcasters casting, but the restrictions appear alignment based. That is, a good spellcaster cannot cast evil spells. However, this doesn't appear to impact necromancy spells. That is, aside from the aforementioned rules on alignment restrictions, as well as restrictions on channeling and spontaneously casting positive v. negative spells, nothing appears to restrict a good cleric from praying for and casting inflict spells, which aren't evil, but rather, are necromantic. Is this correct? If not, where are the rules located? Thanks.
Necromancy is not evil, first and foremost. The only spells that are evil to cast are the ones with the [Evil] subtype.
That said, you are correct. If a Good Cleric wishes to memorize an Inflict spell in a spell slot and cast it, there's nothing wrong with or Evil about that in and of itself, no more than memorizing any other attack spell. He just can't spontaneously cast them.
You are fine using the spell as long as you are acting within your alignment and following your gods "path." Its not really the spell, but how you use it that could cause trouble. If you are following a god/goddess of healing and are constantly running around inflicting wounds and ignoring the healing capabilities, you might get a divine slap on the wrist.
You are fine using the spell as long as you are acting within your alignment and following your gods "path."
Actually, it is the Spell and not how you use it. Good aligned clerics can't cast animate dead "for good reasons". (Townsfolk: "We need to chop down a bunch of wood to rebuild the orphanage after the ogres attacked, but all the lumberjacks were killed and we just have their corpses!" Good-aligned Cleric: "WAIT A MINUTE, I'VE GOT THIS!" and casts Animate Dead. Their God won't be too pleased if they're also Good.)
Thankfully, Inflict Light Wounds doesn't have the (evil) descriptor, so it doesn't actually matter.
You are fine using the spell as long as you are acting within your alignment and following your gods "path."Actually, it is the Spell and not how you use it. Good aligned clerics can't cast animate dead "for good reasons". (Townsfolk: "We need to chop down a bunch of wood to rebuild the orphanage after the ogres attacked, but all the lumberjacks were killed and we just have their corpses!" Good-aligned Cleric: "WAIT A MINUTE, I'VE GOT THIS!" and casts Animate Dead. Their God won't be too pleased if they're also Good.)
Thankfully, Inflict Light Wounds doesn't have the (evil) descriptor, so it doesn't actually matter.
The OP covered the alignment descriptor, so that is a non issue for the discussion. If you feel the need to cover it again, so be it, but to me it is redundant.
As for the casting of animate dead, it would depend on the use and the god. Some gods might not like it, some gods might be indifferent, some gods might even be okay with it. There have been "good" undead in the history of the game. If you play games with that narrow of vision, play them that way, that doesn't make it 100% right for everyone elses games.
If we're playing Pathfinder, the default assumption is that all undead are evil and animate undead is an [evil] spell. Since that's how they are in the rules.
Anything else would be a houserule, and houserules aren't worth much when answering a rules question.
If we're playing Pathfinder, the default assumption is that all undead are evil and animate undead is an [evil] spell. Since that's how they are in the rules.
Anything else would be a houserule, and houserules aren't worth much when answering a rules question.
Again, alignment descriptors have been stated but RAW there is still the option to not have a deity and instead choose domains. If said character were "good" they still have the ability to cast [evil] spells (no deity alignment restrictions) and depending on their faith wouldn't have an issue as long as doing so didn't violate their beliefs.
That isn't a house rule, that is RAW. A good divine caster can cast [evil] spells. A divine caster with a good aligned god cannot.
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Again, alignment descriptors have been stated but RAW there is still the option to not have a deity and instead choose domains. If said character were "good" they still have the ability to cast [evil] spells (no deity alignment restrictions) and depending on their faith wouldn't have an issue as long as doing so didn't violate their beliefs.
That isn't a house rule, that is RAW. A good divine caster can cast [evil] spells. A divine caster with a good aligned god cannot.
You should probably read the class before telling people what it says:
A cleric can't cast spells of an alignment opposed to her own or her deity's (if she has one).
So a good cleric cannot cast evil spells, period. (Relatedly, a neutral cleric with a good deity can't cast evil spells either.)
Jiggy, I think you mis-read where he said a cleric without a deity...
Your quote specifically says deity, but clerics have the option of not choosing a god. So the question is, are godless clerics restricted in choosing and using spells by alignment?
He didn't miss it, as a cleric you can't cast spells opposed to your alignment. It also says you can't cast them when they're opposed by your deity's if you have one. There is however a feat which allows you to channel both positive and negative energy.
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Now I'll add my own comment because this makes absolutely no sense.
Why would a good aligned cleric want to memorize an inflict spell let alone cast it in the first place?
For the same reason a good-aligned wizard would want to prepare Shocking Grasp or Fireball. Or, for that matter, for the same reason a good-aligned fighter would carry a sword. Because sometimes there are bad things that need to be thwacked.
Now I'll add my own comment because this makes absolutely no sense.
Why would a good aligned cleric want to memorize an inflict spell let alone cast it in the first place?
I'm old school as well (started in the red and blue books.
A good aligned cleric would be going against his morals (see the cleric section of the player's handbook).
Casting an Inflict spell is no more 'immoral' than smacking someone with a mace. The end result is the same: damage. And, as stated, the Inflict spells do not have the evil descriptor, therefore they are not 'inherently evil' (as silly as that phrase is).
Neither negative energy nor necromancy is evil. The only reason a good cleric wouldn't want to prepare an Inflict spell is because they're pretty weak; he has lots of better choices.
For what is worth, a neutral cleric that channels positive energy can use evil spells, so long as the cleric or the deity aren't good