So I am making a home made race that I want to give the abilities of a lvl 1 cleric.
Would this just be a CR+1 and give them the abilities of a cleric?
So they would have Aura, Channel, Orisons, Domains, and Spells?
Why not just model this "race" as humans with class levels in Cleric? It's thematically indistinguishable from what you're going for. You're inviting a whole bunch of weirdness by having racial features that stack with class features, and needlessly introducing racial hit dice into what should be a straightforward character with class levels.
From a purely mechanical standpoint, you've got a catch-22 on CR adjustment. A +1 CR adjustment is certainly too much. Adding an extra level of Cleric is a +1 CR adjustment, so trading off all your racial bonuses to get that benefit is by definition significantly worse than a +1 adjustment. However, a +0 CR adjustment is certainly too little. Because the "racial features" of this race stack with class features, they allow for earlier access and accelerate spell progression. This is too strong to allow without a CR adjustment.
If they end up with +1 CR, they're shit and no-one will ever play them. So you need a balance point where +0 CR is reasonable.
Orisons at CL 1, able to use spell trigger/completion, and a single non-scaling domain seems reasonable to me.
If one was kidnapped as a baby and rescued and raised by elves, would it still have the abilities of a 1st level cleric?
"The default member of Race X is Cleric 1, not Commoner 1".
The idea was that they would get the Aura, Channel, Orisons, Domains, and Spells of a first level cleric. But they would be unable to advance those abilities.
It comes from a racial belief that they are the gods chosen people
What other abilities would the race have, most races sfart with things that can be attributed to their physiology as well as upbringing. Dwarves are tough and resist poisons due to physiology, but have training with dwarven weapons and hate orcs do to upbringing.
The idea was that they would get the Aura, Channel, Orisons, Domains, and Spells of a first level cleric. But they would be unable to advance those abilities.
It comes from a racial belief that they are the gods chosen people
Cleric 1 of one specific racial deity, I'd assume? Be careful to not give away too much power.
Aura, OK, no problem. But if you're a bard or rogue trying to talk your way past the guards, one detect alignment and you're in trouble.
Channel- think about this one. Yes, very cool everyone gets a 1d6 burst of energy (I'm assuming positive). Every. One. So you drag the unconscious paladin back to the tower and the same-race garrison of 75, in unison with the paladin's party members, all burst for 75d6 of healing energy.
Orisons- guidance grants a +1 to a single attack roll, save, or skill check. This gives Every One a near-permanent +1 competence bonus, all day, every day.
Domain Power- This might not be too much, since the first domain power is usually inefficient at higher levels, but remember that farmers, innkeepers, sailors, and little girls all have this racial power.
Spells- Again, treading lightly, not too overpowered to allow 1 level 1 spell. If so, make it chosen once and that is the only spell granted by the racial bonus. Perhaps, like aasimars or tieflings, it is one specific spell for everyone.
A good idea, just think about the drawbacks now to save yourself headaches later.
And, what else is this race? Name, appearance, commonality, etc.? Curious, I like the idea!
Just because a race believes they are the chosen people of a god, that doesn't make them clerics. Look at the drow in previous editions: they didn't all have clerical abilities in worlds where they all worshipped Lloth/Lolth. Humans show no signs of having all been clerics in the good old days when Aroden was their god. Many races in previous editions only had one racial deity; they weren't all 1st level clerics either. The race believes they are their god's chosen people; sounds like they're strong-willed, possibly arrogant. Give them a racial bonus of +2 on Will saves against compulsions and charms to reflect their strong beliefs; they won't be swayed away from what they believe is their god's will easily.
Also, just because they believe they're the chosen people of a god, it doesn't follow that they're all really good at serving god. The cleric class reflects devotion to an ideal, often a god. But some people serve the gods who aren't granted divine powers from it. They lack the willpower, the stubbornness, the insight, the wisdom to do so. Instead, you get warriors dedicated to Cayden's path. Sacred prostitutes of Calistria who are likely experts at their craft. And so on. Let's also not forget that just because you believe in god, it doesn't mean god's going to grant you divine power. God may not even pay attention to your people anymore; maybe in the distant past some bozo ticked him off and now he ignores you despite your entire race's devotion to him.
The idea was that they would get the Aura, Channel, Orisons, Domains, and Spells of a first level cleric. But they would be unable to advance those abilities.
It comes from a racial belief that they are the gods chosen people
Cleric 1 of one specific racial deity, I'd assume? Be careful to not give away too much power.
Aura, OK, no problem. But if you're a bard or rogue trying to talk your way past the guards, one detect alignment and you're in trouble.
Channel- think about this one. Yes, very cool everyone gets a 1d6 burst of energy (I'm assuming positive). Every. One. So you drag the unconscious paladin back to the tower and the same-race garrison of 75, in unison with the paladin's party members, all burst for 75d6 of healing energy.
Orisons- guidance grants a +1 to a single attack roll, save, or skill check. This gives Every One a near-permanent +1 competence bonus, all day, every day.
Domain Power- This might not be too much, since the first domain power is usually inefficient at higher levels, but remember that farmers, innkeepers, sailors, and little girls all have this racial power.
Spells- Again, treading lightly, not too overpowered to allow 1 level 1 spell. If so, make it chosen once and that is the only spell granted by the racial bonus. Perhaps, like aasimars or tieflings, it is one specific spell for everyone.
A good idea, just think about the drawbacks now to save yourself headaches later.
And, what else is this race? Name, appearance, commonality, etc.? Curious, I like the idea!
All good points. I never considered the Channel energy...
so how bout we say this...Divine Right: This race has absolute faith that they are the chosen ones of the Divine Light. This faith isn't taught, members of this race are born sure of their connection to the Divine. As such, they can cast spells as if they were a 1st level cleric. This grants base spells only, not any bonus spells for abilities, and gives no access to Domains or Domain powers.
However, they cannot take levels in cleric, and can never deny their beliefs, even under threat of death or discovery.
As for a name? good question, I haven't come up with something that sounds....arrogant enough to fit the bill. The Divine Light isn't so much of a true deity as it is a "Force". I'm thinking the race will look almost human, save for some "mystical" effect... glowing eyes or a glowing sigil of the Light on their forheads.
The favored soul class from 3.5's Complete Divine book, was basically a chosen person of a particular god. Thematically, it fit much of what you are going for here, but did it as a class, rather than a race.
I get what you're going for, but I don't know that it can be done in a way that:
1. Is not overpowered.
2. If not overpowered, is not too unlike the aasimar.
Going for the latter, why don't you take the aasimar and trade out the daylight and celestial resistance for more "clericy" powers? At least using them as a base might help you create something a bit better balanced.
I don't understand the logic here.
"The people believe that they have been chosen by a god, so they all get the powers of a 1st level cleric?"
Aside from the fact that a free level in Cleric is impossible to balance out, the flavor doesn't make sense. As someone else said, what happens if members of the race are raised by elves? What happens if one is atheist and turns her back on her society's beliefs?
Does this mean that all Pre-World War II Japanese people got a free level in Cleric?
Hate to say it, OP, but this seems like a poor idea for a race and nothing more than an invitation for abusive character builds.
Why not just make them a high Wisdom race with some spell-like abilities and a nice favored class bonus for cleric?
All good points. I never considered the Channel energy...
so how bout we say this...
Divine Right: This race has absolute faith that they are the chosen ones of the Divine Light. This faith isn't taught, members of this race are born sure of their connection to the Divine. As such, they can cast spells as if they were a 1st level cleric. This grants base spells only, not any bonus spells for abilities, and...
The ability to memorize 3 Orisons and a single 1. level spell every day? That seems reasonable.
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Type: humanoid for 0. (Or native outsider for 3)
Size: medium or small for 0 rp.
Base speed: normal for 0 rp.
Ability score modifier: standard for 0 rp. (Or maybe just none for -1, I guess)
Language: standard for 0 rp.
So that would be between -1 and 3 rp, leaving you with 7-11 rp. What exactly would you do with those?
Honestly, I do like this idea of a race that is very pious. You might want to give them just a spelllike ability instead, and a bonus for knowledge (religion) feels right. A bonus on will saves perhaps, to represent their faith, or maybe a bonus on saves against divine spells. You could also give a cl bonus on certain types of spells.
You know how the default entry for humanoid races in the bestiary has them as 1st level warriors? Just make a race whose default is 1st level cleric.