Deity-Appropriate Multiclassing For Clerics


Advice


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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

So you're a cleric of a god. You decide that you want to better embody your god's nature, and you decide to get a bit of training in another class. Great! But... what class should you choose? Here are my thoughts.

This is only for the Big 20, and only uses the Core 12 (well, "rest of the Core 1" since Cleric is taken into account). I am limiting myself to (or in some cases forcing myself to find) three classes for each deity. With that out of the way, let's begin.

Abadar: Fighter, Rogue, Wizard. Laws are ultimately enforced by the sword, so it makes sense for a cleric of Abadar to hone their martial prowess (and it gives them an excuse to say "I Am The Law"). Rogues have a variety of skills, and learning the rogue's trade can help clerics hone their diplomatic skills or to become savvy to a criminal's tricks. Magic has a powerful place in upholding civilization, and wizardry provides a potent supplement to a cleric's magic, and one that can be customized as needed.

Asmodeus: Bard, Rogue, Wizard. Asmodeus is a subtle and tricky god, and deception is often his first recourse. Bards and rogues are very tricky, whether through magic or cunning. However, he is also a very powerful god, and he expresses that power through raw arcane might. Conjurers, enchanters, evokers, and illusionists would be especially popular choices for his clergy.

Calistria: Bard, Rogue, Wizard. Calistria and Asmodeus are very similar in some respects (and astoundingly different in others). A bard's ability to enflame emotion is very useful to a cleric of Calistria, and so is a rogue's cunning. Calistria is an elven god, and wizardry definitely has its uses. I don't just mean the subtle ones either, or am I the only one who sees Calistrians tricking groups of their enemies together and then dropping a fireball in their midst?

Cayden Cailean: Alchemist, Champion, Fighter. Cayden Cailean is the literal god of alcohol, so alchemy should be a popular pastime amongst his clergy. Their healing elixirs would have a little extra kick, their mutagens be a little wilder, and they'd be quite used to highly flammable 200 proof chemicals. However, he's also a god who is big into doing what's right, and he encourages his followers to do the same. Becoming a champion would exemplify that. Finally, he was a fighter in his mortal life, so dabbling in the fighter's path is an excellent way to become closer to him.

Desna: Bard, Ranger, Rogue. Dreams fall neatly into the occult sphere, so bard is a good choice for clerics who want to learn more about them. Rangers are the archetypical wanderers, so they are another very attractive choice. Finally, for all of their skill, a lot of rogues pray for good luck. A cleric of Lady Luck may well want to understand that more fully.

Erastil: Champion, Druid, Ranger. Okay, this is a gimme. Cleric-Champions are the defenders of the community, supplementing their spells with martial skill and the potent focus spells of the champion. Cleric-Druids are the perfect farmers, guiding their charges into sustainable agriculture so that the community may live indefinitely. Cleric-Rangers are both hunters and the community's first line of defense, driving off incaming danger where they can and wearing it down where they can't.

Gorum: Barbarian, Bard, Fighter. Barbarians give in to powerful instincts that give them great power, making them unstoppable in combat. Bards can stoke their comrades' rage, and bolster their courage when the enemy uses fear magic to break them. Fighters are the lords of battle, having great skill with all sorts of weapons. All of these are attractive to clerics of the god of war.

Gozreh: Barbarian, Druid, Ranger. Again, a gimme. Barbarians' instincts are primal things, druids understand the wild better than almost any other mortal, and rangers live as one with the wild. Any of these is ideal for a cleric of the god of nature, and in fact some clerics might take any two (just as Gozreh has two personae, so they might have two sets of extra skills).

Iomedae: Bard, Champion, Fighter. Cleric-Bards are historians and heralds, keeping the deeds of the faithful alive and using the word and the sword to uphold Iomedae's charge. Iomedae was THE Champion in life, so it is no surprise that her clerics might look into becoming champions as well. Finally, hers is a martial faith, so extra martial prowess is welcome.

Irori: Bard, Monk, Sorcerer. Bards know many secrets and can make for excellent mentors, very important in a faith that preaches excellence. Irori was a monk in life, so it's only natural that his followers would want to follow that path. Finally, the focus on self-discovery is bound to unlock any latent sorcerous potential, and the focus on self-mastery is bound to make clerics want to master their powers as part of the overall quest for perfection.

Lamashtu: Alchemist, Barbarian, Bard. Elixirs can help with healing and mutagens can unlock one's inner monster, so alchemist is bound to be an attractive choice. Giving in to one's darker instincts is also very fitting, so barbarian is good. Finally, bards are as good with nightmares as with dreams, and Lamashtu is the goddess of nightmares, so bards are in.

Nethys: Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard. Nethys is all about magic, and these three classes provide it. Bards turn the secrets of the cosmos into mystical songs, magic is a literal part of who sorcerers are, and a wizard's arcane magic complements the cleric's divine magic perfectly. All that study doesn't hurt either.

Norgorber: Alchemist, Bard, Rogue. Norgorber wears a lot of hats, so his clerics have a lot of reason to multiclass. Fortunately, each aspect has a perfect class to embody it. Cleric-Alchemists are perfect for Blackfingers, Cleric-Bards for the Reaper of Reputation, and Cleric-Rogues for Father Skinsaw or the Grey Master.

Pharasma: Ranger, Rogue, Wizard. Rangers excel at killing things, and Pharasma is both the goddess of death and has a particular hatred of undead, so ranger fits quite well. Rogues are also good at killing, in their way, but their skills can also leave a target alive so that they can pursue their destiny. Finally, wizards have access to both fire and force magic, and those undead immune to the first are all too vulnerable to the second.

Rovagug: Alchemist, Barbarian, Sorcerer. Bombs and mutagens would be very appealing to clerics of Rovagug, and barbarians are perfect fits for reasons I've gone into elsewhere. Finally, a sorcerer's power can be very destructive if it comes from the right source, and such sorcerers may well find the Rough Beast all too appealing.

Sarenrae: Champion, Druid, Wizard. Sarenrae is THE good goddess, and she should have a great many champions of all three types. It shouldn't be unusual for her clerics to also walk that road. She is also something of a nature goddess, as she is the goddess of the sun, and primal magic overlaps quite nicely with divine magic and her role as goddess of fire. Finally, as said elsewhere, arcane magic complements divine magic beautifully, and a wizard mas multiple tools to deal with evil in both a peaceful and a violent fashion.

Shelyn: Bard, Champion, Sorcerer. Many bards worship the goddess of art and beauty, and it's only logical that her clerics would dabble in those arts as well. She is not a particularly martial deity so champions should be rare, yet she strikes a chord in those who follow the redeemer's path. Her clerics might also embrace sorcerous powers regardless of their origin; there can be beauty in everything, no matter how repellent it might initially seem.

Torag: Alchemist, Champion, Fighter. Torag is the god of the forge, so most of his clerics try to make useful things. Dabbling in alchemy is just one more way to do that. He's also the god of protection, so more martially inclined clerics may be attracted by champion or fighter. The exact choice would depend on how exactly they see themselves defending: with the power of faith, or pure skill at arms.

Urgathoa: Alchemist, Fighter, Wizard. Urgathoa is all about consumption, so the class that makes potions that heal you or that make you more powerful is very attractive to her followers. The poisons are also very useful. She also prizes all forms of power, be they martial or mystical. A fighter's raw strength is useful, as is a necromancer's arcane might.

Zon-Kuthon: Druid, Monk, Rogue. There is an order of druids that reveres Zon-Kuthon, so his clerics might be interested in dipping their toes in the druid's craft. Divine and primal magic overlap nicely. Monks are highly disciplined and can be quite esoteric... even before visions induced by blood loss. Rogues can excel at hurting a creature without killing it, and are one with the shadows even when they have no magic.

Anyway, those are my thoughts. What do you think?


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Good start but I still gonna add my thoughts :P

Abadar: Champion would also fit well with the martial followers, as does bard with someone who is knowledgeble and can get their way with diplomatic approaches

Asmodeus: Fighter aligns pretty well for becoming a hellknight later on, a ranger could do well in catching slaves and rebels - and fire aligned sorcerers fit the firey nature of the lord of hells pretty good

Calistria: Her followers can go wild if they want to so barbarian wouldn't be too far off, sorcerers would be usually welcome. For Calastrian assassins guilds ranger would be a good addition to ones skills. And the good aligned calistria temples would also welcome any champions (this would be most likely elvish ones, they consider calistria as a goddess of freedom)

Cayden: Barbarians make very good Cayden followers, they are loud, they are chaotic and they got a 'in your face' attitude. Brawler Style monks (drunken fist style) and Swashbuckling rogues are probably also common among his followers

Desna: a wanderer with fondness of nature would also make a good druid, besides that this seems on spot

Erastil: Add fighters to the mix and you are good - also I am not sure if a community and farming good should be a druid, for the huntings aspects it's also debatable

Gorum: for the rare good aligned Gorum cleric Champion would be a good choice, they would be certainly good at emulationg the Iron Good with their heavy fortified attire.

Gozreh: Sorcerers with nature aligned bloodlines make a good choice. A monks philosophy could also open up this way ('calm like the ocean before the storm')

Iomedae: Well, you nailed this one to be sure ;)

Irori: Wizards also fit the bill, they are scholars and search for (mental/magical) self-perfection. And since barbarians rage has not to be induced by actual rage but could be an internal well of power they certainly would make good followers, they seek to master their instinct and inner power

Lamashtu: Lamashtu is a goddess of monster, so add sorcerers with all kind of monstrous bloodlines here. Evil druids might be as well worshippers and would probably take more monstrous forms of their shapechanging

Nethys: Druids with a strong magical affinity are masters of primal magic, they could also follow the dual god, admittedly the druids anathema could be a problem

Norgorber: Rangers can make pretty good assassins, which would certainly please the strange deity, same with monks who are always dangerous - and druids which can shapechange can use this to get to places where no one else could and kill their prey in ways no one would expect

Pharasma: Don't forget that she is also the goddess of prophecies and birth - so bards occult magic should be really helpful and alchemist (chirugeon) who help to keep people alive - or help them pass with a painless, quick poison

Rovagug: As a literal monster Rovagug may appeal to evil druids who fully want to lavish within their animalish nature. Rangers who use traps to sadisticly hunt down their prey could also take a linking to this entity

Sarenrae: I also like her but saying she is 'the' goddess is maybe a little but subjective. I don't particular agree with druids as they are more commonly associated with the aspects of nature that hide the sun, storms and such - but on the other hand is she a good deity for fighters and other martials who fight injustice and the undead (sarenrae knights usually wore a white silk scarf) Sorcerer with divine bloodlines serve her also pretty well. As goddess of healing she would be also the patreon deity of chirugeon alchemists. Bards would also work well, they tell of truth, compassion and similar things while having a talent for healing (also, song and dance is a part of her church rites)

shelyn: Rogues who want to steal art that is hidden away by greedy individuals to display it to all are certainly shelyn aligned. Shelyn also loves nature and lets herself be inspired by it and in turn inspires nature to beautiful new animals and flowers, so druids would be a welcome addition

Torag: This one fits the bill perfectly

Urgathoa: Don't forget undead bloodline sorcerers, who might got their power from a prayer to the pallid princess. Rogues might send their victim straight to urgathoas home in abbadon with a dark prayer. Fighters, well it is a bit simple but I guess it is not wrong

Zon-Kuthon: Bards singing dark hymns are as terrifying as their counterpart of zon-kuthons half sister are wonderful. Alchemists who use poison and potion to keep their victims barely alive while making them suffer are most likely to have a place among kuthonian religion as well

And for all: sorcerers with a fitting bloodline are always kind of a good addition to anyones skill set

Liberty's Edge

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Seisho wrote:
Sarenrae: I also like her but saying she is 'the' goddess is maybe a little but subjective. I don't particular agree with druids as they are more commonly associated with the aspects of nature that hide the sun, storms and such

The Dawnflower anchorite prestige class from PF1 is aimed pretty squarely at Sarenrae-worshipping druids. It is apparently something of a thing.

I would also recommend monk as a Shelyn multiclass, especially for clerics who choose to embody art through body performance (dancers and the like).

Radiant Oath

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Seisho wrote:
Gorum: for the rare good aligned Gorum cleric Champion would be a good choice, they would be certainly good at emulationg the Iron Good with their heavy fortified attire.

There's one slight issue with this: Actual clerics of Gorum can only be CN or CE, which means they couldn't really dedicate themselves to the tenets of good and freedom the way a Liberator does. It looks like they really wanted to emphasize Gorum as a deity of unremitting violence, and being one of his faithful means constantly looking for a fight, even if one isn't warranted. If you want to fight for goodness, Gorum would basically jerk his thumb towards Iomedae, Sarenrae, Torag and Cayden Cailean and say "I can't give you the power you want, but those guys can. Go pray to one of them and stop bugging me, I got asses to kick and bubblegum to chew!"


In my defense: I didn't know for sure then that Gorum Followers can't be good

Radiant Oath

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Seisho wrote:
In my defense: I didn't know for sure then that Gorum Followers can't be good

'Tis cool, things are still new. I myself still have a LOT more reading to do! :)

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