In faith and the miracles of the divine, many find a greater purpose. Called to serve powers beyond most mortal understanding, all priests preach wonders and provide for the spiritual needs of their people. Clerics are more than mere priests, though; these emissaries of the divine work the will of their deities through strength of arms and the magic of their gods. Devoted to the tenets of the religions and philosophies that inspire them, these ecclesiastics quest to spread the knowledge and influence of their faith. Yet while they might share similar abilities, clerics prove as different from one another as the divinities they serve, with some offering healing and redemption, others judging law and truth, and still others spreading conflict and corruption. The ways of the cleric are varied, yet all who tread these paths walk with the mightiest of allies and bear the arms of the gods themselves.
Role: More than capable of upholding the honor of their deities in battle, clerics often prove stalwart and capable combatants. Their true strength lies in their capability to draw upon the power of their deities, whether to increase their own and their allies' prowess in battle, to vex their foes with divine magic, or to lend healing to companions in need.As their powers are influenced by their faith, all clerics must focus their worship upon a divine source. While the vast majority of clerics revere a specific deity, a small number dedicate themselves to a divine concept worthy of devotion—such as battle, death, justice, or knowledge—free of a deific abstraction. (Work with your GM if you prefer this path to selecting a specific deity.)
Alignment: A cleric’s alignment must be within one step of her deity’s, along either the law/chaos axis or the good/evil axis.
Hit Die: d8
Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Skills: The cleric’s class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Pilot (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Table: Cleric |
Spells Per Day |
Level |
BAB |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Special |
0 |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
7th |
8th |
9th |
1st |
+0 |
+2 |
+0 |
+2 |
Aura, channel energy 1d6, domains, orisons, spontaneous casting |
3 |
1+1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
2nd |
+1 |
+3 |
+0 |
+3 |
|
4 |
2+1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
3rd |
+2 |
+3 |
+1 |
+3 |
Channel energy 2d6 |
4 |
2+1 |
1+1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
4th |
+3 |
+4 |
+1 |
+4 |
|
4 |
3+1 |
2+1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
5th |
+3 |
+4 |
+1 |
+4 |
Channel energy 3d6 |
4 |
3+1 |
2+1 |
1+1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
6th |
+4 |
+5 |
+2 |
+5 |
|
4 |
3+1 |
3+1 |
2+1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
7th |
+5 |
+5 |
+2 |
+5 |
Channel energy 4d6 |
4 |
4+1 |
3+1 |
2+1 |
1+1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
8th |
+6/+1 |
+6 |
+2 |
+6 |
|
4 |
4+1 |
3+1 |
3+1 |
2+1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
9th |
+6/+1 |
+6 |
+3 |
+6 |
Channel energy 5d6 |
4 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
3+1 |
2+1 |
1+1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
10th |
+7/+2 |
+7 |
+3 |
+7 |
|
4 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
3+1 |
3+1 |
2+1 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
11th |
+8/+3 |
+7 |
+3 |
+7 |
Channel energy 6d6 |
4 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
3+1 |
2+1 |
1+1 |
— |
— |
— |
12th |
+9/+4 |
+8 |
+4 |
+8 |
|
4 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
3+1 |
3+1 |
2+1 |
— |
— |
— |
13th |
+9/+4 |
+8 |
+4 |
+8 |
Channel energy 7d6 |
4 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
3+1 |
2+1 |
1+1 |
— |
— |
14th |
+10/+5 |
+9 |
+4 |
+9 |
|
4 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
3+1 |
3+1 |
2+1 |
— |
— |
15th |
+11/+6/+1 |
+9 |
+5 |
+9 |
Channel energy 8d6 |
4 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
3+1 |
2+1 |
1+1 |
— |
16th |
+12/+7/+2 |
+10 |
+5 |
+10 |
|
4 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
3+1 |
3+1 |
2+1 |
— |
17th |
+12/+7/+2 |
+10 |
+5 |
+10 |
Channel energy 9d6 |
4 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
3+1 |
2+1 |
1+1 |
18th |
+13/+8/+3 |
+11 |
+6 |
+11 |
|
4 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
3+1 |
3+1 |
2+1 |
19th |
+14/+9/+4 |
+11 |
+6 |
+11 |
Channel energy 10d6 |
4 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
3+1 |
3+1 |
20th |
+15/+10/+5 |
+12 |
+6 |
+12 |
|
4 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
4+1 |
Class Features
The following are class features of the cleric.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Clerics are proficient with all simple weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields). Clerics are also proficient with the favored weapon of their deities.
Aura (Ex): A cleric of a chaotic, evil, good, or lawful deity has a particularly powerful aura corresponding to the deity’s alignment (see the detect evil spell for details). Clerics of corresponding alignments suffer doubled damage from smite attacks.
Spells: A cleric casts divine spells which are drawn from the cleric spell list. Her alignment, however, may restrict her from casting certain spells opposed to her moral or ethical beliefs; see Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells. A cleric must choose and prepare her spells in advance.
To prepare or cast a spell, a cleric must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a cleric’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the cleric’s Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a cleric can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Cleric. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score.
Clerics meditate or pray for their spells. Each cleric must choose a time at which she must spend 1 hour each day in quiet contemplation or supplication to regain her daily allotment of spells. Time spent resting has no effect on whether a cleric can prepare spells. A cleric may prepare and cast any spell on the cleric spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.
Channel Energy (Su): Regardless of alignment, any cleric can release a wave of energy by channeling the power of her faith through her holy (or unholy) symbol. This energy can be used to cause or heal damage, depending on the type of energy channeled and the creatures targeted.
A good cleric (or a neutral cleric who worships a good deity) channels positive energy and can choose to deal damage to undead creatures or to heal living creatures. An evil cleric (or a neutral cleric who worships an evil deity) channels negative energy and can choose to deal damage to living creatures or to heal undead creatures. A neutral cleric of a neutral deity (or one who is not devoted to a particular deity) must choose whether she channels positive or negative energy. Once this choice is made, it cannot be reversed. This decision also determines whether the cleric can cast spontaneous cure or inflict spells (see spontaneous casting).
Channeling energy causes a burst that affects all creatures of one type (either undead or living) in a 30-foot radius centered on the cleric. The amount of damage dealt or healed is equal to 1d6 points of damage plus 1d6 points of damage for every two cleric levels beyond 1st (2d6 at 3rd, 3d6 at 5th, and so on). Creatures that take damage from channeled energy receive a Will save to halve the damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the cleric's level + the cleric's Charisma modifier. Creatures healed by channel energy cannot exceed their maximum hit point total—all excess healing is lost. A cleric may channel energy a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. This is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. A cleric can choose whether or not to include herself in this effect. A cleric must be able to present her holy symbol to use this ability.
Domains: A cleric's deity influences her alignment, what magic she can perform, her values, and how others see her. A cleric chooses two domains from among those belonging to her deity. A cleric can select an alignment domain (Chaos, Evil, Good, or Law) only if her alignment matches that domain. If a cleric is not devoted to a particular deity, she still selects two domains to represent her spiritual inclinations and abilities (subject to GM approval). The restriction on alignment domains still applies.
Each domain grants a number of domain powers, dependent upon the level of the cleric, as well as a number of bonus spells. A cleric gains one domain spell slot for each level of cleric spell she can cast, from 1st on up. Each day, a cleric can prepare one of the spells from her two domains in that slot. If a domain spell is not on the cleric spell list, a cleric can prepare it only in her domain spell slot. Domain spells cannot be used to cast spells spontaneously.
In addition, a cleric gains the listed powers from both of her domains, if she is of a high enough level. Unless otherwise noted, activating a domain power is a standard action. Cleric domains are listed at the end of this class entry.
Orisons: Clerics can prepare a number of orisons, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on Table: Cleric under “Spells per day.” These spells are treated like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again.
Spontaneous Casting: A good cleric (or a neutral cleric of a good deity) can channel stored spell energy into healing spells that she did not prepare ahead of time. The cleric can “lose” any prepared spell that is not an orison or domain spell in order to cast any cure spell of the same spell level or lower (a cure spell is any spell with “cure” in its name).
An evil cleric (or a neutral cleric of an evil deity) can’t convert prepared spells to cure spells but can convert them to inflict spells (an inflict spell is one with “inflict” in its name).
A cleric who is neither good nor evil and whose deity is neither good nor evil can convert spells to either cure spells or inf lict spells (player’s choice). Once the player makes this choice, it cannot be reversed. This choice also determines whether the cleric channels positive or negative energy (see channel energy).
Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells: A cleric can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to her own or her deity’s (if she has one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaotic, evil, good, and lawful descriptors in their spell descriptions.
Bonus Languages: A cleric’s bonus language options include Celestial, Abyssal, and Infernal (the languages of good, chaotic evil, and lawful evil outsiders, respectively). These choices are in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.
Ex-Clerics: A cleric who grossly violates the code of conduct required by her god loses all spells and class features, except for armor and shield proficiencies and proficiency with simple weapons. She cannot thereafter gain levels as a cleric of that god until she atones for her deeds (see the atonement spell description).
Archtypes
Crusader
Crusaders serve the militant arm of a church, ready to stand guard over the religion’s holy places and to be its swift, avenging arm against those who resist its truth.
Diminished Spellcasting: A crusader chooses only one domain and gains one fewer spell of each level than normal. If this reduces the number to 0, she may cast spells of that level only if they are domain spells or if her Wisdom allows bonus spells of that level.
Bonus Feat: A crusader gains a bonus feat at 1st level, then again at 5th level and every five levels thereafter (to a maximum of six at 20th level). These bonus feats must be chosen from the following list: Heavy Armor Proficiency, Improved Shield Bash, Martial Weapon Proficiency, Saving Shield, Shield Focus, Tower Shield Proficiency, and Weapon Focus*.
At 10th level, a crusader may also choose from the following feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Greater Shield Focus, Greater Weapon Focus*, Improved Critical*, Shield Slam, Shield Specialization, and Weapon Specialization*.
At 20th level, a crusader may also choose from the following feats: Greater Shield Specialization and Greater Weapon Specialization*. Bonus feats marked with an asterisk (*) must be applied to the favored weapon of the crusader’s deity. A crusader need not meet the normal class- or level-based prerequisites for these bonus feats.
Legion’s Blessing (Su): At 8th level, a crusader gains the ability to confer beneficial spells quickly to a large group of allies. As a full-round action, the crusader may confer the effects of a single harmless spell with a range of touch to a number of creatures equal to half her cleric level. The spell’s range remains touch, so all intended recipients must be within the crusader’s reach when the spell is cast. Using the legion’s blessing expends the prepared spell, but it also requires the crusader to sacrifice another prepared spell three levels higher, as when spontaneously using a cure or inflict spell. The higher-level spell is not cast but is simply lost, its magical energy used to power the legion’s blessing.
Divine Strategist
The divine strategist leads the armies of the faithful, not from the front lines but through her clever strategy and tactical acumen.
Domains: A divine strategist gains only a single domain.
Master Tactician (Ex): A divine strategist can always act in a surprise round even if she fails to make a Perception check to notice enemies, though she is considered flat-footed until she acts. In addition, the divine strategist gains a bonus on initiative checks equal to 1/2 her cleric level. At 20th level, a divine strategist’s initiative roll is automatically a natural 20. Allies able to see and hear the divine strategist gain a bonus on initiative checks equal to 1/4 the divine strategist’s level. This is a language-dependent ability. This ability replaces channel energy.
Caster Support (Su): A divine strategist can use the aid another action to assist another divine spellcaster, granting a +2 circumstance bonus on caster level checks and concentration checks until the beginning of the divine strategist’s next turn. This bonus increases by +1 at 4th level and every four levels thereafter (to a maximum of +7 at 20th level). The allied caster must remain adjacent to the divine strategist to gain this benefit. Caster support can be used to assist arcane spellcasters or characters using magical items, but they gain only half the normal bonus.
Tactical Expertise (Ex): At 8th level, a divine strategist knows how to take best advantage of tactical opportunities. Whenever she is flanking or makes an attack of opportunity, she may add her Intelligence bonus (if any) as a bonus on the attack roll. In addition, once per day as a swift action she may add her Intelligence modifier as a bonus on any single d20 roll made as part of a readied action. She can use this ability one additional time per day for every two levels after 8th.
Evangelist
The evangelist is the voice of her religion in the world. Where others nurture the faith among believers, an evangelist proclaims the coming glory of her deific patron and issues the clarion call to all around to heed the truth, or obey the call to war and crusade against the enemies of the church.
Single-Minded: An evangelist focuses her skills and learning on proclamation rather than the fine details of the church's deeper mysteries or martial training. Thus, she may select only one domain and does not gain Medium Armor Proficiency or Shield Proficiency.
Public Speaker: An evangelist gains Perform as a class skill. In addition, she is trained to project her voice with great skill and effect; the DC to hear her speak in difficult conditions is reduced by an amount equal to her class level plus her Charisma modifier (minimum 0).
Sermonic Performance: An evangelist gains the ability to deliver a select number of supernatural and spell-like performances through the force and power of her divinely inspired preaching and exhortation. This ability is similar in all respects to bardic performance as used by a bard of the same level (including interactions with feats, spells, and prestige classes), using Perform (oratory) as the evangelist's performance skill. However, an evangelist gains only the following types of bardic performance: countersong, fascinate, and inspire courage at 1st level; inspire greatness at 9th level; and inspire heroics at 15th level. Sermonic performance replaces the 1st-, 9th-, and 15th-level channel energy abilities. This caps the cleric's channel energy damage at 7d6 points.
Spontaneous Casting: An evangelist does not gain the ability to spontaneously cast cure or inflict spells by sacrificing prepared spells. However, an evangelist can spontaneously cast the following spells by sacrificing a prepared spell of the noted level or above:
Spell Level |
Spontaneous Spell |
1st level |
command |
2nd level |
enthrall |
3rd level |
tongues |
4th level |
suggestion |
5th level |
greater command |
6th level |
geas/quest |
7th level |
mass suggestion |
8th level |
sympathy |
9th level |
demand |
Hidden Priest
Practicing one’s religion is not always legal. For example, most lands outlaw worshiping fiends. Taldor has banned the faith of Sarenrae from being openly worshiped. Rahadoum flat-out forbids all religions within its borders. But as time has shown again and again, mere laws are poor deterrents to the worship of dedicated members of such faiths, whether the zealous wish to subvert authority, free the spirits of the oppressed, or merely enjoy the right to practice their beliefs. Clerics in these circumstances must conceal their true natures, practice their magic in secret, and always be on guard for betrayal and discovery.
A hidden priest has the following class features.
False Arcanist (Ex): At 1st level, a hidden priest is able to disguise his cleric spellcasting, presenting it as arcane magic of some kind. Typically, this is as alchemist, bard, sorcerer, or wizard magic, and the cleric disguises the words and gestures of the cleric spell with accoutrements appropriate to his apparent profession.
He must make a skill check (DC 10 + twice the level of the spell) to disguise his casting and successfully cast the spell. The type of skill check depends on the type of caster he pretends to be: Craft (alchemy) for alchemist, Perform for bard, Knowledge (arcana) for sorcerer or wizard. Using Spellcraft to identify the spell works normally, though unless the observer beats the DC by 10 or more, she doesn’t suspect the source of the magic is divine.
For example, a hidden priest pretending to be an alchemist wants to cast cure light wounds on a wounded townsperson. If he makes a DC 12 Craft (alchemy) check, he disguises his spellcasting as the mixing of an alchemical extract or potion (perhaps with the words disguised as reciting an obscure formula or talking herself through the list of ingredients), which he gives to the target. An observer making a DC 16 Spellcraft check can identify his spell as cure light wounds, but doesn’t realize his “alchemical” methods are a sham unless her check result is 26 or higher.
When the hidden priest uses this ability, he must still provide any divine focus components for the spells he casts. However, the divine focus doesn’t need to be an obvious symbol of his faith. It could be a small coin, tattoo, or garment bearing the symbol, whether presented openly, disguised, or hidden within a larger picture. For example, a hidden priest of Sarenrae may use a coin with an ankh or sunburst, a complex tattoo or scar that has an ankh shape hidden within it, a glove with an ankh stitched on the inside of the palm, and so on. He must use this replacement divine focus just as he would his true one (for example, he couldn’t leave the coin in his shoe). If a spell requires a divine focus with a specific or minimum cost, the replacement divine focus must be of similar value to be used as the divine focus.
A hidden priest adds half his class level (minimum +1) on all Bluff skill checks to send secret messages about religious matters, and on all Sense Motive checks to recognize similar messages. He also adds this bonus on Perception and Sense Motive checks relating to agents of the laws against his religion (including city guards in lands where these laws are in effect). This ability replaces one of the cleric’s two 1st-level domain powers (her choice).
Unseen Devotion (Su): At 8th level, a hidden priest can apply the Silent Spell and Still Spell feats to a spell he is about to cast. This does not alter the level of the spell or the casting time. He can use this ability once per day at 8th level and one additional time per day for every four additional cleric levels beyond 8th. Even though this ability does not modify the spell’s actual level, he cannot use this ability to cast a spell whose modified spell level would be above the level of the highest-level spell that he is capable of casting. This ability always applies both feats (the cleric cannot use it to just apply one or the other). This ability replaces one of the cleric’s two 8th-level domain powers (his choice).
+Merciful Healer
The merciful healer is a master of battlefield revivification, sustaining and restoring allies to keep them in the fight.
Willing Healer: A merciful healer must choose the Healing domain. She does not gain a second domain. If the cleric worships a deity, that deity must be one that grants the Healing domain. A merciful healer must channel positive energy.
Channel Energy (Su): As the cleric ability, save that a merciful healer must channel positive energy, and when she does, she cannot choose to target undead. This ability is otherwise identical to the cleric ability of the same name.
Combat Medic (Ex): A merciful healer does not provoke attacks of opportunity when using the Heal skill to stabilize another creature or casting healing spells.
Merciful Healing (Su): At 3rd level, a merciful healer can channel positive energy to relieve one or more harmful conditions. The merciful healer chooses one of the following harmful conditions at 3rd level: fatigued, shaken, or sickened. When the merciful healer channels energy she can remove the chosen condition from one living creature that she heals within her channel energy burst. At 6th level, she can choose another condition. It can be one of those she didn’t choose at 3rd level, or one of the following conditions: dazed, diseased, or staggered. She can remove the selected condition or the one she chose at 3rd level from up to two creatures within her channel energy burst. She gains another condition at 9th level, and can choose an above condition or one of the following conditions: cursed, exhausted, frightened, nauseated, or poisoned. She can remove that condition, or a condition she previously chose, from one or two creatures within the burst. Finally, at 12th level, she can choose a lower-level condition or one of the following conditions: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or stunned. She can remove that condition or one she previously chose from one, two, or three creatures within her channel energy burst. Feats and effects that affect a paladin’s mercy also affect this ability.
True Healer (Su): At 8th level, when a merciful healer channels holy energy, she can choose to apply the benefits of merciful healing or to reroll any 1s when determining how much damage she heals with the holy energy. She must choose which benefit to take before she rolls to see how much damage she heals.
+Scroll Scholar
A scroll scholar values knowledge and learning as much as her other abilities, trading a portion of her potential in her chosen class for greater breadth of skill at deciphering old texts, piecing together strange fragments of esoteric lore, and deciphering the hidden qualities of strange and unusual magical items.
A scroll scholar has the following class features.
Diligent Student (Ex): At 1st level, a scroll scholar chooses one Knowledge skill. This becomes a class skill if it is not already one. The scroll scholar adds half her class level to all Knowledge checks of this type (minimum 1).
At 5th level and every five levels thereafter, a scroll scholar chooses 1 additional Knowledge skill to receive this bonus.
This ability replaces one of the 1st-level granted powers from her domains—the character gets to choose which of her two 1st-level granted powers it replaces.
Secrets Revealed (Sp): At 5th level, a scroll scholar gains the ability to cast comprehend languages and identify as spell-like abilities. Her caster level is equal to her character level in whatever class she took the scroll scholar archetype for. She can cast these spells once per day each at 5th level, twice per day each at 7th level, and three times per day each at 9th level. At 11th level, one of these spell-like abilities (scholar’s choice) becomes a constant spell-like ability, and at 13th level, the second one becomes a constant spell-like ability. This ability replaces the increase to her channel energy damage normally gained at 5th level—her channel energy damage increases to 3d6 at 7th level instead, and for the rest of her career as a cleric lags 1d6 behind normal.
Flash of Insight (Su): At 10th level, once per day, a scroll scholar can gain a +5 bonus on a single attack roll, caster level check, or saving throw as an immediate action. This decision must be made before the results of the roll are known, but can be made after the die is rolled. This ability can be used twice per day at 15th level, and 3 times per day at 20th level. This ability replaces the normal addition of a new 4th-level spell slot to the character’s spells per day— from this point on, the cleric has one fewer 4th level spell slot than other clerics.
Theologian
A theologian is an expert on one particular area of her religion. She is so focused on that area that she eschews the broader sweep of her deity’s dogma and focuses intensely upon that aspect of it, embodying its power in all she does. Theologians tend to be more zealous than other clerics, and many crusades are started by theologians.
A theologian has the following class features:
Focused Domain: A theologian chooses only one domain from her deity’s portfolio rather than the normal two domains. All level-dependent effects of the granted powers from the theologian’s domain function as if she were two cleric levels higher than her actual cleric level. This does not allow her to gain domain-granted powers earlier than normal. A theologian can prepare domain spells using her non-domain slots. She cannot use her spontaneous casting ability on domain spells, even if they are prepared in non-domain slots. In all other respects, this works like and replaces the standard cleric domain ability.
Domain Secret (Ex): At 5th level, the theologian chooses one domain spell. That spell becomes permanently modified with one of the following metamagic feats: Bouncing Spell[APG], Disruptive Spell[APG], Ectoplasmic Spell[APG], Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Focused Spell[APG], Intensified Spell[APG], Silent Spell, Still Spell. This metamagic feat does not increase the level of the spell. Once chosen, this modification cannot be changed. The domain specialist need not have the metamagic feat to apply it to a spell using this ability. At every 5 levels after 5th, the domain specialist may choose an additional domain spell to modify in this way. She cannot modify the same spell more than once.