Dark Era Classes – The Priest – Eclipse d20
on April 23rd, 2012 at 6:07 pmSome time ago I started the idea of my own role playing game – called Dark Era: Mysteries of Night (D.E.M.O.N). This got split into three eras.
One for Medieval – Dark Era MediEvil Nights and one for Modern and one for Future.
So, inspirtation for the medieval fantasy game was from an old PC Game by … Micropoint I think – called Darklands. An RPG set in the 1600′s of Germany.
So, now I go about creating the Priest Class – using Eclipse.
Firstly, all human characters have access to Faith Points – These function much like Action Points, spend 1 roll an additional d6 for skills/attacks/saves or avoid some other catastrophe. Faith Points start out at 3-6 (GM Option). The GM may give characters with Knowledge Religion (and a background as why they have the skill) 1 to 3 extra Faith Points. FP’s spent can only come back in one of two ways. The character waits till he levels up and his FP get reset (usually 3 to 6 + 1/2 Level).
Priest/Clerics/Friars and the like gave other options for Faith. Their Faith determines effects of calling a saint.
Ok, lets begin the ‘build’
In Dark Era, Human are the only player race – there are no advantages for being one, save for a +2 (Gm Option – as in I have not yet decided) to a single ability score. Of course they also get Action Hero (Faith Points) as described above
Base Level 1 build – 48cp
Weapon Prof – Simple – 3cp
Armor Prof – Light – 3cp
Saves: 9cp, usually Will Power and Fortitude.
The basic priest is a servant of God and the people.
Skill Points – Recommend around 12 cp here.
Total 27cp
Specials: (21 cp)
Mana (6) – These directly increase Faith Points. The priest gains 1d6 mana/faith points. Priests do not have access to any other Mana effects, nor can they gain mana for spells or power (those two don’t really exist in Dark Era anyway).
Privledge (3) – Most priests are respected, even lower level ones. Essentially a priest displaying the fact (ie wearing clergy atire, carying the bible, prayer beads and the like can usually get cheaper or free accommodation and the like)
Invocation – not the one in the book. This is actually a variant of Power Words (6cp) and represents starting Saint Knowledge. Instead of Con we use Wisdom or Charisma for this (which ever is lower).
Rite of Chi (6cp) - By prayer, the Priest can regain FP as per Rite of Chi. This can be corrupted for cost or effect by requiring a Religion Check or Diplomacy Check.
Total cost of class is 48 CP.
How to min / max this. Duties (2 cp / level – to church) Corrupt Rite of chi or even specialise it (frees up 2 to 3 cp). Invocation in effect is always corrupted (frees up 2 cp). So gives another 6 or so CP to do as the player chooses.
Also first level feat is 6 cp bonus.
The GM and the Player will have to decide on the Saints in Question. Some saint info and more from the original game can be found here. Over all a starting player should not be allowed to start with greater than a level 2 Saint. The GM is also within his right to get a list from the player and require that player to make Invocation tests just to learn. Learning tests for Saints can either be Religion or Literacy Tests (Literacy Latin to be precise).
Notes on Saints
Saints are rated on a Spell Level Basis for simplicity.
Saint Name
Saint Level: Spell Level
Saint Difficuilty: Usually based on Spell Level. To invoke a Saint, the Priest needs to make a Religion Check. (one can treat invocation above as corrupted for cost or corrupted for extra use/known saints). DC is 10 + (5 x (Spell Level+1)). Yes this means that a first level saint is a DC 20 to invoke. Bare in mind a Priest Character is most likely going to have 4 ranks in Religion with around a +3 bonus due to ability score. If smart, the character, with first level bonus feat etc might take spell focus or adept even. Success means you spend 1 Faith Point per Spell Level and the effects of the Saint are invoked. Failure means loosing half the # of FP. Some Saints may have effects on failure and failing on a natural 1 might have bad results.
Saint Special: This is a special effect, kind of like a cleric domain ability. Examples include water walking, water breathing, escaping from manacles and the like
Saint Spell: This is the spell like effect you are invoking. Spell effects are based on normal d20 spells and usually are treated as such. This is usually Spell Like ability.
Conclusion
Your thoughts and input are welcomed…