Priest (3.5e Class)

Summary::A cleric revision with less physical combat power, spontaneous casting from a much smaller list, and a stronger reliance on domains for spells available. Class Ability::Spontaneous Divine Spellcasting Class Ability Progression::Full

Priest
Although deities have phenomenal cosmic power, most cannot work this power in the mortal world directly. Instead, they must rely on their agents to make their will understood (and carried out) in the world that their worshipers must live in. Their most direct agents are the priests - individuals given part of the deity's power. These individuals walk the world or staff temples and shrines to better share the teachings and miracles of their patron with the world, whether the people want them or not.

The priest is an individual possessed of a very strong, and very real, connection to a higher power. Every action they take is divinely assisted, every step they take is divinely guided. The will of a deity is a difficult thing to know, however, and not all priests take the same interpretation of the will of their patron. Priests of the same god do fail to get along at times, but they are all cherished by their deity nonetheless.

Making a Priest
Priests can fill a wide variety of roles, depending on their patron deity. As there are many deities and many creeds to follow, so too are there many types of priests walking the land.

Abilities: Charisma is the most important ability score for a priest, as it determines the power and number of their spells each day. Although not strictly necessary, having a high Dexterity and Constitution is also helpful for their continued survival.

Races: Anyone can become a priest, regardless of race, so long as a deity will accept them. As a result, most races have their own priests, as racial deities are notoriously narrow recruiters.

Alignment: There are plenty of deities for every alignment, and thus priests of every alignment. Most priests fall within 1 degree of their deity's alignment, but it is not a requirement. An evil priest can still serve a good deity, even if the deity disagrees with their methods sometimes, so long as they mostly tow the line.

Starting Gold: 5d4&times;10 gp (125 gp).

Starting Age: Complex

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the priest.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Priests are proficient with all simple weapons, plus their deity's favoured weapon (see Divine Connection). They are proficient with light armour, but not with shields.

Their caster level for these spells is equal to their character level, and any save DCs for these spells are equal to 10 + the spell's level + the priest's Charisma modifier. Priests can use their spells a limited number of times before having to pray for more, as indicated on Table: The Priest. They receive additional spells if they have a high Charisma score.

Priests may cast any spell they know, provided they have a slot of that level or higher to cast it with. They do not need to prepare their spells first.

In order to receive their spells, the priest must pray for 1 hour without interruption, in a place free from distractions or noise. At the end of this time, the priest receives their spell slots. After praying, the priest cannot pray again until one whole day (24 hours) has passed.

In addition to the spells from their deity's domains (see Divine Connection), priests have access to spells from the following list:

0th&mdash; create water, cure light wounds, detect magic, guidance, inflict light wounds, light, purify food and drink, read magic, resistance

1st&mdash; aid, bless, cure moderate wounds, detect chaos/evil/good/law (opposing alignments only), deathwatch, divine favor, find temple, inflict moderate wounds, protection from chaos/evil/good/law (opposing alignments only), remove fear, rhino’s rush, shield of faith, zone of truth

2nd&mdash; align weapon, augury, brand heretic, calm emotions, consecrate, cure serious wounds, delay poison, divine mount, inflict serious wounds, lesser restoration, mass cure light wounds, mass inflict light wounds, prayer, remove blindness/deafness, shield other, status

3rd&mdash; air walk, atonement, commune, cure critical wounds, greater dispel magic, inflict critical wounds, glyph of warding, knight's move, magic circle against chaos/evil/good/law (opposing alignments only), mass cure moderate wounds, mass inflict moderate wounds, remove curse, remove disease, speak with dead

4th&mdash; death ward, discern lies, dismissal, divination, freedom of movement, harm, heal, holy sword (or unholy sword), mass cure serious wounds, mass inflict serious wounds, mark of justice, restoration

5th&mdash; banishment, break enchantment, contact other plane (own deity only), dispel chaos/evil/good/law (opposing allignments only), mass cure critical wounds, mass inflict critical wounds, raise dead, righteous might

6th&mdash; binding, greater glyph of warding, heroes’ feast, mass heal, quest (willing creatures only), refuge, soul bind, word of recall

7th&mdash; lesser miracle, resurrection

8th&mdash; dimensional lock, foresight

9th&mdash; freedom, miracle

This connection grants the priest access to five domains associated with the deity or pantheon. If the deity does not offer 5 domains, the priest may supplement the selection with an alignment domain (Chaos, Evil, Good or Law), provided their own alignment has this component (thus, for a priest to choose Law, they would have to be lawful, etc). All of the spells in those domains are added to the priest's list of spells known at the same level at which they appear in the domain.

A list of domains updated for use with this class appears here, though standard published domains may also be used.

The DC for a domain power is 10 + half their priest level + their Charisma modifier unless otherwise listed. They may select an alternate domain power from among their available domains every time they pray to recover their spells.

At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level the priest's connection to their chosen deity or pantheon grows stronger.. At each of these levels the priest gains access to an additional domain power, so they may have 2 domain powers at 3rd level, 3 at 5th level, and so on. These may also be changed when the priest prays to recover their spells, providing they do not already have access to all 5 domain powers.



 : A 4th level priest can temporarily channel the awe and power of their deity. As a swift action, they can gain the benefit of modified a sanctuary effect for 5 minutes. The save DC for the effect is 10 + 1/2 the priest's character level + the priest's Charisma modifier. Targets who fail their save may attempt another 1 minute later. If the priest takes any offensive action while under this effect, the effect is broken only for those who were targeted. Channeling divine power in this way is not without it's cost, however, and the priest suffers 2 points of Charisma burn when they use this ability. At the end of the 5 minute duration the priest becomes fatigued (or exhausted if already fatigued). An exhausted priest may not use this ability.

At 8th level their ability to channel their deity's awe improves. While they are untouchable they also benefit from Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire, and Sonic Resistance of 15.

At 14th level their ability to channel their deity's power reaches its peak. While they are untouchable they gain the benefit of Regeneration 20 in addition to their resistances. They suffer normal damage from divine power (such as flame strike) and aligned sources (such as anarchic or holy).

 : At 6th level, a priest's faith becomes infectious, inspiring their allies to greater acts. Whenever an ally within Close range of the priest (including the priest themselves) rolls a natural 1 on an attack roll, saving throw, or skill or ability check, they may re-roll it. The second roll stands (even if it's another 1).

 : An 8th level priest can amplify the lesser powers of their deity without strain. They reduce the total metamagic cost applied to a spell by 1 level, to a minimum of 0, for any spell 4+ spell levels lower than the maximum they can cast. For example, an 8th level priest they may cast silent orisons without using a level 1 spell slot.

At 12th level they may reduce the total metamagic cost applied to a spell by 2 levels, to a minimum of 0, for any spell 6+ spell levels lower than the maximum they can cast. This replaces the 1 level cost reduction ability for these spell levels.

They may not benefit from other metamagic reducers while using this ability.

 : A 10th level priest can call upon outsiders that serve their deity to assist or fight for them. The priest must spend 1 round communing with their deity and sacrifice a spell slot to summon assistance. A number of creatures with an EL equal to twice the level of the sacrificed spell are summoned, though the total EL gained may not exceed the priests' level -4. For example, a 10th level priest could sacrifice a 3rd level spell slot to summon up to EL 6 worth of creatures or a 1st level spell slot to summon up to EL 2 worth of creatures. A priest may only have one group of servants summoned at any given time.

These summoned creatures must be outsiders that could realistically work with the priest's deity (entries on the summon monster table that share an alignment are acceptable). These creatures remain for up to 10 minutes, but may be dismissed by the priest at any time. The priest can direct these creatures mentally, and does not need to have a language in common with them to give them instructions. Summoned creatures may not use a spell or spell-like ability with a higher spell level than the spell sacrificed to summon them.

 : At 11th level a priest has a closer connection to their patron, and their home plane, than others could ever hope to have. They may spend 1 minute creating a gate effect between their home plane and their patron deity's demesne. The gate remains open for 5 rounds (though it may be dismissed earlier), does not require concentration, may only be used for transport, and has the same lack of precision as a plane shift spell so a specific location within the demesne can not be targeted. This ability may only be used on the priest's home plane and in their patron deity's demesne, it fails without effect if used elsewhere. After the priest has opened a portal this way, they become fatigued (or exhausted if already fatigued). An exhausted priest may not use this ability. This ability has an effective spell level of 4th level.

At 15th level, the priest may use this ability to travel to their lesser demesne directly, though they still may not target a specific location with precision. They may still elect to open a doorway to a random location in their deity's demesne if they prefer.

 : The divine power wielded by an 11th level priest grants them a strong connection with their physical form even after death, one that can be used to make a return to it less difficult. An 11th level priest may elect to suffer 2 points of Charisma burn in place of level or attribute loss when raised from the dead.

 : As the priest's connection with their deity grows, they become something more than simply mortal. A thirteenth level priest can no longer die of old age, and will live forever unless slain (a difficult proposition on its own). They still accrue both age bonuses and penalties, however.

This land is approximately 1 square mile in area located within the deity's demesne. This area is still divinely morphic, and the priest can thus shape it to their will to some degree. While buildings, monuments, forests, canyons, and other terrestrial or fantastical features are quite easy for the priest to create, any changes which would alter the other traits of the deity's demesne require the deity's approval, if not their intervention.

At seventeenth level priest is rewarded with an increased plot of land. Their land grows to 4 square miles.

 : Fifteenth level priests are extremely difficult to kill. The priest may elect to gain the benefit of a raise dead spell at any time within 1 minute of being killed. If they do, their return is announced by a powerful flash of light (as a daylight spell) for 1 round. Instead of the normal level loss, they instead suffer 2 points of Charisma burn. Once used, they may not return from the dead in this way for 24 hours; a priest who dies twice in a day will need someone else to bring them back to continue their work.

At eighteenth level, this ability improves to offer the benefit of a resurrection spell instead, though the priest only returns with half of their maximum hit points.

 : At 16th level, the priest gains some of their deity's power to affect reality, although to a much lesser degree. As a standard action, the priest can sacrifice a 7th level or higher spell slot to cast lesser miracle as a supernatural ability. They may not create any effect that would fall outside of their deity's portfolio, however, and they must still spend experience points if the effect would require them from a standard casting. After the priest has cast the lesser miracle, they become fatigued and suffer 2 points of Charisma burn. An exhausted priest may not use this ability.

At 20th level, they may instead alter reality with a miracle by sacrificing a 9th level spell slot instead. This ability otherwise functions as the 16th level lesser version.

 : At 19th level, a priest can open a portal between any outer or prime material plane as a standard action. This is otherwise identical to the gate spell, except that it lasts for 5 rounds (though it may be dismissed earlier), does not require concentration, and can only be used for travel. After the priest has opened a portal this way, they become fatigued (or exhausted if already fatigued) and suffer 2 points of Charisma burn. An exhausted priest may not use this ability. This ability has an effective spell level of 9th level.

Ex-Priests
A priest who wishes to pursue other classes is welcome to do so. There are no multiclssing restrictions against them.

A priest who willingly leaves his faith or who is cast out loses all spells, spell-like, and supernatural abilities of the class, but they retain any extraordinary abilities. They may return to the faith if an atonement is cast for them by a member of the faith of the same or higher level. Alternately, they may pursue a new faith entirely. They must still find a member of the faith to atone them, however. When joining a new faith in this way, the templar loses all of their old vows. They may swear a new one each day until they have reached the level allotted them based on their level.