[HR: Campaign Classes] Anglo-Saxon Clerics

Just for fun, here's the start of (hopefully) an ongoing series of custom human classes for the priests and priestesses of Anglo-Saxon deities. First up is Hred, also listed as Rheda, Hrede, Hrethe, or Hretha. There are various explanations of the etymology of her name, ranging from "famous" or "glorious" to "cruel." Naturally, I went for cruel. Hred's month was equivalent to modern March, and the cruel contingent theorize that she was a winter goddess, and the month was named for her because of its variability at the end of winter.

 

Cleric of Hred

Prime Requisite: INT

Requirements: WIS 9

Hit Dice: 1d4

Maximum Level: 14

XP to 2nd level: 2000

The cleric of Hred is an outcast among her own people, often living on the fringes of villages and in equal parts feared and respected. She can do good with her powers, but often uses them for her own gain, and to enforce a healthy fear of her mistress' chill domain. The cleric of Hred hits an unarmored foe (AC 0) with an attack throw of 10+ at first level, and advances in attack throws and savings throws by two points every four levels of advancement (as a cleric). They learn to fight by observing the peasant warriors around them, and can fights with axes, spears, and polearms. They can wear chain armor or lighter, and can fight with a weapon and shield. They cannot fight with two weapons or with two-handed weapons.

Clerics of Hred do not have the ability to turn undead. Hred does not bless the weak with her power. A cleric of Hred does not gain divine spells until 3rd level, at which point she casts like a cleric of half her level, rounded up. However, the cleric of Hred knows many dark secrets that would be best left unspoken, and is able to cast arcane spells from 1st level as a mage of half her level, rounded up. One of Hred's few unmitigated blessings is allowing her faithful to cast arcane magics while wearing armor.

 

Beginning at first level, good creatures feel a chill aura near the cleric of Hred, and she gains a +1 bonus to AC and a +1 bonus to saving throws made against good creatures. This aura appears like a chill blue-black mist enveloping the cleric when viewed with detect evil, detect magic, or true seeing. At fourth level, Hred's mark becomes detectable to chaotic creatures, and the cleric gains a +2 bonus to reaction rolls from intelligent chaotic monsters, which also suffer -2 to savings throws against her magic. At sixth level, the cleric can invoke Hred's harm, casting a spell into her weapon, where it remains stored for up to 1 turn or until discharged on its next strike. At eighth level, the cleric gains a dark charisma, and any chaotic monsters or characters in her service gain +1 morale when personally led by the cleric. At tenth level, Hred deems the cleric useful enough to continue serving on the world even after the flesh rots from her bones, letting her remain and gain power as an undead.

At 9th level, a cleric of Hred can turn her hermitage into a sanctum and dungeon per a mage. Half of her apprentices (rounded up) will be clerics of Herd, while half (rounded down) will be standard mages.

 

Available proficiencies: Alchemy, Ambushing, Apostasy, Armor Training, Battle Magic, Blind Fighting, Command, Contemplation, Diplomacy, Divine Blessing, Elementalism (water only), Familiar, Goblin-Slaying, Illusion Resistance, Intimidation, Kin-Slaying, Loremastery, Quiet Magic, Sensing Good, Sensing Power, Skirmishing, Skulking, Survival, Transmogrification, Unflappable Casting, Vermin-Slaying

Divine repertoire (spells with parentheses are generally cast in their reversed form):

1st: Detect Evil (Good), Detect Magic, Protection from Evil (Good), Remove (Cause) Fear, Resist Cold

2nd: Enthrall, Hold Person, Obscuring Cloud, Resist Fire, Spiritual Weapon

3rd: Glyph of Warding, Protection from Normal Missiles, Remove Curse, Speak With Dead, Water Walking

4th: Command Undead, Dispel Magic, Protection from Evil (Good) (Sustained), Skinchange, Smite (Create) Undead

5th: Command Person, Fear, Protection from Normal Weapons, Restore Life and Limb (Finger of Death), Strength (Weakness) of Mind

 

Class construction:

Fighting 1a (Narrow weapon, Unrestricted armor, 2 fighting styles)

Trade armor to Broad (+1 custom power)

Eliminate 1 fighting style (+1 custom power)

Two weapon groups selected: all axes, all spears/polearms

Weapon and Shield style selected

Divine 1

Eliminate Turn Undead (+1 custom power)

Arcane 2

Total of 3 custom powers at 1st level. Keep 1. Trade 1 for a power at 4th and 10th, trade 1 for a power at 6th and 8th. Custom powers (in order) are Aura of Protection, Ancient Pacts, Spell Storing, Dark Charisma, and After the Flesh

 

This cleric is quite frail, although the armor makes her (very) slightly more survivable than a mage at first level, and with a friendlier experience chart. Second level is a bit of a "dead" level, since her first divine spell and second arcane spell both come at third level. Spears let her throw javelins from afar, probably the safest thing to do with a d4 hit die and AC 5/6 (higher vs. good). Note that this is a cleric without a single healing spell. She's a bit of a scout, a bit of a buffer, a bit of crowd control, and at very high levels an undead commander (her pair of 4th level spells come at levels 11 and 13). The arcane spells will really flesh out her role in a party. I'm not sure I'd want to play one, but they would fill an interesting role.

Polearms, but not two-handed weapons?

The weapon category is spears/polearms. The class can't actually use the polearm, just like it can't use the greataxe despite having axes. Mechanically, I could have done the same thing by using the Pick 3 option and taking spear, javelin, and lance, but that would have involved more typing. ;)

Cleric of Thunor

 

Thunor, lord of storms and patron of warriors, is the other Chaotic member of the Anglo-Saxon pantheon. Somewhat similar to Norse Thor, Thunor is wilder and less beloved by the common man; without a Loki analogue, the trickster and straight man tales that made Thor popular didn't exist. His followers tend to be brawlers and berserkers, rather than officers or rulers.

 

Prime Requisiste: STR

Requirements: WIS 9

Hit Dice: 1d6

Maximum Level: 14

XP to 2nd level: 2050

 

At first level, the cleric of Thunor strikes an unarmored opponent (AC 0) with an attack throw of 10+. His attacks and saves advance by two points every three levels, as a fighter. A cleric of Thunor may wear armor of chain or lighter, and may fight with any one-handed or two-handed melee weapon, but not missile weapons, as it is believed less honorable to fight outside the striking range of one's enemy. At first level, the cleric of Thunor gains savage resilience, an ability to bounce back from the wounds they so commonly endure. At second level, the cleric of Thunor gains spellcasting as a cleric of half his level. At fourth level, they are capable of entering a combat trance (as meditative focus) and fighting more effectively for brief moments of time. At seventh level, the cleric of Thunor is able to make himself berserk, gaining fighting fury. At tenth level, they can make their rage contagious, energizing their comrades in the same manner as inspire courage.

At 9th level, a cleric of Thunor can build a fortified temple, gaining 1d4+1x10 0-level followers from the Jutland Barbarians table (pg. 152, Player's Companion) and 1d6 followers of levels 1-3, half (rounded up) clerics of Thunor and half (rounded down) barbarians.

 

Available Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Alertness, Apostasy, Armor Training, Battle Magic, Berserkergang, Blind Fighting, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (Disarm, Force Back, Overrun, Sunder, Wrestle), Divine Blessing, Dungeon Bashing, Fighting Style, Goblin-Slaying, Intimidation, Martial Training, Mystic Aura, Running, Skirmishing, Unflappable Casting, Wakefulness, Weapon Focus

 

Spells (5/level):

1st: Command Word, Light, Protection from Evil, Remove Fear, Salving Rest

2nd: Holy Chant, Righteous Wrath, Shimmer, Spiritual Weapon, Swift Sword

3rd: Call Lightning, Glitterdust, Invulnerability to Evil, Protection from Normal Missiles, Striking

4th: Dispel Magic, Nondetection, Smite Undead, Sustained Protection from Evil, Vigor

5th: Dispel Evil, Flame Strike, Protection from Normal Weapons, Summon Weather, Sword of Fire

 

 

Creation:

HD 1

Fighting 2

Trade Weapons from Unlimited to Broad (+1 Power)

Trade Armor from Unlimited to Broad (+1 Power)

Divine 1

Remove Turn Undead (+1 Power)

Total: 3 Powers

Trade 1 Power for 2 Powers at level 7

Trade 1 Power for 1 Power at level 4 and 1 Power at level 10