On The Brain

I've been watching videos about the newest D&D edition talking about things I only half understand because I ejected from D&D at 2e.

But, apparently, Warlocks get their powers from a deal made with some shadowy entity.

It occurs to me, if I were writing this game that such a deal might seal you off from clerical intervention.

I end up GURPSing the ideas that come to my head about making non-wizard magic users and when clerics come up it gets different.

A cleric's spells are granted by their deity.  There will be people that god will refuse aid to.  It might even be temporary.  Hera would certainly deny a follower of Zeus assistance during her anger at finding him fooling around on her... again.

And that's just within a pantheon.

A cleric of Hermes is probably unable to lend aid to some Godless Persian, regardless of if Zeus has been busted humping mortal women.

I know that players are going to rebel at being forced to obey the strictures of their character's religion.

Even more so, long time players of D&D are going to be confused at how the spells work out.  In D&D a cleric is a healer.  Most polytheistic religions have a god of healing, so you'd have to be a cleric of THAT god to get healing spells.  The god of war prolly doesn't have much to offer for healing...

The spell set will be greatly limited compared to a wizard.

But, depending on the rules I pick, a cleric might not use fatigue to cast their miracles, it being granted by the power of a god.

I often stop world design at the gods and clerical magic because it's a lot of work and limited reward.  But if I keep picking at a list of quasi-Greek gods and their spell lists and effects...  Eventually I will have it done and ready to play in the ACLF Harvey puts me in.