From: f35437c@saha.hut.fi (Aki Taskinen)
Subject: More Fascinating Clerics
Organization: Helsinki University of Technology, Finland
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 10:49:55 GMT

>>I often play Clerics, and it seems that every time I do, I wind up in the 
>>position of being viewed as the party's walking first aid kit. 

A problem indeed.. but one could treat any class this way:

"Orcs charging us? Really, old boy, this is not my specialty. You are the
 fighter: now be a good fellow and deal with them while I complete my me-
 ditation. And do not bother me again with such pesky news."
"A door. Thief! Do your thing!"
"Ok, here's what. Up to four orcs, I slice 'em. Five or more, it's your job,
 mage."

So it is more a question of group dynamics than anything else. I wonder what
your team would think if you'd comment something like "Sorry guys. The god I
serve is bored  of me nagging  to get more healing spells every time you get
yourselves sliced up. Find your healing somewhere else, or better yet, avoid
the damage.."

What has been suggested are:

>1. Get rid of general clerics, and have only specialty priests. Then be very
>   selective about what spheres are given out (not every god/goddess would
>   have the healing and necromancy spheres).

And even more importantly, specialty priests do *NOT* necessarily have the
moral duty to heal, unlike generalists according to PHB, the Paladins' Holy
Book (tm). IMHO, I disagree with the idea that the priests should have a
duty to heal just because someone is hurt. Thieves don't *have to* steal,
fighters have no obligation to use brute force when a softer method would do,
and mages don't have to nuke the population all around. The limitation on
clerics both limits their enjoyability and their range.

As for that matter, in my campaigns I accept both. The clerics of the 
pantheology in use are specialists, with limitations to spheres but with
special, unique abilities, while those that worship other gods, foreign to
the realm, are generalists. Few limitations, no surprises or special abilities.

>2. Use a spell point type system for clerics. The cleric (or priest!) could
>   have quite a few different spells per level available, and wouldn't need
>   to dedicate him/herself to Cure X Wounds before combat even began.

Whether to do so at all is a questionof tactics.. I'd rather boost the cleric
with Command, Heat Metal, Bless, Hold Person etc. than n * Cure X wounds.

The rules I use deny easy recovery from damage. A Cure Wounds spell helps the
body heal itself faster, stops internal bleeding, heals infection, dispels
fatigue.. that sort of things. It is *NOT* instantenuous, giving the priests
range.

>3. Give other classes healing abilites. Let rangers have access to the healing
>   sphere. Give mages a few ___minor___ curative spells (like a "Cure Wounds"
>   that's second level, and restores a whole 1-6 hit points). Spread the 
>   responsibility around.

And deny one of the two specialties of the clerics? How about "Turn Undead",
Mu3, Necromancy? After that, who needs clerics? We are then approaching a
skill-based system instead a class-based one.

>4. Give the group a few days to rest, so they can heal naturally (especially
>   if the cleric has herbalism and healing).

With above-zero healing times, this is definitely necessary.

>5. Give out magic.
>6. Give the cleric special power to heal.

All viable solutions. Yet the easiest outcomes are:

	- give the priest a reason NOT to heal
	- limit the capacity of party members to receive healing magic