From: alvalent@husc9.harvard.edu (Alvin Valentine)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: Clerics:  Deities Granting Spells
Date: 7 Sep 92 03:11:16 GMT
Organization: Harvard University Science Center

This was the one thing that ticked me off about 2nd ed and TSR.  I noticed it
right from the beginning.  I loved the idea of different priesthoods getting
different spheres.  It wasn't just a good idea, it was necessary.  Priests
of Poseiden casting Fire Storm rubbed me the wrong way in 1st ed.  Still,
no priestly source is compatible really.  The Complete Priests Handbook is
out there and Deities and Demigods, Greyhawk Adventures, and FR Adventures
use none of the play balancing rules from the book and in some cases violate
CPH's "this should never be allowed" rules in tons of places.  I like the
Complete Priest's Handbook method for a few reasons:

	1)  Given a quick glance, 9 people out of 10 will choose a PHB
		Cleric in 2nd ed. to any specialty priest with limited 
		spheres unless the special powers of the latter were excedingly
		attractive.  This is bogus.  Again water people should
		breathe water, not cast Fire Storm.
	2)  Certain of the books are clearly laid out such that more powerful
		gods grant SCADS more power than lesser gods.  Zeus may
		give his priests Lightning Bolt 1/day plus major access
		to everything.  Mediocre Demigod may give 1 major and 2 minors.
		Makes good sense, but doesn't balance well with the XP side.
		Imagine telling someone he had to earn 500K XPs for next
		level to get one more 3rd level spell, while the Zeus 
		worshipper over there gets +1 7th level spell, +1 6th, +3 5th..
		Not quite fair, is it?
	3)  Given 2), people may not pick the "deity for them," but the one
		with the better "gas mileage" as it were.  Who'd wanna be told
		that you are always gonna have 20 spells to pick from, when
		the Mystra worshipper 'cross the street has 200.  Yeah, it
		happens some with the CPH too, but nothing like it happens in
		the "free form" religion handbooks.

So, what should we do?  Different XPs for different levels of power granting
seems reasonable (in fact, Greyhawk adventures does this nicely--these guys
are more powerful than most specialty priests so charge 'em 10% more XPs).
The CPH suggests giving some folks Druidical XP advancement if the are less
powerful, but if you built a Druid from the ground up using the CPH, you'd
probably give him the Clerical XP chart, 'cause they aren't that different
from the nature priests therein, who pay Cleric XPs.

Saying that you could come up with a different XP set for each priesthood
is a nice thought, but it's kinda hard to figure out down the road just
how many XPs    "X"   is worth without play testing some, and thus the reason
I like the scheme used in the CPH.

What do you suggest?  I don't have a problem with Zeus granting more power
than Loser-Demi-God, but I don't think Loser-Demi-God's priests should be
paying XPs out the nose for a token spell or two either.

Thoughts?  Comments?  Does anyone have a problem with this, or is it just me?
I have liked the 2nd ed. all the way.  I have overlooked minor difficulties,
but why the hell did they bother with the CPH if their own people were going
to COMPLETELY ignore it.  Perhaps one could argue that Greyhawk Adventures
works with it fairly well given the XP penalty thing, but Deities and Demigods
and FR Adventures are out there in left field as is every priesthood,
priest etc.  that are printed in TSR modules.  The CPH is ignored, and 
2 priests of the same XPs could be VERY different in power levels.
		
Later,
 
Lee Valentine
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd