Priest-Defender (Character Kit)

Priest-defender
This non-heirarchical priest knows something about the dark forces of the ancient past and means to destroy them. He may have learned about them as part of a heirarchical order, then left on his own to combat these great evils, or he may have been a mystic of some kind who stumbled upon the knowledge by accident. Though he begins with little knowledge, he is always certain of his faith and his gods help. Unlike a paladin, a priest- defender depends on spells to win the day, not sheer strength of arms.
Weapon Proficiencies:
* Bonus: none
* Recommended: mace, staff.
Nonweapon Proficiencies:
* Bonus: Ancient History, Reading/Writing;
* Recommended: Ancient Languages, Dark Lore
(new proficiency, see later), Debate, Genie Lore, Religion, Spellcraft.
Equipment:   Priest-defenders are usu- ally equipped as warriors. Their armor and clothing is commonly embroidered. painted or inlaid with sacred verses, holy writings, and religious symbols.
Distinctive appearance: Priest- defenders care little for their appearance but maintain their tools devotedly.
Special Benefits: This kit is aligned with the mamluks of the Vigilant (de- scribed later). After reaching 9th level, a priest-defender gains two 3rd-level mam- luks and 10 1st-level faris as guards and helpers. If these followers die, the Vigilant may send others if the priest-defender seems to have done all he could to prevent the mamluks deaths.
Like rangers, priest-defenders gain bonuses against a single type of foe, gener- ally the campaigns chief villain. Against this opponent, the priest-defenders spells all operate at maximum effectiveness. The foe could be anything from sahuagin to yak-men to efreet to the Brotherhood of True Flame.
Magical abilities: Priest-defenders gain spells from the following spheres as priests:
Major access: All, Charm, Combat, Guardian, Healing, Protection, Wards (from the Tome of Magic); Minor access: Divination, Elemental, Necromantic, Sun.
Forbidden: All others, except spells that overlap one or more spheres.
Turning Undead: A priest-defender can turn undead as a standard cleric of the same level, and also can turn genies. A priest-defender turns genies as undead of equivalent hit dice. To keep this ability, the priest must not associate with genies and must uphold two or more vows determined by the DM (perhaps fasting twice each week, chastity, silence, poverty, celibacy, preaching to the unEnlightened and the impious each day, or wandering Zskhara, never settling down). If there is a shair in the PC party, the resulting tension can make for some very interesting role playing or it can lead to trouble all
around. The priest and the shair may engage in a party power struggle, resulting in bad feelings among the players. To avoid this, before these two characters meet, any party with both a priest- defender and a shair PC should be required to explain why these two will tolerate each other and go adventuring together.
Special Hindrances: The priest- defender is driven to exterminate evil, and cannot rest from his labors and vigilance.
The priest-defender may never build a temple or stronghold, though the most charismatic may attract an entourage of hundreds of followers. After 9th level, the henchmen and followers of a priest- defender require no pay, as they serve out of faith and love.
Wealth Options: Priest-defenders must spend all available funds on seeking out and destroying agents of darkness.
Races: Members of any race may be priest-defenders, though dwarves and humans seem especially drawn to this profession.
== NEW NWP Dark Lore ==
1 slot, Intelligence -3
The Dark Lore proficiency gives the PC
a wide ranging knowledge of the nature of the dark powers of the deserts, peaks, and oceans, and the charms and rituals that can hold them at bay. A priest with this proficiency gains minor access to the Protection sphere of spells, even if he is otherwise not entitled to it, and gains major access to it if he already has minor access. Other characters gain knowledge of which spells and magical items can fend off which monsters.
With a successful proficiently check, the character knows how to bribe, avert, or ward off a particular type of supernatural creature. He knows the weaknesses and abilities of most supernatural, evil mon- sters (not including the genies). He also knows their customs, their likes and dis- likes, and their enemies, improving the
PCs bribery, haggling, and reaction rolls by +2. With powerful creatures of darkness (more HD than the PC has levels), the DM should roll the skill check. The skill still provides the nature of their weakness, if anybut on a failed check the supposed knowledge is completely false, and per haps even makes the creature stronger. This proficiency does not provide any detailed knowledge of genies; the Genie Lore proficiency provides that.
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