Cleric

**Cleric**, occasionally referred to colloquially as **priest**, is a character class available to players in the *13th Age* fantasy tabletop roleplaying game ruleset. It is a part of the *13th* *Age* core ruleset published by Pelgrane Press. The cleric class is a part of the larger canon of character classes available to players in D20 Fantasy TTRPGs. Affiliated with the multitude of gods and powers that inhabit many fantasy settings, clerics channel their power into magic to fulfill the role of a 'support' class often through their healing magic. The cleric's mechanics focus around crafting a servant of a particular god or power native to the setting of the campaign.

In *WovenRealm,* Ezara is a cleric, raised as an acolyte of the Astral Star at Brightstar Abbey. With her wielding the Lance of Stars, it is clear she has earned more favor with her god than the typical cleric of the Star.

## Playstyle

### Role

The cleric has long been considered a 'support class' since its original inception and introduction to RPGs with their healing spells, powerful blessings, and the ire of their god. Clerics are also competent combatants, able to take advantage of heavy armor and some martial weapons usually reserved for warrior classes.

### Ability Score

Keeping in line with the tradition established since their original inception, Clerics rely on their Wisdom score to power their magic. Seeing that clerics are often wading into combat to keep their allies on their feet, they benefit greatly from increased Constitution and Strength. Some clerics may opt for a higher Dexterity than Strength.

### Primary Mechanics

Clerics have the *Heal* spell as a default . In conjunction with their ability to utilize heavy armor, many clerics also make effective warriors in their own rights, especially when benefitting from the power granted to them by their god. Cleric talents are divided into different domains that are meant to represent the divine portfolio of the cleric's chosen object of worship. These domains provide clerics of invocations that provide benefits to allies all around while also being where variety is injected into the class. Many cleric spells place a great focus on healing/curing, protecting, and buffing allies, but clerics also have powerful spells at their disposal they can use to smite enemies, especially those of an unholy nature. It is a trope in RPGs that clerics are premiere members of an adventuring party when that group comes up against the undead.

### Narrative & Background

Being viewed as the 'spiritual class,' the majority of the recommended backgrounds for clerics are tied to service to a religion, temple, faith, or god. Others include healer, bartender, and reformed thief. The cleric domains themselves are specifically designed to allow a player to create a cleric that accurately represents the portfolios of whatever object of worship they so choose.

## In Previous Campaigns

Kangjax of the Wrong Turns seen in *Agora's Bells* was a cleric first to Boolan Yang and later to Tiamat. His primary domain focused on storms.

## In Campaign

In *WovenRealm,* Ezara starts the adventure as a cleric specifically devoted to the Astral Star, the over-deity and great creator of Evarencia. Inspired by her apothecary father, Ezara seeks to utilize her divine magic to heal others, a role she easily took to during the Emerald Caravan's adventures. Despite her own crisis of faith throughout the course of the campaign, she has never lost the ability to draw divine power. Unlike many clerics, Ezara is not a front-line combatant, preferring to remain available to heal others and rain starfire upon the Caravan's foes.

## Homebrew

The Lance of Stars, as a powerful weapon, has become a core part of Ezara's character both narratively and mechanically. This powerful lance is the basis of her iconic *Motes of Starlight* based powers. Other divine magic granted to Ezara has not been granted to her by her god, but instead by her divine ancestor, Goerwyr.

## Notes & Trivia

* In Evarencia, not every 'commoner' priest or religious servant is necessarily a cleric in the sense of the character class. Clerics specifically wield and channel a gods miraculous magic in very tangible and real ways.
* The cleric has a clear *Dungeons and Dragons* analogue where they have their basis as the priests, servants, conduits, and channellers of their gods.
* The name for the class itself is derived from the word 'clergy,' which is based in ecclesiastical (church) Latin and French. 'Clerk' was once used to refer to an ordained minister.
* The cleric of RPGs is intended to encapsulate a wide variety of spiritual leaders with the primary roles of being ritual guides and authorities on the divine, but the image of a chainmail clad, mace wielding, shield-bearing priest is derived from Christian priests who fought in wars during the Medeival period, specifically the Crusades.
* Cleric is often a part of the 'main 4' RPG character class archetypes along with: Fighter, Rogue, and Mage/Wizard.