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View Full Version : Playing a Cleric of the Raven Queen (DnD 4e)



theonesin
2010-10-22, 03:31 PM
So I decided to play a cold-based Dragonborn Cleric who wields a scythe, and it just so happened that I found a deity who seemed thematically-appropriate for the character, the Raven Queen. I've never played a Cleric before, and I'm wondering if having this specific deity would be cause a big conflict. Her alignment is Unaligned, so I assume she's not exactly good nor evil which I would think would work in the campaign I'm in (it's not an evil campaign, but I just got into an already-running game and don't know how specifically good the party is).

If you don't think such a character would be too strange, any tips on how one might roleplay this?

NotScaryBats
2010-10-22, 03:34 PM
Raven Queen is a fine deity for a PC. She is the goddess of death, but not the undead, so certainly not evil.

I had a paladin of her (who also had a scythe) and it worked just fine with a good party.

WildPyre
2010-10-22, 03:38 PM
Having the Raven Queen as your deity shouldn't pose any problems in and of itself. As you said she's unalinged, representing death. It's neither good nor evil, in 3.5 as far as I can tell she's be true neutral. Death is the one constant balancer, everything dies... or at least it should. This works nicely if you're in a particuarly undead heavy game, as your character can take particular offense at the undead. Those wreytched abominations that mock the Queen and her gift of eternal slumber.

So basicly, yeah, a cleric of death need not be evil, or even bad in any way. Deah is a natural part of life... it's one we don't like to think about or face, but it's a cold inevirability.

Mando Knight
2010-10-22, 03:49 PM
Dragon #380 (Oct 2009) has an article (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/drfe/20091005) on (mostly PC) followers of the Raven Queen.
Dragon #171 (also Oct 2009) fittingly enough also has an article (http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/duddg/20091014) on the Raven Queen, this one (like the magazine itself) primarily for DMs.

Sipex
2010-10-22, 03:51 PM
As for healing, you theme your powers around her. Healing is allowed through the Raven Queen because it is not yet your target's time to die.

Reviving someone would be like asking for the Raven Queen to allow them back into the world for a greater purpose.

theonesin
2010-10-22, 04:00 PM
Sadly I don't have DnD Insider, so I can't view those articles.

At any rate, thanks for the advice everyone.

Asbestos
2010-10-22, 04:09 PM
Sadly I don't have DnD Insider, so I can't view those articles.

At any rate, thanks for the advice everyone.

Mostly the one for PCs has more thematic powers for a follower of a god of death. Things that do Cold/Necrotic damage instead of radiant damage for instance. If your DM will allow you to change the damage type on a power or two you could probably achieve the same effect.

JackOfAllGeeks
2010-10-22, 04:20 PM
Something I think is worth keeping in mind is that your character doesn't have to be grim, morose, unfeeling, macabre, etc, just because he serves the Goddess of Death. He can be as fun-loving as the next guy next to a pint of ale and a warm fire -- maybe more so, since he's constantly aware of how fleeting life is -- but when he goes out to perform his duties he carries out her will. Which can involve anything from destroying the undead to slaying the unnaturally-long-lived, to ensuring the proper reverence is paid to the deceased. He may pause after battle to dig graves, or at least whisper a prayer to the Queen. 4E is kind of explicit that there are no "great churches" meting out dogma, and if your GM goes with that it makes perfect sense for your cleric to serve the Queen in whatever way you decide to interpret.