A Cloistered Cleric, Solving Crimes

[Palanan]

In the tradition of Father Brown and Brother Cadfael, I have a cloistered cleric who will be helping to investigate a murder in my campaign. She's an NPC who will be assisting one of the PCs in the next session, and I'd like suggestions on intelligent ways for her to use the spells at her disposal.

She's a Cleric 3/Druid 1, so spells are limited and she needs to choose them wisely. The PC will be the lead investigator, and I'm counting on his player to make most of the connections and deductions. The NPC is there to provide support, not to overshadow the PC, but I'd like to know if there's anything clever she can do with low-level spells.

Zone of Truth is obvious, although since the cleric/druid is neutral good, the Jack Bauer school of persuasive questioning is right out. She has Charm Person as a domain spell, but with only one casting she won't be able to cover all the suspects. Command also has possibilities, but again the same limitations. What other spells might be useful here?

[Kaeso]

In the tradition of Father Brown and Brother Cadfael, I have a cloistered cleric who will be helping to investigate a murder in my campaign. She's an NPC who will be assisting one of the PCs in the next session, and I'd like suggestions on intelligent ways for her to use the spells at her disposal.

She's a Cleric 3/Druid 1, so spells are limited and she needs to choose them wisely. The PC will be the lead investigator, and I'm counting on his player to make most of the connections and deductions. The NPC is there to provide support, not to overshadow the PC, but I'd like to know if there's anything clever she can do with low-level spells.

Zone of Truth is obvious, although since the cleric/druid is neutral good, the Jack Bauer school of persuasive questioning is right out. She has Charm Person as a domain spell, but with only one casting she won't be able to cover all the suspects. Command also has possibilities, but again the same limitations. What other spells might be useful here?

Eagle's splendor, owls wisdom and crown of glory are pretty decent choices, since they all give either cha or wis bonusses. Hold person could be useful during an interrogation. Perhaps the command spell can be used to force a reluctant prisoner to speak.

[Gavinfoxx]

Why not Archivist 4 instead?

And just arbitrarily give her level 1-2 spells as needed?

Including:

Wieldskill
Divine Insight
Identify
Comprehend Languages
Protection from Evil
Protection from Chaos
Guidance of the Avatar
Gaseous Form
Obscure Object
Magic Aura
Alarm
Undetectable Alignment
Clear Mind
Lay of the Land
Know Direction
Easy Math
Tongues
Sentinel's Watch
Detect Thoughts
Make Whole
Darkvision
Clairaudience/Clairvoyance
Minor Image
Low Light Vision
Know Direction
Scent
Treasure Scent
Embrace the Wild
Message
Disguise Self
Alter Self
Fox's Cunning
Owl's Wisdom
Eagle's Splendor
Locate Object
Locate Water
Locate Touchstone
Aspect of the Wolf
Locate City
Zone of Truth
Detect Aberration
Detect Animals or Plants
Detect Attitude
Detect Chaos
Detect Evil
Detect Good
Detect Guilt
Detect Heresy
Detect Law
Detect Magic
Detect Metal and Minerals
Detect Secret Doors
Detect Snares and Pits
Detect Undead
Detect Violence
Speak With Animals
Speak With Plants
Charm Person
Suggestion
Tree Shape
Camouflage
Invisibility
Silence
Knock
Levitate
Darkness

All of those can be had at spell levels 0,1, and 2 by an Archivist.

[Palanan]

I appreciate the very long list of spell suggestions. Is "Detect Guilt" an actual spell? I can't seem to find it in the Spell Compendium.

Also, I should clarify that the NPC isn't a professional at this sort of thing; this will be her first case, so to speak, so she'll be making do with whatever spells are ordinarily available to her.

[Gavinfoxx]

Detect Guilt is the guilt someone feels. Along with most of the other really weird detects, it is in Dragon Magazine #323.

You should look for the spells you can't find from that list, here:

http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndlive/FindSpell.php

That will direct you... and note that there are ways for Archivists to get those as level 0,1,2 spells.

Oh, add to that list:

Read Magic
Find Temple
Instant Search
Instant Locksmith
Scholar's Touch
Insidious Insight
Spymaster's Coin
Sense Weakness
Find Traps
Know Vulnerabilities
Share Husk
Status
Wild Instincts

And for these non cleric spells, YOU get to decide what is available for her. That's why I suggested an Archivist, who can conceivably have all of these sorts of spells.

For a Cloistered Cleric, just pick all the ones that are, by default, Cleric 0, 1, and 2, and come up with a spell list.

[Palanan]

I suppose I'm more looking for ideas on how low-level cleric spells can be used creatively in this context. Neither the NPC nor the PC were expecting to be solving a murder when they woke up this morning, so they need to do the best they can with whatever they have.

[Gavinfoxx]

Uhhh...

They use skills and then prepare appropriate spells the next morning, then? A quick search through the spell thingy I linked to shows...

CLR 0 spells that might be relevant:

Detect Magic
Detect Poison
Guidance
Mending
Read Magic

CLR 1 spells that might be relevant:

Wieldskill
Comprehend Languages
Detect Chaos
Detect Evil
Detect Guilt
Detect Law
Detect Undead
Detect Violence
Eyes of the Avoral
Omen of Peril

CLR 2 spells that might be relevant:
Augury
Divine Insight
Eagle's Splendor
Find Traps
Guidance of the Avatar
Owl's Wisdom
Zone of Truth

DRD 0 spells that might be relevant:
Detect Magic
Detect Poison
Guidance
Mending
Naturewatch
Read Magic

DRD 1 spells that might be relevant:
Aspect of the Wolf (you get Scent!)
Camouflage
Detect Animals or Plants
Detect Snares or Pits
Eyes of the Avoral
Low-Light Vision
Omen of Peril
Raptor's Sight
Remove Scent
Speak With Animals

[Slipperychicken]

Investigations IRL take a long time. Interrogating one person/day really effectively with magic is just fine. Besides, you can just keep un-interrogated people in custody while you investigate and wait for your spells to recharge.

Remember that if a character made his save against ZoT, it's hard to tell that he didn't, assuming he's a good liar. Use Detect Thoughts instead, and tell the target to fail his save voluntarily or add Obstruction of Justice to his prison sentence. Bluff DC to disguise surface thoughts is 100, so you can be pretty sure the thoughts you're detecting are legit. Take all the rings off his hands, make him change into prison garb, and make sure he has no auras up first, so you can be sure he has no buffs.

P.S. Now you get to play "Don't Think About All Those People You Murdered". Have fun!

[Kol Korran]

well, what sort of work does the prist usually do? it will give us ideas to what sort of spell might be prepared. if they are administirng to a small congregation, they probably won't have offensive spells such as command prepared.

some thoughts:
- divine insight. one of the msot versatyle spells and quite probably a prepared one for this very reason. can be used to boost diplomacy, bluff, sense motive, stealth and so on. might be a good utility spell to overcome skills neither character posses.
- speak with animals: quite likely prepared if no combat is suspected. might be used to gain info from guard dogs, house cats, nesting birds and the like.
- while charm person does not cover all suspects, it can cover one KEY suspect (or informant) and blow the case wide open. the idea is not to cover all bases and have a spell for every occasion- you'll have to be quite a higher level for that. the key is using your own limited spells to the best advantage. it makes for a more interesting play as well.
- if the cleric is in a local where many languages are spoken/ written, they might have comprehend languages prepared, and be able to discern secrets others want her not to know.

just some ideas.

[Canarr]

Investigations IRL take a long time. Interrogating one person/day really effectively with magic is just fine. Besides, you can just keep un-interrogated people in custody while you investigate and wait for your spells to recharge.


Well, not necessarily... depending on the setting, suspects might actually have rights, the violation of which the local magistrates frown upon. Alternatively - or additionally - suspects might be well-connected. "The Duke has sent a message, inquiring as to why you've arrested his wife, confiscated her jewelry, and forced her to change into prison garb?"