Cleric LFD (Looking For Deity)

[Jsuelieta]

Ok, so here's the deal. I've been invited to a small D&D 3.5 game at first level. I know one of the other people doesn't like being a healer and the other person I went out of my way to buy "Dungeons and Dragons for Dummies" for a while back. I've never been a healer long term before, so I'm not sure of the general deity population to begin with.

I told you that story so I could tell you this one: I want to make a cleric that's going to be interesting to play beyond being a walking medicine cabinet. I was playing around in Hero Lab a bit and noticed that Sphinx was a valid bonus language and thought to myself "It'd be really cool to have a cleric who was associated with sphinxes." Now, barring going all egyptian with it, I was wondering if anyone knew of any non-homebrew deities that were associated with sphinxes, and if there were any suggestions for turning this level 1 human cleric into something cool and interesting in that direction as progression happens.

[Galen]

Don't have input about the deity, but did you consider Cloistered Cleric (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#clericVariantCloistere dCleric)? You get a lot more skills and a bonus domain, so much more options. Oh, and the bonus domain is actually Knowledge, which meshes well with sphinxes. You know, riddles and stuff.

[Rubik]

Well, Bast (or Bastet/Sekhmet, who is Egyptian, BTW) is in Deities & Demigods (p143) and is basically an anthropomorphic lioness who is associated with maternal protection, punishment of the wicked, and felines of all kinds (including sphinxes). She's CG (and thus accepts NG/CG/CN clerics), and her domains are Chaos, Destruction, Protection, Strength, and War. I suggest reading up on her.

If you want to heal, just use a wand of Lesser Vigor and some scrolls of Remove [Insert Affliction Here].

[Jsuelieta]

I like the idea of using a Cloistered Cleric, I totally forgot about variant classes. Not a fan of losing the ability to be on the front lines, but still very cool idea. I was hoping for a deity with knowledge or trickery as domains, or one that was just the deity of sphinxes period, but I'll keep Bast in mind, for certain.

[Rubik]

I like the idea of using a Cloistered Cleric, I totally forgot about variant classes. Not a fan of losing the ability to be on the front lines, but still very cool idea. I was hoping for a deity with knowledge or trickery as domains, or one that was just the deity of sphinxes period, but I'll keep Bast in mind, for certain.Cloistered cleric gives you the Knowledge domain for free.

[Jsuelieta]

Cloistered cleric gives you the Knowledge domain for free.

Is there a god of eyesight? I need to pray to cure my blindness to detail.

[ShurikVch]

If Good, maybe Heimdall? Because
Portfolio: Watchfulness, sight, hearing, loyalty

If Evil, then Great Mother

[Jsuelieta]

The eyesight thing was a joke, but I probably should have mentioned I hadn't settled on an alignment yet, either. That's usually one of the last things I settle on unless it's part of my absolute concept.

[Firechanter]

Cloistered Cleric is pretty cool.

Also, you're on the right track already, but never fall for the trap of handling a Cleric as a healbot. You are much better than that. You can buff yourself and your partymembers through the ceiling, you can have minions, you can do _anything_.

Any plans on how far up that game is gonna go, level-wise? No use planning out a full build if you never get past level 6 anyway. ;)

Oh and are you playing in any particular published setting? Like, Forgotten Realms or somesuch? That would modify the available Pantheon quite significantly. Or is it just a generic fantasy world and you can think up whatever god you want?

[Jsuelieta]

Cloistered Cleric is pretty cool.

Also, you're on the right track already, but never fall for the trap of handling a Cleric as a healbot. You are much better than that. You can buff yourself and your partymembers through the ceiling, you can have minions, you can do _anything_.

Any plans on how far up that game is gonna go, level-wise? No use planning out a full build if you never get past level 6 anyway. ;)

Oh and are you playing in any particular published setting? Like, Forgotten Realms or somesuch? That would modify the available Pantheon quite significantly. Or is it just a generic fantasy world and you can think up whatever god you want?

I'm not sure how far it's going to go, but it's almost a hobby to plan out characters for fun as I'll often put them in a book and pull them out later for other campaigns. As far as I know it's just a generic setting, but unless I'm outright told otherwise I'm sticking with the idea of "If it's in an official rulebook, I'll use it."

[StoneCipher]

Sandstorm has the Egyptian deities, however, I've always considered making a cleric that worships Wastri. That my friend, is one you do great things with.

Wastri[edit]

Wastri is the Suloise god of Amphibians, Bigotry, and Self-Deception. His symbol is a gray toad. Wastri was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk" by Gary Gygax in Dragon #71 (1983).[29] Wastri appears as a human with froglike features, dressed in clothes of gray and yellow and wielding a glave-guisarme called Skewer of the Impure. Wastri teaches his worshippers that humans are superior to all other races. Some humanoid races such as goblins, orcs, and bullywugs are fit to serve humanity as slaves; other races, like dwarves, elves, gnomes, and halflings, must be exterminated.

His followers also ride giant toads into battle. It's fantastic.

[Jsuelieta]

Sandstorm has the Egyptian deities, however, I've always considered making a cleric that worships Wastri. That my friend, is one you do great things with.

Wastri[edit]

Wastri is the Suloise god of Amphibians, Bigotry, and Self-Deception. His symbol is a gray toad. Wastri was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk" by Gary Gygax in Dragon #71 (1983).[29] Wastri appears as a human with froglike features, dressed in clothes of gray and yellow and wielding a glave-guisarme called Skewer of the Impure. Wastri teaches his worshippers that humans are superior to all other races. Some humanoid races such as goblins, orcs, and bullywugs are fit to serve humanity as slaves; other races, like dwarves, elves, gnomes, and halflings, must be exterminated.

His followers also ride giant toads into battle. It's fantastic.

So, what, you want to make the great toad cleric Jiraiya? That'd be hilariously funny.