Cleric background help!

[Kaisenborg]

Hello, I'm in need of some cool background stories for a cleric. It could be any domain, an already existing or a completely new one same goes with gods. It's for a friend of mine who don't really have the time and motivation to create a cool story and I need some help to help him..

Sorry if I'm not being clear. The point is. Do you have a cool story for a cleric please share it and it might come to life through my game with my friends.

[Provo]

Mine is a Hobgoblin cleric of Garl Glittergold (Moradin works too). He didn't want an afterlife in the eternal battlefield of Acheron, so he devoted himself to an enemy of Maglubiyet (the hobgoblin diety).

Now he seeks treasure, exploration, and pranks in service to the Gnome diety.

[Hrugner]

My personal favorite is a knowledge cleric obsessed with being as good as possible. He's so tied up in learning to understand the world, deduce the repercussions of his actions, and predict the intent of those around him, that he finds himself crippled when making decisions about good and evil. He ends up playing as true neutral, attempting to ensure that he has as little impact on the world as possible, while still focusing on doing things that preserve the order of the world as is for as long as possible. Anything that wields power indiscriminately or recklessly and with dramatic effect appears evil to him.

A war cleric who thinks of himself as a normal soldier is also pretty fun. He acknowledges that he can cast spells, but he derives his power from faith in his allies, family and country. He has no real association with any church and doesn't consider morality in any abstract sense. He tends to think of more clerics who deal with morality in an abstract sense as those who are over complicating life for their own advantage.

The reluctant priest. He encountered his deity in corporeal form and heard from the deity's mouth a confession of power and purpose. While he doesn't like the deity, and doesn't want to rely on the deity, he truly knows about the deity in a way that he can't unknow. This absolute knowledge provides him with something stronger than faith, and it's completely inescapable. The cleric takes on hazardous tasks, lives recklessly and abuses their mind with drugs, booze, and magic, hoping to destroy the knowledge that ties them to the god.

[Kaisenborg]

Mine is a Hobgoblin cleric of Garl Glittergold (Moradin works too). He didn't want an afterlife in the eternal battlefield of Acheron, so he devoted himself to an enemy of Maglubiyet (the hobgoblin diety).

Now he seeks treasure, exploration, and pranks in service to the Gnome diety.

Thank you, interesting to hear about something other than a human for example.


My personal favorite is a knowledge cleric obsessed with being as good as possible. He's so tied up in learning to understand the world, deduce the repercussions of his actions, and predict the intent of those around him, that he finds himself crippled when making decisions about good and evil. He ends up playing as true neutral, attempting to ensure that he has as little impact on the world as possible, while still focusing on doing things that preserve the order of the world as is for as long as possible. Anything that wields power indiscriminately or recklessly and with dramatic effect appears evil to him.

A war cleric who thinks of himself as a normal soldier is also pretty fun. He acknowledges that he can cast spells, but he derives his power from faith in his allies, family and country. He has no real association with any church and doesn't consider morality in any abstract sense. He tends to think of more clerics who deal with morality in an abstract sense as those who are over complicating life for their own advantage.

The reluctant priest. He encountered his deity in corporeal form and heard from the deity's mouth a confession of power and purpose. While he doesn't like the deity, and doesn't want to rely on the deity, he truly knows about the deity in a way that he can't unknow. This absolute knowledge provides him with something stronger than faith, and it's completely inescapable. The cleric takes on hazardous tasks, lives recklessly and abuses their mind with drugs, booze, and magic, hoping to destroy the knowledge that ties them to the god.

Awesome this is exactly what I was looking for if you have any more I would love to hear them!

If this changes anything I think my player is leaning towards playing a dragonborn. Does this change much because I don't know much about the nature and lore about dragonborn..

Thank to both of you!

[Specter]

Maybe he was an outlaw (Criminal) who saw the error of his ways... or went further into them.

Or a militia (Soldier) who saw the horrors of war and now is devoted to protection and easing the pain.

Or he was part of a ship's crew (Sailor) who drowned and later washed up on the shore, and believes the gods were responsible for his fate.

So much can be thought of just taking backgrounds and delving on them.

[Aett_Thorn]

A Mountain Dwarf Arcana cleric. Dwarves aren't known to be a race that is interested in arcane knowledge. However, he/she has been chosen as a champion of Mystra to bring more knowledge to the race. So now he travels the world, all the while trying to educate any dwarf he comes across in the ways of Mystra and arcane magic.

A Wild Elf nature cleric who focuses on battlefield control and shooting things with arrows. He's focused on avenging the forest for any damages he thinks that people have inflicted upon it. He has a particular hatred for foresters of any race.

A Rock Gnome Knowledge cleric who is obsessed with gaining as much information as possible. He might help win a fight, or he might ditch it to read that book that got knocked off the shelf. Just as likely to try to talk to the orcs about their lifestyle and cooking methods as he is to try to fight them to save the missing princess. Of course, once the team rescues the princess, he's likely to discuss the orcs interrogation techniques with her.

A Halfling Trickery cleric that isn't too sneaky himself, but specializes in buffing his team to help them out and make them like thieves, and debuffing his enemies to make them weaker.

[BW022]

I tend to build characters based on the setting. I find setting, historical examples, locations, terrain, setting history, etc. often give you a place to start.

* What would a knowledge cleric look like in a remove plains tribe? Maybe a story teller, star reader, diviner, maybe the advisor to a chieftain?
* What would a nature cleric looks like in a desert? Maybe he is the "water finder" or weather man. Maybe look at North American plains Indians as inspiration?
* What would a storm cleric look like in mountain setting? Maybe he is a "survival of the fittest" type guy with survival and into cold.
* What would a coastal trickery cleric look like? Maybe a pirate or smuggler? Maybe she's a noble "spy" who is on a revenge plot to destroy a rival family by discovering their trade schedules.
* What would a dwarven life cleric look like? Maybe he is an elderly 'peacemaker' between dwarven clans or maybe he is a herbalist looking to cure a disease which inflicts several of his clansmen?
* What would an elven war cleric looks like? Maybe he is a "competitor" who specializes in competition? Archery tournaments, running competitions, riding, climbing, ... etc. or extreme dares? Perhaps with a gambling/betting personality?

There are lots of things you can do. My advice... look at your domain, gods, setting, etc. and put yourself in a unique situation. Maybe something is happening in the setting... a war, rebellion, etc. Maybe your character is a refugee fleeing an evil area, a fence for nobles, etc. Try to play against type.

[Kaisenborg]

Maybe he was an outlaw (Criminal) who saw the error of his ways... or went further into them.

Or a militia (Soldier) who saw the horrors of war and now is devoted to protection and easing the pain.

Or he was part of a ship's crew (Sailor) who drowned and later washed up on the shore, and believes the gods were responsible for his fate.

So much can be thought of just taking backgrounds and delving on them.

Perfect if I show this to my player he will serenely be able to pick one! Thank you.


A Mountain Dwarf Arcana cleric. Dwarves aren't known to be a race that is interested in arcane knowledge. However, he/she has been chosen as a champion of Mystra to bring more knowledge to the race. So now he travels the world, all the while trying to educate any dwarf he comes across in the ways of Mystra and arcane magic.

A Wild Elf nature cleric who focuses on battlefield control and shooting things with arrows. He's focused on avenging the forest for any damages he thinks that people have inflicted upon it. He has a particular hatred for foresters of any race.

A Rock Gnome Knowledge cleric who is obsessed with gaining as much information as possible. He might help win a fight, or he might ditch it to read that book that got knocked off the shelf. Just as likely to try to talk to the orcs about their lifestyle and cooking methods as he is to try to fight them to save the missing princess. Of course, once the team rescues the princess, he's likely to discuss the orcs interrogation techniques with her.

A Halfling Trickery cleric that isn't too sneaky himself, but specializes in buffing his team to help them out and make them like thieves, and debuffing his enemies to make them weaker.
These are also great! I really like the rock gnome! I think he already want to be a dragonborn but he might change his mind now.



I tend to build characters based on the setting. I find setting, historical examples, locations, terrain, setting history, etc. often give you a place to start.

* What would a knowledge cleric look like in a remove plains tribe? Maybe a story teller, star reader, diviner, maybe the advisor to a chieftain?
* What would a nature cleric looks like in a desert? Maybe he is the "water finder" or weather man. Maybe look at North American plains Indians as inspiration?
* What would a storm cleric look like in mountain setting? Maybe he is a "survival of the fittest" type guy with survival and into cold.
* What would a coastal trickery cleric look like? Maybe a pirate or smuggler? Maybe she's a noble "spy" who is on a revenge plot to destroy a rival family by discovering their trade schedules.
* What would a dwarven life cleric look like? Maybe he is an elderly 'peacemaker' between dwarven clans or maybe he is a herbalist looking to cure a disease which inflicts several of his clansmen?
* What would an elven war cleric looks like? Maybe he is a "competitor" who specializes in competition? Archery tournaments, running competitions, riding, climbing, ... etc. or extreme dares? Perhaps with a gambling/betting personality?

There are lots of things you can do. My advice... look at your domain, gods, setting, etc. and put yourself in a unique situation. Maybe something is happening in the setting... a war, rebellion, etc. Maybe your character is a refugee fleeing an evil area, a fence for nobles, etc. Try to play against type.

Great tips. The thing is that I have created the world from scratch since I am the Dm and well this is my first time in a rpg game so I'm not exactly done yet "nervous cough" so about the history and setting that might be hard for him.. That's why I wanted to help him. I thought the world was going to kinda build it self once we started playing.

Do you have any tips for maybe a dragonborn too?
Answer once again thanks!

[Arcangel4774]

I had a dragonborn tempest cleric who was a sailor that due to drunken luck survived a horrible storm and shipwreck. He now thinks he's chosen by his god, and tries to live a pious and evangelical life. Normally hes soft spoken and "holier than thou", but when he drinks or is under duress he has the mouth of sailor.

An ally of mine disturbed some remains and earned the party the ire of some ghosts, despite my displeasure and warning against it. As we ran I cussed them out with "every swear [they] knew and a few [they] didn't".

[Aett_Thorn]

Dragonborn are great, because you have all of the subrace flexibility. This lets you do a couple of things:

1) Make the obvious choice:
-Red/Gold Dragonborn Light Cleric
-Blue/Bronze Tempest Cleric
-Green Nature Cleric
-Black Death Cleric
-Brass Trickery Cleric
etc.

2) Make a diametrically opposed choice:
-White/Silver Light Cleric
-Black Life Cleric

3) All of them might make good Knowledge, War, or Arcana Clerics

4) Any of the good dragons would be appropriate Life Clerics

5) Randomize them, and see what you get, and then try to figure out how the subrace/domain would work

[Kaisenborg]

I had a dragonborn tempest cleric who was a sailor that due to drunken luck survived a horrible storm and shipwreck. He now thinks he's chosen by his god, and tries to live a pious and evangelical life. Normally hes soft spoken and "holier than thou", but when he drinks or is under duress he has the mouth of sailor.

An ally of mine disturbed some remains and earned the party the ire of some ghosts, despite my displeasure and warning against it. As we ran I cussed them out with "every swear [they] knew and a few [they] didn't".

Great! Thank you if you got. More laying around please feel free to enlighten me more



Dragonborn are great, because you have all of the subrace flexibility. This lets you do a couple of things:

1) Make the obvious choice:
-Red/Gold Dragonborn Light Cleric
-Blue/Bronze Tempest Cleric
-Green Nature Cleric
-Black Death Cleric
-Brass Trickery Cleric
etc.

2) Make a diametrically opposed choice:
-White/Silver Light Cleric
-Black Life Cleric

3) All of them might make good Knowledge, War, or Arcana Clerics

4) Any of the good dragons would be appropriate Life Clerics

5) Randomize them, and see what you get, and then try to figure out how the subrace/domain would work

Ah great! Yeah I think I will have to read up on the subraces feels like every time I think that I might begin to be ready there is something quite obvious that I have missed this being one thanks for all tips

[zeek0]

A cleric would make a perfect witchdoctor type. I have a background for such in my sig if you are interested.

[Herobizkit]

One of the players in my former group was a Half-Orc War Cleric of Gruumsh. He resented his human side for being "weak-blooded" and wanted to prove his worth in battles against the Elven menace.

Drow/Half-Drow (via SCAG) Light or Nature cleric of Eilistraee. She's a Goddess that's kind of a Ranger/Bard in her outook and one of her main goals is to bring the Underdark Drow back to the surface to live in peace with their kin and other races.

+1 Dwarven Arcana/Knowledge Cleric. Much more chill than your typical dwarf.

Also, Dwarven Tempest Cleric just screams a follower of the Norse Pantheon [following the whole Pantheon vs. one deity might be a houserule; definitely a campaign option in 3e]. I played one, taking the Magic Initiate feat to get Find Familiar and ending up with a chatty raven.

[Kaisenborg]

A cleric would make a perfect witchdoctor type. I have a background for such in my sig if you are interested.
Sound interesting, I would very much h like to hear it.


One of the players in my former group was a Half-Orc War Cleric of Gruumsh. He resented his human side for being "weak-blooded" and wanted to prove his worth in battles against the Elven menace.

Drow/Half-Drow (via SCAG) Light or Nature cleric of Eilistraee. She's a Goddess that's kind of a Ranger/Bard in her outook and one of her main goals is to bring the Underdark Drow back to the surface to live in peace with their kin and other races.

+1 Dwarven Arcana/Knowledge Cleric. Much more chill than your typical dwarf.

Also, Dwarven Tempest Cleric just screams a follower of the Norse Pantheon [following the whole Pantheon vs. one deity might be a houserule; definitely a campaign option in 3e]. I played one, taking the Magic Initiate feat to get Find Familiar and ending up with a chatty raven.

Cool thank you you guys if great for helping this much. Feels very good to have this support from the forum, especially when you are a noob like me

[solidork]

The core of the initial concept for my war cleric was this:
-Idolizes a specific person or persons who are no longer alive.
-Is in possession of, or is searching for, a weapon that belonged to the person(s) they idolized.
-Once they obtain said weapon, they have very complicated feelings about if they should use it.
-Even if they don't use it to attack with, it changes their magic. Spiritual Weapon takes the form of the relic weapon. Spirit Guardians take the form of the person(s) they idolize.

I first did this in a campaign that only lasted one session. He was a former soldier who was haunted by the death of his boyfriend/commanding officer, and couldn't bring himself to get rid of his lover's belongings(including a sword). Was his magic changing an indication that his captain was still watching over him somehow? Or was it just a product of his bereaved heart?

In a current campaign, I am playing a half orc from an ancestor worshiping "barbarian" tribe. He tracked down the guy who desecrated his family's tomb and stole the great sword that was only carried by the greatest heroes of his bloodline and met the party in the process. Upon finding out that the plot of the campaign threatened the destruction of the entire world, he was torn between his duty to return the sword and his duty to protect his people from this threat. He decided to stay with the party, and prayed that his ancestors would understand. The last time he spoke with his grandmother with sending, he learned that the bodies in the defiled tomb had gone missing and were presumably on their way to him to pass judgement. His spirit guardians take the form of his mightiest ancestors who wielded the relic, and though they do not speak, he still frequently kneels in reverence before them after battle and offers his thanks.

[zeek0]

Sound interesting, I would very much h like to hear it.



Cool thank you you guys if great for helping this much. Feels very good to have this support from the forum, especially when you are a noob like me

Hey, we like to think about this stuff. No problem.

As for the witchdoctor/shaman motif, what is a shaman but a different kind of religous leader? They adjudicate familial disputes, carry on local traditions, and cure the ailing. A shaman might have less scruples about dishing out curses, but that too is done in the interest of social order.

[Kaisenborg]

The core of the initial concept for my war cleric was this:
-Idolizes a specific person or persons who are no longer alive.
-Is in possession of, or is searching for, a weapon that belonged to the person(s) they idolized.
-Once they obtain said weapon, they have very complicated feelings about if they should use it.
-Even if they don't use it to attack with, it changes their magic. Spiritual Weapon takes the form of the relic weapon. Spirit Guardians take the form of the person(s) they idolize.

I first did this in a campaign that only lasted one session. He was a former soldier who was haunted by the death of his boyfriend/commanding officer, and couldn't bring himself to get rid of his lover's belongings(including a sword). Was his magic changing an indication that his captain was still watching over him somehow? Or was it just a product of his bereaved heart?

In a current campaign, I am playing a half orc from an ancestor worshiping "barbarian" tribe. He tracked down the guy who desecrated his family's tomb and stole the great sword that was only carried by the greatest heroes of his bloodline and met the party in the process. Upon finding out that the plot of the campaign threatened the destruction of the entire world, he was torn between his duty to return the sword and his duty to protect his people from this threat. He decided to stay with the party, and prayed that his ancestors would understand. The last time he spoke with his grandmother with sending, he learned that the bodies in the defiled tomb had gone missing and were presumably on their way to him to pass judgement. His spirit guardians take the form of his mightiest ancestors who wielded the relic, and though they do not speak, he still frequently kneels in reverence before them after battle and offers his thanks.

Cool! Thanks that gave me a few ideas for my friend he kind of wanted something to be about his ancestors this will surely get his creativity going!


Hey, we like to think about this stuff. No problem.

As for the witchdoctor/shaman motif, what is a shaman but a different kind of religous leader? They adjudicate familial disputes, carry on local traditions, and cure the ailing. A shaman might have less scruples about dishing out curses, but that too is done in the interest of social order.

He really liked the idea of a witch doctor cleric where he is the shaman and chief of a tribe! So if you would elaborate on this I would love you (even more) what domain would be a good pick and diety ( I am creating my own gods, so maybe a Gaia? Or some nature God)

[zeek0]

He really liked the idea of a witch doctor cleric where he is the shaman and chief of a tribe! So if you would elaborate on this I would love you (even more) what domain would be a good pick and diety ( I am creating my own gods, so maybe a Gaia? Or some nature God)

Well, this does depend on him. Shamans are traditionally the cultural or spiritual leaders of a tribe. He could be the chief, or he could be an advisor, or spiritual confessor for the king. Or the social structure could be such that matters of politics and matters of the spirits are separate.

For the domain, he could probably choose any that takes his fancy. As the spiritual leader of his tribe this will be an expression of the tribe's ideology and the nature of their rituals.

I think that nature fits well enough, or knowledge. For homebrew, you could look at the Dream domain by Middle Finger of Vecna.

If you need it, I homebrewed a Shaman background. Its in my signature, and could help him decide what spirits he invokes.