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View Full Version : Pathfinder Cleric Archetype: Oathsworn Priest



Giegue
2018-08-14, 09:16 PM
Oathsworn Priest
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While most clerics draw their divine power from their awareness of their deity's presence in the world around them and ability to commune with them, some instead do so through a different method. Just as Paladins or Anti-Paladins can channel divine power through the strength of their convictions and adhierence to a code of conduct, some clerics weild their divine power through the same means. Known as Oathsworn Priests, these clerics take up a code of conduct similar to that of a Paladin or Anti-Paladin, and through their adherence to it and strength of conviction that results learn to weild the powers of a cleric in the way a Paladin or Anti-Paladin weilds their divine power. This focus on embodying their deity through actions allows Oathsworn Priests to use their force of personality, and not their understanding of reality, to cast their divine spells...and gives them greater power over positive or negative energy. However, their forceful zeal leaves them narrow-minded and unsuited to the deep contemplation and meditation that gives more traditional clerics greater mastery over the mysteries of their faith.

Divine Charisma (Ex)

While Clerics traditionally draw their divine magic from a connection to their deity, the Oathsworn Priest instead draws hers from the same source Paladins and Antipaladins do; her strength of conviction and dedication to upholding a code of conduct dictated by her faith. She uses Charisma instead of Wisdom as her key spellcasting ability score (to determine her spell DCs, bonus spells per day, what spell levels she can access, bonus on concentration checks, and so on.), and to determine the effects of cleric spells that would specifically use her wisdom score or wisdom modifier.

This feature alters the spellcasting feature of the Cleric class.

Code of Conduct (Ex)

Due to the paladin-like way she gains her divine magic, the Oathsworn Priest is held to similar standards as a Paladin or Antipaladin by her deity. At 1st level, the Oathsworn Paladin must choose either the Paladin code, Anti-Paladin code or Tyrant Anti-Paladin code. She cannot choose a code that is opposed to her deity’s alignment, but may still serve a deity whoes alignment is not their code’s, but is still one step within it. (So an Oathsworn Priest who folllows the Paladin code could still have Abadar as their deity, for example.). She must abide by her chosen code, and If she violates this code, she loses her powers until she has an Atonement spell cast on her by another Oathsworn Priest. If her deity has a specific Paladin, Anti-Paladin or Tyrant Anti-Paladin code, she must also follow the tenants of that code.

This feature alters the Alignment restrictions of the Cleric class

Focused Faith (Ex)

Due to her obsessive devotion with embodying her deity through action and zeal, the Oathsworn Priest spends little time contemplating the deeper mysteries of her faith. She only gains a single domain at 1st level, which must be an alignment domain that corrisponds to her deiry’s alignment (the alignment domains being Good, Evil, Law and Chaos), or either the Healing Domain (if she follows the Paladin code) or Death Domain (if she follows the Anti-Paladin or Tyrant Anti-Paladin code.) She can choose any of these domains that her deity would not normally offer as-if they offered them (So an Oathsworn Priest of Asmodeus could select the Death domain despite the fact Asmodeus does not normally offer it, for example), and can choose subdomains of these domains as she sees fit. However, any domain powers that uses her Wisdom for any purpose (such as setting the uses/day and/or DCs of domain powers) instead uses her Charisma.

This feature alters the Domain feature of the cleric class.

Versatile Channel Energy (Ex)

Much like a Paladin or Anti-Paladin’s deep tie to their alignment allows them to smite those opposed to it, an Oathsworn Priest’s same deep tie to their alignment allows them to expand the versatility of their channeled energy in relation to it. Starting at 1st level, the Oathsworn Priest’s channeling functions differently than a standard cleric’s. If she channels positive energy, she can treat non-good creatures with at least one alignment component opposed to her deity’s alignment as undead for it’s harm effect. (So for example, a lawful good Oathsworn Priest could harm chaotic neutral, lawful evil, neutral evil and chaotic evil creatures as if they were undead with their channel positive energy.) Damage dealt to living creatures by an Oathsworn Priest’s Channel Positive Energy feature is divine damage instead of positive energy damage (meaning it would not heal them instead of damaging them as positive energy normally would).

If the Oathsworn Priest channels negative energy, she can instead can treat creatures with no alignment components opposed to her deity’s alignment as undead for it’s heal effect. (So for example, a chaotic evil Oathsworn Priest could heal true neutral, chaotic neutral, neutral evil and chaotic evil creatures as if they were undead with their channel negative energy.)

However, while the Oathsworn Priest’s skill with channeling energy affords her greater versatility, it is not without cost. If the Oathsworn Priest channels positive energy, she loses the ability to damage undead creatures with her channeled energy (though she retains her ability to damage living creatures this feature would allow her to damage as-if they where undead, and can still turn undead if she gains the Turn Undead feat). If she channels negative energy, she loses her ability to damage living creatures with her channeled energy. Additionally, the Oathsworn Priest can only channel energy a number of times per-day equal to 1 + her Charisma modifier instead of the normal amount for the cleric class.

This feature alters the Channel Energy feature of the Cleric class.

Channeling Expertise

The Oathsworn Priest’s mastery of positive or negative energy lets them do freely with it what other clerics must study to achieve. If the Oathsworn Priest channels positive energy, she gains Selective Channeling as a bonus feat at 1st level. If she channels negative energy, she instead gains Command Undead as a bonus feat at 1st level.

Master of Life/Undeath (Su)

At 5th level, the Oathsworn Priest’s dedication to her chosen alignment strengths either her ability to save life (if she follows the Paladin code), or pervert it (if she follows the Anti-Paladin or Tyrant Anti-Paladin code.). If she follows the Paladin code, Cure spells she casts heal maximum hit points based on her Cleric level instead of the limit of the spell. (So instead of healing 1d8 + 5 damage, a Cure Light Wounds cast by an 8th level Oathsworn Priest would heal 1d8 + 8 damage) Additionally, when she uses her Channel Energy to heal living creatures, she heals 1 additional hit point for every 2 Cleric levels she possesses.

If she follows the Anti-Paladin or Tyrant Anti-Paladin code, the HD of undead she can control through spells, such as Animate Dead, increases by 6 additional HD per-Cleric level she possesses, in addition to her normal 4 HD per-caster level. Additionally, when she uses her Channel Energy to heal the undead (but not living creatures treated as undead via the effects of her Versatile Channel Energy feature), she heals 1 additional hit point for every 2 Cleric levels she possesses.

So yeah. I always thought Clerics should cast off chairsma, and I made this to let them do that. While I love this archetype from a fluff perspective, I have no idea how balanced it is mechanically and as a result it may be far too strong in some places. Thus, I would appreciate any and all balance help with it.