What are the essential items for a cleric of Heironeous?

[Zalabim]

Foreword: I meant to ask this earlier in the week, but better late than never, right?

RIP My Dwarf Warlock, or perhaps not. This is D&D after all. Anyway, I'm making my first 5E cleric now and joining an existing party at level 4. I've got a personality down, leader and go-getter, sort of a cause searching for rebels, though in an orderly fashion. He's outspoken. Think petitions and orderly queues at the DMV. He is upset about people cutting in line. He'd like to right every wrong. He's also a half-orc. He's also not exactly part of the normal Heironar structure, but rather has cobbled together what he has since picking up the role after an incident that's best not talked about. So now he's far from home and he's come to clean up the frontier. What does he have with him? Weapons and armor are obvious, but what about the other stuff? Is there anything outside the starting package that I should pick up?

[DanyBallon]

Foreword: I meant to ask this earlier in the week, but better late than never, right?

RIP My Dwarf Warlock, or perhaps not. This is D&D after all. Anyway, I'm making my first 5E cleric now and joining an existing party at level 4. I've got a personality down, leader and go-getter, sort of a cause searching for rebels, though in an orderly fashion. He's outspoken. Think petitions and orderly queues at the DMV. He is upset about people cutting in line. He'd like to right every wrong. He's also a half-orc. He's also not exactly part of the normal Heironar structure, but rather has cobbled together what he has since picking up the role after an incident that's best not talked about. So now he's far from home and he's come to clean up the frontier. What does he have with him? Weapons and armor are obvious, but what about the other stuff? Is there anything outside the starting package that I should pick up?

Which version of Heironeous are you using in your campaing? From edition to edition its tenets have been slightly altered. Knowing which reference edition may allow us to be more in line with your expectation :)

[Zalabim]

Which version of Heironeous are you using in your campaing? From edition to edition its tenets have been slightly altered. Knowing which reference edition may allow us to be more in line with your expectation :)

Greyhawk, the older the better. Probably something from AD&D, if I were to guess. Though I'm playing in a 5E game.

[Angelalex242]

Cleric of Heironeus: You try as hard as possible to be a Paladin with more spells and less fighting.

[Unoriginal]

He's also not exactly part of the normal Heironar structure, but rather has cobbled together what he has

So you're saying he may have heironeous beliefs about his religion?

[DanyBallon]

Greyhawk, the older the better. Probably something from AD&D, if I were to guess. Though I'm playing in a 5E game.

So I get that you picked a Great Axe for weapon and chainmail for armor? Traditionnal clergy wear blue robe with silver lining, but since you character is not from the official hierarchy, he may have decide to wear blue clothing, the color close enough to official vestment as he could find, and try to keep his armor as shiny as he can. Since Heironeous dogma isn't too much in favor about giving mercy to evil creatures such as orcs, being an half-orc he may then have some difficulty to fit in with the official clergy, this could bring foward good roleplay occasion. As for other items he may carry, since he is going to bring justice to the frontier, he should be prepare; rations, healing kits, adventuring pack, a holy symbol, maybe a copy of the Book of the Code that contains the Heironeans code of coduct and giving examples on how to follow it.

There isn't much specific items a cleric of Heironeous will carry outside of its deity favored weapon and armor if he can afford one. The rest is pretty much standard adventurer's stuff.

[Zalabim]

So you're saying he may have heironeous beliefs about his religion?
Good one.

Also, actually true. For example, he'll say he's a knight-errant, which is not one of the official ranks if anyone actually knows them, but is a good actual description.


maybe a copy of the Book of the Code that contains the Heironeans code of coduct and giving examples on how to follow it.
That's great. Just the kind of thing I was needing. As for the robes, he does have an official priest's robes, for reasons that are probably best kept hidden. Let's just say the priest told him some uncomfortable truths/insulted his mother. Same thing really. No one was killed, certainly.

[Unoriginal]

Keep in mind that in 5e, it's the god who choose the Cleric. Anyone of your faith who has a problem with your character being a Cleric can take it with Heironeous.

[DanyBallon]

In case you didn't knew, here's the Heironean code:


Duty to the People. This duty stresses courage, justice, mercy, valor, protection of the weak, and faithfulness to church superiors or officers of righteous law.
Duty to the Arch-paladin. This duty stresses obedience to Heironeous himself, devotion to the church, generosity, championing good against evil, putting the needs of the church and the faith above those of mortals.
Duty to a Lady. This duty pertains to the concept of courtly love, devotion to one's beloved, and respect toward all women in general.


In addition to the Book of the Code, there is another book highly considered by followers of Heironeous is the Book of Penitence (also known as the Just Book), which describes the achievements of Ferrante, a legendary paladin who is now venerated as a saint by some Heironean sects.

[DanyBallon]

Keep in mind that in 5e, it's the god who choose the Cleric. Anyone of your faith who has a problem with your character being a Cleric can take it with Heironeous.

I think that it's up to the DM to decide how faith are played in his world. In the OP case, maybe, the DM allows the character to worship the deity they want and if they are true to its tenets, then the god may allow this follower to channel his divine magic.

[Zalabim]

Keep in mind that in 5e, it's the god who choose the Cleric. Anyone of your faith who has a problem with your character being a Cleric can take it with Heironeous.
I think it's important for my character's standing that people associate him with the church, and not just the deity, but that's a confrontation I'm saving for game time.

I think that it's up to the DM to decide how faith are played in his world. In the OP case, maybe, the DM allows the character to worship the deity they want and if they are true to its tenets, then the god may allow this follower to channel his divine magic.
I did clear with my DM that he was okay with the class choice, since the concept lends itself to a devout and particular sort of Fighter just as well.

I anticipate that Patrak will face consequences for assault and impersonating the clergy in some way or another, some day, since I offered it as an easy explanation to take him out of the spotlight if the rest of the party really does revive the dead warlock, may he rest in peace.

Also, I'm totally copying the Books to keep them with me for later. Thanks again.

[Callak_Remier]

Question about your dwarf Warlock. What patron did it serve

[Unoriginal]

I think it's important for my character's standing that people associate him with the church, and not just the deity, but that's a confrontation I'm saving for game time.

Sure, it's just that being a Cleric means "God Approved". How the church reacts is up to the individuals, but they can't dismiss your character as a random crook conning people. He *is* one of the Chosen Ones of Heironeous, and the god would confirm that.

Which background did you go for, out of curiosity?

[Zalabim]

Question about your dwarf Warlock. What patron did it serve
I rolled randomly between Celestial, Fey, and Fiend, and came up with Fey. I made up a whole bunch of stuff about a Lord of Gems that I really didn't use. It was just flavoring to help me describe and pick my spells. I have a bad feeling about this question. I've said too much. I have to silence the witnesses.


Sure, it's just that being a Cleric means "God Approved". How the church reacts is up to the individuals, but they can't dismiss your character as a random crook conning people. He *is* one of the Chosen Ones of Heironeous, and the god would confirm that.

Which background did you go for, out of curiosity?
I haven't filled that part in yet, procrastination you see, but I've been planning for Folk Hero, as far as proficiencies anyway, since he's effectively a farmer-who-took-a-chance, and not a cunning charlatan with a carefully orchestrated second life. Not using the folk hero background feature though. That'll probably be more like the soldier's rank feature, at least for now.

[Arkhios]

Cleric of Heironeus: You try as hard as possible to be a Paladin with more spells and less fighting.

This.

War Domain, Longsword, Shield, and War Caster