Shadowgate

Verbannon · Joined: 30 Sep 2013 Posts: 398

Pretending this mud was still RP enforced. If I wanted to give verbannon 10 levels in cleric. Would I have to remove the Visor? Because thats the full reason I never considered making Verbannon a cleric.

But the help Tempus file says, its just something a lot of the priests do, to not look like Tempus, not a command of Tempus. And Verbannon is pragmatic with no care what other people think. Plus his visor looks nothing like a visor. Its a floating shield of transparent red garnet.

So could he enter the clergy, while keeping that on? And if he could then...

1. What all would that entail RP? A level 40 archmage and level 10 cleric?

2. Also although I refuse to let minmaxing, munchkining concerns like this influence me. I am right that multiclassing like this will greatly cripple my character right? In combat he'll just be a level 40 wizard, with the ten priest levels useless in combat. So Ill have to RP my level 50 character's power at level 40. In other words, a pragmatic character would recognize he is pretty weak conpared to most and act accordingly.
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Mikyn · Joined: 02 Jul 2015 Posts: 32

1) As soon as you have any levels in cleric, you're definitely stepping away from lip service and into full devotion to a deity. This can be evangelical, trying to sway more followers towards your god (either through coercion, benevolence, intimidation, etc.). Conversely, you could be trying to further one of your deity's domains, often by adherence to their charge.

2) Yes, that class spread will gimp you. You won't have access to all the cleric spell levels, and your spells will be cast as a 45th level mage and a 30th level cleric, respectively. This doesn't include any feats or equipment bonuses that buff your caster level though.

Verbannon · Joined: 30 Sep 2013 Posts: 398

Thank you. Some people have already described my character as 'like a Paladin of Tempus, but a wizard" so probably not a substantial character change. What about the fundamental question here?
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Zathery · Joined: 30 Sep 2013 Posts: 39 Location: Sweden

Not sure I agree with any gimping. Multiclassing is pretty much sacrificing some raw power for diversity. You'd still beable to cast up to lvl 5 cleric spells at a high caster level.

As Mikyn said, you'd be crossing the line between being a faithful follower to person with divine warrent, which means you've most likely made a deeper oath or reached deeper into your personal faith to be granted divine magic by your deity, which includes being held to the standards of all tempus clerics. Which, I suppose in your case, revolves in this circumstance, altering a personal preference. I'm not deeply set in Tempusan lore, and it is possible what is listed, aka the full face helm to not emulate their god, is a relic, but you'll need N or someone else with authority to weigh in on that. But going off the help file, I can easily see it waking disapproval from fellow clerics.

And also, this being my own opinion, you'd never ascend to any higher station in the clergy due to so few levels as a cleric, and since you're scattering your time and having a lesser mastery, archmage might not be a title you're allowed to keep within wizard circles either.
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Verbannon · Joined: 30 Sep 2013 Posts: 398

Well now I'm back at square 1 with no idea whats what. I know the Faith of Tempus is in no way well organized. Filled with innumerable factions and no central authority. All I wanted was ten levels in Clerics so I could officially take a high position in one of the shadowy factions, since my character is pretty much already been doing that, just with the power of coin instead of real authority.

I can still take the archmage prestige class, so if I don't qualify as an archmage by multiclassing I'm not sure what I would be.

And all this still doesn't quite tell me how I would RP it. I'm already covered in the symbols of Tempus, I already regularly preach the commandments of Tempus, what practical changes would I need, I can't fathom.

For all I know I've actually been RPing a wizard wrong and have been RPing a multiclassed wizard/cleric just without actually taking cleric levels.

I do know I can't use cleric spells in combat since everyone will automatically resist everything and once I multiclass, I'll no longer be able to block scrying or teleportation. So I'll have to play down my abilities as an Abjurationist regardless. Since It'll be weird to call myself an archmage of Abjuration when I can't actually block or dispel anything.

But I don't know what I 'should' call myself then. I planned to just call myself a simple wizard, not an archmage. And basically keep my cleric levels an open secret. Since I planned to be like a spymaster of sorts.
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Gia · Joined: 03 Feb 2017 Posts: 58

"Devout follower" or "Chosen by Tempus" or "Warforged Archmage"? Identifying oneself only as a "class" could be unnecessarily restrictive and sometimes arbitrary, Imo. Perhaps Tempus have reached out to you and granted you these powers as a sign of His good will. Being a mortal, one can only hold so much power, so perhaps it is conflicting with your goals as an Archmage, but it's worth it to feel your gods powers rush through you and know that your God had Faith in you!

If the visor is important, maybe you could find someone who could redescribe it as a small face shield, or maybe you believe Tempus has allowed its usage on account of not requesting it be removed.
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Verbannon · Joined: 30 Sep 2013 Posts: 398

Well one of thing my character believes and likes about Tempus, is that Tempus isnt a God caught up with all that ritualistic bs. And that most clerics of Tempus are just being idiots completely missing a major point of their own god. Or he'll append under his breath, I hope they are.
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Zathery · Joined: 30 Sep 2013 Posts: 39 Location: Sweden

My point about the archmage thing is that, well you can call yourself whatever you please, but if I were running a game others who are pure mages would probably challenge your notion of being an archmage since you're spending a lot of time in whatever worship tempus demands instead of studying and applying the arcane.

And while doing honorable war or whatever as a mage is perhaps your characters form of devotion to tempus, it still requires more than just saying hail hydra while murdering all over a battlefield to be granted divine powers.

I mean a priest and paladin can be equally devoted to Lathander and both wield divine warrant and divine spells, yet a paladin can't on its own cast level 9 spells.

As for just wanting to wear a visor and be a priest, well, noone said gaining divine powers wasn't without some sacrifice, no matter how trivial it seems in this context. Or you could full well go your 10 levels into cleric, wear your visor and see how the other devout react, not to mention your god. I'm not well versed in Tempusan lore, but i don't think the consequences will be as harsh as a Lathanderite using the animate dead spell.
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