Clerics

[Cullkett]

Just wanted to start this thread to get players ideas on clerics.
What / Who would they worship for example
What would be your take on giving blessings to players from different factions or different religons
Basically any/all things related to clerics in middle earth:P

[Argon Balros]

basicaly find a valar to worship and find as much info as you can about them and then make a cleric you think that valar would aprove of.

[Danae]

There is a thread in the PRC section about the different Valar and their realms of interest. When creating a cleric, it is probably best to first read something about the Valar and Valariel, and then start thinking which type of cleric to make. In particular I think about a realistic choice of Domains. Everyone will know by now that the most 'powerful' cleric is built by choosing Trickery and Strength, or Magic and Strength, but these domains are not related to any valar in that combination, and as thus would not have a good RP justification to be taken.

I met several clerics on this server who referred to their spells as 'blessings', or 'prayers', and this is probably a good terminology. Real 'spells' are reserved for sorcerors, I suppose.

Other than that I can't come up with a good explanation for clerical spells in Middle Earth. The concept of a cleric was unknown to Tolkien, and as such technically is no part of Arda. The Valar did not grant power directly to Elves, Dwarves, Men, or other races. They just were, and lived in Valinor (with the exception of Melkor). Most Men were unknowing of their existence, or didn't care, because they'd never go to the Undying Shores anyway.

I suppose each player can come up with his own story, or just be very vague about it :) Perhaps this thread will indeed bring people to choose which explanation for clerics will be followed.

[dsan1]

my dwarven cleric dwilin always explains that aule's powers are "channeled" trough his body when he sends a prayer across the ocean. referring to his prayers as "spells" is something he regardes as blasphemy.

when it comes to choosing a domain i must strongly recommend healing! every party loves healers and this server is all about parties. with healing you will also be able to focus on buff-prayers as you can choose more easily in which grade you want to put e.g. a cure crit. injury. you will be more prepared to whatever comes... as your healing prayers can be chanted "spontaneously", you only have to prepare each healing-spell once, after that a little "s" appears instead of the little "1" before.

if you decide to travel with a much higher party you can always stay behind and heal instead of buffing. So you can play a vital role in combat even tough you wouldn't even scratch the foes in melee.

[Danae]

You actually don't even have to memorise healing spells once in order to cast them spontaneously. I agree Healing is probably a good domain on MERP, and it fits in with some of the Valar's interests.

I wonder if the healing spells cast by a cleric with the healing domain still count as being empowered? Or did the script which rules out all metamagic feats also remove this benefit?

[Guyror]

They are still empowered to the best of my knowedge.

[thromnombulax]

Channeling sounds good ; shaping the power of the Valar to yer whims. Using the power on non-believers/ radically different alignments/non-faction should be a bit dodgy ; a channeller of Melkors Might aint gonna "bless" a lawful good imo, so the character should maybe study others' behaviour before blessing anything that moves.
The books scattered throughout the lands give details on the Valar and some Maia, including Melkor so it wouldnt be out of place to see a human cleric of Melkor but you probably wouldnt mention it to many other travellers until you knew them better or had met them in faction areas.
Choose evil as a realm , never heal anybody and make people *beg* for buffs would be nice to see.
Oh yes ;)

[dsan1]

did you have to mention that danae? now they'll take it away! :eek: :eek: :eek:

just kiddin'! please developers, leave that feature, healing spells still ain't overpowered at all! it still takes all of dwilin's powers to heal a party of four when worst comes to worst. the healing domain only empowers the healing spells and gives you "cure serious wounds" and "healing" one spell-level before the other clerics. that's all. compared to "war" and "strength" not a big thing i think, so please nevermind the fact that these healing-spells actually are "empowered". those bl***y level 15 fighters have so much hp, no healing spell can fully restore them anyway (except for "healing" itself of course...)