NPG Clerics

Of all the classes in d20, the cleric may be the oddest inclusion. Our world's history is replete with famous religious fi gures, but few of them could be considered adventurers. Most clerics led lives of seclusion, their confl ict dogmatic rather than cinematic. Still, there are some examples of adventurous religious individuals from our own history. Th ough the legacy of the Crusades to the Holy Land is controversial at this time, the image of the militant monastic orders remains a strong one. We also have the missionaries of varying religions that pushed into secluded or hostile areas in the service of their religions. There's even the folk hero of Friar Tuck, whose presence reflects a real situation—that of rebels against religious authorities who are left to fend for themselves. Even the zealot, now a term synonymous with intransigence, has a part to play in our shared history, and one that can stretch to encompass a game world.

Inside, you will find details on the church knight, itinerant rebel, missionary, and the zealot. All these are character archetypes that fit into the concept of the cleric, some more closely than others. Each of these includes a character to illustrate how one can use existing classes, skills, and feats to replicate this type of character.