Previous Hundred Dungeons posts:
The Wild (wilderness exploration)
The Dark (dungeon exploration)
Recuperation (resting and downtime)
The challenge of the cleric in Hundred Dungeons is that it’s so popular in fifth edition. I’m working hard to maintain what we all love about the cleric in the exploits below, while also accomplishing our design goals for the new game:
Simplify in-game decision points
Condense the 20 levels down to 10 that cover a similar spread of power
Work in more “always on” features
Balance the pillars (which means removing some combat stuff and replacing it with features that showcase exploration and social activity)
Let’s see how we do!
CLERIC
Petitioners of the gods, faithful devotees who mediate between mortals and the cosmic realms, clerics live their faith by becoming emissaries of a grand design. Some seek to heal the world, others to break it in service to their ideals.
Whether humble caretakers, noble philosophers, or soldiers armed for holy war, clerics rise to become the image of that which they serve.
Ability Increase: Wisdom
Skills: Discern Motive, Persuasion, Rites and Cosmology, Simple Weapons, Simple Armor, Martial Armor, Shields
…and one skill of your making
Hit Dice: d8
Starting Hit Points: 8 + Constitution score
Starting Gear:
Backpack
Pouch
Candles (bundle of 8)
Mace or quarterstaff
Leather plate
10 silver
EXPLOITS
REBUKE
Level 1
When you gain this exploit, choose aberrations, celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, or undead.
As a Combat action, you rebuke the enemies of your deity. Each creature of the chosen type within 30 feet that can see or hear you rolls Charisma at 10 + double your renown or is incapacitated for 1 minute. While incapacitated, the creature is frightened of you and on its turn must use all its movement to get as far from you as possible. If it can’t escape further, it drops prone. Replenish this exploit after you finish a short or long rest.
SPELLCASTING
Level 1
Gain two cantrips and three level 1 spells from the list of Cleric Spells. You can cast your cantrips without expending them. Your level 1-9 spells replenish when you take a long rest, at the end of which you may spend 1 hour in petition to switch some of your spells for other spells on the Cleric Spell list. The number of spells you can switch equals your renown. Your spellcasting ability for these spells is Wisdom.
In addition to specific spells you gain through your exploits, you gain two new spells each at levels 2-7. You gain one spell each at levels 8 and 9.
DOMAIN
Levels 2, 4, 5, 6, & 9
Choose Dawn, Forge, Pestilence, or Truth. Your Domain grants unique exploits at levels 2, 4, 5, 6, and 9.
Dawn, Level 2: Cleric spells you cast with an area effect dispel magical darkness within that space. You learn the spell aid.
Dawn, Level 4: Your weapon attacks inflict 1d8 extra radiant damage. You learn the spell death ward.
Dawn, Level 5: You learn the spell dawn.
Dawn, Level 6: You learn the spell heal.
Dawn, Level 9: When you inflict radiant damage on a creature, it must roll Constitution at 10 + double your renown or be blinded until the start of your next turn.
—
Forge, Level 2: You gain the skills Martial Weapons and Heavy Armor. You learn the spell spiritual weapon.
Forge, Level 4: Your weapon attacks are magical, and inflict 1d8 extra damage of their usual type. You learn the spell fabricate.
Forge, Level 5: You learn the spell holy weapon.
Forge, Level 6: You learn the spell blade barrier.
Forge, Level 9: You gain resistance to bludgeoning, fire, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical sources.
—
Pestilence, Level 2: You gain the skills Poisoner and Zealot’s Terror. You learn the spell ray of enfeeblement.
Pestilence, Level 4: Your weapon attacks inflict an extra d6 necrotic damage. You learn the spell blight.
Pestilence, Level 5: You learn the spell contagion.
Pestilence, Level 6: You learn the spell create undead.
Pestilence, Level 9: When you inflict necrotic damage on a beast, giant, humanoid, or plant, it must roll Constitution at 10 + double your renown or gain a level of exhaustion. It can’t gain a level of exhaustion higher than 4 this way.
—
Truth, Level 2: You gain the skill Detailed Inspection and one more of your making. You learn the spell enhance ability.
Truth, Level 4: Creatures’ ability rolls are weak when avoiding your divination and enchantment spells. You learn the spell arcane eye.
Truth, Level 5: You learn the spell legend lore.
Truth, Level 6: You learn the spell true seeing.
Truth, Level 9: You are immune to being charmed and can cast the spells detect magic and identify at will. They don’t count against your Total Spells.
CONSECRATE
Level 3
Concentrate for 1 minute to consecrate an area up to 60 feet in any dimension, ending other effects of consecration or desecration. For 1 hour, curses are suppressed on creatures in the area. Choose aberrations, celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, or undead. During the hour, creatures of the type you choose must roll Wisdom at 10 + double your renown or be unable to enter the consecrated area. Replenish this exploit after you finish a long rest.
DIVINE INTERVENTION
Levels 7
Spend 1 minute concentrating to petition your deity to intervene on your behalf. At the end of the minute, describe the assistance you seek, and roll Wisdom at 25. On a success, your request is granted and this exploit replenishes after 10 days. The GM chooses the nature of the intervention, often (but not limited to) the effect of a cleric spell.
On a failure, you must replenish this exploit by finishing a long rest.
VOICE OF THE GODS
Level 8
You learn the spell planar ally, and creatures summoned with it require no payment.
DIVINE PARAGON
Level 10
Your renown becomes 5. Your Divine Intervention exploit succeeds automatically with no roll required.
CLERIC SPELLS
Cantrips
Guidance
Light
Mending
Resistance
Spare the Dying
Thaumaturgy
Level 1 Spells
Bane
Bless
Command
Create or Destroy Water
Cure Wounds
Detect Evil and Good
Detect Magic
Detect Poison and Disease
Guiding Bolt
Healing Word
Inflict Wounds
Protection from Evil and Good
Purify Food and Drink
Sanctuary
Shield of Faith
Level 2 Spells
Aid
Augury
Blindness/Deafness
Calm Emotions
Continual Flame
Enhance Ability
Find Traps
Gentle Repose
Hold Person
Lesser Restoration
Locate Object
Prayer of Healing
Protection from Poison
Silence
Spiritual Weapon
Warding Bond
Zone of Truth
Level 3 Spells
Animate Dead
Beacon of Hope
Bestow Curse
Clairvoyance
Create Food and Water
Daylight
Dispel Magic
Glyph of Warding
Magic Circle
Mass Healing Word
Meld into Stone
Protection from Energy
Remove Curse
Revivify
Sending
Speak with Dead
Spirit Guardians
Tongues
Water Walk
Level 4 Spells
Banishment
Control Water
Death Ward
Divination
Freedom of Movement
Guardian of Faith
Locate Creature
Stone Shape
Level 5 spells
Commune
Contagion
Dispel Evil and Good
Flame Strike
Geas
Greater Restoration
Hallow
Insect Plague
Legend Lore
Mass Cure Wounds
Planar Binding
Raise Dead
Scrying
Level 6 Spells
Blade Barrier
Create Undead
Find the Path
Forbiddance
Harm
Heal
Heroes’ Feast
Planar Ally
True Seeing
Word of Recall
Level 7 Spells
Conjure Celestial
Divine Word
Etherealness
Fire Storm
Plane Shift
Regenerate
Resurrection
Symbol
Level 8 Spells
Antimagic Field
Control Weather
Earthquake
Holy Aura
Level 9 Spells
Astral Projection
Gate
Mass Heal
True Resurrection
NEXT TIME
We’ve blazed through the first four classes in quick succession, and very soon we’ll be hitting the fifth (and one of the most challenging): the Druid!
This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.
Hundred Dungeons is created and written by Graham Ward © 2023
Permission granted to copy for personal use only.
THE CLERIC
| EXP Required | Cleric Level | Hit Dice | Total Spells | Exploits | Trait Gained |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renown 1 | +1 Wisdom |
Shelter of the Faithful | |||
| — | 1 | 1d8 | 3 | Rebuke, Spellcasting | |
| 2 | 2 | 2d8 | 6 | Domain | |
| 3 | 3 | 3d8 | 8 | Consecrate | |
| 4 | 4 | 4d8 | 11 | Domain | |
| Renown 2 | +1 to any ability score |
Voice of Change | |||
| 5 | 5 | 5d8 | 14 | Domain | |
| 6 | 6 | 6d8 | 17 | Domain | |
| 7 | 7 | 7d8 | 19 | Divine Intervention | |
| Renown 3 | +1 to any ability score |
Ritual Seer | |||
| 8 | 8 | 8d8 | 21 | Voice of the Gods | |
| 9 | 9 | 9d8 | 22 | Domain | |
| Renown 4 | +1 to any ability score |
Chosen of [Domain] | |||
| 10 | 10 | 10d8 | 22 | Divine Paragon |
