Cleric (character class)
Encyclopedia
The Cleric, Priest, or Bishop is a character class
in Dungeons & Dragons
and other fantasy
role-playing games. The cleric is a healer
, usually a priest and a holy warrior, originally modeled on or inspired by the Military Orders. Clerics are usually members of religious order
s, with the original intent being to portray soldiers of sacred orders who have magical
abilities granted by the god
s, although this role was later taken more clearly by the paladin
. Most clerics have powers to heal wounds, protect their allies and sometimes resurrect the dead
, as well as summon, manipulate and banish undead
.
A description of Priests and Priestesses from the Nethack
guidebook: Priests and Priestesses are clerics militant, crusaders advancing the cause of righteousness with arms, armor, and arts thaumaturgic. Their ability to commune with deities via prayer occasionally extricates them from peril, but can also put them in it.
A common feature of clerics across many games is that they may not equip pointed weapons such as swords or daggers, and must use blunt weapons such as maces or war-hammers instead. This is likely based on a popular misinterpretation of the depiction of Odo of Bayeux and accompanying text, which has in modern times been re-evaluated. They are also often limited in what types of armor they can wear, though usually not as restricted as mages.
Related to the cleric is the paladin
, who is typically a Lawful Good warrior
often aligned with a religious order, and who uses his martial skills to advance its holy cause.
role-playing game
, the cleric is one of the four base character classes
. Clerics are versatile figures, both capable in combat and skilled in the use of divine magic, which they employ without any restriction due to encumbrance of armour. In earlier versions of the games they were restricted to using bludgeoning weapons, such as maces, staffs, and war-hammers. In later additions this limit was raised depending on the symbolic weapon of their deity, although other martial (non-simple) weapons were still alien to them - requiring a costly feat in the latest edition of the game to employ them. Clerics are powerful healers due to the large number of healing and curative magic available to them. With divinely-granted abilities over life or death, they are also able to repel, destroy, rebuke, or control undead
creatures - depending upon whether he/she is good or evil.
Character class
In role-playing games, a common method of arbitrating the capabilities of different game characters is to assign each one to a character class. A character class aggregates several abilities and aptitudes, and may also sometimes detail aspects of background and social standing or impose behaviour...
in Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
and other fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing games. The cleric is a healer
Healer (gaming)
A healer is a type of character class in video gaming. When a game includes a health game mechanic and multiple classes, often one of the classes will be designed around the restoration of allies' health, known as healing, in order to delay or prevent their defeat. Such a class can be referred to...
, usually a priest and a holy warrior, originally modeled on or inspired by the Military Orders. Clerics are usually members of religious order
Religious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
s, with the original intent being to portray soldiers of sacred orders who have magical
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
abilities granted by the god
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
s, although this role was later taken more clearly by the paladin
Paladin (character class)
The Paladin is a character class in Dungeons & Dragons and many later computer and pen and paper role-playing games - many of which were influenced by D&D...
. Most clerics have powers to heal wounds, protect their allies and sometimes resurrect the dead
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
, as well as summon, manipulate and banish undead
Undead
Undead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased and yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...
.
A description of Priests and Priestesses from the Nethack
NetHack
NetHack is a single-player roguelike video game originally released in 1987. It is a descendant of an earlier game called Hack , which is a descendant of Rogue...
guidebook: Priests and Priestesses are clerics militant, crusaders advancing the cause of righteousness with arms, armor, and arts thaumaturgic. Their ability to commune with deities via prayer occasionally extricates them from peril, but can also put them in it.
A common feature of clerics across many games is that they may not equip pointed weapons such as swords or daggers, and must use blunt weapons such as maces or war-hammers instead. This is likely based on a popular misinterpretation of the depiction of Odo of Bayeux and accompanying text, which has in modern times been re-evaluated. They are also often limited in what types of armor they can wear, though usually not as restricted as mages.
Related to the cleric is the paladin
Paladin (character class)
The Paladin is a character class in Dungeons & Dragons and many later computer and pen and paper role-playing games - many of which were influenced by D&D...
, who is typically a Lawful Good warrior
Warrior (character class)
Warrior is a character class found in many role-playing games. This class may also be referred to as Fighter, as in Dungeons & Dragons. The class is sometimes also referred to as a Knight, although in some games this is a separate class with a more chivalric aspect...
often aligned with a religious order, and who uses his martial skills to advance its holy cause.
Dungeons & Dragons
In the Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, the cleric is one of the four base character classes
Character class (Dungeons & Dragons)
A character class is a fundamental part of the identity and nature of characters in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. A character's capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses are largely defined by his or her chosen class; choosing a class is one of the first steps a player takes in order to...
. Clerics are versatile figures, both capable in combat and skilled in the use of divine magic, which they employ without any restriction due to encumbrance of armour. In earlier versions of the games they were restricted to using bludgeoning weapons, such as maces, staffs, and war-hammers. In later additions this limit was raised depending on the symbolic weapon of their deity, although other martial (non-simple) weapons were still alien to them - requiring a costly feat in the latest edition of the game to employ them. Clerics are powerful healers due to the large number of healing and curative magic available to them. With divinely-granted abilities over life or death, they are also able to repel, destroy, rebuke, or control undead
Undead
Undead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased and yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...
creatures - depending upon whether he/she is good or evil.
Video Games
Clerics are a common character option across many computer RPGs, which share their heritage with the tabletop roleplaying games that originated the class. Although some games hew closely to that older archetype, there exist many variations in the conception, background and abilities of the cleric class.- Vanguard: Saga of HeroesVanguard: Saga of HeroesVanguard: Saga of Heroes is a high fantasy-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game created by Sigil Games Online, and now developed and run by Sony Online Entertainment. Originally, the game was co-published by Sony Online Entertainment , and the company producing it, Sigil Games...
has the Cleric class as one of the four specialized healer classes, in a form compareable with D&D (heavy armor, low damage output, some anti-undead abilities). - In EverQuest IIEverQuest IIEverQuest II is a 3D fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Sony Online Entertainment , based on EverQuest, and shipped on 8 November 2004...
, "Cleric" is a term that refers to both Inquisitors and Templars, which are evil and good (respectively) variants on the traditional Clerical roles. - In Lineage IILineage IILineage II is a massive multiplayer online role-playing game for Microsoft Windows. It is a prequel to Lineage, and is set 150 years before the earlier game. It has become very popular since its October 1, 2003 launch in South Korea, reporting 1,000,918 unique users during the month of March 2007...
, human mages may choose Cleric at their first class change. Elven Clerics exist as well, but are called "Elder" instead. - In Fire EmblemFire Emblemis a fantasy tactical role-playing video game franchise developed by Intelligent Systems , the maker of Advance Wars , and published by Nintendo...
, the Clerics, sometimes known as "Sisters," are all females (their male equivalent being the MonkMonkA monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
or the PriestPriestA priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
), later promoted into the BishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
class. - In ROSE OnlineROSE OnlineROSE Online, or Rush On Seven Episodes Online is a Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game previously published by Korean company Gravity Corporation and developed by its subsidiary, Triggersoft...
the Clerics can prevent monsters from talking by making them no longer believe in their souls.