Clerics and Turn Undead

[kenty191]

Hi all.

I've been thinking over this for a while now and still find this a little awkward to RP properly so I thought I'd ask for others thoughts and oppinions.

Now for some clerics turn undead fits nicely with their deity eg (Aeridin, Toran etc) and for those I'd see it as channeling the energy of the deity into a force capable of holding back the dead. Now some of our deities are rather less righteous, my particular concern, playing Deon is how this would work for a Xeenite.

I understand rebuke undead would apply to some deities if we had such an ability in the engine but as it stands how do others RP their turn undead ability from different deities?

Thanks all
Hope that makes sense!

[Hellblazer]

Well I'm only playing an Aeridin cleric, so it would be hard for me to say.

I think that if your Deity was in the neutral to good, I think they would seek to put an end to  the undeads, neutral if they get to it as to good, a thing they must do. The deities that stands more on the evil side of things would probably not seek to destroy the undeads as it is seen as evil in essence by most. Unless of course they end up being attacked by them, then its self preservation. But in that case would they use the ability of turning undeads? Depends if it is viewed as being a good aligned power or not.

[darkstorme]

The answer here (as in most cases) can be drawn from the PHB, 3rd Ed.  (That is to say, the books upon which NWN was based.)

In P&P, a good cleric turns or destroys undead.  An evil cleric rebukes or commands undead.  And a neutral cleric decides which it's going to be when the time comes.

For RP purposes in Neverwinter Nights' engine, I think of it this way.  A good cleric is being approached by a small horde of undead, bent on their destruction.  The cleric manifests a bit of the power of their deity, and undead are repulsed or destroyed outright by the righteous power and abhorrence of the deity of their very existence.

Now: an evil cleric is being approached by a small horde of undead, bent on their destruction.  The cleric holds their unholy symbol high and manifests a small portion of the power of their deity.  The undead cower in awe, recognizing, at least for a moment, that this is not someone they should fight.    If the cleric is powerful enough, he summarily destroys the undead for their error.  This seems in keeping with the mindset of an evil deity.

(I, for one, would love to see Rebuke/Command undead become the evil clerics' "turn", but it might prove unbalancing.)

[Witch Hunter]

Perhaps if they would command a single undead rather than a horde...

[gilshem ironstone]

My paladin of Lucinda, thinks that Undead are a perversion of the Weave as there is a strong tie between life and the Weave.

My priest of Dorand believes that creation is always happening and that undead sit outide any cycle of creation and so must be destroyed.

[kenty191]

Could it be the case that a neutral cleric would use the power as he/she sees fit rather than having some grand cause such as the destruction of all undead?

Also as a cleric of Xeen I find it difficult to come up with decent motivation, as to why he would use this over, say his whip, when faced with a whorde of undead. Of course OOC the motivation is simple, if I did not use it as a player when faced with such a whorde he would probably die.

I imagine this is a personal thing, but perhaps some other players of cleric could give their character's motivations for turning undead, especially those of neutral allignment.

[Hellblazer]

Personaly I would think taht a neutral might not have an as strong tendency to go clear the crypts. So in a sence i guess the way you apply your powers, as long as it is in line with your deity, would apply to how you fight the undeads. I would realy wait for more confirmation on the GM part on this.

[Acacea]

I would rather just add some other fun things that were tied to the turn ability, to give better options for it (as really, few are really about turning undead, it's just that it's there so we use it, right?) and give Aeridin yet more super-turning or something silly -:P And make elemental domains control their own elementals and turn only those opposite to it, while I'm at it...and give evil clerics the option to dominate the undead that would normally be destroyed...!

Alas. I have not the knowledge or the right game.

I'm hard pressed to find further explanation about turning for a few deities, as it just doesn't seem like something some of them would care too much about. I could probably spin stuff around and come up with some mumbo jumbo about it, but it would just be an attempt to cover mechanics, hehe.

As an edit, the whole "probably die without it" thing seems practically an IC motivation as well as OOC! I don't know... maybe Xeen just doesn't support necrophilia, and the undead drink all the wine. *Squints an eye.*

[kenty191]

Haha! I've found myself working out some of these 'motivations' myself. As you said some deities just do not lend themselves well to turn undead and in my oppinion it's just sort of bolted on.

For my own cleric, given his obsession with beauty and his own vanity might decide to bring down Xeen's wrath on the ugly, smelly beasts! Besides they clearly dont know how to have a good time.

[Witch Hunter]

Well when it comes down to domain choices those that have gods that should be turning undead get the sun domain then they can really turn some undead bum!
 
 As for making the elemental domains control their own-type... uh... lots of scripting to do for such a thing because all elementals fall under the same race catagory (theres no special race for fire elementals for example)... so basiclly the script would have to make sure its a fire-type creature by checking a big list x.x
 
 
 And again.. it all comes down to roleplay.
 As clerics we have the same spell list (Other than a few domain spells) but we don't use them all - right? as an Aeridinite I never use negative energy for example... Does a Xeenite have to use the turn undead ability?

[kenty191]

That isnt actually a bad point at all. Though the temptation is hard to resist! Especially when you're about to be obliterated by a undead whorde and turn undead is staring at you from the quickslot (though you probably wouldnt quickslot it!).

Theres a slight difference in not preparing spells based upon allignment and refraining from the use of a auto-prepared class ability.

[Witch Hunter]

Eh not that much of a difference if you ask me... but it's up to you

[Faldred]

Now some of our deities are rather less righteous, my particular concern, playing Deon is how this would work for a Xeenite.

A horde of zombies is definitely a buzz-kill for any Xeenite party.  Obliterate the buggers!  

[hawklen]

Turn undead? Why use it, when theres spells that are more fun? "Oh you poor things! You look under the weather *snicker* here, let me *snicker* help!" *casts mass heal and they all come undone*

And theres the old fashion hack them till they are wee little bits. Thats just from my crazy shadonite.