[DF] Cat-Folk Cleric Help

[Oni5115]

Working on a Cat-Folk cleric possibly with a side of thief. Our group has a Barbarian(2handed dealer of death), a Swashbuckler(Face), and a Scout(Archer). We might have one more, but we're not sure what he will play.

That said I am thinking of mostly going for a decently high IQ/DX (13-14) and high PI(Holy) (4-6), and then focusing on spells and skills vs. "Holy Might" powers; possible exception for Blessed. The biggest problem with this is no sanctity zones.

1. Are there items to boost it, or at least allow a low sanctity minimum?
2. Would Locksmith (M143) work with Traps and Surgery Skills? It says "Gives a similar bonus for Mechanic and other skills where a 'third hand' is useful."
3. For that matter, would Numb count as anesthesia, granting +2?
4. Remove Contagion count as antiseptics?
5. Am I putting too much thought into this?
6. Am I ever going to actually use this skill?

I'm also curious how to stat his disadvantages. His deities are like Yondalla/Dalla Thaun. This easily explains his mostly healing, with a side of thievery.

1. I'm curious how Vow("No Edged Weapons") interacts with the Cat-Folk racial Claws. Are they forbidden or acceptable?
2. Is there a difference between Vow("Heal anyone in need.") DF7-21 and Charitable [-15] B125?
3. How much would Sense of Duty(Kittens) be? I assume a quirk, -2, or 0 point feature.

Should I just use a staff and rely on spells like Missile Shield and use parry, or go Mace/Shield? I'm not sure I like the maces U0, and needing to go get a dwarven mace. Plus a magic staff could add some range to healing spells and things. It seems to me the benefits of a staff outweigh the lack of block.

How much does it cost to make something a holy symbol? (ex: staff with built in holy symbol.)

If it helps, the campaign is 300 starting points. Any ideas for gear are certainly welcome as I am still trying to decide on weapons and armor.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Oni5115

That said I am thinking of mostly going for a decently high IQ/DX (13-14) and high PI(Holy) (4-6), and then focusing on spells and skills vs. "Holy Might" powers; possible exception for Blessed. The biggest problem with this is no sanctity zones.

1. Are there items to boost it, or at least allow a low sanctity minimum?

Holy Relics would be a logical thing, and if you end up with an escort quest for a demigod I'm betting s/he'd be a sanctity enhancer.

Originally Posted by Oni5115

1. Would Locksmith (M143) work with Traps and Surgery Skills? It says "Gives a similar bonus for Mechanic and other skills where a 'third hand' is useful."
2. For that matter, would Numb count as anesthesia, granting +2?
3. Remove Contagion count as antiseptics?

I would definately say yes to all of the above as a GM.

Originally Posted by Oni5115

1. Am I putting too much thought into this?
2. Am I ever going to actually use this skill?

Surgery is THE way to get rid of rot grubs, burrowing barbs, and other similar horrors. That said, ask your GM if he'll ever be using them. If he's got a phobia (or another player has a phobia) they may be avoided. ON the other hand if he says "Oh, please take Surgery so I can torment you with them"...

Originally Posted by Oni5115

1. I'm curious how Vow("No Edged Weapons") interacts with the Cat-Folk racial Claws. Are they forbidden or acceptable?

I'd say they're forbidden. Still useful for cutting ropes/entangled capes/etc and might be pressed into service as improvised lockpicks (-4 or -5 instead of impossible) in a crisis.

Originally Posted by Oni5115

1. Is there a difference between Vow("Heal anyone in need.") DF7-21 and Charitable [-15] B125?

Yep. Charitable characters a) have a self control roll and b) want to help just about anyone, not just wounded people. Guy who fell in a hole, hungry orphan, lost traveler, little girl who's lost her favorite kitten... you like helping people.

Vows have no self control roll - they're absolute. On the plus side, you can get rid of them just by ponying up the points and saying "I don't follow that Vow any more."

Assuming your god won't smite you for it of course.

Originally Posted by Oni5115

1. How much would Sense of Duty(Kittens) be? I assume a quirk, -2, or 0 point feature.

Do you mean kittens, as in juvenile domestic cats, or kittens as in "Cute catfolk term for catfolk children" or even "cute catfolk term for all children"?

Kittens as in housecats would be a quirk. Stronger than "Likes Cats", unlikely to come up in an adventure scenario...

Kittens as in kids would be probably a -5 point SOD.

Originally Posted by Oni5115

Should I just use a staff and rely on spells like Missile Shield and use parry, or go Mace/Shield? I'm not sure I like the maces U0, and needing to go get a dwarven mace. Plus a magic staff could add some range to healing spells and things. It seems to me the benefits of a staff outweigh the lack of block.

It's a style choice. Do you plan on being up front in armor getting punched in the face? Or fighting more like a thief, lightly equipped, sneaking around, and whacking someone over the head? Or are you the combat medic who stands in the back and screams "Not in the face!"?

Originally Posted by Oni5115

How much does it cost to make something a holy symbol? (ex: staff with built in holy symbol.)

I'd just add the cost of the holy symbol to the item.

[mlangsdorf]

Originally Posted by Oni5115

1. Would Locksmith (M143) work with Traps and Surgery Skills? It says "Gives a similar bonus for Mechanic and other skills where a 'third hand' is useful."
2. Am I ever going to actually use this skill?

Canonically, Surgery is the skill used to extract valuable organs from dead beasties. I'd check with your GM, but it's may be useful to extract more loot.

In my own game, successful surgery rolls can produce loot, so having the skill isn't bad.

[Oni5115]

More the house cat variety kittens. The children would simply fall under the SoD Cat-Folk. I actually saw someone on these forums with it as a name or title before and when I saw that I instantly made a vow that if I ever played a Cat-Folk they would so have Sense of Duty(Kittens). lol

I had originally considered being armored, but I have realized that with low ST it just won't work. So definitely more of the rogue style.

Thanks for the info on Surgery, will definitely keep it around. Though at the start it will be rather low; until I can start getting some levels of Healer. Unless Locksmith counts, then I'd be ok.