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Old 01-21-2019, 05:34 PM   #1
b-dog
 
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Default A Paradox-like idea for clerics

I was thinking of what might happen to a cleric using Divine energies for an extended time just like what might happen in a Mage uses Magick. The Divine should not have backlash or warping effects like Magick does. The energies of the Divine are perfection and do not warp reality one way or the other. So no wormholes will open or time running backward if a cleric uses too much Divine power. Instead the perfection around the cleric will increase and the cleric could become astounded by the Divine energies around him if he uses too much. I would take astounded as being unable to interact with the world around the cleric. This may stun the cleric for a number of rounds or it may make the cleric unable to defend himself as he has no concern for anything but to join the Divine. The Divine is a power far beyond what a mortal humans soul can comprehend so it can only be used in small amounts. Too much can make the cleric or those who view the miracles unwilling to live in the mortal world which is imperfect and then hope to join the Divine.
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Old 01-21-2019, 10:25 PM   #2
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Default Re: A Paradox-like idea for clerics

I might say that the god gives the cleric a stern talking to about responsible use of the power he has been granted. No time would need pass in the material world, and human memory might be incapable of handling specific details of the conversation or the image of the god itself. The effect of hearing the voice of a god would likely result in extended stunning from some combination of fear, awe, euphoria, the need for the mind to reaccept the simple Euclidean world it again finds itself trapped in...
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Old 01-21-2019, 10:28 PM   #3
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Default Re: A Paradox-like idea for clerics

Good idea.

I would use similar mechanics to those used in gurps for fright checks except that advantages like combat reflexes and unfazeable provide no benefit.
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Old 01-21-2019, 10:49 PM   #4
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Default Re: A Paradox-like idea for clerics

In a third edition campaign I gave Clerics UMana/Threshold Magery and regular mages normal mana. The differences in strategy was nice in helping to distinguish them.
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Old 01-21-2019, 10:52 PM   #5
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Default Re: A Paradox-like idea for clerics

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Originally Posted by RyanW View Post
I might say that the god gives the cleric a stern talking to about responsible use of the power he has been granted. No time would need pass in the material world, and human memory might be incapable of handling specific details of the conversation or the image of the god itself. The effect of hearing the voice of a god would likely result in extended stunning from some combination of fear, awe, euphoria, the need for the mind to reaccept the simple Euclidean world it again finds itself trapped in...
In this idea, the Divine is not like a friend that can casually talk to you and dispense wisdom, the pure powers of the Divine are instead so amazing, so perfect and so beyond what a mortal should experience that they are almost narcotic in nature. At low levels they can be controlled but at higher levels the powers of the Divine will leave the cleric unable to function as his mortal soul will be astounded by the Divine. The energies of the Divine cause mortals which use them to become awestruck .
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Old 01-22-2019, 01:34 AM   #6
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Default Re: A Paradox-like idea for clerics

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Originally Posted by Refplace View Post
In a third edition campaign I gave Clerics UMana/Threshold Magery and regular mages normal mana. The differences in strategy was nice in helping to distinguish them.
That is an interesting idea. I think in the situation described in the opening post you could use the same mechanics as the unlimited mana rules and just tailor the calamity table to suit the campaign.
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Old 01-22-2019, 05:49 AM   #7
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Default Re: A Paradox-like idea for clerics

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Originally Posted by Boomerang View Post
That is an interesting idea. I think in the situation described in the opening post you could use the same mechanics as the unlimited mana rules and just tailor the calamity table to suit the campaign.
Yes. I love the UMana/Threshold rules because they can be tailored to suit a wide variety of flavors. For this paradox idea, I might build a calamity table starting with various levels of stun, moving up to short term sensory disadvantages (blind, deaf, mute), and culminating in longer-term comas.
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Old 01-22-2019, 07:04 AM   #8
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Default Re: A Paradox-like idea for clerics

I was thinking that prayer could be a way to prepare the mind for Divine revelation. If the Divine just told the cleric what to do then he would be stunned with awe. But by using long prayer times it buffers the clerics mind so that he can accept a message from the Divine. The Divine might also give a vision instead of full explanation because the vision is sort of stepped down in power like an electrical transformer steps down the voltage so that the electricity is safe to use.
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Old 01-22-2019, 09:37 AM   #9
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Default Re: A Paradox-like idea for clerics

Holy Word: If a cleric utters but one word of the Divine from the Holy litany then the glory and majesty of the word will cause the mightiest of men to kneel. Those of Infernal Nature must roll vs Will to resist the desire to flee in terror. The utterance also physically damages those of Infernal and undead nature as the beauty and purity of the word unmakes that which should not be.
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Old 01-22-2019, 09:46 AM   #10
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Default Re: A Paradox-like idea for clerics

I'd love to see a system where Clerics annoy their god by calling on him too often for aid and they essentially risk Bad Luck or Cursed effects if they push too much for divine intervention.
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