Alternative Clerical Magic
 

I'm currently evaluating alternatives to the Basic Set's Clerical Magic rules. By way of background, I'm adapting GURPS to a low fantasy world I'm creating. I want to avoid the traditional "Cleric" trope of D&D and its clones. Conceptually, I want priestly-types to have some divinely granted abilities but I want to avoid
"cure light wound" spells and the like. In this world, the gods are aloof and not very active. I'd like divine magic to be more subtle.

My thought was to designate certain advantages to be selected only by clerics/ priest and forego spells. I'm not sure if anyone has used this or if it works. I've picked up Divine Powers and giving that a read through. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Re: Alternative Clerical Magic
 

Ritual Path Magic may not be a bad way to go, if you want to avoid magic being overly flashy. Slower casting times, even for Adepts, and the lack of spells being pre-determined by an author 20 years ago is not a bad thing. Just limit clerics of certain deities to certain Paths, and you're set.

Re: Alternative Clerical Magic
 

I really like using Divine RPM with a few changes

Specifically, use Theology as the base skill and require Clerical Investment

Also allow appropriate higher purposes like 'Cleric of Apollo'

If you are feeling REALLY into doing a ton of brute work you can tweak the greater/lesser splits for clerics vs mages or even by deity!

Re: Alternative Clerical Magic
 

Have you looked at GURPS Powers: Divine Favor? That may be just what you're looking for.

Re: Alternative Clerical Magic
 

Divine Powers is not of course subtle. If you want subtle, go with True Faith and Serendipity (maybe Oracle) and leave it at that.

Re: Alternative Clerical Magic
 

Agreed. It's a really great way to approach divinely inspired abilities.

I think if you keep things limited to lower point cost prayers, and maybe even skip learned prayers, it would fine. You have to take more time to pray, and the abilities don't get out of hand. They remind me more of traditional rituals that clerics would perform.

Re: Alternative Clerical Magic
 

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I pulled out the Basic Set and I was reading up on the Pact Limitation, which might work well with what I'm trying to accomplish.

Re: Alternative Clerical Magic
 

What is the jurisdiction of a particular god? Hestia would be more interested in a safe home, Demeter in a good harvest of grain, Athena in plenty of olives, keeping the Spartans away and outwitting the other Sophists in the Agora, and Possidan in good fishing.

Re: Alternative Clerical Magic
 

I'm trying to avoid avoid traditional "sphere" for each god and I'm trying to develop religions around different concepts. Right now I have faiths resembling: 1) gnostic religion with a new god correcting an artificer-god's flawed creation; 2) traditional polytheism focused on worship of dragons as manifestations of cosmic forces (similar to certain asian religions); 3) a creator deity with elements of ancestor worship and reincarnation of ascended heros within families; and 4) celestial gods who forsook the world and whose priests are advanced astronomers who try to predict their return.

Re: Alternative Clerical Magic
 

The simplest is for the cleric to take their god as a patron and then call it good.