Cleric Options

[SmootRK]

Being Catholic, the main use of holy water (other than throwing upon vampires) is for that of blessings of various sorts. It would stand to reason that something akin to Bless be incorporated.

Perhaps, if Holy Water is used along with Bless spell (or similar spells) then the bonus granted is increased by 1 and duration increased by 1 increment (uses the vial).
If used alone, I can perhaps see the use in a Purify type effect (or perhaps the mentioned Poison save).

[Dimirag]

In our group Holy Water is used for heeling lesser ailments (nothing really big, just headaches, sprain muscles, etc) so the Cleric can assist others PC and specially NPC.

I was thinking that maybe the holy water can be poured on a weapon making it able to hit undeads that needs of a special weapon type.

Smoot's idea is a good one, maybe it can be used with any spell to have better results, more damage given/healed, better duration, etc. If you want you can make a table with different holy weapon strength and each one having its own requirements and benefits.

[LibraryLass]

I like Smoot's idea, yeah.

The reasons I put forth my suggestion are twofold. First it gives 1st level characters at least some capacity for emergency, on-site healing. Second it means there's a reason to carry Holy Water even if one's not expecting undead.

[artikid]

Hi all,
I think I could add some benefit for Bless spells (twice the duration), but I can't see holy water doing anything else unless we are talking about specialty priests: in this case holy water used by priests of different deities would have different effects (basicaly double duration of one spell).

I'm not entirely sold on this though.

BTW, what are the effects of unholy water? Damage to celestial and good-aligned creatures?

[Joe the Rat]

A big symbolic factor of water, and holy water in particular, is in cleansing and purity.

Boosting healing (wound-cleansing as part of the casting) would be fitting. Ritual cleansing or purification of people, items, or spaces would use it, but that is something that seems more flavor than mechanics. If you are cursing (reversed-blessing) something, you could incorporate holy water to increase the effect, but it'll need a rationale.

For specific deities, I think it's up to the GM to decide what spells it can influence. If double-duration is too much, you can back it up to increasing the caster level by 1 or 2. Heck, you could use it in turning (spritzing it while presenting your symbol rather than lobbing it at something), it might garner you an extra level of turn ability, or additional HD of undead to be turned.

At the very least, it's always safe for drinking.

I'd just treat unholy water (and call it that as well) as the inverse of holy water - although I can easily see evil-types using things other than water. (Unholy blood - always stays fresh!)

[LibraryLass]

Hi all,
I think I could add some benefit for Bless spells (twice the duration), but I can't see holy water doing anything else unless we are talking about specialty priests: in this case holy water used by priests of different deities would have different effects (basicaly double duration of one spell).

I'm not entirely sold on this though.

BTW, what are the effects of unholy water? Damage to celestial and good-aligned creatures?

It doesn't exist. That which is sacred to an evil god is still holy as far as his worshippers are concerned.

[Solomoriah]

It doesn't exist. That which is sacred to an evil god is still holy as far as his worshippers are concerned.

I'll say "yes, but" to this. Holy water, like anything influenced by the gods, should work in that god's favor; so water holy to an evil god should not affect undead in the same way that water holy to a good god would.

Given that, we have to call it something. So yeah, the evil god's priest calls it holy water, but we need to call it something else just so we'll know what it does.

[artikid]

Release 6 is up with holy/unholy/druidic water and suggestions for other kinds of holy water.
Cheers
artikid

[LibraryLass]

Druidic water, eh?
Now that's a novelty.

[Sir Bedivere]

I know I'm splitting hairs, here, but what about using 'sacred' or (my choice) 'hallowed'?

'Holy' has a strong cultural connection w/ Good. Sacred and hallowed seem to have more open meanings. It's difficult for me to say that an evil god has holy things, but I can see an evil god would have sacred or hallowed things. These would also work for Druids, I think.

Yeah, sorry; I'll retire to my carrel in the stacks now.