Basic Fantasy RPG Forums

How do Clerical (and Druidic) spells work as far as "discovering" them?

Is there "work" that a Cleric (look, I'm just going to use "Cleric" throughout this post; pretend it says "Cleric or Druid or other divine caster") must do to "learn" a spell?

A second level Cleric knows about the eight first level spells they have access to and can pray for any of them (subject to any limits imposed by their deity/power source). When the Cleric gains fourth level, do they immediately get access to all eight second level-spells? Or do they have to "learn" about them first?

If their campaign uses additional first or second level spells, does the Cleric need to "learn" the spell before being about to pray for it? Or do they just have to learn that the spell exists, in which case they simply need to pray for it? Or does their deity just make available any spell they can cast appropriate for their level?

And how does magical spell research work for a Cleric? Is there even magical spell research for a Cleric? Does it require them to design the spell and hope their deity say, "Yeah, sure, that works," and suddenly starts granting the spell? Does the Cleric have to discover that the spell should exist and then have to convince their deity to grant it? Or does the deity say, "My bad; forgot that one existed; here you go!"? Or does the deity say, "Hey! Here's a cool spell I found you might like. Wanna pray for it?"

I'm just trying to figure out how spell discovery and spell research should work for a Cleric. I am just not seeing how it fits together.

Core spells are always known to the divine caster, once their level is enough, they can prepare them. But they should be limited to spells according to their faith or ethos.

I don't know if there are hard rules for non-core spells....

Magical Research works when the caster has an idea for a new spell. And its weird, on one hand they "prepare" spells by praying, but create new one by research.

One would think that only arcane casters can invent spells while divine casters must ask for them or perform some quest, but for simplicity sake (and probably due to the intended game target) both use the same mechanic.

Maybe their praying is more like the arcane casting, they do not ask the god directly, they prepare part of the spell and end it when in need of casting it by completing the final part of the prayer...

If they prepare spells in this manner maybe personal and new spells are only known to the creator and to those that have learned it.

The precept is that not all clerics will know all the spells.
You sort of have to work the reasons why based on the campaign setting.

The 2 big flavors are organized religions similar to what existed in the middle ages and mythologies similar to what existed in the antiquity.

With mythologies, you can sort it out by gods, which is what I do.
Even then, my main gods are the embodiment of several things and one of their cleric can specialize in one of those therefore gaining different spells.

With religions, it's a bit more complicated. There could be sect, secret rituals, initiations, etc...

That's how I look at it.

Clerical spells are prayers. Research might involve studying old religious texts for clues about lost or forgotten prayers, or it might involve extended meditation and prayer for inspiration or guidance.

At any rate, odd clerical spells on scrolls works really well.

Historically, you don't often find old prayers.
What is commonly found on old scrolls is mostly votive offerings, thanks for prayers answered.

But yeah, sacred religious texts might contain old prayers.
You might research those in a temple library, for a fee.

Solomoriah wrote: ↑Tue Aug 25, 2020 5:21 pm Clerical spells are prayers. Research might involve studying old religious texts for clues about lost or forgotten prayers, or it might involve extended meditation and prayer for inspiration or guidance.

Or perhaps a pilgrimage, which would let the entire party participate in the adventure, right?

Praying for divine inspiration makes the most sense, I'd think.

Yeah. You're right. The way the class and its spell casting component is written, that makes the most sense.

Hmmmm. I've given myself a campaign idea with the pilgrimage comment, though. So, something good came from that.

Tazer_The_Yoot wrote: ↑Sun Aug 30, 2020 6:45 am Yeah. You're right. The way the class and its spell casting component is written, that makes the most sense.

Hmmmm. I've given myself a campaign idea with the pilgrimage comment, though. So, something good came from that.

That's a great idea for a campaign idea. Very medieval.