Here a priest, there a priest, everywhere a...

[ckenp]

Have you read BX Blakrazor's recent post about Film and Old School Roleplay?. Good post, great blog, but in it he poses that the D&D style Cleric isn't as well represented in film and fiction as the other character types. Which brings me here. Can you think of good examples of a D&D Cleric in a fiction or film setting?

Also, and hypothetically, say I was going to write a comic-book, novel or movie where the protagonist was a D&D cleric, but was stumped on where to begin. Would you stat up and give background for a cleric (perhaps using one you've played yourself or played in a party with), and relate some roleplay anecdotes that define the character to use as source material?

[EOTB]

The class is a cross between Van Helsig and Moses. It is quasi-christianity writ large in a game system, but you're not going to find anything in source material because for the entirety of its existence as the dominant force in Western Civilization, christianity, where it intersected with purported wizards at all, was about burning them at the stake. Not going down into a hole in the ground and killing dragons with them to become rich.

It's not an excellent fit for iconic S&S. But it's a better fit for D&D than the mish-mash of pantheons later used because Gary became uncomfortable with the christian elements already in his fantasy game.

[francisca]

The closest I can come up with is the Commander of the Crusader force at the beginning of Season of the Witch, but I can't find a pic or even the character's name.

[Philotomy Jurament]

I tend to see the Cleric as a very specific kind of action-oriented "adventuring priest," rather than a class that typifies priests in general. In fact, I consider the Cleric as the exception, rather than the rule, as far as priests and holy men go. In my campaigns, the vast majority of priests are not comfortable wearing armor and wielding weapons (even if they wished they were), and they're not necessarily members of the Cleric class. Many of them are 0-level men, but even then they may be able to cast clerical magic as part of rituals that are associated with their office or position within their temple.

My approach is at odds with the way Clerics are presented in official D&D modules, though. In those, usually the Priest of the local temple is a 3rd level Cleric served by 1st level Clerics (acolytes), and the High Priest of the city's major temple is a name-level Cleric. Obviously, I don't like that approach.

I guess this is tangential to your question, though. Thinking about your question, I can't recall a good example of a Cleric off the top of my head. Even Van Helsing isn't a very good fit because he isn't a priest or holy-man, but an academic.

[ckenp]

Thinking about your question, I can't recall a good example of a Cleric off the top of my head. Even Van Helsing isn't a very good fit because he isn't a priest or holy-man, but an academic.

Given that an example doesn't quickly come to mind, do think then that there's room (i.e. a market) for material centered around just such a character? If so, what do you think would be the best ways to portray his D&D abilities (spell selection, weapon/armor choices, turning undead, etc)?

[BlackBat242]

I tend to see the Cleric as a very specific kind of action-oriented "adventuring priest," rather than a class that typifies priests in general. In fact, I consider the Cleric as the exception, rather than the rule, as far as priests and holy men go. In my campaigns, the vast majority of priests are not comfortable wearing armor and wielding weapons (even if they wished they were), and they're not necessarily members of the Cleric class. Many of them are 0-level men, but even then they may be able to cast clerical magic as part of rituals that are associated with their office or position within their temple.

My approach is at odds with the way Clerics are presented in official D&D modules, though. In those, usually the Priest of the local temple is a 3rd level Cleric served by 1st level Clerics (acolytes), and the High Priest of the city's major temple is a name-level Cleric. Obviously, I don't like that approach.

I guess this is tangential to your question, though. Thinking about your question, I can't recall a good example of a Cleric off the top of my head. Even Van Helsing isn't a very good fit because he isn't a priest or holy-man, but an academic.

I consider virtually all temple-clerics to be of the Cloistered Cleric sub-class, as per Len Lakofka's article in Dragon #68 (December 1982) and Best of Dragon #4.

[Philotomy Jurament]

Given that an example doesn't quickly come to mind, do think then that there's room (i.e. a market) for material centered around just such a character? If so, what do you think would be the best ways to portray his D&D abilities (spell selection, weapon/armor choices, turning undead, etc)?

Hmm. If I were writing a screenplay about such an individual I'd probably have a set-up where a temple makes a likely warrior-priest a member of a rare order to combat a supernatural threat: maybe a vampire/necromancer. You might be able to hook into the current vampire craze (although maybe that's already overplayed and on the way out), and maybe make the antagonist a woman and throw in some love interest in the conflict. I'd portray the spells as divine gifts that are granted through agents of his deity (according the AD&D guidelines, so higher level spells might require higher-level agents, or even the deity, itself) and that could be invoked as charms or prayers. I'd include spell memorization as meditation/rituals/prayers at dawn, or something similar. I'm not a stickler on Cleric weapon restrictions; I think the original restriction intended to keep magical swords and bows the province of the Fighting Man -- strictly a game balance thing, and one that became less important as the game expanded (e.g., the addition of the Thief, et cetera). Still, if the aim is to represent a D&D Cleric, then I'd still go with a mace.

I think that kind of thing could work as a movie.

[Juju EyeBall]

You've just described Season of the Witch.

[Philotomy Jurament]

I consider virtually all temple-clerics to be of the Cloistered Cleric sub-class, as per Len Lakofka's article in Dragon #68 (December 1982) and Best of Dragon #4.

The Cloistered Cleric is okay, I guess. I don't see a big need for it, though. I think of classes as mostly being about PCs: providing adventurer archetypes and a structure for advancement in the game. I don't think NPCs need to be members of a class. It's fine as a convenient shorthand for describing an NPCs powers and such if he happens to fit a particular archetype, but I often find it easier and more appropriate to just assign whatever abilities I think the character should have. I *definitely* don't think of the game world as being defined by classes. (I dislike the approach 3E took, for example, having a "Commoner" class and all that. Yuck.)

[Philotomy Jurament]

You've just described Season of the Witch.

I only made it through part of that one before turning it off and doing something else. I didn't remember Cage's character as being a priest, though. Maybe I'll give it another chance.

[Juju EyeBall]

He was a Templar but close enough.

[Stonegiant]

I think the idea of the D&D cleric would be better presented as a religious knight character who serves/acts outside the bounds of normal religion or they should be portrayed as monastic warrior-monks but done as a western version. As PJ said they do not fit well inside the bounds as of a religion as said religions standard priesthood. If every priest/cleric could cast spells think of the impact that this would have on health, hygiene, and life expectancy of people in the setting. Playing them as rare fanatics who through their faith can cast spells/perform miracles and rebuke the undead makes them much better fodder to be heroes.

[AxeMental]

The way I picture it is that clerics are first and formost adventurers (so they automatically are a thin slice of the religious sort out there, capable of rapid progression, kind of the difference between an adventuring fighter and a man at arms). Clerics are trained as a sort of knight I suppose (at first equal to fighters in combat, armor etc.) so its really just the need for heals and turning that holds them back, no reason they can't be played sorta like a paladin out front in the action (just of different alignments). The key is having a shit load of clerics in the group so its not so critical for healing (thats when you tend to see the formation around them).

[Geoffrey]

Consider the historical Knights Hospitallers. Imagine if a sub-set of them took a vow to use only non-edged weapons. Further imagine if this sub-set could cast spells and turn undead.

That is how I picture D&D clerics. I think a better name than "cleric" would be "crusader".

[Guy Fullerton]

Can you think of good examples of a D&D Cleric in a fiction or film setting?

Admittedly this is reaching a bit:
Thulsa Doom from 1982 (?) Conan the Barbarian
Obi-Wan Kenobi from 1977 Star Wars
Darth Vader too