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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11806 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Nov 2011 : 21:37:49
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This is a 3.5 based question, just wanting people's takes. I was thinking about this character from the Complete Necromancer's Handbook
"Vermissa
The Undying One, Queen of Worms, Matron of Ghouls
24th-level Lich Priestess of Thasmudyan, Lawful Evil"
Thasmudyan is listed as a baatezu lord who is called both "the king of undead" and "the ghoul lord". He's also called "Thasmudyan, King of Worms, Lord over Life and Undeath". My initial thoughts were he's an alias of Orcus or Yeenoghu, but then.... I can't see any demon being called a baatezu lord, nor do I see their clergy being Lawful Evil.
So, if someone wanted to be a cleric of Thasmudyan, they'd have to take "Disciple of Darkness" to be able to get their clerical spells and domains (according to champions of ruin). However, what if they were an archivist? Technically, the archivist is a very special case of divine spellcaster who is researching the techniques of all divine magic in order to learn how to cast divine spells. Technically, the rules below don't state anything about any of the other divine casting options (i.e. favored soul, archivist, etc...).
I specifically point out that these "clergy" are still adhering to worshipping a being with access to divine power, which is required in the realms. I'm just wondering if they went with the archivist or favored soul should they be required to take the same feat (or even other options like shugenja or druid or spirit shaman.... if there are some unusual demon, yugoloth, or devil lords that fit these class options). It might be that this feat is more to make it harder for clerics of these beings to be around, but other odder options maybe not.
Oh, and just to add clarity, what I was looking at was doing Vermissa as a 7th wizard (necro) / 7th archivist / 10 mystic theurge (casting 17th wiz / 17 archivist). This would be as opposed to making her a 3rd wizard (necro) / 3rd cleric of Thasmudyan / 14th true necromancer / 4th mystic theurge, which would definitely be more powerful in the end (casting 19th wiz / 19th cleric, plus lots of bonus necro spells). Both still give her the 24 levels of caster, but explains why she's able to train arcane necromancers in spellcasting. I just liked her better as an archivist because it makes sense to make her a very research oriented personality, and if she didn't HAVE to blow a feat to become Thasmudyan's servant, it might explain why she's an archivist too. The cleric option is obviously more powerful, but I kind of feel like not everyone knows the path they'll go down in life or even what options will be available to them... nor is everyone perfectly built stat-wise for the better options they may want to choose (i.e. the archivist/wiz only needs int where the other requires int/wis).... and so sometimes people make choices that may not be the best for them in the long run. Both options give access to 9th level spells and could therefore teach the wizard spell which breaches the seals on her prison.
The below is from Champions of Ruin and I'm quoting it here for the purpose of clarity.
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A number of powerful fiends serve as patrons for clerics
and other divine spellcasters. Clerics following Asmodeus,
Baphomet, Demogorgon, Orcus, Yeenoghu, and other such
creatures often lead bloodthirsty cults of like-minded followers.
However, these powerful demons and devils do not have
any divine ranks and lack the ability to grant cleric spells as
gods normally do.
There is a way around this limitation. A character can
strike a special bargain with a powerful fiend, which gives
the fiend the ability to grant spells to that character from
a choice of domains. In effect, a powerful fiend can serve
as a conduit for certain universal principles or the nascent
divine power of its own extraplanar home, but only for
mortals who agree to the dark and insidious bargain it
offers. This bargain is represented by one of three feats:
Disciple of Darkness, Scion of Sorrow, or Thrall to Demon
(see Vile Feats, page 22). A character with cleric levels
who chooses one of these feats can choose domains made
available by the particular demon, yugoloth, or devil he
chooses as his patron, and he receives his cleric spells from
that dark entity.
The vast majority of evil clerics choose gods for patrons,
since they need not use a feat to simply gain access to cleric
spells with a divine patron. But devil lords and demon princes
crave the adulation of mortals, too—and many seek out individuals
willing to give them the adulation they crave.
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Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Baatezu lords granting divine magic & non-clerics
