Priest, an alternative "domain" for D&D5 clerics

Clyde Caldwell, Legends, 1986

Note: The application to Krynn of these custom rules is described in the following post: Priest Vocations for the Holy Orders of the Stars.

Important

 The following is borrowed from the following freely accessible page, in French: https://5e-drs.fr/classes/clerc/

It was translated through the Google Translate app: https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=fr&tl=en&u=https://5e-drs.fr/classes/clerc/

But it is not easily accessible in English (or any other language) since the original page contains scripts interfering with the translation process

This is why I compiled it here.

Anyway, this is a creation by Black Book Edition (https://www.black-book-editions.fr/) on top of the D&D5e SRD.

Preamble

To avoid confusion, in this document and unlike in the French SRD, I use the word "vocation" instead of "priest domain".

In SRD v5 terms, when you choose a cleric, you need to choose a "domain", with a default to be "Life". All other domains are not open. With the following rules, your domain is "Priest", which has its own "vocations".

The interesting thing about these "vocations" is that in rule terms, two priest "vocations" put together make mostly a cleric "domain".

This is a very elegant way to increase the level of possible customization of gods and goddesses' powers given to their priests, as well as giving more nuance to sub-orders of followers of a specific divinity.

The Priest Archetype for the D&D5 Cleric

Religious education

At level 1, the cleric can choose the type of education he has received in his order in accordance with the GM:

• Theoretical teaching. You develop a skill in accordance with the religious principles of your divinity. You gain proficiency over this skill. If you are already proficient in this skill, the bonus is doubled (i.e. you are expert). The GM determines this skill based on the religious realm of your deity (for example, Nature for a forest deity). If no skill seems obvious, you gain proficiency in the Medicine skill.
• Martial education. This variant is suitable for a god of war, metal, strength, justice or nobility, for example. You gain your choice of proficiency of martial weapons or heavy armor. If your deity only grants you access to one vocation, you gain proficiency in both martial weapons and heavy armor. However, you do not benefit from additional divine energy channeling at levels 4 and 8 (see below).

 There is a third (homebrew) education available:

• Religious teaching. The same as theoretical teaching but with the following differences: The priest isn't proficient with intermediate armors, nor shields. In exchange, the priest wins access to a dedicated (homebrew) vocation: Devotion (see the following post), that isn't counted in the total number of vocations known by the priest.
  

Vocation spells

You get deity-specific spells that you pray to at the levels shown in the tables below, depending on the area. It is very common for a religion to encompass two divine vocations, such as war and thunder, death and time, or even knowledge and light. In this case, at each level indicated, you learn new spells from each of the two areas to which you have access, usually two spells of the same level.

If your divinity grants you only one vocation, you get in exchange an additional divine energy channel at 4th level (for a total of two) and then another at 8th level (for a total of four). So you can use your divine energy channel five times when you reach level 18.

Channeling Divine Energy: Vocation Power

From level 2, you get a channel of divine energy that depends on your vocation. If your divinity gives you access to two vocations, you must choose one or the other of the abilities and this choice is final. Regardless of the vocation, you must use an action to trigger this ability

Divine Energy Channel: Vocation Spell

At 6th level, you can cast a vocations spell using your Divine Energy Channel ability without spending a spell slot. When you cast the spell this way, if it normally requires an action to cast, you can cast it at the cost of a bonus action.

Channeling Divine Energy: Vocation Power

At 8th level, you gain the divine energy channel that depends on your second vocation, the one you didn't choose at 2nd level. Regardless of the vocation, you must use an action to trigger this ability. Although the effects of Channels of Divine Energy do not count as focus, you cannot benefit from the effects of both order abilities at the same time.

Aspect of the avatar

When you reach level 17, you literally embody the power of your divinity. You can use a channel of divine energy to assume the appearance of an avatar of your god for 1 minute. Your height increases by one category (from medium to large, for example) and you exude an aura of almost palpable power. Your voice easily carries 100 yards around you and all the creatures that hear you understand your words, even those that do not usually have spoken language. You get an advantage on all Strength and Charisma checks, and your weapon attacks increase damage by 1d4. Finally, for the duration of the transformation, you can cast each of your sphere spells once (at their normal level) without using a spell slot. To cast an estate spell this way, you must use your action this turn. If you only have one sphere, you can cast each spell twice.

Welcoming even a tiny part of a god's energy into the body of a mere mortal is exhausting. At the end of this transformation, you will suffer a fatigue level and you cannot reuse Aspect of the Avatar until you have completed a long rest.

 

List of Divine Vocations for the Priest Archetype

 

Air

Cleric Level	Spells
1	feather fall
3	squall (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
5	fly
7	gazeous form
9	conjure elemental (air)

Divine Energy Channel: Asphyxiation

This ability has exactly the same effects as casting the Desiccation spell , but the victim suffocates instead of losing the water in their body. You cast this spell as if you were using a spell slot of a level equal to your proficiency bonus (so you assign one target at 2nd level, two targets at 5th level, etc.).

 

Arts

Cleric Level	Spells
1	minor illusion
3	ghostly instrument (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
5	hypnotic pattern
7	stone shape
9	seeming

Divine Energy Channel: Divine Inspiration

You sing for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus. During this time, you can use a reaction on each of your turns to allow an ally located within 18 yards and able to hear you to re- roll a die of their choice ( characteristic test , attack roll , saving or damage). Your Charisma modifier is added to the result of the new roll.

 

Charm/Love

Cleric Level	Spells
1	charm person
3	suggestion
5	sending
7	confusion
9	modify memory

Divine Energy Channel: Heavenly Splendor

For a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus, you put disadvantage on all enchantment spell saves you cast and gain advantage on Charisma checks.

 

Cold

Cleric Level	Spells
1	frost ray
3	mantle of frost (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
5	sleet storm
7	ice storm
9	cone of cold

Channel of Divine Energy: Coffin of Ice

Pick up to one target of your choice per Mastery bonus point, located within 30 feet of you and in your line of sight. Each target must succeed on a Strength saving throw , otherwise it is restrained for 1 minute. At the end of each of your turns, each target gets a new Strength saving throw . If she succeeds, the effects of the Divine Energy Channel end on her.

 

Death

Cleric Level	Spells
1	icy contact
3	imaginary shadows (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
5	feign death
7	death ward
9	cloudkill

Divine Energy Channel: Mortal Connection

You channel the energy of death through you for a duration equal to 1 round per point of mastery bonus. During this time, you can cast the icy touch magic trick as a bonus action and you have advantage on attack rolls for that spell.

 

Deception/Illusion

Cleric Level	Spells
1	disguise self
3	invisibility
5	major image
7	confusion
9	mislead

Divine Energy Channel: Doubling

You create an illlusionary double of yourself for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus. This double disorients your opponents, and you gain an advantage in your melee attacks. Also, when a creature succeeds in an attack against you (out of area attack), roll 1d6. On a roll of 1 to 3, the attack affects the illusion; on a 4 to 6, you normally take damage. An attacker is immune to this trait if they are not using the sense of sight, as with Blind Sight, or if they can see through illusions as with the Supreme Sight spell.

 

Earth

Cleric Level	Spells
1	entangle
3	sudden stalagmites (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
5	meld into stone
7	stoneskin
9	conjure elemental (Earth)

Divine Energy Channel: Burrow

You can move through rock or dirt from a floor or wall, if they are natural, at half your normal speed for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus. When the ability ends, if you remain trapped in matter, you are thrown to the nearest open space, you take 1d6 bludgeoning damage per yard of matter traversed, and you are stunned for 1 round.

 

Fire

Cleric Level	Spells
1	burning hands
3	flaming sphere
5	fireball
7	wall of fire
9	conjure elemental (Fire)

Divine Energy Channel: Flaming Weapons

You hit a weapon and it inflicts an additional 1d6 fire damage for one minute (10 rounds). You can assign two weapons at level 9 and up to three weapons at level 17.

 

Illness/Weakness

Cleric Level	Spells
1	putrefaction (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
3	ray of enfeeblement
5	bestow curse
7	wilt (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
9	contagion

Divine Energy Channel: Infected Weapon

For 1 minute, each time you successfully strike a weapon, the target takes an additional 1d4 points of poison damage per point of your proficiency bonus and the poisoned state for 1 round. If it succeeds on a Constitution saving throw , it halves the poison damage and ignores the poison state.

 

Justice/Nobility

Cleric Level	Spells
1	unseen servant
3	strike of the righteous (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
5	zone of truth
7	spear of the righteous (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
9	expiation of the righteous (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)

Divine Energy Channel: Judgment of God

For 1 minute, once per round, when you land a successful attack with a weapon, you add 1d4 damage of the same type as that of the weapon. This damage die goes to d6 at 5th level, to d8 at 9th level, to d10 at 13th level and finally to d12 at 17th level.

 

Knowledge

Cleric Level	Spells
1	comprehend languages
3	detect thoughts
5	clairvoyance
7	divination
9	contact other plane

Divine Energy Channel: Secret Name

Pick a target that is in your field of vision and within 60 feet of you. You learn her secret name, and for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus, she suffers disadvantage on her saving throws against all of your spells. At the end of this effect, you forget about this magic name.

 

Life/Healing

Cleric Level	Spells
1	cure wounds
3	lesser restoration
5	vitality (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
7	panacea (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
9	greater restoration

Divine Energy Channel: Healing Salute

You and up to five allies in your line of sight, within 30 feet of you, heal 1d6 hit points per point of Proficiency bonus.

 

Light

Cleric Level	Spells
1	dancing lights
3	branding smite
5	daylight
8	halo of benevolence (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
11	sunbeam

Divine Energy Channel: Burst of Light

A ray of light starts from your outstretched finger and spreads to a point of your choice within 30 meters and within your field of vision, where it explodes in a blinding light. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on this point must make a Dexterity saving throw . Those that fail take 1d10 radiant damage per point of proficiency bonus and are blinded on their next turn. Those that succeed only take half the damage and are not blinded.

 

Magic

Cleric Level	Spells
1	mage hand, or prestidigitation
3	identify
5	dispel magic
7	counterspell
9	fabricate

Divine Energy Channel: Arcane Magic

You pray for 10 minutes to prepare a spell from the wizard list of your choice, the level of which must be strictly lower than your proficiency bonus (this does not cause you to spend any channel of divine energy). Now you can cast it using a channel of divine energy. You must complete a long rest to be able to choose another spell. You then forget the previous one.

 

Nature

Cleric Level	Spells
1	speak with animals
3	animal companion (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
5	speak with plants
7	hallucinatory terrain
9	commune with nature

Divine Energy Channel: Legion of Beasts

You cast the spell summon animals , however the sum of the danger indices of the beasts you summon must be strictly less than your proficiency bonus (index 1 at level 2, index 2 at level 5, index 3 at level 9, etc.).

 

Night/Darkness

Cleric Level	Spells
1	fog cloud
3	darkness
5	darkvision
7	greater invisibility
9	dream

Divine Energy Channel: Vision of Darkness

You get the ability blind vision and you are immune to the special status blinded for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus.

 

Protection

Cleric Level	Spells
1	alarm
3	blur
5	magic circle
7	faithful hound
9	antilife shell

Divine Energy Channel: Resistance

You gain resistance to all damage types for 1 round per point of mastery bonus. You can choose to use this ability on an ally in your line of sight within 30 feet at the same time as yourself.

 

Strength/Feats/Courage

Cleric Level	Spells
1	heroism
3	enlarge (spell enlarge/reduce)
5	heroic blessing (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
7	halo of benevolence (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
9	aura of strength (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)

Divine Energy Channel: Divine Power

You increase your strength for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus. During this time, you gain advantage on all of your Strength checks, saves, and melee attacks with weapons with the heavy property. In addition, you add 1d4 to the damage of your melee attacks or 1d6 with heavy weapons. During the duration of this ability, you are proficient in all heavy weapons.

 

Thunder/Storms

Cleric Level	Spells
1	thunderwave
3	squall (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
5	call lightning
7	ice storm
9	chain lightning

Divine Energy Channel: Electric Surge

For one minute, each time a creature makes a successful melee attack against you, it takes 1d4 lightning damage. Damage increases to 2d4 at 9th level and 3d4 at 17th level.

 

Time

Cleric Level	Spells
1	expeditious retreat
3	misty step
5	haste
7	dimension door
9	hold monster

Divine Energy Channel: Time Fold

This ability is an exception to the general rule of channeling divine energy, you only need a reaction to activate it. By spending your reaction, you act 1 full turn in addition to your normal turn. However, this additional turn does not grant you a new reaction. You cannot use, in the same round, an ability or a spell granting you an action, a bonus action and / or an additional reaction. If you are under the effect of a haste spell while using this ability, it ceases immediately. Additionally, you must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.

 

Travels

Cleric Level	Spells
1	longstrider
3	pass without trace
5	phantom steed
7	dimension door
9	tree stride

Channel of Divine Energy: March of the Mists

You can cast the Misty Step spell by spending either a bonus action or a reaction (and without using a spell slot) once per turn for a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus.

War

Cleric Level	Spells
1	divine favor
3	magic weapon
5	enhance ability
7	heroic blessing (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
9	stoneskin

Channeling Divine Energy: Warrior Trance

You are inhabited by the warrior expertise of your divinity for 1 minute. During this time, you can divide your proficiency bonus between the attack roll or the damage roll of a melee attack each round as you like. You can announce which part of the bonus you add after rolling the dice, but before knowing the result of the action.

 

Water

Cleric Level	Spells
1	grease
3	desiccation (see Custom Spells for the Priest Archetype)
5	water breathing
7	control water
9	conjure elemental (Water)

Divine Energy Channel: Liquid Form

For a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus, you gain resistance to nonmagical slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage. Additionally, you can bend your body to fit through a narrow space (through a keyhole, under a door, etc.) at the cost of one action.

 

Conclusion

I find this Priest Archetype much better than the default Cleric from D&D5.

First, assuming a divinity will offer, on average, two vocations to their followers, it actually enables a priest to embrace all the vocations of their god/goddess, instead of having to chose one.

Second, it makes each god/goddess more nuanced and more unique: With the limited amount of domains available in D&D5, it was easy for two unrelated gods to share the same domains. Here, if having each god/goddess offer a combination of two vocations, every god/goddess can be unique.

Third: It is actually easy to retrieve a Priest Vocation from an existing D&D5 Cleric Domain: Just take one of the two spell for each level, and you're done.

This means adding the Vocations that are specific to Dragonlance to be very, very easy.

All in all, this is, IMHO, infinitely better than the original domain-based cleric of D&D5e.

You can find custom vocations in the following post, and how they are offered by Krynn's deities here.

Sciences of the Wizards of High Sorcery

“Long ago, during the Age of Dreams, when magic-users were respected and magic flourished upon Krynn, the five Towers of High Sorcery stood as beacons of light in the dark sea of ignorance that was this world. Here, great magics were worked, benefiting all. There were plans for greater still. Who knows but that now we might have been riding on the winds, soaring the skies like dragons. Maybe even leaving this wretched world and inhabiting other worlds, far away … far away.…”

His voice grew soft and quiet. Caramon and Crysania held very still, spellbound by his tone, caught up in the vision of his magic.

He sighed. “But that was not to be. In their desire to hasten their great works, the wizards decided they needed to communicate directly with each other, from one Tower to another, without the need for cumbersome teleportation spells. And so, the Portals were constructed.”

Legends - War of the Twins
Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Twins

 

In the extract above, Raistlin Majere describes how, prior to the Third Dragon War, the Orders of High Sorcery were searching for application of magic, to the benefit of all.

In the case of portals, they botched the experiment, but this extract hints at something much more important, in a storytelling context: Knowledge of magic evolved with time...

Magic

In retrospect, this is logical. The first wizards didn't come with a spellbook with all D&D spells in it, to be given to an organization that would then remain stagnant for millennia.

Instead, there was, at some time, an era of marvels and discoveries. An era when previously unknown schools of magic were discovered, and researched, and spells discovered and categorized, magic artifacts created.

On Earth, we have Pythagoras, Newton, Einstein, Bohr, Feynman. Who are the Pythagoras, Newton, Einstein, Bohr, and Feynman of Krynn? On Earth, we have mathematics, biology, relativity physics, quantum physics, some of these having been discovered a mere century ago. What are the equivalent, on Krynn?

Magic, as an evolving research domain?

Giving a sense of progression on magic is a wonderful opportunity of enriching the lore of Krynn, as well as making Krynn a living world. It also leverages on existing D&D material to empower non-player characters.

This would mean that every field of magic, potentially every school of magic, has something like a date of discovery, then an evolution (e.g. perhaps at one time, Conjuration and Invocation were the same school, until mages discovered they were actually distinct). And that this timeline might have affected Krynn's history as a whole. It might hint at future discoveries, future spells...

It would also mean wizards that would be famous for their contributions!

Instead of Mordenkainen's Manor, one could learn Fistandantilus' Manor!

(Not Scanlan's Hand, though... No matter your fantasy universe, Scanlan's Hand remains Scanlan's Hand)

 

Examples of Fields

In my reformed Dragonlance Setting, I see at least 3 magic domains that would have evolved from almost nothing in the historical past, to the state we now have in "modern" Dragonlance campaigns.

Space

This magic domain is about spells of instantaneous teleportation, moving through space. Spells like Teleport, Teleportation Circle, but also Demiplane and Dimension Door are the spells related to Space.

In my reformed Dragonlance Setting, Fistandantilus is the wizard who researched and created such spells, as well as contributed to the creation of the portals mentioned in the quote above. You can expect to have "scientific articles" written by this wizard on the subject of space travel in the libraries of the Towers of High Sorcery.

Chaos Magic

In the Dragonlance Setting, the universe of Krynn was created from the Chaos, when Reorx stuck it with his hammer, slowing it down. Non-divine Magic itself was introduced back into Krynn by the Graygem, with its chaotic manifestations and mutations. Also, there was an order of renegade Brown Robes, active during the Third Dragon War, around 1000 years before the Cataclysm, that embraced chaos magic, following their leader, Galan Dracos.

In my reformed Dragonlance Setting, Galan Dracos is the wizard who researched chaos magic, and accumulated a dangerous amount of knowledge and spells of that domain, among them Confusion, Crown of Madness, or Chaos Bolt. Of course, practicing it gives a wizard a great amount of power, and spells unknown by the Orders of High Sorcery but at the cost of random (and sometimes cataclysmic) events, and mutations.

Necromancy

Necromancy is the magic of death, of the dead, and of the undead.

In my reformed Dragonlance Setting, Necromancy was initially a sterile, failed school of magic: At best, through Animate Dead, it animated a corpse, or even a skeleton, relying on automation, and not much else. It was gross, dangerous, and mostly useless.

And this went well with the idea that only divine magic could heal, or have any life effect, in any meaningful way. The undead were either anomalies (ghosts, or revenants unable to let go of their mortal regrets), or curses from the gods.

It was (wait for it...) Sylvyana who, after turning her back to the Silvanesti, revolutionized necromancy, by determining its major fields, and researching the undead.

Her articles and discoveries reinvigorated the research on Necromancy among the Orders, much to the chagrin of the White Robes who rightly thought that, if revealed, it would damage the standing of the Orders among non-wizards. But it was too late when they realized her experiments went well beyond the articles and spells she shared with the Orders, and her creation had already escaped all over Ansalon.

Indeed, while spiritual undead like ghosts and banshees were known on Krynn, as well as physical undead like revenants, skeletons and zombies, Sylvyana, in her quest for immortality and power, researched and brought into Krynn the first ravenous undead: The ghouls... And later, the vampires.

Some of the spells she contributed are False Life, Vampiric Touch, Create Undead, and Clone.

Conclusion

Of course, this needs not be limited to Necromancy, Chaos Magic, or even Space Magic (!!!).

By selecting a subset of "common" spells accessible to all, and then gathering the remaining spells by theme, it is easy to attribute them to one wizard, or one "school" of wizardry led by a wizard and their apprentices.

This way, finding such rare spells is not only "loot" in game terms, but also part of the history of Krynn.

And when someone finds a lost spellbook authored by Sylvyana, they know it won't probably be about lightning bolts...

Philosophies of the Wizards of High Sorcery

As part of my work to "modernize" the Dragonlance Setting to my tastes, the first, most obvious, target, is, of course, the Wizards of High Sorcery.

Good, Neutrality, Evil?

At first glance, having 3 orders of white, red and black robes is awesome. But having "good", "neutral" and "evil" mages seems a bit too much on the nose.

Looking at the excellent Holy Orders of the Stars sourcebook (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/3239/Holy-Orders-of-the-Stars-35e), one can discover very interesting things about the gods of magic.

Indeed, all gods were given a "divine power". For example, Paladine has the "divine power" of "Majesty", while Takhisis has the "divine power" of "Control".

And if you take a look at the gods of magic, you see that even them, before becoming what they are now, had a "divine power":

• Solinari:  Vigilance
• Lunitary: Mystery
• Nuitari: Ambition
  

... and, reading that, I realized that I'd found the seed for my reformed Orders of High Sorcery!

Vigilance, Mystery, Ambition!

If we take these principles, and apply them to Magic, then we get something much more profound. Something that can translate, for the common people, to the famous "good, neutral and evil mages", but that is much, much more nuanced if one actually study their organization.

The Orders of High Sorcery were founded by three patrons to make sure magic would be both used, used correctly, and kept under control. Each mage of High Sorcery must then have specific qualities:

• Curiosity: A need to research, and unveil the mysteries of magic, for its own sake
  
• Vigilance: A need to make sure magic is not used lightly, nor irresponsibly.
• Ambition: A need to go beyond the common, to reach farther, and reap the rewards
  

... and, as each divine patron of the Orders has a natural affinity for one of these qualities: 

• Curiosity: Lunitari (as need to unveil Mystery)
  
• Vigilance: Solinari
• Ambition: Nuitari

... an tripartite organization naturally emerges, embracing their divine patron's philosophy (and color)

Consequences

This is why mages of one Order will always respect a mage from another Order: They both value the same things, even if not with the same priorities, and the mage of the other Order is indeed working for the betterment of magic itself, in their own way:

• Red Robes: Research, without limitation, and knowledge sharing
  
• White Robes: Prudence in research, and diplomacy with external organizations, and the people
  
• Black Robes: Increasing the power and prestige of the Orders
  

Is it surprising, then, for the common people, to see the White Robes as the "politically correct" wizards, while the Black Robes are the evil schemers?

The Test of High Sorcery

The test should comprise of at least tests of the candidate's loyalty to the Orders and to Magic, as well as a test of what is the candidate priorities among Vigilance, Curiosity or Ambition.

Testing Skills/Talent

Of course, the Test must test the skills and the talents of a candidate, when under stress, or not, to make sure the candidate is able to think and research. Combat, duels and research for a specific thing in libraries are usually the kind of tests a candidate has to pass.

It has already been discussed in Dragonlance books, so I won't elaborate here.

Testing Loyalty to the Orders

Also, the test is about loyalty: Is the candidate loyal to the Orders, including when this loyalty seems to violate their own moral limits?

In D&D terms, morality is simplified into an alignment of two axes: Law/Chaos and Good/Evil.

So, a good approximation of this test would be to confront the alignment of the candidate against their loyalty to the Orders.

For this, three tests can be devised:

• Loyalty vs. Good: Would the candidate be able to sacrifice innocents, if needed by the Orders or Magic?
  
• Loyalty vs. Law: Would the candidate be able to breach Law, if needed by the Orders or Magic?
  
• Loyalty vs. Evil: Would the candidate be able to sacrifice oneself, if needed by the Orders or Magic?

Failing all of them would mean failure in loyalty, and thus, of the test. Failing 2 would fail to impress. Failing one would be welcome, and failing none would really impress.

Er... Good, Law, Evil, ok... But what about Chaos?

There's no Loyalty vs. Chaos test described above, as the Orders are a very organized (i.e. lawful) organization. It is thus implied that Loyalty vs. Chaos is actually a test that a candidate is going through their whole career as apprentices and mages.

In other words, a chaotic-aligned character would have to be able to convince the Orders, during their whole apprenticeship, that, despite their tendency for chaos and freedom, the Orders and Magic are still their first loyalty.

Testing Priority/Affiliation

The Test can be used for the candidate to help them decide their own affiliation, by proposing to the candidate difficult choices:

• Curiosity vs. Vigilance: For example, is it better to make a copy of a dangerous scroll to make sure the knowledge is preserved for future research, or is it better to destroy it to avoid risking for this knowledge to spread with dire consequences?
  
• Ambition vs. Curiosity: For example, is it better to use a magical artifact immediately, to increase one's power, or is it better to dismantle it, hoping to gather is secrets and to be able, perhaps, to reproduce it later?
  
• Ambition vs. Vigilance: For example, is it better to risk one's current position in a military or diplomatic conflict to try to gain a better position? Or is it better to fortify oneself?

In most of the cases, the choices will reveal and highlight one principle that seems more natural and important for the candidate, thus naturally directing them into the right Order. In case of doubts, more tests can be done (including a tripartite test when the candidate must choose between three options: Ambition, Vigilance, or Curiosity).

And what about alignment?

The interesting part is that all imposes little on the candidate's own alignment:

You could be ambitious, while remaining good. And you can be prudent while remaining evil.

But one can't deny that most good-aligned characters will join the White Robes, and that ambition without a strong "Good" compass leads naturally to evil.

So, while this says nothing about the mage's alignment in rule terms, it is easy (and often correct), when coming from outside, to use the simplistic, approximated approach of considering a White Robe to be good, and a Black Robes to be evil.

Conclusion

Using this variation on the Orders of High Sorcery, you can both enrich the concept behind the Orders of High Sorcery, and make it more palatable for those bored by a naive "good vs. evil" concept, while still keeping the traditional Good/Neutral/Evil approach that had always be part of the Orders of High Sorcery in Dragonlance.

Welcome to my Dragonlance Blog

 

In this blog, I will describe my thoughts & musing on my storytelling of a Dragonlance campaign, using the D&D5 ruleset.

It is important to remember this is a personal viewpoint on the subject, to adapt the world of Krynn to my tastes, philosophy, and needs in the campaign.