Priests of the Underworld

It is very likely that I'll be able to playtest some of the stuff I've been developing for the Underworld.  Since I've recently hammered out the nature of the deities of the Underworld, I decided to work up a class that better reflected this than the Cleric does.  Here is the result of my efforts.  It should be fully compatible with the Swords and Wizardry White Box (with one small exception).  This is not designed to be balanced against a Cleric.  The assumption is that this class and the Cleric will not be used side by side, and as such I have upped the xp requirement for the Priest.  I never liked how quickly Clerics level compared to other classes.  Comments are appreciated.

Everything below the line is designated open game content.

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The Priest

Priests replace Clerics in an Underworld campaign.  You gain your magical power through your connection and devotion to an otherworldly entity.  The nature of this entity is determined by the referee with input from the player, but three gods are provided for the main campaign area of the Underworld.  As a Priest advances in levels, their appearance becomes more unearthly.

Table 3: Priest Advancement

Level               Exp. Points                  Hit Dice                       BHB                ST

1                      0                                  1                                  +0                    14

2                      3,000                           2                                  +0                    13

3                      6,000                           3                                  +0                    12

4                      12,000                         3+1                              +1                    11

5                      24,000                         4                                  +1                    10

6                      48,000                         5                                  +2                    9

7                      96,000                         6                                  +2                    8

8                      192,000                       6+1                              +3                    7

9                      384,000                       7                                  +4                    6

10                    768,000                       8                                  +5                    5

Table 4: Priest Spell Progression

                                    Spell Level

Level          1                      2                      3                      4                      5

1                 1                      --                      --                      --                     --

2                 2                      --                      --                      --                     --

3                 2                      1                      --                      --                     --

4                 3                      2                      --                      --                     --

5                 3                      2                      1                      --                     --

6                 3                      3                      2                      --                     --

7                 4                      3                      2                      1                     --

8                 4                      3                      3                      2                     --

9                 4                      4                      3                      2                     1

10               5                      4                      3                      3                     2

Priest Class Abilities

Weapon/Armor Restrictions:  Priests may use any kind of armor, but are restricted in their choice of weapon.  Below are lists of weapons that are permitted to Priests of various gods.  The Priest may also use any weapon permitted to the Magician class.

Apollo: bows, short swords

Moloch: Khopeshes, slings

Baldr: Spears

Spell Casting:  A Priest gains the ability to cast spells from his or her deity.  Each day, a priest must perform a ritual in a temple or sacred place dedicated to that deity.  They then may select which powers they gain that day in accordance with the spell list for their deity and the chart below.

Transfiguration:  Beginning at level 2, and every level thereafter, the Priest begins to take on aspects of his or her deity.  The referee rolls secretly on a table associated with the Priest’s deity to determine the nature of this transformation.  Mechanical changes are explained on the chart itself.

Saving Throw: Priests gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against death and poison.

XP Bonus for Divinity:  This bonus is due to a high divinity attribute.  (This should be replaced with wisdom in other campaigns)

Priest Spell List

What spells a Priest gains access to is determined by his or her deity.

Apollo

Level 1

1.         Cure Light Wounds

2.         Detect Chaos

3.         Detect Magic

4.         Light

5.         Read Languages

6.         Sleep

Level 2

1.         Find Traps

2.         Detect Invisibility

3.         Detect Thoughts (ESP)

4.         Locate Object

5.         Speak with Animals

Level 3

1.         Crystal Ball

2.         Cure (Cause) Disease

3.         Dark Vision

4.         Light, Continual

5.         Remove Curse

Level 4

1.         Cure Serious Wounds

2.         Neutralize Poison

3.         Speak with Plants

4.         Sticks to Snakes

Level 5

1.         Commune

2.         Contact other Plane

3.         Create Food and Drink

4.         Dispel Chaos

5.         Insect Plague

6.         Wizard Eye

 Baldr

Level 1

1.         Charm Person

2.         Detect Chaos

3.         Hold Portal

4.         Light (Dark)

5.         Purify (Putrefy) Food and Drink

Level 2

1.         Bless

2.         Hold Person

3.         Invisibility

4.         Knock

5.         Web

6.         Speak with Animals

Level 3

1.         Cure (Cause) Disease

2.         Fly

3.         Hold Person

4.         Invisibility, 10 ft. radius

5.         Lightning Bolt

Level 4

1.         Charm Monster

2.         Confusion

3.         Hallucinatory Terrain

4.         Massmorph

5.         Plant Growth

6.         Remove Curse

7.         Speak with Plants

Level 5

1.         Animal Growth

2.         Feeblemind

3.         Hold Monster

4.         Passwall

5.         Teleport

6.         Transform Rock-Mud

7.         Wall of Stone

  

Moloch

Level 1

1.         Cause Light Wounds

2.         Detect Chaos

3.         Hold Portal

4.         Light

5.         Protection from Chaos

Level 2

1.         Curse

2.         Knock

3.         Levitate

4.         Light, Continual

5.         Phantasmal Force

Level 3

1.         Dark Vision

2.         Dispel Magic

3.         Fireball

4.         Fly

5.         Hold Person

6.         Lightning Bolt

7.         Protection from Chaos, 10 ft. radius.

8.         Protection from Normal Missiles

Level 4

1.         Cause Serious Wounds

2.         Dimensional Portal

3.         Plant Growth

4.         Remove Curse

5.         Wall of Fire

Level 5

1.         Commune

2.         Conjure Elemental

3.         Hold Monster

4.         Raise Dead

5.         Telekinesis