Page 127 - D&D - Player's Handbook

CLERICS
The gods are most active through their chosen clerics,
who carry out the gods' work on the Material Plane. A
typical cleric in Faerun serves a single divine patron,
but some individuals feel called to serve a group, such
I
as the elemental gods Akadi, Grumbar, Kossuth, and
Istishia, while others serve deities that are intertwined
gods, such as the elves' Angharradh.
Some clerics in Faerun belong to an established
religious hierarchy, but many do not. The gods choose
whomever they will, and sometimes a devoted wor-
shiper is blessed with all the abilities of a cleric, despite
not being a priest of any kind. That cleric might be a
contemplative hermit, a wandering prophet, or simply I
a devout peasant. Religious orders often try to recruit
such clerics and bring them into the fold, but not all of
those clerics wish to be bound to a hierarchy.
Conversely, not everyone who pursues a religious vo-
cation is a true cleric. Some acolytes discover a different
path for their lives than the path of the cleric. They serve
their faiths in other roles, such as priests, scholars, or
artisans, while some go on to vocations that have noth-
ing to do with religion. A few souls who are denied the
path of the cleric become embittered and seek favor with
sinister or forbidden gods or forge pacts with other pow-
erful entities. Religious scholars in the Realms debate
whether divine rejection led such a person to embrace a
dark path or whether the person was rejected because
the gods foresaw the potential for darkness in the per-
son's future. The gods remain silent on the matter.
Some clerics are homebodies who serve a particular
community of the faithful, but adventuring clerics tend
to have a certain crusading zeal to do their deity's work
in the wider world. This work may include ministering
to far-flung communities, as well as seeking out and de-
feating threats to the civilized world. ARCANA DOMAIN SPELLS
Cleric Level Spells
DIVINE DOMAIN
l st detect magic, magic missile
Clerics in the Forgotten Realms have the following 3rd magic weapon, Nystul's magic aura
Divine Domain option, in addition to those in the Play-
5th dispel magic, magic circle
er's Handbook.
7th arcane eye, Leomund's secret chest
9th planar binding, teleportation circle
ARCANA DOMAIN
Magic is an energy that suffuses the multiverse and ARCANE INITIATE
that fuels both destruction and creation. Gods of the When you choose this domain at 1st level, you gain pro-
Arcana domain know the secrets and potential of magic
ficiency in the Arcana skill, and you gain two cantrips
intimately. For some of these gods, magical knowl- of your choice from the wizard spell list. For you, these
edge is a great responsibility that comes with a special cantrips count as cleric cantrips.
understanding of the nature of reality. Other gods of
Arcana see magic as pure power, to be used as its CHANNEL DIVINITY: ARCANE ABJURATION
wielder sees fit. Starting at 2nd level, you can use your Channel Divinity
The gods of this domain are often associated with to abjure otherworldly creatures.
knowledge, as learning and arcane power tend to go As an action, you present your holy symbol, and one
hand-in-hand. In the Realms, deities of this domain in- celestial, elemental, fey, or fiend of your choice that
clude Azuth and Mystra, as well as Corellon Larethian is within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving
of the elven pantheon. In other worlds, this domain throw, provided that the creature can see or hear you. If
includes Hecate, Math Mathonwy, and Isis; the triple the creature fails its saving throw, it is turned for 1 min-
moon gods of Solinari, Lunitari, and Nuitari of Krynn; ute or until it takes any damage.
and Boccob, Vecna, and WeeJas of Greyhawk.

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