⛪ The cleric (50 points)
A faith-trained healer and lorekeeper. Heals wounds, tends the sick, knows the texts and the tongues that travel with them. A Priestly power pool sits at the heart of the build.
Concept and assumptions
- Starting budget: 50 character points.
- Tone: classic fantasy — a sworn member of a faith with a temple behind them.
- Party role: support and recovery. The cleric keeps the party on its feet and talks to the gatekeepers, scribes, and locals nobody else can read.
- Power flavour: Priestly. Tied to Willpower; describes the powers as gifts granted by their faith.
Statistics — 13 points
- Willpower 13 (6 pts) — base for the Priestly power pool, anchors the power reserve.
- Intelligence 13 (6 pts) — feeds Medic, Herbalist, Knowledge, Linguistics; also lifts Perception.
- Constitution 11 (1 pt) — long vigils, longer journeys.
- Strength 10 — average; the cleric is not a fighter.
- Agility 10 — average; enough for a staff in a pinch.
Two 13s pull double duty: Willpower powers the power pool and backs WIL-based skills; Intelligence backs the lore stack and lifts Perception via Calculated statistics.
Power pool — 11 points (Priestly)
See Powers for the full mechanic; numbers below follow the standard cost shape.
- Claim cost: 1 pt — reserves the slot.
- Activation: 4 pts — switches the pool on so the cleric can actually use it.
- Power skill: level 2 (3 pts) — roll target = Willpower 13 + 2 = 15.
- Power reserve: no extra reserve points spent at start. With WIL 13 and the Priestly multiplier, the cleric starts with a reserve of about 26 — enough for several castings before needing recovery.
- One starting power — Heal (level 1): 3 pts. Restores Body to a wounded ally. The exact effect, range, and reserve cost are agreed with the GM.
Reserve cost, casting cost, and any enchantment multipliers are handled in the power builder; confirm the final effect and range with your GM as usual.
Healing skills — 6 points
- Medic (INT) at level 2 — 3 pts. Stitches, splints, ordinary wound care. Target 15.
- Herbalist (INT) at level 2 — 3 pts. Knows plants for poultice and ration. Target 15.
Mundane healing closes wounds the power pool should not have to. Save the gift for the moments that actually need it.
Lore & languages — 8 points
- Knowledge / professional skill (INT) at level 2 — 3 pts. Pick religious lore.
- Linguistics (INT) at level 2 — 3 pts. Speaks the temple language and at least one neighbouring tongue.
- Conversation (INT) at level 1 — 1 pt. A measured voice in tense rooms.
- Bureaucratic/Bribery (WIL) at level 1 — 1 pt. Knows the office, the seal, and what to ask for.
Self-defence and table presence — 2 points
- Staff (AGI) at level 1 — 1 pt. Walking aid first, defence second. Target 11.
- Carousing (CON) at level 1 — 1 pt. A welcome guest at a wake or a wedding.
Totals so far
13 (stats) + 11 (power pool) + 6 (healing) + 8 (lore) + 2 (presence) = 40 points spent. That leaves 10 points for advantages and/or net disadvantages — or for a second individual power.
Suggested traits — 10 points to play with
Three different clerics for three different campaigns.
- The temple's emissary. Membership of Religious Order, Social Grace, and a small Code of Conduct (refund) — institutional backing on the road. Spend the refund on a second power (Purify level 1 ≈ 4 pts) to cure infection and disease.
- The kindly hedge-priest. Animal Empathy, Quick Healer, Powerful or Influential Friend(s) (an old abbot back home), and one or two more — straight spend, no refunds needed.
- The shaken witness. Haunted (refund) for what they saw at the last shrine, and Secret (refund) for what they took from it. Buy Persistent and a stronger power skill (level 3 = 6 pts total instead of 3) with the freed points.
See Advantages & disadvantages for the full default lists. Costs and refunds follow the skill curve.
Why this build works
The cleric brings recovery, knowledge, and access. Heal patches up the bad rolls; Medic and Herbalist patch up the rest without burning the reserve. The lore and language stack means the party can read the inscription, negotiate with the gate guard, or file the paperwork instead of swinging a sword at every problem. Willpower 13 keeps the power skill and the reserve healthy without drowning the budget; Intelligence 13 makes the rest of the toolkit land where it needs to.
Compare with the ex-soldier or the borderland scout: same 50 points, very different problems solved.
See also
- All sample characters — other 50-point builds.
- Powers — claim, activation, skill, reserve, and the conversation with the GM.
- Skills — the cost curve behind every level.
- Dice rolls — what target 15 actually looks like.