I've played a lot of Clerics in my time and wanted to branch out with my creativity for them. Most, if not all, have been acolytes or worshippers for their Gods/Goddesses which is fine, but I've gotten kind of bored of that and wanted to try something new. I have no preference for domain.
The question is pretty broad, but it could really be anything. I once had a pirate background who was a tempest cleric, if you want a specific example. But really anyone from any walk of life have some kind of religious revelation. A sage becomes a knowledge cleric, a farmer becomes a mature cleric. An urchin goes into the trickery domain. A blacksmith goes forge. And those are just ones where a background points neatly at a domain. Opposite is also fun. A town guard who gets sick of arresting the criminals decides to join them and goes trickery.
Can you give more specific parameters for what you’re looking for?
Honestly I hear the better pick for 2024 is the guard… at least for frontline builds intending to use weapons. Not sure if that is the build you want to go with or what edition you are going by.
Whatever background you choose you should get a bonus to wisdom (please ignore if your DM is allowing custom background). That gives you Acolyte, Farmer (tough), Guard (alert), Guide (Mag Init Druid), Hermit (healer), Sage (Mag init wiz), Sailer (tavern), Scribe (skilled), and Wayfarer (Lucky).
All of these are great backgrounds to choose from in terms of story telling. Things to remember is that while Acolyte/Hermit/Sage/Scribe are probably the straightest paths to becoming a Cleric any of the others could hear the call. A Farmer/Guard/Guide/Sailer/Wayfarer could easily be people who have a brush with faith while taking part in their normal life. Or perhaps their temple is found in a small town where you don't just get to be a priest but have to have a real job. A chaplain on a ship could be a sailer. The more nature based ones (Farmer, Guide, Wayfarer) would be easier with a Nature domain cleric, but you can fit any of them.
I did a Twilight cleric who had the urchin background -- they were essentially a low-level thief, got killed, and brought back by their god. They didn't know how or why, though, really, so their goal during the campaign was to discover who was giving them these powers. They believed in the powers, since they'd come back to life, but they didn't know the source, which I thought worked pretty well for Twilight.
My favorite is the combat medic. You start with the background of either Soldier or Guard. Focus on Strength and Constitution as much as Wisdom (starting stats maybe 14, 10, 14, 10, 16, 12). That 14 Str let's you wear chain mail. I usually go with a shield, and take the feat War Caster as soon as feasible.
Musician or Chef background in 2024 PHB, would give you different views of playing a cleric. If you’re using that version of play. With them adding feats to background these 2 would work.
Perhaps borrow from the 5e Paladin's play book, and get your power from your devotion to your domain.
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
If you were running 2014 rules and wanted mostly flavor, you could also go Noble or Knight. Run it like you’re a “god king” or something like that. I don’t think it has the most optimal proficiencies for a cleric, especially a melee one, but history and persuasion aren’t bad.
My sun cleric is/was a hermit. Mostly for roleplay purposes - he achieved his status outside of established religion and doesn't worship any specific deity, just the sun/idea of the sun as a benevolent force.
Going with Religious Relevation theme, but tipping it sideways, the Religious Servitude theme.
Character is in a life changing moment and ask the gods for help in that time of great import in return for faithfull service, a god answers and does as you wish (sort of a divine intervention type moment) and then tasks you to serve as payment as per your oath. Whammo - on the path to righteousness, and learning/fumbling it as you go.
Allows for a non typical mindset to playing a cleric from an outsiders viewpoint or perspective. Fun RP moments.
Also, if you want to think of a non-acolyte cleric, just think of Thor.
........ for Nature based and also for Healing boosts too ( if you later combine it with potion brewer or Alchemist supplies tool prof.).
Well crafted story-background in how you became a Farmer can allow the DM add some side-quests related to that. And at least, your party can get some decent loot in food supplies and some golds, which it can save some money in later INN-devotioners.
You could be a Cleric blessed by an immortal force who draw on power from the Outer Planes where you spent formative years in a scriptorium as a Scribe, learning and copying tomes of planar literature with scholarly research skill.
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I've played a lot of Clerics in my time and wanted to branch out with my creativity for them. Most, if not all, have been acolytes or worshippers for their Gods/Goddesses which is fine, but I've gotten kind of bored of that and wanted to try something new. I have no preference for domain.
The question is pretty broad, but it could really be anything. I once had a pirate background who was a tempest cleric, if you want a specific example.
But really anyone from any walk of life have some kind of religious revelation. A sage becomes a knowledge cleric, a farmer becomes a mature cleric. An urchin goes into the trickery domain. A blacksmith goes forge. And those are just ones where a background points neatly at a domain. Opposite is also fun. A town guard who gets sick of arresting the criminals decides to join them and goes trickery.
Can you give more specific parameters for what you’re looking for?
Honestly I hear the better pick for 2024 is the guard… at least for frontline builds intending to use weapons. Not sure if that is the build you want to go with or what edition you are going by.
Whatever background you choose you should get a bonus to wisdom (please ignore if your DM is allowing custom background). That gives you Acolyte, Farmer (tough), Guard (alert), Guide (Mag Init Druid), Hermit (healer), Sage (Mag init wiz), Sailer (tavern), Scribe (skilled), and Wayfarer (Lucky).
All of these are great backgrounds to choose from in terms of story telling. Things to remember is that while Acolyte/Hermit/Sage/Scribe are probably the straightest paths to becoming a Cleric any of the others could hear the call. A Farmer/Guard/Guide/Sailer/Wayfarer could easily be people who have a brush with faith while taking part in their normal life. Or perhaps their temple is found in a small town where you don't just get to be a priest but have to have a real job. A chaplain on a ship could be a sailer. The more nature based ones (Farmer, Guide, Wayfarer) would be easier with a Nature domain cleric, but you can fit any of them.
I did a Twilight cleric who had the urchin background -- they were essentially a low-level thief, got killed, and brought back by their god. They didn't know how or why, though, really, so their goal during the campaign was to discover who was giving them these powers. They believed in the powers, since they'd come back to life, but they didn't know the source, which I thought worked pretty well for Twilight.
Birgit | Shifter | Sorcerer | Dragonlords
Shayone | Hobgoblin | Sorcerer | Netherdeep
My favorite is the combat medic. You start with the background of either Soldier or Guard. Focus on Strength and Constitution as much as Wisdom (starting stats maybe 14, 10, 14, 10, 16, 12). That 14 Str let's you wear chain mail. I usually go with a shield, and take the feat War Caster as soon as feasible.
Anzio Faro. Protector Aasimar light cleric. Lvl 18.
Viktor Gavriil. White dragonborn grave cleric. Lvl 20.
Ikram Sahir ibn-Malik al-Sayyid Ra'ad. Brass dragonborn draconic sorcerer Lvl 9. Fire elemental devil.
Tayn of Darkwood. Human Life Cleric. Lvl 10.
Musician or Chef background in 2024 PHB, would give you different views of playing a cleric. If you’re using that version of play. With them adding feats to background these 2 would work.
Farmer is good for nature based deities.
Also, if you want to think of a non-acolyte cleric, just think of Thor.
Roll for Initiative: [roll]1d20+7[/roll]
Proud member of the EVIL JEFF CULT! PRAISE JEFF!
Homebrew Races: HERE Homebrew Spells: HERE Homebrew Monsters: HERE
MORE OF ME! (And platypodes/platypi/platypuses) (Extended signature)
Perhaps borrow from the 5e Paladin's play book, and get your power from your devotion to your domain.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
If you were running 2014 rules and wanted mostly flavor, you could also go Noble or Knight. Run it like you’re a “god king” or something like that. I don’t think it has the most optimal proficiencies for a cleric, especially a melee one, but history and persuasion aren’t bad.
My sun cleric is/was a hermit. Mostly for roleplay purposes - he achieved his status outside of established religion and doesn't worship any specific deity, just the sun/idea of the sun as a benevolent force.
Going with Religious Relevation theme, but tipping it sideways, the Religious Servitude theme.
Character is in a life changing moment and ask the gods for help in that time of great import in return for faithfull service, a god answers and does as you wish (sort of a divine intervention type moment) and then tasks you to serve as payment as per your oath. Whammo - on the path to righteousness, and learning/fumbling it as you go.
Allows for a non typical mindset to playing a cleric from an outsiders viewpoint or perspective. Fun RP moments.
Life's hard - get a helmet!
........ for Nature based and also for Healing boosts too ( if you later combine it with potion brewer or Alchemist supplies tool prof.).
Well crafted story-background in how you became a Farmer can allow the DM add some side-quests related to that. And at least, your party can get some decent loot in food supplies and some golds, which it can save some money in later INN-devotioners.
My Ready-to-rock&roll chars:
Dertinus Tristany // Amilcar Barca // Vicenç Sacrarius // Oriol Deulofeu // Grovtuk
You could be a Cleric blessed by an immortal force who draw on power from the Outer Planes where you spent formative years in a scriptorium as a Scribe, learning and copying tomes of planar literature with scholarly research skill.