Hi everybody,

I started a Dark Heresy group about 3 weeks ago with no problems so far. But just recently we got a new player joining the group and he wants to play a cleric. i have no problem him playing as a cleric, just really don't know how clerics work in Dark Heresy. What I read and understood that they can good in raising morale for the group and helping fighting daemons for example. And since the Imperium is a big place they have different ways of worshiping the god emperor. Plus he has never played Dark Heresy, so if anybody can help me out or give any ideas that will be super awesome.

The "classic" 40K priest is a fire-and-brimstone-spouting fanatical puritan, ever ready to take up arms and teach sinners the error of their ways. Of course, there are a near-infinite number of other possible personality types, from the wise, soft-spoken "voice of reason", to the conniving grifter who uses disengenuous sermons to bilk the faithful out of their hard-earned Thrones...

Indeed - Clerics can be fanatical devotees to their faith just as much as they can be scheming politicians with a silver tongue. Pretty much like in real life, really. Best ask the player what kind of role he would aim for. A Cleric could really be a fun addition to the group, regardless of what path the player chooses, as they all come with a lot of potential - depending on how well he integrates with the other Acolytes!

Keep in mind that the Imperial Creed doesn't take kindly towards mutants and witches. If your party includes any Psykers, you may be in for a rough ride.

Lynata said:

Thanks everybody surely this will help him with his character development. Once again thank you.

Gregorius21778 said:

"The use of psykers in the Imperial Guard is regarded by the superstitious as a necessary evil - one that is tolerated with a mixture of awe, fear and, most of all, suspicion."
- 5E Codex: Imperial Guard

Yeah, but DH PCs aren't total average Joes. They should know better.

Doesn't mean you have to love psykers. Of course, when you know this fine buddy here has a 10% chance to bring some bull**** in the world, and some 2.5% chance to make serious business you don't want to see happen, you're suspicious. But you don't need to hate the Psyker.

Then again each PC is different, each one has his own system of values, etc, etc. But a sanctioned Psyker has been judged worthy by the Big E, somehow. That could at least be taken into account. If your character thinks that the Emperor considers them tools, you can see the Psyker as a tool. But hating it is like hating a weapon that could overheat. Do you hate Plasma?

Everyone always forgets the Emperor was a psyker. Psykers are closer to the emperor than the cleric is, in a manner!

Cauldron Born said:

Heresy!

Please report to your local Confessor for immediate arco-flagellation.

Jokes aside: Yeah, of course player characters can be "different" - I just don't think it would be bad for PCs to follow the stereotype either, and this particular stereotype is certainly stronger with members of the Ecclesiarchy than anywhere else. It is, after all, a part of the Imperial Creed that this Cleric would have learned to teach. Don't hate on the fanatics!

Gregorius21778 said:

More like a letter from god if you ask me… Even though I am not sure how well known this fact is even in the lower ranks of the Ecclesiarchy. Having been on Terra alone is reason enough for most citizens to be impressed with awe.
I think Greg has a point and I also always wonder about this “pure, open hatred” attitude against sanctioned psykers that is often propagated. Awe: for sure; fear: maybe; suspicion: sometimes as well; but open hatred: I don’t think so (at least as long as he keeps his powers in check).
A couple of planets even tolerate mutant labourers without sending lynch-mobs after them every week.

Lynata said:

Battlefield Psykers of the Imperial Guard are a special circumstance in a way. They are allowed to fire bolts of lightning and whatnot at the enemy and are liable for all sort of lethal side-effects. It is no wonder that the common soldiery see them with suspicion and do not want to be near them when they start manifesting their vile powers. Still, your quote emphasizes that the “superstitious” see it that way; a grizzled Guard veteran is probably more relaxed in the presence of a Psyker.

Regarding the OP’s original question: I personally would like to play a grim brooding Black Priest of Maccabeus (from IH), as I like their style and focus. Unfortunately, I am damned to be a GM until the end of days…

The Cleric in my group has the extra advance of the confessor from the Blood of Marytr's book. Now this give her a slightly different skill set, but she has been acting as the group's moral compass. When it comes to getting the group to do the 'right' thing she often takes the lead. The faith powers have helped the group significately in combat as well as the players long sightedness in dealig with various groups of the adepta.

The best thing for helping a cleric is give them a background of the faith, religious holiday's, saints and other things of that ilk in the sector. The Blood of Martyr's book is a good supplement for this.

Also you can give your cleric player Imperial Creed hints and information as needed without rolling for it so that your interpretation of the faith and the cleric's is somewhat in sink.

Hope that helps.

I think it is worth dicussing the mechanical aspects of the Cleric with your player as well as the character and story aspect.

Clerics are a Jack of all Trade style character, they can do most anything but they will always be bettered by a specialist, a scum will out socialise them, adepts and psykers will out knowlage them and assassins and guardsmen will outfght them etc.

If you use skill checks a lot this will mean that in most cases the Cleric player will stand asside as the rest of the team do the business and if you are combat heavy then the cleric is going to be more of a bullet catcher than a holy warrior of light.

These should not be reasons to not play a cleric, a cleric brings a lot of roleplay/story power to the table, but his advantages are a lot harder to quanitfy as their strength is based on the way the story is played out and how the group as a whole play their parts.

Cauldron Born said:

Hypocracy amongst religious leaders? I've never heard of such a thing! Seriously, we live in a time when The Religious Right- the self-appointed leaders of Christianity in the U.S.- vehemently renounce the majority of the teachings of Christ as being "too liberal"; a double standard for psykers is pretty minor by comparason...

I think an interesting take on the class is to do it "by the book" - looking just what your character is. For example, Void-born clerics, clerics on ye olde feudal worlde, and hive clerics are imo different archetypes to begin with. Then you can look at your stats and see if they give you some ideas as well. Perhaps there is a reason your weapon skill is 38, or an abysmal 22. And do not even dare doubt that Emperor has seen fit for your character to truly be a bastion of will, or to give her a tongue to charm the birds off the trees. You are a servant of Him on Terra, and He knows what he is doing. Even cosmetic issues such as eye color or quirks can give you ideas.

Then we move on to the huge amount of faiths that are kept under the lid of the ecclesiarchy. Pretty much any cleric archetype (imo) can fit in - the Shepherd from Firefly (I once rolled a character uncannily close to him), Richelieu, a televangelist, a crusading padre, In real life, we have so many types of people who enter the clergy on only one planet - in 40k, you have hundreds of planets with their cultures and subcultures. If you can imagine it, go with it. By the way, most people see the Imperial creed and think "catholic" but actually pretty much any near-monotheistic religion can become sanctioned. Want to try a rabbi or qadi in 40k? Sure - as long as your group doesn't object, at least. Compared to some of the crazier cults that can become accepted in 40k, Islam, Judaism, and most Protestant sects are quite tame. Even mostly polytheistic ones such as the IRL ancient greek or aztec one can be ok - the Emperor is the sky-god (who over several centuries becomes the most important), the others become saints or are forgotten/forbidden. Zeus, sky-father, master of lightning and thunder - why, of course, he resides on Holy Terra and watches over his children, and you can be his messenger.

Reading the above post a thought lept across my brain, you could very well be a Death Cult Administrator, to make sure that the actual assassins are fit for purpose, or simply the front man for recruiting, the list goes on.

I created a Cleric for a PbP game and I've modeled him after a few concepts. First he's a Metallican Priest. Yes a pistol toting priest from a Hive I imagine like the old west. He treats psykers and mutants as he would treat any "normal" human. If they are sanctioned (psykers) and follow the Imperial Creed (mutants) then they can be overlooked for their deficiencies for the Emperor was a psyker and mutants are a necessary stain on humanity. But unsanctioned psykers and mutants who try an uprising deserve an bolt round to the head. If our group ends up going against Daemons and such I plan on making him a Black Priest of Maccabeus. A priest with Sancristion Bolters to purge the daemon is my plan on him (Van Helsing movie mixed with some Helsing anime).

Clerics can make great additions to a Dark Heresy game.

I have a group that is involved in all kinds of s***. Ranging from illegal to downright heretical. Most of it there Inquisitor doesn't know about. I then introduce a Cleric character who is already highly regarded by their Inquisitor to specifically investigate corruption within the Inquisitors organisation. Major freak out by players and the paranioa gets ramped up to eleven.

What about a missionary? A young innocent missionary?

Or a noble cleric only interested in wealth and luxury.

Or a old forgetful forsaken priest?