What is the stereotype of a Dungeons and Dragons cleric?

Question

I'm fairly new to D&D 3.5 (I've been playing for 4 years). A friend is recruiting for his new campaign, and I agreed to play a cleric, who will most likely be lawful neutral. How do I avoid turning my character into a stereotype?

Answer 1

Well, strickly speaking.  I have played many stereo typical clerics with the NG alignment.  I would suggest you find a deity with that type of alignment and read about them.  Find someone that you like in temperment and beliefs.  There are no rules about specialization that you HAVE to follow.  if you wish to specialize...then do it, or don't.  I would recommend you develope a personality you don't mind playing.  It will help you enjoy playing the character.  Talk with the DM, he might even help you develope a specialization that isn't in the book.  Something that you could get into.  Remember, the rule books are guidelines...they are not absolute.

Answer 2

Instead of playing a "stereotypical" cleric who worships a deity, just pick two domains.  You might even take it so far as to be a cleric who is actively opposed to the traditional deities, like a heretic or unbeliever.

Other options might be to always try to take captives and not healing any party members who didn't cooperate, or just playing an orc.

Answer 3

I have been playing D&D (AD&D,AD&D2nd etc...) since 1978. I have become known for playing 4 characters to retirement and one who is close.

Of those five characters, four were Clerics or at least multiclass Clerics.

I have always taken my Clerics personality into the "Religion", not the religion into the character. Lawful is a great way to go for that. Remember that Lawful follows the rules! but who"s rules.... Well LE would follow the rules made by the strongest.... whenever possible their own....

While good would follow the rules , most likely to the letter as perscribe by their lord, bishop, Deity, etc...

As a LN you may use your characters personality to interpret the "rules" in the characters world.... Letting yourself lean toward the need of the moment Good or Evil, but still forfil the "LAWS"!

Remember the worst EVIL is Chaotic Nuetral!

They think they want to do what ever they want to and don't care by what means they use to get what it was they thought they wanted!

At least C/E Knows it will use Evil to attain what it KNOWS, it thinks it wants!

LOL

The personality of the cleric character should fight with the need to be the perfect follower of the "Deity". As with real life, we all fight with the "right thing" to do and how it will effect our lives....as should your Cleric!

Answer 4

If you're staying with 3.5, take a look in the Complete Divine sourcebook. You'll find a lot of good info there for making a non-run-of-the-mill clerical type.

Answer 5

The easiest way to not be steroptypical is to elect to spontaneously cast Inflice spells instead of healing. Also Rebuke undead instead of turning. You could be a more battle oriented cleric. Select Moradin as your god and take his combat oriented domains.