Can A Neutral Cleric Use Lawful Spells (2025)

A cleric cannot cast spells of an alignment opposed to their own or their deity’s (if they have one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and lawful symbols. There is no alignment opposite neutral, so a cleric neutral with respect to good and evil can cast both good and evil spells, and a cleric neutral with respect to law and chaos can cast both lawful and chaotic spells. A true neutral cleric (of a true neutral deity, if applicable) can cast all of the above.

Clerics should not cast spells of an alignment opposed to their own or their deity’s (if they have one). In a recent game, a True Neutral cleric was allowed to cast a few Protection from Law spells, but would not have been allowed a Dispel Chaos or a Holy spell.

Lawful clerics use the normal form of the spell and should use the reversed form only in life-or-death situations. Chaotic clerics normally have a close alignment with their deity, while some cleric spells are only available to non-good/non-evil clerics or only to good/evil ones. Neutral clerics have to choose between spontaneous heal/harm on character, and they can cast most spells that both evil and good can cast with a few exceptions. When they turn undead, they act like good clerics.

Can clerics use spells from other domains?

Clerics can switch out their spell list during long rests, as long as they have the spell slots to cast them. They can take as many spells as their wisdom modifier plus their current cleric level and are not restricted to the spells attached to their deity’s chosen domain. Clerics can also cast ritual spells, which do not require a spell-slot and take 10 minutes to cast. However, only certain types of spells can be cast this way, and they should be kept for quieter moments when there is an extra 10 minutes to spare.

Clerics and Paladins, who get their powers from worship and oaths, can walk a dark path if they have the right deity to guide them. Gods in Dungeons and Dragons can range in morality, from being entirely benevolent to outright evil. The interpretation of your chosen deity is up to you, but pages 293 to 299 of the 5E Player’s Handbook provides a useful overview of potential gods and their assigned moral alignment.

Can a cleric be chaotic good?

Clerics in D and D are divine classes that share an alignment with their patron deity, which can dictate their Divine Domain subclass. Chaotic good deities are often associated with life, light, joy, trickery, and justified conflict. Adventurers who value these ideals may worship a relevant god and become a Cleric of a relevant deity. These Clerics serve as holy warriors, bringers of faith and healing, or general mischief-makers. They can belong to almost any Divine Domain, but the Nature, Tempest, and Trickery domains can be particularly good fits.

The abundance of chaotic good human Fighters in D and D is due to the archetype’s evocative nature. Fighters are unrestricted by pre-defined flavor, fighting better than anyone else. This allows players to take Fighters in almost any direction, and being a hero is an empowering fantasy. Certain Martial Archetypes may define stronger theming with ties to structured organizations or codes, but these only make chaotic good more appealing.

What is a female cleric called?

A priestess is a female religious figure, often dressed in the style of a goddess in ancient Greece. The term originates from the Old English prēost and its Greek root, presbyteros, meaning “an elder”. Today, Christians use the term “priest” to refer to both men and women, and it is used for ancient religions and occasionally pagan or Wiccan religious leaders. A priestess is a clergyman in Christian churches with the authority to perform or administer religious rites and is part of the Holy Orders.

Can a cleric have an evil God?

A player may choose to play as a cleric for any deity, regardless of alignment. It is advisable to consult with the Dungeon Master initially to ascertain which deities are permitted, as some may have restrictions in place. Please be advised that JavaScript may be disabled or blocked by an extension, and that your browser does not support cookies.

Can a cleric get married?

The Assyrian, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches allow married men to be ordained, but traditionally do not allow clergy to marry after ordination. Clerical marriage is the practice of allowing Christian clergy to marry, distinct from allowing married persons to become clergy. This practice is admitted among Protestants, including Anglicans and Lutherans, and has played an essential role in literature, philosophy, science, and education in Early Modern Europe.

Many Eastern Churches, including the Assyrian Church of the East, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic, do not allow clerical marriage after ordination. Parish priests are often married but must marry before being ordained to the priesthood. Some Eastern Christian communities have a tightly knit hereditary caste among priests and their children.

The Latin Catholic Church requires clerical celibacy for the priesthood since the Gregorian Reform in the late 11th century under the influence of Bernard of Clairvaux. However, Eastern Catholic Churches do not require clerical celibacy for the priesthood, and the discipline may be relaxed in special cases, such as the conversion of a married Anglican priest to Catholic priest.

Can a cleric marry?

In modern Christianity, Protestant and some independent Catholic churches allow ordained clergy to marry after ordination. However, in some Orthodox churches, ordained clergy have been granted the right to marry after ordination. Protestant denominations permit unmarried ordained pastors to marry, not just the appointment of already married persons as pastors. However, some do not admit a second marriage by a widowed pastor due to 1 Timothy 3:2 and 3:12.

In these denominations, there is no requirement for a pastor to be already married or prohibit marrying after “answering the call”. Being married is often welcomed, as the pastor’s marriage serves as a model of a functioning Christian marriage and their spouse often serves an unofficial leadership role in the congregation.

Can clerics of Eilistraee be male?

Before the 1370s DR, clerics of Eilistraee were considered female due to their divine dance and association with motherhood and fertility. However, during the 1370s, Eilistraee began to include male priests in her clergy, and the church opened to male priests by 1373 DR. Some priestesses initially disliked this change, fearing they could be driven by power. However, they would never reject males who wished to join the clergy or refuse to aid and accept them.

During the early stages of the work to open the clergy to male priests, an aspiring priest had to undergo the Changedance, a ritual meant to change an individual’s sex from male to female and vice-versa. This allowed priests to spend time shapechanged into a woman to better understand Eilistraee’s nature and dance, overcoming the difficulty of forming male clerics. Many priests spent more time as females to fully embrace Eilistraee’s nature and dance.

As of the Second Sundering and Eilistraee’s return, the clergy had completed the work to integrate all genders in its ranks, and male priests who didn’t wish to no longer had to undergo the Changedance to complete their formation. Female clerics were collectively known as “Dark Ladies”, while male clergy had the title of “Reverent”. Acolytes and aspirants to the clergy were known as Maids, and many clerics chose individual titles that reflected their personality during an Evensong.

Can clerics prepare any spell?

To prepare a list of cleric spells, choose from the list and choose a number equal to your Wisdom modifier and cleric level. The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For example, a 3rd-level cleric has four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots, while a Wisdom of 16 allows for six 1st or 2nd-level spells in any combination. Casting a spell doesn’t remove it from the list.

You can change your list of prepared spells after a long rest, but it requires time spent in prayer and meditation. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability, derived from your devotion to your deity. You use Wisdom when a spell refers to your spellcasting ability and when setting the saving throw DC for a spell you cast.

Can clerics cast 2 spells?

As a 3rd-level cleric, you can cast a spiritual weapon as a bonus action, but if you wish to cast another spell during your turn, it must be a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action, such as sacred flame. This rule is commonly understood as saying that if you cast two spells on the same turn, one of them must be a cantrip. However, the lead rules designer of D and D, Jeremy Crawford, recently answered some questions on Twitter about bonus action spellcasting, which made it clear that the rule was not entirely clear. Crawford’s explanation of casting times is crucial for understanding the rules and ensuring that you are not misunderstanding the rules.

Can a cleric be neutral?

In the 1st edition of the game, there are no true neutral Clerics, as stated on PHB page 20 under the Druid description. This means that all other Clerics must choose a side, either neutral good or neutral evil. If allowed to play a true neutral, players could choose to turn or control, but not both. This issue arises from allowing players to choose alignments that do not fit the game rules, as it could lead to unintended consequences.

Can you have a lawful evil cleric?

A Lawful Evil Cleric may worship either a Lawful Neutral, a Lawful Evil, or a Neutral Evil entity. An alternative option is to become an LE Cleric of Tiamat, the Goddess of Greed and Chromatic Dragons. This involves charging considerable sums for the services provided.