Clerics are first and foremost religious leaders: holy devotees and devout worshippers of whatever god they choose (or are called upon) to serve.  The powerful mystical powers they wield come directly from their deities.  Clerics don't think of themselves as spell-casters at all—rather they are a hand of god and an extension of him, doing his will and his work.  Clerics are the priests of any advanced race of Norrath, versus the Druids and Shamans of less advanced societies.  Clerics do not just stay in their cities and tend their churches—they adventure out, seeking enemies of their god and their beliefs and destroying them, and preaching their faith to others.

Type:

Priest

Class Skills:

Clerics are best known for their healing powers.  They can call upon restorative magic from their gods and mend wounds, cure disease, purge poisons, and restore sight to the blind.  They can, should a comrade fall in spite of the Cleric's ministrations, summon a soul back to its body and bring the dead back to life.  Clerics can also use protective benedictions to increase health and augment armor, and prevent disease, poison, frostbite, burns, and magical damage.  They are also command a great deal of magic against undead creatures, and indeed, many Clerics' religious doctrine compels them to seek out and destroy these unnatural abominations.  They can conjure a small range of items, including food, water, and holy hammers that are especially effective against the walking dead.  Clerics can also summon divine protection for themselves, becoming invulnerable for a short period of time.

Clerics can become skilled with both large and smaller blunt weapons, usually maces or morning stars, sometimes warhammers or staves, though most tend to avoid direct melee combat unless unavoidable.  They learn to Channel their energies and pray through attacks, and Meditate even while battle surrounds them.  Later, they acquire the abilities to Dodge blows and stun enemies by Bashing them with their shields.  Eventually they learn to specialize their mystical powers, though later in their studies than the arcane casters.

Other Names:

Vicar, Templar, High Priest, Archon, Kor (Froglok)

Armor:

Clerics may garb themselves in any armor up to and including platemail, the only priest-class able to do so.

Religion:

Religion varies a great deal among Clerics for obvious reasons, but no matter who they worship, religion is central to their life and being.  They cannot be Agnostic, for their powers come directly from their god.  Most Clerics border on religious zealots, proclaiming their god as the One True God and all others to be at best lesser gods.  Clerics are expected, both by their gods and by their communities, to represent their god's interests and to serve as he directs in all matters.

Dark Elven Clerics worship Innoruuk, using their healing magic in the cause of Hate.

Dwarven Clerics are stalwart holy warriors of Brell Serilis, and the enemies of Veeshan and Rallos Zek.

Erudite Clerics of Erudin may serve either The Tranquil or The Oceanlord, while the Heretic Clerics of Paineel serve Cazic-Thule.

Froglok Clerics are all soundly behind Mithaniel Marr.

Gnomish Clerics of the Temple of Deep Musings almost all follow Brelll, though some rare instead hear the call of Bristlebane.  Those of the Dark Reflection follow Bertoxxulous.

Halfling Clerics all worship Bristlebane.

High Elven Clerics are universally in the service of Tunare.

Human Clerics, the most varied, can be found in Qeynos in the Temple of Thunder (Karana), the Temple of Life (Rodcet Nife), and in the sewers a small cult has built a Temple of Bertoxxulous.  In Freeport, the Clerics of Marr serve the twins Erollisi and Mithaniel while Clerics of the Dismal Rage serve only Innoruuk.

Questing:

A Cleric will usually stir out from his hometown early on to prove himself, both to his deity and his community.  Clerics generally are searching for sacred relics, on holy pilgrimages to some special site or person, on religious crusades to reclaim a place or object or to root out evil, or doing missionary work, preaching their faith to those still in spiritual darkness.  Some Clerics combine these callings in their journeys, for example, by preaching to the group of adventurers who invites the Cleric to join their party while on the way to Befallen to obliterate the grotesque undead there.

Culture and Training:

Most Clerics feel touched directly by their god in some way, literally called into his service.  Some may have visions or receive signs.  Clerics spend years with a temple studying history, holy texts, canon, and apocrypha before becoming ordained.  Some few Clerics are self-taught and self-ordained, though how well these are accepted as true Clerics by the community depends on how the society is organized.  All Clerics need to visit a temple of their god at some point, if for no other reason than to learn holy rituals and acquire holy scrolls.

Interaction:

Clerics are indispensable to an adventuring party.  Their healing power is unmatched and their resurrecting powers almost unique.  Able, battle-experienced Clerics are always in high demand in dangerous territory, and a group that counts a Cleric among their number is a very lucky (even blessed) group.

While some Clerics respect others' beliefs, most regard followers of other deities to be "misguided," or at worst, "heathens" to be converted or destroyed.  Most Clerics will work with those of compatible alignments to further their own goals, especially if the journey allows them plenty of opportunity to steer their comrades towards the light.  In their home cities, good Clerics are trusted and revered, and evil Clerics are feared and obeyed.  They are among the leaders of most communities, if not in charge, what they order is still listened to and carried out, and they are sought out as advisors and allies.  Clerics are generally not welcomed in foreign lands, though they will not be outright attacked unless they completely oppose the current belief system.

Alignment:

A Cleric may be of any alignment, depending entirely on her deity.  Some deities are not picky about alignments, but most require a Cleric to match their alignments with little leeway.  A Cleric that loses his faith, or whose alignment turns unacceptable to his god loses all access to divine powers and magic until his alignment returns to his god's allowable range.  Alternately, with much work and prayer, he may become accepted by a new god and regain his mystical abilities from this new deity, but this is much rarer (and must be approved by the Leader, in the case of guild members.)

Roleplay Tips:

Be upright and true to your beliefs.  Do not waver.  Hold to the precepts and teachings of your god, and be quick to defend him from attack or criticism.  Do not aid enemies of your god.  Proselytize as much as possible.  Do not "cast spells," instead recite benedictions and prayers, and imbue people with the protection of your patron deity in his name, or heal them with his power.  Feel free to make your prayers as elaborate as you deem worthy—particularly resurrection spells.

Quote:

"In the name of the Prime Healer, are you returned unto life.  Give thanks to He that causes your heart to beat, that it might continue to do so for a long time to come."