URFAD: The Cleric

My house cleric is more limited than the one in the original game. I’ve sometimes used a separate class,  Templar, that matches up more to the by-the-book cleric, although in those cases I have allowed edged weapons. The template for my cleric is the medieval monk (nothing original, Friar Tuck, Imperius from Ladyhawke; sometime when I've written up house rules I’ve used “monk” instead of “cleric”) and the level titles are generally changed to reflect that, though the original occult influences remain in the level two Adept, while the the highest levels break with real-world (Catholic) tradition and use Maven (from the Hebrew mevin, one who understands) and Apostolos (Greek for messenger).

As for Turn Undead, when I returned to D&D five years ago I decided I preferred the term Repel Undead, but it wasn’t until last year when I read D. H. Boggs’ exegesis of the original incarnation of this ability that I grew comfortable with renaming it, using “turn,” then, to mean the result of three successive repels. I like how the “three times” rule keeps the undead as dangerous as they should be, enhancing theme and increasing tension.

Cleric Level Progression
Level	Title	XP	HD	Atk	Spells
					1	2	3	4	5
1	Novice	0	1	–	–	–	–	–	–
2	Adept	2,000	2	+1	1	–	–	–	–
3	Priest	4,000	3	+1	2	–	–	–	–
4	Friar	8,000	4	+2	2	1	–	–	–
5	Sacrist	16,000	5	+2	2	1	1	–	–
6	Prior	32,000	6	+3	2	2	1	1	–
7	Doctor	64,000	7	+3	2	2	2	1	1
8	Elder	120,000	7+1	+4	2	2	2	2	2
9	Maven	240,000	7+3	+4	3	3	3	2	2
10	Apostolos	360,000	7+3	+5	3	3	3	3	3

Armor: None. • Weapons: Flail, hammer, mace, quarterstaff, sling, staff.

1. From second level on, clerics will know a minimum number of spells per spell level, following the “Spell Check” column from the magic-user’s table but using Wisdom instead of Intelligence. 
2. Clerics require the supplies in the Cleric’s Pouch in order to cast spells and repel undead.
3. Clerics may Repel Undead (and, at higher levels, dispel undead), without limit per day. Repelled undead will remain at least 10’ away from the cleric; they do not flee, and they may attack other characters outside 10’ from the cleric. If repelled for three consecutive rounds the undead are considered turned and then will flee. Against undead one level lower, clerics must roll a 7 on 2d6 to successfully repel 2d6 in number; for undead of equal level, roll a 9; for one level higher, roll an 11. When undead are two levels lower, up to 2d6 are automatically repelled. When undead are four levels lower, up to 2d6 are automatically dispelled. 
4. Clerics benefit from Divine Intervention. Once per day clerics may apply a d6 (+ or –) to any roll in which they are directly involved, whether it’s their attack (+d6), an opponent’s attack (–d6), damage dealt, damage taken, a save, a check, etc.
5. Clerics do not memorize spells or require spell books. They may “recharge” after a good night’s sleep (6–8 undisturbed hours) followed by meditation/prayer (1 hour), and unless specified otherwise they may use the same spell multiple times per day (within level limit but substituting lower level spells for higher slots if desired).
6. Spells cannot be cast directly from clerical scrolls, but they may be learned at the same cost and rate as learning from a spell book.
7. Researching of new spells for clerics is the same as for magic-users.