tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046247285022763255.post2882350314065585679..comments2024-03-24T18:59:07.813-07:00Comments on ZENOPUS ARCHIVES: Part 12: "Clerical Spells"Zenopus Archiveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14069501995927451558noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046247285022763255.post-10015249930560248222013-12-14T13:36:26.193-08:002013-12-14T13:36:26.193-08:00I'd forgotten that about Moldvay, thanks. Sinc...I'd forgotten that about Moldvay, thanks. Since AD&D also has "curse" as the opposite of "bless", I think it's likely that Gygax came up with the list of Evil Cleric Spells in the Holmes rulebook, and this is another example of proto-AD&D material inserted by Gygax. The other evil cleric spells share the same names as in AD&D, with the exception of "Contaminate Food and Water" which is called "Putrefy Food & Drink".Zenopus Archiveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14069501995927451558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046247285022763255.post-84227403011522696702013-12-13T07:32:15.941-08:002013-12-13T07:32:15.941-08:00I've sometimes wondered whether clerics were m...I've sometimes wondered whether clerics were meant to have spell books that they were supposed to use to pray for their spells. Later editions clearly dispensed with this mechanic, but labeling the list as "Book of First Level Spells" is pretty suggestive. It would not be unreasonable to consider that clerics need religious tomes with spells in them.<br /><br />As to evil clerics using the reversed forms, I've always considered that they could only use the reversed form, not switch back and forth depending on what version they want to use. That way, evil clerics could not cure light wounds, or purify food and water (which doesn't make a lot of sense, if you think of the spells as divinely given).<br /><br />Interesting that "curse" is the reverse of "bless". Moldvay switched this to "blight" so that "curse" could be the reverse of "remove curse".<br />D. Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08277670673178463645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046247285022763255.post-38954269449412108062013-12-13T07:22:44.940-08:002013-12-13T07:22:44.940-08:00Thanks!Thanks!Zenopus Archiveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14069501995927451558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4046247285022763255.post-33287117618986861632013-12-13T00:22:01.451-08:002013-12-13T00:22:01.451-08:00Great series, Zack. Keep 'em coming.Great series, Zack. Keep 'em coming. Piperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12770517741281593733noreply@blogger.com