Using Saints in D&D: Revisited

[Lost_Wanderer]

Ever since I got a hold on all the released material for 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons, I’ve been doing some part-time/full-time DM practice. On the subject of world building, I found an interesting idea here on CAF long ago.

It’s about using saints for the Cleric system. The 5th ed Player’s Handbook lists plenty of deities both mythical and pure fantasy but the idea of assigning domains to the saints also struck me as unusually impressive. It’s good for those trying to make an alternative medieval fantasy version of the real world (which I’m currently trying to do). I may not be as religious as I used to be but even I still admit Catholic Christianity would be a strong, cultural element in that kind of setting.

So with that said, can anyone suggest some well-known saints? The Cleric domains for 5th edition are Knowledge, Life, Light, Nature, Tempest, Trickery, and War.

St. Francis obviously has Nature and Life under the belt while Joan of Arc is clearly War but other ideas are appreciated. (I kinda need a longer list. )

Here are some additional guidelines though. I like to keep it mostly medieval (even though by that I only mean, in the most popular, LotR/GoT/WoW kind of sense). So far, the only part of the world I’ve made up is a capital city with a strong Renaissance flair. I’m thinking of creating locations/dungeons based on adventure story types (e.g. Pyramids of Egypt, Lost World full o’ Dinos, Transylvania with Universal Monsters etc).

Still, I like the idea of a Catholic cleric joining a party in that kind of setting. Any saints I can add that would flavor up their ability would be really great.

 

[suko]

Maybe for knowledge, I can’t help but think of St. Thomas Aquinas or possibly St. Augustine of Hippo, since both of them were brilliant.

For trickery, the only one I can think of would be St. Don Bosco since he is the patron of many things, including… Magicians! He performed magic tricks and sleight of hand illusions. However, he was born in the 19th century, so he may not really classify as being from medieval times?

For tempest, u have to go with St. Scholastica! Here’s the most common told story about her:

"She visited her brother once a year, and as she was not allowed to enter his monastery, he went in company with some of his brethren to meet her at a house some distance away. These visits were spent in conferring together on spiritual matters. On one occasion they had passed the time as usual in prayer and pious conversation and in the evening they sat down to take their reflection. St. Scholastica begged her brother to remain until the next day. St. Benedict refused to spend the night outside his monastery. She had recourse to prayer and a furious thunderstorm burst so that neither St. Benedict nor any of his companions could return home. They spent the night in spiritual conferences."

How many people can say that when they prayed, a furious thunderstorm came forth!

Not surprisingly, too, St. Scholastica’s name is also invoked against storms and rain.

 

[Kurisu35712]

St. Catherine of Siena would be a really good one for Knowledge. And St. Theresa of Avila, for that matter. Both are Doctors of the Church.

 

[Beaudex]

Ever since I got a hold on all the released material for 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons, I’ve been doing some part-time/full-time DM practice. On the subject of world building, I found an interesting idea here on CAF long ago.

It’s about using saints for the Cleric system. The 5th ed Player’s Handbook lists plenty of deities both mythical and pure fantasy but the idea of assigning domains to the saints also struck me as unusually impressive. It’s good for those trying to make an alternative medieval fantasy version of the real world (which I’m currently trying to do). I may not be as religious as I used to be but even I still admit Catholic Christianity would be a strong, cultural element in that kind of setting.

So with that said, can anyone suggest some well-known saints? The Cleric domains for 5th edition are Knowledge, Life, Light, Nature, Tempest, Trickery, and War.

St. Francis obviously has Nature and Life under the belt while Joan of Arc is clearly War but other ideas are appreciated. (I kinda need a longer list. )

Here are some additional guidelines though. I like to keep it mostly medieval (even though by that I only mean, in the most popular, LotR/GoT/WoW kind of sense). So far, the only part of the world I’ve made up is a capital city with a strong Renaissance flair. I’m thinking of creating locations/dungeons based on adventure story types (e.g. Pyramids of Egypt, Lost World full o’ Dinos, Transylvania with Universal Monsters etc).

Still, I like the idea of a Catholic cleric joining a party in that kind of setting. Any saints I can add that would flavor up their ability would be really great.

understand that if you believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, we are all “saints” 1 Corinthians 1:2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who dare sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ four Lord, both theirs and ours:

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

For trickery, the only one I can think of would be St. Don Bosco since he is the patron of many things, including… Magicians! He performed magic tricks and sleight of hand illusions. However, he was born in the 19th century, so he may not really classify as being from medieval times?

Thanks for the St. Aquinas suggestion. It’s why I put up this thread. There are so many well-known/iconic saints that it’d be real great if I saved up on the time to recall all of them.

I’ll consider St. Scholastica for Tempest as well. Although, it would also be awesome if each Saint could be assigned two or three domains instead of just one. That’s how the Cleric-Deity relationship goes in 5th Ed.

Don’t worry too much about St. Don Bosco. I might actually consider him if there’s really no alternative. (I’m sure I can stretch my parameters to include anything within 19th century Gothic/Victorian fiction. )

 

[Pat_Payne]

St. Cuthbert already is a D&D deity. It’s even been lightly hinted at in some fluff (particularly The City Beyond the Gate, an adventure published in Dragon #100) that Saint Cuthbert of Lindisfarne and St. Cuthbert of Greyhawk may be the same person. (Please note that the links were written by and large by IINM non-Catholics, so take that sort of cockeyed theology with a salt cellar, but still… )

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

St. Cuthbert already is a D&D deity. It’s even been lightly hinted at in some fluff (particularly The City Beyond the Gate, an adventure published in Dragon #100) that Saint Cuthbert of Lindisfarne and St. Cuthbert of Greyhawk may be the same person. (Please note that the links were written by and large by IINM non-Catholics, so take that sort of cockeyed theology with a salt cellar, but still… )

I know! That’s why I figured, “What if I were to make an alternative universe where I basically fuse Eberron with the medieval version of the real world? What saints could be in charge of other domains? How would these clerics dress? Behave? What would drive their interactions with the non-religious characters in their party? Why are they on a quest?”

Y’know, typical D&D creation stuff. I’d really like to milk this idea.

 

[Dtmccameron]

How would these clerics dress? Behave? What would drive their interactions with the non-religious characters in their party? Why are they on a quest?"

Upon reflection, it seems to me that these “domains” would, effectively, be a bit like religious or even knightly orders. So a Franciscan would look different from a Dominican would look different from a Benedictine, and all would look dissimilar to a Templar or Hospitaller (or of St. Joan, or St. George, or what have you.)

But I suppose that would slip into Paladin territory, no?

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Upon reflection, it seems to me that these “domains” would, effectively, be a bit like religious or even knightly orders. So a Franciscan would look different from a Dominican would look different from a Benedictine, and all would look dissimilar to a Templar or Hospitaller (or of St. Joan, or St. George, or what have you.)

But I suppose that would slip into Paladin territory, no?

Well if you read the new PBH, there are still significant differences (e.g. weapon/armor proficiencies, spell lists, class features). Although story-wise, I don’t see how they can’t intermingle as part of a single order.

In fact, I’m more curious about how a little human Cleric following St. Francis would interact with a half-elf Warlock bound to Azathoth and a tiefling Rogue with a double life of a socialite celebrity and a top assassin.