Can you have an atheist cleric?

The answer to this question is yes, you can have an atheist cleric in the world of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), as clerics are driven by their faith, which can be in a divinity or a philosophical concept, and the narrative point is up to the Dungeon Master (DM). This means that a cleric does not necessarily need to worship a god to have access to divine magic, and their faith can be based on a broader sense of morality or ethics.

Understanding the Role of Clerics in D&D

In the D&D universe, clerics are versatile figures, capable in both combat and divine magic. They are powerful healers, able to repel or control undead creatures, and bring people back from the brink of death.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

1. Can a cleric reject their god?: Yes, if a cleric rejects their god, their spells will stop working, followed by the loss of channel energy, and finally, the ability to heal.
2. Can any race be a cleric?: Yes, there is no racial feature that is particularly useful for clerics, so any race can become a cleric.
3. Is cleric beginner-friendly?: Yes, the Cleric is one of the easiest spellcasters for players to learn, especially those who choose the Life Domain.

Questions about Paladins

4. Can you be an atheist Paladin?: Yes, a Paladin does not need to have any faith whatsoever in 5e, as they swear an Oath to the universe, which can be to a specific deity but doesn’t have to be.
5. Can a Paladin have no god?: Yes, Paladins need not serve a God, but many do, and even if they do serve a god, that god does not grant the Paladin their spells.
6. Is there an evil Paladin?: Yes, Paladins can be of any alignment, although evil Paladins are extremely rare.

Questions about Cleric Abilities

7. Can a cleric heal himself?: Yes, clerics can heal themselves in D&D, as a class feature, they have the ability to cast healing spells on themselves or others.
8. Are clerics just healers?: No, clerics are not just healers, they are also good at other things, and with the subclass, you can even have your focus elsewhere with healing being an afterthought.
9. Which cleric is the best healer?: Clerics of the Peace Domain are among the best healing party members in all of D&D.

Questions about Cleric and Paladin Comparisons

10. Is Paladin better than cleric?: Paladins and clerics fill different roles, Paladins are good at burst damage, while clerics are good at sustained damage and healing.
11. Can a cleric be agnostic?: Yes, you can play an agnostic cleric in D&D, who would be more philosophical than following the tenets and faith of a god.

Questions about Cleric Restrictions

12. Can a cleric have an evil god?: Yes, you can definitely be a cleric for any deity out there, but it’s up to the DM to decide how it works within the world of the campaign.
13. Can a cleric worship himself?: Yes, a Self Worship Cleric must select themselves as their deity, and can use their Charisma modifier in place of their Wisdom modifier to determine the strength of all of their domain abilities.
14. Why are clerics overpowered?: Clerics might be considered overpowered because of their range of abilities, they’re good at everything from role-play to combat, and their spell list is filled with nifty little ways to out-talk, out-maneuver, and out-kill a lot of stuff in-game.

Final Question

15. Is cleric a hard class to play?: No, clerics make tough practitioners of magic, and not in the sense of difficulty, this is a class that can take a punch while dishing out their magical abilities, making for a very satisfying experience for new players.