With the time limits you placed upon the combat spells (20 Minutes), it was indeed butchered.
You removed Weapons and Shields, things we use regularly, without even mentioning it in the change log.
The new additions are fine, but they don't adjust the core issue of Clericalism. We aren't the best healers. We were one of the better types at combating the dark creatures. And because of this, losing combative prowess and ability to manipulate our light into other weapons and defenses makes little sense. We're taking two steps back and one step forward by losing key aspects to our arsenal for limited utility spells when our patron wishes for us to eradicate the darkness.
Clerics want more freedom with their light, we want to be able to take it further and have it evolve with us as we spend years along side it, we want the ability to think outside of the box.
If your argument is going to be "Its too much like Paladins", Tah and Xan are 'brothers'. Tah gave them the blueprints to Keepers. If you're going to say that Tah is allied and working with these Aenguls, then there's no reason why we couldn't share some abilities at a weaker skill level, similar to how paladins are able to heal at a lesser ability.
Then reword it as such. The people that are going to be looking at this are either ones trying to learn how to use their magic in RP or those fighting Clerics and will simply shrug off an orb thrown at them because its categorized as a "defensive" spell. This is a current issue that we have as Holy Vs Dark, determining how powerful an attack is or how resilient something is to an attack. Muddying the waters unintentionally is only going to cause issues down the line.
That is not my view of how Clericalism should work. That is how it has worked. Tahariae is depicted as Judge, Jury, and Executioner. There is no chance to plead a case or look for a happy medium. You're either pure and his light doesn't burn you or you're impure and the light burns you. This is how it has always worked and is confirmed by LT. Tah is the Hitler of the Aenguls.
There is no reason for Clerics to be using their magic on Ascended, Keepers, or Soul Trees unless they are being fought in the first place. All have their own ways of healing themselves. Truthfully, because of them being unnatural beings, being followers of an Aengul other than Tah, and having the ability to naturally remedy their own wounds, it makes little sense why Tah would want them to be healed in the first place as thats just a misuse of his Light which breaks a Tenent. Have them heal themselves unless unable.
I get that we want to all hold hands and sing campfire songs and have holy orders be best buddies, but it makes little sense. Yes, they all work for the "Greater Good" of the Realm, but deep down, each Aengul has their own agenda they're trying to push. Even between Xan and Tah who are brothers, the differences run deep. And brothers fight ALL the time, some of the bloodiest battles in fiction and non-fiction have been between siblings that wanted the same goal but didn't see eye to eye about how to reach it. It'd be interesting to allow the magic to hurt them, but allowing the players to decide can create tension and dynamic RP within the holy orders. You'd have those that would be strictly following Tah's words, those that want to do whats best for the realm, and those with mixed emotions.
And god knows least two of the other holy orders magic works on us.
Ok, you made me laugh out loud.
Having Clerics jump off cliffs because he wanted them to show loyalty, then disconnected them when they refused is logical and understanding.
Shaming Clerics that have sex outside of marriage or drink a bit is logical and understanding.
Severing the connection forever and refusing an individual to ever return to his service is logical and understanding.
Even you said, he never forgets.
Tah isn't logical or understanding. If he was, he wouldn't be depicted as the sole person in a court room within his realm, he wouldn't task his followers to purge and destroy every dark being, regardless of their nature or creation.
I remember when Zer0 once told me that if my child ever became a Dark Mage or Being and I couldn't bring myself to destroy it, that Tah would disconnect me.
Wouldn't post it if it wasn't there.
The one at the time was Thomas, so you'll have to poke Flam about it. Speaking of this type, why are Frost Witches suddenly less effected/resistant to Holy Magic? They're cursed and the curse has seeped into their physical form, changing their bodys make up to look monsterous and drive them to feast on human flesh. Its both ideally and physically unnatural and impure.
I'm all for this if they actually allow us to utilize the magic. Either allow us or scrap it entirely, letting it sit around does nothing for anyone, Flam.
Can you make it clear in the blessing section than that once a Cleric blesses a weapon with a war blessing that it will trigger when it comes into contact with taint, like our old blessings did? Reading it currently, it makes it seem like only Clerics can benefit from such a blessing and we can't proactively bless a normal persons weapon to help them fight.
Do the healing blessings allow non-Cleric people to benefit from them? I didn't believe so which is why I'm suggesting it be a possibility to Holy Enchant. Maybe even as an addition to Holy Alteration or a new sub-type itself if it needed to be. Healing is the only real use I can think of atm that could benefit from it, having bandages with a Minor Wound spell imbued in it that a medic can use to try and heal minor wounds that would need to be recharged after use or replaced entirely.
No problem, friendo.
See first quote. Lets take back our Keepers and ability to heal then, ya?
I knew what you were trying to say since I understand wards, but someone reading this would be confused.
