Clerics in the Polychotomy

Cleics come in three varieties in the polychotomy. The Pure cleric is for almost all purposes (e.g. turning undead, spontaneously casting cure, etc.) identical to the standard Good cleric of the Player’s Handbook. Similarly, the Tainted cleric is for almost all purposes (e.g. rebuking undead, spontaneously casting inflict, etc.) identical to the Evil cleric. Pure clerics cannot cast Tainted spells, and Tainted clerics cannot cast Pure spells. Pure clerics are expected to maitain a Purity modifier greater than their Taint modifier, and Tainted clerics are expected to maintain a Taint modifier greater than their Purity modifer. Violation of these conditions causes a cleric to lose all spells and the ability to rebuke/turn until she can atone.

Clerics who are neither Pure nor Tainted operate somewhat differently from the cleric in the Player’s Handbook. Such clerics do not gain the ability to turn or rebuke undead. Neither do they automatically gain the ability to spontaneously cast cure or inflict spells. Instead, they can spontaneously cast spells from both their chosen domains. The spell slot usually reserved for a domain spell is still so reserved, but can be used for either domain spell of the relevant level. Spontaneous casting of metamagic versions of these spells follows all the usual rules for spontaneous casting of spells.

Only Pure clerics may select the Pure domain, and only Tainted clerics may select the Taint domain.

Note that clerics are always devoted to some religion, but not necessarily to a deity or pantheon – some of the religions are nontheistic.