Divine casters, holy symbols and spellcasting

[glbrogdon444]

Might DMs,

Since many divine spells require a divine focus for casting (per PnP rules), wouldn't it be impossible for a cleric to hide what deity he/she served?

In PnP, clerics, paladins, druids and others have to present their divine foci (holy symbols) and offer prayers aloud (for spells with verbal components).

Is this true on the server?

Thanks,

[Passiflora]

Technically, in game, no.

Though, as a DM I had a few instances in event where a cleric would lose their symbol and suffer a 100% spell failure. That's because I'm a P&P DM mostly.

It won't happen with every DMs.

It's the same as.. some DMs require you to use diamonds for raises, and somes don't.

Hope it helps.

[Storm Munin]

Turn/rebuke undead is largely portrayed as something you do brandishing your holy symbol and using a loud voice.

As for divine spellcasting is has been portrayed as something that can be done whispering while somehow clutching a hidden holy symbol. The silent spell feat would also come into it id imagine (yay, the feat does need some love).

As for if your toon would be able to identify a religion behind a spotted cast of a divine spell id say it would depend on his/her knowledge religion skill (lore?) and possibly languages (celestial, abyssal, infernal etc).

An orc barbarian would probably be hard pressed to identify a cleric of Waukeen I suppose, given that he isnt somehow familiar with the religion or individual of course.
Meanwhile a loremaster bard, a faithful or a cleric of an enemy deity..

If all that was needed was a detect good/evil spell Faerun would be a much more peaceful place I think.

IMHO

/M

[Rainbow Prism]

If I remember correctly, Favored Souls are one of kind of divine casters who do not need holy symbol per se.