A junior servant of an organised faith — armed with conviction, a mace, and just enough divine learning to make them dangerous in numbers.
Core Statistics #
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice | 1d6 (avg 4 HP) |
| AC | 12 |
| AV | 2 (melee) / 1 (missile) |
| HR | +1 |
| FR | +0 |
| FD | 11 |
| Move | 60 ft (20 ft in armour) |
| Attacks | 1: Mace 1d6 |
| Save As | Cleric 1 |
| Morale | 7 |
| Treasure | Type U (lair only) |
| Alignment | Lawful or Chaotic |
| CR | 1 |
| Size | Medium |
| Intelligence | Average |
| XP | 10 |
AC/AV Note: Acolytes wear leather armour (AV 2 / missile AV 1). AC 12 reflects leather plus average DEX. The armour absorbs damage but does not make them harder to hit beyond the modest DEX bonus they carry.
Skill Slots (3 total) #
| Slot | Skill / Ability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HR Investment (Basic) | HR +1 to mace attacks |
| 2 | Ceremony | Knows religious ritual; grants +1 to saves vs. fear for adjacent allies during formal ceremony or prayer |
| 3 | Healing | Can treat wounds; restore 1d3 HP with bandaging once per creature per day; requires 1 Turn |
Special — Divine Spellcasting (Class Ability, not a slot): Acolytes are Cleric 1 equivalents. They may have memorized one 1st-level Cleric spell (Cure Light Wounds, Protection from Evil, or Cause Light Wounds depending on alignment). This is a class feature representing their ordained status, not a skill slot expenditure.
Martial Style #
Style: Hard (Basic rank) Rank: Basic
Acolytes fight without formal weapon mastery training. They swing their maces with conviction rather than technique, using standard Basic statistics (1d6 damage, no special effects). Groups of acolytes favor mobbing a single target — their individual skill is modest but shared morale holds them in place longer than their stats suggest.
Combat Maneuvers #
Acolytes have no formal combat maneuver training. They may attempt the universal Shove (FR +0 vs. FD) if cornered but do so poorly.
Turning Undead: As Cleric 1. Roll 2d6 vs. Undead HD on the RC Turning table. Success means Undead of up to 1 HD flee; 2 HD Undead are turned on a 7+.
Special Attacks #
Divine Spell (1/day): The acolyte may cast one memorized 1st-level Cleric spell during combat. This occurs during the Magic and Manifestation phase. Typical choices:
- Cure Light Wounds: Restore 1d6+1 HP to self or adjacent ally (touch range).
- Cause Light Wounds: Touch attack (HR +1 vs. AC); on hit target takes 1d6+1 damage, Save vs. Death Ray for half.
- Protection from Evil: +1 AC and saves vs. evil creatures for 6 turns on touched target.
Spellcasting / Motes #
Mote Rank: Penny (nascent divine attunement only) Focus Type: Holy Symbol (worn)
The acolyte’s divine connection is real but immature. They have no Focal Mote investment — their single daily spell comes from rote memorization and ordained status rather than deep attunement. Higher-ranking clerics in the same order (Adepts, Priests) will have Baccara or Sovereign rank Motes and proportionally greater power.
Potential Mote Growth: An acolyte who survives and advances will typically invest in Meditation (divine focus recovery) or Arcane Healing as their first Mote acquisition.
Habitat & Ecology #
Primary Habitat: Temples, shrines, monasteries, dungeon complexes claimed by a religious order. Lair: Found in groups of 1d8 in temple complexes; leader (Adept, 2nd–3rd level Cleric) present for groups of 4+. Social Structure: Hierarchical religious order. Acolytes answer to Adepts who answer to Priests. Loyalty is to the order first, deity second, individual last. Diet: Omnivore. Fed by the temple. Encounter Size: 1d8 (wilderness or dungeon patrol), 2d8+leader (temple lair).
Acolytes are the foot soldiers and initiates of organized religion. They serve as guards, messengers, healers for the faithful, and — in more militant orders — as shock troops for holy wars. Their morale (7) is unremarkable; they will fight for their temple but are not fanatics. A successful Morale check failure sees them retreat toward their leader or the altar, not scatter randomly. Lawful acolytes may parley; Chaotic ones will not.
Encounter Notes #
Tactics: Acolytes in groups of 3+ will designate one to cast their spell while the others engage in melee. They position their Ceremony-skilled member behind the line to use the +1 save bonus. If their leader (Adept) is present, morale rises to 9.
Morale Trigger: Acolytes check morale when their leader is slain or when reduced to half their number. On a failed check they Retreat (full encounter speed, lose shield AC) toward the nearest holy symbol or altar.
Interaction: Lawful acolytes will negotiate if approached non-hostilely. They know their temple layout, the names of their superiors, and rumors of dungeon threats near their shrine. They are a source of Healing and Protection from Evil spells for parties willing to make a donation (minimum 10 sp per spell level).
