Priest Power Brainstorm!

So yea! Fights seem like they will be fun if both monsters and priests have more options & unified guidelines for powers/strengths/weaknesses to use and react to. Also some world building would also be cool!
I'd love for ppl to add their own ideas to this thread or weigh in on existing ideas!


A lot of the powers I wanna suggest can be absolute deal breakers and OC ko-ing potential- Obviously with power comes great responsibility hurhur hur . Whatever we agree on, it will always be up to rpers to make sure that, monster or priest, fights are well communicated ooc so that rp stay fun, making sure that no godmodding, killing blows, landing hits on opponents, or dodging/immunity to everything happens unless agreed on ooc.


So here's some base ideas about priests. Some of this is random headcanons, based on discworld, blue exorcist, and the tiny little bit I know about the Witcher~


Big ol established religious order - This is kinda already being incorporated into the RP, but it'd be cool to nail down details so people can integrate their OC backstories with each other. The church has been hunting vampires for a long time. There are different sectors of the church- dedicated hunters & not. Given the world, even regular priests should know a bit of monster hunting/exorcism, but there would be dedicated sectors & monasteries for those devoting their lives to hunting/protecting the flock.

• Organized religion - This could be based on the existing catholic church. That seems complicated but maybe not, idk, if someone knows more about Catholicism & wants to break it down, that’d be cool. Alternatively, we could just steal/combine with anime shit- Blue Exorcist has a nice simple break down of church + hunter classes.
• Marriage - Due to the dangers of the world, Catholic Priest celibacy is not strongly enforced, if at all. Gotta breed more Christians asap, establish long lines of purebred hunting families, etc. Celibacy could still be enforced in more strict orders, or those in less dangerous areas. Possibly, those that choose to take a spouse/have children could be looked down on by the majority of the faith. (Definitely want other ppl to give preferences, if it matters)
• Hunter Training - While most if not all priests should get monster defense 101, there could be priests orders specifically devoted to hunting. In these orders, hunting would start at a very young age, particularly if the hunter was born into to the group. Being a hunter could either carry a lot of prestige, or be considered weird & fringe in places that had less obvious monster issues.(Depends on what ppl think) It may also be SUPER dangerous both to train and to be an active hunter, so hunters/hunting orders may be more rare than normal priests.
• Hunter society - Monsters seem to have been a long time issue for humanity. While more normal churches still exist, special Hunter monasteries could have been established early in human history.
  

Some groups may have started as small pockets of priests trying to defend towns, and grown over hundreds of years into well established & organized training grounds for the most elite hunters. Others could have started as non-secular/pagan groups of villagers that got integrated into larger religious organizations (or didn't). Some groups would be more prestigious than others, and certain orders could be household names.

Hunter Ranks From Blue Exorcist

• Unranked/Self-Taught - Cause y not?
• Trainee - Learns the most basic elements of exorcism and Demonology
• Candidate - student-Exorcists. Study to become hunters, performing non-combat missions, such as maintenance and errand running.
• Hunter/Knight - Most basic qualified hunter. They will specialize in at least one class. (Blue Exorcist includes low, med, & high rank before next. Might be too complicated for this rp. Streit doesn’t seem like the place for career climbing.)
• Arc Knight - highest ranks of Hunter, which only 4 people at a time can have.
• Paladin - highest rank of Hunter. There can only be one Paladin at a time and, typically, once an individual becomes the Paladin they keep the title until they are deceased. The appointment is exceedingly difficulty, with the minimum conditions to learn all five classes.
  

(tbh, for both Arc Knight & paladin, 4 or 1 person on the coolest rank works well in an anime, probably not as well in a big rp where everyone wants to be cool. I’d either scrap these ranks or go with this being rare, but not 1 person only. At the same time, it’d be important not to get OP godmode w/ out partner communication if an active character was made this rank/power)

Faith based powers - All hunters would likely carry/be trained in hand-to-hand & ranged weapons. Specialization could come with the training, to the point of magic powers.
Holy power comes from the collective faith of the faithful across the world, & possibly specific to individual religions. This would allow for non-Christian based priests. Strong holy powers could indicate strong faith, strong will, extensive training, or the favor of God/Gods. An uncertainty as to exactly which of those it is could add a level of interesting ambiguity to even the most powerful priest.

Hunter Classes From Blue Exorcist

• Paladin Knight - Use swords. Some use rare enchanted weapons, or long-range magic techniques from their blades
• Dragoon - Uses ranged weapons, (handguns, machine guns, etc). Specific weapons/ammunition could exploit demons' weaknesses
• Doctor - Treats and heals wounds through faith powers (could possibly be used to hurt undead, rpg style where cure spells damage zombs). Typically possess the knowledge of basic first-aid, emergency first-aid, and the ability to treat ordinary injuries.
• Tamer - Summons and controls Demons known as familiars. It is a natural talent that few people possess. (tamer is fun but might not work well in this rp. the anime is more ambiguous on demons being all bad. streit seems pretty set on good/evil. It may work better if it's less of a friendly contract and more of DOMINATE THE EVIL BEND IT TO GOD'S WILL. Possibly a shadier power to use, maybe its frowned upon by more strict sectors) (Being tied to hell & demons could do psychological damage to the tamer, too. Lian's suggestion: most trainers are slightly mad from talking to demons all day.)
• Aria - Fights by reciting verses from the Bible or other sacred scriptures. Aria can specialize in particular verses which exorcise specific Demons
  

Other stuff:

• Holy Relics - Priests could make items of faith, and items of faith would be a hot commodity even to non-hunters. Scripture engraved arrows, sanctified items, and illuminated text could all help fend off monsters.

• Body modification - Particularly extreme sects of hunters could have a tradition of body modification - religious tattoos & piercings to protect the body from contamination, consuming sanctified food/water, ingesting poison/substances to make the body stronger/faster, or to make the blood itself a weapon (The Witcher has this kinda thing)
  

So yea! If you guys have any thoughts or ideas, it'd be fun to figure it all out together!

Here's some notes and ideas!

Spiritual Gifts

In Christianity, spiritual gifts (or charismata) are endowments which may be given by the Holy Spirit. These are the supernatural graces which individual Christians need (or needed in the days of the Apostles) to fulfill the mission of the church.

These Include:
• Apostle: The title apostle comes from the Greek word apostolos which means "a messenger, one sent forth with orders". It refers to one who has been delegated authority by another in a foreign land. Apostles were the first leaders of the Church; they were commissioned by Jesus to initiate and direct the preaching of the gospel. While many Christians agree that the title of apostle is reserved for those among the first generation of Christians, many Christian denominations continue in one way or another to recognize a continuing apostolic ministry. Many churches, such as the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches, believe in the doctrine of apostolic succession, which holds that properly ordained bishops are the successors to the apostles. Other Christian groups, such as classical Pentecostals, consider the role of a missionary to be fulfilling an apostolic ministry. There are some Christians, however, who advocate restoring the Fivefold ministry, including the formal recognition of the office of apostle. Others would say that the office no longer exists.

• Prophet: In the New Testament, the office of prophet is to equip the saints for the work of service through exhortation, edification, and consolation (1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Corinthians 14:3 Ephesians 4:11). The prophet's corresponding gift is prophecy. Prophecy is "reporting something that God spontaneously brings to your mind". Many, particularly Pentecostals and charismatics, distinguish between the "office of prophet" and the "gift of prophecy", believing that a Christian can possess the gift of prophecy without holding the prophetic office.

• Evangelist: An evangelist is one who devotes himself to preaching the gospel. In the New Testament, evangelists preached from city to city, church to church.

• Pastor: This term derives from a Greek word for "shepherd". Pastors are gifted to lead, guide, and set an example for other Christians. The grammatical structure of Ephesians 4:11 leads many to conclude that teacher and pastor should be considered one term (pastor-teacher). Even so, the two terms are not interchangeable; while all pastors are teachers, not all teachers are pastors.

• Teacher: Someone who devotes his or her life to preaching and teaching the Christian faith. When teaching is provided for the Church by God, two gifts are actually given—to the Church is given a teacher and along with the teacher comes a divine capacity to teach.

• Service: The word translated as "ministry" is diakonia, which can also be translated "service". Since there are many types of ministries and service to the Church, this then describes a broad array of gifts rather than a single gift.

• Exhortation: The ability to motivate Christians "to patient endurance, brotherly love, and good works".

• Giving: Those with this gift share their own possessions with others with extraordinary generosity. While all Christians should be givers, those possessing this gift will go beyond this normal giving.

• Leading: This gift speaks to the various leadership roles found in the Church. While many think of roles such as administration, management of funds, strategy planning, etc. as functions outside of the supernatural realm, in reality individuals in these positions are just as in need of supernatural empowerment as are ministers of the gospel. Some writers consider the gifts of governments and leading to be the same gift, but others consider them closely related yet different.

• Mercy: Possibly identical to the gift of helps, the mercy-shower possesses a ministry of visitation, prayer, and compassion to the poor and sick.

• Word of wisdom: An utterance or message of wisdom supernaturally granted to an individual. For Paul, wisdom refers to "the knowledge of the great Christian mysteries: the Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection of Christ, and the indwelling in the believer of the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2; Ephesians 1:17)".

• Word of knowledge: The knowledge referred to is often said to relate to understanding Christian doctrine or scriptural truth. It is sometimes said to be connected with the ministry of teachers.

• Faith: This refers to that strong or special faith "which removes mountains, casts out devils (Matthew 17:19,20), and faces the most cruel martyrdom without flinching". It is distinguished from the "saving" and "normal" Christian faith.

• Gifts of healings: The ability to supernaturally minister healing to others. The plural indicates the variety of sickness healed and the many forms the gift takes, such as healing by anointing with oil, by the laying on of hands, by saying the name of Jesus or by the sign of the cross.

• Working of miracles: The performance of deeds beyond ordinary human ability by the power of the Holy Spirit.

• Visions: An outpouring of this gift is prophesied in Joel 2: 28, and Acts 2:17 shows that early Christians believed this prophecy was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. Visions tend to be more private experiences than the other gifts. Some researchers expand the definition of visions to include a strongly felt presence.

• Discerning of spirits: The capacity to discern, distinguish, or to discriminate the source of a spiritual manifestation—whether it emanates from a good or evil spirit. It seemed to have been particularly associated with prophecy as it would be necessary to know whether a prophetic utterance was truly inspired by God.

• Tongues: The supernatural ability of speaking an unlearned language. Paul seems to have distinguished between the public use of the gift (which must always be interpreted) and the private use which was for the spiritual strengthening of oneself. Currently among Christians there is a dispute as to whether tongues were/are always xenoglossy (speaking an unlearned human language) or whether it also included/includes glossolalia (speaking an unlearned and allegedly non-human language of heavenly or angelic origin).

• Interpretation of tongues: This gift always follows the public exercise of the gift of tongues. In 1 Corinthians 14, the Apostle Paul required that all speech in Christian worship should be intelligible. This required that speech given in an unknown tongue be interpreted in the common language of the gathered Christians.

• Helps: This gift has to do with service to the sick and the poor. Possessor of this gift has a "spiritual burden and a God-given love for the needy and afflicted".

• Administration: Also called the gift of governing, the Greek word translated "governments" is kubernesis, the verb form of which means "to steer" or "to be a helmsman". This gift then refers to the God-given capacity to lead or guide the Church through storms and difficult seas.

See Spiritual Gift for notes


The Seven Gifts of Holy Spirit
• Wisdom (sapientia): It is the capacity to love spiritual things more than material ones; it also means the want to understand God. It is the perfection of the theological virtue of faith;

• Understanding (intellectus): In understanding, we comprehend how we need to live as followers of Christ. A person with understanding is not confused by the conflicting messages in our culture about the right way to live. The gift of understanding perfects a person's speculative reason in the apprehension of truth. It is the gift whereby self-evident principles are known;

• Counsel (right judgement) (consilium): With the gift of counsel/right judgment, we know the difference between right and wrong, and we choose to do what is right. A person with right judgment avoids sin and lives out the values taught by Jesus Christ. It is the perfection of the cardinal virtue of prudence;

• Fortitude (courage) (fortitudo): With the gift of fortitude/courage, we overcome our fear and are willing to take risks as a follower of Jesus Christ. A person with courage is willing to stand up for what is right in the sight of God, even if it means accepting rejection, verbal abuse, or physical harm. The gift of courage allows people the firmness of mind that is required both in doing good and in enduring evil. It is the perfection of the cardinal virtue of the same name;

• Knowledge (scientia): With the gift of knowledge, we understand the meaning of God. The distinction between wisdom and knowledge is that wisdom gives the desire to know the things of God, whereas knowledge is the actual power by which such things are known. The gift of knowledge is more than an accumulation of facts, it also helps us to choose the right path through life;

• Piety (reverence) (pietas): With the gift of piety/reverence, we have a deep sense of respect for God and the Church. A person with reverence recognizes our total reliance on God and comes before God with humility, trust, and love. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, it is the perfection of the virtue of religion. Piety is the gift whereby, at the Holy Spirit's instigation, we pay worship and duty to God as our Father, as Aquinas writes;

• Fear of the Lord (wonder and awe) (timor Domini): With the gift of fear of the Lord/wonder and awe, we are aware of the glory and majesty of God. A person with wonder and awe knows that God is the perfection of all we desire: perfect knowledge, perfect goodness, perfect power, and perfect love. This gift is described by Aquinas as a fear of separating oneself from God. He describes the gift as a "filial fear," like a child's fear of offending his father, rather than a "servile fear," that is, a fear of punishment. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It is the perfection of the theological virtue of hope.

See The seven gifts of Holy Spirit

More References:
Spiritual Gift
Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Charism/Charismata