How Many Miracles Will Your God Grant?

Here’s an expansion of Clerics Without Spells. my rules for using reaction rolls for clerics casting spells on the fly. These days, I assume spells prepared beforehand (“memorized”) can be cast without risk of spell failure. But there’s a couple situations where a cleric prays for spells:

• When preparing/memorizing those spells,
• When casting a spell that hasn’t been memorized,
• When praying for a miracle (higher spell level than they can memorize.)

Religious characters who aren’t clerics can also pray for miracles.

So what if you don’t want to use a crude “all spells granted/no spells granted” approach?

This table should take care of it.

2d6 Roll	Reaction	Detailed Explanation
2	Fall from Grace	No spells granted until character atones at a shrine or temple.
3-4	Divine Wrath	If any spells are granted, they are at least two levels below max level.
5-6	Divine Impatience	Some spells may be granted, but not those at max level or those one level lower.
7-8	Divine Disfavor	Most spells granted, but not those at max level.
9-10	Divine Favor	All spells up to max level are approved.
11-12	A Miracle Is Granted	Spell one level higher than normal granted on one-time basis. Does not apply to prepared spells.
13+	A Great Miracle Is Granted	Spell two levels higher than normal granted on one-time basis. Does not apply to prepared spells.

Max Level refers to the maximum spell level a cleric can prepare beforehand. For example, a 2nd level cleric’s max level is 1, a 4th level cleric’s max level is 2. Max level is half cleric level, rounded down. (officially, OD&D diverges from that after 5th level, and other D&D versions tinker with it, but this is the quick and dirty replacement I use.)

Miracles here are spells that the cleric or worshipper doesn’t cast themselves, but ask to be cast. Any spell above max level is a miracle.

The table is basically the standard reaction roll with the 2 x (cleric level - spell level) formula built into the results already, so no calculation is necessary.

Despite the wording (Favor, Disfavor, Impatience, Wrath,) spells and miracles granted are not considered absolute proof that the cleric or worshipper’s belief in their god is justified. It’s all a matter of faith, not objective truth.

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