Clerics (and/or paladins) converting other pcs?

[Anaesthesia]

This hasn't happened in any of my games specifically, yet, but just wondered how one would deal with it? In one of the first campaigns I was in, the dwarf cleric "converted" another player via a charisma check.

[Niko_Kaze]

We keep this purely in a role play arena. If the players want to convert I'm all for it, otherwise I don't allow "forced" conversions without magical help... the gods tend to be a bit jealous of their followers in my campaigns.

Another issue is polytheism. Many people simply can't get their heads around it due to the current general rule of monotheistic religions.

An example:

Crawford wakes up and says a quick prayer to Sular the sun god for giving light, and warmth. At breakfast his entire family says a prayer to Faylmi for giving them the collective strength to run their farm, and for bringing them together as well as asking for his help in overcoming disputes in the family. While plowing his field he then asks Irna for rain to help his crops grow followed by a quick thank you again to Sular so he doesn't get upset about Crawford asking for rain instead of sunlight. In the evening he prays to Prot to protect his family during the night.

The only time there is an conflict is where two domains actually go against each other (weather related in this case). It's only when one god is supposed to be supreme can a religion not handle giving another deity their due.

[Knight of Roses]

Yes, supporting Niko here, conversion is entirely in the realm of roleplaying. In a polytheistic system, again as above, there are many gods worshipped though a character may have a patron among the gods, you say this a lot among the Greek heroes.

[Azireal]

lol, I'd actually prefer a polythestic religion.

But back to the original topic, I've never seen a conversion in any of my games, simply due to the paladin or cleric being to 'holier than thou' for anyone else to care what he does beyond healing or smiting.

[Anaesthesia]

That's what I thought or at least guestimated. (I thought it would be too easy for one to use charisma alone to convert someone from one patron deity to another!)

[Knight of Roses]

Think of how hard it is to convince people to change from one Christian church to another, just for a real world comparison.

[Niko_Kaze]

For a quick return to the mechanics of the situation, there are a couple of spells that can help with a partially forced conversion, and some cursed magical items. I know of at least one prestige class that can temporarily (and with no long term ill effect) cause a conversion, but it is a very rare (read almost artifact level) power to force a conversion.