Religions are steeped in dogma and traditions. The dogma of a religion almost always comes directly from the deities whom the religion reveres. Traditions, on the other hand, sometimes form for reasons that have little to do with the faith’s deity. This article presents five sample peripheral beliefs, from which you may choose up to two. If a cleric violates a belief for any reason he loses its benefit until he receives an atonement spell.
At specific times of day, you must perform a prayer while facing a specific direction.
Restrictions: You must stop to pray at the appropriate times, regardless of your current situation. Most deities require at least three 5-minute prayers each day (dawn, noon and sunset) but stricter lawful deities may also require prayers at mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
Benefits: Since you must always face the proper direction while praying, you can automatically discern true north as if you had 5 ranks in Survival. If you already have 5 ranks in Survival you gain a +2 bonus on all Survival checks instead.
Every seventh day, you must refrain from all physical activity, regardless of whether you are in town, on the road or in the dungeon.
Restrictions: On the designated day, you cannot take attack actions, cast spells with somatic components, activate mechanical devices or carry a load heavier than light.
Benefits: Due to being especially well-rested, you gain a +4 bonus on all saves made against sleep effects and you do not suffer a -10 penalty when making Listen checks while asleep.
You believe a certain kind of food — such as all meat from a certain kind of animal or from any animal not slain in a specific way — is unclean. Any utensils or dishes used with unclean food themselves become unclean and taint any other food they touch.
Restrictions: Any food prepared by someone other than a devout follower of the religion, or any potion that is not created by the cleric, violate these standards of cleanliness. (A detect poison spell can detect these foods, since the cleric perceives such fare as spiritual poison.)
Benefits: Due to the careful choice of foods, the cleric is especially healthy and gains a +1 bonus on Fortitude saves against poisons and diseases.
You consider some particular kind of animal sacred, such as cats, cows or birds. You cannot harm or impede a sacred animal in any way and you must attempt to prevent others from harming or impeding one.
Restrictions: You cannot attack the sacred creature, even in self-defence. If your allies choose to attack such a creature in self-defence, you must ensure the creature survives, such as binding its wounds once it goes unconscious. If your allies are the aggressors, you cannot cast beneficial spells on them for 24 hours after the combat ends.
Benefits: Animals of the sacred kind feel a special affinity for you and instinctively avoid attacking you unless in self-defence or under magical compulsion (this benefit does not extend to your allies). In addition, you gain a +4 bonus on all Charisma-based skill checks when interacting with such creatures.
You must wear some particular item of clothing that takes up a magic item slot, such as a head covering or a ceremonial glove, at all times.
Restrictions: Since the special clothing must be both worn and displayed as a show of devotion, you cannot cover up or remove it. This often means you must forego use of magic items that would be worn in that slot. It might also cause you to commit violations of etiquette in social situations.
Benefits: The special item of clothing is of masterwork quality and costs at least 25 gp. Wearing it grants you a +2 bonus on Charisma-based skill checks when dealing with other followers of your religion and it may be enhanced using normal magic item creation rules. A set of armour or other item that grants you benefits cannot count as your sacred clothing.
Source: Dragon Magazine #328 (Page 86)