Clerical artefacts in (A)D&D

[Sacred82]

This question popped into my mind while reading a Ravenloft novel (Shadowborn). Clerical magic needs to be granted by a deity, so what about clerical spells bound to items? Do they always work (under normal conditions)?

 

[Grunker]

I thought 3.5's Magic Item Compendium handled it neatly with the 'Relic' concept:

 

[Crichton]

I`m not much of an expert on D&D lore but as I understand it, the general answer is yes, or at least that they are no more likely to fail than other magical items. There are specific exceptions (like the relics mentioned above) but unless otherwise specified, clerical magical items don`t require the specific approval of a god to use (ex. a good cleric might craft a wand of cure light wounds, but an evil cleric could take it off his body and use it). Similarly, while only the Gods typically grant clerical spells, once granted, their use is unrestricted; ex. a cleric of a good deity could cast flame strike on a group of non-combatants in a fit of anger, his god needn`t approve for the spell to be cast (though he might have a little difficulty getting his spells topped off the next time he rests...).