Hi, folks. I need a little help and I knew the community here was the best place to look so here goes...
It's late, I'm tired, and I can't think straight, so don't think I'm being an idiot (though I probably am). I'm pretty sure I've seen rules (maybe a template or something?) for making aspects of the gods. Does anybody know where those rules are? Or am I just misremembering something? Anybody have any ideas?
I remember 2e rules for avatars, in Greyhawk Adventures, but I don't recall ever seeing a proper 3e Aspect template.
Hi, folks. I need a little help and I knew the community here was the best place to look so here goes...
It's late, I'm tired, and I can't think straight, so don't think I'm being an idiot (though I probably am). I'm pretty sure I've seen rules (maybe a template or something?) for making aspects of the gods. Does anybody know where those rules are? Or am I just misremembering something? Anybody have any ideas?
There are right up for aspects but I don't think there is a formula for creating aspects from actual Gods. Its more like the designers went ahead and built 'monsters' using the various Gods as the theme.
There are right up for aspects but I don't think there is a formula for creating aspects from actual Gods. Its more like the designers went ahead and built 'monsters' using the various Gods as the theme.
Now that it's daytime and I've had a chance to sleep, I think you're right. I was probably just remembering the various aspects that have appeared in various books and thought there was a template or something. Sorry to have bothered everyone over nothing.
I knew I could count on Paizo-folk to help out. Well done, all!
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Divine Aspect Template.
Prerequisites: A god/power must willingly transfer part of its essence, often equal to 7% but can vary, into a subject. Subject (hereafter called Aspect) need not worship the power/god nor even be intelligent; it must, however, have a viable alignment to the power/god.
[This is different from a "homunculous" or "Simulacrum" Aspect that the power/god cancreate]
Stats:
-Aspect gains DR 10/ Epic (higher if Essence is greater than 7%)
-Aspect gains SR 32 (what a 20th lvl Priest would get casting SR)
-Aspect becomes Outsider
-Aspect casts its power/god's Domain Spells as SP abilities (play with times per day, standard or move action, etc.)
-Aspect can cast Atonement on behalf of the power/god
-Aspect gains Insight Bonus +2 to all things Insight can give you plus Knowledge Planes & Religion: HD(+2 Insight)
-Aspect gains 4 points in each Ability Score "specialty" power/god has (INT for Boccob, WIS for Lathander, Stupidity or Irrelevance for Kord)
-Aspect can cast Miracle 1/week as an Free Action! (too much??)
If Aspect dies power/god takes penalties like a Wiz losing a Familiar(But there would have to be adjustments).
. . . I don't know, it seems "blah" to me. How often would a PC get this Template? And if it happens, or if it's given to a preestablished NPC (think Obould the orc in FR) it may be better just to tailor make the "template" each time.
Or maybe make different Templates for the different Levels of gods: Lesser, Intermediate, Greater. Also, should there be a limit of Aspects a power can have? 100 for Lesser, 1000 for Intermediate, 10000 for Greater, perhaps?. . .
-W. E. Ray
It's a good start, at least. I'm basically trying to put together an aspect of the god of chaos/eccentricity to use as an NPC. Power level doesn't really matter much in this case, since the players will never fight him, but I was kinda aiming for something around CR 10 or 12. Since he's going to be an NPC, I suppose I don't really need to stat him up at all, now that I think of it. Sometimes when I'm tired I really don't think well.
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Ah, you've touched a nerve.
A little off subject DM advice, but...
You certainly don't have to stat an NPC the PCs won't fight but it is very important (I say) to know what it can and can't do: WHAT ARE ITS RESOURCES!? If you know what its resources are ahead of time, as well as its limitations, you have a framework for what the PCs will be up against throughout the campaign -- from beginning to end. And this REALLY helps you prepare each session well without railroading.
2 examples
Take Artor Morlin from "Vampires in Waterdeep." This was a great 3 module adventure arc except for 1 thing. Artor Morlin's resources were not detailed (yes, this would've been WAY too much for the mag) and thus the DM could not realistically develop that conflict. As a result Artor Morlin, when the PCs face him, is a let down and a tremendous, dangerous hit to campaign verisimilitude. As is, this arc brings your players back to hack-n-slash mentality because any semblance of realism is shattered.
Take Eli Tomorast from Maure Castle. This is a pure dungeon crawl and thus doesn't need too much effort to keep verisimilitude. Nonetheless, we know Tomorast and what he can do. Long before the PCs face him on level "X" they deal with his resources, specifically detailed as subbordinates to Tomorast. Tomorast and his other resources can react throughout the campaign depending on PC actions.
And it's a time saver, too, because several sessions before any encounter you have a basic idea of what that encounter can entail. So when it finally arrives, all you have to do is the stat block. It's like making the 10th level Blackguard in session preparation instead of spending time considering what class, what race, what level, what starting gold -- can the NPC have a PRC-which one; where is the NPC located, etc.? And then get to the statblock for the Blackguard.
Take your Chaos/Eccentricity Aspect. The PCs may never fight it but it will affect the campaign and the PCs challenges even still. Who are its top henchmen? Regarding the ones that are too powerful for the PCs now, what other assignments are they working on that keep them from eliminating the PCs (actually just arbitrarily decide that they ARE somewhere else)? How much gold/magic items does the Aspect have access to? Who wields it? What are his plans?
Excellent advice and excellent questions to consider. Exactly the type of preparation I was considering.
It's kinda funny, really. In the old days I used to wing it a lot with only a page or two of notes. In fact, on one occasion (it was a bet) I ran an entire adventure with no notes or stats whatsoever.
Somehow, since the advent of 3e I've unconsciously become convinced that I need a lot more preparation, including stat blocks for everything and everyone. I never even noticed the change until recently.
How strange, no?
Hi, folks. I need a little help and I knew the community here was the best place to look so here goes...
It's late, I'm tired, and I can't think straight, so don't think I'm being an idiot (though I probably am). I'm pretty sure I've seen rules (maybe a template or something?) for making aspects of the gods. Does anybody know where those rules are? Or am I just misremembering something? Anybody have any ideas?
Go to the d20 SRD and look under the Divine Rules for avatars.
well, I have always run the game under the idea that any stats you see for a diety in a book is the aspect as it appears anyone not on its home zone of control or that it may have an avatar for each class it has levels in and on their own plane and zone of control they are all powerful. I dont specifically remember any 3.5 rules so this is all compiled from the dawn of the game till now, but it works pretty good in my and other peoples games that do it that way.