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The 40th level game recruitment thread inspired me to make a prestige class to lead up to becoming a god.
The idea is to have a prestige class that can be taken by epic level characters to slowly gain some of the abilities of a god with maxing out the class resulting in full-fledged godhood.
Some of the things I was thinking of was to have powers and things related to the demi-gods following (more reverence received equaling more power) rather then just own rank, and the demi-god level just allows to have more abilities and make better use of the followers.
This links the two fluff-wise and means the demi-god has stuff they need to do to maintain and grow their power. Possibly including a requirement of needing a certain level of following to advance.
Some of the big things that need to be included/discussed are,
Alignment
Aura
Aura effects
Domains
Portfolios
Granting spells
Godly realm
Perception
Communication with mortals
Immortality
Immunities/resistances/AC/DR/etc
One idea is for all of the character's power to spark divinity, granting a divine aura. The character can perceive all within this aura. The aura starts small and grows 5' per level. Eventually one is able to affect, then control things at will in this aura, which eventually becomes the godly realm. Eventually it becomes large enough that the demi-god can only focus on certain things, which become the portfolios.
Prayers from followers create a linkand the demi-god can sense things through the link just like it can in it's aura. The demi-god, though it can automatically sense things related to the portfolios, can only use normal senses from one's body. Eventually one can create an aspect which the high powered demi-god can use as one's own body, the number of which that can be controlled being limited by level (probably best to limit to two until actual god-hood).
Every 5 levels or so the demi-god gains an appropriate domain.
Yeah, I'd point to the Godling classes.
They're found in the online PRD, if I recall right.
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Hmm, looked them over and they are alright, though not quite what I had in mind. The godling classes are balanced to play at low levels beside normal classes.
What I am looking for here is a prestige class for epic level and is supposed to end with the character as a full fledged god with divine rank, similar to the gods of 3.5, though I think I will be changing a few things since I haven't found any actual diety stuff for PF yet.
Therefore, the prestige class needs to lead up to the abilities and immunities and such granted by being a god.
That said there are a few things in the godling classes that would be useful.
now, would these "prestige" levels (if i understand this concept right) be alongside normal levels or would they be levels all their own? If they are their own levels, how would they affect advancement of regular classes?
for instance, do they grant +1 level of special abilities of a previous class? or just spells? or neither?
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Any of those options are worth discussing for how well they fit with whats there already.
For example I had the idea of basing divine and demi-divine rank on followers but at the same time there is a temple that if you beat it you walk out a god, so perhaps something else is required that can be granted or aquired on ones own, which implies a class that you take levels to represent your training and practice with your divine power.
I am leaning towards a class with it's own powers, and doesn't up abilities of previous classes (though might have options to use with those abilities).
Mainly looking for ideas on what people think might be traps to look out for, what they want to see done, etc.
At the end of this project I would like to be able to completely stat up the gods from level 1 all the way up to their current power, so after the demi-divine class, they would start gaining levels in god etc, so this demidivine class should be a prelude to that and have the powers lead up it.
in that case, i feel that you would need multiple versions then to appease various archetypes, unless you are going for more of a one size fits all approach
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The idea is that variation come from what you select at various levels for your portfolios/domains/divine powers, at this point the idea is you are at the pinnicle of your mundane craft, now you start learning the divine.
Thus a god of magic is a god of magic because they have levels of god, demi-god and levels of spellcasting classes, some of which are higher then 20.
I would include selectable powers that then could be focused on what ever your speciality is, though your prior levels do a lot of that already.
Divine power itself is neutral and bends to the will of the one who uses it.
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PF already has somewhat of a skeleton pattern in place, with several classes, like the rogue and barbarian, gaining an ability every even level, aka talents and rage powers. It seems you're wanting something like that, but with the flexibility and scope of powers that lead to godhood. I guess if you go with that concept, it's just a matter of branching off each portfolio/domain/specialty/whatever at each appropriate juncture? Honestly haven't done a lot of brainstorming at this level before, just trying to see if I'm on the same page so far.
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Pretty much,
I figure they gain a domain at level 5 and an additional domain every 5 levels, thus when they become full fledged gods they would have four domains and can gain more as they become more powerful gods. Except the domain spells are SLAs usable 1/d per 5 levels, and the domain abilities being used more often or at will as they go up because the domain connection is stronger then just a cleric (and should stack somehow with their cleric levels)
As for portfolios, I am thinking they would gain bonuses related to these that scale and gain certain benefits eventually like auto-noticing related events. The distance and scope of this ability advancing with level but can like the rangers favored enemy can be anvanced or can take additional portfolios.
Definatly need to include Divine talents and such.
yeah i think having various tiers of abilities per domain would be good. for instance have a 3x +CHA per day ability, then a 1/level ability, and a 1/5 level ability.
For instance Undeath domain, have something like this:
Gain Channel Energy (Negative only), a number of times per day equal to 3 plus CHA modifier. Also gain Command Undead as per the feat.
Gain Lifesight 60ft for 1 minute per day per level of the class, usable in 1 minute increments.
Every day when you prepare spells you may prepare one additional spell of the Necromancy school up to a level equal to your (Demigod class name) level. If you are a spontaneous caster you gain a spell slot of an appropriate level of your choice that can only be used for a spell of the Necromancy school and may not be used in any way other than to cast an appropriate spell (so no giving it up to power feats or anything like that). This spell needn't be on your class list. If you prepare spells, the spell selected is treated as being on your class list for as long as it is prepared.
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I think keeping a similar format in all abilities would be a good idea.
So the powers are more powerful but still in line with regular PF (a domain has a power/feat, 3pd+cha and/or ability at 1st demi level, and an ability at 8th demi level, domain spells) since this mirrors what the players already know it will be easier to play with.
And I would encourage the players to make a thematic domain related to their portfolios.
Of course the domains should be like regular domains in terms of power, since the followers could select it.
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What makes a god, a god?
I think the gods are so powerful they have become tied and interwoven into the universe itself.
So a demi-god should be able to bend the rules appropriatly and eventually gain a divine realm which can be its own plane. The god can move this but it takes great effort thus the good ones collect together for the same reason mortals collect into towns (which explains the good planes over here and evil planes over there, etc)
Perhaps the lead up to a divine realm,
Divine Aura: Within 5' per demi level, the demi-god can use mage hand, prestidigitation, Major image, truesight, blindsense,levitate (other then self), shape stone/mud/rocks/wood/etc, living things get a will save to resist DC 10+ demi level(eventually divine levels would stack with this). At various levels the above abilities become available within the aura.
Perhaps we should just go with divine level so god levels stack without making any fuss over it in writing the powers.
Or a true god adds their divine level times 10 to demi rank for the purposes of demi-god powers.
I think keeping a similar format in all abilities would be a good idea.
So the powers are more powerful but still in line with regular PF (a domain has a power/feat, 3pd+cha and/or ability at 1st demi level, and an ability at 8th demi level, domain spells) since this mirrors what the players already know it will be easier to play with.
And I would encourage the players to make a thematic domain related to their portfolios.
Of course the domains should be like regular domains in terms of power, since the followers could select it.
well when i mentioned domain up there i meant the domain itself in fluff terms. i think for having the domain the demigod would have different and more powerful powers than what they grant. because a cleric of X domain that becomes a demigod isnt gonna want to get the same powers, and why would they switch to a different domain, thematically that doesnt make sense.
What makes a god, a god?
I think the gods are so powerful they have become tied and interwoven into the universe itself.
So a demi-god should be able to bend the rules appropriatly and eventually gain a divine realm which can be its own plane. The god can move this but it takes great effort thus the good ones collect together for the same reason mortals collect into towns (which explains the good planes over here and evil planes over there, etc)
Perhaps the lead up to a divine realm,
Divine Aura: Within 5' per demi level, the demi-god can use mage hand, prestidigitation, Major image, truesight, blindsense,levitate (other then self), shape stone/mud/rocks/wood/etc, living things get a will save to resist DC 10+ demi level(eventually divine levels would stack with this). At various levels the above abilities become available within the aura.Perhaps we should just go with divine level so god levels stack without making any fuss over it in writing the powers.
Or a true god adds their divine level times 10 to demi rank for the purposes of demi-god powers.
i would say that planar material within (demi rank x30ft) of them is considered divinely morphic for them. two such demigods whose areas overlap make a contested demigod rank roll, as do any demigods wishing to change material pre-owned by another demigod or god.
obviously real divine rank would be given more weight than demigod rank. i would say 5 demigod ranks would equal 1 divine rank for purposes of contested rolls. If a demigod is challenging a god, the god automatically wins except in cases where the demigod's adjusted score modifier is equal to the gods divine rank. for example, a lv15 demigod (+3) could challenge a God with divine rank 3, but would automatically lose versus a God with divine rank 4.
this way, a God of rank 5 could never lose to a demigod, rank 4 would only have a chance of losing to those of demigod rank 16+.
there should also be an aid another for this for cases when many demigods want to take on one god, however i think the normal +2 for aid another might be too much, maybe it should be only +1. not really sure on that one.
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A cleric of X domain would keep that domain and gain another for a total of three at demi 5/ cleric 1+.
As for planer material, I may be missing some standard setting thing, but I don't think there is a planer material per say to manipulate. You are always on a plane even if it's just the astral sea. the idea is that they start with a material plane area (maybe require attuning to the area first) but they can later create a mini plane that they attune to. This way the divine realm can be on the material plane if desired or it can be on an outer plane.
I think the attuning idea is good as it limits the ability to just control things wherever they go.
As matter of fact I believe a spell for making a mini plane was being discussed on the boards a while back so allow a high demi level to create a plane as per that spell except with permenant duration as long as they are alive.
Hello
yeah attunement could work, say a day or something like that.
and with the cleric thing, they get one more domain? but their existing domains arent getting more powerful abilities? i think that dangerously skirts "tacking on" abilities rather than improving them. It could be cool but i think they should still get some sort of improvement to existing domains. if the class only adds one domain, what about other people ascending to godhood? do they only get one domain total?