Gods: what can they do for you?

[Aizom the Tiefling]

I'm curious if the various gods of Golarion will have more than an honorable mention in the game. Will I be able to get deity specific feats? Fiendish boons and divine blessings? Acess to specific spells and items? Customizable options to make me look cool, like demonic limbs or something? Novelty t-shirts?

In all seriousness, will they play any real part in the development of my character, or are they just one of those background things that may be manipulating events that you will never actually experience?

[Being]

Ryan said in the Kickstarter video that they want to include everything in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook. So I would say that yes, the gods will have more than an honorable mention, and especially if your character will take cleric abilities.

[Aizom the Tiefling]

Being wrote:

Ryan said in the Kickstarter video that they want to include everything in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook. So I would say that yes, the gods will have more than an honorable mention, and especially if your character will take cleric abilities.

I understand the cleric abilities thing, but what about the things not specific to clerics, like traits or the fiendish boons

[Aizom the Tiefling]

Can I sell my character's soul for cool stuff?

[IronVanguard]

I'm not sure about gameplay, but appearance wise I believe it will matter. Maybe gameplay as well.

That's why they said only a few gods will be in when it starts. If gods did nothing and were just a choice, there'd be no reason to not add them all. Pretty sure some symbols and outfits matter.

[Marlagram]

In human history gods did many things (at least, people)had belief in these things):
- approve or even choose rulers (despotism differs from monarchy by the lack of divine suppor, among the other thingst)
- gave luck bonuses/ unluck penalties to some endeavors (from hunting expedition to building a palace)
- twist the fate of some characters (random encounters suddenly become not so random, for good or for bad)
- send help to the believers/ punish offenders at most crucial moments
- gave significant support against mind-affecting magic& monster abilities (maybe in the proportion of one's faith)
I think GW will implement at least some of these things. But that's my opinion, not fact.

[Spyritwind]

Interesting question. I don't think I've ever played an online mmo rpg where god's mattered at all. That would be interesting; a god/religion centric game.

[Jiminy]

I've plsyed a MUD where religion was one of the main driving forces in the game. The deities (GMs) did thinks like chose their paladins, which invariably involved a heap of RP, or set small tasks for their followers to gain favor which spawned much RP and in some cases ongoing conflict.

There was a mechanic in game that allowed for a dominant religion which gave small bonuses to all followers of said deity and made the clerics prayers a little more powerful. This mechanic used a variety of inputs such as tithes, sacrifices, a counter of a specific set of prayers being used, number of new followers, number of followers and laity praying at the appropriate temple, etc etc...

It was amazing to watch the lengths some players would go to simply to get their religion dominant. All for a small bonus that was not even noticible in game.

The emphasis on religion made the player base really look up to and listen to the clerics in game, and over time the players most interested in serious RP gravitated to that class and really drove the RP environment forward. As each religion invariably had an 'opposite', there was an added emphasis on conflict between those two religions. This also drive RP as each religion (especially the smaller ones) extended a hand to others in the pantheon to help bolster their defenses.

I really enjoyed this aspect of the game, and felt it gave more colour to the game and conflict rather than just team good vs team evil.

[Being]

A cutscene, like a dream starring the character's chosen deity, which reveals a location where the character can earn one of that deity's merit badges or symbolic ability or favored weapon would promote the influence of the gods on gameplay tremendously I feel.

For example, Druids devoted to Gozreh are to have Lightning Arc as a standard action (1 d6+1 points of electrical damage per two levels, (touch)).

Gozreh might appear in the dream to the young Druid granting a vision of a forested vale surrounded by distinctive stone bluffs, speaking the single word "Go.", then fade to black and transition back into the world.

The young Druid would then seek out a forested place with those distinctive stone bluffs as the deity commanded.

Arriving there would be a test. If the Druid successfully completes the test he would gain the abilty Lightning Arc.

[Aizom the Tiefling]

Being wrote:

A cutscene, like a dream starring the character's chosen deity, which reveals a location where the character can earn one of that deity's merit badges or symbolic ability or favored weapon would promote the influence of the gods on gameplay tremendously I feel.

For example, Druids devoted to Gozreh are to have Lightning Arc as a standard action (1 d6+1 points of electrical damage per two levels, (touch)).

Gozreh might appear in the dream to the young Druid granting a vision of a forested vale surrounded by distinctive stone bluffs, speaking the single word "Go.", then fade to black and transition back into the world.

The young Druid would then seek out a forested place with those distinctive stone bluffs as the deity commanded.

Arriving there would be a test. If the Druid successfully completes the test he would gain the abilty Lightning Arc.

If that's the mechanic we're going to use, I imagine that Gorum's would be go out and kill this group of people. Which I am perfectly okay with.

[Being]

I don't want to take the chance that I misled you: I was inventing what I thought might happen. Nothing so specific has been said by the developer.

[Aizom the Tiefling]

Being wrote:

I don't want to take the chance that I misled you: I was inventing what I thought might happen. Nothing so specific has been said by the developer.

I understand nothing is set in stone and you where making it up, yes.