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I am playing a cleric that worships sarenrae however he is not from a desert culture and the scimitar would not be a common weapon in his region. I am not looking to go power gamer or anything like that. I just think there should be an alternate choice for favored weapon that is more specific to a region or culture. The character is currently using a heavy mace and would will probably continue to use it. It is very much in the flavor of the character. I just wanted to put my opinion out there and get some response.
I like the idea of the "favored" weapon use by the clerics.
As for the weapon not matching the culture of the character, that might make for a fun short side adventure, the cleric goes to find his god's weapon. Maybe your cleric has to go on a road trip to a place they could find the weapon.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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Dont get me wrong. I also like the idea of a favored weapon for clerics. I just think they need a little more thought. Ex. All clerics have simple weapon proficiency so if their deity's weapon is a simple weapon, they havent really gained a thing. If gods represent multiple domains, why would they not have more than 1 favored weapon? As for your idea of searching the deity's favored weapon, I DO like that idea; very flavorful for role playing.
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Golarion is not an identical mirror of the real world.
Similarities exist, but not all is the same.
It is not improbable that the scimitar is found in other cultures besides "desert cultures".
The Scimitar is also a favored weapon of the Elves, who can be found throughout Golarion.
Even the Snow Elves in the harsh frozen north of Irrisen have been known to use Scimitar.
You are likely needlessly restricting yourself.
What weapon you use is really up to you. The favored weapon is mostly flavor. Its not unlikely to find any weapon anywhere, somehow trading or travel is likely to bring it wherever. Finding a magic weapon that suits you is always a fun trip I've thought.
Why is this in rules forum?
Whether or not the weapon is in regular use in an area has no real bearing at all on the situation if you think about it. Your GOD/GODESS has a favored weapon, it is what they use. You may choose to use it, and would probably go to fairly great lengths to aquire one as show of your faith, but it doesn't define your beliefs. It just means you are familiar with the weapon your diety prefers to use, because you believe in them, what they do and stand for.
The weapon is a symbol of faith, just like your holy symbol. Why would every god have multiple optional weapons? The point of the rule is you know how to use your diety's favored weapon, not to give you a free feat for whatever your deem useful for your concept. That is what your feats from levels are for. If your really want to gain access to a weapon use your first level feat, it makes no sense to give you an alternate weapon option when your faith is based on a god who is uses one particular weapon.
Obviously house rule as you deem fit, but I don't see any reason to do what you are asking for 'officially' as part of the actual rules.
I think you have it a little backwards, actually: if there is a temple to Sarenrae in the area, then at least within the temple, the scimitar is a common weapon in the area, for religious reasons.
That said, just using a mace instead is fine, too.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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Read the entire post and you will see it wasn't about a free feat. It was a simple question about deities in relationship to their favored weapons. I understand that the world does not mirror our own and that scimitars may not have the same regional denotation that exists in our own world. My point is that I don't find it implausible for a deity to have more than one favored weapon. I believe a deity would favor weapons that are associated with its domains. Gods of farming would use both the scythe and sickle while gods of the see may favor cutlass, net or trident. Conversely I really believe a deity would be more apt to chose a weapon that is familiar to the worshippers of a particular region. Let's say there is a barbarian tribe of people whose way of life mirrors the nordic culture of our world. Would a God appear to them dressed in foreign clothing? Would they speak an unknown language and follow unknown customs? Of course not! The god would modify his/her clothing, speech and other aspects to appeal to that sensitivity of their worshippers. A god would not want to alienate his/her worshippers. Nor would a God expect worshippers around the world to keep the exact same customs or dress.
This post isn't about getting an edge in a game or getting something for free. I think the idea of a deity limiting itself to a single favored weapon is silly. Would Sarenrae prefer to use a scimitar if she were battling under the sea? Or is it more likely she would favor a net or trident in that environment? Would Sarenrae only bestow the benefits on follower if they wield a scimitar, or would she bless them based on their faith? A dancing dervish must use the scimitar I believe because that is the favored weapon. That is an example of narrowness that I dont think a god would limit themselves to.
It's not uncommon for deities in real-world religions/mythologies to primarily use one weapon or to be primarily associated with one weapon.
Thor uses a hammer, for instance, while Poseidon and Neptune use a trident.
Perhaps Thor, Poseidon, and Neptune would use different weapons in special circumstances, but I imagine that at least 99% of the time they would use their favored/preferred weapon.
If you want to allow a particular weapon group or alternate weapon for a deity I wouldn't be against it as a house rule. Particularly if you want to use pantheon worship or the weapon still fit the deity. You are not the deity, you are his worshipper. What you use as part of that background could vary greatly. There are many tools to a life style.
That said, it would be weird for Saranrae to have other weapons, in particular a blunt one. Her names and her worship involves dervishing after all. The blade of mercy, one of her traits, is devoted to entirely slashing weapons.
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Just because it's not a favored weapon, doesn't mean you can't use it.
There is no reason anyone would even look down on you for using something else.
The idea that needs to be an additional, or alternate favored weapons, is one that does not work, or make sense.
The god favors a weapon, no matter who you are, or where you are.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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Poseiden and Neptune are the same God, just different cultures (greek & roman respectively). And your examples help support my thesis to a certain extent. Poseiden was the God of the seas that is why he wielded a trident.
Hmmm ok, maybe I need to be a little bit clearer on my point. Sarenrae represents several different aspects, Healing, Sun, good, etc. It is obvious that she is from what we see as a desert culture. The question is: Would all of Sarenrae's worshippers be from that culture? Are desert people the only people who revere the Sun and healing and all of Sarenrae's portfolio? If so, hey cool I get it then, we're done!
But I don't believe this is the case. It sounds weird that Sarenrae would be associated with a blunt weapon (i will use the example from above) because WE associate her with dervish dancing, desert culture, etc. But we really should view Gods as their portfolio before anything else. We tend to view Gods as mirroring our behaviors and cultures. And before you use the rpg vs real world argument, remember the greeks believed and acted much like our characters do in relationship to the gods.
Hmmm I guess I will just solve the problem by worshipping my two domains and call my god sarenthor instead.
WE associate her with dervish dancing, desert culture, etc.
I don't associate her with dervish dancing. My books do. I didn't write Saranrae, nor control what her characterization, her church, nor her worshippers do. The way I do gods and handle divine classes in my own world building is much different than Paizo. There is no crime in handling things a little differently, especially if it helps bring a concept or setting to life. So long as the players and DM all have fun and no ones really peeved by it.
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You cannot see Sarenrae beyond this desert culture prison, that you chain the Scimitar to?
Look here as a first step of freeing your mind from these needless restrictions.
Sarenrae is worshiped outside of desert cultures.
Also, the Scimitar is the favored weapon of Cyth-V'sug, Jezelda, and Libicocco. Gods unassociated with desert regions.
Hmmm ok, maybe I need to be a little bit clearer on my point. Sarenrae represents several different aspects, Healing, Sun, good, etc. It is obvious that she is from what we see as a desert culture. The question is: Would all of Sarenrae's worshippers be from that culture? Are desert people the only people who revere the Sun and healing and all of Sarenrae's portfolio? If so, hey cool I get it then, we're done!
But I don't believe this is the case. It sounds weird that Sarenrae would be associated with a blunt weapon (i will use the example from above) because WE associate her with dervish dancing, desert culture, etc. But we really should view Gods as their portfolio before anything else. We tend to view Gods as mirroring our behaviors and cultures. And before you use the rpg vs real world argument, remember the greeks believed and acted much like our characters do in relationship to the gods.
The thing is, in Pathfinder/D&D, the deities are actual flesh-and-blood beings, and they use actual items (several 3.X books had deity statblocks, with fully detailed weapons). When Sarenrae goes into battle, she wields an actual scimitar (presumably one that's artifact-level or near-artifact level). That's why the scimitar is her favored weapon, not because of whoever worships her.
And there's nothing, no rules or anything else, that says a cleric or other worshipper of Sarenrae has to wield a scimitar. In some cases they get a minor boon from doing so, and certain spells that channel the weapon-aspect of their deity will be represented as that kind of weapon (spiritual weapon, etc), but that's pretty much the extent of it.
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Again, you are not bound to the favored weapon of the deity.
Who needlessly restricts themselves?
Where does this "use this weapon only" thing come from?
A weapon need not be favored by your deity to be used by your PC.
This a made up absurd restriction pulled from nowhere.
Region holds no such restriction either.
If you can't think of why your Ustlavian PC is using a Katana, then you are not thinking hard enough.
I am playing a cleric that worships sarenrae however he is not from a desert culture and the scimitar would not be a common weapon in his region.
Which frankly would be of no consequence to a cleric if Sarenrae. Sarenrae rose to godhood and she uses a scimitar. The reason that a favoired weapon exists at all is because most gods FAVOR A SPECIFIC weapon.
It only stands to reason that when her churchs is founded and expands into new lands, the knowledge of that gods favored weapon and the practice of it's use (which is a practice so common every single religion that has clerics in the world does it) would travel with the priests and worshippers to new lands where temples and shrines are founded. The temples and priests themselves would bring knowledge of the holy weapon to the new region. Those dedicated to the god would learn it from those who teach them of the religion. They do not have to exclisively use that weapon by any means but it is the weapon the god favors.
I see no reason to want more than one favored weapon for most gods other than game advantage.
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Again, you are not bound to the favored weapon of the deity.
Who needlessly restricts themselves?
Where does this "use this weapon only" thing come from?
A weapon need not be favored by your deity to be used by your PC.
This a made up absurd restriction pulled from nowhere.
Region holds no such restriction either.
If you can't think of why your Ustlavian PC is using a Katana, then you are not thinking hard enough.
"Clerics are proficient with all simple weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields). Clerics are also proficient with the favored weapon of their deities".
...t´was pulled from the corerule book, so, thats where it come from, thats why people are arguing this.
That post 2 sites above yours is my best option for them!!
That does not discredit, or disagree with anything I just said.
You can still use other weapons.
What are you reading in there?
What words beyond words have created confusion?
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As I mentioned before, I was not seeking game advantage. It was a matter of flavor. Let me put it this way.
A catholic priest usually has a rosary on him as an instrument of prayer and worship. Lets call this his favored weapon. A catholic priest wears certain vestments as part of his worship and recites certain prayers as part of his religion. A Catholic priest would not pick up another holy item and decide to say a decate of the rosary using that item. A priest would not decide to wear street clothes while giving his homily at Sunday mass. As a cleric, you represent your God. You of course would use the trappings and favored items of your God. I could see a non-clergy worshipper not using a favored weapon, but a priest of the God? Now stay with me for the next part.
Baptist ministers do not carry rosaries, they wear regular clothing and say different prayers than the catholic church. Most believe you must be submerged for baptism and they do not believe in the baptism of infants or very young children.
You have two different representatives of the same God who worship differently. They believe the same basic tenets and use the same bible (for the most part) yet they are very different in how they view God and the tools they use to worship may be different. Yet I believe Jesus looks on both with equal favor.
Anyway in the last post I made I solved my problem I guess. My character will worship the basic tenets of Sarenrae and call her by another name because that is what happened in history.
As missionaries went out to spread the word they often integrated the local customs into the religion to make the change more palatable to the people. As a result the way people worship Jesus Christ in north america is very different than the way he is worshipped in south america, europe, asia or africa. It is one of the reasons why we have so many christian sects in the world.
I actually like the solution presented above I guess, assigning a weapon to each domain. That makes more sense to me, although I would say you would get the profs associated with the domains you have chosen. So you would only get two.
I want to stress this isnt about game advantage. It is about the way our characters, in particular the clergy, worship their gods. I know the rules dont say you have to wield your deity's favored weapon. But as a representative of god, spreading his word and teachings, you wouldn't want to use anything else. You would use "the Rod and Staff" that the almighty uses. And that is the conundrum I face. I dont see how, in this case the scimitar, is a practical fit for all priests of a deity.
This discussion has no relevance to the Rules of the game, and should probably be in the Advice or Suggestions forum.
The rules of the game give a cleric free access to the weapon favored by the diety they follow, a free feat essentially. You don't HAVE to use that weapon and in some cases it would be prudent not to (subterfuge, combat with DR, etc). What you are asking about is switching the feat for something else you get to decide, this is definitely seeking mechanical advantage instead of what you are actually granted by the rules however you reason it.
This discussion has no relevance to the Rules of the game, and should probably be in the Advice or Suggestions forum.
The rules of the game give a cleric free access to the weapon favored by the diety they follow, a free feat essentially. You don't HAVE to use that weapon and in some cases it would be prudent not to (subterfuge, combat with DR, etc). What you are asking about is switching the feat for something else you get to decide, this is definitely seeking mechanical advantage instead of what you are actually granted by the rules however you reason it.
The heavy mace isn't the most popular weapon in the game. Sometimes a class being modular or having options just adds to the flavor and lets the player get something that really fits the character without being punished for it. He's already proficient with the heavy mace, and in many ways its actually weaker than the scimitar. Saying its the favored weapon for worshippers in the region, and using the mace, gives him no mechanical advantages. It may however lead him on an awesome side quest to get the magical mace or scimitar of an important cleric of Saranrae in the area.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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Ahh no you dont need a feat. You could just take the heirloom weapon trait. And BTW most deity favored weapons fall under the simple weapon proficiency that all clerics already have. So I am not sure when you are going to believe me about not seeking a mechanical advantage but hey! I will try again. I AM NOT looking for a game advantage. If I was looking for game advantage I would be complaining about my deity not getting a martial or exotic weapon proficiency, which I am not. The character I have chosen is using a Heavy Mace.... A simple weapon.
I am concerned about how clerics represent their God, in this case on the field of battle. But my concern extends to all aspects of the clergy. So from my point of view it does impact the rules of the game. I guess in the end I am saying favored weapons should be based on domains and not the god. That IS a rules question or rather a request to have someone consider that change.
Well the difference between this and real-world religions is that the deities in the setting are actually real in setting. So if a group of clerics goes far off base, they might lose their powers. So things would be a lot more consistent in the worship of their god. Really high level clerics can even bring in direct servants of their god to pester them with questions.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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Again, you are not bound to the favored weapon of the deity.
Who needlessly restricts themselves?
Where does this "use this weapon only" thing come from?
A weapon need not be favored by your deity to be used by your PC.
This a made up absurd restriction pulled from nowhere.
Region holds no such restriction either.
If you can't think of why your Ustlavian PC is using a Katana, then you are not thinking hard enough.
BBT,
Please read my lengthy post and then you will see my concern. Nowhere have I said the rules require a priest to use their deity's favored weapon. I have postulated that an ordained representative would use no other weapon than their deity's weapon. And if you cant understand that POV than you are not thinking hard enough.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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Well the difference between this and real-world religions is that the deities in the setting are actually real in setting. So if a group of clerics goes far off base, they might lose their powers. So things would be a lot more consistent in the worship of their god. Really high level clerics can even bring in direct servants of their god to pester them with questions.
My point exactly Talynonyx. Things would be a lot more consistent meaning "I am Sarenrae and I am the merciful BLADE". All priests of sarenrae would use a scimitar or at the least possess one. In fact her wiki entry even says she expects her faithful to be skilled in swordplay.
What if I venerate her as the dawnflower and I am a pacifist preaching her belief in compassion and peace? Am I no longer one of the faithful? Is the scimitar really the favored weapon of someone who preaches peace, redemption and compassion? I know there are other aspects to Sarenrae but that is my point. If I choose the Good and Healing domains and plan to play someone who heals and protects, dont you think my God would provide me with a weapon more suited to my purpose? Wouldn't my God favor a simple staff for that cleric? And before you say they CAN wield a staff, because I know they can wield a staff, they would not wield a staff because Sarenrae expects all her faithful to be skilled in swordplay... even the ones that preach compassion and peace. Even the ones who prefer to revere and teach her healing ways or the beauty of the dawn.
My point exactly Talynonyx. Things would be a lot more consistent meaning "I am Sarenrae and I am the merciful BLADE". All priests of sarenrae would use a scimitar or at the least possess one. In fact her wiki entry even says she expects her faithful to be skilled in swordplay.
I agree with this part. All of my clerics (whether PC or NPC) either use the favored weapon, or keep the favored weapon out of respect for their deity. Those who simply keep it are usually of a type who hardly ever get involved with melee.
I've never had a problem with that, so I don't think I can really be very helpful with the issue at hand, even though I sort of understand where you're coming from :)
What if I venerate her as the dawnflower and I am a pacifist preaching her belief in compassion and peace? Am I no longer one of the faithful? Is the scimitar really the favored weapon of someone who preaches peace, redemption and compassion? I know there are other aspects to Sarenrae but that is my point. If I choose the Good and Healing domains and plan to play someone who heals and protects, dont you think my God would provide me with a weapon more suited to my purpose? Wouldn't my God favor a simple staff for that cleric? And before you say they CAN wield a staff, because I know they can wield a staff, they would not wield a staff because Sarenrae expects all her faithful to be skilled in swordplay... even the ones that preach compassion and peace. Even the ones who prefer to revere and teach her healing ways or the beauty of the dawn.
If you worship Sarenrae then your God favors the scimitar. You don't have to favor it. If you want to wield a staff and preach a message of peace, you can. (Of course if you want to preach a message of peace you could go without a weapon.) Sarenrae expects her faithful to be skilled in swordplay and as her cleric you are (3/4 BAB, proficient in scimitar). What people are trying to tell you is the scimitar is Sarenrae's favored weapon because it is the weapon that Sarenrae uses. You are asking, "why doesn't God use a weapon I like?" I understand that mechanically you are looking at the deity as separate parts (the domains) but flavor wise you should understand the deity is one being with her own set of preferences. She will not alter herself to the will of her followers.
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You are saying that the spells affected, and proficiency provided, by changing the Favored weapon, is not a mechanical advantage?
That is a mechanical change, that has the advantage, of being a weapon you prefer.
There are other ways to get proficiency with the weapon you like, but if you want a god with a different favored weapon, then worship another god.
In Golarion, the gods are real things, with real favored weapons, that are unchanging.
Luckily, you do not have to use, or even own, your god's favored weapon.
Why not just have your PC find another way to be proficient with your weapon of choice, and have him/her believe it to be, or wish it to be, your favored weapon?
What weapon do you want to use anyway?
If you aren't playing PFS you have the option to not take a god, to choose 2 domains. You however don't gain a weapon proficiency based on your deity. This solves your supposed problem with not ever using your deitys favored weapon.
First off, using the judeo-christo-isamic god is a REAL red herring. God with a capital G is an omni-potent, -scient, -present, -whatever being who has no bearing on a pantheistic polytheistic cosmos as presented by Pathfinder and the D&D that spawned it.
Catholics and Bapitists both love the cross and Jehovah/Allah/Yaweh has no favoured weapon.
A better comparison IS Neptune and Poseidon, an aspect of what could be argued to be the SAME god in two DIFFERENT cultures. In this case, two regions, two cultures, same weapon, same portfolio.
The scimitar is not a "desert weapon" in golarion. It isn't really a desert weapon in our world either, as it's arguably greek in origin and weapons of it's ilk were seen from romania to india. Also, the calvary sabre of the 18th and 19th centuries is pretty similar to scimitars as well. So if you're character's environment and culture could be compared to eastern europe, arabia, persia, india, western europe or america, which twenty bucks says it can, the scimitar is AOK culturally.
As for "different cultures, different gods", not in Pathfinder. Because the gods show up and can be verifiably shown. Loki and Coyote could be argued to be the same god in our world, perhaps. But really, they're just two different gods with similar portfolios. In pathfinder, we know that Sarenrae uses a Scimitar and we know she wants her followers to know how to use a sword.
Your cleric may not want to use a sword because he's a pacifist. Great. But he's ignoring the fact that she's a warrior goddess. She layed down the righteous smack during the primeval wars. A worshipper of Pallas Athena may favour wisdom and learning, but Pallas can still kick ass, whether her worshipper wants her to or not.
If your cleric comes from a jungle tribe that's never heard of swords, when you recieve the vision of her with her flaming scimitar and an edict to learn how to use swords, or better yet, divine inspiration TEACHING you how, you'll probably find the next best thing and show her you can.
If you don't like it, why are you worshipping her?
It's like a follower of Thor saying Thor's favoured weapon should be the bow, because I come from a culture that is a lot of mounted archers.
Great. Thor doesn't care. He likes Mjolner, and his worshippers like him, so they'll imitate. It's also likely a tribe of mounted archers are going to make Thor their tribal patron, as his preferences don't jive with their lifestyle. Luckily there's a LOT of other gods who are happy to look out for them.
Yeah, this argument has so many misconceptions in it, it's hard to respond to them all.
First, Poseiden and Neptune are not the same god from two different cultures. They were two totally different gods with similar portfolios that were syncretized together. Neptune had is own junk going on, but Poseiden had such good stories that the Romans stole them and changed the names.
Second, the notion that Saranrae would change her appearance and weapons and whatever else for different followers shows a lack of understanding of paganism. And that's fair, because D&D has shown a lack of understanding of it from the beginning. Pagans don't worship ONE god. Nobody worships just Saranrae. Sure, you can be a priest of Saranrae, and you are specially dedicated to her, but you still believe in the other gods and still worship them when appropriate. Saranrae wouldn't have a different favored weapon for underwater use because that's not her realm--you'd just be praying to Gozreh at that point.
Likewise, Saranrae wouldn't favor the staff just because you were a pacifist--that's what the Blade of Mercy trait is for. You're actually better off knocking people out with a scimitar than with a staff.
Third, you can't compare any of this to monotheism. It's sweet and all that you think Jesus favors both Roman Catholics and Baptists equally, but they sure as hell don't think he does.
And even if you want to try and conflate that, Christianity is a strike against you because, unless you're a Morman, Jesus only actually stepped foot in one place on Earth: Israel. He didn't show up in Greece wearing a toga, in China wearing silk, in Australia holding a boomerang, etc. He went to one place, and people everywhere else adapted to him, not the other way around.
If a region without scimitars worships Saranrae, my bet is that they'll start making scimitars.
Yeah, this argument has so many misconceptions in it, it's hard to respond to them all.
First, Poseiden and Neptune are not the same god from two different cultures. They were two totally different gods with similar portfolios that were syncretized together. Neptune had is own junk going on, but Poseiden had such good stories that the Romans stole them and changed the names.
Wait, what?
Neptune and Poseidon allegedly both derive from an earlier spring god of the proto-indo-europeans that made it as far as ireland, and the two were happily remarried when the Romans decided that everyone was ACTUALLY just worshiping their gods, because they were always right, and just had the names wrong. This is why Germanic gods were often referred to by their roman counterparts in Latin chronicles of the times. In the case of neptune-poseidon, however, they happened to be on base.
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I want to stress this isnt about game advantage. It is about the way our characters, in particular the clergy, worship their gods. I know the rules dont say you have to wield your deity's favored weapon. But as a representative of god, spreading his word and teachings, you wouldn't want to use anything else. You would use "the Rod and Staff" that the almighty uses. And that is the conundrum I face. I dont see how, in this case the scimitar, is a practical fit for all priests of a deity.You saying that often does not make it true. And this obviously is about gaining a mechanical advantage.
If you don't see your cleric of Serenae using a scimitar, that's fine, spend a feat to get a different weapon or use a simple weapon. Don't like that option and want to change the rules so you don't have to spend a feat? That's a mechanical advantage.
Do what you want in your home games, that's your prerogative. But don't come here and try and lie to us.
Alright- I was trying to refrain from derogatoriy comments, but your and BBT's lack of reading the earlier posts in this thread have annoyed me enough and I don't appreciate being called a liar.
DID YOU EVEN READ WHAT WEAPON I WANTED MY CLERIC TO WIELD?!!!! OBVIOUSLY NOT OR YOU WOULD SEE HOW IDIOTIC YOUR ARGUMENT IS THAT I AM TRYING TO SEEK A GAME MECHANIC ADVANTAGE. ALL CLERICS CAN ALREADY USE SIMPLE WEAPONS- WHICH IS WHAT I WAS USING... A HEAVY MACE!!!
As I mentioned in an earlier post- If I wanted to take a particular weapon for this character that was not a favored weapon or simple weapon, I would use the Heirloom Equipment Trait. I know how to bend the rules guys to make a character I want! This post is not about that. Please take the time to read all of the original post before responding with an uninformed opinion. I would also recommend you refrain from calling people liars. Especially when your posts demonstrate your obvious ignorance and capriciousness.
As for the other responses from Calvin, mplindustries, Durngrun, ARE and skylancer- thank you for your informed responses. I totally get where you are coming from and understand. I guess it wasn't so much about Sarenrae changing her beliefs as much as supporting her followers. Regardless- I already stated that I would just venerate the domains. It doesn't really matter to my character because his chosen weapon is a simple weapon. And it if wasn't I would just use a trait to get it. I really just wanted to identify with a particular God that espouses the Domains Sarenrae represents. But the religious accoutrements of her faith do not fit this character and unfortunately I don't see an alternative Deity that has the same domains. Which really points to Calvins postulation with Loki & Coyote. I totally agree Calvin in that some scholars argue they are the same God with a different name and different regional worshippers. I guess I was looking for something like that. But it doesn't exist in Golarion I guess.
So that being said I will stop tormenting BBT & Shadowcat with my "needless" rules question that evidently is all about me trying to warp the rules to my whims.
And BTW Calvin is right about Poseidon and Neptune- they were the same God as were Jupiter and Zeus, Mercury & Hermes, Aries & Mars, etc.... Much like they did with everything, the Romans borrowed from others and made it their own.
I really just wanted to identify with a particular God that espouses the Domains Sarenrae represents. But the religious accoutrements of her faith do not fit this character and unfortunately I don't see an alternative Deity that has the same domains.
Maybe I can be helpful after all! While none of the core deities may be similar to Sarenrae, there are several minor deities in the Golarion universe, and some of those share some of Sarenrae's domains.
Based on the Reference Table in the front of Pathfinder Chronicles: Gods & Magic, and using only those deities that have both Good and Healing, there are these:
Bolka; NG; portfolio: love, beauty; domains: Charm, Good, Healing; favored weapon: mace
Milani; CG; portfolio: hope, devotion, uprisings; domains: Chaos, Good, Healing, Liberation, Protection; favored weapon: morningstar
In Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea World Guide, Bolka is nowhere to be found, but Milani exists with the same features, and with a short write-up.
The same book also features the Empyreal Lord Korada (NG; portfolio: foresight, forgiveness, peace; domains: Good, Magic, Healing, Protection; favored weapon: unarmed strike).
Of the available options, I think Milani might be the best alternative to Sarenrae, and the morningstar is pretty similar to a heavy mace, as well.