What god is your favorite?

[Yqatuba]

I think mine is Desna since she is the god of two of my favorite things (dreams and outer space). I think Thais is the coolest herald though. (she is based on a real person for those who don't know https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tha%C3%AFs

[Scythia]

Artemis.

I enjoy archery, moonlit nights, and pets. Also, cold showers. :P

[Yidhra, Goddess of Paradoxes]

Praise Yidhra. \owo/

[Sir Thugsalot]

Nethys, because he has an awesome website.

[Create Mr. Pitt]

Desna in Golarion. Artemis, Athena, Dionysus, Loki, and Anubis if we're expanding the scope of the conversation.

[Doc_Alpha]

Definitely Desna and she feels like the right goddess for most adventurers to pick to me.

[Klorox]

Strictly depends on my character... but I'd say that my two personal favorites might be Nethys (because magic), and Sarenrae (because sun and fire)

[Vidmaster7]

Zeus. because you have to respect a guy who is that creative in bed.

Odin and Thor. Because they set out to get rid of frost and fire giants... I don't see any frost or fire giants around do you?

Thoth Because he created himself. If that is not a feat I don't know what is.

Calistra because of her relatively healthy views on well you know.

Tiamet because he was an awesome summons.

[Klorox]

Actually, Tiamat is a she...
and yes, Odiiiiiiin !

[Ultimagus]

If we're remaining within Pathfinder lore, I have an affinity for Cayden Cailean, as well as Shelyn. I also have an appreciation for Gorum.

If, however, we're expanding to all deities, however, I am an ardent cultist and must pay respect to the Outer Gods, namely Yog-Sothoth and Nyarlathotep.

[The Sideromancer]

Brigh: For science!
Yaraesa: For science!!!
Nethys: For mad science!

[Chromantic Durgon <3]

@Ultimagus Yog and some of the other outer gods are in the pathfinder verse.

As for me. There is a clue somewhere in profile <.< >.> think you can find it?

[quibblemuch]

The Sideromancer wrote:

Brigh: For science!

Yaraesa: For science!!!
Nethys: For mad science!

Groetus: For science!

[Rysky]

quibblemuch wrote:

The Sideromancer wrote:

Brigh: For science!

Yaraesa: For science!!!
Nethys: For mad science!

Groetus: For science!

And Moondoggos!

[Alyssa Branch]

Cayden Cailean. He is proof that anyone can exceed their station in life by being themselves and getting a little bit lucky.

[captain yesterday]

Just one!

You know there's something like a thousand gods out there don't you?

Lucky for you, I don't follow arbitrary rules!

Sarenrae
Pharasma
Desna
Anubis
The backwoods elephant lamprey outer god
Norgorber
Sobek
Sekhmet
Iomedae
Rovagug
Not in any discernible order, and Iomedae is mostly because of my own head canon.

[Chromantic Durgon <3]

what is that head cannon?

[Volkard Abendroth]

Sir Thugsalot wrote:

Nethys, because he has an awesome website.

This

[Iomedae, The Inheritor]

Tries to impress a group of Worldwound weary crusaders with a free trip to heaven to hear her heavenly choir jam.

[captain yesterday]

Chromantic Durgon <3 wrote:

what is that head cannon?

Joan Of Arc from Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventures and Joan Jett are my primary inspirations for her.

[Unassuming Local Guy]

Cayden Cailean, I mean who doesn't like this guy.

Also I've always like Pharasma, she's got a cool attitude about her

[Razoack]

Shelyn. So beautiful that almost all deities are on good terms with her.

After a PFS scenario, I've been really intrigued by Sifkesh and have been tempted to try and build a Holy Vindicator of Sifkesh

[Chromantic Durgon <3]

captain yesterday wrote:

Chromantic Durgon <3 wrote:

what is that head cannon?

Joan Of Arc from Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventures and Joan Jett are my primary inspirations for her.

I totally know what those things are >.>

[ohokwy.]

Shelyn, because RAINBOWS.

[W E Ray]

Desna and Iomedae
By far
In every aspect
Easily the best deities in the game for my PCs to revere.

.

Sarenrae was a favorite until I was exposed to all the Garundi and Kelesh stuff. Taking Sasrenrae out of those areas Completely and giving them their own pantheons (the way Osirian and Tian China have their own pantheons) would make Sarenrae much more playable. Now it's like there's a Sarenrae for Avistan and a Sarenrae for Kelesh & Garund and they just don't feel compatible for me.

I used to not like Cayden Cailean at all but he's grown on me -- and I've made him the primary deity for Andoran which has elevated him quite a bit.

Pharasma, Nethys, Shelyn, Calistria: I like them; they've grown on me.

So there are eight Pathfinder deities (for the good guys) that I like. But Desna and Iomedae are significantly my favorites.

[Skull]

Most of my characters have been monks, who didn't really care to worship anyone. Ive had a few worship Irori, however.

I tend to like Desna and Torag.

Recently made a paladin who follows Iomedae. I have to admit, she always seemed very dull to me, but after actually going through some material. She seems like a good option :)

[Yqatuba]

I actually did mean Pathfinder universe gods (which would include the Mythos and Egyptian gods since they exist in the universe but I don't think the Greek and Norse gods do?)

[Deadmanwalking]

Yqatuba wrote:

I actually did mean Pathfinder universe gods (which would include the Mythos and Egyptian gods since they exist in the universe but I don't think the Greek and Norse gods do?)

They presumably do, but don't have any worshipers on Golarion, having never visited.

As to the actual question:

As a real life pagan with Lady Luck as my patron deity, Desna certainly appeals.

I also very much like Shelyn, Sarenrae, and Cayden Cailean.

Those are probably my top 4. Rounding out a Top 10 would be much harder since I like almost all the Pathfinder deities conceptually.

[Kitty Catoblepas]

My personal favorites:

Pharasma -- Goddess of Death and Knife Fighting

Lamashtu -- Goddess of Monsters (and the secret to having strong children)

Sarenrae -- Who doesn't love Sun Goddesses?

edit:

Oh, and Shelyn, because RAINBOWS (good catch, ohokwy. )

[Daw]

W E Ray wrote:

Sarenrae was a favorite until I was exposed to all the Garundi and Kelesh stuff. Taking Sasrenrae out of those areas Completely and giving them their own pantheons (the way Osirian and Tian China have their own pantheons) would make Sarenrae much more playable. Now it's like there's a Sarenrae for Avistan and a Sarenrae for Kelesh & Garund and they just don't feel compatible for me.

The obvious question, which group do you think she is trying to redeem?

[W E Ray]

@ Daw, I guess I just like the "Pelor of "Pathfinder" thing, which of course, may just be in my own mind's eye. But I see Sarenrae as a better developed, more dynamic version of Pelor. And thus like her quite a bit. Except then, in probably 2009 or so, everything in Osiron and Qadira and Katapesh is, 'Oh, Sarenrae is the chief deity here.' But Qadira is Al Qadim and Osirion is Egypt and the rest of Garund and the Kelesh empire is not Pelor-like and that's where my mind for Sarenrae was. (Not that it matters but in my head-canon I've already eliminated the worship of Sarenrae from Osirion & Qadira & Katapesh. Made her definitively Pelor-with-better-development-&-design-dynamic.)

So as to who she's trying to redeem: The bad guys in Avistan.

[W E Ray]

Gorum is only just starting to grow on me, not really a fan, though.

The only way I like Gorum is when it's pronounced, even said like, the way Conan says "Crom"!

So it's like, "G'roam".

[Meraki]

I've always had a soft spot for Milani, probably since my first character to finish an AP was a priest of hers.

Other favorites:
Desna - Yay travel!
Sivanah - I really like her mysteriousness.
Besmara - ...I have a soft spot for pirates. What?

[Prof. Löwenzahn]

If Empyreal Lords are in: Black Butterfly

It's basically Desna, but with doing good without bragging about it. I'm actually mad that it is chaotic good and thus not legal for Paladin deities, because I believe this altruism that Black Butterfly stands for is the highest value that Paladin Code should include. Doing good for their own recognition is not what I consider LG.

The core deities are very appealing, too: Cayden Cailean, Shelyn, Desna, Sarenrae all have interesting aspects.

[blahpers]

What, no love for Erastil?

I tend to find the philosophies and other cultural movements more interesting, such as the Green Faith and Rahadoum's "the gods can get bent" attitude.

[Mark Hoover 330]

Y'know it's funny: I use the Golarion deities in my own homebrew lands but they have completely different flavors. My lands a hodge-podge of inspiration from "barbarian" cultures in our own reality, dark-ages Europe, and a healthy dose of fairy tales and folklore added in for good measure.

As such the deities are viewed through different lenses. Saranrae and Desna for example are the deities of my traveler-inspired peoples - Sarenites still use a curved blade but their dancing is more like the folk-dancing of the Russian/Romanian cultures with leaps and twirls and wide, flaring dress.

Pharasma was once revered among the travelers too but she's settled across the land. Now She's a gothic, wrought-iron type in church yards and whispers. She is both sorrow and joy, life and death, but completely bereft of passion in either aspect. And yet, she and her greatest "angels" are always depicted weeping...

Iomedae follows the basic track she does Golarion: my world thousands of years ago had great crusades and she rose during an epic battle from mortal to deity. Ever since she's been a goddess of civilization, an inspiration that no one is helpless if they are strong enough to endure and that from humble beginnings comes true greatness.

Irori and Gorum are 2 sides of the near-fanatical seclusion of the "war colleges;" monastic redoubts hearkening back to the most barbaric times where the greatest warriors actually pooled their knowledge and harnessed every form of battle. The more lawful, introspective of these colleges favored a version of Irori typified by endurance against relentless elements, the charms of the fey, and the awesome power of dragons; the more chaotic put their faith in the external and harnessed the "riddle of iron" (I know... I ripped it off)

And so on. Amongst all of these deities, through the lens of my own game, I love Sarenrae the best. She is joy, and light, and dancing with abandon; she is the eternal sun that heralds the dawn of tomorrow; she is the light on the horizon that beckons with her brilliant smile! I love the idea of traveler caravans, festooned in brilliant colors and sun designs, rattling into a simple village and then BOOM: there are bards and minstrels, dancers leaping high into the air, and a pure celebration of light and life to brighten a weary world!

[Astoroth, The Endless Fount]

"Myself."

Shelyn, Groetus, Norgorber, Zon Kuthon, Sivanah, and most of the Eldest are also cool.

[Chromantic Durgon <3]

Aside of Pharasma, Milani is another one I'm quite fond off. As is Shelyn and also Urgathoa.

Amongst Demi gods I'm quite fond of Arshea, Baba Yaga (if she counts, I'd argue she should), Szuriel, Charon and I I'm interested in the Eldest though there isn't much info around on them as yet.

[Mark Hoover]

I SO want to hijack this thread for ideas on how folks run organized religion in their games... but so far I'm resisting the urge.

[blahpers]

Mark Hoover wrote:

I SO want to hijack this thread for ideas on how folks run organized religion in their games... but so far I'm resisting the urge.

There's always another thread!

[Unassuming Local Guy]

Chromantic Durgon <3 wrote:

Aside of Pharasma, Milani is another one I'm quite fond off.

Amongst Demi gods I'm quite fond of Arshea, Baba Yaga (if she counts, I'd argue she should),

I agree, Baba Yaga is awesome.

[Stockvillain]

Azathoth.
That which accidentally created the entire universe and could very well destroy it all again, all without even noticing.
The Great Cosmic Mana Battery

I've got a wizard character who views the gods as nothing more than power sources, and who uses the False Focus feat to tap that phenomenal cosmic power for whatever ends he sees fit. Azathoth is his go-to power source, though he does carry around a variety of divine focii for funsies.
He's a fun guy at parties.

[Mark Hoover]

blahpers wrote:

Mark Hoover wrote:

I SO want to hijack this thread for ideas on how folks run organized religion in their games... but so far I'm resisting the urge.

There's always another thread!

Noted

[Deadmanwalking]

Unassuming Local Guy wrote:

Chromantic Durgon <3 wrote:

Aside of Pharasma, Milani is another one I'm quite fond off.

Amongst Demi gods I'm quite fond of Arshea, Baba Yaga (if she counts, I'd argue she should),

I agree, Baba Yaga is awesome.

Baba Yaga has actually very specifically put effort into not becoming a deity. She finds the restrictions they operate under too limiting.

[The Sideromancer]

Yet another reason to make that dagger under your pillow Cold Iron.

[Dextro Highland]

For the good guys... St. Cuthbert, Pelor, Kord, Anubis, Ra, Erastil, Shelyn, Iomedae.

For the bad guys... Ares, Asmodeus, Erythnul, Hel, Iuz, Lamashtu, Nerull, Set.

Neutrals... Abadar, Dalt, Gorum, Pharasma, Thoth, Wee Jas, Zilchus

[MageHunter]

I really like Magdh. The Eldest are very interesting and I like this more obscure angle of fate.

Although I also really like Vildeis. As a counterpart to kuthite perverse masochism, this is purity and sacrifice at its greatest.

Ragathiel is nice because he is the patron of Paladins who don't take s#@&

[Some random person]

The ascended Gods are usually my favorites: Irori, Norgorber, Iomedae, Nethys.

[Tim Emrick]

I'm not sure I can pick a favorite Golarion god, but I've very much enjoyed playing a rogue/cleric of Cayden and a paladin of Torag in PFS, and have a inquisitor of Gorum in the wings. I've also played a cleric of Iomedae in a home game.

Add in the Mythos gods, though, and Nyarlathotep wins, hands down. But that's the Lovecraft junkie in me talking.

[Tim Emrick]

As an aside, I much prefer the use of Abadar in Starfinder to his place in Pathfinder. God of wealth and cities? Eh, whatever...but give his church control of banking on ALL the planets, with a vast network of mercenary guards and other support, and suddenly he's a LOT more interesting! (Ditto for the Acquisitives vs. the Exchange, for similar reasons.)