PDA

View Full Version : Revenant 4E



FullofQuestions
2010-09-17, 06:39 PM
So I'm thinking about making a character that died in my game a revenant. He was not supposed to die, but, oops, things happen. I was already going to make his character a soul favored by the gods that is reincarnated every time a major battle was about to take place so that he could lead the winning side. This is what made me think of a revenant. It is the evil side of what I want, but that is the advice I'm seeking. Any suggestions on how to revamp it so that he can be a 'good revenant'...other than just switching everything that says bad to good or some junk like that? Is there something that already exists that I do not know about that would help? I want to keep his character as close to what already is as possible.

Sir Homeslice
2010-09-17, 06:48 PM
Revenants aren't evil by default.

Mando Knight
2010-09-17, 07:02 PM
Revenants aren't evil by default.

In fact, the introductory article pretty much says that by default, Revenants are beings that the Raven Queen looks at and says "Nope, you're not supposed to be dead yet" and kicks you back into the world in a slightly less-dead state.

FullofQuestions
2010-09-17, 07:06 PM
Maybe I was understanding it wrong then, but if we are talking about the same article (Dragon Mag. 376 pg?34?) I was inferring that a revenant was evil due to the cold chills, black eyes, fingernail, etc., as well as many other suggestion it seemed to be making in the article to make me think they were just evil. Here's a dumb question. The Raven Queen is evil, right? And doesn't she bring you back to live because there is something she wants you to do? Wouldn't that action inherently make you evil?

BobTheDog
2010-09-17, 07:10 PM
Maybe I was understanding it wrong then, but if we are talking about the same article (Dragon Mag. 376 pg?34?) I was inferring that a revenant was evil due to the cold chills, black eyes, fingernail, etc., as well as many other suggestion it seemed to be making in the article to make me think they were just evil. Here's a dumb question. The Raven Queen is evil, right? And doesn't she bring you back to live because there is something she wants you to do? Wouldn't that action inherently make you evil?

The Raven Queen is unaligned. Also, there is nothing stating that other powers (other deities or devils or primordials) can't do the same, nor is there anything stating that you come back as a revenant and are automatically on a quest to do what your "benefactor" wants from you. In fact, depending on how you fluff it, you could easily explain how someone who got "revenated" by Asmodeus is fighting the good fight and helping old ladies.

FullofQuestions
2010-09-17, 07:23 PM
The Raven Queen is unaligned. Also, there is nothing stating that other powers (other deities or devils or primordials) can't do the same, nor is there anything stating that you come back as a revenant and are automatically on a quest to do what your "benefactor" wants from you.

Oh, well then.....okay, that changes things. Thanks I know where to go from here.

Mando Knight
2010-09-17, 07:29 PM
Maybe I was understanding it wrong then, but if we are talking about the same article (Dragon Mag. 376 pg?34?) I was inferring that a revenant was evil due to the cold chills, black eyes, fingernail, etc., as well as many other suggestion it seemed to be making in the article to make me think they were just evil. Here's a dumb question. The Raven Queen is evil, right? And doesn't she bring you back to live because there is something she wants you to do? Wouldn't that action inherently make you evil?

1.) You're undead, so you will look weird and unliving to normal people. However, Warforged, Shardminds, Dragonborn, Tieflings, Minotaurs, Genasi, and Wilden also look weird to "normal" people. Oh, look. About half of the player races look weird. Does that make them evil?

2.) Death is neutral. Dying happens to Good creatures and Evil. Thus, so also must the goddess of Death be Unaligned.

FoE
2010-09-17, 07:30 PM
Death gods (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0737.html) are not necessarily evil, and nor are their followers.

FullofQuestions
2010-09-17, 07:52 PM
1.) You're undead, so you will look weird and unliving to normal people. However, Warforged, Shardminds, Dragonborn, Tieflings, Minotaurs, Genasi, and Wilden also look weird to "normal" people. Oh, look. About half of the player races look weird. Does that make them evil?

I just meant that the way they were describing it sounded aligned with evil. E.g. Cold, chill, black


Death gods (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0737.html) are not necessarily evil, and nor are their followers.

That was funny. Thanks.

FoE
2010-09-17, 08:12 PM
I just meant that the way they were describing it sounded aligned with evil. E.g. Cold, chill, black

Dark Is Not (Necessarily) Evil. (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DarkIsNotEvil)

If it was, tieflings wouldn't be a player race.

FullofQuestions
2010-09-17, 08:27 PM
By the way, I don't have the books in front of me, but I do remember wondering why the only Gods they bring up, or at least have heading for, are the evil ones. There are others mentioned in the table on the same page, but they are not talked about. How can I find more information on the good/unaligned gods?

BobTheDog
2010-09-17, 08:43 PM
By the way, I don't have the books in front of me, but I do remember wondering why the only Gods they bring up, or at least have heading for, are the evil ones. There are others mentioned in the table on the same page, but they are not talked about. How can I find more information on the good/unaligned gods?

I guess you're referring to the DMG, since the PHB is quite the opposite. Only the good/unaligned gods are described, and the evil gods are only mentioned briefly.

Edit: To clarify: good/unaligned gods = PHB 21; evil gods = DMG 162.