Help me make a God

[Tibbaerrohwen]

I was looking over the Expanded Psionics Handbook the other day and found the Maenad. Looking over the fluff, I became instantly curious about their overthrown God. Though their namesake suggests Dionysus as their God, a discussion else-where on the playground resulted in the conclusion that Dionysus, still being alive, well and full of drunken vigor, could not be there God and that their namesake has no relation to the race's history.

With this in mind, I need some help. I would like to play a PsyWar/Binder who contacts Vestiges seeking out the possible remnants of his race's lost God and history. I feel this would be infinitely more enjoyable if I had an actual God to work with.

Knowing nearly nothing about stating a God, I turn to you. I don't even know where to start.

So, Playground, will you help me make a God?

[Grod_The_Giant]

Hmm... I suspect that all you really need is the fluff, which should lead you to a list of domains. Unless you mean to fight the god, that is. Given that this guy is an ex-god... well, it depends on how ex he is. He may still be a powerful demi-godly outsider (divine rank 0), or he may be a drunken bum in an alleyway babbling about the higher planes to anyone who walks by.

[Tibbaerrohwen]

Hmm... I suspect that all you really need is the fluff, which should lead you to a list of domains. Unless you mean to fight the god, that is. Given that this guy is an ex-god... well, it depends on how ex he is. He may still be a powerful demi-godly outsider (divine rank 0), or he may be a drunken bum in an alleyway babbling about the higher planes to anyone who walks by.

What I would like to do is stat him out as he/she was in his/her prime, before being overthrown. My concept with fluff is that he is now a vestige, seeing as he would have no more worshipers and a bunch of vestiges already exist who were once powerful Gods of angels.

After this God is made, I'll work on stating out a vestige using the God as a reference.

I need to know where to start.

[Psyren]

For the Vestige part, you can let one of his abilities grant you a Wild Surge analogue, tied to your Binder Level. Fluffwise, you can have it rumored that Maenads were the first Wilders, and it was Bacchus' drunken revels that taught them to harness their emotions as a route to psionic power rather than the (at the time) standard route of mental discipline. They then resolved to remove him after one too many nights of devastating debauchery left a destroyed village and dead loved ones in their wake.

[Grod_The_Giant]

What I would like to do is stat him out as he/she was in his/her prime, before being overthrown. My concept with fluff is that he is now a vestige, seeing as he would have no more worshipers and a bunch of vestiges already exist who were once powerful Gods of angels.

After this God is made, I'll work on stating out a vestige using the God as a reference.

I need to know where to start.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/divineRanksAndPowers.htm#divineCharacteristics
Make him a Wilder 20/Bard 20, with the standard 20 Outsider HD. Divine Rank 16 or so- he was the deity of an entire race. Pick the 19 (I think?) salient divine abilities (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/divineAbilitiesFeats.htm).

[Tibbaerrohwen]

For the Vestige part, you can let one of his abilities grant you a Wild Surge analogue, tied to your Binder Level. Fluffwise, you can have it rumored that Maenads were the first Wilders, and it was Bacchus' drunken revels that taught them to harness their emotions as a route to psionic power rather than the (at the time) standard route of mental discipline. They then resolved to remove him after one too many nights of devastating debauchery left a destroyed village and dead loved ones in their wake.

Except that I really want a new God. Bacchus is simply Dionysus, which isn't exactly what I'm looking for. I wanted to make something new, but the fluff is nice.


http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/divineRanksAndPowers.htm#divineCharacteristics
Make him a Wilder 20/Bard 20, with the standard 20 Outsider HD. Divine Rank 16 or so- he was the deity of an entire race. Pick the 19 (I think?) salient divine abilities (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/divineAbilitiesFeats.htm).

Perfect, this will help tremendously.

[Lateral]

He's the deity of a minor race, though, so unless Maenads are very populous in your campaign I'd only make him a rank 14 intermediate deity.

[Zagaroth]

*sighs* was interrupted for work, so probably very ninja'd. Anyway...

First, grab a copy of Deities & Demigods. Decide his Divine Rank at his prime. PRime deity of a race is often DvR 20

Then decide his HD/class levels. If using normal D&DG class sets, probably like 20 HD outsider, 20 level psion, 20 levels.. well wilder and psy warrior are redundant, and 20 levels cleric doesn't fit the feel.

20 levels soulknife?

Upgrade psion to Spell-to-power variant erudite for the ultimate mastery of knowing all psionic powers, and all arcane spells (please note, bard has cure spells...) as psionic powers.

Now, 20HD outsider, 20 StP Erudite, 20 soulknife. Excellent.

Give him an Elite array of stats, add level bonuses for 60 levels on top of that, add +15 to every stat (for being a god), then add the stats increases for having 20 divine ranks.

Now figure out skills, feats, and Divine Salient Abilities (there is a DSA which automatically applies meta-magics to all spells & SLAs, so just replace magic flavor with psion flavor, and auto-quicken any power!)

Give him lots of super-ioun stones (SHINY!), which grant like +10 bonuses instead of +1 bonuses, etc.

have fun :)

[Tibbaerrohwen]

I was actually thinking of making him a lesser deity (DvR 6,7,8 maybe 9). After all, he was easily overthrown by a fledgling race he likely created.

I can't find anything about adding DvR to ability scores or a +15 God bonus.

[Ra_Va]

Well you could still use mythology as a base point to help.

This Deity could be an Avatar of Dionysus that broke free and as a result became less powerful overtime.

Gorelik is/was a god of similar circumstance who after his fall became little more then a giant Hyena. The Maenads of myth are connected to panthers and Dionysus to Ox and serpents. Options or a possible appearance.

Hopefully this is somewhat helpful.

Edit: Reading up on Dionysus myths may also help, he is shown often to be either a kind drunk, or a very angry god prone to ripping people apart and causing madness.

[Tibbaerrohwen]

I'm working on the fluff now. I was actually thinking of linking him to Garl Glittergold.

I'm still not dure about the +15 God bonus to stats or adding DvR to stats, but I've included that. Let me know if it's right.

I still need a name for the God.

Otherwise, the God of the Maenads:

Lesser Deity
Medium Outsider (Chaotic)
Symbol: A cracked and shattering green gem with a perfect purple crystal jutting from the center
Home Plane: Arborea
Alignment: CN
Portfolio: Psionics, Maenads, passion, earth
Worshipers: Maenads, Wilders
Cleric Alignments: CE, GC, CN
Domains: Passion, Earth, Hunger
Favoured Weapon: Maul

Name:
Wilder 20/Bard 10/Barbarian 10/
Medium Outsider
Divine Rank: 8
Hit Dice: 20d8+260 (outsider) plus 20d6+260 (wilder) plus 10d6+130 (bard) plus 10d12+130 (barbarian) (3,810)
Speed: 70ft
AC: 62 = 10+14 (Dex)+22 (natural armor)+16 (deflection)
Initiative: +14
Attacks: +60/+56/+50/+44
Damage: +5 Maul 1d10+27
Face/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Domain powers, salient divine abilities, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Divine immunities, DR 43 /+4, fire resistance 28, understand, speak and read all languages and speak directly to all beings within 15 miles, godly realm, teleport without error and plane shift at will, divine aura (DC 34), SR 40, wild surge +6, surging euphoria +3, elude touch, volatile mind (4 power points), bardic music 10/day, bardic knowledge, countersong, fascinate, inspire courage +2, suggestion, inspire greatness, fast movement, rage 3/day, trap sense +3, DR 3/-
Saves: Fort: +45 Reflex: +46 Will: +44
Abilities: Str: 39 Dex: 39 Con: 36 Int: 36 Wis: 34 Cha: 43
Skills: (751)
Autohypnosis: 75 = 63+12
Balance: 37 = 23+14
Bluff: 61 = 45+16
Climb: 23+14
Concentration: 76 = 63+13
Craft (Weaponsmithing): 38 = 25+13
Craft (Armorsmithing): 38 = 25+13
Craft (Alchemy): 38 = 25+13
Escape Artist: 59 = 45+14
Handle Animal: 61 = 45+16
Intimidate: 59 = 43+16
Jump: 37 = 23+14
Knowledge (Psionics): 76 = 63+13
Perform (Song): 66 = 50+16
Perform (Drums): 66 = 50+14
Profession (Farmer): 66 = 50+12
Psicraft: 76 = 63+13
Ride: 35 = 21+14
Sense Motive: 35 = 23+12
Spellcraft: 57 = 44+13
Survival: 61 = 45+16
Swim: 37 = 23+14
Tumble: 47 = 33+14
Use Magic Device: 57 = 41+16

Feats: Dodge, Hostile Mind, Psionic Mediatation, Quicken Power, Empower Power, Power Attack, Improved Sunder, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Maul) Psionic Weapon, Deep Impact, Maximize Power, Chain Power, Epic Inspiration, Epic Psionic Focus, Epic Psionic Focus, Fast Healing, Epic Dodge, Epic Metapsionics, Epic Metapsionics, Maenad Scream, Maenad Fury
Maenad Traits: Outburst (-2 Int & Wis/+4 Str for 4 rounds) 30/day, Energy Ray 19/day (ML=1/2 HD), Naturally Psionic (+2 Power Points)
Divine Immunities: Ability damage, ability drain, acid, cold, death effects, disease, disintegration, electricity, energy drain, mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, sleep, stunning, transmutation, imprisonment, banishment
Salient Divine Abilities: Alter reality, alter size, divine psionics, gift of life, hand of death, divine celerity, avatar, divine shield, divine inspiration, sunder and disjoin (DC 35)
Domain Powers: Passion (gain Rage for 1 round/Cleric level), Earth (turn Earth elementals or rebuke Air elementals 19/day), Hunger (Immunity to non-magical ingested poisons, diseases & drugs)
Wilder Powers (Base DC 26+power level): (345 Power Points/day; 11 Powers)
1- Inertial Armor, Mind Push
2- Id Insinuation
3- Dispel Psionics
4- Freedom of Movement
5- Power Resistance
6- Suspend Life
7- Moment of Prescience
8- Matter Manipulation
9- Microcosm, Affinity Field

Bard Spells (Base DC 26+spell level): Cast per day 5/5/5/4/2; Known 6/4/4/4/2:
0- Resistance, Prestidigitation, Fleeting Fame, Mage Hand, Light, Detect Magic
1- Charm Person, Focusing Chant, Cure Light Wounds, Balagarn's Iron Horn
2- Mirror Move, Cure Moderate Wounds, Elation, Delusions of Grandeur
3-Dispel Magic, Cure Serious Wounds, Wounding Whispers, Good Hope
4- Fugue of Tvash-Prull, Break Enchantment

Spell-Like Abilities: Passion (cause fear, Tasha's hideous laughter, confusion, crushing despair, greater command, greater heroism, song of discord, Otto's irresistable dance, dominate monster), Earth (magic stone, soften earth, stone shape, spike stones, wall of stone, stoneskin, earthquake, iron body, elemental swarm), Hunger (slow consumption, jaws of adamantine, cannibalism, caustic bile, insatiable hunger, whirlwind of teeth, steal life, gate [abyss only])
Possessions: +5 Deflecting Banishing Maul (Planeshaker)

At this point, I can't recall which skill points were cross classed, but they should all add up properly. I treated everything as cross-class for the outsider skill points, is that right?

Thanks.

[Yora]

What about the Mind domain (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/spells/overview.htm#mindDomain)? As god of a psionic race, it would fit.

[Tibbaerrohwen]

What about the Mind domain (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/spells/overview.htm#mindDomain)? As god of a psionic race, it would fit.

I figured I could only take three domains, so I tried to pick those that fit best with the personality of the God. I haven't finished or posted the fluff yet, but I'm trying t work his out as a passionate (with a short attention span) and glutinous God. Think God-like intelligence (being a God) but with the constant need for affection, food and entertainment like a child. The ranks in profession farming is simply so he can grow food to eat constantly.
This means he's prone to shifts from extreme joy to extreme anger, and his natural psionic abilities, mixed with a psionically sensitive race, means his continued presence around his people drives them mad, and they have no time to advance, both culturally and technologically, because there is no time for study and self-reflection.
I'm torn whether I should have him mortal-born (from an elven maiden) or straight from the ground. The origin at this point is that Garl Glimmergold was working on creating a sub-subservient race for the Gnomes (prior to the Golmoids). He was attempting to fashion a being out of a crystal but the being grew sentient too quickly and began to consume Garl's divine essence. So, Garl flung the gem through the planes where it ended up on the material plane.

[Zagaroth]

sorry for slow reply. The +15 is derived from comparing listed divinity statistics to 'normal' elite stats, and accounting for everything else involved in stats. Seems to be something WotC never put in or errata'd.

looking up the stat point/DvR now, I may misremember.

EDIT: AHA! The errata!



All the deities in Deities and Demigods have a standard
array of ability scores (similar to the standard array for NPCs
in Chapter 2 of the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide). The standard
array is 35, 28, 25, 24, 24, 24. To this standard divine array,
the Deities and Demigods designers added +1 for every 4
class levels a deity had and +1 for every point of divine rank.
Certain deities also received racial ability adjustments for the
races they created or rule over. For example, Corellon
Larethian received elf racial adjustments.



Edit 2: I think the +15 was some one's averaging of the elite array difference. For if a PC upgraded to divine status. and the assumption was +5 of that was actually inherent, because at that point inherent bonuses are easy to get.

[Tibbaerrohwen]

sorry for slow reply. The +15 is derived from comparing listed divinity statistics to 'normal' elite stats, and accounting for everything else involved in stats. Seems to be something WotC never put in or errata'd.

looking up the stat point/DvR now, I may misremember.

EDIT: AHA! The errata!




Edit 2: I think the +15 was some one's averaging of the elite array difference. For if a PC upgraded to divine status. and the assumption was +5 of that was actually inherent, because at that point inherent bonuses are easy to get.

Okay, cool, thank you. In that case, I'll leave the stats as are rather than change them.