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View Full Version : Soliting ideas for avatars of extreme alignment



Someonelse
2014-05-30, 11:41 AM
I'm sorry if this is in the wrong forum. I didn't think it would count as homebrew since I'm not creating any new rules or anything, just creating NPCs.
I want to solicit ideas for a campaign idea I'm writing out. I had wrote this campaign years ago and tried to run it twice and both times it fell apart for various reasons. Anyway, I want to try it again.
The way I originally wrote it, the PCs have a major quest that ends around Lv20 in which they inadvertently release an elder evil that had been locked away for thousands of years. This time I was thinking it would be more interesting to have one of every alignment. The idea being that the first pantheon that created the multiverse created these avatars of each alignment and they were so extreme in their alignment that the multiverse couldn't handle it, they clashed in a war so severe that it threatened the very multiverse itself. So the gods locked them away. Once the game reaches epic levels the PCs will have to deal with this. After their major Lv20 quest they will have some downtime and then a very philosophical, RP heavy adventure where they eventually gain DR0. As soon as this wraps up the elder "evils" are revealed. I look forward to the conflict as a cleric or paladin has to deal with a being of their own alignment who is so extreme that they actually have a conflict of faith, wondering if they should be this extreme or if they should oppose them.
As the PCs reseal each of these avatars (they can be killed but they resurrect having lost a level, so the PCs would have to kill them many times over to get them to stay dead), they gain a divine rank. Once all the avatars have been resealed the PCs take their place among the pantheon of this world and the game ends, somewhere around Lv30 or 35 ish.

What I need are ideas for these avatars of extreme alignment and the kinds of things they do. I had a few ideas so far and I will include those here.
Any thoughts you may have are appreciated.

- [ ] Lawful Evil -
- [ ] Neutral Evil - 3 Infernals, Lawful, Neutral and Chaotic who oppose each other and each seeks to destroy each other. The chaotic infernal wants to burn the world and as such he often goes on unstoppable rampages of slaughter and destruction; he gathers the monstrous races of the world under his banner and a swarm of orcs, goblins and other chaotic evil creatures who would never work together under normal circumstances descends upon the human cities of the world. The neutral infernal on the other hand operates in the shadows, consolidating his power through intermediaries and staying in hiding. The lawful infernal has presented himself to several world leaders and demanded their fealty, those who have so far refused have all died horribly while their people were punished. The infernal would then leave and allow them to attempt to recover from their tragedy. As soon as they appoint a new leader the infernal visits again and demands surrender from the new leader, promising another massacre if they refuse.

- [ ] Chaotic Evil - Xixecal; locked away at the north pole, it meanders around the arctic gathering white dragons for a time, then slowly makes its way south, killing every living thing it encounters and destroying anything it finds that can be destroyed.

- [ ] Lawful Good - Solar Paladin: The first paladin and the archetype for every asshat paladin who has ever graced a D&D game.

- [ ] Neutral Good -
- [ ] Chaotic Good -
- [ ] True Neutral -
- [ ] Lawful Neutral -

- [ ] Chaotic Neutral - I don't know who or what this should be, but I know they act like the player who uses the "I'm just doing what my character would do" excuse while screwing up a game.


thanks in advance

Vaz
2014-05-30, 11:44 AM
LE Soulborn Pit Fiend?

It isn't really effective, but it is thematic.

PraxisVetli
2014-05-30, 10:36 PM
CN could be a Slaad. Add in the Brooder class, makes for a "Chaos to make more Chaos, for the sake of Chaos" type of theme.

find the table for Warp Touch effects, make it an aura?

Angelalex242
2014-05-30, 10:39 PM
Wait a minute. Is this Solar Paladin you have in mind supposed to be Miko Miyazaki with wings, or are you looking for a more reasonable Lord Soon/Hinjo with wings?

Honest Tiefling
2014-05-30, 10:56 PM
What if one of the good ones (Heck, even one of the neutral or evil ones) betrayed the others for some reason? Perhaps out of spite towards the others, greed for what the world contains, but they could not have if it would be destroyed. Maybe the true neutral one realized what was going on and decided to jail their fellows because stuff was getting out of hand.

Perhaps the chaotic good one loved the mortals of the world, truly. Except that it was an consuming love, that caused him/her/whatever to bring all of the mortals to them in a world of (literally) blinding beauty where they would experience all of the world's pleasures so intensely that it would likely result in the feeling of pain in mortals. They couldn't bear to be apart from everyone they loved.

Slipperychicken
2014-05-30, 11:23 PM
- [ ] Lawful Good - Solar Paladin: The first paladin and the archetype for every asshat paladin who has ever graced a D&D game.

Isn't that a bit redundant? Angels are already the definition of lawful goodness, have full BAB, and cast better than Paladins ever will.


Angels (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/angel.htm) can be of any good alignment. Regardless of their alignment, angels never lie, cheat, or steal. They are impeccably honorable in all their dealings and often prove the most trustworthy and diplomatic of all the celestials.

Angelalex242
2014-05-30, 11:32 PM
You can still give a Solar 20 levels of Paladin and make it even MORE obscene, now that she has 42 hit dice.

I get the idea, from the premise, that this Solar shall be named Miko Miyazaki and behave accordingly.

T.G. Oskar
2014-05-30, 11:56 PM
Isn't that a bit redundant? Angels are already the definition of lawful goodness, have full BAB, and cast better than Paladins ever will.

That would be Archons, actually. They're the "always LG" Celestial. Trumpet Archons are some of the most powerful AND still part of the SRD, whereas if going by true "most powerful archon", that'd be the Throne Archon (they lack SLAs, tho). A good avatar of a LG deity would be a Throne Archon who judges that no one is capable of achieving true goodness, no matter how they try, so its holy quest is to bar the entrance to Celestia to all souls. This would condemn all good souls. If one of the players happens to be a Paladin, make sure to painstakingly mention why even THEY fall short of goodness.

For NG...that could be the Solar, easily. It's hard to determine what would work because any extreme action would probably tilt it to Lawful. The actions that would be considered too extreme would be, IMO, wanting an end to death and pain and suffering...by dulling emotions. Something like the Equilibrium movie and its Prozium pill, but in "massive ritual" form. However, the reason why the Solar is so difficult to convince or stop is because its argument is extremely solid, and the Solar is also a pacifist. Probably an Apostle of Peace with Vow of Peace and permanent Starmantle/Spell Turning effect, so that it's nearly impossible to attack it directly.

CG would be somewhat harder, but I'd imagine an Eladrin who wishes to fill the world with utter bliss. Charming, good fellow, wants everyone to enjoy their lives...but doesn't consider the purpose of its actions will lead to a complete end of responsibility, and thus no one to tend the fields or cook the food or things like that. Just like the NG Solar, the CG Eladrin avatar would be extremely difficult to stop because of a strong convincing argument AND because it doesn't want a fight ("I'm a better lover and party-goer than a fighter!")

With the most difficult (CN), I'd agree with the Slaad and the idea of "change for the sake of change". Perhaps the Slaad is crossed with a Chaos Beast or something. It's very presence is a breach of Limbo, and if left unchecked it will unmake the multiverse and just make it one giant, unending Limbo where there's no form or function. A Protean (or, as also known, a "Hagunemnon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/monsters/hagunemnon.htm)") is perfect for your needs; in fact, that Protean could be the father of all Slaad, but no Slaad would dare to admit it.

Crake
2014-05-31, 12:10 AM
You can still give a Solar 20 levels of Paladin and make it even MORE obscene, now that she has 42 hit dice.

I get the idea, from the premise, that this Solar shall be named Miko Miyazaki and behave accordingly.

Except solar angels can just be advanced with more outsider HD, getting them to huge size (and all the benefits that would entail) at 34HD. Probably still a better option than paladin, since they already have full cleric casting.

Edit: Alternatively, make a Solar with the paragon template?

Angelalex242
2014-05-31, 12:30 AM
Oh, yes, the Throne Archon.

The penitent gaze is what's good there. She looks everyone in the eyes, and gods help you if you can't meet her gaze.

As for why the Paladin isn't good enough? "You don't have Exalted Feats. Do not return again till you have achieved the fullness of the Light."

Once they have Exalted Feats, of course, you can up the ante again, "Now go, and achieve Sainthood, and don't come back till you've done so."

...if they get as far as the Saint Template, though, even the Throne Archon's gotta give.

animewatcha
2014-05-31, 04:42 AM
Vow of poverty with monk class levels with no substitutions?