Who's Your Favorite D&D 3.5 Deity?

[Bartmanhomer]

My favorite D&D 3.5 Deity is Eilistraee the Good Drow Goddess because she's the only Drow deity who's actually good. Who's your favorite D&D 3.5 deity and tell me why is that deity your favorite?

[Nifft]

Wee Jas (Greyhawk). Death and magic yet not evil? Mind-blowing when she was new-ish.

Kelevmor (FR). Even more benevolent variant of the non-evil death god. Maybe I read too much Sandman but I have a soft spot.

The Traveler (Eberron). The god of unexpected consequences, change, and also artifice -- is he literally technology? As a nerd I feel great affinity.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Going to second Wee Jas - she is a really neat deity with history and flavor. There was a great article on her in the old Dragon magazine (back when they were actually printed on paper and stuff!) and several neat PrCs.

Also, the ability to have Paladins while being a goddess of Death and Magic is just too cool to turn down. There are some really cool characters that can come from those foundations!
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Runners up for me include Vecna (too much history to discuss briefly here), Hextor (his brother is pretty boring, though), and Kyuss (from the Age of Worms campaign in Dungeon magazine).

[Beckett]

Im mostly looking at this from the options it allows in play from divine classes, rather than the deity themselves.

Part of me really likes the Silver Flame for some of their unorthodox beliefs about the universe, and the lycanthrope purge is pretty awesome in a way.

Illmater is interesting for kind of being so messed up, but having a saintly Cleric, Paladin, or Monk, (might only be Cleric), get to take a week or so off to get out their frustrations however you wish/need, and have it be fully sanctioned by both deity and church can be amazing.

Kiri-Jolith is kind of fun for a battle Cleric type, because summoning a horde of stampeding bison, (favored animal of war) is very WTF.

Does Raistlin count?

Pelor is pretty iconic for a lot of nice Cleric options, even in Core Only.

St Cuthbert is just fun, smacking someone upside the head and calling them a moron. 3E made him LN instead of the correct LG, (witha heavy L tendency) to even out the alignments more, and his 3E Domain options kind of suck, but he allowed you to treat a poor party the way the do the paladin, so could be fun.

Tempus, if not used as one dimensional as typically happens.

Honestly, though, I prefer most to go deityless and form my own spiritual oaths and codes of behavior for each character than use someone else's.

[Andry]

Greyhawk- Kelanen is the hero-deity of Swords, Sword Skills, and Balance.
Krynn- Sargonnas god of wrath, vengeance, and retribution. My favorite character was a Minotaur cleric who served him
Eberron- Not exactly a deity but I always liked playing Valenar who followed the Keepers of the past.
Forgotten Realms-Bane deity of fear, hatred and tyranny. Our best campaign of my long standing group involved me playing a stern LN orog cleric of Bane. He was a brutal but fair taskmaster who lived by the credo might makes right.

[newguydude1]

Sharess (͡ಠ ͜ʖ ͡ಠ)

[Thurbane]

I have a fondness for St Cuthbert, from back in our ToEE (1E) days...

[Telonius]

As-is, Dalla Thaun.

Re-imagined: LudicSavant's Olidammara (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?445953-Olidammara-the-Laughing-Rogue).

I just love trickster deities. Turning expectations on their heads is tons of fun.

[Aniikinis]

I have a fondness for Lloth due to the War of the Spider Queen, and my love of spiders in general, but it's really more of a tie between Vecna and THOON!

[Fizban]

Lastai, from Book of Exalted Deeds. Basically the only goddess of "pleasure, love, and passion" (yes that includes what you think it means), that isn't about "lol evil seductionzzzzz" or tied to some specific race or pantheon or other theme. Basically the goddess of enjoying everything in moderation with equality and responsibility. Throw in a dash of their temples having an undeserved reputation as brothels, and you've got yourself a Cleric of something unambiguously good (from the list of Exalted gods even) who can still be persecuted in a setting where everyone knows Paladins are Good Guys. Domain choice is pretty terrible and there's little or no reason for one to be adventuring and gaining levels, so you're a fish out of water too. Even the question of how much of a focal point you're bringing into the game with your choice of deity only kinda highlights the point: a Cleric of Lastai would explicitly not be making things weird for people, only saying or doing what the party is comfortable with, and if played in a group of people who can't handle it wouldn't even make mention their god's portfolio (of course then you're just playing it for personal satisfaction with the character concept, might as well play a different character that isn't hiding things).

Bit of a perfect idea in theory, fits right in on the Exalted gods list.

[No brains]

Wastri, the god of bigotry and amphibians. Enough said.

[Hiro Quester]

I just built as a backup character, a Battle Cleric of Hanseath, dwarven god of war, alcohol and carousing.

Prayers to Hanseath are chanted or sung, with simple rhymes and repeating choruses.. They are drinking songs.

That's some role-playing gold right there.

[zfs]

I know some people dislike him for his outsized impact on printed adventures, but I definitely have a soft spot for Vecna, the Seto Kaiba of the D&D World. Screw the rules, I have the Secrets portfolio!

[Blue Jay]

Lastai, from Book of Exalted Deeds. Basically the only goddess of "pleasure, love, and passion" (yes that includes what you think it means), that isn't about "lol evil seductionzzzzz" or tied to some specific race or pantheon or other theme.

I don't really like a lot of the conceptual aspects of D&D gods, so I generally prefer to play godless, and my homebrew setting lacks deities entirely. But, if I had to pick one deity, it would be Sune Firehair. As a homophobic and rather insecure male, I've had a surprisingly great time playing flirty, girly female characters, and Sune matches the archetype that's conjured up in my mind by the phrase "Goddess of Love." I am a little turned off by the whip as her favorite weapon, though: that just seems like it's drawing from an entirely different archetype that isn't consistent with Sune's tenets.

I also kind of like Kossuth, just because fire is a fun fantasy archetype, but it's so often associated with Chaos and Evil. The sort of "survival of the fittest" motif for Kossuth is an appealing take on a God of Fire.

[Luccan]

I know some people dislike him for his outsized impact on printed adventures, but I definitely have a soft spot for Vecna, the Seto Kaiba of the D&D World. Screw the rules, I have the Secrets portfolio!

"But Vecna, won't cutting out your eye and hand have serious repercussions on your power?"

"Shut up, Kas."

I like Kurtulmak, because he represents what all good kobold leaders should be: Delusionally certain of his own superiority because of some distant relation to dragons (or a dragon deity).

I like Garl Glittergold because "dropped a cave on him" is apparently a prank if you're the god of gnomes. I'm convinced gnomes go for harmless pranks because their most famous example started an unending blood war.

[ezekielraiden]

Bahamut all the way. Genuinely nice guy, kicks the "Lawful Stupid" stereotype right in the teeth, believes in helping people stand on their own rather than coddling them or leaving them to their fate, and (at least in 4e) actually puts effort into making the lives of post-death mortal souls less awful--which you can't say about most deities.

[Thurbane]

Wastri, the god of bigotry and amphibians. Enough said.

All glory to the Hopping Prophet!

https://theinfosphere.org/images/thumb/7/76/Hypnotoad.png/235px-Hypnotoad.png

[Erelamar]

I always enjoyed Greyhawk's minor deities, like Kelanen (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelanen) because who doesn't like swords?

And I remember making my first character for 3.0 Forgotten Realms, running down the dwarf deities list and pausing on Clangeddin Silverbeard, going "That's the one for me. Don't care what he's about with a name like that."

However years later, I would be bummed they never created a legit deity with both the Planning and Undeath domains, them being both gateways (Extend Spell, Extra Turning) for DMM shenanigans. I don't know how many campaigns I played in where there were all these clerics running around worshiping "Planning for Undeath" as their "spiritual inclination." Then again, all those games had were those, Druids, and (because flaws were often allowed) a sea of murky-eyed, noncombatant wizards.

[flappeercraft]

My favorite is Hextor. Not only does he grant good domains like the Pride and Domination domains but also the first campaign I played was an evil campaign where we worked for an empire controlled by the church of hextor. As was the second, third and fourth campaigns I played. Of course these campaigns were influenced by previous games and this empire was a result of those. Not only that but his ideology is pretty good as far as D&D standards go. IMO one of the best deities and definitely my favorite. Also because I do enjoy playing evil characters more than good ones and Hextor fits perfectly for that.

[Menzath]

Boccob, because really it's all about the magic.
Who cares about anything else?
And when you do care, you magic your problems away.

[Remuko]

Bahamut. I was into Final Fantasy before I met 3E D&D and when I found out he was here, I was overjoyed and the more I learned about D&D Bahamut the more I liked him.

[Sto]

I have a soft spot for Lathander. I have never been able to explain it, I just love the guy. I'm a little annoyed that he doesn't have a Morningstar as his favorite weapon. How could they miss that?

I love the idea of Pelor the Burning Hate, but as he isn't official, I'll leave him by the wayside.

[Arkhios]

Kord.

Although, St. Cuthbert is definitely a badass too.

[frogglesmash]

I've always liked Blibdoolpoolp for his awfully wonderful name.

[Inevitability]

Wee Jas.

Dramatic fashionable lawful neutral magic goddess, who's also one of the few non-evil death deities. What's not to love?

[OgresAreCute]

Helm is pretty much the coolest guy in the forgotten realms, just ask Ao.

[Malphegor]

Wee Jas. Her entire philosophy is 'sure, but get consent'.

Even her alignment isn't fixed, she wibbles between Lawful Neutral and Lawful Evil as her needs demand.

She's the goddess of cute goth chicks, she's the one who really into magic and thinks it's cool.

Her as a god is basically BFFs with anyone who does arcane magic or is into magic and protecting magic and using magic.

Sure, she's a goddess of death, but more about the acceptance of the afterlife. Vecna and Nerull types are all 'RARR DEATH WILL BE DENIED! RAARRR!", but she's all 'you know what, death is fine. It's a thing, but it's fine. Listen, if you want to live longer, just ask, okay, we can get you an extension, just don't take the ishtar with this gift, okay?'

The most chill goddess if you're cool with things largely staying as they are but having artistic flourishes with magic.

She also appears to be the most put together god. Most gods seem to be frantically struggling for power, Wee Jas largely seems to be 'this is my place, I am happy with this, I could be more powerful, but I've locked away some of my power in a well so I can stay as I am'.


(it is also funny to me because my DM has decided they're creepy as all hell whilst I'm going around promoting Jasism as the church of hot chicks and fun times)

[liquidformat]

I just built as a backup character, a Battle Cleric of Hanseath, dwarven god of war, alcohol and carousing.

Prayers to Hanseath are chanted or sung, with simple rhymes and repeating choruses.. They are drinking songs.

That's some role-playing gold right there.

This is my first choice as well, I recently played a brandy nosed dwarven cleric named Pam who was a drunken mad man and sang awkward drinkings songs while clobbering people. It was glorious.

Also I will put a hat behind Pelor god of Burning Hate! I mean seriously what an awesome concept and I enjoy the conspiracy theory aspect of it!

[thorr-kan]

I admit to liking straight up, NG Pelor.

St. Cuthbert, Wee Jas, Kiri-Jolith, Kord are all 3E deities I've played or created characters for.

The Eberron philosophy deities are really interesting to me. I can see porting them into a homebrew campaign: Silver Flame, Blood of Vol, Path of Inspiration, Undying Court, Dreaming Dark, Path of Light, Cults of the Dragon Below.

And I'm going to shill the 2ED Al-Qadim pantheon as well, especially the Temple of the Ten Thousand Gods.

"The Great Gods are neither good nor evil, lawful nor chaotic. They are beyond such matters. Bravery can be found in the most noble faris and the most black-hearted assassin, and who is Hajama to turn his ear from either of them? Individual followers or churches may be good or evil, but the Great gods are above these quibbles. This sets them apart from common gods and heathen deities, who are usually lock-stepped into their believers' alignments."

[Awakeninfinity]

My favorite 3.5 Diety in 3.5 has to be Wee Jas; although if there was a Diety of Battle, Magic, and Teamwork... That one would be my favorite.

[bean illus]

Corellon Larethian: As a player of multiclass clerics, WF and PBS at 1st level was always fun.
And it qualifies for Seeker of the Misty Isle, which sounds cool, and delivers two of the best domains, travel and magic.

Kosooth? Fire and spiked chain? lol, yeah

Vecna: Can't remember why this was important.

[Telonius]

if there was a Diety of Battle, Magic, and Teamwork... That one would be my favorite.

So basically Dave Arneson in deity form. :smallsmile:

[Zaq]

Wee Jas is cool for reasons already stated.

I like Fharlanghn, too. I appreciate that his divine realm is actually the Prime Material. That gives him a really different flavor from the deities who mostly just chill in their domains in the Outer Planes all day. Big F is here, even if you don’t ever see him. And of course, as the god of travel, he’s not going to just set up shop somewhere. The WHOLE Prime is where he’s roaming around. (I concede that his home being the Prime makes it weird for his petitioners by RAW, but a little work can actually make that pretty interesting.)

I’ve always appreciated that Garl Glittergold seems to approach his job with a very different attitude from the other deities. He almost goes beyond “trickster deity” all the way to “jokester deity,” and I find that interesting. Makes for some potentially interesting roleplaying among his worshipers. (Also, it’s canon in my group that Garl just goes around making people into Favored Souls but never, ever tells them about it. That just seems like the kind of thing he would do.)

I like the fact that the entire illumian pantheon is made of ascended illumians. I confess that none of the individual illumian deities really light my creative fire, but I like the premise as a whole.

[Ruethgar]

Fluffy if my favorite 3.5 deity by far. She was built for a small E6 world as Death. Used a 3rd party book for lesser gods that start at CR6 and are dependent on followers, it had a whole chart, 100 followers to support 1 first level cleric is all I remember from it off hand.

She was an Awakened Cat with great leadership and she and her minions had the ability to bind souls together in agony through a necromancer ACF and the ability to shift between the ethereal and material through some shenanigans that I can’t remember anymore.

Basically they would constantly bind souls, then the god of dreams would do some trickery and extract all the ambrosia and agony he could from them before harvesting their souls. Forgot what they used it for, but it was basically to fuel different deities. Since they were all E6 characters, they kinda needed that flow of soul power to keep things running smoothly in the world.

I found it especially amusing to put one of her awakened cat grim reaper followers in the party because they caused so much death that it was better to be proactive and station one with them. That did actually give them a little more pause in approaching things with a murderous mindset, but they still gained a bit of a reputation of having a literal avatar of death follow in their wake.

The reason I like Fluffy is mostly that I’m proud I was able to pull off an E6 character that could manage the ferrying of souls and take up the role of the grim reaper. But also because it made bargaining for souls from the afterlife that much more involved, time sensitive, and felt more like a quest than the typical just cast a spell and come back.

[Marlowe]

It will come as no surprise to anyone what knows me that I will follow the morally ambiguous and ethically constant Goth redhead.
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/rythiae/images/0/05/Wee_Jas.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20141128085055

To infinity, and beyond.