How Does A PC And NPC Become A Deity?

[Bartmanhomer]

I've always wonder if it possible that a PC and NPC become a deity? Any ideas anyone?

[BWR]

As always, I recommend BECMI rules for this. You can most anything in earlier editions. Note that it is based off BECMI/Mystaran cosmology so any application to other settings will need some adjustment.
The short version is that there are 5 fundamental Spheres of Power which everything is composed of, including the Elemental Planes, and Immortals (gods) are aligned with any one of them.

First, you need to pick a prospective sponsor. Then you need to find out where to meet this Immortal. Finding where can be as easy as asking a cleric of that Immortal or as difficult as spending years investigating and adventuring. Then you need a proper gift to show your earnestness. One of our PCs got hold of three artifacts to show his respect. Then you have to adventure to the meeting place and along the way undergo seven trials testing Mercy & Charity, Persistence in the Face of Adversity, Wisdom, Courage, Resourcefulness, Honor & Trustworthiness, and Dedication to the Sphere of Power.

Then once you have arrived at the meeting place you have to wait a few days if you're lucky, better part of a year if not, and not leave for any reason. Then you have to convince the potential patron why you are worthy of becoming an Immortal.
And all this has to be done in secret, preferably on your own.

If you are lucky enough to pass this, the job interview starts.

The Sphere of Matter used the Path of Polymath. The Quest and Task are living multiple lives, once for each Fighter, Magic-user, Cleric, and Thief. At the beginning of each life after the first the sponsor erases the candidate's memories and he starts anew at level 1 and must quest with one member of each of the other basic class types (for Pathfinder we've said arcane cater, divine caster, mundane martial, and specialist rather than force people to use those particular classes). For the Testimonial the Polymath must erect a monument of at least 100 feet in height that must stand for 10 years showing the glory of his experience. For the Trial the Polymath is once again reduced reduced to level 1, but retains all the classes he previously experienced and must advance to 12th level (out of 36) entirely on his own.

The Sphere of Energy used the Path of the Paragon. The Quest is simply retrieving a powerful artifact belonging to the sphere. The Trial is the construction of an entirely new magic item, this item must be an item of great power, mere trinkets will not suffice. The Testimonial of the Paragon is he must train six apprentices to 12th level and must transform the land within 100 miles of his home in a distinct way. The Task of a Paragon is he must be acknowledged as the most powerful member his class within a 1000 mile radius of his home.


The Sphere of Time used the Path of the Dynast. The Quest Dynasts must complete is finding an artifact that allows him to travel time. The Testimonial of the Dynast is founding a dominion of at least 50,000 people and designing and building a capital for that kingdom. The Task of the Dynast is found his dynasty, he or his heirs must rule for at least 20 years of the character's life, at the end of the 20 year period he must have a grandchild in place to be his heir. The Dynast's Trial is using the artifact he quested for to travel to the future and help three of his descendant's retain their kingdom and protect the dynast.

The Sphere of Thought used the Path of the Epic Hero. An Epic Hero must quest for a major artifact belonging to the Sphere of Thought. His Trial is to bring about the permanent destruction of an Artifact belonging to the Sphere of Entropy. His Testimony is to find and train a worthy successor, who must continue the Hero's legacy, the Epic Hero must also forge a legendary weapon. The Task of an Epic Hero is must live up to the ideals of heroic courage, steadfastness, and dedication. He must also complete an epic quest to complete an "impossible" task.

[Troacctid]

Just use the Demigod epic destiny. You can take it at level 21 and achieve apotheosis as soon as level 30.

[Quertus]

There's an app for that. Well, an AP for that, at least.

My personal favorite - given how terrible most of the gods are - is to have the PCs slay one of the existing gods, and take their place. Or just slay the gods. That's good, too.

However, sponsorship and worship are the "normal" paths to divinity.

[Bronk]

True dragons can become quasi-deities with the Dragon Ascendant prc.

There's also an artifact called the Godtrap in the 'Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk' adventure that sucks the divinity out of a number of trapped gods to empower the user as a god.

You could also try to become the proxy of a god, which gives you the powers and abilities of a demigod.

[Red Fel]

Short version? There's not a lot of material.

There are relatively few specific rules on "this is how to become a deity." There are rules about what constitutes a deity, and what deities can do, and what it means to be born the offspring of a deity, but not that many on how a given non-deity character can become one.

That's deliberate. Apotheosis - the process of achieving godhood - is an awesome plothook. And defining it in terms of raw (and RAW) mechanics takes some of the mystery and majesty out of it. So, instead, it's left deliberately vague.

There are examples, of course. For example, in Pathfinder, there's the Test of the Starstone (http://pathfinder.wikia.com/wiki/Test_of_the_Starstone). This is a mysterious maze that changes over time, so there's conveniently no hard-and-fast rule as to how it works or how to beat it, but only four people have ever actually passed.

Alternatively, your DM could simply house-rule it. For example, you could create an elaborate ritual (generally for an NPC or BBEG) that culminates in apotheosis. Or the pantheon could reward a character (generally a PC) for their service by granting them divine status. And so forth. But again, that's open-ended, by design.

[Ruethgar]

Just use the Demigod epic destiny. You can take it at level 21 and achieve apotheosis as soon as level 30.

There is also a variant to take it at level 12, eating up your remaining feats and becoming a god at level 20.

There is also the, I think Trial of Starstone, can’t recall where from, but it lacked distinct encounters aside from something like magic doesn’t always work(so no scry and teleport). Ravenloft scientist, however, have no such restriction and can port to the stone by raw and become a demigod or lesser god don’t recall witch.

Expanding on the proxy of a god, any 7th lvl caster can get a Mirror Mephit to Simulacrum the beggar god and have it grant you it’s divine rank by proxy and then cease to exist, you keep the divine rank and can turn around and do it again til your DR is as high as you want.

There is also the method of gathering worshipers, but that lacks defined parameters, and if Orcus isn’t a god yet with his considerable cult, it doesn’t seem very reasonable for anything other than an Endless to even try that route.

However, teleport through time might let you set up your cult early and skip a chunk of setup and gathering time. There are also rules for small gods in I think it was AEGs Legends&Lairs Spells and Spellcraft pg95. Basically you get no powers, but are able to support a small number of low level divine casters depending on how many followers you have, all you need is CR 5. First 3 CR(5/6/7) don't have much of a pattern able to support 1/3/7 divine casters max level your CR-4, but after that the number of casters a little over doubles with each CR you gain and have the followers for(100/400/1100 and a bit over doubling per CR from there).

Edit: damnit, more well informed ninja >,<