What would happen if you gave a random commoner a divine rank of 0?

[Rfkannen]

I'm trying to understand divine rank. What would happen if something granted a random commoner a divine rank of 0? What would or would not change about the commoner? Does becoming a god automagically raise your class level and hit dice? Would things be especially different if they instead got a divine rank of 1?

[redking]

There was an example of this given in an online DLC by WotC. Maybe someone else can provide a link. I can't find it. The short answer is no, they don't get more HD. My answer is that is ridiculous, and they should get 20 outsider HD just for being a deity.

[Zanos]

There was an example of this given in an online DLC by WotC. Maybe someone else can provide a link. I can't find it. The short answer is no, they don't get more HD. My answer is that is ridiculous, and they should get 20 outsider HD just for being a deity.
If I recall correctly, there is a convention for this. Mortal ascended deities do not get outsider HD, whereas creatures that were natural deities do. This usually isn't an issue because a character that would even be within the realm of capability of succeeding at usurping the mantle of a deity or being judged worthy by existing deities would already be a very high level.

As for the OP's question, by RAW you would just apply the adjustments listed in the SRD that don't require a divine rank higher than 0 or outsider hit dice:
https://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/divineRanksAndPowers.htm#divineCharacteristics

[Beni-Kujaku]

In general‚ the divine rank 0 commoner gets what I like to refer to as "plot armor"‚ in that they won't get killed except in case of scenaristic climax.
SR 32‚ DR15/Epic‚ Fire resistance 20‚ ageless‚ immunity to transmutation‚ energy drain and mind-affecting... But not much in terms of offence.

But really‚ you only become a true god with divine rank 1. You can perceive and talk to anybody within a mile‚ you gain undead immunities and immunity to electricity‚ cold and acid‚ you have +1 to basically all rolls‚ twice per round you can perform any skill check with a DC up to 15 automatically as a free action (this includes crafting items‚ and you can craft magic items without the necessary feats)‚ you get a 10ft aura in which you can make mortals and DivR 0 creatures panicked‚ if you have a familiar‚ there's no limitation on the creature and you could have a Great Wyrm as your familiar‚ you can grant any cleric or ranger spell to any mortal worshipping you (plus any druid spell if you have druid levels)‚ and you get a salient divine ability. As a commoner‚ you don't have the Cha for Alter Reality (all 9th or lower spells as SLAs at will)‚ but you can still take things like True Resurrection at-will‚ improved Finger of Death at-will‚ infinite level turn/rebuke undead at-will‚ Alter Size from Fine to Colossal...

Your DivR 1 commoner now has phenomenal cosmic powers‚ but still has a greater than 50% chance of getting killed by a Power-Attacking level 4 Fighter.

[Biggus]

It works as the others have said. There's an example in Deities and Demigods of a low-powered ascended deity, Imhotep; he's just a 20th-level Expert with the powers of a DvR 1 deity added on.

Note that his ability scores use the divine array discussed in the D&DG FAQ, so presumably our commoner would at least get a few extra HPs if he was DvR 1, and at least one score high enough to qualify for SDAs. It's not specified whether DvR 0 creatures get the divine array but from evidence elsewhere I don't think they do.

[redking]

Note that his ability scores use the divine array discussed in the D&DG FAQ, so presumably our commoner would at least get a few extra HPs if he was DvR 1, and at least one score high enough to qualify for SDAs. It's not specified whether DvR 0 creatures get the divine array but from evidence elsewhere I don't think they do.

Got a link for this?

[Biggus]

Got a link for this?

It appears to have vanished when WotC took down their archives. The relevant section is this:



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.
All the deities in the book have ability scores generated this way, including the ones that are (or are reputed to be) ascended mortals.

[Biggus]

All the deities in the book have ability scores generated this way, including the ones that are (or are reputed to be) ascended mortals.

Just noticed this part isn't quite true: the dragon deities (Tiamat and Bahamut) clearly don't use the divine array.

[Crichton]

Just noticed this part isn't quite true: the dragon deities (Tiamat and Bahamut) clearly don't use the divine array.

Not sure on the rest of the math, but once you exclude Dex, since all dragons in the MM seem to have their Dex capped at 10, does that make their scores fit more in line with the expectations of the divine array?

[Beni-Kujaku]

Tiamat is just an Elite Array Great Red Wyrm‚ in terms of ability scores. Bahamut is similar but less clear‚ being an Elite Array Great Gold Wyrm‚ with +1 for each divine rank he has. I don't understand why Tiamat didn't get the same +10 to its ability scores‚ but considering how WotC likes to shaft chromatic dragons at any occasion‚ it doesn't surprise me.

[Saint-Just]

Tiamat is just an Elite Array Great Red Wyrm‚ in terms of ability scores. Bahamut is similar but less clear‚ being an Elite Array Great Gold Wyrm‚ with +1 for each divine rank he has. I don't understand why Tiamat didn't get the same +10 to its ability scores‚ but considering how WotC likes to shaft chromatic dragons at any occasion‚ it doesn't surprise me.

I think that negligence is more likely than purpose.

[ShurikVch]

FWIW, Erbin the Beggar God (from a Web Enhancement for Deities and Demigods) have 28/40/24/25/24/24 at Divine Rank 0, 28/41/24/25/24/24 at Divine Rank 1, and 32/42/24/25/24/24 at Divine Rank 6 (for the Intermediate Deity version - same, but Cha 29; for the Greater Deity - same as Intermediate, bur Dex 46 and Wis 25)

[Troacctid]

Oh no, is Jim Carrey at it again?

[Biggus]

FWIW, Erbin the Beggar God (from a Web Enhancement for Deities and Demigods) have 28/40/24/25/24/24 at Divine Rank 0, 28/41/24/25/24/24 at Divine Rank 1, and 32/42/24/25/24/24 at Divine Rank 6 (for the Intermediate Deity version - same, but Cha 29; for the Greater Deity - same as Intermediate, bur Dex 46 and Wis 25)

Interesting. The reasons I thought DvR 0 deities didn't get the divine array are that there are DvR 0 creatures in D&DG (p.199-201) who don't, and also in the ELH it says that if D&DG is in play the abominations should be treated as DvR 0 and they don't either. Apparently some do and some don't.

[D+1]

Bruce Almighty.

<Snap>I've got the power!</Snap>