Your opinion on this faith reward system

[Sindal]

Hi gang.

So I wanted to get some ideas on just how people feel about a mechanic in my dms game.

In his worlds the gods are way more involved. They grow in power with prayers like tinkerbell and faith in them usually bestows their followers with aspects of their power

For instance, my 'god' is the god of growth. Persoanl growth. Plant growth. Etc.

I've recently come to support the faith a bit more since the god actively came to me in a dream (long story but basicly I was supposed to die) and have little church stalls talks with it every once in a while to show my support.

The thing is, faith in a God basicly gives you a divinity rating from 1 to 30. Depending on hour rating, the god gives you little boons.

I'm currently at rank 3. Basic of that, i can cast entangle once per day if I throw a seed at someone. I can also cast guidance a few times a day.

In another campaign I was actually just a cleric and had a much higher rank. It allowed me to sprout arms of clay and instantly turn matrrials like clay unto finished goods such as potions or pots in the blink of an eye.

What I want to ask is, how do uou guys feel about this kind of deity reward system?

I'd be lying if I said part of the reason I'm leaning into it is because I want goodies. Having entangle on monk is nice. (Note thay I have no idea what any future benefits may be) and my dm and player brain can't help but feel just a tiny but off put by it since it sorta says "believe in a god cause they give you treats" instead of "believe In a god because you actually believe in what they stand for"

It also makes people who don't want to believe in anything just a but more left out

I've had fun with it though and I can't deny that it works to make you care about the deity.

I have a staff that I previously used to hit things. On the most recent prayer, after I said "I don't want to grow alone anymore. I want to grow with my friends".

The single flower that had taken root is my staff was joined by 7 more. One for each player and npc in our little traveling group.

And that was sweet. It doesn't need a diety system reward but the reward thingy is what make me roleplay it

Genuine question on how you feel for these kinds of extra systems cause I'm curious on other people's styles and thoughs

[Amnestic]

Sounds kinda like the piety system from Theros? Gave you different boons depending on your piety score and your worshipped god. That also had an option for those who rejected gods (Iconoclast) - they didn't get a piety score and instead got boons at certain levels instead.

I think it's neat, if your campaign (setting) centres gods and worship. Certainly won't fit everything but it is another mechanical way to encourage roleplaying.

[Kane0]

Current game i'm a player in has something similar for Planescape's Sigil factions, the more rapport you build with your particular faction you get bonuses to a skill or save all the way up to a bonus feat.

I dont mind it, you get mechanical incentive to interact with these things and pursue an in-game agenda, but it can be a double edged sword if those benefits arent equal amongst players or some domt progress as much as others and feel left behind.

[Corran]

And that was sweet. It doesn't need a diety system reward but the reward thingy is what make me roleplay it

Genuine question on how you feel for these kinds of extra systems cause I'm curious on other people's styles and thoughs
It can be good and it can be bad. Depends on the DM and on the player. It's working well at your table, since it sounds like the DM is using it to draw some rp out of you, and you are enjoying this opportunity and making the best of it.

At a diffferent table it could be bad, if for example the DM is using this to influence (to whatever degree) the roleplaying of a player who doesn't care for that, because what they've got going suits them or because they dont like the direction in which the DM is pointing.

[Guy Lombard-O]

I'm very much in favor of such a system, but only for campaigns where it fits the DM's specific, stated-in-session-zero vision of what that game is about.

For the vanilla, garden variety faerun campaign, I'm not sure it a great plan.

[Composer99]

There's plenty of precedent in D&D for praying ro gods for bennies - or at least for lack of baddies. Praying to Tempus before a battle for renewed fighting spirit or offering a sacrifice to Umberlee before setting sail are two iconic FR examples.

A potential issue is if the benefits scale up very quickly, that could unreasonably distort gameplay. If PC relationships with the gods aren't meant to be the primary driver of gameplay activity in the setting, it might be counter-productive to have players focusing on those at the expense of whatever their normal priorities are meant to be.