New Panthion

[Goober4473]

I'm redoing a ton of stuff in my D&D world (including a 3.5 update), and the first thing I'm changing is the deities. The backstory is that a group of deities from another multiverse (that was destroyed because they interfered with mortal life too much) showed up and used a huge amount of stored divine power to kill or weaken most of the normal deities. They used up most of their power doing that, so they needed to form churches and get some worshippers, but the original deities that were still around, as well as some new ones, were also weakened, so they were all at about the same level.

After a while, the fighting between the deities stabalized, and the new list I have is result. I haven't written up any in-game information yet, but I'd like to get some opinions on the stats. Do you think the domains/portfolios are balanced?

Aasterinian: CN, Lesser
Portfolio: Learning, Invention, Pleasure
Domains: Chaos, Craft (FR), Luck, Pleasure (BoED)

Amte: NE, Intermediate
Portfolio: Destruction, Slaughter, Retribution
Domains: Death, Destruction, Retribution (FR), War

Ashardalon: CE, Lesser
Portfolio: Evil Dragons, Greed, Hate
Domains: Destruction, Evil, Greed (Drac), Hatred (FR)

Blaize: LG, Intermediate
Portfolio: Courage, Honor, Protection, Strength, Werecreatures
Domains: Earth, Law, Protection, Shapeshifting (New*), Strength

Boccob: N, Lesser
Portfolio: Knowledge, Foresight
Domains: Knowledge, Magic, Mentalism (FR), Planning (FR)

Chronepsis: N, Intermediate
Portfolio: Fate, Death, Judgement
Domains: Death, Fate (FR), Law, Time (FR)

Demia: N, Greater
Portfolio: Nature, Magic, Balance
Domains: Animal, Magic, Plant, Spell (FR)

Drikta: LE, Intermediate
Portfolio: Domination, Tyranny, Vanity
Domains: Law, Tyranny (FR), War

Emek: CE, Intermediate
Portfolio: Assassination, Darkness, Intrigue, Secrets
Domains: Evil, Darkness (FR), Death, Trickery

Estrianas: LG, Lesser
Portfolio: Good Dragons, Life, Light, Mercy, Wisdom
Domains: Good, Healing, Protection, Sun

Io: N, Intermediate
Portfolio: Dragonkind
Domains: Dragon (Drac), Knowledge, Strength, Wealth (Drac)

Kurtulmak: LE, Intermediate
Portfolio: Illusion, Reptilians, Undead
Domains: Illusion (FR), Scalykind (FR), Trickery, Undeath (FR)

Rachnessa: NG, Intermediate
Portfolio: Creation
Domains: Craft (FR), Creation (D&D), Renewal (FR)

Tachyos: CG, Intermediate
Portfolio: Agility, Dance, Freedom, Music, Travel
Domains: Air, Chaos, Fire, Luck, Travel

Vhara: NG, Lesser
Portfolio: Fertility, Fey, Flowers, Agriculture
Domains: Fey (BoED), Good, Plant, Water


*Shapeshifting Domain:
Granted power: Cast all transmutation spells at +1 caster level

Shapeshifting Domain Spells:
1. Change self
2. Alter
3. Animorph
4. Xenomorph
5. Anthromorph
6. Aeromorph/Geomorph/Hydromorph/Pyromorph
7. Planomorph
8. Dracomorph
9. Infinimorph

[thatguy]

I won't discuss the balance, but I will offer my own opinions on the ethos. (The portfolios rather than the domains.)

I don't see Learning and Invention as ruled by chaos - those skills are almost inherently neutral. Pleasure...hedonism...okay, I can see that as chaotic neutral (maybe.) I can see where you're coming from. But I'd move learning/invention elsewhere.

Take into consideration that when having lycanthropes ruled by an LG deity, some lycanthropes (i.e. the werewolf) are always chaotic evil. Unless your world has different ideas for lycanthropy, you may want to consider having one deity ruling lawful lycanthropes and the other chaotic ones. (This also opens up two avenues to the Shapeshifting domain you want.)

You have one deity for "evil dragons", one for "good dragons" and one for "dragonkind" - that's an overlapping portfolio. Maybe switch "dragonkind" to "neutral dragons"? Does anyone actually use gem dragons? I might scrap Io entirely.

I would move "Life" into Rachnessa's portfolio. Goes better with creation.

Change "Nature" in Demia's portfolio to "Animals." You already have a deity for agriculture and flowers, so separating your flora and fauna like that would be nice.

I can't comment on your new domain because I'm not sure what all those "morph" spells do.

Hope that helps!

[Goober4473]

Aasterinian and Io are directly out of the Draconomicon (a couple of the surviving old deities), and Estrianas and Ashardalon replace Bahamut and Tiamat, respectively. Es' also has some of Tamara mixed in.

I think I will move Life to Rachnessa, and I'll think about adding an evil shapeshifter deity (or more likely adding evil shapeshifters as a portfolio of an existing deity).

As for nature, plants, and animals, you'll notice the one with nature is a greater deity, while the one with flowers and agriculture is lesser. Also, those have more to do with controlled plants, rather than things like forests.

The morph spells are from the alternate polymorphing rules on this site.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Thomas]

Io is an over-deity; sort of like Zeus (or FR's Ao). Hence he lets other deities specialize in good or evil dragons and so on. Not sure if you should include an overdeity that's not actually in charge of the pantheon.

Edit: Caveat emptor, or something. I don't have the Draconomicon around now, but Io WAS the over-deity in the AD&D dragon campaign setting. Maybe they changed it.

[Goober4473]

Io is an Intermediate deity in Draconomicon. They must have changed it.

[Dark]

I don't know about Learning, but Invention is a force of change, so it would fit with a chaotic deity.

[Thomas]

Io is an Intermediate deity in Draconomicon. They must have changed it.

I bet all the dragons living on Io's Blood Islands are feeling mighty stupid right about now.