[Forgotten Realms] How to gain godhood?

[Arakune]

Life sucks for those that belive all and any god in faerun is a huge ass that doesn't deserve worship. But what happens when said person want to become a god himself just out of spite? There is any way or he is simply doomed?

[SilverStar]

Well, Lord Ao has a huge say in the matter, so it's not like you can go pick off some lesser deity and take his stuff.

FR also has a history of raising mortals up, though, so all is not lost.

Your best bet is a temporary lip-service to some god with a grudge against another god (there's lots of those) for some power, then hope that you can manage to take some of their power.

[Thalnawr]

If you do happen to pick off some lesser deity and take their stuff, be prepared to make a case before Lord Ao that the god who you just bumped off wasn't doing their job correctly. If you present a convincing enough case, including reasons on why you think you're more qualified for the job, then he might just give you the chance.

[SilverStar]

GoGo Job Interviews of the Gods.

[Starbuck_II]

Well, Lord Ao has a huge say in the matter, so it's not like you can go pick off some lesser deity and take his stuff.

FR also has a history of raising mortals up, though, so all is not lost.

Your best bet is a temporary lip-service to some god with a grudge against another god (there's lots of those) for some power, then hope that you can manage to take some of their power.

But that is how most gods gain divinity or expand their domains in FR (killing other gods). Just look at Sharess.

[SilverStar]

Did you have to mention Sharess again?

They're already gods, though, which is the hurdle the OP was trying to overcome. Once you are a god, as long as you're furthering your portfolio, you're good to go.

[herrhauptmann]

Power of PLOT! Paul S Kemp's trilogy "Twilight War" has a good example of this via plot. But I've already said too much, you'll have to read it yourself.

Seriously, if you're a mortal ubercharging frenzied berserker with a grudge against religion, and you manage to kill a god of healing, or tricksters, chances are you wouldn't be able to step into their divine shoes. Because what that god was about, is not what your entire mortal life has been about.

Now, if your Frenzied Berserker manages to kill a god of chaos, battle, and destruction (all the things the FB does), then you should be able to get his niche.
There are also Epic Destinies for 3.5, via a web enhancement. One of those is Demigod.

[Mongoose87]

I thought FR was one of those campaign settings where having enough worshipers could get you status?

[Togo]

Find a God of greed, and then kill him and take all his stuff.

When Ao asks you why, tell him you did it because you wanted his stuff. Ask for his powers too. And anything else that might be lying around.

That should convince him that you're well qualified as a replacement.

[Arakune]

You need to ask Ao "please".

Also, the gods of that world care more about their power instead of the well being of mortals.

[peacenlove]

There was a tiefling named Volumvax who was for a time the right hand of Shar and eventually was granted divinity (rank 0 or 1 i think). His short history is better described in a sidebar in faiths and pantheons, and eventually shar got tired of him and cast him in a tower in the Plane of shadow to do as he pleases.

[Anxe]

By RAW you can go Dragon Disciple. PAO into a true dragon. Then you have to level up your attack bonus and take the Dragon Ascendant PrC. Boom! God.

[Radar]

By RAW you can go Dragon Disciple. PAO into a true dragon. Then you have to level up your attack bonus and take the Dragon Ascendant PrC. Boom! God.

That, or less a complicated method:
1. Be a 1st level kobold paladin.
2. Pazuzu, Pazuzu, Pazuzu.
3. ???
4. Profit.

[Anxe]

I think you confused less complicated with far more complicated, but sooner.

[druid91]

Get epic slight of hand, Pickpocket a deity of thieves divine ranks. Walk away.

[SilverStar]

Get epic slight of hand, Pickpocket a deity of thieves divine ranks. Walk away.

Stealing from the gods doesn't always work.

I know. I tried it, in campaign. Then again, I tried to steal something rather... without a physical form.

[LibraryOgre]

By RAW you can go Dragon Disciple. PAO into a true dragon. Then you have to level up your attack bonus and take the Dragon Ascendant PrC. Boom! God.

Thank you. My DM now hates you forever. ;-)

[hamishspence]

But that is how most gods gain divinity or expand their domains in FR (killing other gods). Just look at Sharess.

As was mentioned in the other thread, Sharess is not Shar.

(Nor, for that matter, is Sharindlar- dwarven deity which is a bit like Sharess or Sune)

So there's 3 deities, all with a name that begins with Shar.

[Starbuck_II]

As was mentioned in the other thread, Sharess is not Shar.

(Nor, for that matter, is Sharindlar- dwarven deity which is a bit like Sharess or Sune)

So there's 3 deities, all with a name that begins with Shar.

I know she isn't Shar, who ever that is.

Sharess did steal divinity of anothers:

Sharess was once Bast, a Mulhorandi power who was the patroness of cats, and Anhur's lieutenant.
During the Second Empire, she subsumed the portfolio of Felidae, a beast cult deity of felines, nomads, and sensual pleasure.
Struck by wanderlust, Bast traveled across Faerûn leaving many cults in her wake.During these travels, she also subsumed the divinity of Zandilar the Dancer, the goddess of the Yuir elves. so that she gained the elvish goddess' portfolio of intense passionate love was hers.


She ate three deities. Don't tell me this Shar (what is she god of) ate more.

[Mando Knight]

Life sucks for those that belive all and any god in faerun is a huge ass that doesn't deserve worship. But what happens when said person want to become a god himself just out of spite? There is any way or he is simply doomed?

Given the power of FR deities, I'd say you pretty much don't stand a chance if you're trying to do it out of spite unless you are willing to cooperate with at least one other deity.

[SilverStar]

She ate three deities. Don't tell me this Shar (what is she god of) ate more.

Greater goddess of secrets, loss, and other nasty stuff.

She holds the "alternate" source of magic (the Shadow Weave) as well, and is generally a not-nice individual.

[hamishspence]

"subsumed" in D&D may be less "ate" and more "merged with"

Just because a deity has "subsumed the portfolio of" another deity, does not mean that they ate the other deity.

Bast "subsumed" two deities, and is now called Sharess.

Shar is a Greater Deity of evil and darkness (one of the first 3 deities of Faerun- the others are Selune and Chanutea), has killed her own son Mask, and helped kill Mystra.

[herrhauptmann]

There was a tiefling named Volumvax who was for a time the right hand of Shar and eventually was granted divinity (rank 0 or 1 i think). His short history is better described in a sidebar in faiths and pantheons, and eventually shar got tired of him and cast him in a tower in the Plane of shadow to do as he pleases.

His history is better described by Paul S Kemp in the Twilight War trilogy. For starters, before he was called Volumvax, he was Kesson Rel: high priest and chosen of Mask. Gaining divinity drove him insane (he might've already been there though), and he shifted to Shar.

[Zeta Kai]

As was mentioned in the other thread, Sharess is not Shar.

(Nor, for that matter, is Sharindlar- dwarven deity which is a bit like Sharess or Sune)

So there's 3 deities, all with a name that begins with Shar.

Don't forget the Shaar. It's a location & not a deity, but still. Ed Greenwood must A) really like that phoneme, & B) have a fairly poor memory.

[tyckspoon]

Thank you. My DM now hates you forever. ;-)

Considering you have to be something like ECL 40 to finish the class and it still only grants you effectively DR0.. it's not that big a deal.

[Kobold-Bard]

Find a God of greed, and then kill him and take all his stuff.

When Ao asks you why, tell him you did it because you wanted his stuff. Ask for his powers too. And anything else that might be lying around.

That should convince him that you're well qualified as a replacement.

I love this idea so much I want to marry it.

[TheMadLinguist]

Don't forget the Shaar. It's a location & not a deity, but still. Ed Greenwood must A) really like that phoneme, & B) have a fairly poor memory.

And the sharn, which is a race of aberrations. Also, a location in eberron.

[hamishspence]

And the ranger Sharantyr, who is frequetly referred to as Shar by her friends...

Seems like a theme.

[herrhauptmann]

Wasn't there a "Sharwyn" somewhere too.
As for Sharess subsuming other gods. I figured that was more along the lines of her stealing the other deities worshippers. Though the whole killing a fellow god and stealing his power worked for Cyric and Shar.

[Anterean]

Wasn't there a "Sharwyn" somewhere too.

The only Sharwyn I remember is the bard henchmen in neverwinter nights (1).
I remember her because she had a tendency to cast sleep on my paladin as frequently as on our enemies