You're a devout follower of a war god...

[ancientempathy]

Youre character is nonevil, and very religious to the point you desire to make your character focus in a tangible weapon representation of their own god's choosing, in the game, so that you can then take Divine Champion levels.

Some deities have weapons in PnP that cannot be taken in NwN as a focus, so you do what you can to enjoy the game. Maybe even speak with a DM to get a second opinion. Divine Champions must focus in the weapon of their deity in order to take the prestige class. FRC doesn't inforce this standard on NwN, as an aside, so no need to panic if you have a Divine Champion and don't fit this.

But there you go. You make your character focus in a lone weapon of your war god, and now the question comes to mind:

Oh crap, I found a useful weapon for a particular foe which isn't the same as my characters deity...can I use it?

I've been tirelessly debating whether or not Gorstag, Divine Champion of the Red Knight, should be allowed to use other weapons at his disposal that isn't a Longsword. One would think that a goddess of strategy would still encourage the use of other weapons - especially Lord Tempus whose followers crap out a new song of praise each time a weapon is found, practically - so that the follower can be well prepared.

The one immediate exception made to this fear-clause of non-deity-focused weapon are ranged weapons. Sometimes the enemy is out of reach and you need a bow or sling. so what you going to do? Throw your main weapon at them and hit for a 20-roll? Nah, you use a ranged. Its logic, that

Conversly, an exception would also extend to followers whose deity is only using a ranged weapon, so that they can use a melee weapon for their survival

Ive spoken with some others who feel that a follower must ONLY use the deity weapon choice, champion of a war god or not, because its also a self-imposed limitation, and a "test of faith" as it were. Meanwhile, there are other people who think that a War Deities general combat ethics would supercede the worry of a Divine Champion solely using only one weapon type.

Discuss!

[anerwyn]

I'm of the mindset that a divine champion would use their god's weapon to the exclusion of anything else, if at all possible.

in other words: Your gods' weapon is the longsword, you will use the longsword at all times unless using the longsword makes you about useless to the group.

Example: You use the longsword but you have come across a place that doesn't allow immediate access to the enemy with a longsword. Therefore you dig out the longbow that's been collecting dust in your boxes for the last 4 months and hope the string is still good, because you are to fight when able.

Example: You use a longsword yet the enemy you are facing is a giant and you happen to have a greatsword you recently acquired as a bit of loot from a recent adventure. You know said greatsword is more effective against the giants than your longsword will be.

Therefore you dig that greatsword out of the chest you've had your mule hauling the last week or so and utilize it. Your god prefers the longsword true, but he/she would understand that the victory in battle is more assured with the greatsword than the longsword.

The gods of war understand that the weapon you are using is more effective and wouldn't fault you for using the best chance at victory you have.


I would consider it that a god is smart and they know when a weapon is more useful for what situation, I'm sure the gods of war and battle use multiple weapons when the situation calls for it.

[Deleted]

Favored weapon actually means the weapon that the deity chooses to use, not that the deity favors their followers using that weapon over others. The cleric section in the player's handbook states that clerics consider it a "point of pride" to use their deity's weapon (rather than a requirement of faith). There is no pnp limitation on followers to use only the deity's favored weapon & I don't see it mentioned anywhere else in the PHB or the forgotten realms campaign setting.

The "point of pride" sentence is part of a very generic description of any possible cleric, so I think that it would be interpreted differently by priests of different deities. There are also some deities who use multiple weapons, even if they have only one favored weapon listed. I'd consider any of these weapons "prideful" for a priest to use. As well, some deities with strange non-standard weapons are interpreted as one standard weapon when a number of other standard weapons would fit just as well.

One of the more well known holy places of Tempus is "The Abbey of the Sword" in Battledale, not the Abbey of the Axe Tempus's holy symbol includes a sword & one of his names includes "hammer" so I think battleclerics of Tempus are pretty safe in choosing any weapon to honor him

Divine Champions are slightly different. By pnp guidelines (forgotten realms campaign setting) they are required to have proficiency with the deity's favored weapon. However, note that there is no requirement that they always (or even usually) wield a weapon of that type. On FRC the favored weapon requirement is not required as well, though I believe it is still encouraged.

For a pnp example of champions wielding other weapons, consider Jareth Burlisk Ftr8/Chm5 of tempus (faiths and pantheons page 154). He has a number of weapons, his best weapon being a greatsword named shadowsunder, though he also does have a +1 battleaxe. He has focus in both weapons but the text reads "when fighting, Jarath prefers to wield shadowsunder, but in tight spaces he hauls out his trusty battleaxe..."

So no, I don't think that divine servants of any kind should have to always or even usually wield their deity's favored weapon. I do think that in many cases it would make sense to do so - but not in all cases!

[ancientempathy]

...And I am quickly sold on a source-backed response!