Why some gods are more appealing

[♥Zach♥]

I was wondering, why are some gods more appealing to you than other, give a reason. Like why is bane appealing or Sune?

[Panros]

Besides being my personal best friend and what not, Tempus is just damn cool. I mean, I never have to worry about him not getting my back when some punk guys try to start something at a bar.

And Sune? Jeezus, who doesn't Sune appeal to... that one night with her and Sharess was certainly appealing. *grins*

[♥Zach♥]

torgeir said:

And Sune? Jeezus, who doesn't Sune appeal to... that one night with her and Sharess was certainly appealing. *grins*

This appears to be a quality the maidens of hope are known for apprently as well from a screenshot I viewd not to long ago ;D

[kaltorac]

I think the appeal of a god is in how well they match your own goals. If your goals are:

Word domination ...... Bane

Herpes ....................... Sune

[moulinous]

kaltorac said:

Word domination ...... Bane

i guess them banites always do need to get in the last word...

[ShadowCatJen]

Each Deity has it's own appeal. I've always liked the fact that the FR setting had so many deities because it always gave lots of reason why a character would be the way they are. Motivation is always such a hard thing to figure for a character and the deities of FR make it easier to figure it out.

My own number one personal preference -- if you couldn't guess -- is Tymora. I always liked that her followers could range from extreme high risk takers to the more subtle rule benders all while still carrying a goodly (if advantageous) bent.

Second runner up is actually Mask. The Time of Troubles and the situations after really screwed him out of a much larger portfolio to where he's evil, but if he could stick it to both Bane and Cyric he would. Always got to love an underdog. ;D

Third would be Kelemvor. I think he's an under appreciated god. Yes, he governs over those who die, but tries not to have people fear that death. Having it be an acceptance of a part of life and not an evil thing appeals to me.

[kheal]

I think it's odd that Mask has the listed alignment of neutral evil, but acts chaotic neutral. That was the reason that I had my character not worship him...

[Quadhund/Greenhouse]

Mask is probably my favorite god. Good gods tend to be rather predictable in my opinion. Neutral gods tend to be difficult to judge in certain situations (thus, the followers just tend to make it up as they go so long as it doesn't go against the dogma directly). Evil gods tend to be a bit more unpredictable, despite being chaotic or lawful. They take each situation in stride and try to bend it to their benefit.

Amongst the evil gods, I prefer ones of intrigue. Shar is interesting, but her chaotic trend to bring about loss and nothingness is to the point of predictable making her neutral in my opinion. Cyric is the epitomy of chaos, being fickle to the point that he would kill his own worshippers if it served himself (similar to lolth).

Mask though is neutral evil to the letter, in my opinion. He is selfish and a user. He will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. However, he realizes the need for others. He uses his worshippers to further his own means, but realizes that without them he would lose power. Though his actions seem to be chaotic, i believe there is always a driving motivation behind his actions (thus the balance of chaos with true purpose).

And I tend not to focus on any other gods but the human ones.

[♥Zach♥]

shadowcatjen said:

Each Deity has it's own appeal. I've always liked the fact that the FR setting had so many deities because it always gave lots of reason why a character would be the way they are. Motivation is always such a hard thing to figure for a character and the deities of FR make it easier to figure it out.

My own number one personal preference -- if you couldn't guess -- is Tymora. I always liked that her followers could range from extreme high risk takers to the more subtle rule benders all while still carrying a goodly (if advantageous) bent.

Second runner up is actually Mask. The Time of Troubles and the situations after really screwed him out of a much larger portfolio to where he's evil, but if he could stick it to both Bane and Cyric he would. Always got to love an underdog. ;D

Third would be Kelemvor. I think he's an under appreciated god. Yes, he governs over those who die, but tries not to have people fear that death. Having it be an acceptance of a part of life and not an evil thing appeals to me.

I've Always liked Tymora and for some reason in the rare times I played a copper dragon with DM approval on local vaults i'de have them follow Tymora, since Copper dragons rock and so does Tymora ;D

My favorite Deities are:

• Shaundakul
  
• Tymora
  
• Auril
  
• Bhaal (R.I.P )
  
• Eldath
  
• Gwaeron Windstrom
  
• Lliira
  
• Milil
  
• Myrkul (R.I.P )
  
• Silvanus
  
• Corellon Larethian
  
• Deep Sashelas
  
• Erevan Ilesere
  
• Solonor Thelandira
  
• Callarduran Smoothhands
  
• Brandobaris
  
• Eilistraee
  
• Ghaunadaur
  
• Vhaeraun
  
• Anhur
  

Most of these deities I find just plain cool others I feel fit my interest, their dogma's and portfolios

[Paragon]

I think that the reason that any given god of D&D is appealing to an individual is because of the fact that they represent some aspect of that individual's personality.

For example, if someone were to say that they thought that Cyric was the best god ever, I would guess that they had some problem with the constraint of civilized society and morality, and wished, (whether secretly or overtly,) to act in a manner that cast off these constraints. On the other hand, someone who thought that Tyr was the god for them, could be expected to have an attachment to justice, whether because of a love of the safety of order, or because they feel that they were wronged in some way.

These are, of course, just examples, and though emotional connection to a fictional deity is probably the most common reason for relating to that deity, it is not always the main reason for that connection.

Personally I think that the D&D deities are too one dimensional to relate to, and lack that frightening mystery and "godliness" that even the old Greek and Norse pantheons had.

[SlothfulCat]

This one should suprise you...

My number one: Sune. Why? Well hell... shes powerful enough to bitchslap most other gods (going by the diety ranking)... and I've had a thing for redheads for a long time now ... in seriousness though... Love, passion, beauty.... gotta dig a goddess of the arts... being a would-be musician myself... the idea that this god's dogma involves sponsoring the arts does as much for me as the command to do a good act each day... then we mix that with the fact she's not afraid to get her hands dirty... allah pissing off Shar.

Number Two: Nobanion, what can I say... gotta love a guy that says "protect the weak and no bitting unless someone deserves it"... kind of like Torm without the "you must obey" aspect. Kind of a wild-woodsey knight.

Number Three: Loviatar... hey she likes to hurt people and wears white.... gives her a one up on the typicall buhahahaers in black like Bane, Cyric and Shar.

Number Four: Liira... gotta like a party animal... kind of reminesent of a hippy god.

Number Five: Sharess... Hate the way her dogma being confused as sunes has Sunites portrayed as walking spermbanks... but... kind of dig that "find pleasure in all things and do good" dogma of hers... the idea that the taste of a fresh grape can be as pleasing as anything else... Sharess is like a drug though... you get your high on pleasure, its the pleasure thats good... and that can be yoru downfall.
=================

Gods I hate:

Mystra: Sorry... just... so meaningless cant identify with it at all kind of like "magic for the sake of magic" and "money for the sake of moneY".

Malar: One too many PCs defending all the evils as bieng okay since the dogma gives a command not to harm children.

Ilmateri: or however you spell his name... Its just kind of hard to appreciate a god who wants to play whipping boy but still be a crusader next to Tyr and Torm... though I do appreciate the idea that the followers are caretakers... years of Ilmateri loosing the idea that their god is a martial one has really just hosed what I liked about him.

[♥Zach♥]

avieupator said:

Ilmateri: or however you spell his name... Its just kind of hard to appreciate a god who wants to play whipping boy but still be a crusader next to Tyr and Torm... though I do appreciate the idea that the followers are caretakers... years of Ilmateri loosing the idea that their god is a martial one has really just hosed what I liked about him.

I would have to say Ilmater appeals to those who value self sacrafice to save other, to endure suffering to save the innocent. like somone who would bravley jump in front of a train to nudge a child to the side to save the child even if it means getting mangled and crushed by a train >_<

[nura]

As a player who tended to play dwarven fighters then tried clerics and liked them well favourite gods were moradin boss of the dwarven pantheon hes the kind of daddy you all wish ya had, clanggeddin silverbeard bad ass dwarven fighter god uses twin battleaxes and hates giants , Berronar truesilver gotta like a goddess packs a mace that kills thieves and murderers while she acts the sweet old biddy.

[Aodhan the Unusual]

Mmm... I'd have to say Mask and Shar are my biggest favorites. The whole secrets, shadows, using of others, the total end all, and so forth. Next in the line is Kelemvor, Jergal, and Velsharoon... Got a thing for the dead and undead. After that... It varies depending on my mood that day... lol

[moulinous]

Marthammor Duin who is very Guldarish as a dwarf god and i liked him the first time i read about him. Tehn of course Oghma who is very Spockish in my eyes as a god, logical and all that. And Gwaeron Windstorm i think his name is. I also like Cyric as the God of Lies.
Total dislike of Loth and most of the Drow patheon. Gnome gods and Gond gets on my last nerves as i disliked when they brought gunpowder into the Realms as well. Maybe i am just a purist and think glowing magical spells from fingertips are the best,lol.

[♥Zach♥]

moulinous said:

Marthammor Duin

One of my favorite Dwarf deities too. I had an outcasted duergar with a tattood face who worship him, he feld Duin was the oly one that really understood him and his wondering of the surface world.

(He was outcasted for killing a member of his own clan)

[Booze Hound]

Tempus rules. He's a cool ass barbarian all the way. But I also like umm...who's the other savage war diety? the one Tempus beat, but let live? crap, I forget his name...kinda the super berzerk war diety, he's cool too. My sign is Aries after all, I got a thing for berzerker rage.

I also like Thard Harr. Dwarven god of Wild dwarves. He's like a freaking badger/wolverine/hyena/piranah rolled into a dwarf body. the dude doesn't even speak common. How rad is that? he's like the Tazmanian Devil of all the gods. That's why Harr'Uk liked him so much.



EDIT: Garagos! that's the Tempus enemy god I was thinking of. He's like a Quasi god, and still gave Tempus a run.

[teransouras]

Brandobaris ;D
He's just awesome, do things for the hell of it, take the risks, prove your skill, come back with more than you had and have a better tale to tell. Theif, Adventurer, Toublemaker.
Gotta love Halfling gods.

[Theramin]

I really like Kelemvor for not being the stereotypical god of death. He's more like the christian version of an angelic warrior, or something. I do like how Jaergal balances him out somewhat, though, with his dour scribing ways. I bet a funny comic could be made out of interactions between those two.

I also like Cyric quite a lot due to the way he's pretty much insane (but not as bad as before) and the nasty bitch gods such as Auril, Umberlee, Lovitar and Talona. I don't know why, perhaps such nasty women appeal to me somehow.

I'm also fond of the whole Mulhorandi (ala Ancient Egyptian) pantheon! Seldom used in... well... anything, and hideously close to real-history yet 100% canonical and usable If I made another character he'd probably be a priest of Osiris or something.