Half-gods template. help-critiquing

Jakathi · Nov 12, 2003

see below for further details

Cheiromancer · Nov 12, 2003

Is there a particular example of a half-God that you are thinking of? I.e. Hercules? Or are you trying to simulate Highlander?

Jakathi · Nov 12, 2003

hmmm

hmmm
maybe a little bit of both. i figure since they are half gods, they will be technically immortal, but unlike gods, they aren't invulnerable. so a sword in the gut is still a sword in the gut.

and i figure, it'd be darned difficult to heal a decapitation without a full ressurection spell. so i threw that in for chuckles.

Jakathi · Nov 12, 2003

and

i'm not really thinking of particular immortals, such as highlander or herkie. but both would fit in quite nicely.

Knight-of-Roses · Nov 12, 2003

I had thought about setting up a demi-god template. The one you have is an unusally combination of abilities.

Why give them a block of fixed feats and not, say, a choice of any five based on their parantage? The only feat I would say that they should have fixed is one you did not include, Endurance.
Why do all of them have flight, psionics, true telekinesis, clerical spells, etc? Should not they have abilities based on what they inherited from their parent?

Most of the Greco-Roman demi-gods had enhanced physical abilities, a winning smile and the support of their parent and that was it. I not sure if any of the other pantheistic religions had a tradition of demi-gods . . . but I am not widely read outside of the Greco-Roman tradition (anyone want to chime in here?)

Jakathi · Nov 12, 2003

hmmm

i'm not really thinking of the worshipped kind of demi-god.
mostly just adventurers with the added bonus (or disadvantage)
of having a god for a parent.

and i figure if most gods are going to have the general interests of their worshippers and spent anytime walking among mortals, there will be a few of their progeny running around.

and the abilities based on parentage would be good, but you also have to figure on the fact that the kids abilities will be fairly unique as well, with only a few that might be genetically passed down.

Plus, templates can be modified to fit the game and DM in question. Gotta love open-content.

Jakathi · Nov 12, 2003

modified half-god template

check the post below

Cheiromancer · Nov 12, 2003

I'd say it is quite a bit too much. I agree with Knight-of-Roses that the bonuses derived from having a divine parent are fairly limited.

Perhaps ability and armor bonuses, maybe 4 feats total (two based on parentage), and one or two special abilities also based on parentage? The daughter of a swift messenger god might have a +20 movement speed. The son of a trickster god might be able to cast suggestion, invisibility and charm person 1 each/day. (6 spell levels/day sounds about right).

Jakathi · Nov 12, 2003

hrmmm

[size=+4]HALF-GODS[/size]
[size=+2]or Demi-deities[/size]
Half-god creatures have one god as a parent. 99% of the time, the god-parent is a lesser god as they typically have more to do with mortals than greater gods.
Hit Dice: Add four hit dice; increase die type to d8 (if already d8 or higher, do not change the die type).
Size: Half-god creatures are about 10% larger than normal. If humanoid, this translates to 5 inches or more taller than typical examples of their race. They typically have high charisma.

Initiative: As base creature, adjusted for feats and Dexterity.
Speed: Add 20 ft. to all speeds. Add magical flight if parent deity's sphere's of influence includes anything from the air/weather sphere.

AC: Add +6 to natural armor.
Attacks: Half-god creatures have natural attacks. If the base creature has no natural attacks, the half-god gains one attack appropriate to its form.

Special attacks: all half-gods have access to the same sphere's as their parent's sphere of influence. They can cast a total of 6 spells/day from that sphere.

Damage: Half-god creatures' attacks deal damage as below, or as the base creature, whichever is better:
Fine 1d3
Diminutive 1d4
Tiny 1d6
Small 1d8
Medium-size 2d6
Large 2d8
Huge 4d6
Gargantuan 4d8
Colossal 8d6
Face: Modify for size.
Special Attacks: clerical spells, psionics, True Telekinesis.

SPECIAL QUALITIES
Immortal. Can Only Be Killed By Beheading. After they reach 25 or suffer an otherwise killing blow, they stop aging.
Fast Healer
Regeneration 5 hit points per round
Blindsight
Normal Cold Immunity
Darkvision 120ft
Disease Immunity (Including Magical)
Energy Drain And Negative Levels Immunity
Evasion And Improved Evasion
Normal Fire Immunity
Resistance To Energy (25%)
Heightened Scent/Hearing
Tremor Sense
Can Breath underwater

Saves: As base creature, modified for abilities.
Abilities: Str +6, Dex +4, Con +6, Int +4, Wis +4, Cha +8.
Skills: As base creature. No check on hide, search, spot, swim, listen.
Feats: As base creature, plus they receive Improved Initiative, endurance and a bonus of 4 additional feats based on parentage.
[size=+4]******[/size]
I am keeping the can only be killed by beheading. Everyone is subject to luck and these guys are part mortal. so it is reasonable. After all, even Hercules finally bought it by a poisoned cloak. When he died, he ascended to Olympus and became a full god. So just because your mortal body has been killed, doesn't mean it's the end of the road so to speak. After all, they can still be resurrected.

half-gods or demi-deities have an important role within any patheon. for one, they can ease some of the burden off their parent deity's shoulders by assuming some of the responsibilities. For another, they are living examples of their patheon in question and serve as standard bearers for said patheon against the patheon's enemies. And they also serve as living bridges between greater immortals and the mortals who worship them.