D&D 4E 4e Races and Classes: "Why we changed the gods"

[Nahat Anoj]

From R&C, Zehir is likened to Set and is a god of night. R&C also says Tiamat is a draconic god of vengence.

Obad-Hai is the forest god. Sehanine is the god of the moon. Ioun is a god of magic/knowledge/etc. Asmodeus is a devil god (I presume a god of treachery and lies), while Tharizdun is a demon god.

I forgot Kord, god of strength and storms, and Avandra, goddes of chance and luck (patronness of the Halflings).

 

[Mercule]

Add 3 years to your age and experience and that describes exactly my position, too.

Ditto. Well, except that I'm three years younger. Apparently, I started younger.

I did my homebrew opus in 3E. It ain't all it's cracked up to be. I'm all for a more organic campaign, henceforth.

 

[Mercule]

I like the fact that D&D will be paring down the deities. I also like very much the idea of Correllon Larethian become not just an elf god but a general magic god that happens to be an elf (I assume he will still be an elf) that everyone worships. I assume this means that all gods are getting their racial identities stripped. The underlying thrust of that is that it removes racism in a way and cultural divisiveness, which are noble goals in the real world and it is good to see it spill into a game.

Not necessarily. I stripped racial deities from my home brew setting back in 1E.

At the same time, my world is very humanocentric. The elves and such being more reclusive than default (in the last four years, the PCs have only encountered one or two dwarves). Prejudice and racial tensions are also a significant presence IMC. The elf PC is marginally accepted most places, but the gnome is generally a source of curiosity and an identifying feature of the group.

All that the removal of racial deities means is that deities transcend race. Queen Mab was something of a goddess of magic (IIRC). But she was also associated with the fey folk, who were most certainly feared and not accepted warmly.

 

[Sadrik]

Confirmed list
Bane: tyranny
Bahamut: justice and dragons
Pelor: sun and good
Corellon: magic
Moradin: forge
Zehir: night
Tiamat: vengance and dragons
Obad-Hai: forest
Sehanine: moon
Ioun: magic and knowledge
Asmodeus: treachery, lies and devils
Tharizdun: demons
Kord: strength, storms
Avandra: chance, luck

Unconfirmed list
Torog: ???
Gruumsh: slaughter
Lloth: vermin and the underdark

 

[vazanar]

I'm going to back WotC on this one.

In the first book of the system I'd rather have a handful of new feats/talents and or spells than a fully fleshed out pantheon.

In a setting book then go ahead and give detailed writeups on the gods of Agriculture, Doorways and Pocket Lint.

In the FR setting book? I want the juicy details on the pantheon. In the first Core PHB? I want a bigger Feats chapter.

Aren't they removing all those Gods in the FR book to make it more points of light?

 

[Charwoman Gene]

OMG! Why does the war God have Agriculture tacked on this is so ridiculous. I can't put in my own agriculture God now because players will keep thinking the war god should have it.

 

[Sadrik]

It looks like there will still be 20 or so deities.

 

[Mercule]

OMG! Why does the war God have Agriculture tacked on this is so ridiculous. I can't put in my own agriculture God now because players will keep thinking the war god should have it.

Do what I did w/ 3E -- explicitly remove the PHB deities from your campaign.

I don't see them as anything more than a fall back or example, anyway. Even when I say I'm going to play "core" 4E, I don't really count the gods. I've never had Mordenkainen IMC, nor will I have Bane.

 

[nerfherder]

Ditto. Well, except that I'm three years younger. Apparently, I started younger.

I did my homebrew opus in 3E. It ain't all it's cracked up to be. I'm all for a more organic campaign, henceforth.

Yeah, I did my homebrew in AD&D/RuneQuest and I just don't have the time or inclination these days. I'm having great fun running a Star Wars game with the background from an old WEG supplement, a couple of overarching ideas and a small amount of prep between each game. Another friend is running Thieves' World and we may convert to 4e for that, but the deities from the PHB will be replaced by the ones already existing in the campaign.

I'm planning on using 4e mostly as a game that any of us in the group can decide to run a bought module, or self-written adventure, with the minimum of effort and still have fun. All the campaign and world stuff I've read so far supports that, so I'm happy .

 

[Mercule]

I'm planning on using 4e mostly as a game that any of us in the group can decide to run a bought module, or self-written adventure, with the minimum of effort and still have fun. All the campaign and world stuff I've read so far supports that, so I'm happy .

Yup. I'm planning to be the DM most of the time (it's worked for 25 years, why change?), but I'm going to loot like a Viking on holiday. Modules whenever possible. Use character/PC driven arcs to avoid my tendency to overplan things. Start a new setting and keep it localized. That sort of stuff.

I did the huge, detailed world design when I was in high school and college. It was a lot of fun. Now, I've got a wife, four kids, a job, a house to maintain, and volunteer work to do. My days of spending 20+ hours each week writing back story and adventures are past. I just want to sit down on game night and have some fun with my mates. If something floats my boat, I'll add some detail. Otherwise, it's stock.