D&D 5E Accessing Divine Magic on non-native Material Planes

[SkidAce]

It's a completely arbitrary semantic distinction that only exists because BECMI did things a bit differently than AD&D. It should have been reconciled in 2e when they converted Mystara to AD&D, but it wasn't. I recommend you utterly scrap it and consider them to be the same thing.

I wouldn't say completely arbitrary.

Many "Immortals" were originally mortal, and gained power through their task and dedication to a sphere.

"Gods" are more like pervasive created the universe type beings in other campaigns.

There are exceptions of course, but I always felt this was the distinction from Basic.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I wouldn't say completely arbitrary.

Many "Immortals" were originally mortal, and gained power through their task and dedication to a sphere.

"Gods" are more like pervasive created the universe type beings in other campaigns.

There are exceptions of course, but I always felt this was the distinction from Basic.

Yes, there are subtle distinctions in emphasis and metaphysics. I don't think they are meaningful or desirable though, and for practical purposes they won't matter.

So my basic advice to anyone wondering about it is that if you don't care to learn about subtle distinctions between why the Immortal Odin is technically not the same as the Deity Odin, despite doing pretty much exactly the same thing from a mortal perspective, then just, as DM, declare them to be the same thing. If such subtle distinctions actually interest you, they are researchable.