Becoming a God.

[jefgorbach]

Its your campaign so set the level of Gods as desired, but as several have pointed out, the general default presumption is most gods have 20 levels in several classes ... so a party of 18th (let alone 8th) level PCs is akin to gnats killing an elephant - its possible but the odds are soooo unlikely they deserve his portfolio if they manage it.

perhaps one of the better books on the subject is the Immortal Handbook: Ascension. (but hearsay is skip its companion bestiary)

 

[athos]

There is some basic info on deities here :

SRD - Divine

Nerull is a greater god, if I remember right, making him rank 16-20...

I don't think an 18th level anything could topple him. If I were an ambitious evil character that wanted to become the god of death, I would start slowly, build my power, try to get up to epic levels, at least 25th or so, then I would try killing a "weak" demigod or such and see if I could get elevated to divine status. Maybe I would have to make a pact with another greater god for divine powers. Once I got some divine rank, maybe DR 1, then I would try and work my way up the pantheon by hook or by crook. Eventually, like a couple centuries of hard work later, I would try and steal Nerull's power, but not before I was at least an intermediate deity.

Greater and Intermediate deities just are not meant to be "taken out" trivially, they are POWERFUL and should be treated with care, I am not sure why your plot requires him to replace Nerull, but if it were me, I would maybe have him replace a minor demigod instead, at least at level 30 or so, that would be believable.

 

[Persiflage]

I guess if you want a revolving-door system for your deities, whereby new players enter and old ones leave, then there's no problem with setting the campaign up that way. Building on the suggestions of others, try this...

If your gods become gods due to the fact that everyone believes in them, then all you need is a powerful spell that's spread in a contagious fashion. 9th-level magic could just about do it: after all, it's a relatively minor effect to get someone to believe something that doesn't much affect them either way.

Create a Virulent Charm or whatnot: a curse that acts like Suggestion but spreads through physical contact, lasts for a day/level from the point of infection and allows re-infection of a target who has previously been the subject. Then make the suggestion itself be something like: "Believe that Fred Smith of 39 Willoughby Court, Sky Castle, is the God of Death". The spell will spread like wildfire (hardly anyone in the general populace will even have a chance to make that saving throw without rolling 20) and the maths for spread aren't too hard to mock up.

(A quick back-of-an-envelope calculation reveals that the spell will have to have some sort of limit for spreading or it'll happen too fast to do anything about. Adding a delay before a newly-cursed individual can infect anyone around them seems to work nicely.)

Now set an arbitrary limit for the number of people who have to believe in Fred. Let's say 50,000 believers (or whatever) gets you Divine Rank 1. Now he's in a position to start playing the Deity Game...

I rather like this, if only because it presents an interesting problem. Chances are, if Fred is smart (and dammit, he's an 18th-level Wizard), he'll have kicked off the infection in multiple places, and in such a way that the PC's won't even notice until they first have to make a saving throw. Then in becomes a race against time to stop Fred before he has so many worshippers as to catapult him straight to major-league godhood.

You can't cure everyone: tens of thousands of people are "infected" by now. All you can do is either try to eliminate the source (Option One), or "kill everyone on the continent" (Option Two). Whilst the PC's are busily pursuing Option One, Nerull gets tipped off about what's happening and promptly orders his followers to pursue Option Two.

This way, you don't have any awkwardness about actually confronting a deity and stabbing him in the face until he dies from it: Fred's plan neatly circumvents the whole "certain death" element by never facing Nerull directly.

In the meantime, good-aligned PC's could find themselves aided and abetted by Nerull (dangerous in itself, lots of two-edged gifts and temptations to slide into darkness "in a good cause") whilst at the same time trying to foil his minions' attempts at mass murder and trying to either dispatch Fred or make him see sweet reason.

Hell, I think I might actually run this myself

 

[TheYeti1775]

We had a campaign in which the characters began a progression of 'godhood'.
It was the result of a Characters wish and yada yada yada (fill in your own BS'ness to the story line to fill in for your world).

But essentially we treated it like a DM Approved Only PrC in 3.5.
We broke down the Divine Rank 0 into Twenty Levels to account for the 20 Outsider HD that each God has.
I only recommend if you are playing a high power game though.

Feel free to tweak it how you want. I use it for the occassional high powered villian currently. Especially since they are still killable by normal players. Just gives them a few abilities without making them a walking magic store.
The levels I treat just like a normal level.
So if Bob the Fighter 6/Wizard 5, wants at 12th level to go for Divine Rank 0 level 1, it would than be Bob the Fighter 6/Wizard 5/ Divine Rank 0 1 at 12th level and he would need the same number of experience points to reach 13th level as he would if he went Fighter 6/Wizard 6.



I attached an Excel file with the breakdown of powers and progression for it so you can have a neat copy.

But here is the basic breakdown:

DIVINE PROGRESSION
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: 1d8 (max per Level)
Skill points at 1st Level: (8+Int Mod) X 4
Skill points at each additional level: 8 + Int Mod
Class Skills: Knowledge(any); Craft(any); Perform; Intimidate; Concentration; and all Class Skills from previously earned classes

Notes:
- Diety Progression only pertains to Deities of Divine Rank 0. All Dieties of DR1 or more have already fulfilled/earned these levels & abilities.
- Creature Type changes to Outsider (Subtype Native - if character is not of the Original Pantheon.)
- Any Outsider (Subtype Native) slain can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected. The Deity loses all Divine Progression Levels upon return to life.
- Dieties are not subject to experience penalities in regards to multi-classing.

See notes below for * notes:
=======
Level 1
+1 BAB; +2 Fort/Ref/Will
Immortality*; Delection Bonus to AC(Cha)***; Aligned Weapon; Hit Point Max ****; All Abilities increase by +2*****
=======
Level 2
+2 BAB; +3 Fort/Ref/Will
DR 1/Epic; SR 2; Immunity to Ability Damage; Natural Armor +3***
=======
Level 3
+3 BAB; +3 Fort/Ref/Will
Feat; Energy Resistance 1 (Choose which Energy); Immunity to Ability Drain
=======
Level 4
+4 BAB; +4 Fort/Ref/Will
Single Ability Increase +1; DR 2/Epic; Spell Reistance (SR 14)
=======
Level 5
+5 BAB; +4 Fort/Ref/Will
SR +1; Immunity to Energy Drain; Natural Armor +6***
=======
Level 6
+6/+1 BAB; +5 Fort/Ref/Will
SR +1; DR 3/Epic; Feat; Divine Leadership******
=======
Level 7
+7/+2 BAB; +5 Fort/Ref/Will
SR +1; Energy Resistance +1 (Add to or Choose new Energy)
=======
Level 8
+8/+3 BAB; +6 Fort/Ref/Will
Single Ability Increase +1; SR +1; DR 4/Epic
=======
Level 9
+9/+4 BAB; +6 Fort/Ref/Will
SR +1; Feat; Immunity to Mind Altering Affects; Natural Armor +9***
=======
Level 10
+10/+5 BAB; +7 Fort/Ref/Will
SR +1; DR 5/Epic
=======
Level 11
+11/+6/+1 BAB; +7 Fort/Ref/Will
SR +1; Energy Resistance +1 (Add or choose new energy); Natural Armor +11***
=======
Level 12
+12/+7/+2 BAB; +8 Fort/Ref/Will
Single Ability Increase +1; SR +1; DR 6/Epic; Feat
=======
Level 13
+13/+8/+3 BAB; +8 Fort/Ref/Will
SR +1; Natural Armor +13***
=======
Level 14
+14/+9/+4 BAB; +9 Fort/Ref/Will
SR +1; DR 7/Epic
=======
Level 15
+15/+10/+5 BAB; +9 Fort/Ref/Will
SR +1; Energy Resistance +1 (add or choose new energy); Feat
=======
Level 16
+16/+11/+6/+1 BAB; +10 Fort/Ref/Will
Single Ability Increase +1; SR +1; DR 8/Epic
=======
Level 17
+17/+12/+7/+2 BAB; +10 Fort/Ref/Will
SR +1; Immunity to Polymorph and Form Altering Attacks
=======
Level 18
+18/+13/+8/+3 BAB; +11 Fort/Ref/Will
SR +1; DR 9/Epic; Feat
=======
Level 19
+19/+14/+9/+4 BAB; +11 Fort/Ref/Will
SR +1; Energy Resistance +1 (Add or Choose New)
=======
Level 20
+20/+15/+10/+5 BAB; +12 Fort/Ref/Will
Single Ability Increase +1; SR +1; DR 10/Epic
=============================================

Full Abilities at 20th level:
Ability Incease to All +2; Ability Increase +5 (can be split); Spell Resistance 32; Natural Armor Bonus +13; Immortality; Deflection Bonus to AC(Cha Mod); Damage Reduction 10/Epic; Energy Resistance; 6 Feats; Divine Leadership Feat; Aligned Weapons; Max Hit Points per Hit Die; Immunity to Polymorph, Petrification, Form Altering Attacks, Energy Drain, Ability Drain, and Mind Altering Affects.

Notes:
* Aging Effectively stops. Death can still occur through violent means. Eating, breathing, and sleeping are no longer required.
** If the character already has the Leadership Feat, choose another.
*** All Divine Armor Bonuses stack. The Deflection Bonus is equal to the Deity's Charisma Modifier
**** Deities always receive maximum hit points from hit dice. This is retroactive for any previously earned classes.
***** All ability scores are at least 10, even if this requires more than a +2 increase.
****** See Below for Divine Leadership Feat

------------------
Other Notes:
- The ability to obtain Divine Rank 1 is left entirely into the hands of the DM.
- BAB & Saves replace existing ones if higher. Else use existing ones.
i.e. 15th Level Fighter has a +15 BAB but is also a 2 Level Divine Rank 0. His BAB remains +15 until his Fighter Level increases or his DR0 BAB surpasses his Fighter BAB.
- Spellcasting abilities (including Caster Level) do not increase within Divine Rank 0
-----------------
FEAT
Divine Leadership (General)
Prereq: Divine Rank
This feat allows Deities to gather followers and worshippers. Unless the Deity is of Divine Rank 1 or greater, the Deity cannot grant spells. The number of followers is dependent upon Divine Rank and the Deity's Charisma Modifier.

Divine Rank / # of Worshippers
0 / 1d10 x (30+Cha)
1-5 / 1d10 x (300+Cha+Divine Rank)
6-10 / 1d10 x (10,000+Cha+Divine Rank)
11-15 / 1d10 x (1000,000+Cha+Divine Rank)
16-20 / 1d10 x (1,000,000+Cha+Divine Rank)
20+ / Deities of Divine Rank 20+ have no need for followers

 

[meltinbradley]

Theone0581

I havent read any post except yours theone, so if you allready figured it out great. I am running a current game where the NPC is attempting godhood as well. I cant explain how she would progress as a God, because she may die before that happens, but I will explain how she has the chance.
So in my world, the goddess of magic died in a war with beings equal or even greater then the gods themselves. This happened thousands of years ago.
No one on my world can cast higher then 6th level spells. No matter how high your intelligence is etc, though there are a few exceptions. The fact of the matter the goddess of magic is "dead." Therefore magic is weak on my world. But every arcane spell cast, every prayer made to the goddess of magic gives her life. Enough that she was able to contact the NPC and explain to her that she wants back now! She doesnt want to wait another 100,000 or more years to return. So the goddess explains that there was a artifact created to battle the Gods which was shattered a long time ago.
The goddess of magic explained to her ]the NPC] the process of rebuilding the artifact and extracting the immense raw magic of this artifact. Which would bring her back within days rather then thousands of years.
For her success, the goddess would allow the npc some of that raw power, there is enough to restore the goddess back to full glory, and allow the npc to reach godhood, with extra to boot. It would cause cataclysmic consequences to the world, not like the movie 2012, but enough to change the world permanently. But then also magic will be restored fully to the world. Which many want, especially arcane spell casters, as well as some of the PCs.
I probably wouldnt allow a mortal NPC or PC to defeat a God, and if I did, it would not be through 1 on 1 combat. Perhaps the NPC figures out a way to wipe all of his worshippers, or extract their souls which weakens the god. The NPC probably would have the backing of another god who doesnt like the god that is going to be overthrowed. That God provides knowledge to the NPC on what needs to be done in order to take his place aside from wiping out worshippers. But I would make it a several part thing. First, finding another God who can sponser and protect you and give you knowledge, use that knowledge what ever it may be (wipe out worshipers, or finding a godslaying artifact, or both or even more.) Then defeating that God on his plane, doesnt mean combat, or it could.
I Play Gods as Gods. Ive played with some DM´s who just kind of treat gods as high level and powerful entities who can be destroyed, or whose clerics often talk to their Gods, or even chat with several at some outerplanes inn. I dont do that, I dont like it. My gods play in the back ground, and communing with Gods is rare. I think in forgotten realms the gods are pretty active, and can be defeated, and mortals can have spellfire, etc..etc...and thats fine, just not me.
Here is a example of how i play my gods, 2 PCs went to the Goddess of death to plead for a soul. One of the PCs was a cleric and casted all the protection from death spells he had, plus they had items that protected against death, and he even communed with his own god for protection. Everytime the goddess spoke to them they had to make a saving throw vs death or die, even with the protections. There magical items ended up being destroyed by the end of the conversation. They were about 14-16th level. (I didnt make the saves very high, because of all the protection they had and because I wasnt trying to kill them outright, but thats just a example of how I play my Gods. A greaterGod could go up to a mortal and snap his fingure and youre dead, and even a demi god would be devastating to any mortal.)
I would even be very relunctant to allow PCs to become Gods themselves, unless they somehow have the backing of another God who can sponser them.
My campaign has been going on for about 3 years. We started at 1st and they are about 22nd now.
The head NPC is really high level, practically 40 total in various classes. I would not allow a NPC or PC to even have a chance of godhood till they are well above 30th level. They can start at 18, but wont reach it till they are well above that. Even with the NPC villian at close to 40th level, would lose to any God in combat, even a demigod, if she felt she was 40th level and bad ass and went up to any old random god like entity without knowledge. I just dont believe in mortals killing gods.
Though I just read an interesting book by Glen Cook
Instrumentalities of the night, where the main character kills a minor god with a cannon. He fills the cannon with gun poweder and lots and lots of silver coins, and one blast, kills the god. .)

 

[Dirty Magurdy]

Hello friends, I have an interesting question for all who are interested...So in my campaign there is a main NPC who's goal is to become a god. (if possible) Now I am unfamiliar with how things work when it comes to Deities, as I don't have a book nor am I familiar with a book that would be based of such information. So if you guys could help me out with this question, it would be much appreciated. The God he is trying to overthrow is Nerull. Please give me some insight how how a task might be possible, if its not possible then what would be some ways that this NPC could go about becoming a God. Any advice would be much appreciated.

A few questions concerning your motives for this NPC becoming a god.
1. Is this NPC a character you played in a previous game or based on a character you played in a previous game?
2. Are the player characters the center of the campaign or has this NPC taken over the spotlight?
3. Do the characters really have a choice about whether to work with this NPC or not? Is the campaign being directed toward this NPC's goals instead of the PC's?
4. Is the campaign based on a piece of fiction you wrote which stars this NPC?

If these questions are offensive to you then that's probably a good thing. I played in a campaign where the DM's entire reason behind the campaign was to give one of his former characters the status and attention he felt the character just did not get in the campaign he was created for (run by another DM obviously).
I realized quickly that my character (the entire party for that matter) was set in more of a supporting role and it was a drag that led me to quitting the game. I learned later that this NPC became a god.

Not really helping you to answer your question, just remember the players are the focus of the game, don't lose sight of that in your effort to build a god. If making this guy a god helps make a memorable and enjoyable game for the players then I don't think the method you use needs to fit any system of rules.