Do you make your good gods worth worshipping?

[gizmo33]

Evil clerics have their lack of moral restraints working in their favors, and these same moral restraints are against the good clerics.

"Lack of moral restraint" is not really that much of a bonus unless you're at the top of the heirarchy in your evil church. Otherwise you'll probably eventually be on the wrong side of the line on "Give up your magic items" day or "human sacrifice" day, or whatever other unholidays exist. As other folks are saying, good churches probably support their followers more consitently. Good clerics can sleep soundly on nights before it's time to divide treasure. If you've ever DMed an evil campaign before, you might find (like I did) that being an evil cleric is no picnic. The rest of your party is as scary a dungeon as the one you're questing through.

The next time your PC cleric of good loses all his possessions, have his temple scrounge together a donation for him. The next time he and his party are captured and you don't have an escape scenario planned, have his temple ranson him. Free sanctuary if he's being chased by evil monsters. Free holy water (quantities are limited, so act fast). Advice. Etc.

Many of the powers exclusive to evil clerics are countered by a good cleric of appropriate level anyway. Turning undead, neutralizing poison etc. I wouldn't think good clerics would need any more help.

 

[Altalazar]

In my campaign world, the gods essentially don't exist - not in the physical sense. Not separate from their clerics / worshippers, that is.

In other words, anything the god does is 100% through the actions of those who claim to follow that god. There isn't even direct contact / orders - the closest you'd get is like a Commune spell or other such magic.

The practical effect is each "priesthood" essentially sets its own rules as to how it thinks it should best worship a particular diety. This means there can be splits, as some groups may disagree with the best way to go.

It also means that the influence is more based on numbers and politics between the clerics / worshippers than anything else. Though certainly there is also the general superstitions of the people - like, regardless of the politics or clerics, a farmer is still probably going to be asking for favors from the Agriculture god, etc.

So to answer - there is no direct intervention by good or evil dieties. Not unless you call an army led by clerics an "intervention."

This can make for some interesting situations - because the religions are all set up wholly by the followers - much as if the gods didn't exist - and if it weren't for clerical magic, perhaps many would doubt if they even did.

 

[Razz0putin]

I'm with a lot of folks here in that the advantages of worshiping the good guys are largely societal (acceptance and respect). while the bad guys don't have to worry about morals they do have to keep their views hidden until they can't be challenged (or believe they can't be challenged). As for divine intervention I consider that to be all the breaks I give players when they do something stupid that's more than enough divine intervention

 

[Turjan]

In my campaign, the gods have nothing to do with the afterlife. Quite the opposite, they don't know anything about it. In order to get a view of heaven, you have to die. Death is the ticket. Gods don't die. This means, this gate is closed to them.

 

[dungeon blaster]

I was referring to gods in my homebrew setting, sorry that I didn't make it clear.

In my world, one god controls the afterlife, although other gods can intervene and snatch a soul before it enters his realm. The other gods have no power over any soul once it enters the afterlife, however.

 

[Hammerhead]

There is no divine intervention in my game. I remember one of my players whining when his high level paladin faced death in the eye from two Gated[/i} Solars, arguing that since he was such a high level paladin (the highest in his Church, actually) that Heironeous should make some kind of special intervention and stop them from killing him. No dice. The argument that good deities should intervene to help their servants falls flat when it's really not in the evil god's interest to have his best servants die too. And I wouldn't want a world where divine intervention happens any time a cleric or devout worshipper is threatened, thank you very much.

And anyone who wonders why worship a good god, maybe because it's the right thing to do? Good deeds performed for social respectability aren't exactly the most benevolent of acts.

 

[dungeon blaster]

Wait, why were Solars attacking a good paladin in the first place?

 

[dungeon blaster]

Yeah, but good deeds don't get you phat lewt.

 

[Turjan]

And anyone who wonders why worship a good god, maybe because it's the right thing to do? Good deeds performed for social respectability aren't exactly the most benevolent of acts.

I had written up an episode where some adventurers wanted to bring back one of their fallen comrades to life (a simple resurrection was not possible). They had to answer lots of questions why they wanted to deprive their comrade from his heavenly reward . In this light, divine intervention doesn't make sense, except as a strategic move.

 

[Goblyn]

Yeah, but good deeds don't get you phat lewt.

It's all about the phat lewt.

Anyway, to give a mechanical reason that it's worth it to be a good cleric vs an evil one, is the spontanious cure spells. These are MUCH more useful than spon Inflict spells why? ->Who wants to cast a spell in melee, or even deliver a touch attack that will likely be less effective than a full round o' attacks anywho.

Spontanious Harms would be nice at higher levels, but I think I would rather have spontanious Heal. That, however, is a matter of opinion.