[FR] Just what is the exact definition of an Avatar?

[Dark Jezter]

While looking through Faiths & Pantheons today, I began looking at the avatar entries for the various deities. It made me realize that the book never really gives a clear definition of what an avatar is, but rather assumes that the reader automatically knows.

I know that the deities were forced to wander Faerun in avatar form during the Time of Troubles, and that avatars are less powerful than the actual deity. But there are some other questions I have about avatars...

1. If an avatar is killed, is the deity killed as well? (Bane's avatar entry would seem to indicate so)

2. Is an avatar a servant of a deity, or an actual physical manifestation of a deity?

3. Is it possible for a deity to visit the prime material plane in their natural form, or can they only send an avatar?

Thanks in advance to all who answer.

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

While looking through Faiths & Pantheons today, I began looking at the avatar entries for the various deities. It made me realize that the book never really gives a clear definition of what an avatar is, but rather assumes that the reader automatically knows.

I know that the deities were forced to wander Faerun in avatar form during the Time of Troubles, and that avatars are less powerful than the actual deity. But there are some other questions I have about avatars...

1. If an avatar is killed, is the deity killed as well? (Bane's avatar entry would seem to indicate so)

In short, not really. An avatar is just a material-plane projection of the deity, with diminished powers. This was all codified in the third edition Deities and Demigods, but has long been a facet of FR. During the Time of Troubles, however, the deities (with the exception of Helm) were forced out of their home planes and into their avatars until the Tablets of Fate were found. Killing the avatar at this time would indeed kill the deity, as the Prime was essentially their home plane for the duration of their exile.

2. Is an avatar a servant of a deity, or an actual physical manifestation of a deity?

It is a manifestation of the deity, albeit in diminished form. I believe in 3E, an avatar has half the divine rank and power of the original god.

3. Is it possible for a deity to visit the prime material plane in their natural form, or can they only send an avatar?

Hmm, I'm not 100% certain on this, but I'm pretty sure they can only send avatars, though there appear to have been exceptions.

 

[Voadam]

I used to own the 3.0 DDG but I returned it long ago. Here is what I think I remember about avatars from there. I believe the ability to create an avatar is a specific divine power that must be chosen just as extra domain is. A god can enter the prime in its own form unless there is a specific campaign prohibition against it doing so (I believe both Greyhawk and FR have such prohibitions, FR's is from AO and the ToT).

Killing an avatar normally discomfits but does not kill a deity. An avatar is essentially a powerful projected image the god sends down to interact with mortals safely. During the ToT the FR gods were forced wholly into mortal avatar forms and were subject to being fully killed (as a few were) during those events.