How do you go about choosing a favored weapon for a non-warrior deity?

[johnsemlak]

I'm trying to make some Slavic deities to supplement the pantheon found in Frost and Fur and the biggest hurdle I find in making a 'd20' version is deciding the favored weapon. Most gods are not considered 'warrior' gods and aren't frequently pictured with weapons. For some gods (such as gods of love, wisdom, and similar spheres) it's hard to imagine them using a weapon at all.

Is it even a nesessary feature for a god to have?

 

[VirgilCaine]

I'm trying to make some Slavic deities to supplement the pantheon found in Frost and Fur and the biggest hurdle I find in making a 'd20' version is deciding the favored weapon. Most gods are not considered 'warrior' gods and aren't frequently pictured with weapons. For some gods (such as gods of love, wisdom, and similar spheres) it's hard to imagine them using a weapon at all.

Is it even a nesessary feature for a god to have?

Well, staves and daggers are always popular for those types.

 

[the Jester]

For a nonviolent deity you could go with the net.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

For a goddess of love / beauty, the good ol' openhanded slap (unarmed strike) tends to work, as well.

She's probably had to practice it against all those horrid, beastly Greek gods and their cheesy pickup lines.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Think of who in a D&D PC sense would worship them, and use that.

For instance, God of Love...if she's popular amongst elves, then perhaps the Longbow is a choice weapon for her (Cupid's Arrow and all that). If she's mostly worshiped by commoners in the home, perhaps unarmed strike would work (love's gentle caress, or the slap of an offended woman). Or think of something euphamistically (there's a reason love deity = staff or club, after all...), or of possible other associations joining with their main portfolio (deities of love often have naturalistic/fertility inclinations...perhaps druids worship them, meaning a scimitar would be prefered?). Perhaps she's associated with families, and thus defense of the home, and thus homeland defenders would associate with her, and if they're heavily armored fighters, perhaps shields would be important, or if they're wild barbarians, perhaps greataxes would be favored. If she's the nonviolent type, bolas, nets, saps, etc...though I think having a deity of love favor the sap is just asking for that old joke...

(What's the best pick up line you've ever heard?
"Does this smell like chlorophorm to you?")

In another example, God of Wisdom. Age = Wisdom. When you get old you need a walking stick. So walking stick = wisdom. Walking stick can be reasonably extrapolated to quarterstaff.

As far as nessecity, keep in mind the deities in D&D were designed and presented with PC's in mind. They're all designed to be used by adventurers, and 95% of adventurers probably use a weapon of some sort (the exceptions being some monks, who *are* a weapon of some sort), and adventurers who worship a god like to often emulate much of their equipment after the god. Mechanically, all a favored weapon does is provide you some proficiency if you take the War domain, so if the deity doesn't offer the War domain, it's not mechanically essential at all. And if your adventurers prolly won't choose the god, it's not essential. You may want to help them out by including other important things to their deity, and having them come accross/find use for them....nothing delights a the worshiper of a god of wisdom quite like a potion of Owl's Wisdom, and a potion of Eagle's Splendor probably helps out a god of love a lot. It just won't include a weapon, which is probably okay.

 

[Scotley]

True pacifists will be rare in a world where not only are there dangerous beasts, but also monsters. Most people have to hunt or at least slaughter domestic animals to survive, especially in a cold climate. I would think most deities would have at least some weapon aspect if their followers are to survive. Perhaps you could use items that have a non-weapon use like staff, scythe, sickle, flail, hand axe, hammer, a shepard's crook and pick. Also, some weapons are associated with hunting as well as war such as the bow, harpon, trident, gaff or spear. Certainly simple weapons would be more logical as well--dagger, club, or sling as well as some of the ones listed above. For the examples you sight--well Greek myth obviously has the bow for love, but I think you could justify no weapon at all for a god or goddess of love, especially if they have a pacifist bent. Or to take a 1e and quasi-historical stance they might use a blunt weapon so no blood would be spilled. Weapons that are particularly good at disarming foes might be a good approach as well. Weapons that do subdual or no damage like net, lasso, whip or even sap might work for you. I tend to think of Wisdom going with a staff, but I guess that might be a bit cliche. What would a wise man use? A reach weapon or missile weapon to stay away from foes. Maybe someone else will have a thought.

Scotley

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

The other time - apart from a War domain cleric - that a deity's favored weapon will come up is that some Prestige Classes mandate "Weapon Focus in Deity's Favored Weapon" - like the Divine Champion.

 

[Tonguez]

Donforget that the weapon rules also apply to grapples and rays - so maybe a love god has favoured weapon 'grapple', a winter god might want 'ray fo frost'.

Then of course is there any reason why it has to be favoured weapon? What about favoured armour or sheild and why can't my god of speed have a favoured animal 'Horse', or my goddess of love have favoured skill 'Bluff'?

 

[blargney the second]

I can imagine a god whose favoured weapon is touch or ray spells. If it's too broad, you could choose specific spells. ie Favoured weapon for a god of wisdom: Touch of Idiocy.

-blarg

 

[Jolly Giant]

Is it even a nesessary feature for a god to have?

There is a small number of spells that's tied directly to the deity's favored weapon; originally from Defenders of the Faith, but I believe I've seen them in a 3.5 book as well. Complete Divine, probably.