D&D 4E In 4E Asmodeus will be a god!

[Glyfair]

From Christopher Perkins' blog:

In case you're wondering, Asmodeus won't be joining Orcus in the new MM because, as I previously hinted, the Lord of the Ninth is getting a promotion to god status in 4E. His holy (unholy?) symbol will be among those appearing in the Player's Handbook. I'm thinking we should get rub-on tattoos of the various holy symbols in time for next year's show. lol Also, I'm thinking how much fun it would be if R&D folks, myself included, actually ran some 4E D&D game sessions next year at Gen Con.

 

[(contact)]

They laughed at my cult when we got started, but who's laughing now!?!?!!!!!one

This will show those Erythnul guys.

 

[EricNoah]

The session I'm running tomorrow night features a cult of Asmodeus worshipers. I guess it's catching on!

 

[Alzrius]

Hrm, I don't like this... the whole point of Arch-devils is that they're as strong as gods without being ones, since gods have their own rules and politics. This isn't a good change as far as the scope of the planes goes. :\

 

[delericho]

Oh, please, no.

Asmodeus is the name of a demon in real-world mythology. To assign said being divine status, even in the context of the game, strikes me as inappropriate. In fact, I'll go one further: as a Christian gamer, I am offended by this decision.

WotC, please rethink this.

 

[thundershot]

No offense, but just don't use him. I didn't use the 3E gods that I didn't care for... I used Thor, Hecate, Aphrodite, and others in conjunction with the PHB ones I liked.



Chris

 

[A'koss]

Hmmm... I was never a fan of deity-fiend-lords myself. Asmo should be killable IMO.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I think Paizo's beaten them to the punch on this idea.

 

[delericho]

No offense, but just don't use him. I didn't use the 3E gods that I didn't care for... I used Thor, Hecate, Aphrodite, and others in conjunction with the PHB ones I liked.

Normally, I would agree absolutely. In this case, that will not work for me. This isn't a matter of some NPC I can just ignore or rewrite, or some rule I don't like... this is a matter of a demon from an active real-world mythology being assigned divine status. The notion makes me uncomfortable about the idea of picking up and using the 4e rules.

Please note that I am not some fundamentalist reactionary. I've never subscribed to the notion that D&D is somehow evil, or similar. And I was entirely comfortable with Asmodeus and the rest appearing in the game... provided they remained listed as Demons (or Devils, or Arch-devils, or whatever). That was all fine, just as long as they weren't gods. Change that as the default assumption and I have a very real problem.

 

[Glyfair]

Asmo should be killable IMO.

I agree 100%. Then again, I feel deities should be killable as well.

I'm not saying it should be easy, or even common. However, the "untouchable gods" doesn't fit my taste. Too many mythologies operate under the idea that the gods are vulnerable to mortals.