Richard Baker on Orcus and Deity Slaying

This was originally posted by Richard Baker in the The one and only "Ask the Realms authors/designers thread" 3 on Wednesday.

Maaaybe. We haven't statted up a deity for fightin' just yet. The toughest thing currently in the game is Orcus, who's around level 33 -- so he's a tough fight for level 30 characters. Of course, Orcus is about the toughest demon, and there are other demon princes who sit in the high 20's.

We've kicked around the idea that a greater god like Moradin could handle Orcus, but couldn't handle Orcus and Demogorgon together. Hence, the greater gods are cautious about picking fights with demons, because you never know if Demogorgon and Grazzt are hiding just around the corner, waiting to jump out and ambush you. That would suggest that Moradin (or any greater god, really) is maybe something like level 37 or 38. He's going to be out of the reach of even 30th-level PCs. That's why I said that taking on a god might involve a whole chain of epic quests to line things up just right--to find the weapon, the place, and the time where you catch a Bane or Shar at their weakest.

So, to sum up: Any high-epic party will likely do in an archdevil, exarch, or demon prince somewhere in their last four or five levels of adventuring, possibly even two or three if the DM sets up the adventures that way. But taking out a greater power is probably something you only do once, and even then, you only do it if the DM decides to make it the theme of the last big adventure your characters have as mortal heroes. It's hardly working your way through Deities & Demigods in alphabetical order.


Interesting explanation about epic opponents isn't it?
 

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Got to say I like it.

It means we can take on the gods, just not directly. Which I always liked, I have always liked the idea of mortals tricking a god into a situation where they have the upper-hand and demanding something from the god, or simply killing the god.

So thumbs up for me :)

I wonder though, if any of these 37-level gods will be stated out? Perhaps in a pantheon book?
 

Sounds like a good idea to me, as well.

Not sure about whether the gods should be statted out... if they're supposed to be "optional end-bosses", WotC is probably going to focus more on the archdevils, demon princes and exarchs in game-mechanical terms.
 
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*Nods* Personally doesn't matter to me too, if my players take down gods it will be in RP-terms not mechanics.

But, some groups given they have gained these "god-killing weapons" and various strategies, they will want to actually fight the god, so will need stats then.
 


Bah! Everyone knows that Demogorgon's tougher than that goat-faced upstart

If more arms = tougher, maybe ;)

As to gods, if they flesh them out, per se, they'll probably stat them as 30 solos and tell you to quest to get them that easy to kill.
 

Orcus level 33? Cool, that sounds about right. If the power ratio remains fairly constant, that would be like a DnDXP party going up against that black dragon. Very, very difficult but possible. Or somewhere in that ballpark.

A diety? I would like them to be given stats at some point, I imagine, like in a supplement. I think they should go ahead and do what was mentioned here and keep them level 38 or so. That would put them beyond the normal party and would require some special circumstances for a PC party to take them on.

BUT it would also give me, as a DM, the ability to have, say, Moradin, Orcus, Demogorgon, and a host of devils and angles all in one place having it out and the PCs caught up in the middle, tipping the scales one way or the other. Level 38 is well outside the range of a normal party but stats at that level would give me the tools to plop them down in an epic adventure somewhere and turn it into something memorable.

As a matter of fact, the most memorable adventure ever for my group was a 1E adventure with a Cloud Dragon and a lot of Gates and rolls on the random tables. We had so many Gods, Devils, Demons, Solars, and what have you in that fight that the combat itself took five sessions. We still talk about that one. If I could approach that again, that would be awesome.
 


Wow, if the toughest dwarf god is only 38, I'd hate to run into the Lady of Pain. :eek:

Anyone who can keep gods in check has got to be at the top of the food chain. I'd say she'd be at least lvl 40 if not 45 then, maybe even 50!! :uhoh: I remember when they first introduced her they said they'd never stat her out as they wanted her to give that awe of absolute power, so powerful no one could fathom how powerful she is.
 

I always thought the Lady of Pain was all powerful ... but only in Sigil. I thought she was just the baddest of the bad, there, but of unknown power elsewhere.
 

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