D&D General The Role and Purpose of Evil Gods

[Maxperson]

I agree with Chaosmancer here. The context of the domains being in the cleric section as functional subclass power they pic k, the acolyte background saying they need to pick gods but not mentioning domains at all, and this quote showing up in the appendix on gods I feel the natural way to take the quote is that acolytes and clerics need to pick gods from the list or the DM's selection and clerics need to consider their god's associated domains.

I do not feel the natural reading of the PH is that acolyte background rule requirements are hidden in reading a complex sentence in an appendix in a certain way.

"If you're playing a cleric or a character with the Acolyte background, decide which god your deity serves or served, and consider the deity's suggested domains when selecting your character's domain."

Since non-cleric acolytes do not otherwise select their character's domain I do not feel this establishes a 5e requirement for them to do so.

Acolytes don't select a domain in the same way a cleric does, but they do have to consider them. 5e has equated domains to religious sects and as priests of their god, acolytes will have to pick the sect(domain) that they wish to belong to in service to their deity.

 

[Mirtek]

Can Kelanen The Prince of Swords grant spells?

He was at least a allowed choice for clerics in Living Greyhawk. I guess someone would need to dig through the lore to see if it was ever stated where the spells of his clerics come from.

IIRC it was stated for one of his pals, fellow hero deity Murylynd, that the spells to Murlynd's clergy were provided by Heironeous.

 

[Mirtek]

AND has domains for the non-spellcasting acolytes(per Appendix B).

What purpose have domains for non-spellcasting acolytes? Domains are only relevant for spellcasting clerics

 

[Maxperson]

What purpose have domains for non-spellcasting acolytes? Domains are only relevant for spellcasting clerics

Looks like you're a few pages back. You'll come across my answer in a bit.

 

[Mirtek]

Looks like you're a few pages back. You'll come across my answer in a bit.

Yeah, the thread moves so fast if you're away for a few days. Anyway

Okay. YOU cut yourself off of a great RP tool. My acolytes won't.

The RP tool are the portfolios of the deity which are listed right after her name.

It's important for RP that Iuz is the god of pain and oppression and is CE. That he grants the death domain is superfluous for any character that does not get domains as a mechanical tool.

It adds nothing that "CE god of oain and oppression" doesn't already tell you

 

[Mirtek]

So interestingly enough, in 5e a god's domains ARE the portfolio.

Actually I believe that is a very unfortunate usage of the word "domain" in it's colloquial meaning while forgetting for a second that it's also a technical rule term with a different meaning.

So we're right back to "misstakes" in professionally published manuals

"When Tiamat drops to 0 hit points or dies, her body is destroyed but her essence travels back to her domain in the Nine Hells"

So Tiamat's portfolio is "Nine Hells"? And she even lives in her portfolio, that's very efficient at least

 

[Maxperson]

Yeah, the thread moves so fast if you're away for a few days. Anyway


The RP tool are the portfolios of the deity which are listed right after her name.

Portfolio = domains, though. If one is an RP tool, both are.

"All the domains over which a deity has influence are called the deity's portfolio." - PHB page 59

It's important for RP that Iuz is the god of pain and oppression and is CE. That he grants the death domain is superfluous for any character that does not get domains as a mechanical tool.

Pain and oppression are just descriptives for his death domain. If there were pain and oppression domains, he'd have those two. There aren't, so he gets death to be described as Pain and Oppression. He uses that domain to hurt and oppress others.

 

[Maxperson]

Actually I believe that is a very unfortunate usage of the word "domain" in it's colloquial meaning while forgetting for a second that it's also a technical rule term with a different meaning.

I don't see how they could forget it. It's literally the second sentence in the Divine Domains section. If it had been in the DMG or somewhere else in the PHB, I might agree with you. As it stands, there's little to no chance that it was forgotten when that sentence was written, especially in the context of the sentences around it.

So we're right back to "misstakes" in professionally published manuals

I disagree. There's virtually no chance that it was a mistake.

"When Tiamat drops to 0 hit points or dies, her body is destroyed but her essence travels back to her domain in the Nine Hells"

So Tiamat's portfolio is "Nine Hells"? And she even lives in her portfolio, that's very efficient at least

Different context and different location, but nice try

 

[Chaosmancer]

The real answer I already gave to you with the Tempus example. There is no need for all RP of a given Porfolio(domain) to be the same.

You are correct, all RP for a domain does not need to be the same. Because Domains are cleric subclasses.

By picking a sect he is automatically picking a domain and vice versa.

No, he is not. Because Domains are cleric subclasses. A sect is a sect. I can pick one, and not have the other.

Oh no. They blow your argument out of the water and now I bet you're going to go through some mental gymnastics to explain how their outright statement that sect = domain doesn't really mean that sect = domain.

Yep. Those were some gold metal gymnastics there, to which I counter with...

"Your choice might correspond to a particular sect dedicated to your deity. Apollo, for example, could be worshiped in one region as Phoebus ("radiant") Apollo, emphasizing his influence over the Light domain, and in a different place as Apollo Acesius ("healing"), emphasizing his association with the Life domain."

You can't win this.

You are right Max, I can't win when you refuse to even read what I wrote and consider it and instead scream "YOU ARE WRONG, I AM RIGHT!" as loud as you can.

 

[Maxperson]

You are correct, all RP for a domain does not need to be the same. Because Domains are cleric subclasses.

Not by RAW. By RAW they are the deity's portfolio as well, and therefore RP for everyone who follows a god, cleric, acolyte or other.

You are right Max, I can't win when...

You can't win when you try to refute what is clearly written by arguing that the designers are wrong with what they said.