Thoughts on Avatars

[ColonelHardisson]

I've been thinking that it would be cool if there was a template that could be applied to a creature when a god was using it as an avatar. However, the more I consider it, the more extensive such a project seems to me. The reason is, you'd have to have a unique template for each god or force. It's not impossible, but it seems like an awful lot of work, and probably would end up being a book in and of itself.

Anyone have any thoughts about this?

 

[Crothian]

Well, you could have some general guidelines. For instance +10 to primary attribute, +6 to two secondaty, and +4 to the other three. Those numbers are very arbitrary of course. Or it could even be a factor of Divine Rank. You would have twice the Divine Rank to add as attribute bonuses, or somnething like that.

Bonus skill points and feats could be done the same way. I really wish they had number of ranks in the D&Dg, I think that would really help as well.

HD could be increased by a same number as the Divine Rank and become maximium. THen factor in the new Con bonus.

THose are just some ideas off the top of my head, any thoughts?

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hi ColonelHardisson mate!

I've been thinking that it would be cool if there was a template that could be applied to a creature when a god was using it as an avatar. However, the more I consider it, the more extensive such a project seems to me. The reason is, you'd have to have a unique template for each god or force. It's not impossible, but it seems like an awful lot of work, and probably would end up being a book in and of itself.

Anyone have any thoughts about this?

I have a few thoughts on the matter.

I treat all Divinity in Templated form. I have a number of poignant changes from Deities & Demigods.

The first is that I have seperated Hero-deity and Quasi-deity. The former is akin to Champions/'Chosen of'/Disciples/Heralds (call them what you will). Each is determined unique to the deity in question although there is an overall framework. A deity can support one per Divine Rank.

All created Avatars are Quasi-deities. The Avatars levels are half that of the deities manifestation.

Deities can also create Aspects of themselves. These are individual beings in their own right. Again with half the levels of the deity and ten less Divine Ranks - though they can then operate on their own volition (in fact they may not even be aware of their creator)

The elements you seem to require are both the hero-deity and the quasi-deity Templates.

The Hero-deity Templates are deteremined from the deities two Portfolios. So you can build them and even modify them as you see fit.

I have 46 Portfolios detailed in the Immortals Handbook (two of which: Object and Subject; are variable). So there are a lot of possible combinations.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Thanks for the answers, guys.

Is the Immortals' Handbook available?

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hello again ColonelHardisson mate!

Thanks for the answers, guys.

Is the Immortals' Handbook available?

Unfortunately I am at the mercy of the System Reference Document*. Until Deities & Demigods and the Epic Level Handbook are entered therein, the material can't be released.

*That'll teach me to try and make things compatible.

 

[Geocorona]

Avatar Templates

I think half a dozen templates should be enough to make it seem that avatars aren't all clones. Squeezing a set of basic gods through about 6 templates should yield more results than any one DM could use, especially if the stat conversion is done with widely varying formulas.

This doesn't seem like an impossible goal, especially if done as a team effort.

 

[Tonguez]

I always though half-celestial was the quasi-avatar template..

Get a Fighter 20/Scorcere 20 and add a celestial Template and tell me it isn't comparable to 'Aries' from the Hercules TV show

 

[BOZ]

any thoughts on my current gods project? look in homebrews for the draconic gods.

 

[Geocorona]

I always though half-celestial was the quasi-avatar template..

Get a Fighter 20/Scorcere 20 and add a celestial Template and tell me it isn't comparable to 'Aries' from the Hercules TV show

Building gods doesn't seem to be as hard as making them unique. The Celestial and Fiend templates are good guidelines, as well as the presentation template that BOZ posted.

 

[BOZ]

i have to agree there. the tricky part about creating gods with a template is that you DON'T want cookie-cutter gods. let's say i want to make two new orcish gods. if one is a god of baking bread, and the other is god of foot-sniffing, do i really want them to have the same basic stats? i mean, i would definitely want them to have some sort of Improved Scent ability, but of course i would want to make sure they are not indistinguishable.

silly example yes, but i hope ya get my point.