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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AFGNCAAP" data-source="post: 1770270" data-attributes="member: 871">Here's another possible way to look at the issue of the divine powers:I went through I lot of time & effort trying to devise a pantheon.  Honestly, it was torturous, because I had a hard time trying to define the deities (for example, I could see why certain portfolios may belong to good or evil deities, but other ones [like the elements] were harder to pinpoint).  Plus, the way divine magic has been divided up class-wise also threw a monkeywrench in my plans.Until I decided not to define gods at all.The big premise in my default D&D setting is that divine spellcasters select a path of belief, rather than the patronage of a specific deity.  The deities themselves aren't restricted to just 1 path (for example Thor as a protector would belong to the Path of Good/Light, though Thor as a storm god would belong the the Path of Nature).Basically, divine spellcasters follow 1 of 4 paths of belief.  These paths are:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Path of Light/Good: Followers of the benevolent, these priests seek and praise the benevolence of the divine powers.  Consists of non-Evil priests who use positive energies, and similar folk (LG & CG paladins).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Path of Darkness/Evil: Practitioners of the malevolent, who ally with dark forces in order to gain personal benefit.  Consists of non-Good priests who use negative energies, and similar folk (LE & CE paladins).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Path of Nature: These priests focus on & revere the natural world in all of its' splendor & power.  Druids and rangers are the main followers of this Path, but some clerics follow its tenets as well.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Path of Magic: These priests focus on the mystical/spiritual/magical view of the world, seeking meaning in various forms, and trying to understand/unlock the secrets of magic.  All Mystic Theurges are priests who follow this Path.</li> </ul>All paths share access to certain domains (like Protection & Knowledge), but they also have domains that are exclusive to them (i.e., Magic domain for the Path of Magic, elemental domains for the Path of Nature, etc.).  Also, each path has its own multiclassing restrictions: only clerics of the Path of Light can multiclass as paladins; only clerics of the Path of Darkness can multiclass as blackguards; only clerics of the Path of Nature can multiclass as druids or rangers; only clerics of the Path of Magic can multiclass as sorcerers or wizards (and vice-versa).And there is a fifth, non-magical path of spiritual belief: a path based on self-improvment, education, and discipline.  This path is the one followed by monks.Though I do provide some names of deities & whatnot, what ultimately matters is the path of belief the character adheres to.  All religious edifices & whatnot focus on the paths rather than on individual deities.  Makes things a whole heck of a lot easier for me IMC.Just an idea I'd thoguht I'd share.</blockquote>

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