I got to thinking. No one (to my knowledge) has every clearly defined what Virtual Divine Rank entails. So, I went ahead and created a definition for it that will be used with my Lords of the Nine, Demon Princes, and other Cosmic Entities.
I would appreciate any constructive criticism and/or feedback.
Thanks!
Virtual Divine Ranks and Cosmic Entities Defined
Characteristics
This section highlights the abilities and characteristics accessible to beings with virtual divine ranks (VDvR).
Unlike true deities, Cosmic Entities are not limited to 20 Outsider Hit Dice, or class levels. This added power often makes a being with virtual divine ranks appear significantly more powerful than a true divine being with an equivalent divine rank. In truth, a true divine being is probably slightly more powerful than its virtual divine counterpart due to its access to Salient Divine Abilities, wider array of immunities, and other strictly divine attributes.
Cosmic Entities and beings with VDvR determine their skills, feats, and the like in a manner identical to gods or epic mortals. And, although Cosmic Entities do not have access to Salient Divine Abilities, many have powers that rival these. It behooves one to check out specific templates for Cosmic Entities to determine what such powers may be.
Cosmic Entities have some or all of the following qualities, depending on their virtual divine rank.
Quasi Divine Rank: All Cosmic Entities do possess a divine rank of 0. As a result, they will gain certain elements associated with this rank. The characteristics discussed below for the powers based upon Virtual Divine Rank that supercede any benefits accorded to the Quasi Divine Rank.
Virtual Divine Rank Acquisition: Cosmic Entities and all beings with virtual divine ranks determine their status in the same manner. Virtual divine rank = ½ Charisma modifier + 3. Thus, Dispater, the Lord of the Second Hell, possess a virtual divine rank of 8 or (½ 10) + 3. Many Cosmic Entities receive bonuses to their virtual divine ranks under special circumstances. For example, Dispater, like all of the Lords of the Nine save Bel, receives an additional +3 to his Virtual Divine Rank in Dis or anywhere else in Hell allowed by his liege, Asmodeus.
Armor Class: Most Cosmic Entities determine their Armor Class as a mortal being. Many of the more powerful Cosmic Entities (like the Demiurge or the Seven Virtues), may have their AC determined in a manner similar to gods in the event of mortal ascension.
Attacks: Cosmic Entities do not treat a roll of "1" as an automatic failure. However, all Cosmic Entities must roll to perform attack actions.
Saving Throws: Cosmic Entities do not treat a roll of "1" as an automatic failure. However, all Cosmic Entities must roll to save.
Checks: Cosmic Entities do not treat a roll of "1" as an automatic failure. However, all Cosmic Entities must roll to perform checks.
Immunities: Cosmic Entities have many immunities, although most are associated with the specific type of Entity (template) rather than the virtual divine rank. See individual or Cosmic entity groupings to determine immunities.
Regardless of virtual divine rank, the vast majority of Cosmic Entities are susceptible to effects that imprison or banish them. Such effects include banishment, binding, dimensional anchor, dismissal, imprisonment, repulsion, soul bind, temporal stasis, and trap the soul.
All Cosmic Entities are immune to attempts turn and/or rebuke them.
Cosmic Entities are very resistant to certain kinds of Salient Divine Abilities (SDAs), as well as the "mundane" attacks of gods. When determining if a Cosmic Entity will be affected by SDAs, use their virtual divine rank to determine if they are immune or resistance to the god’s attack. For example, if Tiamat, a divine rank 10 god, were to attack the Virtue of the Sixth Heaven, a virtual divine rank 11 cosmic entity, Tiamat would find that the Virtue was immune to her Annihilating Strike as if he were a true god.
Cosmic Entities are partially resistant to Divine Blast, Divine Shield, Mass Divine Blast, and Area Divine Shield. When facing a god using any of these powers, the Cosmic Entity receives a Fortitude save to fend off attacks, or a Will save to breach the effect if the Cosmic Entity's virtual divine rank is equal to or greater than the divine rank of the god in question. In either case, the DC = 60 + the god's divine rank. Thus, if Tiamat were to attack the Virtue of the Sixth Heaven with a Divine Blast, the Virtue would gain a Fortitude save DC 70 to ignore the Blast. Likewise, if the Virtue of the Sixth Heaven were to attack Tiamat with his Celestial Glare, he would need to make a Will Save DC 70 to breach her Divine Shield.
Damage Reduction: A Cosmic Entity typically gains damage reduction in a manner unique to its type. However, without such a provision, the Entity has a DR of 35 + virtual divine rank/+4. In essence, the Cosmic Entity determines its damage reduction in a manner identical to that of a god.
Immortality: Not only to Cosmic Entities receive the benefit of possessing Quasi-Divine status, they also are not subject to death from massive damage (see Injury and Death in Chapter 8 of the Player's Handbook).
Communication: Cosmic Entities and beings with virtual divine ranks can understand, speak, and read any language, including nonverbal languages.
Realm: The power of a Cosmic Entity to manipulate its own realm is identical to that of a true god except the Cosmic Entity uses its virtual divine rank to determine the extent that it can affect said realm. Many Cosmic Entities receive bonuses within their own abode. For example, the Virtue of the Second Heaven, typically possessing a virtual divine rank 8, has a virtual divine rank 11 while in Mercuria and affects that entire layer of Heaven as if he were an Intermediate god. However, many Cosmic Entities are subject to their realms being affected by a greater being. For example, if the Virtue of Mercuria were to become Chaotic or Evil, it would be possible for the Supreme Virtue of Heaven to affect Heaven's Second layer (not to mention strip the fallen Virtue of his power and cast him out of Heaven).
I would appreciate any constructive criticism and/or feedback.
Thanks!
Virtual Divine Ranks and Cosmic Entities Defined
Characteristics
This section highlights the abilities and characteristics accessible to beings with virtual divine ranks (VDvR).
Unlike true deities, Cosmic Entities are not limited to 20 Outsider Hit Dice, or class levels. This added power often makes a being with virtual divine ranks appear significantly more powerful than a true divine being with an equivalent divine rank. In truth, a true divine being is probably slightly more powerful than its virtual divine counterpart due to its access to Salient Divine Abilities, wider array of immunities, and other strictly divine attributes.
Cosmic Entities and beings with VDvR determine their skills, feats, and the like in a manner identical to gods or epic mortals. And, although Cosmic Entities do not have access to Salient Divine Abilities, many have powers that rival these. It behooves one to check out specific templates for Cosmic Entities to determine what such powers may be.
Cosmic Entities have some or all of the following qualities, depending on their virtual divine rank.
Quasi Divine Rank: All Cosmic Entities do possess a divine rank of 0. As a result, they will gain certain elements associated with this rank. The characteristics discussed below for the powers based upon Virtual Divine Rank that supercede any benefits accorded to the Quasi Divine Rank.
Virtual Divine Rank Acquisition: Cosmic Entities and all beings with virtual divine ranks determine their status in the same manner. Virtual divine rank = ½ Charisma modifier + 3. Thus, Dispater, the Lord of the Second Hell, possess a virtual divine rank of 8 or (½ 10) + 3. Many Cosmic Entities receive bonuses to their virtual divine ranks under special circumstances. For example, Dispater, like all of the Lords of the Nine save Bel, receives an additional +3 to his Virtual Divine Rank in Dis or anywhere else in Hell allowed by his liege, Asmodeus.
Armor Class: Most Cosmic Entities determine their Armor Class as a mortal being. Many of the more powerful Cosmic Entities (like the Demiurge or the Seven Virtues), may have their AC determined in a manner similar to gods in the event of mortal ascension.
Attacks: Cosmic Entities do not treat a roll of "1" as an automatic failure. However, all Cosmic Entities must roll to perform attack actions.
Saving Throws: Cosmic Entities do not treat a roll of "1" as an automatic failure. However, all Cosmic Entities must roll to save.
Checks: Cosmic Entities do not treat a roll of "1" as an automatic failure. However, all Cosmic Entities must roll to perform checks.
Immunities: Cosmic Entities have many immunities, although most are associated with the specific type of Entity (template) rather than the virtual divine rank. See individual or Cosmic entity groupings to determine immunities.
Regardless of virtual divine rank, the vast majority of Cosmic Entities are susceptible to effects that imprison or banish them. Such effects include banishment, binding, dimensional anchor, dismissal, imprisonment, repulsion, soul bind, temporal stasis, and trap the soul.
All Cosmic Entities are immune to attempts turn and/or rebuke them.
Cosmic Entities are very resistant to certain kinds of Salient Divine Abilities (SDAs), as well as the "mundane" attacks of gods. When determining if a Cosmic Entity will be affected by SDAs, use their virtual divine rank to determine if they are immune or resistance to the god’s attack. For example, if Tiamat, a divine rank 10 god, were to attack the Virtue of the Sixth Heaven, a virtual divine rank 11 cosmic entity, Tiamat would find that the Virtue was immune to her Annihilating Strike as if he were a true god.
Cosmic Entities are partially resistant to Divine Blast, Divine Shield, Mass Divine Blast, and Area Divine Shield. When facing a god using any of these powers, the Cosmic Entity receives a Fortitude save to fend off attacks, or a Will save to breach the effect if the Cosmic Entity's virtual divine rank is equal to or greater than the divine rank of the god in question. In either case, the DC = 60 + the god's divine rank. Thus, if Tiamat were to attack the Virtue of the Sixth Heaven with a Divine Blast, the Virtue would gain a Fortitude save DC 70 to ignore the Blast. Likewise, if the Virtue of the Sixth Heaven were to attack Tiamat with his Celestial Glare, he would need to make a Will Save DC 70 to breach her Divine Shield.
Damage Reduction: A Cosmic Entity typically gains damage reduction in a manner unique to its type. However, without such a provision, the Entity has a DR of 35 + virtual divine rank/+4. In essence, the Cosmic Entity determines its damage reduction in a manner identical to that of a god.
Immortality: Not only to Cosmic Entities receive the benefit of possessing Quasi-Divine status, they also are not subject to death from massive damage (see Injury and Death in Chapter 8 of the Player's Handbook).
Communication: Cosmic Entities and beings with virtual divine ranks can understand, speak, and read any language, including nonverbal languages.
Realm: The power of a Cosmic Entity to manipulate its own realm is identical to that of a true god except the Cosmic Entity uses its virtual divine rank to determine the extent that it can affect said realm. Many Cosmic Entities receive bonuses within their own abode. For example, the Virtue of the Second Heaven, typically possessing a virtual divine rank 8, has a virtual divine rank 11 while in Mercuria and affects that entire layer of Heaven as if he were an Intermediate god. However, many Cosmic Entities are subject to their realms being affected by a greater being. For example, if the Virtue of Mercuria were to become Chaotic or Evil, it would be possible for the Supreme Virtue of Heaven to affect Heaven's Second layer (not to mention strip the fallen Virtue of his power and cast him out of Heaven).
