D&D 5E What does it mean that a deity can have a different rank on a different world?

[Hexmage-EN]

Another bit on Tiamat. Ignoring for a second whether or not she's the same being as Takhisis, what exactly is her alignment supposed to be?

In 5th edition alone Tiamat is initially listed as Lawful Evil in the Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide, Chaotic Evil in The Rise of Tiamat, is referred to in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes as "a force of Chaos bound to a place of Law", and is again listed as Lawful Evil in Explorer's Guide to Wildemount.

 

[cbwjm]

Another bit on Tiamat. Ignoring for a second whether or not she's the same being as Takhisis, what exactly is her alignment supposed to be?

In 5th edition alone Tiamat is initially listed as Lawful Evil in the Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide, Chaotic Evil in The Rise of Tiamat, is referred to in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes as "a force of Chaos bound to a place of Law", and is again listed as Lawful Evil in Explorer's Guide to Wildemount.

I feel like they messed it up when making her CE in the adventure path but then never corrected it. If using her in my games I'm keeping her LE

 

[dave2008]

It probably hails back to Dragon #97, Deities and their Faithful. Here is my post (with a quote) from the another thread: Deities and their Faithful

Basically a gods power on a plane / world is relative to its worshipers on that world. The gods power on their home world is the some total of all their worshipers.

In the article gods get HP for each worshiper and "power" for each worshiper of their alignment.

 

[dave2008]

What is that (the different ranks on different worlds thing) even supposed to mean?

What it means is that it is up to you (DM). That is why Tiamat is always a greater god in my book (in not an overgod)

 

[dave2008]

I feel like they messed it up when making her CE in the adventure path but then never corrected it. If using her in my games I'm keeping her LE

IDK, they doubled down with that alignment in MToF and Descent. I thought they were making a nod to her RL origins.

 

[dave2008]

In 5th edition alone Tiamat is initially listed as Lawful Evil in the Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide, Chaotic Evil in The Rise of Tiamat, is referred to in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes as "a force of Chaos bound to a place of Law", and is again listed as Lawful Evil in Explorer's Guide to Wildemount.

Peronsally, I love this for several reasons:

• Implies alignment is a mortal construct and that it doesn't full pertain to gods
• Indicates different people see her differently which make sense to me.
• Indicates incomplete knowledge which is a good thing

 

[cbwjm]

IDK, they doubled down with that alignment in MToF and Descent. I thought they were making a nod to her RL origins.

Yeah, I saw that she was still chaotic evil in the avernus book and wondered if they just didn't correct it when she was added to the adventure, just did what was effectively a copy paste.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I think they've decided to go with CE for Tiamat, and I think it's a very bad decision.

She'll stay LE in my instance of the Multiverse.

 

[SkidAce]

As I have written before, I consider Tiamat as the Sumerian myths, a primordial force/overgod that rose from/is the sea from which all came.

Naturally this would make you assume she was Chaotic, which is in her nature. But, she has NO interest in the "Void/Far Realm" destroying everything, and she is the keeper of three of the tablets of destiny, so functionally she is "Chaotic Lawful Evil Neutral" in my campaign.

She is self centered, vain, greedy, etc in nearly every other aspect however.

 

[dave2008]

I think they've decided to go with CE for Tiamat, and I think it's a very bad decision.

But did they? As noted above she is listed as LE in three locations and CE in two. So what have they decided? I think they are leaving it up to us.