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Should D&D Gods Have Stats?

Started by RPGPundit, May 31, 2017, 03:28:23 AM

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RPGPundit

May 31, 2017, 03:28:23 AM
Do you want, even in high-level play, for D&D deities to have stats? Or do you think that this just reduces them to the level of monsters?
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abcd_z

#1
May 31, 2017, 03:30:47 AM
"If you didn't want us to kill it, you shouldn't have written stats for it!"

Marleycat

#2
May 31, 2017, 03:31:31 AM Last Edit: May 31, 2017, 03:34:26 AM by Marleycat
No. I dislike players being able to possibly kill them or deal with them as possible equals. So don't be dumb enough to stat them unless you can deal with your players killing them.
Don\'t mess with cats we kill wizards in one blow.;)

hedgehobbit

#3
May 31, 2017, 08:00:00 AM Last Edit: May 31, 2017, 08:08:52 AM by hedgehobbit
D&D gods are, and always have been, monsters.

To be more accurate, they are superheroes and supervillians with elemental themed superpowers.

finarvyn

#4
May 31, 2017, 08:08:18 AM Last Edit: May 31, 2017, 08:10:43 AM by finarvyn
I suppose that it comes down to the style of play desired.

 Moorcock has several examples of Elric and Corum dealing with "the gods" in his stories and if characters can interact with the gods then it makes sense that they would need stats. I've played OD&D for four decades and owned Jim Ward's Gods, DemiGods and Heroes supplement for roughly that entire time, and only one campaign was such that I had a player interested in dealing with the gods. G,DG&H was mostly a wasted resource otherwise.

So ... I'm pretty mixed on the issue. Stat 'em if you like; I won't use it much.
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Bloodwolf

#5
May 31, 2017, 08:10:08 AM
I prefer the way the RC D&D handles it: They are Immortals, a level which the pcs can ascend to (eventually and under certain circumstances).  Like other extra-planar beings, when killed anywhere except their home plane they are barred from returning for a specific amount of time.  They can only be permanently killed on their home plane.  AD&D gods are not statted tough enough when considering magic available to high level characters.

Omega

#6
May 31, 2017, 08:21:37 AM
Depends on the gods. Some were all too mortal and this can be statted out. Others are so powerful that nothing mortal can oppose them. And a few are in between. People with enough power can stand on the same level. And in some theres a odd transition where when on the mortal plane they are themselves less powerful and possibly even mortal or at least harmable with sufficient force.

So its a matter of what type you want?

Nerzenjäger

#7
May 31, 2017, 08:23:53 AM
If they are killable, or they exist in a domain, natural or supernatural, that players themselves can reach, yes, absolutely.
"You play Conan, I play Gandalf.  We team up to fight Dracula." - jrients

Willie the Duck

#8
May 31, 2017, 08:28:57 AM
Doesn't matter to me, just make them consistent. If the gods are just super-powered heroes and/or jerks who battle giants and go on wacky adventures, than sure, make them killable. If they are divine beings responsible for the upkeep of cosmic necessities, then they should be un-killable, but they should be sending heroes on those quests to battle giants and have wacky adventures.

jeff37923

#9
May 31, 2017, 08:41:56 AM
Yes. D&D Gods should have stats because everything in D&D is treated as a monster at some point during the game.
"Meh."

Dumarest

#10
May 31, 2017, 09:52:16 AM
Quote from: RPGPundit;965451Do you want, even in high-level play, for D&D deities to have stats? Or do you think that this just reduces them to the level of monsters?


No to the first question and yes to the second.

Dr. Ink'n'stain

#11
May 31, 2017, 09:53:49 AM
No. Avatars and demigods, yes, but not the gods themselves. They might be killable, but not just by punching them strong enough.

Then again, level 10+ D&D seldomly holds my interest anyway...
Castle Ink\'n\'Stain < Delusions of Grandeur

S'mon

#12
May 31, 2017, 10:10:58 AM
Stats are good but usually gods are just sent home to think again, as in the Illiad. Even Moorcock's Champion only defeated particular manifestations of Arioch etc.

Bedrockbrendan

#13
May 31, 2017, 10:53:13 AM
I think it is fine, but it is something that effects the game in a big way. If gods have stats, they can be killed or even restrained with a grapple depending on the edition. I think it works for certain kinds of campaigns. If I am doing something in the style of Journey to the West, I might want the players to be able to contend with the gods at a certain point. But it doesn't work for every campaign. If the gods are more distant and powerful and not something you expect PCs to be able to kill, they either shouldn't have stats or should have hefty immunities (even a blanket 'unless you are X level you cannot affect a god in any way' rule).

Christopher Brady

#14
May 31, 2017, 11:04:06 AM
Like all things, it depends on the type of game.
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