Churches, Gods, Domains

[oogly54]

Churches, Gods, and Domains.

If Churches/Gods were added to the game, clerics would need to decide which church/God they belonged to, if they desired to belong to one at all. In ALL churches, healing supplies could be purchased. If a cleric goes to their church they get the items at a much reduced price. The God they worshiped would grant them a few minor spells to supplement there beliefs. In PnP these are called Domain spells. The "type" of cleric you are gives you benefits in the area of expertise. For example the God of the elements (dont know if that is an actual DnD God, just making up) could give your comet fall a +2 to DC. The Healing God, could give your heals improved HP. Etc. Etc. Etc. This is very similar to the focuses spell abilty, but given based on belief or worshiped God.

These churches could also provide benefits for other God fearing classes, such as paladins. The paladin may need to give a monthly stipend to support the church in return for some holy potion or enhancment.

There are a variety of tanks in the game, a variety of casters, why not a variety of clerics. (without splashig in another class)

[teddok]

The god are almost none existant in Eborron.

[Shadow_Flayer]

Turbine has started to introduce enhancements that relate to religious leanings: "Follower of the Silver Flame", "Follower of the Sovereign Host", "Follower of the Lord of the Blades", "Follower of the Undying Court", and "Follower of Vulkoor". You gain different abilities based on the number of action points you spend on them. As more levels and enhancements come, it is possible they will add more variety.

No gods in Eberron? Boy, the books have a bunch. Those in Thrane following the Silver Flame may disagree with you. As well as the Emerald Claw and other followers of Vol (not a god, but certainly a religion). The Dark Six and the Sovereign Host have a number of gods too. The gods in Eberron are different than the traditional DnD gods, but they are certainly there.

[Clawstorm]

The god are almost none existant in Eborron.

Translation: You can't go beat up Thor and takes his gear. =)

[teddok]

Translation: You can't go beat up Thor and takes his gear. =)

Hahaha
No, really. There is thoelogical (I know it's most likely misspelled. No need to point it out) debate about weather or not the gods truely exisit. The dont interact with the world the way they do in Forgetten Realms. And on a side not alot of the religian are repersented.... (there arnt many). I'll have to pull out my books when i get home then i can post em for you....(unless someone would like to do it for me).

[Cowdenicus]

Clerics have lost a bit in their implementation in DDO due to the loss of Domains. It has been brought up many times, (trust me on this) and I point it out all the time for the devs.

It is my opinion that leaving clerics without their domains is equivalent to not letting fighter types use their left hand..... but we cant do anything to reduce melee types in this game.

[Laith]

No, really. There is theological debate about whether or not the gods truely exist.

yes, there is. you'll notice many elements of eberron are more "realistic" as far as real history goes.

Gods are "unconfirmed" as far as their existance goes. "Distant" is the word used most often. When you cast spells to communicate with gods, you are generally left talking to an outsider.

churches (in eberron) don't sell healing. house J does that. of course, that doesn't mean they wouldn't supply their clergy (at a reduced cost even), it just means they don't make a business of it for the public.

that said, the enhancements have gone a long way to help out cleric diversity... and in mod5 their timers are getting shorter.

we all still want domains though.

edit: personally, i want a quest where the followers of the soverign host get back at the silver flame, but that's not really how they work.

[Dylos_Moon]

Turbine has started to introduce enhancements that relate to religious leanings: "Follower of the Silver Flame", "Follower of the Sovereign Host", "Follower of the Lord of the Blades", "Follower of the Undying Court", and "Follower of Vulkoor". You gain different abilities based on the number of action points you spend on them. As more levels and enhancements come, it is possible they will add more variety.

No gods in Eberron? Boy, the books have a bunch. Those in Thrane following the Silver Flame may disagree with you. As well as the Emerald Claw and other followers of Vol (not a god, but certainly a religion). The Dark Six and the Sovereign Host have a number of gods too. The gods in Eberron are different than the traditional DnD gods, but they are certainly there.

I just want to see a Follower of Vol enhancement line at least, SINCE I ALREADY HAD TO MULTICLASS FOR MY DOMAIN SPELLS! Seriously, Clerics of Vol get access to an Eberron Specific domain, the Necromancy domain which makes the True Necromancer Prestige class next to useless as you get command and control undead as domain spells at the appropriate levels.

[blakbyrd]

The god are almost none existant in Eborron.

I would guess, because the players themselves have turned into the gods...lol. And now with Mod5 (at level 14) we are to be facing someone with whom we must stop from becoming a deity (ie, on the very verge of becoming one, which is one very powerful and nearly immortal being). You;ll have to be near godlike to face a near god or deity...so what do the players need of a god when they themselves are so powerful anyways.

Anyways, this is mostly just in jest...although I think we are getting way yo tpowerful way to fast.

[blakbyrd]

In regards to the OP, I like this suggestion. We have started to see some alterations to things that suggest Turbine is slowly working into such areas. For example the fact that with enhancements cleric types and gain certain abilities or certain spells, either by class, enhancement choice or alignment choice. I am hoping that this is just the tip of the iceberg in what is to ultimately turn more into something like you suggest, and even possibly the beginning code aspects to start working in prestige classes and the like.

It appears the code has been slightly changing in this direction, and I hope the continue to work on it and further such efforts into more defined areas.

[teddok]

I would guess, because the players themselves have turned into the gods...lol. And now with Mod5 (at level 14) we are to be facing someone with whom we must stop from becoming a deity (ie, on the very verge of becoming one, which is one very powerful and nearly immortal being). You;ll have to be near godlike to face a near god or deity...so what do the players need of a god when they themselves are so powerful anyways.

Anyways, this is mostly just in jest...although I think we are getting way yo tpowerful way to fast.

It was put out a little while ago by the creator of Eborron that it would be unlikely for him to want to become a GOD cause if he did he would just disappear. Now attianing god like power's that's a different story altogther.

[Ghoste]

As far as clerics picking one deity and going to that specific temple for supplies: That is not the custom of Eberron. Most people who worship the Sovereign Host worship them as a whole, and temples are not built to individual members of the Host, but rather to all nine.

This generalization even applies to many, though not all, clerics of the Host. Some follow one specific god,some the Host as a whole.

Followers of the Silver Flame follow just the Flame. No mortal, not even the keeper of the Flame, has ever communicated with the Silver Flame itself. Instead they communicate with a paladin who merge with a couatl several centuries ago who has become "the Voice of the Silver Flame". As this implies, the religion of the Silver Flame is relatively very young.

As far as communication with the gods, as stated with the Silver Flame, it doesnt happen except through supernatural intermediaries. Occasionally a powerful cleric of the Host may be able to communicate with a heavenly intermediary, but not with an actual god. Powerful divine spells that would allow clerics to speak with their god in other campaign settings result instead in speaking with a powerful heavenly intermediary in Eberron.

Another point of note is that true clerics are rare in Eberron. The vast majority of priests are religious experts who possess no spellcasting ability at all. For this reason it is generally more difficult to purchase divine spells from churches, and usually more expensive as well (not always a monetary expense).

Sources: Eberron Campaign Setting
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20040705a

[Seneca_Windforge]

Turbine has started to introduce enhancements that relate to religious leanings: "Follower of the Silver Flame", "Follower of the Sovereign Host", "Follower of the Lord of the Blades", "Follower of the Undying Court", and "Follower of Vulkoor". You gain different abilities based on the number of action points you spend on them. As more levels and enhancements come, it is possible they will add more variety.

No gods in Eberron? Boy, the books have a bunch. Those in Thrane following the Silver Flame may disagree with you. As well as the Emerald Claw and other followers of Vol (not a god, but certainly a religion). The Dark Six and the Sovereign Host have a number of gods too. The gods in Eberron are different than the traditional DnD gods, but they are certainly there.

Well...maybe. If they are, they are certainly not very active in the day to day running of Eberron. Clerics don't even have to be of the same alignment as their deity in order to use divine magic. My theory? It's the strength of your faith that gives you the power, not the god...which in Eberron is a "distant patron" at best and may not even actually exist.

Amusingly enough, somewhere there is a reference to some primitive peoples in the campaign setting calling one of the Eberron gods "Garu Umesh the One Eye" which is clearly a reference to Gruumsh from the Greyhawk pantheon. Interesting, eh?

[Lillitheris]

yes, there is. you'll notice many elements of eberron are more "realistic" as far as real history goes.

Gods are "unconfirmed" as far as their existance goes.

Just like real life.

It's the strength of your faith that gives you the power, not the god

Just like real life.

I like the way Eberron handles religion. It would, undoubtedly, be ubah cool to interact with the actual deities, but the intermediary system is a lot more realistic. Well at least as realistic as possible when discussing religion in a fantasy game setting

Temples for each of the main religions. Now that would add a nice touch to the game. We already have Sovereign Host and the Silver Flame covered, just add a special Clerics/Paladins/Rangers only area Ã* la Portable Hole. Potion, scroll and wand vendors, a mail box and maybe all the appropriate trainers.

[blakbyrd]

It was put out a little while ago by the creator of Eborron that it would be unlikely for him to want to become a GOD cause if he did he would just disappear. Now attianing god like power's that's a different story altogther.

Well I would agree, however I am going on what the splash creen says. "The Rise of Stormreach's newest Diety". Sound like Diety status is just around the corner for that mob, with every intention of becoming one.

Not to disagree with you directly, but we all know the game doesnt directly follow all things of D&D and the Eberron setting. So when it comes down to believing an influencing factor of DDO or believing what the game itself states, I tend to choose what is stated by the game itself first, in regards to what is happening with the game.

Regardless, the point remains that the mob in question is not a diety yet, and since the purpose is to stop him, he will never become one anyways, so I guess it doesn't matter. But when something is stated in such a way that we are to face someone who is on their final stage of becoming a Diety...well, thats one very very powerful mob, and to me, and odd mob to be facing at level 14. But that is all fine and good, but what worries me is that we are to face a near diety at level 14...what does this leave for us to fight at levels 16, 18, 20?

At 14 we are to face a near diety...so whats the next step for 16? a real Diety? At 16? What comes at 18? a real god? at 20? what's left? multiple gods? I guess to me we are just getting to powerful...or maybe the Eberron setting has made dieties much less than they used to be and gods basically not what they used to be either. We're killing a full dragon at 10...currently we are now killing multiple dragons at 14 (where one should be almost an unbearable challenge), and now coming up the near diety still at 14. The scales just seem out of whack to me. However, the personal power available in the game has lead us to this point, but it just worries me as to what this is going to leave for the higher levels yet to come. We're nearing the god status already, yet stil have many levels left to go...how many things left are their over a Diety?

[Seneca_Windforge]

Well I would agree, however I am going on what the splash creen says. "The Rise of Stormreach's newest Diety". Sound like Diety status is just around the corner for that mob, with every intention of becoming one.

Not to disagree with you directly, but we all know the game doesnt directly follow all things of D&D and the Eberron setting. So when it comes down to believing an influencing factor of DDO or believing what the game itself states, I tend to choose what is stated by the game itself first, in regards to what is happening with the game.

Regardless, the point remains that the mob in question is not a diety yet, and since the purpose is to stop him, he will never become one anyways, so I guess it doesn't matter. But when something is stated in such a way that we are to face someone who is on their final stage of becoming a Diety...well, thats one very very powerful mob, and to me, and odd mob to be facing at level 14. But that is all fine and good, but what worries me is that we are to face a near diety at level 14...what does this leave for us to fight at levels 16, 18, 20?

At 14 we are to face a near diety...so whats the next step for 16? a real Diety? At 16? What comes at 18? a real god? at 20? what's left? multiple gods? I guess to me we are just getting to powerful...or maybe the Eberron setting has made dieties much less than they used to be and gods basically not what they used to be either. We're killing a full dragon at 10...currently we are now killing multiple dragons at 14 (where one should be almost an unbearable challenge), and now coming up the near diety still at 14. The scales just seem out of whack to me. However, the personal power available in the game has lead us to this point, but it just worries me as to what this is going to leave for the higher levels yet to come. We're nearing the god status already, yet stil have many levels left to go...how many things left are their over a Diety?

My guess? The guy is completely insane and isn't going to become a deity, no matter what he thinks. Really powerful, maybe, but not a deity.

[Ghoste]

No gods in Eberron? Boy, the books have a bunch. Those in Thrane following the Silver Flame may disagree with you. As well as the Emerald Claw and other followers of Vol (not a god, but certainly a religion). The Dark Six and the Sovereign Host have a number of gods too. The gods in Eberron are different than the traditional DnD gods, but they are certainly there.

That wasn't the point. Let me put it this way, other than the Voice of the Silver Flame, name someone in the whole history of Eberron who has ever directly communicated with any god. Their influence is clearly there, but also plenty room for people to question the source of that influence.

[Dingo123]

Don't give Clerics domains.

[DianWeiYan]

Oh come now, you all just want to make dwarven evasion battle clerics who worship Onatar so that they can cast firewall.

[Cowdenicus]

Don't give Clerics domains.

I used to think you were ok until you posted this.