The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Deities and Demigods, 3rd Edition

Elton Robb

Deities and Demigods, the 3rd (well, really the 4th!) Edition was finally shipped into game stores and hobby shops yesterday and I managed to pick up a copy. Over the years, there were really four editions of this book that came out for AD&D (now Dungeons and Dragons®, Third Edition). Each contained various mythoi presented in AD&D terms for the Dungeon Master to use in his games. This book really has a strange history. I'll recap what I know.

Dieties and Demigods 1st Edition presented the mythoi of Native American Spirits, Central American Spirits, Egyptian Gods, Greco-Roman Gods, and so forth. It also contained the Call of Cthulhu mythos within it. Which would have been okay, except Chaosium rightfully got angry. And sued TSR, inc. for including the mythos. So TSR capitulated and removed any anything having to do with Cthulhu. And thus we have
Deities and Demigods 2nd Edition which was really a second printing. Only that the Cthulhu mythos was removed, and a special thanks going to Chaosium for using the Mythos was included. So, GMs who used the Cthulhu mythos in their (A)D&D game are technically doing it on their own. Now remember, this was during the Wild and Woolly Eighties. The time of Mothers Against Dungeons and Dragons and religious leaders attacking our hobby, saying that it was evil in every way. So TSR decided to remove any satanic influences from the 2nd Edition of their game that came out in 1990. Incidentally, a new book on Mythology for the (A)D&D game was released.
Legends and Lore was a third edition of Deities and Demigods , with the offending title filed off. The book provided DMs with a little more information on the Gods in each of the Mythos presented. Legends and Lore provided DMs with all the info in both of the Deities and Demigods editions in 2nd Edition terms. With information on new gods in some of the mythos. For instance, the Greco-Roman mythos now included Rhea, the great Nature Goddess of Bronze Age Caphtor (Crete). It also included a mini-campaign setting, the Arthurian Mythos. Now that TSR has been bought by Wizards and the decision that D&D should be made open, and that Roleplayers are also a mature and intelligent lot, we now have . . .
Deities and Demigods, 3rd (4th!) Edition. So, how does this cyclopedia compare with the other three?

The new version of Deities and Demigods is bigger, has more information than the first three editions, but the first three editions have more information than this one. So, what is in this book?
in

Introduction

The obligatory Introduction does present an overview of what the book contains. What Dieties and Demigods, the 4th Edition has is an overview of how Gods would fit in your games, how to make your own Pantheons, Four Pantheons of Gods: the Olympian [Greco-Roman Gods], the Pharonic [Egyptian Gods], the Asgardian [Norse Gods] and finally the Greyhawk Pantheons (the fact that they included only three real world mythologies disappointed me), and a section on how you, the DM, can take your D&D game to it's ultimate, power gaming scope. Godly Adventures. Sorry, Cthulhu Fans, but Cthulhu and the others of H.P. Lovecraft's mythos aren't included in this volume. But since you've already picked up the Call of Cthulhu D20 Roleplaying Game, you already have everything you need to include the Cthulhu Mythos (with Chaosium's blessing) in your D&D game.

Chapter 1 -- Deities in your Game

This chapter presents an overview on how Deities would work in your game, and how religion would be defined. Of course, this chapter is the one that most disappointed me. But it does well from a philosopher's point of view. It explains religion in fantasy terms, and provides you with ideas on how to handle the Divine and the Profane in your game. It provides ideas on how to build a pantheon for your World System, including the method WotC's RPG R&D Department (TSR) used to build the Pantheon for Greyhawk. It also returns back to the Manual of the Planes, on building a planar picture for your game.

Chapter 2 -- Deities Defined

This chapter goes to the trouble of defining Deities. But this is where the meat is! It describes the difference between a Greater Deity, an Intermediate Deity, and a Lesser Deity, how to use them in combat, and so forth. It also goes into Godly Feats, renamed Salient Abilities. These Salient Abilities are really combinations of several Epic Feats that will appear in the Epic Level Handbook that's coming out very soon. Here's some examples of these Salient Abilities:

Alter Form --- This describes the god's ability to change shape.
Arcane Mastery --- This describes the god's ability to prepare wizard spells without a spellbook.
Create Greater Object --- The ability to create a complex something seemingly out of nothing, like a planet (in my game, the Laws of Physics and Nature are Inviolable).
Divine Paladin --- the god is the epitome of everything that your standard Paladin stands for. finally . . .
Life and Death --- the god can kill any mortal creature, or bring it back to life.

The chapter also includes some new, Epic Level feats as well as mundane feats. Well, actually, you get a taste of the Epic Level feats if you don't have the Epic Level Handbook yet. These are feats that the gods might have. And finally, godly minions are presented, these include Celestials, Infernals, and their ilk.

Chapter 3 --- The D&D Pantheon

This chapter presents the Godly stats for the following deities: Bahamut, Boccob, Corellon Larethian, Ehlonna, Erythnul, Fharlanghn, Garl Glittergold, Gruumsh, Heironeous, Hextor, Kord, Kurtulmak, Lolth, Moradin, Nerull, Obad-Hai, Olidammara, Pelor, St. Cuthbert, Tiamat, Vecna, Wee Jas, and Yondalla. Each deific entry includes what the God stands for, which domains they cover, their dogma, and their Avatar stats. Each god is presented in full, living color, which I will explain my likes and dislikes in Art below. Also included is an overview of the Great Wheel of D&D Cosmology. Of course, that Cosmology is covered in The Manual of the Planes.

Chapter 4 --- The Olympian (Greco-Roman) Pantheon

This chapter presents the deific stats, domains, and dogma for Zeus (Jupiter), Aphrodite (Venus), Apollo (Apollo), Ares (Mars), Artemis (Diana), Athena (Minevera), Demeter (Ceres), Dionysus (Bacchus), Hades (Pluto), Hecate (forgotten by me), Hephaestus (Vulcan), Hera (Juno), Herakles (Hercules), Hermes (Mercury), Hestia (Vesta), Nike (no known equivalent), Pan (Faunus), Posiedon (Neptune), and Tyche (no known equivalent). Of course, these Gods and Goddesses are presented in full living color. The chapter also presents Greek Philsophy as a religion for your game as the Academy. Also, Olympian monsters like the Cyclops and the Fauns are presented. Although the fauns are already detailed in the Monster Manual as saytrs. Faun is the Roman word for saytr. Also, an Olympic Cosmology is presented for your game.

GamerGrrl ALERT! Warning: the Pictures of the Olympian Gods are presented in Olympic Proportions! That means that Zeus, Apollo, Hercules, Posiedon, Ares, Hades, Dionysus, and Hermes are 7 1/2 heads high and have ideal male forms. Incidentally, the Goddesses are 6 1/2 heads high, and have ideal female forms. Just remember that the Ancient Greeks felt that the human body was the ultimate work of art, and would glorify the nude human body. WotC, although under pressure of the Comic Book Code, has returned the favor in their depictions of Zeus, Hercules, Aphrodite, Hades, Dionysus, Hermes, Artemis, and Athena. They are covered, somewhat.

Chapter 5 --- The Pharaonic (Egyptian) Pantheon

This chapter presents us with the stats, domains, and dogma for the following dieties: Re-Horakhty (Horus-Ra, or Amun-Ra, depending on who you ask), Anubis, Apep, Bast, Bes, Hathor, Imhotep, Isis, Nephthys, Osiris, Ptah, Set, Sobek, and Thoth. Like the other two chapters, this chapter presents the Cosmology for the Pharaonic Pantheon as well. Also, new monsters such as the Minion of Set and the Greater Mummy are also in this chapter.

Chapter 6 --- The Asgardian (Norse) Pantheon

Finally, this chapter presents the stats, domains, and dogma for the following Norse deities: Odin, Aegir, Balder, Forseti, Frey, Freya, Frigga, Heimdall, Hel (or Hell), Hermod, Loki, Njord, Odur, Sif, Skadi, Surtur, Thor, Thyrm, Tyr, and Uller. This also includes the Asgardian Cosmology. Also the Einherjar, the Valkyries, and a new prestige class: the berserk (baresark) is provided.

Chapter 7 --- Other Religions

If you were expecting real world religions to be presented here, forget that thought. If WotC did include interpetations of Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, and other modern religions everyone would get angry at their interpetations (plus, it would be like, Copyrighting them!). So, they provide other fictious monotheistic, dualistic, and mystery cult religions. These include the monotheistic Sun, which has an Indian-themed picture of it's deity. The dualistic Following the Light, which includes Elishar, and Toldoth, an Olympian vs. a Cthulhu-like diety. And finally the Mystery Cult of Dennari.

Appendices

The Appendices include new domains and spells like the Darkness Domain, the Artifice Domain, and the Liberation Domain. The new spells include, but not limited to, Armor of Darkness, Blacklight , Bolt of Glory, Touch of Madness and Undeath to Death. They also include rules for Divine Ascension, a quick and dirty tactic to remove a Munchkin character from the game and turning him into a Quasi-Deity. Also, guidelines for Godly Adventures are presented. Yes, Godly Adventures. Its like taking your D&D game to the Outer Limits.

AR T

The art inside, like all Dungeons and Dragons 3rd Edition books, is in full, living color. There is a portrait of every god and goddess that is presented. However, some are quite questionable for me. For instance, the picture of Corellon Larethian is really weird. Is it a he, or a she? It's confusing. Also, Vecna is scary, since he is just a floating skeleton with one red eye and skeletous hand. But I was impressed with the pictures of Bahamut, although Tiamat seems a little unproportioned. Aphrodite's portrait is, uhm . . . how should I put this? Provocatively appropriate for what she represents? Sif's also stunning, and Athena's portrait is not what I expected at all. Especially when WotC would be fully in their rights copying the statue of Athena in the Parthenon. Residents of Nashville, Tenn. will fully understand what I mean.

Conclusion

So, do you need a pantheon of Gods for use in your game? Finding that Heironeous, Vecna, Obad-Hai, and the others are boring? Then Deities and Demigods provides all you need for your game. With rules on creating your own deities, advice on creating your own pantheons, spells, and running Godly Adventures! What more can a DM ask for? Although it is missing the Chinese, Native American, Central American, and other Mythoi, it is an invaluable resource for DMs looking for a mythology to use in their game. However, three of the Pantheons presented are in the Public Domain by virtue of being so old, its been so long since they were made up by their respective cultures. Although the book doesn't contain open content, I fully expect that the Olympian, the Pharaonic, and the Asgardian Pantheons will be made Open Content very, very soon. Just don't expect the D&D Pantheon to be ever open. Anyway, I give the book a Style rating of 5, and a Substance rating of 5. Despite the book missing the other mythoi included in the other three editions of the book.

Deities and Demigods
Deities and Demigods Capsule Review by Elton Robb on 13/04/02 Style: 5 (Excellent!) Substance: 5 (Excellent!) Deities and Demigods provides DMs with everything they need in order to make up their own pantheons. Also to take their D&D game to the Outer Limits of their imaginations. Product: Deities and Demigods Author: Rich Redman, Skip Williams, and James Wyatt Category: RPG Company/Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Line: Dungeons and Dragons Cost: $29.95 U.S.D. Page count: 224 Year published: 2002 ISBN: 0-7869-2654-6 SKU: 881650000 Comp copy?: no Capsule Review by Elton Robb on 13/04/02 Genre tags: Fantasy	Deities and Demigods, 3rd Edition Elton Robb Deities and Demigods, the 3rd (well, really the 4th!) Edition was finally shipped into game stores and hobby shops yesterday and I managed to pick up a copy. Over the years, there were really four editions of this book that came out for AD&D (now Dungeons and Dragons®, Third Edition). Each contained various mythoi presented in AD&D terms for the Dungeon Master to use in his games. This book really has a strange history. I'll recap what I know. Dieties and Demigods 1st Edition presented the mythoi of Native American Spirits, Central American Spirits, Egyptian Gods, Greco-Roman Gods, and so forth. It also contained the Call of Cthulhu mythos within it. Which would have been okay, except Chaosium rightfully got angry. And sued TSR, inc. for including the mythos. So TSR capitulated and removed any anything having to do with Cthulhu. And thus we have Deities and Demigods 2nd Edition which was really a second printing. Only that the Cthulhu mythos was removed, and a special thanks going to Chaosium for using the Mythos was included. So, GMs who used the Cthulhu mythos in their (A)D&D game are technically doing it on their own. Now remember, this was during the Wild and Woolly Eighties. The time of Mothers Against Dungeons and Dragons and religious leaders attacking our hobby, saying that it was evil in every way. So TSR decided to remove any satanic influences from the 2nd Edition of their game that came out in 1990. Incidentally, a new book on Mythology for the (A)D&D game was released. Legends and Lore was a third edition of Deities and Demigods , with the offending title filed off. The book provided DMs with a little more information on the Gods in each of the Mythos presented. Legends and Lore provided DMs with all the info in both of the Deities and Demigods editions in 2nd Edition terms. With information on new gods in some of the mythos. For instance, the Greco-Roman mythos now included Rhea, the great Nature Goddess of Bronze Age Caphtor (Crete). It also included a mini-campaign setting, the Arthurian Mythos. Now that TSR has been bought by Wizards and the decision that D&D should be made open, and that Roleplayers are also a mature and intelligent lot, we now have . . . Deities and Demigods, 3rd (4th!) Edition. So, how does this cyclopedia compare with the other three? The new version of Deities and Demigods is bigger, has more information than the first three editions, but the first three editions have more information than this one. So, what is in this book? in Introduction The obligatory Introduction does present an overview of what the book contains. What Dieties and Demigods, the 4th Edition has is an overview of how Gods would fit in your games, how to make your own Pantheons, Four Pantheons of Gods: the Olympian [Greco-Roman Gods], the Pharonic [Egyptian Gods], the Asgardian [Norse Gods] and finally the Greyhawk Pantheons (the fact that they included only three real world mythologies disappointed me), and a section on how you, the DM, can take your D&D game to it's ultimate, power gaming scope. Godly Adventures. Sorry, Cthulhu Fans, but Cthulhu and the others of H.P. Lovecraft's mythos aren't included in this volume. But since you've already picked up the Call of Cthulhu D20 Roleplaying Game, you already have everything you need to include the Cthulhu Mythos (with Chaosium's blessing) in your D&D game. Chapter 1 -- Deities in your Game This chapter presents an overview on how Deities would work in your game, and how religion would be defined. Of course, this chapter is the one that most disappointed me. But it does well from a philosopher's point of view. It explains religion in fantasy terms, and provides you with ideas on how to handle the Divine and the Profane in your game. It provides ideas on how to build a pantheon for your World System, including the method WotC's RPG R&D Department (TSR) used to build the Pantheon for Greyhawk. It also returns back to the Manual of the Planes, on building a planar picture for your game. Chapter 2 -- Deities Defined This chapter goes to the trouble of defining Deities. But this is where the meat is! It describes the difference between a Greater Deity, an Intermediate Deity, and a Lesser Deity, how to use them in combat, and so forth. It also goes into Godly Feats, renamed Salient Abilities. These Salient Abilities are really combinations of several Epic Feats that will appear in the Epic Level Handbook that's coming out very soon. Here's some examples of these Salient Abilities: Alter Form --- This describes the god's ability to change shape. Arcane Mastery --- This describes the god's ability to prepare wizard spells without a spellbook. Create Greater Object --- The ability to create a complex something seemingly out of nothing, like a planet (in my game, the Laws of Physics and Nature are Inviolable). Divine Paladin --- the god is the epitome of everything that your standard Paladin stands for. finally . . . Life and Death --- the god can kill any mortal creature, or bring it back to life. The chapter also includes some new, Epic Level feats as well as mundane feats. Well, actually, you get a taste of the Epic Level feats if you don't have the Epic Level Handbook yet. These are feats that the gods might have. And finally, godly minions are presented, these include Celestials, Infernals, and their ilk. Chapter 3 --- The D&D Pantheon This chapter presents the Godly stats for the following deities: Bahamut, Boccob, Corellon Larethian, Ehlonna, Erythnul, Fharlanghn, Garl Glittergold, Gruumsh, Heironeous, Hextor, Kord, Kurtulmak, Lolth, Moradin, Nerull, Obad-Hai, Olidammara, Pelor, St. Cuthbert, Tiamat, Vecna, Wee Jas, and Yondalla. Each deific entry includes what the God stands for, which domains they cover, their dogma, and their Avatar stats. Each god is presented in full, living color, which I will explain my likes and dislikes in Art below. Also included is an overview of the Great Wheel of D&D Cosmology. Of course, that Cosmology is covered in The Manual of the Planes. Chapter 4 --- The Olympian (Greco-Roman) Pantheon This chapter presents the deific stats, domains, and dogma for Zeus (Jupiter), Aphrodite (Venus), Apollo (Apollo), Ares (Mars), Artemis (Diana), Athena (Minevera), Demeter (Ceres), Dionysus (Bacchus), Hades (Pluto), Hecate (forgotten by me), Hephaestus (Vulcan), Hera (Juno), Herakles (Hercules), Hermes (Mercury), Hestia (Vesta), Nike (no known equivalent), Pan (Faunus), Posiedon (Neptune), and Tyche (no known equivalent). Of course, these Gods and Goddesses are presented in full living color. The chapter also presents Greek Philsophy as a religion for your game as the Academy. Also, Olympian monsters like the Cyclops and the Fauns are presented. Although the fauns are already detailed in the Monster Manual as saytrs. Faun is the Roman word for saytr. Also, an Olympic Cosmology is presented for your game. GamerGrrl ALERT! Warning: the Pictures of the Olympian Gods are presented in Olympic Proportions! That means that Zeus, Apollo, Hercules, Posiedon, Ares, Hades, Dionysus, and Hermes are 7 1/2 heads high and have ideal male forms. Incidentally, the Goddesses are 6 1/2 heads high, and have ideal female forms. Just remember that the Ancient Greeks felt that the human body was the ultimate work of art, and would glorify the nude human body. WotC, although under pressure of the Comic Book Code, has returned the favor in their depictions of Zeus, Hercules, Aphrodite, Hades, Dionysus, Hermes, Artemis, and Athena. They are covered, somewhat. Chapter 5 --- The Pharaonic (Egyptian) Pantheon This chapter presents us with the stats, domains, and dogma for the following dieties: Re-Horakhty (Horus-Ra, or Amun-Ra, depending on who you ask), Anubis, Apep, Bast, Bes, Hathor, Imhotep, Isis, Nephthys, Osiris, Ptah, Set, Sobek, and Thoth. Like the other two chapters, this chapter presents the Cosmology for the Pharaonic Pantheon as well. Also, new monsters such as the Minion of Set and the Greater Mummy are also in this chapter. Chapter 6 --- The Asgardian (Norse) Pantheon Finally, this chapter presents the stats, domains, and dogma for the following Norse deities: Odin, Aegir, Balder, Forseti, Frey, Freya, Frigga, Heimdall, Hel (or Hell), Hermod, Loki, Njord, Odur, Sif, Skadi, Surtur, Thor, Thyrm, Tyr, and Uller. This also includes the Asgardian Cosmology. Also the Einherjar, the Valkyries, and a new prestige class: the berserk (baresark) is provided. Chapter 7 --- Other Religions If you were expecting real world religions to be presented here, forget that thought. If WotC did include interpetations of Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, and other modern religions everyone would get angry at their interpetations (plus, it would be like, Copyrighting them!). So, they provide other fictious monotheistic, dualistic, and mystery cult religions. These include the monotheistic Sun, which has an Indian-themed picture of it's deity. The dualistic Following the Light, which includes Elishar, and Toldoth, an Olympian vs. a Cthulhu-like diety. And finally the Mystery Cult of Dennari. Appendices The Appendices include new domains and spells like the Darkness Domain, the Artifice Domain, and the Liberation Domain. The new spells include, but not limited to, Armor of Darkness, Blacklight , Bolt of Glory, Touch of Madness and Undeath to Death. They also include rules for Divine Ascension, a quick and dirty tactic to remove a Munchkin character from the game and turning him into a Quasi-Deity. Also, guidelines for Godly Adventures are presented. Yes, Godly Adventures. Its like taking your D&D game to the Outer Limits. AR T The art inside, like all Dungeons and Dragons 3rd Edition books, is in full, living color. There is a portrait of every god and goddess that is presented. However, some are quite questionable for me. For instance, the picture of Corellon Larethian is really weird. Is it a he, or a she? It's confusing. Also, Vecna is scary, since he is just a floating skeleton with one red eye and skeletous hand. But I was impressed with the pictures of Bahamut, although Tiamat seems a little unproportioned. Aphrodite's portrait is, uhm . . . how should I put this? Provocatively appropriate for what she represents? Sif's also stunning, and Athena's portrait is not what I expected at all. Especially when WotC would be fully in their rights copying the statue of Athena in the Parthenon. Residents of Nashville, Tenn. will fully understand what I mean. Conclusion So, do you need a pantheon of Gods for use in your game? Finding that Heironeous, Vecna, Obad-Hai, and the others are boring? Then Deities and Demigods provides all you need for your game. With rules on creating your own deities, advice on creating your own pantheons, spells, and running Godly Adventures! What more can a DM ask for? Although it is missing the Chinese, Native American, Central American, and other Mythoi, it is an invaluable resource for DMs looking for a mythology to use in their game. However, three of the Pantheons presented are in the Public Domain by virtue of being so old, its been so long since they were made up by their respective cultures. Although the book doesn't contain open content, I fully expect that the Olympian, the Pharaonic, and the Asgardian Pantheons will be made Open Content very, very soon. Just don't expect the D&D Pantheon to be ever open. Anyway, I give the book a Style rating of 5, and a Substance rating of 5. Despite the book missing the other mythoi included in the other three editions of the book.