Divine Intervention

[KaiserKris]

In 5E DnD, Clerics have the ability to potentially call upon divine intervention once per week, with the chance of success set at equal to their cleric level. On success, it's suggested that any cleric or cleric domain spell would be appropriate. If you fail to use it, you can try again after a long rest (or the next day in a traditional RPG).

What do people think about clerics having an ability like this in C&C? I think that it has some interesting potential, especially since the chance of success is relatively small (20th level clerics get automatic success, but otherwise it's 19% or less). Given that you get one shot per day to try it and if it works, you can't do it again for a week, I don't see it being massively abused.

It feels flavoursome- the last-ditch desperate prayer of a cleric for direct divine intervention.

Thoughts?

[Treebore]

In 5E DnD, Clerics have the ability to potentially call upon divine intervention once per week, with the chance of success set at equal to their cleric level. On success, it's suggested that any cleric or cleric domain spell would be appropriate. If you fail to use it, you can try again after a long rest (or the next day in a traditional RPG).

What do people think about clerics having an ability like this in C&C? I think that it has some interesting potential, especially since the chance of success is relatively small (20th level clerics get automatic success, but otherwise it's 19% or less). Given that you get one shot per day to try it and if it works, you can't do it again for a week, I don't see it being massively abused.

It feels flavoursome- the last-ditch desperate prayer of a cleric for direct divine intervention.

Thoughts?

I've had some kind of God Call rule in my games pretty much since I started running games nearly 30 years ago.

[KaiserKris]

In 5E DnD, Clerics have the ability to potentially call upon divine intervention once per week, with the chance of success set at equal to their cleric level. On success, it's suggested that any cleric or cleric domain spell would be appropriate. If you fail to use it, you can try again after a long rest (or the next day in a traditional RPG).

What do people think about clerics having an ability like this in C&C? I think that it has some interesting potential, especially since the chance of success is relatively small (20th level clerics get automatic success, but otherwise it's 19% or less). Given that you get one shot per day to try it and if it works, you can't do it again for a week, I don't see it being massively abused.

It feels flavoursome- the last-ditch desperate prayer of a cleric for direct divine intervention.

Thoughts?

I've had some kind of God Call rule in my games pretty much since I started running games nearly 30 years ago.

]

How did it work when you did it? Percentage roll? Attribute check?

[Tadhg]

It sounds interesting. Can you give an example of how it works?

[Treebore]

GOD CALLS:

This rule is to be used when your character, or group, are about to die. IE to prevent TPK's and character death. Its a long shot, but I have seen it save a character and group from a TPK often enough to recommend remembering this when the party or your character is going down. Base 5% chance, Holy characters (Paladins, Clerics, Druid, etc...) add 1% per level. Generous contributions to holy institutions or causes can earn bonus percentage points. Only to the next God Call. They are lost regardless of success or failure."

[Treebore]

If they succeed, I basically get them out of the situation, without it becoming a win for them. I have often had the deity saving them give them a quest, donate a significant portion of their wealth, etc... So its not like they get out of dying without some degree of cost/payment.

[KaiserKris]

If I were running it, I think I'd take the "any clerical or clerical domain" spell as being a baseline more than a literal rule. The actual effect would be up to the CK/GM, but should be dramatic enough to save their bacon. Given that there's a fairly low chance of success and probably a relatively long time before it can be attempted again, it should be pretty memorable when it happens.

Also, that deity will likely expect some manner of recompense. Which can sometimes be inconvenient.

[Go0gleplex]

Like Tree, my groups have had God Call's in play for decades. Though it's a toss if they show up to help or annoyed about being bothered. And the more you use it, the more likely it is to incur the latter condition. It has generally been reserved to prevent TPKs.

Player had to formally invoke their deity, offering something of value increased the positive response chances. Started as a base 80% modified by situation, offering, etc. for the first call. For each call after, goes down 5%. Responses possible are; Positive- deity shows up, offers some sort of aid. Neutral- you have gotten the deity response hotline. Please hold and a divine representative will be with you as soon as they are available. or Negative- deity shows up annoyed with bad things likely to occur or sends a bit of lightening, etc. to vent their displeasure at the petitioner.

Our GMs have also used it to jerk someone's chain up short too in rare instances. Such as the one time a couple players were being disruptive >bleep< and one mentioned their deity in remarks. The GM took the opportunity to have the deity show up, awe everyone, and smack the idiot upside the head, literally, and told him to quit screwing around and do his job. It was actually hilarious the manner it was done in game and worked for a while.

[KaiserKris]

It's also worth nothing that there's a non-zero possibility that an evil cleric or zealous follower of an evil deity may invoke the same thing. Evil deities may want to preserve their more valuable servants too.

[Tadhg]

In 5E DnD, Clerics have the ability to potentially call upon divine intervention once per week, with the chance of success set at equal to their cleric level. On success, it's suggested that any cleric or cleric domain spell would be appropriate. If you fail to use it, you can try again after a long rest (or the next day in a traditional RPG).

What do people think about clerics having an ability like this in C&C? I think that it has some interesting potential, especially since the chance of success is relatively small (20th level clerics get automatic success, but otherwise it's 19% or less). Given that you get one shot per day to try it and if it works, you can't do it again for a week, I don't see it being massively abused.

It feels flavoursome- the last-ditch desperate prayer of a cleric for direct divine intervention.

Thoughts?

Can you give an example of how this works?

Thx.

[KaiserKris]

In 5E DnD, Clerics have the ability to potentially call upon divine intervention once per week, with the chance of success set at equal to their cleric level. On success, it's suggested that any cleric or cleric domain spell would be appropriate. If you fail to use it, you can try again after a long rest (or the next day in a traditional RPG).

What do people think about clerics having an ability like this in C&C? I think that it has some interesting potential, especially since the chance of success is relatively small (20th level clerics get automatic success, but otherwise it's 19% or less). Given that you get one shot per day to try it and if it works, you can't do it again for a week, I don't see it being massively abused.

It feels flavoursome- the last-ditch desperate prayer of a cleric for direct divine intervention.

Thoughts?

Can you give an example of how this works?

Thx.

It hasn't actually come up in play that I've ran- I've played some 5E, but not beyond about Level 7.

But what I'm told is that at any time, but in practice when the Cleric is in dire straits*, as a regular action, they can attempt to call for divine aid. They roll percentage dice and if the percentage is underneath their current cleric level, the Divine Intervention happens. They suggest any cleric or clerical domain spell as an appropriate result- including ones that are not "at level".

The 20th level class feature for the Cleric is that they can do this once a week automatically, rather than having to roll.

*= Usually not if the Cleric is in Dire Straits. If they're in Dire Straits, they get money for nothing.

[Lurker]

If they succeed, I basically get them out of the situation, without it becoming a win for them. I have often had the deity saving them give them a quest, donate a significant portion of their wealth, etc... So its not like they get out of dying without some degree of cost/payment.

GOD CALLS:

This rule is to be used when your character, or group, are about to die. IE to prevent TPK's and character death. Its a long shot, but I have seen it save a character and group from a TPK often enough to recommend remembering this when the party or your character is going down. Base 5% chance, Holy characters (Paladins, Clerics, Druid, etc...) add 1% per level. Generous contributions to holy institutions or causes can earn bonus percentage points. Only to the next God Call. They are lost regardless of success or failure."

I'd have to dig my old notes out to get exactly haw I did it in my house rules back in the day, but it is similar to Tree's ... The exact numbers may be off, but it is the same principal.

I thin base of 10%, plus another 10% if you were a holy character you got another 10%, and 1% per level, then additional for how well you have donated to the church, supported the gods or goddesses mission, and a bigger bonus if your call sounds like a good Psalm or something Homer would have put into his hero's' mouths, of if you offer an impaled geas as part of the call . Of course if the god call is successful, there WILL be a gease tied to it for everyone not just the one that made the call.

Hmmmm, reading that again I think the 10% start and increments for bonuses may be to high ... it may have been blocks of 5%; however, if the call was good enough (for roleplaying purposes) it was almost guaranteed ... I mean come on what god or goddesses could ignore a good Davidic flavored Psalm crying for help and showing the awe and esteem offered to the god, or a good Homeric soliloquy

[Tadhg]

Thanks for the replies, Kaiser and Tree.

Digesting . .

In my games, deities are huge and they are omnipresent. So, I just ask players to choose their gods and list them. I check 'em and use them in game from time to time to help them when an intervention is needed. I like this way as opposed to luck or fate points.

So, after we start - I don't mention anything further to my players with regard to their gods.

If they pray everyday and pay their respects - good things happen. Roleplaying can very much increase their chances to have divine assistance.

I don't penalize those that don't pray or call upon their deities (or dont' have them). Sometimes others good or lucky things can happen ~ a friendly cleric happens to pass by to help heal a wounded party, for instance.

Anyway, back to your posts. I'm interested in how others use divine intervention mechanically, even if I might not use that method.

Thx.

[Captain_K]

Our group started out so unlucky as to scare one to not letting them borrow one's dice in fear of eternal curse of the "1". We instituted both luck points and hero points. Both have been good at time, and bad at others. Adding luck points to any roll ahead of time is fine. Using a luck point to reroll a flubbed roll is iffy at best. Hero points can be amazing, or frustrating.

The idea that anyone gets a 5% chance to have their deity, or chain of good guys, help them is kind of nice.. but the abuse of each member of the party trying their roll to avoid TPK seem odd. I like druid, cleric, and paladin getting level bonus.. but I would split that into druid and cleric get level and any devote of any class could get half their level (Paladins always get it any other class must be equally devote).

[Fizz]

I like the idea of divine intervention a lot. But the exact mechanic is a bit tricky. The Dawnforge setting has a very good one (for its Disciple class). Dawnforge is d20 based, so would convert easily. Basically (and if i remember properly), the disciple makes an intervention check, adding his level (and maybe wisdom or charisma modifier). There are other modifiers too: the nature of the request, alignment, frequency, etc. The result determines how strong the influence that the greater power provides. So it is a bit unpredictable, but i think that's a good thing.

-Fizz

[Fizz]

GOD CALLS:
This rule is to be used when your character, or group, are about to die. IE to prevent TPK's and character death. Its a long shot, but I have seen it save a character and group from a TPK often enough to recommend remembering this when the party or your character is going down. Base 5% chance, Holy characters (Paladins, Clerics, Druid, etc...) add 1% per level. Generous contributions to holy institutions or causes can earn bonus percentage points. Only to the next God Call. They are lost regardless of success or failure."

This reminds of the Call Upon Fate ability from the Al-Qadim setting. Any character, in dire straits, can ask Fate (which is a power beyond the gods) for assistance. The odds are low, i think it was 20% - 1% per level (Fate favors the young). If Fate answers, you find a way to give you a chance to survive. Like if you were weaponless surrounded by hostile undead, Fate might provide by you tripping over a rusty sword buried in the sand.

I was DM'ing a game when one player attempted this. But he rolled a 00 on the percentile dice, which means Fate Turns Against You! So the dire situation became worse. Instead of the difficult situation he was in, a Roc swooped out of nowhere, picked him up and carried him out to sea. Heh. It was fun.

-Fizz