So I have a general basis of what to do, but for a campaign I run I’m having a session where each is chosen by a deity and given abilities, and each deity either matches or contrasts the characters abilities and skills, but I don’t want them to have to paladin/cleric multiclass. Any suggestions?
You're the DM, you set the rules. You can decide that a player doesn't need to be a Cleric or a Paladin to be a champion of a god. It sounds like you're already giving them custom homebrew powers, which makes it simpler.
I think your best two options are to either homebrew magic items or homebrew feats that give the powers you want. No need to become a cleric or paladin, just “here you go” and job done
Check out the Piety system from Theros - there are versions for other lore/settings on DMsGuild. It has a really good framework for character-class-agnositic diety-given abilities.
So I have a general basis of what to do, but for a campaign I run I’m having a session where each is chosen by a deity and given abilities, and each deity either matches or contrasts the characters abilities and skills, but I don’t want them to have to paladin/cleric multiclass. Any suggestions?
Check out the Piety system from Theros - there are versions for other lore/settings on DMsGuild. It has a really good framework for character-class-agnositic diety-given abilities.
It sounds like these abilities are going to be given out to already existing PC's, which already have their own class and background.
So just give the PC's a custom blessing or feat. Matt Mercer did something like this for Critical Role
late in the Vox Machina campaign, where several characters became champions without being Clerics or Paladins.
I did a similar thing in a campaign I'm DMing, where the players received a blessing after restoring the religion of a fallen deity (whose leaders had been corrupted by the followers of a demon). I gave them each a once-daily Channel Divinity ability, and just let them pick from 3-4 options that I pulled from the various cleric and paladin subclasses, even though they were a rogue, and monk, and a fighter. I was a little worried that it would mess with encounter balance, which is why I hand-picked the options that they had to choose from (just as an example, Vow of Enmity seemed a little OP for a rogue with Sneak Attack) so I guess your results may vary, but it worked out fine in my group.
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So I have a general basis of what to do, but for a campaign I run I’m having a session where each is chosen by a deity and given abilities, and each deity either matches or contrasts the characters abilities and skills, but I don’t want them to have to paladin/cleric multiclass. Any suggestions?
Tell all before they start to create their PCs. Do not include X class.
You're the DM, you set the rules. You can decide that a player doesn't need to be a Cleric or a Paladin to be a champion of a god. It sounds like you're already giving them custom homebrew powers, which makes it simpler.
They are already a decent ways into the campaign, and I wanted this to be a sort of reward, or the gods taking notice of their power.
I think your best two options are to either homebrew magic items or homebrew feats that give the powers you want. No need to become a cleric or paladin, just “here you go” and job done
If they already have PCs created, then why can't they be this mix? Is one already that mix?
If no on is, ask them to not be that mix, if they already are, then not sure you can do anything to retroactive that mix.
Check out the Piety system from Theros - there are versions for other lore/settings on DMsGuild. It has a really good framework for character-class-agnositic diety-given abilities.
The Acolyte Background could be a solution.
1 of them uses a homebrew cultist subclass
Have a look at Blessings in the DMG. I think those were created for this sort of scenario.
There are also Charms, if you’re wanting the benefits to be temporary.
Feats or Magic Items might also be suitable rewards, depending on how impactful you want the benefits to be.
It sounds like these abilities are going to be given out to already existing PC's, which already have their own class and background.
So just give the PC's a custom blessing or feat. Matt Mercer did something like this for Critical Role
late in the Vox Machina campaign, where several characters became champions without being Clerics or Paladins.
Ill most likely do that
I did a similar thing in a campaign I'm DMing, where the players received a blessing after restoring the religion of a fallen deity (whose leaders had been corrupted by the followers of a demon). I gave them each a once-daily Channel Divinity ability, and just let them pick from 3-4 options that I pulled from the various cleric and paladin subclasses, even though they were a rogue, and monk, and a fighter. I was a little worried that it would mess with encounter balance, which is why I hand-picked the options that they had to choose from (just as an example, Vow of Enmity seemed a little OP for a rogue with Sneak Attack) so I guess your results may vary, but it worked out fine in my group.