Weekly Wonders - Profiles of Divinity - Ares, God of War

What is War Good For? Absolutely Everything!

A strong pantheon of gods is a staple of most fantasy settings, and when it comes to deities, you can’t do better than the classics. Whether you want to worship them and earn their favor, or kill them and take their place, gods have a special place in the hearts of fantasy gamers. Each book in the Profiles of Divinity series takes a look at a single deity from an existing pantheon, and provides an assortment of new content that players and GMs alike can use to help that deity shine in their games.

This installment focuses on Ares, the Greek god of War. One of two Greek deities to share the portfolio, Ares focused on the more brutal and destructive aspects of war, embodying valor, might, and battle-lust, and presiding over carnage and slaughter. This book presents a new template for Amazons, a race of warrior women that trace their lineage back to Ares himself. It also presents four variations on existing cleric domains, providing new powers and replacement spells similar to a subdomain, but accessible only to the followers of Ares, and which flavorfully bring the domain more in line with Ares’ ethos. Finally, the book presents two new monster stat-blocks: the legendary and mythic birds of Ares (CR 11/MR 4), and even an avatar of mighty Ares himself (CR 25/MR10) for those foolish enough to challenge the God of War.