Godbound

What is Godbound?

Godbound is like a combination of old-school D&D's mechanics with Exalted's conceit of newly-awakened demigods unleashed on a world that's falling apart.

It's by sandbox campaign writer Kevin Crawford, creator of Stars Without Number. Hope you like random tables!

Unlike many old-school games, Godbound powers are often way more narrativist in nature than its peers, which typically feature very explicit rules. This can allow for way more creative use of divine powers than is common in this type of RPG.

Characters

All Godbound characters have similar basic abilities reflecting their divine potential.

• Cannot benefit from stat-boosting or consumable magic items
• Fray dice: damage done to 1 minor enemy/round

Magic

Three types:

• Low magic spells
• Theurgic invocations
• Divine gifts & miracles

All Godbound have divine gifts, but those with a magical background may know Low Magic, & Godbound possessing the Word of Sorcery may know Theurgic Invocations.

Limits of Low Magic

• Spells can’t affect anything outside the sorcerer’s presence, at most out to the maximum range of their line of sight.
• Spell effects don’t last longer than the next sunrise, though their consequences can linger. Speeding a natural process such as healing produces a lasting cure, and subtle blessings or curses might last as long as a week.
• Spells can’t create permanent matter. Summoned objects disappear at sunrise, and conjured food and drink provides only temporary satiation.

Limits of Theurgy

• Takes time to learn each Invocation.
• Spontaneous Casting requires Effort
• Instant casting requires HP/HD or sacrifice(s)

Limits of Divine Gifts & Miracles

• Requires commitment of Effort, a limited resource all Godbound (& their major adversaries) possess.

Words & Gifts

• 6 points @ character creation, +1 point/level
• 1 point Lesser Gift, 2 points Greater Gift or another Word's Lesser Gift, 3 points new Word or another Word's Greater Gift
• All Words come with a granted power, often an ability score boost
• Words often overlap thematicaly with Cleric Domains (no surprise there)
• Defensive Gifts win against Offensive Gifts

Bad Guys

So what things can you use all these kewl powers on?

• Other Godbound
• Mortal Heroes
• Angels - want to get back at humanity for wrecking the world
• Eldritch Theurges - powerful mages
• Made Gods - construct predecessors of the Godbound
• Parasite Gods - Accidental recipients of divine energy gone wild
• Misbegotten: Experiments or Unfortunates
• Relicts:

Timeworn - survivors of lost realms Automatons/Brazen Legion Lusae - mutated survivors

• Shapeshifters - the Many-Skinned
• Spirits

Elementals - natural forces Eidolons - familial or locational Animas - artificial

• Summoned Entities
• Uncreated - horrific outsiders from outside the universe
• Undead

Lesser (unintelligent) Greater (intelligent)