Summary
The worlds ofDungeons & Dragonsare filled with monsters, magic, wonder, and adventure, all guarded or observed by one deity or another. There is a wealth of varying gods and goddesses among the various pantheons, some of which might be recognizable, featuring names such as Osiris fromEgyptian mythology, or the Norse goddess Freya.
But there are also a plethora of original deities that are equally if not even stronger, with each race having their own selection of gods to look to for guidance, blessings, or serve as a paladin ora cleric.
9Tyr
Excels In Maintaining Law & Order
Tyr, otherwise known as the Maimed God for the visibile injuries to his eyes and hand, is one of the most powerful gods. Though he failed to protect the Tablets of Fate, hence his wounds, this does not deter the power at his absent fingertips.
Though blind, he is able to immediately see through invisibility, spot thieves, and detect lies, which fits well in his dogma surrounding upholding everything righteous and lawful. Any spells within the law sphere are tripled in power to better help him uphold the law. As a god of justice, he is not against doling out harsh punishments to those who step a toe out of line.
7Mystra
The Reigning Goddess Of Magic Itself
Though Mystra eventually met her end at the hands of Helm during the Time of Troubles, the goddess of magic is still no minor mantle, even if it was only donned for a short amount of time. Taking up the position after her predecessor sacrificed herself, Mystra took her role as the goddess quite seriously.
Whereas Mystryl favored change, Mystra believed order and balance were the way forward, becoming the manifestation of the Cosmic Balance. Her ability to cast many powerful spells only a minute apart, Mystra is, unsurprisingly, unmatched when it comes to wielding magic. Thankfully for Faerunians, she has no interest in waging war against mortals, as they would all fall at her hands.
6Lolth
Lords Over The Drow With Cruelty & Oppression
Those who dare step foot into the Underdark will behold all sorts of things that verge into the strange, as well as theoutright dangerous. Passing through a cave of glowing mushrooms might lead wanderers right into the midst of a drow ambush, who might just be the cruelest creatures one could have the misfortune of encountering, but they are no more cruel than the Spider Queen herself, Lolth.
Transformed into a half-spider hybrid after absorbing power,Lolth shaped and manipulated the drowin her own wicked and oppressive nature, resulting in a race that values tradition, strength, cruelty, and hierarchy. Any who fall beyond Lolth’s teaching suffer from her wrath and may become a dreaded drider — a drow spider hybrid monstrosoty — which is a sick sort of ironic fate.
5Bahamut
Has Strength Enough To Rival Tiamat
Even dragons have a god to call their own, and for the good metallic dragons, it is Bahamut. The only platinum dragon in existence, his existence is rare and forever threatened by his tyrannical sister, Tiamat.
Fortunately for Bahamut, he is a powerful deity, and one of the few gods who could potentially match her strength. Despite his aversion to combat and preference to use diplomacy, he is far more than capable of defending himself, with two separate breath weapons, a roar that could wither foes into dust, and a special breath that could heal or revive fallen allies.
4Vecna
Ascended To Godhood
Vecna is a household name inDungeons & Dragons, having appeared in various editions, campaign books, and works even outside ofD&D,such asDead by Daylight. He is one of the most popular villains to use in campaigns thanks to the quality of his character and just how much of a challenge he presents to even a strong and balanced adventuring party.
He began his life as a humanoid and rose to lichdom after years spent in the pursuit of immortality and greater power. He eventually ascended to the status of demi-god after amassing enough followers. It is rather admirable that he worked for his place in theD&Dpantheon, but this does nothing to right all the atrocities he has committed across the ages, and it does not detract from just how dangerous a foe Vecna is.
3Tiamat
A Fearsome, Five-Headed Dragon
One of the most feared and famed of allD&Dboss monsters is Tiamat, a dragon that has not only one head, but five heads of different colors, with the corresponding breath weapons to match. She had her moment in the spotlight in theTyranny of Dragonscampaign book, but her winged shadow has long loomed over all ofD&Dfor years now.
As an evil goddess, she is not the type to lend favor or boons to her followers, but she has still earned herself a devoted cult who would see their queen rise from her prison in hell. But, were she ever to escape, it would mean certain death for thousands at the hands of this dangerous and hateful deity. Her five heads would be more than enough to raze scores of villagers to the ground, and it would take the mightiest of heroes to send her back from whence she came.
2Tharzidun
A Mighty Threat Other Gods Fear
Tharzidun, otherwise known as the Chained God, is an evil deity whose villainy transcends the petty moral trappings of mortals, his nature so primal that it goes beyond all law and reason. His portfolio is that of madness, an infliction all his followers seem to share in.
He was not only evil, but greatly selfish, unsatisfied by the realization he would share the multiverse with other gods. Tharzidun wished to bethegod. The threat of his existence drew the attention of the other gods and primordials, who combined their efforts to bind him deep in the abyss, but those chains won’t hold him forever, and it is only a matter of time until he breaks free and spreads destruction across the entire multiverse.
1Lord Ao
Legendary Powers Even Among Gods
If there is to be a single contender for the strongest god among gods inD&D, that lauded accolade might have to be bestowed upon Lord Ao, the Overgod with power over all the others — even those fromother planesthan the one he rules.
He is one of the lesser known deities, his existence only coming to light among the denizens of Faerun because of his involvement in the Time of Troubles. His wrath was certainly something to behold, as he condemned gods to walk among mortals, leading many to be slain, and he uplifted mortals to fill the voids of godhood. But, this power over the gods is just a fraction of what Lord Ao can do, as he is also credited as the very creator of the cosmos.
