Putting That Magic Flavor on the Table: Hopelessly Devoted

    Everyone on the internet is aware of the gaming community's frustration with how Hasbro has handled the intellectual properties associated with Wizards of the Coast. In the wake of Magic: the Gathering's 30th anniversary and Dungeons & Dragons' impending 50th anniversary, I can't help but feel saddened that frustration over Hasbro's business decisions threatens to overshadow what should be a time of celebration in the hobbyist gaming community. 

    So I propose we take it back; No company is going to sour the good times I've had playing these games. I propose we celebrate the artists, writers, and designers that have crafted and cultivated the entertaining and evocative gaming experiences that captured our imaginations. Stemming from a desire to honor the creators and stick it to the profiteers, I plan to mine these games for flavorful ideas and mechanics and use that to season my Pathfinder second edition games.

    Magic: The Gathering's color pie is a monumental accomplishment in game design. The aspect of the game is remarkably efficient, providing flavor both mechanically and narratively. For my first attempt at public homebrew, I am going to try to serve some color pie at my gaming table.

 Devotion Alignment Rule Variation 

    Devotion Alignment would replace the alignment system in your game rules. In this variation, all alignment traits would be replaced by up to five color devotion traits: White, Blue, Black, Red, and Green. As in Magic: The Gathering, characters, objects, spells, places, and organizations can possess Devotion traits. elements of the game can possess any combination of color devotion to include no color devotion, or colorless.

    Across the myriad of cultures that habit the Sundered Cosmos, Alignment is a complex and nuanced combination of core values, world views, and life goals. Good or Evil are not monolithic entities that can be represented on two poles; each devotion below has the ability to manifest both good and evil.

    Devotion is a quick way to characterize an individual’s personality, morality, and predilections. Devotion is encompassed in five core values: Peace (white), Perfection (blue), Power (black), Freedom (red), and Acceptance (Green). These values are not mutually exclusive; however in characters, one tends to assert itself over the others these dominant values are the ones you identify as your character’s devotion.

Good Versus Evil

Devotion is designed to replace the alignment axis of Good Versus Evil and Law versus Chaos. Each devotion is susceptible to virtue and vice, and as such, there is no direct correlation between devotion and alignment. Each devotion can be applied to benefit the larger world and likewise can be twisted to cause great harm.

You can use alignment as effective but imperfect guidance to determine devotion. Generally Good alignment would be expressed as White devotion; Evil alignment would correlate to Black devotion; Lawful alignment would be Blue devotion; Chaotic alignment would be Red devotion; and Neutral Alignment could be expressed as Green devotion. These conversions represent the simplest translation of alignment into devotion, and you are absolutely encouraged to deviate from this.

Combining Devotions

Aligning oneself with multiple devotions reflects the complexity of a full-fleshed character. A starting character can select any of the five devotions or any combination of two devotions; over the course of adventuring a character may lose, add or shift devotions. The GM may give permission to select up to five devotions (five is generally not recommended). GMs are encouraged to present ethical dilemmas that bring multiple devotions into conflict.

Mechanically characters with multiple devotions are considered beings of each devotion. That means if an effect triggers against either part of your declared devotion, it triggers fully; this applies for both buff conditions and weaknesses.

The Color Devotions

Listed below are the five color devotions; each devotion description describes how these devotions typically interact.

• White has an affinity with Blue and Green and is rival to Black and Red.
• Blue has an affinity with White and Black and is rival to Red and Green.
• Black has an affinity with Blue and Red and is rival to White and Green.
• Red has an affinity with Black and Green and is rival to White and Blue.
• Green has an affinity with White and Red and is rival to Blue and Black.

Devotion Affinity

describes the other devotions that particular color is usually compatible with.

Devotion Rivalry

describes the other devotions that particular color is typically in conflict with.

    These elements are not absolute in that it is not uncommon for characters to adopt core values from rival devotions, and find themselves in bitter conflict with members of compatible devotions.

    You can use devotions prescriptively or descriptively. the behavior cues in these descriptions are intended to help players and GMs to role-play their PCs and NPCs; the descriptions are not intended to dictate character behavior. Unless specific anathema overrides, sporadic actions against devotion should not change a character’s alignment. Adding, losing, or changing a character's devotion should be a deliberate choice by that character’s player; character habits and continual behavioral choices make devotion changes an appropriate consequence of player choices.

Devotion and Allegiances

Party Composition

Player Characters are free agents there is no reason why any combination of devotions can't exist within a party; in fact, a more diverse collection of devotion traits may contribute to a rich role-playing experience.

Diplomacy, Intimidation checks, and running Influence

Sharing a devotion trait or possessing a devotion trait with an affinity towards an NPC represents sharing similar world views, goals, and motivations with that NPC. this can be mechanically represented as a +1 circumstance bonus to attempt to Influence, Make an Impression, or Request. Similarly, possessing a devotion trait that is rival to an NPC represents something that is a fear, aversion, or anathema to that NPC and makes them susceptible to Intimidation. this could be represented as a +1 Circumstance bonus to Coerce or Demoralize.

Devotion and Organizational Membership

As a Game Master, I would allow PCs to pursue membership in any non-religious organization they would like. Devotion affinities and rivalries can help build the membership of that organization.

Devotion and Religion

In order to take advantage of belonging to a religious order a character must share at least one devotion trait with that religion.

Conclusion

That covers my take on bring the color pie into a pathfinder 2e game. I think this is a good way to help your players create nuanced characters and grant GMs flexibility in preventing villains the party may have never encountered otherwise. What do you think? What are some ways you would bring the color pie into you're game?