How to Pick a God

Religion is one of the most important aspects of Alter Aeon, but paradoxically also one of the least important. Having a god on game has one hugely important benefit: it makes recalling easier. However, all gods are equal in this regard, so the decision of which god you pick comes down to other less important factors. This said, you may still want to pick carefully when choosing your god.

Most gods grant the same minor perks such as occasional restores and god blesses, but some have temples and private areas usable only by followers, or priests that can heal and protect followers.

Some gods are very active and constantly on the game, while others are inactive or do not like to talk to anyone. Still others exist only for historical or nostalgic reasons and rarely if ever log in. The Alter Aeon website Pantheon of the Gods has a list of the current gods in the game, and may be able to give you information about which gods are the most active.

However, just because a god is inactive, does not mean that the god cannot be of value to you. Even inactive gods grant favor and take care of their followers; you just won't see them logged in much.

And now, on to some reasons and ways to pick the best god for you.

Though Alter Aeon is not primarily a role-playing mud, some players do role-play their characters. For role-players, the backstory and history of the god is often more important than other factors. The selection of a god can be an integral part of who your character is and what the character is all about.

For example, if you are playing a dedicated thief, you may wish to follow Shift, the Patron of Thieves. If your character is a potential druid or ranger (neither class exists directly in the game, but rather is approximated with skill and spell selections that support this play style), you might wish to follow Xandar, the God of Nature.

Some role-players may have difficulty finding a god that suits their character well. For a list of the gods and the some description of what they are and what they do, you may wish to take a look at the Alter Aeon Pantheon of the Gods web page.

Some players only care about one thing: "What's in it for me?" If you are a new player starting out on the newbie islands, the chances are that you won't see much difference between one god and another. However, not all gods are the same and some may give you more than others based on your playing style.

As an example of this, many gods have priests that cast spells on followers. These can range from simple bless and protective spells to more elaborate combinations of spells. Finding a god with the right kind of priests in the right location may make more sense than going with a god that simply restores followers regularly.

Another consideration is that some gods have waypoints dedicated specifically to worshippers of that god. Sometimes, these waypoints are very near remote areas and can make travel easier.

The best way to find out about these perks is through word of mouth. However, if you're an adventurous sort and like to create lots of characters, you can just try following different gods.

For many players, choosing a god is based purely on friendship. You will quickly notice that some gods are online more often than others, and that many of these will gladly talk to players who show a genuine interest in the game or in the specific topic being discussed.

Another good way to find out about a god before converting is to watch or ask on public channels (such as the 'gossip' channel.) Some gods even have dedicated public and private channels for their followers, and this is an excellent way to meet other players as well as your specific god. Talking or listening to gods when they are involved in public conversation will give you a feel for their personality.

Some gods play mortal characters occasionally as well, so you may have grouped with a god and never even known it. If you get a chance to group with the god in mortal form, you can learn things about the god you might never have known before.

To sum up, cultivate your relationship with the gods, and perhaps convert.

Regardless of the reason you pick a god, it's best to find a god that works for you early in the game and avoid switching gods unless you have a good reason. Converting to a new god takes a practice, which you do not get back if you renounce that god later. Also, to switch from one god to another, you must 'renounce' your current god, which can take a long time at higher levels. This can leave you without a god, making recall difficult and possibly causing you to miss out on other perks.

Also remember that most of the gods are first and foremost people: they are the administrators, builders, developers and arbitrators of the game. They have different personalities and have good days and bad days. Treat them with respect, and they can add a new dimension to the game for you.