Last time I checked, there are 107 Gods in Dungeons and Dragons, which is a lot.
Saying who or what is the most powerful God in D&D is incredibly difficult with contradicting backstories, complicated bloodlines, and conflicting battles. Depending on a campaign, the most powerful God can change from Ao the overgod to a random beaver hidden at the bottom of a random swamp on Toril. So saying which God is the most powerful is like picking a favourite child - practically impossible.
Your DM will create a story that will decide who is the most powerful in that moment but that doesn’t mean the lore written over the years hasn’t created some people out there who are decidedly more powerful than others. If you are looking for a few ideas and are willing to debate it out with your Dungeon, here is the list of my top ten powerful Gods.
10. Bhaal
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Alignment: Neutral Evil
Worshipped by: assassins, murderers and the compulsive killers
Known as the Lord of Murder and generally hated by most other gods in the Pantheon, Bhaal in all his forms - mortal, deity, and quasi-deity, - lived to kill and hunt. There is nothing more important to him than his bloodlust, making him incredibly dangerous as he became more and more powerful.
As part of the Dark Three, Bhaal defeated one of the Seven Lost Gods on his quest to ascend to godhood, his prowess was so intense that when faced with his demise, Jergal offered up his realm instead of being slain by Bhaal’s sword - pretty badass.
Bhaal has many gifts, the most significant being his ability to shapeshift and his ability to foresee his death. This allowed him to cheat death when he was murdered by Cyric and reemerge to continue his bloodlust and rampaging.
His godly powers have allowed his followers to take on his monstrous forms and become great killing machines. He may be number 10 on our list but his power is not one to turn against.
9. Cyric
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Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Worshipped by: power hungry humans, previous worshippers of Bane, Bhaal and Myrkul, con-artists, sadists
It is very on-brand for the God of trickery to be known by multiple names but to his followers, Cyric is the only bond and tie they have, they are devoted to causing fear, strife and murder. To the other gods, Cyric is a wiley, power-hungry conman ready to steal your portfolio and generally ruin your day.
After murdering the Dark Three, a risky move, instantly making him an extremely powerful adversary, Cyric ascended to godhood, becoming the God of Murder, Strife, and Death. A selfish megalomaniac being like himself, killing 3 gods would never be enough so he continues his mission to kill as many gods as he could to take their portfolio - no wonder he is called the GodSlayer! His lust for power had made him a thorn in the side of the Pantheon, a true manipulator he tricked, used, and murdered other gods so much that countless times the groups of the Pantheon have teamed up to try and outsmart Cyric.
Cyric has as many gifts as he has lies, at one point he had portfolios of five different deities under his control. The eternal conflicts that would take place in his church fed his power and he used them to his advantage. Outside of the gifts he got from the other portfolios, Cyric can cause illusions and madness - striking fear in his victims.
8. Shar
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Alignment: Neutral Evil
Worshipped by: Miners, the blind, the mad, the depressed, and those who wish to forget
One of the most ancient gods in the Faerûnian pantheon Shar, Goddess of Darkness, is not someone you want to mess with. A disruptive, isolating, petty sadist, she has held probably the most portfolios ever over her millennia-spanning lifetime. Known as the Mistress of Night or Lady of Loss, she controls the darkness in the souls of people as well as the darkness in the universe. The complete counterpart to her sister Selûne, Shar terrifies me and should definitely scare you.
Dark and vindictive, Shar thrives on the pain and loss of all, especially her followers, seeking ultimately to destroy order and plunge the universe into the dark and shadows where she can rule over all. An independent queen, she allied with gods when she needed to, discarding them when she was done with them. A proficient spellcaster, her gifts were vast and varied but she is known for her song that drains her victims of their minds, memories and souls; and her kiss of control. One touch of her lips and you either become her faithful assistant or die. Not the best options out there. Her most significant power move was the creation of the Shadow Weave, dark magic that is a direct rival to Mystra’s Weave.
7. Selûne
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Alignment: Chaotic Good
Worshipped by: women, night workers, astrologers, and lovers of the moon
As ancient as her sister, Selûne is the Goddess of the Moon and a powerful being happy to strike with vengeance. Like the moon her mood changes depending on the day, she is caring and emotional but also flighty and vengeful. To her worshippers she is a forgiving mother, to her enemies she is wrathful and fierce. Her abilities and love for the people have her nicknamed Our Lady of Silver because she is always happy to give what she can.
Though she may be caring and motherly, she is an ageless ancient being and her abilities, usually hidden, are ferocious and powerful. Like her sister, she is a formidable spellcaster, and with one holy word can banish evil. Her famed abilities also include her aura of protection and her moon clairvoyance. Selûne’s army of faithful beings, from owls and dragons to lycanthropes and planetar servants, also allow her to tip the scales in many a battle or quest for her devoted worshippers.
Selûne for some is not the typical goddess to think of when thinking of those who are most powerful but she holds an ancient power that cannot be taken as swiftly as one can from Cyric or Bhaal. Locked in eternal battle with her sister, Selûne has avoided a true death unlike other gods and like the moon, her ability to flow and ebb has kept her powerful and a threat to anyone who goes against her.
6. Kelemvor
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Alignment: Lawful neutral
Worshipped by: those who accept death as a part of their journey
Once feared but now, for the followers of Kelemvor, death is inevitable but not the end. God of Death, his control over the ultimate destination in a person’s journey makes him all-powerful and truly terrifying. His ascension to godhood was paved with noble intentions and powerful battles, ending with the slaying of the GodSlayer himself Cyric. Kelemvor may be a newer god but his altruistic style and control over the Realms of Death made him a feared enemy and an opponent to the Greater Gods.
Not one to often walk the Material Planes, Kelemvor’s abilities are not well known by most. What is whispered about in the shadows are his abilities to shapeshift, target undead creatures and purge beings from the Ethereal Plane.
Holding the portfolio of Death makes Kelemvor a mysterious and dangerous foe to have. Mortals and the other gods are lucky that, for the Great Guide, dealing with the living is not one of his priorities. For necromancers and liches? I would say make sure to run the other way if you ever see Kelemvor the great God of Death.
5. Asmodeus
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Alignment: Lawful Evil
Worshipped by: devils and all evil cults in some form or another
The father of devilkind, Asmodeus is a mystery to all. God of Indulgence may be his title but the schemer and political master has existed since the conception of the multiverse, perhaps longer. The embodiment of true evil, he strives for the day that he can destroy the multiverse and remake it in his own image - a classic ultimate plan. For a being so ancient, the rumours and stories that surround him swirl into confusion - what is confirmed is his role as Lord of the Ninth, overlord of the Nine Hells, changing the landscape and those who reside in it however he wishes.
Similar to Shar, with his voice he can make any who hear him subservient to him for 100 days. With a look, he can steal your strength and confidence until you dread even thinking about attacking him. A proficient spellcaster Asmodeus’ powers know no bounds especially when in Hell.
What is most terrifying and powerful about Asmodeus is his innate ability to understand the consequences and rules dictating all and his diligence in his ultimate evil plan. He may not spend a lot of time in the Material Plane like Kelemvor and Aos, but he is a powerful deity with incredible patience - a horrifying combination.
4.Tyr
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Alignment: Lawful good
Worshipped by: Judges, knights
Not only a god to the Faerûnians, Tyr son of Norse gods Odin and Frigga travelled from his homeworld and submitted himself to Ao and the crystal sphere. A noble and strong leader, his church is one of the largest and most powerful within Toril. His power resides in his strong sense of justice and righteousness, unlike other gods lesser and greater, he can grant his clerics spells and gifts even across crystal spheres but his great sense of fairness means he will keep this hidden from others.
His abilities lie in creating magical items and sensing those who cause injustice in the world, though blind, his all-seeing abilities keep him strong and often one step ahead of other gods. The head of the Triad, Tyr surrounds himself with lawful good gods and creates strong bonds to fight injustices.
Though a humble god, Tyr’s power comes from his brutal strength and unwavering beliefs. To be on the wrong end of his sword is to spell out your own doom.
Mother of all Magic, Mystra is secretly the most powerful god in the Realmsphere, even the reason Ao is fearful of her and has her power shared with her Chosen and Azuth. The Mystra we know and love today was not always the great deity and Keeper of the Weave. After the Second Sundering and the restoration of the Tablets of Fate, powerful mortal Midnight was given the portfolio of magic and embedded into the Weave by Overgod Ao, making her the source of all spellcraft and virtually impossible to kill without the end of all magic once again.
Her power has been coveted by many and Cyric, with the help of Mystra’s greatest enemy Shar, attempted to murder her. This “death” caused the end of all magic across Toril for a decade until her Resurrection. For ten years, the gods and mortals were left abandoned by their magic and for many, this caused their doom.
To exist in Toril and the Forbidden Realms is to be part of the Weave, magic caster or not and to be part of the Weave puts you under the rule of Mystra. Her power knows no bounds and we are lucky she believes in a balance or else we’d all be in trouble.
2. Ao
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Alignment: unknown
Worshipped by: none or all
Creator of the Gods and bringer of life itself, Ao is the Overgod of Abeir-Toril and possibly further. His history like Asmodeus is shrouded in mystery, he was unknown to the mortals on Toril until the Time of Troubles and even then it was a shared secret.
To the other gods, Ao is aloof and punshining but occasionally he would bestow gifts to those who have shown great devotion to his master plan - what that plan is no one knows, maybe not even Ao himself. As the Overgod he has the ability to do whatever he wants and that can be seen when he casted all the gods out of heaven. He does not need or want worshipped unlike the gods beneath him but his power is linked to the gods, relying on them more so than he would like to admit.
Though the most powerful god without a single doubt, he does have a few weaknesses. His power is limited to Abeir-Toril and he cannot control gods or beings with links beyond the Realmsphere only sever their link to him.
With one thought, Ao can smite any being walking across the realms he has created. A true god of power.
1. Dungeon Master
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Alignment: unknown
Worshipped by: all those who know them
Though Ao may have created the world, your DM is the judge, jury, execution and everything else. Every step your merry band takes has been carefully crafted by the DM and the consequences are planned more intensely than Asmodeus could ever hope for.
Their power comes from the tears and frustrations they cause in their dungeon and they revel in the misery of each and every one of their adventurers. They may have their favourites but that can change as quickly as a roll of the dice so be wary.
No one will ever have ultimate control over you like the Dungeon Master so learn their ways and make sure your offerings are perfect.
A traveler to many realms, I dedicated my time to reaching the other worlds and telling their stories. A gamer and longtime lover of the world, I am excited to travel the gaming world further.
Gamer Since:
2009
Currently Playing:
His Master’s Pupil
Top 3 Favorite Games:
Avatar: The Last Airbender, Stardew Valley Bachelor Ratings (All Stardew Bachelors Ranked Worst To Best), Borderlands 2
