Mystra, Torm, Shar…all those gods are great, but they’re just so…mainstream. Sometimes, you want to make a Dungeons and Dragons character that has pledged themselves to the most absurd religion possible. Justice, death, and agriculture are all noble causes, but won’t somebody think of the insects, or the oozes? Who’s making sure they get their dues?
You, that’s who. If you’re here, it’s because you want to add a little levity to your D&D pantheon. I am your deliverer, armed with an arsenal of strange DnD gods worth worshiping, whether you’re playing a Cleric or one of the other DnD classes.
Buckle in. It’s time to get weird.
Ghaunadaur
Ghaunadaur is the Lord of Slime, the god of oozes and abominations. Its avatar manifests as a giant purple slug, a giant tentacled roper, or (most disgustingly) an undefined but very sticky green substance. Eugh.
For Ghaunadaur, ‘chaotic evil’ isn’t just an alignment; it’s a mission statement. It’s as likely to reward worshipers with magical powers as it is to swallow them whole. Ghaunadaur’s favorite pastimes include eating ‘willing’ sacrifices and watching victims suffer at the hands of horrible monsters. It hates pretty much every other god, and it doesn’t even care that much for its own Clerics. The few churches that exist (mostly in the Underdark, though Ghaunadaur abandoned that domain when it decided it didn’t like Lolth anymore) are stinky and slimy places.
Why, then, worship Ghaunadaur at all? I like to think that the barrier to entry is lower than for other gods. Ghaunadaur doesn’t care what your resume looks like. As long as you agree to worship him, wear his favorite colors, and provide him with sacrifices, you’re in line for some magic boons. Provided you don’t get eaten, that is. High risk, high reward.
Blibdoolpoolp
Blibdoolpoolp deserves to be on this list for her silly name alone. She is one of the gods invented by the Kuo-toa, fish people of the Underdark who can create deities by believing in them hard enough. That fact on its own is pretty strange, but Blibdoolpoolp ups the weird by manifesting as a giant naked human with a lobster head and claws.
Why is she naked? Heaven knows, but probably not best to bring it up – Blidboolpoolp is paranoid, bloodthirsty, and prone to mood swings, so she might smite you for such a question.
Blibdoolpoolp is the patron god of the Kuo-toa, with some domain over the sea. Unless you’re playing a Kuo-toa (for which there are no official DnD races stats), you’re probably better of worshiping a sea god like Umberlee, who is just as chaotic and mean. Still, Blibdoolpoolp could make a compelling enemy for a D&D party – or a fun tongue-twister.
Chourst
Non-humanoids, it seems, get all the best gods. Chourst is a Slaad lord whose domain is, quite literally, randomness and whimsy. He’s so chaotic that his presence can, under the right circumstances, destabilize reality, causing land to warp and wild magic surges to erupt. Though he hasn’t much interest in amassing followers, this might be a prime deity for Wild Magic Sorcerers (or any truly chaotic neutral character).
Chourst is extremely unpredictable and impulsive, chasing after whatever whim strikes him in the moment, then swiftly switching his attention to something else. He has been known to wander off half-way through combat. One moment he will destroy a city, and the other he will stop to pet a cat. In fact, Chourst is so chaotic that he has been banned from Mechanus, the plane of true order, for causing too much havoc. Even those that admire and worship him give Chourst a wide berth for their own safety.
Chourst may seem malicious, insane, or even stupid, but he’s actually an intelligent and thoughtful being. He just can’t keep those thoughts in one place for too long.
Kiputytto
Kiputytto was a fairly normal god in comparison to most on this list. Known as the Mother of Plague, she was a chaotic evil demigoddess of disease. I say was, because Kiputytto died. Twice.
It turns out that Kiputytto was something of a copycat. The Forgotten Realms already had a goddess of disease, Talona, who literally goes by the Mother of Plagues moniker. Kiputytto challenged Talona for control of this domain, but she failed miserably – and got herself murdered for her efforts.
Later, during an event called the Second Sundering, several dead and forgotten gods returned. Kiputytto was among them, but she was almost immediately killed again by Moander, the deity of rot and corruption. Girl just can’t catch a break. Maybe she should be the goddess of losers instead. Personally, I think she’d be a great patron for the new Vestige Warlock that’s in playtesting, as she can be turned into a chaotic pet that follows you everywhere, hoping to somehow restore her former power.
Bralm
So far, all the gods I’ve talked about are native to the Forgotten Realms. Now we’re casting our eye to Greyhawk, who has plenty of weird gods of its own. First, there’s Bralm, goddess of insects. Other than her hyper-specific domain (perfect for Swarmkeepers and entomologists alike), she’s actually pretty regular.
When Bralm doesn’t feel like appearing as a giant wasp, a giant scorpion, or an Ankheg, she manifests as a middle-aged human with insect wings. She’s also the god of industriousness, and she’s a firm believer in order and hierarchy. She sees her followers as insects in a hive, who should find fulfillment in hard work and should listen to their betters.
This is a doctrine that can easily be twisted into oppression, making Bralm as likely to be worshiped by tyrants as she is by humble farmers hoping to protect their crops. As a typically lawful neutral deity, Bralm seemingly cares more about upholding the system than examining its effects.
Zagyg
Zagyg is the god of humor in Greyhawk, so worshiping him gives you the perfect excuse to tell Dad jokes at every D&D session. He’s also the god of eccentricity, occult lore, and unpredictability. Because of this, he rarely chooses a consistent avatar, though he’s almost always wearing blue and silver.
Zagyg is a loyal servant of Greyhawk’s god of magic, and despite his eccentricities, he always completes the quests he is set. He loves to create puzzles, and he forces his jokes on everyone he meets.
Despite his whimsical character, Zagyg is revered by many of the multiverse’s most powerful beings. He’s been known to travel with the wizard Mordenkainen, and Bigby is an avid admirer of Zagyg. The few worshipers Zagyg has enjoy humor and oddities, so he’s the perfect god for pretty much any quirky Bard.
Got your own strange god suggestions? We want to hear them over in the Wargamer Discord.