Bahamut, Paladeen, Fizban. These are just some of the names used by the God of Dragons. Bahamut is a key figure in the lore of Dungeons & Dragons, famous for being one of the very few CR 30 creatures in the game, too, and the only one who is canonically good.
He’s a great character to use in games, as he can guide and mentor your party into doing good things for the world, but adding a powerful deity who can solve all the problems is a tricky endeavor, and must be done with proper care. So, how can Bahamut play a role in your game without compromising it?
Keep Him On The Sidelines
He’s Not The Protagonist
This one may go without saying, but it’s also worth reiterating because doing this wrong is a campaign breaker. Bahamut is not the main character of the story, so don’t make him appear and solve everything.
You can come up with something, like maybe he’s trapped and is using his power to talk to the party, but given his personality, where he wants to see people do things and excel and learn from their actions, it makes sense to have him let the party solve problems, rather than solving them himself.
Disguise Him
Pull A Fizban On The Party
Fizban is a human disguise for Bahamut. This name might be famous to your players, so we recommend creating an original character in your campaign that is actually Bahamut in disguise, so the players don’t know who they’re talking to, at least initially.
He’s usually in a humble form, such as a simple beggar or old man, but as long as you keep his personality, feel free to take your own spin on his disguised form. Still, we recommend only revealing later in your campaign that Bahamut has been around all along.
Don’t Use Him Frequently
Make Every Appearance Count
Whether it’s this mysterious old man that keeps popping up somehow, or Bahamut himself, we also recommend making him a bit unavailable and only appearing when necessary or when he deems it worth it.
Having a way to talk to him whenever will make his appearances less special, and the players might start bugging him by asking him to just solve things, which might lead to funny conversations, but may also give them the wrong idea that Bahamut is being unhelpful.
Use Him As A Source Of Inspiration
Not As A Demanding God
Bahamut doesn’t tell the players what to do. Instead, if the players need his guidance, use questions to spark their creativity, like a professor does to a student. If the player asks what to do to solve a problem, ask them something like ‘what do you think should be done?’
Whether the party is committed to being their followers or he’s just helping out, Bahamut praises wisdom. He wants people to make their own decisions and lean towards good, but he won’t force you into it, as that wouldn’t make the characters actually good if they were forced to be.
Make Him Avoid Combat
He’s Not A Violent Guy
Another trait of Bahamut’s wisdom is that, despite his absurd stat block, he doesn’t enjoy violence. He’s capable of fighting, and we even recommend having him in a fight at some point during the end of the story, but he should still try diplomacy and avoid combat at all costs.
This doesn’t come from fear of pain, fear of hurting others, or even avoiding confrontation, but simply a desire to do good, which usually involves not being violent. You can also add that, if he ends up in a fight against someone who isn’t necessarily super evil, he can end the fight without killing them.
Make Him Humble
An Important Aspect Of Wisdom
Bahamut is not the type of god who announces himself with every title he’s ever received from mortals — he might not even have memorized those. There’s a reason his disguises usually involve being an old person or a beggar, after all.
In conversation, have him talk like commoner NPCs, without being pompous, exaggerated, or anything like that. For all he cares, he’s just one of the guys, even if he’s one with godly powers.
Make Him Lighthearted
Another Important Aspect Of Wisdom
Wise men tend to be more lighthearted. They value life, are content with their place in it, and stop to smell the roses. Thus, it’s okay to make him laugh, crack jokes, or even be a bit silly — not in an exaggerated way, as he’s not comic relief, but still.
Even if someone disrespects and insults him, he can opt to return these actions with kindness or humor, lighting up the situation. Or, if he really thinks this person is not worth his time, he can just ignore him. As stated before, avoiding violence is key here, and being lighthearted is one way to do it.
Make Him Fight And Test The Party
Are They Worthy?
Though Bahamut is not fond of violence, he enjoys a little sparring among friends. He’s more than okay to test his followers physically, so having a fight against Bahamut in your story actually makes narrative sense.
Because of his power, it’s more than likely that he’ll kick your players’ butts. If you do this, don’t evaluate their strength, but rather see how they face ultimate danger and a foe they can’t defeat, as well as where their values lie, making this a more narrative encounter rather than a real fight.
Reward Wisdom And Kindness
Being Good Is His Motto
As briefly stated above, Bahamut’s biggest concern among his followers isn’t strength, even if he recognizes the value of being strong. But his ultimate focus is to see if his followers are good people, as well as how wise they are.
Thus, if your players do something for the greater good, even to their detriment, or avoid a complicated and bad situation through cunning, it’d be a good moment to reward them. Maybe Bahamut can toss some magical items their way for those actions.
Add A Worthy Villain
If You Need Bahamut’s Help, It Has To Be A Serious Issue
Bahamut is only one side of this coin. If he, of all people, has decided to step up and help out this group of adventurers, then what in the nine Hells are your players even fighting against?
While the obvious answer could be Tiamat, given their history, any universal or even multiversal threat can fit here, like Asmodeus, any Demon Lord, like Orcus, or the likes of Vecna. Still, it wouldn’t make sense for him to show up when the bad guy is just a lich (no, that’s not a big deal for him).
- Original Release Date
-
1974
- Player Count
-
2+
- Length per Game
-
From 60 minutes to hours on end.
- Age Recommendation
-
12+ (though younger can play and enjoy)
- Franchise Name
-
Dungeons & Dragons
- Publishing Co
-
Wizards of the Coast
