Ares, God of War

Medium deity (intermediate), chaotic evil

Armor Class 30 (Divine Armor of Ares)

Hit Points 500 (50d10 + 250)

Speed 60 ft.

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
30 (+10)	24 (+7)	28 (+9)	22 (+6)	18 (+4)	30 (+10)

Skills Perception +18, Intimidation +30, Athletics +30

Senses passive Perception 28, truesight 120 ft.

Languages All languages,

Divine Spellcasting. Ares is a 20th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 30, +22 to hit with spell attacks). Ares has access to all spells from the War, Destruction, Chaos, and Fire domains.

Divine Presence. Any creature within 120 feet of Ares that is attempting to flee or surrender must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 30) or become unable to flee or surrender from Ares for 24 hours.

Unstoppable Warrior. Ares can take two actions on each of his turns, and he cannot be stunned, paralyzed, or knocked prone.

Actions

• Divine Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +30 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 50 (10d10) slashing damage plus 25 (5d10) fire damage.
• Divine Fury. Ares enters a frenzied state for 1 minute, gaining advantage on all melee attack rolls and increasing his movement speed by 30 feet. He can use this ability once per day.
• Divine Shout. Ares lets out a deafening shout, causing all creatures within 60 feet of him to make a Constitution saving throw (DC 30) or take 50 (10d10) thunder damage and become deafened for 1 minute.

Abilities

Divine Weapon. Spear of Ares – This magical spear grants Ares an additional +3 to hit and damage rolls and deals an extra 2d10 piercing damage on a hit. Ares can also throw the spear up to 120 feet.

Divine Armor of Ares. This magical armor grants

Ares an AC of 30 and immunity to non-magical damage. Additionally, whenever Ares takes damage, the attacker takes 25 (5d10) fire damage.

Divine Blessing. Ares can bless up to 5 creatures within 30 feet of him. These creatures gain advantage on all attack rolls and saving throws for the next hour.

Divine Presence. Ares can use his divine presence ability to intimidate creatures within 120 feet of him. Any creature that fails a Wisdom saving throw (DC 30) becomes frightened for 1 minute. Ares can use this ability once per day.

Legendary Actions

Ares can take 3 legendary actions per round, choosing from the options below:

• Divine Strike. Ares makes a melee weapon attack.
• Divine Weapon. Ares throws his magical spear at a target within 120 feet.
• Divine Intervention. Ares can cast any spell he knows without expending a spell slot.

Lair actions:

• War Cry: Ares lets out a mighty roar, bolstering the morale of his allies and intimidating his enemies. All creatures within 120 feet of Ares that are allied with him gain advantage on attack rolls for one round. Enemies within range of the roar must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 30) or become frightened for one round.
• Flame Burst: Ares channels his fiery powers to create an explosion of flames, damaging all creatures within a 30-foot radius. All creatures in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 30) or take 50 (10d10) fire damage.
• Charge: Ares charges towards his enemies, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. Ares can move up to his full speed and make a Divine Strike attack against any creature he passes within 10 feet of during his movement.

Regional effects:

• Increased Violence: Areas dedicated to Ares or where his presence is felt may see an increase in violent behavior, with people becoming more prone to conflict and aggression.
• War-torn Landscape: Regions associated with Ares may show the scars of past wars, with ruined fortifications, burned-out villages, and other signs of destruction.
• Divine Blessing: Ares may bless his followers with increased strength and courage, making them more effective in battle. Worshipers of Ares may be more successful in warfare and combat, and may be more likely to seek out opportunities for battle and conquest.

The war god, famed for his red hair and hot temper, Ares is a pure fighter – bold, brash, a bit crude, and not terribly bright.

A Mythic Vistas Sourcebook for the d20 SystemWritten by Aaron Rosenberg

Used with permissiom from Palindrome

As seen in Palindrome thread at Dicefreaks

Ares is the god of battle, killing, and fighting. As the personification of the savage side of war, he is fond of strife, anger, and unrestrained bloodletting. He and Athena are rivals, but where she is careful and precise, he is rash and rough. Loves battle, and favors warriors who show strength and courage.

He wanders battlefields, watching the fighters and encouraging them toward acts of reckless. As such, he is not a very popular god, and is only worshipped by military nations. He has the power to inspire terror, hatred, and fear in the heart of any intelligent being daring, and then wades in himself to crush entire armies with a single blow.

Although he can change shapes at will, in his true form he is a large man with burning, hateful eyes and a permanent scowl etched across his mouth. Although fierce and warlike, Ares was not invincible, even against mortals. He’s is obstinate, hateful, quarrelsome, wicked, untrustworthy, jealous of his fellow gods, and easily offended.

Because he has so few worshipers, he is always looking for more. If called upon in battle, there is a 5% per level chance that he will send aid the beseecher. His help does not come without a price, however. After the battle, the individual that asked for help must become a worshiper of Ares. Transgressions against him are generally punished by swift death. Ares and Aphrodite are lovers.

Ares
fighter 35/Cleric 15/Warpriest 10
Medium outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar)
Divine Rank	14
Hit Dice	35d10 (fighter) plus 15d8  (cleric) plus 10d8 (warpriest) plus 840 (1390 hp)
Initiative	+21, always first (+13 Dexterity, +8 Superior Initiative)
Speed	90 ft., 450 ft. (run)
Armor Class	84 (+29 natural, +14 divine, +13 deflection, +13 Dexterity, +5 armor), touch 50, flat-footed 84
Base Attack/Grapple	+40/+56
Attack	Areoalgia +97 melee touch (1d6+39 plus +2d6 (unholy) and Fort save DC 40 or die and Fort DC 48 or 1d10 round stun/19-20/plus 1d6 (Overwhelming Critical) and Fort save DC 56 or die); or unarmed strike +75 melee (1d4+34/19-20); or spell +56 melee touch or +53 ranged touch
Full Attack	Areoalgia +97/+92/+87/+82 melee touch (1d6+39 plus +2d6 (unholy) and Fort save DC 40 or die and Fort DC 48 or 1d10 round stun/19-20/ plus 1d6 (Overwhelming Critical) and Fort save DC 56 or die); or unarmed strike  +75/+70/+65/+60 melee (1d4+34/19-20); or spell +56 melee touch or +53 ranged touch
Space/Reach	5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks	Domain powers, fear aura 1/day, implacable foe, inflame +8, rally, salient divine abilities, spells, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities	Divine aura (1400 feet, DC 34), divine immunities, DR 25/epic and adamantine, godly realm (10 miles outer plane, 1400 ft. Material Plane), greater teleport at will, Heroes’ Feast 1/day, mass heal 1/day, plane shift at will, remote communication, resistance (acid) 19, speak, and read all languages and speak directly to all beings with 14 miles, SR 76
Saves	Fort +60 Ref +53 Will +53
Abilities	Strength 43, Dexterity 36, Constitution 38, Intelligence 27, Wisdom 29, Charisma 31
Skills	Balance +47, Bluff+57, Climb +36, Concentration +74, Diplomacy +37 (+39 against evil creatures), Handle Animal +43, Knowledge (arcana) +33, Knowledge (history)+33, Knowledge (the planes) +48, Intimidate +94 (+96 against evil creatures), Ride +90, Search +42, Sense Motive +33, Spellcraft +42, Spot +52, Survival +57 (+59 find/follow tracks, extraplanar), Tumble +51
Feats	Chariot Charge, Chariot Combat, Chariot Sideswipe, Cleave (B), Combat Casting, Combat Expertise (B), Dodge, Empower Spell, Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Evil Brand, Extra Smiting, Extra Turning, Great Cleave (B), Greater Weapon Focus (B), Greater Weapon Specialization (B), Improved Initiative (B), Improved Overrun (B), Improved Sunder (B), Improved Unarmed Strike (B), Leadership, Mobility (B), Persistent spell, Power Attack (B), Run, Spell Penetration, Spring Attack (B), Weapon Focus (spear) (B), Weapon Specialization (spear) (B), Whirlwind Attack (B)
Epic Feats	Blinding Speed, Devastating Critical (B), Dire Charge (B), Epic Speed, Expeditious Metamagic, Improved Combat Casting, Improved Metamagic, Invoke Divine Wrath, Overwhelming Critical (B), Superior Initiative (B)
Salient Divine Abilities	Annihilating Strike (DC 40), Battlesense, Call Creatures (Fiendish Dogs), Call Creatures (Vultures), Control Creatures (Vultures), Divine Battle Mastery, Divine Blast (13/day, 24d12 damage), Divine Weapon Focus (spear), Divine Weapon Focus (unarmed strike), Divine Weapon Specialization (spear), Divine Weapon Specialization (unarmed strike), Divine Weapon Mastery, Irresistible Blows (spear), Mass Divine Blast (70 targets, or 1400 ft. cone, or 700 ft. burst/spread, or 700 ft. radius/140 ft. tall cylinder), Sunder and Disjoin (DC 29), Supreme Initiative, Tides of War (Unique Salient Divine Ability)
Environment	Olympus or Prime Material Planes
Organization	Solitary (unique) or Solitary and Hounds of Ares (Fiendish Dogs) or Ares and Eris, Psychopomp Kere’s
Challenge Rating	54
Treasure	Areoalgia, Ares’ Helm, Blood Plate
Alignment	Chaotic Evil
Advancement	—
Level Adjustment	–

Alter Reality (Su) Ares exerts a considerable measure of control over reality itself, and his presence can command the very essence of the world around him. This warping of reality manifested in a number of ways. Hecan use wish when doing so could help augment his combat potential, triumph in war, or cause bloodshed. Note that in the situation where Ares and another deity both try to Alter Reality in opposition to each other, an opposed rank check may be necessary to determine how reality is actually altered.

• Ares can use Alter Reality to cast any inflict spell at will as a standard action; Ares can apply metamagic feats to the spells if desired, but doing so requires him to forego using Alter Reality for 1 round for each level the feat would normally add to the equivalent spell.
• As a free action, he can assume any size from Fine to Colossal. Ares can also change the size of up to 100 pounds of objects he touches. This ability allows him to assume any proportions from the size of a grain of sand up to as much as 1,600 feet tall. A radical change in size can have great impact on Ares’ combat ability.
• His Strength, Armor Class, attack bonus, and damage dealt with weapons changes according to the size the deity assumes. Ares’ Strength score can never be reduced to less than 1 through this ability. Also note that use of this divine ability does not affect all of Ares’ characteristics.

Divine Immunities Ability damage, ability drain, banishment, binding, death effects, dimensional anchor, disease, disintegration, dismissal, energy drain, fire, imprisonment, mind-affecting effects, Paralysis, poison, repulsion, sleep, sonic, soul bind, stunning, Temporal Stasis, transmutation, Trap the soul, and turning and rebuking.

Divine Power Ares is a living embodiment of power, and ancient divine magic flows through his veins. As such, mortal items are of virtually no use to him, being so much weaker than his own innate powers. Ares reduces the benefit of a deflection, enhancement, resistance, insight, sacred or profane bonus granted by a spell or item by 14.

Domain Powers Casts chaotic and evil spells at +1 level; may smite 3/day with a +4 bonus and +25 damage bonus; gains Weapon Focus (spear) as a free feat.

Spell-Like Abilities At will: animate objects, blade barrier, blasphemy, chaos hammer, cloak of chaos, contagion, create undead, desecrate, disintegrate, dispel good, dispel law, divine power, earthquake, flame strike, harm, implosion, inflict critical wounds, inflict light wounds, inflict light wounds (mass), magic circle against good, magic circle against law, magic vestment, magic weapon, power word (blind), power word (kill), power word (stun), protection from good, protection from law, shatter, spiritual weapon, summon monster IX (chaotic and evil creatures only), unholy aura, unholy blight, word of chaos.

Ares uses these abilities as a 74rd level caster, except for chaotic and evil spells, which he uses as a 75th-level caster. The save DCs are 44 + spell level.

Tides of War (Unique Salient Divine Ability) Everyone who is currently engaged in fighting or conflict and on the same side that Ares has selected receives a +7 morale bonus to all attack and damage rolls if they are within 700 feet of him. As an expression of his fickleness, however, should he change sides in the middle of battle, all of his former allies are penalized by an equivalent amount whenever fighting for the rest of the day unless they succeed at a Will save 34.

– Possessions He wields the Areoalgia, a +5 unholy cold iron shortspear. In addition to the Areoalgia, Ares also possesses two items forged for him specifically by Hephaestus before he was caught in bed with Aphrodite by the God of Blacksmiths.

The first is an elaborately designed breastplate made of a unique red alloy that allows him a Ref save DC 20 + enhancement bonus to ammunition in order to Dodge ranged and thrown weapons (treat as +5 armor of infinite arrow deflection).

The second is Ares’ Helmet. As long as Ares wears his helmet, his eyes glow a baleful red and all who gaze upon his face must make a Will save DC 42 or else be affected by the spell confusion (cast at 35th level).

Other Divine Powers

As an intermediate deity, Ares may take 10 on any check, provided he needs to make a check at all. He is immortal.

• Senses Ares can see (using normal vision or Low-Light Vision), hear, touch, and smell at a distance of 14 miles. As a standard action, he can perceive anything within 14 miles of his worshipers, holy sites, objects, or any location where one of his titles or name was spoken in the last hour. He can extend his senses to up to five locations at once. He can block the sensing power of deities of his rank or lower at up to two remote locations at once for 8 hours.
• Portfolio Sense Ares senses any warfare or act of fighting that occurs up to 14 weeks into the past.
• Automatic Actions Ares can use any skill that aids him in combat or battle as a free action if the DC for the task is 25 or lower. He can perform up to ten such free actions each round.
• Create Magic Items Ares can create any kind of weapon or magic item worth less than 200,000 gp if it can be used in battle, spreads chaos, or causes destruction.

Clerical Spells (Sp) 6/8+1/7+1/7+1/7+1/7+1/5+1/5+1/5+1/5+1. Ares casts his clerical spells at 20th level and at 36th level for the purposes of Spell Penetration. Saving throws against Ares’ spells is 28 + spell level. The saving throw DC’s are Wisdom-based. Ares may also choose to use one of his daily turning attempt in order to invoke his wrath, doing 12d8 divine damage. Ares may also rebuke or command undead 17/day.

• Rally (Ex) If Ares is not suffering from a fear effect he can use this ability as a standard action. Allies within 60 feet who are suffering from any fear effect and car hear his voice are allowed an immediate Will save at the DC of the fear effect with a +10 morale bonus.
• Inflame (Ex) As a full round action, he can inflame the passions of his allies, providing them who Listen a morale bonus of +8 on saving throw against charm or fear effects. The effect lasts for 15 minutes after the speech ends, and Ares also gains the bonus.
• Mass Cure Light Wounds (Sp) Once a day, he may use mass cure light wounds as a spell-like ability cast at 20th level.
• Heroes’ Feast (Sp) Once per day, Ares may use heroes’ feast as a spell-like ability cast at 20th level.
• Fear Aura (Su) Once per day he can project a fear aura to a radius of 20 feet for 10 rounds. Foes must make a Will save (DC 30) or be affected as if by a fear spell.
• Haste (Sp) 3/day Ares may use haste as a spell-like ability cast at 20th level.
• Mass Heal (Sp) Once per day hecan use mass heal as a spell-like ability cast at 20th level.
• Implacable Foe (Su) Ares channels enough energy to allies within a 100 foot radius that they will continue to fight even after suffering mortal wounds. Using this ability is a move equivalent action and requires Concentration . While in use, allies within the radius who take enough damage to become disabled or dying ignore the effects of that damage and continue fighting. Death occurs instantly at -20 hit points. When the ability ends, either because Ares stops concentrating, fails a Concentration check, or becomes disabled or worse, then the full effects of all damage take effect immediately.

Avatars of Ares

Ares has no real pattern in terms of where and when he sends his Avatar. Instead, he looks for the largest fight that he can detect with his portfolio sensing abilities and sends an Avatar there in order to fight for a side at random; then, once the other side has been weakened, he switches in mid-battle to fighting against the original side he was on until as many people are dead as possible.

If it looks like a battle may be winding down, he will send a message using one of his spells to Eris so she can restart the conflict. Similarly, he will often arrive right before a battle starts and then send a message to Eris so that way she can start a battle with maximal carnage. Ares will never send an Avatar to help out any of his rare worshippers, regardless of whatever dire situation they may find themselves in. As far as he is concerned their deaths are their own problems. Avatars of Ares are always fully armed and armored with red glowing eyes due to the power of Ares’ Helm

Ares’ Avatar
fighter 20/Cleric 5/Warpriest 5
Medium outsider (chaotic, evil, extraplanar)
Divine Rank	0
Hit Dice	20d10 (fighter) plus 5d8 (cleric) plus 5d8 (warpriest) plus 270 (550 hp)
Initiative	+17 (+9 Dexterity, +8 Superior Initiative)
Speed	90 ft.,run 450 ft.
Armor Class	47 (+15 natural, +9 Dexterity, +8 deflection +5 armor), touch 27, flat-footed 38
Base Attack/Grapple	+30/+43
Attack	Areoalgia +50 melee (1d6+26 plus 2d6 (unholy)/19-20); or unarmed strike +44 melee (1d4+15/19-20); or spell +43 melee touch or +39 ranged touch
Full Attack	Areoalgia +50/+45/+40/+35 melee (1d6+26 plus 2d6 (unholy)/19-20); or unarmed strike +44/+39/+34/+29 melee (1d4+15/19-20); or spell +43 melee touch or +39 ranged touch
Space/Reach	5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks	Domain powers, fear aura, inflame, rally, salient divine abilities, spells, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities	divine aura (1400 feet, DC 18), divine immunities, DR 10/epic, greater teleport at will, mass cure light wounds 1/day, plane shift at will, resistance (acid) 5, SR 47
Saves	Fort +26 Ref +20 Will +16
Abilities	Strength 36, Dexterity 29, Constitution 29, Intelligence 18, Wisdom 20, Charisma 27
Skills	Balance +19, Bluff+23, Climb +16, Concentration +39, Diplomacy +20 (+22 against evil creatures), Handle Animal +23, Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (history) +14, Knowledge (the planes) +14, Intimidate +43 (+45 against evil creatures), Ride +42, Search +10, Sense Motive +10, Spellcraft +14, Spot +20, Survival +20 (+22 find/follow tracks, extraplanar), Tumble +29
Feats	Chariot Charge, Chariot Combat, Chariot Sideswipe, Combat Casting, Combat Expertise (B), Dodge, Enlarge Spell, Evil Brand, Extend Spell, Greater Weapon Focus (B), greater weapon specialization (B), Improved Initiative (B), Improved Unarmed Strike (B), Leadership, Mobility (B), Power Attack (B), Run, Spring Attack (B), Weapon Focus (spear) (B), Weapon Specialization (spear) (B), Whirlwind Attack (B)
Epic Feats	Blinding Speed, Epic Speed, Superior Initiative
Salient Divine Abilities	Divine Battle Mastery, Divine Weapon Mastery, Tides of War (Will save DC 18)
Environment	Any/underground
Organization	Solitary (unique)
Challenge Rating	29
Treasure	Areoalgia, Ares’ Helm, Blood Plate
Alignment	Chaotic evil
Advancement	—
Level Adjustment	–

Divine Immunities: Ability damage, ability drain, mind-affecting effects.

Domain Powers Casts chaotic and evil spells at +1 level; may smite 1/day with a +4 bonus and +10 damage bonus; gains Weapon Focus (spear) as a free feat.

Spell-Like Abilities 3/day: animate objects, blade barrier, blasphemy, chaos hammer, cloak of chaos, contagion, create undead, desecrate, disintegrate, dispel good, dispel law, divine power, earthquake, flame strike, harm, implosion, inflict critical wounds, inflict light wounds, inflict light wounds (mass), magic circle against good, magic circle against law, magic vestment, magic weapon, power word (blind), power word (kill), power word (stun), protection from good, protection from law, shatter, spiritual weapon, summon monster IX (chaotic and evil creatures only), unholy aura, unholy blight, word of chaos.

Ares’ Avatar uses these abilities as a 30th level caster, except for chaotic and evil spells, which he uses as a 31st-level caster. The save DCs are 18 + spell level.

• Clerical Spells (0th-4th level) (Sp) 6/6+1/5+1/3+1/2+1 Saving throws against Ares’ Avatar’s clerical spells is DC 15 + spell level. Ares’ Avatar casts his spells at 7th level. The saving throw DC’s are Wisdom-based. Ares may rebuke or command undead 11/day.
• Rally (Ex) If Ares is not suffering from a fear effect he can use this ability as a standard action. Allies within 60 feet who are suffering from any fear effect and car hear his voice are allowed an immediate Will save at the DC of the fear effect with a +5 morale bonus.
• Inflame (Ex) As a full round action, Ares can inflame the passions of his allies, providing them who Listen a morale bonus of +4 on saving throw against charm or fear effects. The effect lasts for 10 minutes after the speech ends, and Ares also gains the bonus.
• Mass Cure Light Wounds (Sp) Once a day, Ares may use mass cure light wounds as a spell-like ability cast at 7th level.
• Fear Aura (Su) Once per day Ares can project a fear aura to a radius of 20 feet for 5 rounds. Foes must make a Will save (DC 23) or be affected as if by a fear spell.

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