Marduk
At a Glance
| Pantheon | Mesopotamian, especially Babylonian |
|---|---|
| Divine standing | Greater deity |
| Temperament | Lawful Neutral (campaign interpretation) |
| Power | Kingship, cosmic order, magical protection, battle and divine authority |
| Babylonian genealogy | Ea/Enki and Damkina |
| Consort | Ṣarpanitum |
| Son | Nabu in later traditions |
| Rival | Tiamat in the creation epic |
| Sacred places | Esagil, Etemenanki, Babylon and the akītu-house |
| Emblems | Triangular spade and mušḫuššu |
| Relic | The Spade of Babylon (campaign artifact) |
| Worshipper domains | War, Knowledge, protection and campaign Kingship |
Marduk is Babylon’s champion: the god who defeated Tiamat, received fifty divine names and ordered the world. His sacred serpent-dragon still watches Babylon’s ruined gates, while the surviving rites of Esagil summon a power whom even kings must approach as petitioners.
What Is Happening Right Now?
In 1454 CE, blue-glazed tiles found in the ruins of Babylon have begun to sing the fifty divine names at dawn. Priests who gather the scattered pieces discover that each restores a fragment of an ancient gateway. One gate opens to a place of refuge; another is the door through which a prisoner of the first divine war could return. Marduk watches who restores them, and to what end.
In the court of celestial Babylon, the god hears appeals from dragon-guardians, the descendants of temple servants and rulers who wish to claim his name. He does not accept a crown as proof of virtue. A frightened city and its starving inhabitants are far more likely to draw his answer.
The God of Babylon
Marduk wears a high horned crown and carries a spade-shaped sceptre. He is not the serpent-dragon carved on the Ishtar Gate: the mušḫuššu is his sacred animal and guardian. A ruler can stand before his temple without seeing him; the sudden movement of a glazed dragon, an echo from an empty sanctuary or the weight of a spoken title may be the only sign of his attention.
His companions include the goddess Ṣarpanitum and the divine scribe Nabu. He prizes courage when it protects a city, but also the work of masons, healers and priests who preserve it. A careless victor who leaves civilians to die has misunderstood his patronage.
Tiamat, the Fifty Names and the New Year
In the Babylonian Enūma eliš, the younger gods grant Marduk supreme command when he agrees to confront the primordial Tiamat. He wins the battle, orders the cosmos from her body and receives fifty names expressing his powers. This is a Babylonian theological account: not every Mesopotamian city told the origins of the world in the same way.
Marduk is a son of Ea/Enki; Ṣarpanitum is his consort. Nabu was once presented as his minister and came to be honoured as his son. At Babylon, the god’s temple Esagil and tower Etemenanki dominated the sacred quarter. During the akītu festival, his statue was carried in procession and the city renewed its covenant with divine order.
His great symbols are a triangular spade and the snake-dragon mušḫuššu. His Babylonian identity is anchored in temples, ritual objects and the specific stories of his city.
Worship and Meeting Marduk
An elderly temple singer named Amat-Bēl keeps the prayers and procession music of Babylon in a bundle of reed cases. Her sanctuary shelters travellers, but it has no king’s treasury and no army. Worshippers leave bread, lamps and clean water, then help repair a broken wall or feed a household without protection.
Marduk appears most often through an oath, an entrusted guardian or a challenge that forces the powerful to defend those they claim to rule. He bargains clearly: protect the gate, return the sacred image, or admit an enemy into refuge if mercy is required. He will not pretend that every war can be won without loss.
Adventures at the Gates of Babylon
The Serpent of the Broken Gate
A painted dragon has escaped from a stolen blue brick and holds the doors of a river caravanserai shut against bandits and refugees alike. The characters can return its brick to Babylon, rebuild a new gate under its protection, or convince it that the helpless are not intruders.
The Absent Procession
Amat-Bēl needs the cult statue for the New Year rite. A river crew stole it from a buried temple, but they say the chamber beneath the statue imprisoned something that spoke in Marduk’s name. Recovering the image is simple; deciding what to do with its empty pedestal is not.
A Name Under the Esagil
A clay tablet containing one of the fifty names opens a sealed room below Babylon. A scholar insists the ancient prisoner inside is innocent. Nabu’s scribes want the door sealed. The party must investigate the prisoner’s account before deciding whose version of the first war to trust.
Companions, Realm and Relics
The mušḫuššu. The serpent-dragon is Marduk’s recognizable guardian and can serve as the temple’s herald. Its Bestiary entry describes the sacred guardian in detail.
The Spade of Babylon. The ceremonial spade is the symbol of world-ordering power. In the campaign, its artifact form serves defenders of gates and places of sanctuary; it does not create sovereignty over other people.
Celestial Esagil. In Marduk’s divine estate, stairways ascend through blue-glazed walls. A petitioner reaches the throne by carrying out an act of protection, not by presenting a royal pedigree.
Rules by Edition
These are original, unplaytested divine manifestations for epic campaigns, not official Challenge Rating or XP extensions. The ordinary mušḫuššu companion uses its own Bestiary rules and is not a second statted god. The relic appears separately in each edition panel.
Marduk — D&D 5.5e / 2024
Marduk, the Fifty-Named Victor
Huge Celestial (Greater Deity), Lawful Neutral. CR 36 (unofficial epic campaign estimate; no official XP); campaign proficiency +11.
AC 30 (divine armour); HP 1,025 (50d12 + 700); Speed 50 ft., Fly 90 ft. (hover).
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 (+13) | 24 (+7) | 38 (+14) | 32 (+11) | 34 (+12) | 36 (+13) |
Saves Str +24, Dex +18, Con +25, Int +22, Wis +23, Cha +24. Skills Athletics +24, Insight +23, Intimidation +24, Perception +23, Religion +22. Resistances cold, lightning, fire; physical damage from nonmagical attacks. Immunities poison. Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned. Senses Truesight 240 ft., Passive Perception 33. Languages all, telepathy 1 mile.
Legendary Resistance (5/day). A failed saving throw becomes a success. Magic Resistance. Advantage on saves against spells. Fifty Names. At the start of each turn, Marduk chooses one: allies within 60 ft. gain +2 AC; they gain Advantage on saves against fear; or his next hit this turn adds 13 (3d8) Force damage. The effect ends at his next turn.
Personal Spellcasting
Charisma; spell save DC 32, +24 spell attacks. Each spell uses the 2024 spell’s normal casting time, range, duration and Concentration. No material components; one Concentration spell at a time. Uses replenish at dawn. These are his spells, not his clerics’ domain spells.
| Spell level | Personal spell repertoire | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Light, Thaumaturgy, Guidance | At will |
| 1 | Command, Shield of Faith | 3/day each |
| 2 | Aid, Zone of Truth | 3/day each |
| 3 | Dispel Magic, Spirit Guardians | 3/day each |
| 4 | Banishment, Freedom of Movement | 3/day each |
| 5 | Geas, Wall of Force | 2/day each |
| 6 | Chain Lightning, Heal | 2/day each |
| 7 | Plane Shift, Symbol | 1/day each |
| 8 | Holy Aura, Sunburst | 1/day each |
| 9 | Gate, Wish | 1/day each |
Actions
Multiattack. Two Spade strikes. Spade of Babylon. Melee Weapon Attack +24 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target; Hit 35 (4d10+13) Bludgeoning plus 27 (6d8) Force. Word of the Fifty Names (Recharge 5–6). Three chosen creatures within 120 ft. make DC 32 Charisma saves; on failure take 54 (12d8) Thunder damage and cannot teleport until the end of their next turns, on success half damage only. Four Winds (1/day). A 90-ft. cone; DC 32 Strength save, 66 (12d10) Force damage and pushed 30 ft. on failure, half/no push on success.
Bonus Action and Reaction
Royal Passage (Bonus Action). Teleport to an unoccupied space within 60 ft. he can see. Guard the Gate (Reaction, 3/day). When an ally he sees within 90 ft. is hit by an attack, grant +5 AC against that attack, possibly causing a miss.
Legendary Actions
Marduk has 4 uses, regaining all at the start of his turn. After another creature finishes its turn he can take one option, not while Incapacitated: Advance (1), move 30 ft. without opportunity attacks; Spade (1), one spade attack; Shelter (2), an ally within 60 ft. gains 25 Temporary HP; Royal Decree (3), one creature within 90 ft. makes DC 32 Wisdom save or is Frightened until the end of its next turn.
Clerics and Granted Domains
A cleric may choose the 2024 War Domain (printed subclass). A Kingship Domain is an original campaign alternative, granting Command and Sanctuary at spell level 1, Aid and Zone of Truth at level 2, Dispel Magic and Spirit Guardians at 3, Freedom of Movement and Guardian of Faith at 4, and Geas and Greater Restoration at 5, with the 2024 cleric preparation progression. These spells require the cleric’s own slots.
Divine Relic
Spade of Babylon — 2024
Artifact weapon (maul), requires Attunement by a defender Marduk accepts; +3 to hit/damage, deals 2d6 Bludgeoning (Heavy, Two-Handed) and an extra 2d8 Force on a hit. It has 3 charges and regains 1d3 at dawn. As a Magic action spend 1 charge to cast Command (DC 21), or 2 to cast Wall of Force with the normal Concentration. It loses its magical benefits until the next dawn if used deliberately to slay helpless refugees.
Marduk — D&D 5e / 2014
Marduk, Warden of Babylon
Huge celestial (deity), lawful neutral; challenge 34 (unofficial epic encounter estimate, no official XP); campaign proficiency +10.
AC 29; HP 897 (46d12 + 598); Speed 50 ft., fly 90 ft. (hover).
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 (+12) | 22 (+6) | 36 (+13) | 30 (+10) | 32 (+11) | 34 (+12) |
Saves Str +22, Dex +16, Con +23, Int +20, Wis +21, Cha +22. Skills Athletics +22, Insight +21, Intimidation +22, Perception +21, Religion +20. Resistances cold, fire, lightning; nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, slashing. Immunities poison. Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned, exhaustion. Senses truesight 240 ft., passive Perception 31. Languages all; telepathy 1 mile.
Legendary Resistance (5/Day). Convert failed save to success. Magic Resistance. Advantage on saves against spells. Guardian’s Call. Allies within 30 ft. have Advantage on saves against being Frightened.
Innate Spellcasting
Charisma, spell save DC 30, spell attack +22. Uses the 2014 spell casting time, range, duration and Concentration; no material components. Daily uses refresh at dawn. These are not cleric domain grants.
| Spell level | Personal spell repertoire | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Light, Thaumaturgy, Guidance | At will |
| 1 | Command, Shield of Faith | 3/day each |
| 2 | Aid, Zone of Truth | 3/day each |
| 3 | Dispel Magic, Spirit Guardians | 3/day each |
| 4 | Banishment, Freedom of Movement | 3/day each |
| 5 | Geas, Wall of Force | 2/day each |
| 6 | Chain Lightning, Heal | 2/day each |
| 7 | Plane Shift, Symbol | 1/day each |
| 8 | Holy Aura, Sunburst | 1/day each |
| 9 | Gate, Wish | 1/day each |
Actions
Multiattack. Two ceremonial spade strikes. Ceremonial Spade. Melee Weapon Attack +22, reach 15 ft., one target; Hit 34 (4d10+12) Bludgeoning plus 22 (5d8) Force. Seal of Victory (Recharge 5–6). One visible enemy within 120 ft. makes DC 30 Charisma saving throw: on failure 63 (14d8) Thunder damage and Restrained until the end of its next turn; on success half damage and no restraint. Tempest of Babylon (1/day). 90-foot cone; DC 30 Strength save, 55 (10d10) Force and pushed 20 ft. on failure, half/no push on success.
Bonus Action, Reaction and Legendary Actions
Royal Passage (Bonus Action). Teleport 40 ft. to an unoccupied space he can see. Intercession (Reaction, 3/day). Grant a visible ally within 60 ft. +5 to one saving throw after the result is rolled. Legendary Actions (3 uses) refresh at start of turn and may be spent only at end of another creature’s turn: move 30 ft. (1); one spade attack (1); shelter an ally for 20 Temporary HP (2); frighten a visible foe within 60 ft. until end of its next turn, DC 30 Wisdom save (3).
Clerics and Granted Domains
The 2014 War Domain is available from the Player’s Handbook. For a separate campaign Kingship Domain, clerics gain Command and Sanctuary at level 1, Aid and Zone of Truth at 3, Spirit Guardians and Dispel Magic at 5, Guardian of Faith and Freedom of Movement at 7, and Geas and Greater Restoration at 9. Domain spells are prepared by the cleric, not cast for free by Marduk.
Divine Relic
Spade of Babylon — 2014
Artifact maul requiring attunement by a worthy defender. +3 weapon, dealing 2d6 Bludgeoning and 2d8 additional Force per hit; Heavy, Two-Handed. Three charges, recovering 1d3 at dawn. Use an action and one charge for Command (save DC 20), or two for Wall of Force with normal Concentration. The bonus is suppressed for a day if used deliberately against unarmed refugees.
Marduk — Pathfinder 1e
Marduk, Champion of Babylon
CR 34 (unofficial epic estimate; no official XP); Huge outsider (lawful, extraplanar), LN; 52 outsider HD.
Init +11; Senses true seeing 240 ft.; Perception +69. AC 53, touch 27, flat-footed 46 (–2 size, +7 Dex, +12 deflection, +26 natural); hp 910 (52d10+624). Fort +40, Ref +35, Will +40; DR 20/epic and chaotic; SR 45; immune poison; fire and lightning resistance 30. Speed 50 ft., fly 90 ft. (good).
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 (+12) | 24 (+7) | 34 (+12) | 30 (+10) | 34 (+12) | 36 (+13) |
BAB +52; CMB +66 (+52 BAB +12 Str +2 size); CMD 79; Space/Reach 15 ft./15 ft. Melee +5 earth breaker +68/+63/+58/+53 (4d6+23 Bludgeoning plus 4d8 Force); Skills Diplomacy +68, Knowledge (history) +65, Knowledge (religion) +65, Perception +69, Sense Motive +67, Spellcraft +65. Feats (26) Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (earth breaker), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Disarm, Improved Sunder, Critical Focus, Greater Spell Focus (evocation), Spell Focus (evocation), Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Focus (earth breaker), Vital Strike, Improved Vital Strike, Greater Vital Strike, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (dispel magic).
Special Abilities
Divine Sentence (Su, 3/day). Standard action. One creature within 120 ft. takes 20d6 Force damage (Will DC 51 half), and on a failed save is Staggered for 1 round. DC 10 + 26 (half HD) +13 Cha +2 divine enhancement = 51. Four Winds (Su, 1/day). Standard action, 90-ft. cone of wind, Reflex DC 48 for half 18d6 Bludgeoning; failure also knocks prone (10 + 26 +12 Con = 48). Divine Warding (Su). Allies within 60 ft. have +4 sacred bonus on saving throws against fear and charm.
Spell-like Abilities
Caster level 52nd, Cha-based save DC 23 + spell level; native Pathfinder spell-like timing, range, targeting and SR. No components, daily uses refresh at dawn.
| Spell level | Personal spell repertoire | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Detect Magic, Light, Read Magic | At will |
| 1 | Command, Protection from Chaos | At will |
| 2 | Aid, Resist Energy | At will |
| 3 | Dispel Magic, Lightning Bolt | 3/day each |
| 4 | Dimensional Anchor, Freedom of Movement | 3/day each |
| 5 | Wall of Force, Dispel Chaos | 2/day each |
| 6 | Chain Lightning, Heal | 2/day each |
| 7 | Plane Shift, Greater Restoration | 1/day each |
| 8 | Holy Aura, Sunburst | 1/day each |
| 9 | Gate, Miracle | 1/day each |
Clerics and Granted Domains
The campaign grants Marduk’s clerics Law, Protection, Nobility or War. War’s 1st–5th domain spells are Magic Weapon, Spiritual Weapon, Magic Vestment, Divine Power and Flame Strike. These use standard cleric domain slots. A separate Kingship Domain is original campaign material.
Divine Relic
Spade of Babylon — Pathfinder 1e
Major artifact +5 earth breaker, resized to the wielder; Huge damage 4d6, Medium damage 2d6. Three charges recover 1d3 at dawn. Standard action and one charge: Command (Will DC 25); two charges: Wall of Force, CL 20. It cannot be bought or crafted under ordinary item rules. No magical bonus while wielded against helpless civilians.
Marduk — D&D 3.5e
Marduk, Regent of the Ordered World
Greater deity; Divine Rank 16; Huge outsider 20 / cleric 20; Lawful Neutral. CR 43 (unofficial epic estimate; no official XP).
Initiative +11; Speed 50 ft., fly 90 ft. (good); AC 65, touch 43, flat-footed 58 (–2 size, +7 Dex, +12 deflection, +16 divine, +22 natural); hp 660 (40d8+480); Fort +34, Ref +29, Will +34; DR 25/epic; SR 54.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 (+13) | 24 (+7) | 34 (+12) | 32 (+11) | 34 (+12) | 36 (+13) |
Base attack +20 (outsider racial HD); epic attack bonus +10 for character levels 21–40; Grapple +51 (+20 BAB +10 epic +13 Str +8 Huge); Full Attack +4 warhammer +46/+41/+36/+31 melee (4d6+23 Bludgeoning and 4d8 Force); Space/Reach 15 ft./15 ft. Skills Concentration +55, Diplomacy +56, Knowledge (religion) +54, Listen +55, Sense Motive +55, Spellcraft +54, Spot +55. General feats (14) Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (warhammer), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Cleave, Weapon Focus (warhammer).
Salient Divine Abilities
Divine Aura. Marduk projects a lawful divine aura up to 1,600 feet in this campaign; its immediate combat fear effect, if used, is Will DC 39 (10 + 16 rank + 13 Cha). Royal Writ (Su, 3/day). Standard action against one visible creature within 120 ft.: Will DC 43 or take 18d6 Force and become Staggered for 1 round; success halves and prevents Staggered. DC 10 +20 half HD +13 Cha. Alter Reality. 1/day he may duplicate a cleric spell of level 9 or lower with that spell’s normal casting time; no unrestricted Wish.
Personal Cleric Spellcasting
Cleric 20, Wisdom 34, caster level 20; save DC 22 + spell level. Base slots per day from the 3.5e Cleric 20 progression (plus Wisdom bonus slots and one domain slot at levels 1–9). Casting requires native components, actions and concentration. Example prepared personal spells by level: 0 Light; 1 Command; 2 Aid; 3 Dispel Magic; 4 Divine Power; 5 Flame Strike; 6 Forbiddance; 7 Greater Restoration; 8 Holy Aura; 9 Gate. Further slots can be prepared from the cleric list.
| Spell level | Base slots | Domain slot |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 6 | — |
| 1 | 5 | 1 |
| 2 | 5 | 1 |
| 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 4 | 5 | 1 |
| 5 | 5 | 1 |
| 6 | 4 | 1 |
| 7 | 4 | 1 |
| 8 | 4 | 1 |
| 9 | 4 | 1 |
Spell-like Abilities
CL 40, save DC 23 + spell level (Cha). At will: Detect Magic, Command, See Invisibility. 3/day: Dispel Magic, Magic Vestment, Greater Dispel Magic, Plane Shift. 1/day: Gate, Miracle. Spell-like abilities use 3.5e activation and provoke when applicable.
Clerics and Granted Domains
Law, Protection and War are Marduk’s principal 3.5e cleric domains here; Kingship is campaign-only. War grants its native weapon proficiency and Weapon Focus where applicable; cleric domain powers and slots are distinct from Marduk’s own spells.
Divine Relic
Spade of Babylon — D&D 3.5e
Major artifact +5 warhammer, resizes between Huge (4d6) and Medium (1d8); deals 4d8 additional Force damage to divine Marduk or 2d8 to a mortal wielder. Standard action and 1 charge gives Command (Will DC 25); 2 charges create Wall of Force (CL20). Three charges; regains 1d3 at dawn. No normal price or Craft feat recipe.
Sources and Credits
Historical foundation: ORACC Ancient Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses — Marduk, especially his Babylonian cult, parentage, consort and iconography. The sacred snake-dragon is distinct from Marduk’s human-like divine form. For the previous mixed RPG synthesis and its author credits see the existing archive page. For the separate draconic deity see Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon. Hero illustration: original AI-generated artwork for SpiralWorlds; a fantasy interpretation of Babylonian imagery. All encounters, item rules and epic deity statistics here are original campaign adaptations.
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