Demigod
The term demigod is more complicated than I would like. It has a variety of different meanings depending on the context.
The word itself is a calque (a literal, word-for-word translation) of Latin semideus "half-god." According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, it refers to "the offspring of a deity and a mortal, a man raised to divine rank, or a minor god." I'm most familiar with that first definition, but apparently the term demigod is indeed used for low-ranking gods or exalted men. For example, the Roman poet Lucan writes that Pompey attained divinity upon his death and became a demigod.[1]
Anywho, in Pathfinder, the term demigod refers to powerful, semi-divine beings who are more than men but less than gods.[2]
In D&D, things vary. In 3rd-edition D&D, demigods are low-level gods whose Divine Rank ranges from 1 to 5. The 3e SRD says:
These entities, called demigods, are the weakest of the deities. A demigod can grant spells and perform a few deeds that are beyond mortal limits. A demigod has anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand devoted mortal worshipers and may receive veneration or respect from many more. A demigod controls a small godly realm (usually on an Outer Plane) and has minor control over a portfolio that includes one or more aspects of mortal existence. A demigod might be very accomplished in a single skill or a group of related skills, gain combat advantages in special circumstances, or be able to bring about minor changes in reality itself related to the portfolio.[3]
In 5th edition, demigods are actually half-gods—the definition I'm most familiar with. The DMG says:
Demigods are born from the union of a deity and a mortal being. They have some divine attributes, but their mortal parentage makes them the weakest quasi-deities.[4]
Pathfinder
As said, in PF, demigods are powerful beings who are more than mortal men but less than gods. There are many different categories of beings who qualify as demigods. For example, the "higher-ups" of many of the outsiders (e.g., demon lords) are classified as demigods. Some of them are as follows.
- Ahriman.
- Archdaemons, aka the Four Horsemen. The four mightiest yugoloths.
- Archdevils.[5] The nine devil-rulers of Baator.
- Asura ranas. The mightiest of the asuras.
- Demon lords. Those demons who rule an entire layer of the Abyss.
- Elemental lords.
- Empyreal lords.
- Harbingers / ultroloths. The nobles and commanders of the yugoloths.
- Infernal dukes.
- Primal inevitables.
- Psychopomp ushers.
- Rakshasa immortals.
- Sahkil tormentors.
- Qlippoth lords.
- Queens of the Night.
- Velstrac demagogues.
Endnotes
- ↑ See: Wikipedia:Demigod.
- ↑ See: PathfinderWiki:Demigod.
- ↑ Source: 3e SRD.
- ↑ Source: Dungeon Master's Guide, p. 11.
- ↑ Note that in PF, the archdevils are the nine devils who rule a layer of Hell. In other words, the archdevils of PF are the Lords of the Nine of D&D. The infernal dukes of PF are the archdevils of D&D.
