Post/Author/DateTime	Post
FWHGilby 06-22-07, 08:47 PM	I thought this would be ok for Planes topic. I thought I saw somewhere how archons could grow into a more powerful archon, Ie hound to sword to throne. What about an Astral Deva growing into a Planetar or a Solar?
Rerecros 06-22-07, 09:56 PM	:yuck: I absolutely dispise the idea of outsiders transforming into other outsiders. And an Astral Deva can overpower a Planetar or a Solar with enough outsider or class advancement.
ripvanwormer 06-22-07, 10:19 PM	What about an Astral Deva growing into a Planetar or a Solar? Yes. That happens when a deva's patron deity decides it is ready for more responsibility, or a different role, or whatever. It's not necessarily about power, but about the job the angel does.
Shemeska the Marauder 06-22-07, 10:23 PM	From the default starting point of lantern archon, there's a linear advancement path that all archons can progress along. It's detailed in the most depth in the 2e 'Warriors of Heaven' (for all of the books flaws, it shows the promotion ladder in nice detail for the archons). However to save you some time, the pattern is as follows: Lantern>Hound>Warden>Sword>Trumpet>Throne>Tome* Within each rank there is a progression of acheivement that is marked by a metallic collar, badge, breastplate, etc depending on the type of archon (except for lanterns which progress straight to hound). The order of this is lead>tin>brass>bronze>silver>gold>platinum, and once an archon achieves platinum status they can then transcend to become the lowest form of the next caste (lead). The process starts over at that point within the new form. I'll also note that the various LG deities who reside within Mount Celestia, while by no means do they rule the plane (that more properly falls to the members of the Hebdomad, and they're more stewards of the layers than rulers), they enjoy a special relationship with the archons, and from time to time, archons will be transformed into aasimon and move over into the service of a deity rather than the plane. *The tome archons are the unique members of the celestial hebdomad. Presumably an archon only would join there ranks if worthy and if there was a vacancy with the death of a current member of that group of seven. As far as aasimon (3.5 angels) go, there's no real promotion scheme for them. It's entirely up to the will of their patron deity, and there's no default starting point for them either because they're created by their patrons at whatever point the patron feels is appropriate and serves them best. Obviously though, planetars and solars are at the top of the ladder.
oracle71 06-22-07, 10:24 PM	Angels ascend much the same way that archons do. Once they achieve a certain level of goodness, an astral deva can advance to planetar, which can then advance to solar. They may sometimes choose to advance by class rather then ascend, but generally, when given the chance to be holier, they take it.
FWHGilby 06-26-07, 08:17 PM	I've looked around and can't find official info on the matter. I'd swear I saw the info in question in an official book. Can anyone help me pinpoint the info?
Rerecros 06-26-07, 09:16 PM	It was probably in in a 3rd addition book, if not earlier.
Shemeska the Marauder 06-26-07, 09:24 PM	I've looked around and can't find official info on the matter. I'd swear I saw the info in question in an official book. Can anyone help me pinpoint the info? The books I mentioned as the sources for my answer above are official books, just not 3.x books. Flavor text, unlike crunch, isn't invalidated with edition changes in rules. :)
FWHGilby 06-27-07, 12:42 AM	Thanks, I'm checking that source out as best I can. I might have just been mistaken thinking there was a 3.5source.
Kain Darkwind 06-28-07, 02:19 PM	The books I mentioned as the sources for my answer above are official books, just not 3.x books. Flavor text, unlike crunch, isn't invalidated with edition changes in rules. :) But your answer leaves the Owl Archon, Word Archon, Justice Archon and the Hammer Archon out in the lonely dark and cold!