So i’m writing a sidekick hero game were you play as a sidekick and one of the powers i wanted to use is religion.
I want to use religion as a power.
I was just posting to see if you guys had any ideas on how should this power work.
I sort of have a few things but nothing concrete.
Interesting idea what did you have in mind? How do you plan on making religion a power? Or are you planning on making powers based on religion? Which religion(s) did you have in mind?
I’m not a religious person, so I might be off base, but I think I’d advise against that concept in general. I think it’d be really easy for that to become somewhat offensive to the practitioners of the religions you use–not that I think you’d be intentionally disrespectful, but it’s a touchy subject that I think would be hard to use as a gimmick.
If you want to use a power inspired by something in a religion’s individual mythology, that might be able to work similarly in a story and be a bit easier to pull off well.
What about getting power from a metaphysiological plane of existance? That way its godly while remaining vague. As to what they do I guess it depend on balance since it can really be used for a lot of stuff like levitation, premonitions or even summoning fire.
Maybe some people were born with powers but some developped them trough arduous meditation (like praying) like a human on steroid can almost become a human tank.
Well with this power you should be able to know and understand all the religions of the word in that game. (Not really possible in the real word) You should be able to know the gods, prophets,saints,angels,demons you name it.
Some of the benefits that the power of religion grants you is that people: heroes, villains or none power humans, cant read your emotions or intentions.
The second thing is that your manipulation and coerciveness and compulsion take a new form, you basically can influence anyone on the planet to follow you orders with a few exceptions. (Those are you weaknesses)
Now to be able to use you powers you must make someone believe that you are either a god, prophet,saint,angel,demon or an envoy. (if said targets believes or question what are you) That gives you the power to influence them.
You powers power also depends on how many followers you have. you have one follower? its gonna be difficult to influence some one else. If you have a 1000? you can give an order and they would be compel to do it no questions ask.
That’s what i came with but im still thinking
@HomingPidgeon Hey 
im still gonna put the concept in there (im just sick of shying away from my ideas cause people have problems with it) however in the game although the mc has a power he/she can have the option of not using them and letting them go inactive. (basically use them or lose them)
@cyanide Good idea! im gonna take that into consideration.
As @HomingPidgeon said, using religion can be somewhat offensive. It’s quite a sensitive issue, the religion.
Unless, of course, it won’t be a problem if you’re writing a fantasy story where you can make up your own religion.
Just keep in mind that religion is a sensitive issue.
Back to the topic: religion as power
Maybe you worship a god and the god bless you certain power?
Or you got the favor from your religion by praying?
honestly my good sir take a comparative religion class or audit one this will help you out quite abim
And the thing is too when you do religion the the mystical tradition is incredibly important and it’s getting sinus and in current real religions. To look up mythical traditions of different religions ones from the abrahamic and Middle Eastern areas are very monotheistic and is about pleasing the deity. And through devotion you get closer to that God. Where are the Eastern faith which is heavily influenced by Hinduism and intern it’s Reformation she see in Jainism and Buddhism. Which in the philosophical side of Hinduism is becoming one with the Brahmin finding your Atman Brahmin the Universal Soul. Which is incredibly complex and steeped in metaphysics. Put a chorus awesome Hinduism it is equally okay to find God through devotion towards them which is love. Same through finding your through through work. Honestly my recommendation for you is pick up a book world religions by Smith. And religions of world by hopfe. They complement each other nicely and will give you great beginning inside.
You could consider using Fanatic from Greater Than Games’s Sentinels of the Multiverse as a reference. She’s a great character that strongly believes her powers come from the Catholic version of God & angels, even though other characters in the same universe receive their powers from Maori traditions, Egyptian deities, psuedo-Wiccan concepts, and (in the case of her nemesis) Satan/demons.
I’ve always felt they defined those characters really well, leaving the actual nature of the Divine Powers vague while strictly defining the character powers and making it clear that (in Fanatic’s case, at least) the character’s belief and faith really are important to how well the powers work.
I think it’s possible to avoid offending people if you only incorporate religions that people don’t generally follow anymore. Not many people are going to be offended if you use Ancient Greek, Roman, Egyptian or Norse Gods in your game. 
But using archaic religions wouldn’t be too much use, if it works based on numbers of believers. (The old pantheons still do have followers, so you wouldn’t be entirely escaping censure, either.)
I think what the OP is suggesting is fine. I can imagine a really interesting powered character who’s started a dozen or so cults (coming out of different major religions) so they have a few hundred believers on every continent and use their belief-based powers wherever they travel.
I say go for it. I understand it’s kind of a sensitive subject, but as long as you don’t start bashing religious folks you should be fine. I think it could work well if you take it with a fair unbiased approach. Especially with a healthly dose of criticism.
As far as gameplay mechanics, maybe debilitating effects from misusing powers & or straying from a path. Like say if you worship a good deity and act very selfish and malicious, then your health starts breaking down or something.
Thanks for all you guys help I have taken everything in and I have decided that i do want it to be a mystical power rather than gene powers (powers that are inherited) I sort of came up with how you got the mystical powers but i can’t put it here because i don’t want to give it away.