Favored Soul Domains

[Doktor Scarecrow]

I'm confused as to why FS have zero access to Domains despite being a divine class. Clerics get domains, Voodan get domains and hell even the new Shaman class get domains. So why dont we? As far as I can tell theres no reason to /not/ have it and its a slap in the face to see all these other classes getting it when there is a obvious class that does need it and fits the theme of the class.

[EO]

The class just doesn't have domains in the source books and we're going by that.

[Doktor Scarecrow]

I would argue that with how the class is now there is very little reason for a player to choose FS over a cleric. The difference between one FS of one god and a FS of a totally different deity of the same level can only be one single spell. The gods they're chosen by can have totally different dogmas and drives, yet their chosen are virtually identical. Add onto this the fact that FS cant even use items that a cleric can use especially when its a item of their deity. I can understand the hassle of adding FS onto cleric items or trying to allow use by deity, but I've played a FS for three years and I dont feel like I'm in a favorable position both in rp and with in game mechanics. Spontaneous casting isnt enough of a draw to solely hold up this class that is very much lacking compared to its other counterparts.

The gear we get is not worth using and is few in number. All of us are virtually identical to each other and we have no ways of demonstrating that we are the chosen of our deity when the Level 4 cleric can use the holy item of your faith better than you could.

[MAB77]

There is plenty of reasons to choose that class over clerics, but you will always fall short if you seek to be as powerful of them. Just the challenge of playing something different  may be one. It's no different than the sorcerers vs wizards debate which springs up every now and then. Identity is often just the personality you provide your character yourself. This is true of every class. Even clerics of different faiths will sometimes look alike because they just picked the usual spells instead of striving for originality.

As for the gear, that is certainly something that could be addressed, but it's up to you to come up with proposals on what may be required. I would suggest you develop a line of items focusing on alignments. That way lawful could distinguish themselves from those of other alignments and vice-versa.

[Zyemeth]

I would love getting a single domain for Favored Souls just to provide some RP flavor on top. Flavored Soul when?

[Anarcoplayba]

Favored soul has plenty of reason to ve played, although being a harder (imo) challenge. Go dispense slay living liberally.

[myrddraal]

Some gods have garbage weapons for favored soul.  If anything letting them use more useful weapons instead would be buff enough.

I also think cleric / FS should be able to advance caster levels like palemaster can going divine champion since it FEELS like a natural progression of their divine favor.

[MAB77]

Two huge problems with that suggestion (beyond the fact that it won't happen by virtue of not being something divine champions get in the source material).

1- It would work poorly for favored souls. They'd get the spell slots, but they would not get new spells. Game engine limitation. Metamagic feats would mitigate that issue.

2- Not only clerics would not sacrifice anything, they'd get a slew of bonus feats on top of the extra powers of the PrC. That would be a major power creep to one of the strongest class of the game. In effect there would be 0 reason for cleric players not to acquire that prestige class.

[myrddraal]

It would be a big buff, but that sort of change would also more than likely require the class to be made into an application only one.  With all the appropriate RP befitting their gods dogma, tenets, etc and as we all know, PLANNING for a prestige app class is always a long shot.

[MAB77]

Divine Champion as a PrC is strong and solid as is. it needs no modification. A cleric or favored soul/divine champion build remains an effective character. It's for you to decide if the higher level spells are worth sacrificing or not for a different suit of abilities. But something's gotta give, choices come with consequences. We also have no interest whatsoever in reverting this PrC back into requiring an application.

[Merry Munchkin]

Stop looking at FS as a cleric -- they are conceptually divine sorcerers, and if you layer on metamagic feats, that is a pretty nasty opponent to face if you construct it properly.  Trying to construct it like a regular cleric is always going to result in something inferior to a cleric.

[Anarcoplayba]

Stop looking at FS as a cleric -- they are conceptually divine sorcerers, and if you layer on metamagic feats, that is a pretty nasty opponent to face if you construct it properly.  Trying to construct it like a regular cleric is always going to result in something inferior to a cleric.

Yep. And arguably they are better than sorcerers: they have armor and weapon proficiencies and a better bab and hit dice.

Give that to a sorcerer and you have a power  creeper.