Favored Soul - With a Twist, Build Advice?

[Alaris]

Okay, so I'm going to be playing a Favored Soul in an upcoming game. Now, this isn't your standard brand of Favored Soul... my DM does something pretty cool with them.

For starters, I won't know who my god is. And that's fine with me, since I'm trading out my WF and WS for Deity's Favor. Alignment will not be an issue, regardless of what god is chosen, so I'm likely going to be NG or CG.

Secondly, I don't get to choose my spells. Now, I know most players would scream bloody murder at this, but it is actually kinda cool. You are chosen by this god, he grants you the spells he believes are appropriate.

All in all, I like the concept, and I think it will go well. But I'm looking for some advice to build with that in mind. I don't like going absurdly cheesy (not that I really can, without choosing my spells. :P).

I've worked out the requirements with the DM, and I'll be taking Spontaneous Healing, so that I can use healing spells regardless of what spells the god grants me. That aside, I have 2 bonus feats to work with after that, and we'll be starting at level 1.

The books allowed without question:
Player's Handbook
Dungeon Master Guide
Monster Manual 1
Player's Handbook 2
Complete Warrior
Complete Adventurer
Complete Psionic
Complete Scoundrel
Complete Arcana

Favored Soul from Complete Divine is valid, after asking him, so that's what I'm going with. And before anyone asks, no, I will not go with Cleric or Spontaneous Cleric instead.

Stat-wise... think of it like this: 10 in each stat, and 15 points to spend. Not point buy, but 15 points (1-1). So:

Elf Favored Soul:
Str: 10
Dex: 10
Con: 10
Int: 10
Wis: 10
Cha: 10

1st: Spontaneous Healing:
Bonus: ?
Bonus: ?

Ideas? Thanks in advance... I'm kinda stumped as to what to do.

EDIT: Also, I do not want to hear people criticizing how my DM does Favored Souls. I'm fine with it, infact, I endorse it. It gives the class more flavor. So please, if you don't have something nice to say, don't say it.

[AuraTwilight]

Stat-wise... think of it like this: 10 in each stat, and 15 points to spend. Not point buy, but 15 points (1-1). So:

Elf Favored Soul:
Str: 10
Dex: 10
Con: 10
Int: 10
Wis: 10
Cha: 10

So, what's to stop you from putting all 15 into Charisma and having 25 in your casting stat?


For starters, I won't know who my god is. And that's fine with me, since I'm trading out my WF and WS for Deity's Favor. Alignment will not be an issue, regardless of what god is chosen, so I'm likely going to be NG or CG.

Secondly, I don't get to choose my spells. Now, I know most players would scream bloody murder at this, but it is actually kinda cool. You are chosen by this god, he grants you the spells he believes are appropriate.

Just a couple questions regarding this. Are you saying your character won't know who your God is, or you're not being told until the game starts, or something? Because it'd be really weird for a Favored Soul to not know who their god is.

I presume the DM choosing a god for you is so you can't choose a god who'll give you the best spells for your goals, based on the "gods give different spells" rule?

And on that, I've got a question about that; is the DM just going to give spells as you go,, or does he effectively plan to have a custom spell list set up so that you'll know what you're getting, but won't have the ability to choose otherwise? This last bit is important because if you've no idea what spells your character will be receiving ahead of time, you have nearly no ability to optimize your build or anticipate problems.

All in all though, the idea seems pretty neat. You'll have to tell us how it goes.

[Alaris]

So, what's to stop you from putting all 15 into Charisma and having 25 in your casting stat?

Almost nothing. Max that can be in a stat is 24 (before modifiers). So yes, I could have an absurdly high casting stat if I really wanted to, but I'd also like to be effective in other things. (Like not dying with a 10 AC, or a 10 CON).


Just a couple questions regarding this. Are you saying your character won't know who your God is, or you're not being told until the game starts, or something? Because it'd be really weird for a Favored Soul to not know who their god is.

I presume the DM choosing a god for you is so you can't choose a god who'll give you the best spells for your goals, based on the "gods give different spells" rule?

And on that, I've got a question about that; is the DM just going to give spells as you go,, or does he effectively plan to have a custom spell list set up so that you'll know what you're getting, but won't have the ability to choose otherwise? This last bit is important because if you've no idea what spells your character will be receiving ahead of time, you have nearly no ability to optimize your build or anticipate problems.

All in all though, the idea seems pretty neat. You'll have to tell us how it goes.

1.I, nor my character will know the god. It's kind of the idea that I am to find out during play. My character is trying to find out what his source of power is, who has chosen him for a higher purpose. It's plot... and I think it'll be interesting.

2. I'm not really sure. I know it's just how he does Favored Souls, and I thought it was a cool little fluff thing. I know I can exchange to get a new spell of my choice (so long as my deity doesn't reject it) every 4 levels. Or if I take Extra Spell.

3. I won't know my spells before I get to make this build, I know that much. I know it'll be difficult to make any sort of optimization without knowing what spells I get, and I wracked my brain on it for several days and haven't come up with much... so I come to the playground for it.

And I'll be sure to let you know how it goes (and others if they are interested). Thanks for posting.

[Quirp]

Since you do not know what spells you get the normal choice for a favored soul (save DCs or no save DCs) is very difficult to make. Therefore building for the occasional spell with a save DC might be the way to go. This means you want a 14 in CHA (with a +6 item you can cast all your spells) and a 16 or 18 in WIS (lets go with 16, you cast from the cleric list, a lot of buffs should be a given). Thiis leaves 5 points for the rest of your stats. 4 points into CON would help your HP and if you put the last points in STR that might help if you cast sanctified spells, otherwise you might want to put it into CHA, too. That way you only need a +4 item to cast all your spells.

Since favored souls can use initiate feats (somewhere in dragon magic) you should ask your DM. if you can get one (some of them are quite nice). Since this would mostly give away your deity, you could ask to get it as soon as you know who your patron is.

The problem with the setup given above is that, starting at first level, you will have some problems dealing damage. If your group can cover that, you want have problems, since band-aid is a job that can still be done with the standard healing spells during the early game. If you can talk your DM into excluding (or reducing the number of) spells with a save DC, the points in WIS can go into STR to help your damage output.

some spells you might want to think about, when you exchange spells are:
omen of peril (SC) L1
resurgence (SC) L1
close wounds (SC) L2
dispel magic L3
delay death (SC) L4
panacea (SC) L4
reighteous wrath of the faithful (SC) L5
heal L6

[Namfuak]

If you want to be an elf, have you considered star elf instead, for +cha instead of +dex? Even if you are planning on being an archer, putting an 18 into wisdom and taking Zen Archery would probably be a better deal than trying to use your dex score.

[Alaris]

If you want to be an elf, have you considered star elf instead, for +cha instead of +dex? Even if you are planning on being an archer, putting an 18 into wisdom and taking Zen Archery would probably be a better deal than trying to use your dex score.

I don't think I have a choice, as there is only the Standard Elf. Sucks, I know, but that's how he runs it. I can cope.

And I do want to be an Elf, it fits in with the backstory for the world. And it will not negatively affect my stats (what with +2 dex, -2 con, it cancels out and only affects the maximum I can have for Dex and Con).

I debated Zen Archery, though we have a Ranger/Scout in the party who's going for it. It would likely be a better choice than melee combat... I suppose. Hmm... this is tough to build.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Ask your DM if he'll give you casting as a Mystic (DLCS) - basically the same, except that you receive access to a single domain (and it's granted power).

Whether or not you're going to put much into Wisdom depends on how many save-spells you're intending on using.

[AuraTwilight]

1.I, nor my character will know the god. It's kind of the idea that I am to find out during play. My character is trying to find out what his source of power is, who has chosen him for a higher purpose. It's plot... and I think it'll be interesting.

2. I'm not really sure. I know it's just how he does Favored Souls, and I thought it was a cool little fluff thing. I know I can exchange to get a new spell of my choice (so long as my deity doesn't reject it) every 4 levels. Or if I take Extra Spell.

3. I won't know my spells before I get to make this build, I know that much. I know it'll be difficult to make any sort of optimization without knowing what spells I get, and I wracked my brain on it for several days and haven't come up with much... so I come to the playground for it.

Alright, 1 and 2 sound fair. Number 3 is just the stickler though, since not letting you pick OR know your spells is, to me, really kind of stepping out of bounds of the DM-Player contract in the same way that continually attackng the wizard's spellbook does.

My recommendation would be to atleast ask your DM what sort of themes you should be expecting or something? But whatever works for you guys, the idea seems to have merit for roleplay.

http://rpg-crank.livejournal.com/15649.html#cutid1

As your DM to compare this to both his version and the official version of the Favored Soul. The way he seems to be doing this makes me think that the idea here is you're drawing off the domains of the god instead of any sort of communal "cleric spell list" pool, so perhaps you can hash things out where the more spells you receive, you can figure out what god they're from, and thus what domains he has, and allow you to figure out what spells you're getting ahead of time through in-character research and investigation?

[Crasical]

So, what's to stop you from putting all 15 into Charisma and having 25 in your casting stat?


Almost nothing. Max that can be in a stat is 24 (before modifiers). So yes, I could have an absurdly high casting stat if I really wanted to, but I'd also like to be effective in other things. (Like not dying with a 10 AC, or a 10 CON).

Be the prettiest kitty. No one can stop you.

[Urpriest]

Even if your character doesn't know what spells you're going to get, you the player will. After all, your character doesn't choose it's own feats or skill ranks either, they're just natural outgrowths of its behavior and development from its perspective.

That said, since your DM is going to choose, it's probably a good idea to ask him whether there is a theme to the list. Point out that if your god is granting particular spells then presumably he's also going to grant feats and skills that compliment that setup.

[joca4christ]

No build advice here.

Just a geeky..."Wow, I really like this concept!" remark.

Next time I have a player run an oracle, I may see if he/she is up to running it this way.