Favored Soul Build Idea

[LawnmowerMan]

Hello All,

Beginner when it comes to D&D 3.5.
Want to play a Favored Soul and came up with the following (See below).
Would like to get feedback for improvements on the build and rule clarifications.

I know a Favored Soul is Dual Attribute Dependant, but that is alright, group already has a Cleric of Mask, and I would like to be a warrior and caster type character that is also a Mask or Vhaeraun servant.

First of all, the campaign I am in has several house rules, including that we must have one level of rogue (the first one), feats can be delayed somewhat before they are taken, but cannot be moved into epic levels.

I picked the Draconic Template, adding +2 to STR, CON and CHA (and other stuff), hoping to land a high enough CHA from the start to qualify for level 9 spells. Then all my atribute points will go into WIS. In our campaign everybody has Able Learner for free.

For the first level I picked a Rogue level (Must), I then plan on selecting the Alternate Class Features of "Adventuer" (Change Sneak Attack for one fighter feat) and "Antiquarian" (Trades Trap Sense for knowledge about religious artifacts).

Then I would take one level of Cleric for domain feats, as well as Building on the assumption that when it says a Favored Soul can select spells from the cleric spell list, when i pick two domains, they effectively add spells to the cleric spell list I can select from, as I gain levels as Favored Soul. Please tell if this assumption is wrong and where in the canon it says so. Also, getting turn undead as a cleric allows me access to Divine Meta Magic, which is AMAZING. Here i am also building on the assumption that DMM used with turn undead gained from the Cleric class affect the spells of the Favored Soul, am I wrong? Which Domains should I go for? (Mask or Vhaeraun) or is there another God that would go well with an Evil Group and a Mask cleric.

Then I would pick Favored Soul Levels going forward, maybe taking a two level dip along the way as blackguard for dark Blessing or similar, but is not set in stone. The feat selections I would have available are:
LevelX Bonus Feat (House-rule), Human Bonus Feat, Fighter Feat (ACF), Level1, Level3, Level6, Level9, Level12 and Level15.
For a total of 8 feats and 1 fighter feat - 9 total at level 15.

Here are some feats I have been looking at - unsure which ones are best:
# spellcasting prodigy or apprentice (spellcaster) feat (adds skills knowledge religion and UMD), pick one of them at level 1.

# practiced spell caster (Spellcraft 4), extend spell, heighten spell, versatile spellcaster (ability to spontaneous cast), rapid spell, persistent spell,

# Extra Turning (Must be able to turn), Divine Might (requires Power Attack), Divine Spell Power (ability to turn + 1st lv divine spells), Divine Metamagic: Persist (ability to turn),

# spell focus, greater spell focus,

# power critical, improved critical, weapon mastery (Favored soul level 12)

I would love to hear what you have to say.

BE

[Khedrac]

Something like a 1-level cleric dip to get turn undead does indeed give a favoured soul access to divine metamagic, and is about the only way to do it.

What you need to watch out for is that you have started with a 2-level dip - so you will be getting access to your first 2nd levels pell at level 6, and your first 3rd at level 8. Your casting (which comes from the very limited selection you make) will be very behiond a cleric or straight FS's.
This is not necessarily a disaster, I did reasonably OK playing a Barb 2/ FS N (reached 2/12), but you need to bear it in mind. I also took Barb 1, FS 1, Barb 2 FS the rest.

2nd thing (which I think you may realise, but want to make sure). A pure casting FS starts as a MAD class - one stat for spells and another for DCs. Next, FS as a class gets a number of combat abilities - and to be any use in combat you really need decent physical stats too (so that is now 4 or 5 stats.) The best way to cope with this is forget casting offensively - stick to buffs, heals and no-save spells (remember you only get a limited casting list anyway) - and that means that you can now ignore Spell Focus etc.

Thirdly, you want to be a warrior-type - and you won't get any BAB before level 4. Don't expect to hit anything until you are high enough level to have decent combat buffs (see earlier comment about when you will get spells). The level of rogue is a real issue - you either need to drop it or not aim to be a warrior type (focus on your casting). The fact that you won't be useless in melee could still be useful, but you will have real probelms being any good at it.

I wouldn't worry too much about adding new skills known (just see if your DM will make Know. religion a class skill instead of Know. arcane) - you don't have the skill points touse new skills (2 + human and Int is way down your list of important stats - it may even be a dump stat!) Concentration is your most important skill, (followed by Know. religion if you want Spontaneous Healer as a feat to avoid having to learn the spells).

[Grim Reader]

In between the template, the compulsory level and the Cleric Level, you'll be 3 levels behind on your spellcasting. Thats terrible, especially since you are a spontaneous caster. If your partys Cleric goes with only the compulsory level of rouge and then cleric, you'll be terribly overshadowed.

You want to play a warrior caster but your build gives you neither BaB before level 5, nor much in the way of spellcasting. Unless you are starting the game at a high level, you will suck horribly at both roles. At level 7 youll have BaB +2 and just gotten 2nd-level spells.

You can get Turn Undead without a level of Cleric for three fears: Magical Training, Necromantic Bloodline and Kin Mastery.

I'd drop the template, it does not do you enough good to be worth it, unless you can buy it off.

[Troacctid]

Then I would take one level of Cleric for domain feats, as well as Building on the assumption that when it says a Favored Soul can select spells from the cleric spell list, when i pick two domains, they effectively add spells to the cleric spell list I can select from, as I gain levels as Favored Soul. Please tell if this assumption is wrong and where in the canon it says so.
Not only do domains not add their spells to the spell lists of your other classes, they don't even add their spells to your cleric spell list! So yeah this assumption is wrong.

Between turning and domains, it sounds to me like you really just want to be a cleric, not a favored soul. Have you considered the spontaneous cleric (www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/spontaneousDivineCasters.htm) variant?

[liquidformat]

Not only do domains not add their spells to the spell lists of your other classes, they don't even add their spells to your cleric spell list! So yeah this assumption is wrong.

Between turning and domains, it sounds to me like you really just want to be a cleric, not a favored soul. Have you considered the spontaneous cleric (www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/spontaneousDivineCasters.htm) variant?
I was about to say the same, the only thing you get from the cleric dip is turning. Cleric and FS casting do not stack for the same reason sorcerer and wizard casting do not stack. I am not 100% if there is anywhere the explicitly says they don't stack but it is how the game works. Anyways due to this all you are getting from cleric levels are turning and domain abilities. You would be better off going straight FS and looking for a prc that gives you turning or just go straight cleric. There are a lot of great PRCs and a lot of not so great prcs that you could go with to be a melee cleric. Ordained Champion and Bone Knight are both quite good choices and then there are ones like War Priest if you want to nerf yourself.

You could also look at actually making the rogue levels mean something and go for trickster stealth cleric build though gnome is often a better starting point for that.

[LawnmowerMan]

I was about to say the same, the only thing you get from the cleric dip is turning. Cleric and FS casting do not stack for the same reason sorcerer and wizard casting do not stack. I am not 100% if there is anywhere the explicitly says they don't stack but it is how the game works. Anyways due to this all you are getting from cleric levels are turning and domain abilities. You would be better off going straight FS and looking for a prc that gives you turning or just go straight cleric. There are a lot of great PRCs and a lot of not so great prcs that you could go with to be a melee cleric. Ordained Champion and Bone Knight are both quite good choices and then there are ones like War Priest if you want to nerf yourself.

You could also look at actually making the rogue levels mean something and go for trickster stealth cleric build though gnome is often a better starting point for that.

Hello, yes, i just figured that for each domin there is a feat you get, or skills you add, and then theres a list of spells available at each level from level 1-9 divine spells. Now that you point it out, i do see that favored soul and cleric are not the same class and so i guess there is nothing that suggests it would stack. problem is that another house rule is that we cannot get PrCs unless "unlocked" in-game. I will look into PrCs that add turning though cause DMM is really impressive and allows me to use CHA for more than just qualifying for spells and bonus spells.

EDIT: I looked at PrCs and any class really that could offer me Turn Undead and one level of Cleric dip is by far the easyest way to get that ability. What happens if you play a Favored Soul and unlock a PrC that adds a domain to your character, woud you as a player of a Favored Soul gain access to to select from among those domain spells?, and if yes, why would you not get access to the domain spells learned as a cleric? All of it is Divine magic - I am not sure it makes sense.

also, we are starting at levels 13-15, and if forced to choose between caster and melee, i would go caster and def not be a healer. Also, i specificly do not want to play a cleric, if that was my goal, that is the class i would have picked :) I think there is a potential here for making a cool caster character, but i dont know the cleric spell list beyond the PHB and there seems to be extensive other titles to choose from, possibly including nice enchantment and/or evocation spells.

[liquidformat]

at level 15 it seems surprising you wouldn't have any prcs yet but it is what it is.

check out this thread it has some useful stuff http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?152070-3-5-Favored-Soul-tips-tricks-and-general-discussion

[LawnmowerMan]

at level 15 it seems surprising you wouldn't have any prcs yet but it is what it is.

check out this thread it has some useful stuff

hello, i agree, seems odd that we cant pick PrCs unless learned in-game

i read the thread yes, the one you linked to, and my questions remain the same :)

[Grim Reader]

So... 13 to 15 levels without a PrC ? And one level of Rouge mandatory?

I don't want to be that guy, but have you considered Duskblade as a Caster/Warrior ? 13 levels of Duskblade is normally considered the ideal point to PrC out. Little weak on spells known, but there are ways. A heritage feat (Shadow), Arcane Disciple for the Summoning Domain, etc. Knowledge Devotion and Arcane strike.

Or a Bard, with similar feats. Tilts a little more towards casting where Duskblade is more of a warrior.

If not, I'd simply try not to lose any Favored Soul levels. Nothing you get from multiclassing is worth the lost casing.