Help creating an unoptimized spontaneous divine caster

[Dhoule]

Hi!

So my Lvl 6 Wizard just died, and I was thinking of replacing him with a divine caster. More precisely, a spontaneous one. And I'm torn between going for a Favored Soul or the Spontaneous Cleric from the UA. I know the latter is better, mainly because of the DMM and being a bit less MAD, as well as, to a lesser extent, the spell leveling and the domains.

My current party consist of:

- Lvl 6 Explorer, elf (archer)
- Lvl 6 Rogue, halfling (mostly ranged)
- Lvl 3 Fighter/3 Explorer, human (dual wielding)
- Lvl 4 Fighter/2 Wizard, elf (mostly ranged)

They're all far, far from being optimized. We usually lack some punch in our encounters and, as much as I've enjoyed my BFC Wizard (as optimized as it could be with the sources we've available), I was thinking we might do better if I assist them some more on the frontline from time to time. That, and I've been wanting to try a divine caster for a while, religion related. I'm aware a spontaneous divine caster is considered to be less powerful and versatile than a regular cleric, but I just don't want to keep track of hundreds upon hundreds of spells at my dispossal, as I was doing with the wizard. I'm currently keeping track of the story record and the group's money and tools/items, as well, and it gets tiresome.

So here I am, wondering which path to take. I want to have fun with this character, but I don't want to clearly outshine or humiliate the rest of my party. Forget about DMM and Persisting, not interested in abusing that in the least. In fact, I'm not planning on taking DMM at all. Between Favored Soul and Spontaneous cleric, the latter would seem the right choice, if it wasn't because I'm struggling to find two domains I could work with. There's always that spell I know I won't find use for or that domain power which doesn't appeal to me at all. In that sense, the Favored Soul's simplicity, as well as being able to choose one more spell from each level early on (instead of being forced to stick with my two domain spells, whether I like them or not), has its appeal.

Our campaign's taking place in the Northwest of Faerûn, between The Sword Coast and The Silver Marches. I'm probably going to be a human, though a dwarf is still on the table. I don't want to be a healer, but it'd be nice to be able to have some tools or spells to do so, should the need arise. I want it to be more battle oriented, but I don't want to lose caster levels, either. Attributes would probably go like this (without equipment):

Spontaneous cleric / Favored soul

STR 14 / 14
DEX 10 / 10
CON 12 / 12
INT 10 / 10
WIS 15 / 10
CHA 10 / 15

Feats: Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Zen Archery (Cleric)/Heavy Armor Proficiency (FS), ...?

Domains (Cleric): so far, I'm thinking about going with Kord (Competition & Luck) or Oghma (Travel & Trichery). I don't want to choose two separate domains without a deity. But I'm still unsure about these.

ACF (Favored Soul): I'm sure I'd take the ACF from PHB2 for him.

Spells: too long to bother. Let's just say I'll try to stick to spells that can be useful at almost any level, mostly buffs, a few utility and healing ones, and I'll forget about any spell allowing saves in FS's case at the very least.


And I think that's all, for now. Opinions? Advice?

[Tzardok]

First, if I were you, I would choose the Favoured Soul. It has IMO more flavour, including a reason behind it why it is different from the cleric. The spontanous cleric is simply spontanous because *shrug*.

Second, uhm Kord? Kord is a Greyhawk deity. He isn't worshipped in Faerûn.

[Dhoule]

I'm aware. But our DM doesn't care much about that. I'm sure he'd be more concerned about choosing two great domains separately just for the sake of optimizing the character, than going with a deity from the PHB.

[Troacctid]

If it helps, I have a random domain generator that you could use. https://chartopia.d12dev.com/chart/29193/

[bean illus]

There's also a spontaneous cleric from Dragon Magazine, call the Evangelist.

It's pretty basic. Same as cleric except medium armor, spells known as sorcerer, and an extra domain and power at 5, 10, 15.

Don't forget domain spontaneity feats, etc.

[Ramza00]

There's also a spontaneous cleric from Dragon Magazine, call the Evangelist.

It's pretty basic. Same as cleric except medium armor, spells known as sorcerer, and an extra domain and power at 5, 10, 15.

Don't forget domain spontaneity feats, etc.

Yep so a 6th level Evangelist would have 4 1st, 2 2nd, and 1 3rd spells known plus 3 domains and thus 9 extra spells known. And 6/5/3 spells plus bonus spells due to high Wisdom.

[bean illus]

Yep so a 6th level Evangelist would have 4 1st, 2 2nd, and 1 3rd spells known plus 3 domains and thus 9 extra spells known. And 6/5/3 spells plus bonus spells due to high Wisdom.

And if you prc into a class with +1 caster level, you gain a domain as per base class, at 10, 15, 20.

If the prc grants a domain, you get it's spell list and domain power, but not an extra spell.

[redking]

Favoured Soul 6 then Knight of the Raven. KotR gets turn undead at level 3. Full BAB, 9/10 spellcasting.

[Dhoule]

Thanks for the replies!

Sadly, Dragon magazines and Expedition to Castle Ravenloft are not among the sources we've available (only the books our DM has, which I'd say are many, but not even half of them). I'd be fine without PrClassing in FS's case. I think I'm leaning more towards the Favored Soul, mostly for flavour, as Tzardok stated.

I'd like to know, though, if you could give advice on ways of making use of a high (not too high, though) Charisma. I've read the "X to Y" thread and, even with all the Charisma utilities listed there, I barely found anything I could use. The one that drew my attention the most was the "Force of personality" feat, from CAd, and even in this case I'm not too enthusiastic about it, as it only applies to mind-affecting spells and abilities, and not all Will saves.

Aside from that thread, I'm looking for magic items or properties, such as Stunning Surge from the MIC, which could make use of the CHA. Any remarkable item (or thread) which you could give advice about? Also, magic gear that allow sacrificing spell slots to use other spells coming from them, but keeping your caster level, such as those from the Raiment of the Four, or the Cord of favor (also MIC). I find them really nice to expand the spell pool a bit.

And Troacctid, thanks as well for the link. It could be useful if I'm unable to choose the two domains I want for a spontaneous cleric, and I just decide to make it random. Although, knowing me, I'd probably regret it later.

[TalonOfAnathrax]

Unearthed Arcana has a Spontaneous Cleric Variant. Unlike Favored Soul, you get to keep turn undead (a classic Cleric ability). It's on the srd too.

My only build advice is taking Sovereign Speaker (a prestige class for worshippers of the big Eberron pantheon, which can be adapted for any other pantheon in your campaign setting with literally zero effort). Cleric is a strong class with a decent chassis, so as long as you don't pick entirely terrible spells you'll be functional.

[Dhoule]

Unearthed Arcana has a Spontaneous Cleric Variant. Unlike Favored Soul, you get to keep turn undead (a classic Cleric ability). It's on the srd too.

I know, I spoke about it in the first post xD. It's one of the two choices I'm weighing but, as I said, I lean more towards the Favored Soul. It's tough to lose Turn undead, and the potential applications it could have with a decent Charisma, but... It is what it is. As I said, looking at my party, I'm sure I won't feel underpowered by that loss. But it'd be nice to find uses to a high Charisma.

About Eberron... Not possible, as it's not an available source. My DM only works with the books he owns.

[Troacctid]

I also have a big ol' list of useful magic items in my signature. Some of the good ones that involve spending spell slots are the two item sets from MIC that use that mechanic, and also the relics from MIC. Relics are great for favored souls since you can easily spare the slot to upgrade them.