Favoured Soul and Martial Weapon Proficiency

[Benji8070]

Hi all,

I'm about to start playing a favoured soul (yes, I know clerics are better, but I want to play one of these :)) and am trying to find a decent way to get them access to all martial weapons.

I've found a number of prestige class options, but not many of them advance spellcasting for that first level. The only ones I could find that do are Radiant Servant of Pelor (which I can't get into) and Dragonslayer (which has an annoying feat tax). I also know of the Militia feat, but I'm not playing in the Forgotten Realms so can't take it.

At the moment, I'm contemplating a dip in either fighter (for the bonus feat) or the marshall (for a little bit of CHA synergy). Neither of them advance spellcasting though, so they're not ideal. Am I missing anything?

Thanks in advance.

[ciopo]

May I ask what you want access to all martial profiencies for?

top of my mind bone knight is 9/10 and gives all martial weapons

I odn't know of any 10/10 prestige class that gives broad martial wepaon profiency

[Jervis]

IIRC there’s a feat you can take at first level that makes you a native outsider. That gives martial weapons prof by default.

Edit: Otherworldly, and it’s from Fearune as well.

[Darrin]

Am I missing anything?


Pick a race with the Outsider type. Outsiders are automatically proficient with all simple and martial weapons.

There are a few Outsider options that don't cost any LA or RHD:

Neraph (Planar Handbook)
Savage Progression Aasimar/Tiefling (online article (https://web.archive.org/web/20180311062118/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a))

[Troacctid]

Pick a race with the Outsider type. Outsiders are automatically proficient with all simple and martial weapons.

There are a few Outsider options that don't cost any LA or RHD:

Neraph (Planar Handbook)
Savage Progression Aasimar/Tiefling (online article (https://web.archive.org/web/20180311062118/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a))
Also glimmerfolk from Dragon Magazine, and Vhaerath from http://web.archive.org/web/20161101150327/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20040818a.

SP aasimar is the way to go if it's allowed IMO. Otherwise neraph or glimmerfolk is fine.

[Jervis]

Also glimmerfolk from Dragon Magazine, and Vhaerath from http://web.archive.org/web/20161101150327/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20040818a.

SP aasimar is the way to go if it's allowed IMO. Otherwise neraph or glimmerfolk is fine.

Aren’t Drow LA +1 in general tho? So you would need to apply that to lesser Drow. At least I think correct me if i’m mistaken

[Benji8070]

May I ask what you want access to all martial profiencies for?

top of my mind bone knight is 9/10 and gives all martial weapons

I odn't know of any 10/10 prestige class that gives broad martial wepaon profiency

Really just for the options and flavour. He's gonna be the main defensive tank in the party and I want to make sure he can use weapons if anything decent drops from the enemies.

Bone Knight is good, but requires Turn Undead unfortunately...


IIRC there’s a feat you can take at first level that makes you a native outsider. That gives martial weapons prof by default.

Edit: Otherworldly, and it’s from Fearune as well.


Pick a race with the Outsider type. Outsiders are automatically proficient with all simple and martial weapons.

There are a few Outsider options that don't cost any LA or RHD:

Neraph (Planar Handbook)
Savage Progression Aasimar/Tiefling (online article)


Also glimmerfolk from Dragon Magazine, and Vhaerath

SP aasimar is the way to go if it's allowed IMO. Otherwise neraph or glimmerfolk is fine.

I forgot to mention that race had already been set, otherwise going outsider would have been a good choice.

If I can't find anything that gives spellcasting and martial weapons, what would the best dip option be to get the weapons?

[Jervis]

Ordained Champion is a decent choice though the deity reqs need some adapting to the setting. Loosing a CL sucks but you get some good things.

[lylsyly]

Cleric 1 / Favored Soul 19, You want to be a tank but don't have Heavy Armor Proficiency.
Favored Soul gives you proficiency with your deities favored weapon already so chose your deity wisely.
Choosing a deity at cleric 1 with the war domain gives you Weapon focus for free so ....
You do lose a level of FS casting but kinda make up for that by being able to prepare any 0th or 1st level cleric spell + a 1st level domain spell without worrying about the spells known mechanic.

Don't sweat not being able to use any martial weapon you pick up, choose your own and stick to it ;-)

[Jervis]

Cleric 1 / Favored Soul 19, You want to be a tank but don't have Heavy Armor Proficiency.
Favored Soul gives you proficiency with your deities favored weapon already so chose your deity wisely.
Choosing a deity at cleric 1 with the war domain gives you Weapon focus for free so ....
You do lose a level of FS casting but kinda make up for that by being able to prepare any 0th or 1st level cleric spell + a 1st level domain spell without worrying about the spells known mechanic.

Don't sweat not being able to use any martial weapon you pick up, choose your own and stick to it ;-)

Also a iun stone (forget which one) gives you what you’re looking for so dedicating build resources to it isn’t that important

[RandomPeasant]

Is there a reason you specifically need access to all martial weapons? Playing an Elf is a tried-and-true way of getting a couple of specific martial weapon proficiencies without giving much up.

[Rebel7284]

If you get UMD or Anyspell, you can use items of Master's Touch to get proficiency with any touched weapon.

Holy Transformation, Lesser and Infernal Tranformation, Lesser also grant you the Outsider Type which = proficiencies (kinda silly in my opinion, but that's how the rules work). The transformation spells are Cleric spells and are persistable if you go for the whole Sacred Exorcist -> Divine Metamagic route.

[Benji8070]

Thanks all for your help. I think I'm just going to carry on as a Favoured Soul and see what happens. I'm probably over-hyping the need for versatility anyway and can always look into it further down the line if I decide I do need more options.

[Jervis]

Thanks all for your help. I think I'm just going to carry on as a Favoured Soul and see what happens. I'm probably over-hyping the need for versatility anyway and can always look into it further down the line if I decide I do need more options.

If all else fails there’s a item that can solve it IIRC. Can’t remember which one but I think there’s a Iun stone that gives proficiency in a weapon. 10k I think.

[Anthrowhale]

It's possible to pay the feat tax for Dragon Slayer without using a feat slot via the Otyugh Hole and one of the Bloodlines (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/bloodlines.htm).

[Darrin]

At 3rd level, take Craft Wondrous Item as a feat. Find a bard/sorcerer who knows the master's touch spell. Create a use-activated magic item, such as Gloves of the Master's Touch, that can cast master's touch as a swift action whenever you like. Suggested cost: 1 (caster level) x 1 (spell level) x 2000 (use-activated) x 2 (minute duration) = 4000 GP.

Then pick up Quick Draw and introduce your group to the wonders of the Orc Shotput.