Biscuit
2022-12-21, 08:03 AM
This is a simple fix to make the Favored Soul class more viable with 5 easy additions to their mechanics.
Step 1 Change the Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a favored soul's spell to 10 + the spell's level + the favored soul's Charisma modifier (instead of their Wisdom Modifier).
Reasoning: This centers casting around a single stat (Charisma) like every other full casting class instead of splitting it between two stats and guaranteeing that Cleric is the 'obvious' choice over the two options.
Step 2 Give them all the Knowledge skills that a Cleric has as class skills, and grant Eschew Materials as a bonus feat at level 1.
Reasoning: The entire point of a Favored Soul is being the Sorcerer version of a Cleric. Without something to emphasise 'spontaneous casting' right out of the gate, using the Spontanious Divine Casting variant (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/spontaneousDivineCasters.htm)of a Cleric is a far better option than a Favored Soul because it is frontloaded with 2 Domains that grant spells known and extra Domain powers and nets you Turn Undead and 3 more Knowledge skills as class skills (which help to enter a variety of prestige classes).
Step 3 Replace Deity's weapon focus (at level 3) and Deity's weapon specialization (at level 12) to instead gaining an instance of Favored Domain at 3rd level and again at 12th level:
Favored Domain - At level 3 and again at 12st level, you gain access to a single of your deity's Domains of your own choosing (or a DM-approved thematic domain of your choice if playing a variant that worships a concept instead of a deity). You are granted the Domain's Granted Power, and all of its Domain Spells simply become Bonus Spells Known in addition to your normal number of Spells Known, rather than gaining 'domain slots' like a Cleric. Higher level Domain Spells are added as Spells Known as soon as you unlock spell slots of the appropriate level.
Reasoning: This gives Favored Souls 'access' to a single Domain, qualifying them for a lot of prestige classes that are great fits for them, but they could normally not take unless they dipped a level in cleric. The goal is to make the class appealing enough to take fully without 'having' to dip.
Step 4 Add Energy Resistance 10 (Universal) to level 20, replacing the 3 existing separate energy resistances and change DR 10/Silver or DR 10/Cold Iron to simply be DR 10/-.
Reasoning: It continues the existing theme of getting 10 points of resistance at every 5th level, and would flesh out the capstone since it normally only has a craptastic DR 10/Silver or DR 10/Cold Iron as the final benefit for staying true for 20 levels. This makes the capstone actually decent, allowing it to compete with the more front-loaded Cleric.
Step 5 Replace the Wings feature at level 17 with Divine Transformation.
Divine Transformation - At 17th level, a favored soul gains wings and can fly at a speed of double their base land speed with Good Maneuverability (a good-aligned favored soul grows feathered wings, and an evil-aligned favored soul gains batlike wings, while a favored soul who is neither good nor evil may choose either type of wings), as well as an aura that radiates 20' from their body. If the Favored Soul is Good-Aligned, the aura causes those of Evil Alignment to receive 1d8 Sacred damage upon entering the aura and at the start of their round ever round that they start within the aura. If the Favored Soul is Evil-Aligned, the damage is 1d8 Profane damage to those with a Good Alignment instead. If the Favored Soul is neither Good or Evil-Aligned, their Aura does 1d6 Nonlethal damage to those of any alignment other than Neutral (this damage is not negated by those normally immune to nonlethal damage like Undead and Constructs). The aura can be suspended or resumed as a standard action.
Reasoning: Just wings at level 17 is laughable, and the auras guarantee at least 2 damage dice (one for entering, one more before leaving) if anyone applicable gets within 20' of the Favored Soul, which I think is just useful enough to be balanced. This allows them to stay at range (fly) or wade into melee to assist (extra damage), complimenting the 'pick your role' style of gameplay that the class offers.
Step 1 Change the Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a favored soul's spell to 10 + the spell's level + the favored soul's Charisma modifier (instead of their Wisdom Modifier).
Reasoning: This centers casting around a single stat (Charisma) like every other full casting class instead of splitting it between two stats and guaranteeing that Cleric is the 'obvious' choice over the two options.
Step 2 Give them all the Knowledge skills that a Cleric has as class skills, and grant Eschew Materials as a bonus feat at level 1.
Reasoning: The entire point of a Favored Soul is being the Sorcerer version of a Cleric. Without something to emphasise 'spontaneous casting' right out of the gate, using the Spontanious Divine Casting variant (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/spontaneousDivineCasters.htm)of a Cleric is a far better option than a Favored Soul because it is frontloaded with 2 Domains that grant spells known and extra Domain powers and nets you Turn Undead and 3 more Knowledge skills as class skills (which help to enter a variety of prestige classes).
Step 3 Replace Deity's weapon focus (at level 3) and Deity's weapon specialization (at level 12) to instead gaining an instance of Favored Domain at 3rd level and again at 12th level:
Favored Domain - At level 3 and again at 12st level, you gain access to a single of your deity's Domains of your own choosing (or a DM-approved thematic domain of your choice if playing a variant that worships a concept instead of a deity). You are granted the Domain's Granted Power, and all of its Domain Spells simply become Bonus Spells Known in addition to your normal number of Spells Known, rather than gaining 'domain slots' like a Cleric. Higher level Domain Spells are added as Spells Known as soon as you unlock spell slots of the appropriate level.
Reasoning: This gives Favored Souls 'access' to a single Domain, qualifying them for a lot of prestige classes that are great fits for them, but they could normally not take unless they dipped a level in cleric. The goal is to make the class appealing enough to take fully without 'having' to dip.
Step 4 Add Energy Resistance 10 (Universal) to level 20, replacing the 3 existing separate energy resistances and change DR 10/Silver or DR 10/Cold Iron to simply be DR 10/-.
Reasoning: It continues the existing theme of getting 10 points of resistance at every 5th level, and would flesh out the capstone since it normally only has a craptastic DR 10/Silver or DR 10/Cold Iron as the final benefit for staying true for 20 levels. This makes the capstone actually decent, allowing it to compete with the more front-loaded Cleric.
Step 5 Replace the Wings feature at level 17 with Divine Transformation.
Divine Transformation - At 17th level, a favored soul gains wings and can fly at a speed of double their base land speed with Good Maneuverability (a good-aligned favored soul grows feathered wings, and an evil-aligned favored soul gains batlike wings, while a favored soul who is neither good nor evil may choose either type of wings), as well as an aura that radiates 20' from their body. If the Favored Soul is Good-Aligned, the aura causes those of Evil Alignment to receive 1d8 Sacred damage upon entering the aura and at the start of their round ever round that they start within the aura. If the Favored Soul is Evil-Aligned, the damage is 1d8 Profane damage to those with a Good Alignment instead. If the Favored Soul is neither Good or Evil-Aligned, their Aura does 1d6 Nonlethal damage to those of any alignment other than Neutral (this damage is not negated by those normally immune to nonlethal damage like Undead and Constructs). The aura can be suspended or resumed as a standard action.
Reasoning: Just wings at level 17 is laughable, and the auras guarantee at least 2 damage dice (one for entering, one more before leaving) if anyone applicable gets within 20' of the Favored Soul, which I think is just useful enough to be balanced. This allows them to stay at range (fly) or wade into melee to assist (extra damage), complimenting the 'pick your role' style of gameplay that the class offers.