You were Chosen for a reason...

[silentknight]

Okay, so I went to the FR forums over at Wizards and asked if there were any rules or templates for making a Chosen of (deity of choice). Other than the published NPCs that are considered to be Chosen (Elminster and 7 sisters for Mystra, big baddie for Bane, some others too...), there does not appear to be any RAW for how to create one, nor any interest by the designers to do so.

So....

Can we, as a whole, come up with a generic template? I know that the Chosen of Mystra seem to have these qualities:
- Silverfire (magical essence used for various effects)
- Bonus to Con (I think +4)
- Immunity to certain spells (individual choice)
- Spell-like abilities (a couple I think, trying to remember exactly)

Now, these seem to work well for Chosen of a deity of magic, but does it make a good basis for creating a general template?

Let's hear it! Go!

[Starsinger]

Mm.. Rune Child from Arcana Unearthed might work. Or some appropriate stat boosts and SLAs. Like giving a Chosen of Pelor the ability to Turn Undead, and them some spells from the Sun/good/healing domains as SLAs. Maybe a +2 charisma?

[Khantalas]

Chosen of Bane is in Faiths and Pantheons, and Chosen of Mystra is, I think, in Magic of Faerun. Any other Chosen templates are not published to my knowledge, so you'll have to homebrew them.

[Inyssius Tor]

Well, in the BoVD and BoED there are several Chosen prestige classes for the various outsider lords detailed in those books...

[jjpickar]

Well, lets look at the standard supernatural templates celestial and fiendish respectively. Both offer smite attack vs. the opposing alignment, darkvision, elemental resistance (2-3 not all), spell resistance, and damage reduction (magic). You could simply add these templates for a "chosen character" but I'm guessing you want something that offers something more unique.

I say keep the smite attack but apply it only to servants of the deity's opposed alignment such as CE for a LG Chosen. Elemental resistance can go as well darkvision but damage reduction and spell resistance (though only for divine spells) should stay. Now for the unique stuff. Each chosen must take an aspect of their particular chosen deity. The easiest way is to allow the chosen access to the domain power from one of the deity's domains though making it usable 1+the character's charisma modifier. For an extra boos the chosen can gain domain spells of appropriate level useable once per day as a spell like ability. Without spell abilities this is a +2 level adjustment (Minor Chosen) and +3 with spells Major Chosen).

For a sample template let's make a Major Chosen of St. Cuthbert with a 5th level Fighter with Cha 14.

He gains a smite CN once per day to add +5 damage on an attack vs. CN opponents. He has Damage reduction 5/magic (consult the table for either the celestial or fiendish template to determine). He has Spell Resistance vs. divine spells 10. Since he chose the Destruction Domain he can use the smite power granted by it 3 times and he can cast Inflict light wounds, Shatter, and Contagion each once per day as spell like abilities CL 5.

[Damionte]

Didn't 2nd-Edition have game rules for chosen of Mystra? If so does anyone have the sourcebooks? We may be able to adapt those rules.

The books DO have rules for spellfire.

[silentknight]

Okay, so I checked the FRCS book and it does have the Chosen of Mystra template in there. It provides the abilities that the known Chosen have in common. Overlooked it or forgot, whatever. The template works well for Chosen of a magic deity (Mystra) very well. Unfortunately, the individual Chosen each seem to have a few additional powers tied to being Chosen, and no means of quantifying the level of power and balance (Storm is immune to natural electricity and is healed by some electric spells! How do you figure out an equivalent power for someone else?)

I haven't seen the Chosen of Bane yet, and I have heard there is also a Chosen of Deneir published (inspired by the Cleric Quintet I imagine).

I'm realizing that the abilities that the different Chosen would have would be very different, which is probably why the designers have not made an effort to develop them. Bleh.

[Saph]

I think you have to just homebrew. It's not like you're ever going to let a player pick and choose a Chosen template anyway.

For the campaign I'm running now, the players are just about to run into Zio, Chosen of Dark Force (bonus points to anyone who gets the reference). The build I settled on was a mid-level cleric with the following template:

Chosen of Dark Force

+2 profane bonus to all stats
+2 profane bonus to AC and saves
Spell-like abilities (each useable unlimited times/day as a standard action)

Nightmare - Opens a gateway that produces a blue-black demonic nightmarish head that hovers above Zio, clouded in swirling darkness. This is actually a manifestation of Dark Force and allows Zio to use his Black Wave attack. Duration 1 minute/level.
Black Wave - Ranged touch attack, Fort save DC 20 or collapse, writhing in agony, and die at start of next turn. On success, 3d6+9 damage.
Petrify - Fort save DC 20 or be turned to stone.
Magical Barrier - SR 22, +10 deflection bonus to AC, duration 1 minute/level.

But he's the BBEG. That set of abilities wouldn't fit any other character.

- Saph