Giving Favored Soul ++

[Yechezkiel]

I've decided to give my Favored Soul player's diety favored weapon: Longsword, Greatsword AND Bastard Sword (basically any sword in this style that COULD be wielded in two-hands, plus any non-standard that resembles these in style/craft).

This is basically giving him proficiency in several martial weapons and, later on, several more feats. I was hoping he'll appreciate the option to use more then just that one weapon, and it fits with the god's flavor.

Does anyone think this is a horrible idea? This is my first experience seeing the Favored Soul in action.

[Gralamin]

I've decided to give my Favored Soul player's diety favored weapon: Longsword, Greatsword AND Bastard Sword (basically any sword in this style that COULD be wielded in two-hands, plus any non-standard that resembles these in style/craft).

This is basically giving him proficiency in several martial weapons and, later on, several more feats. I was hoping he'll appreciate the option to use more then just that one weapon, and it fits with the god's flavor.

Does anyone think this is a horrible idea? This is my first experience seeing the Favored Soul in action.

I think it should be Fine. Favored Souls aren't especially powerful.

[ClericofPhwarrr]

Yeah, Favored Souls need all the help they can get. The proficiency with diety's weapon is a fun trick to use when you can make your own diety. Suddenly, you have spiked chain proficiency without a feat!

[Miles Invictus]

I think it should be Fine. Favored Souls aren't especially powerful.

And it's not as if you can effectively wield more than one of those weapons at a time anyway.

[Pink]

And it's not as if you can effectively wield more than one of those weapons at a time anyway.

*Cough* Over sized two-weapon fighting*cough*

[Seffbasilisk]

So make it only when the weapon is weilded in two hands. Problem solved pink.

[Pink]

Problem? what problem? I'm just saying that it could be done with longsword and bastard sword. It's not a particularly powerful thing to do however, I'm just saying it's possible. In anything two-handing them is the better option.

[Knight_Of_Twilight]

*Cough* Over sized two-weapon fighting*cough*

You could do that, but it wouldn't exactly make the character more powerful... XD;

[ClericofPhwarrr]

Better yet, bastard sword and shield!

[Pink]

*shrug* entirely depends, it could be done so that it's still decent, I'm not saying that there aren't better ways of having the favored soul fight though. Like i said, two handed is probably a better option, however it is possible to wield two long swords relatively effectively.

[Yechezkiel]

Ok, thanks for the feedback.

I've got a Favored Soul, Dread Necromancer and Sorcerer as my players' characters to start (interesting, no?).


As an aside, are Fire in the Blood and Oath of Blood Dread Necromancer spells as they are on their list but not noted in the spells' descriptions as such?

[ClericofPhwarrr]

Ok, thanks for the feedback.

I've got a Favored Soul, Dread Necromancer and Sorcerer as my players' characters to start (interesting, no?).


As an aside, are Fire in the Blood and Oath of Blood Dread Necromancer spells as they are on their list but not noted in the spells' descriptions as such?

Party: Beware our combined Charisma! We are loved! Looooved!

As for the spells, yes. Yes they are.

[Miles Invictus]

*Cough* Over sized two-weapon fighting*cough*

*cough*I said effectively*cough*

[TheOOB]

The change wouldn't affect power level really at all, sure you get more choices, but its no more powerful then just one of those choices.

For the record, favored soul is not an underpowered class, it's probably the weakest of the full casters, but its still better then non-casters and hybrids(like the bard), in fact I'd say it's power level is right along the ToB classes, which makes it one of the most balanced classes out there.

[ClericofPhwarrr]

The change wouldn't affect power level really at all, sure you get more choices, but its no more powerful then just one of those choices.

For the record, favored soul is not an underpowered class, it's probably the weakest of the full casters, but its still better then non-casters and hybrids(like the bard), in fact I'd say it's power level is right along the ToB classes, which makes it one of the most balanced classes out there.

Too true. I reject my initial statement in favor of "Favored Souls need all the help they can get if they are to match other full casters."

[Devils_Advocate]

That does sound like an interesting party. Based on my admittedly limited knowledge of the classes, I think that they're about the same power level. And mechanically similar, though they don't fulfill similar roles. (That is to say, they're not similar in what they do, but in how they do it.)

Perhaps you'd be interested in using weapon groups or something similar in your game. I know that the way that a character is proficient with a fairly large variety of dissimilar weapons in the default rules seems weird to me. I find the idea that someone who's good with one axe will tend to be good with another, or that if you can use one spear effectively you use them all effectively, much more intuitive.

It also makes sense to me that a cleric might not use exactly the same type of weapon as his deity, but still use a similar one.

[Dragonmuncher]

Hah, I like the thought of an all-high Charisma party. Party walks into town, suddenly everyone swoons and starts smiling at them... Four-headed tentacle monsters are all flattered that such an attractive group of adventurers has deigned to come and whack off its head...

Good times.

[Dausuul]

Too true. I reject my initial statement in favor of "Favored Souls need all the help they can get if they are to match other full casters."

Alternatively, other full casters need all the nerfing they can get if they are to match the favored soul. IMO, that's the more sensible way to go about it.

[Curmudgeon]

As an aside, are Fire in the Blood and Oath of Blood Dread Necromancer spells as they are on their list but not noted in the spells' descriptions as such?

This issue is an interesting one, as the Spell Compendium removed all the tags of non-core classes like Wu Jen from the spells. My guess is that if you find any statement that a particular spell is on a non-core caster's list, the most recent version of that spell is available until WotC explicitly states that it isn't.

[Matthew]

I see no problem with this. It's just like extending Weapon Focus to Weapon Proficiency Groups (which many feel is a good idea, including me).