Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Maesto 04-06-07, 06:25 AM	Heya, We've all seen the battle clerics, so I thought why not a battle favored soul? Weapon focus and weapon spec just add to the fun =) The build is fairly vanilla, if only because I can't find a PrC to go into. Any thoughts? Wood Elf STR 18 DEX 12 CON 14 INT 6 WIS 8 CHA 14 Favoured Soul Levels 1-15 Feats: Power Attack Quicken Spell Craft Magic Arms and Armour Rapid Metamagic Melee Weapon Mastery x I'd like to take STR 19 to start with, but then dex and charisma get dropped (by 2 and 1, respectively). Mithril fullplate seems like the best option for armour, with no heavy armour proficiency. The lack of hitpoints (d8 instead of d10/d12) isn't conducive to dropping con, whereas AC can be made up with gloves of dex. I think you could get away with charisma 13 by just getting a big cloak of charisma; you don't need charisma to get saving throw DCs. Choice of weapon is kind of dictated by deity. Hmm... that doesn't work... Rapid Metamagic requires 12 ranks in spellcraft, which while possible, would probably be better spent in concentration. Yes, this character only gets 1 skillpoint each level. Arcane Preparation only works for arcane spells too... Darn ;-) Any suggestions? Cheers, Jolyon
Maesto 04-06-07, 07:38 AM	Mixing up the stats: STR 18 DEX 12 CON 12 INT 10 WIS 8 CHA 14 Also works, and allows rapid metamagic. Also, it could be useful to take augment healing instead of something else? But that requires 4 ranks in the heal skill, which just won't happen. Possibly the 15th level feat, but then it's a tad late ;-)
Sieylianna 04-06-07, 07:47 AM	You aren't going to have a 5th level spell slot until 10th level, so there is no point in taking quicken spell at 3rd. I would either take craft wondrous item or pick another feat (like cleave) with the intention of retraining it to quicken spell when you can actually use it. Ed
amnuxoll 04-06-07, 12:32 PM	nevermind.
Lupo 04-06-07, 02:31 PM	Heya, We've all seen the battle clerics, so I thought why not a battle favored soul? Weapon focus and weapon spec just add to the fun =) The build is fairly vanilla, if only because I can't find a PrC to go into. Any thoughts? Wood Elf STR 18 DEX 12 CON 14 INT 6 WIS 8 CHA 14 Favoured Soul Levels 1-15 Feats: Power Attack Quicken Spell Craft Magic Arms and Armour Rapid Metamagic Melee Weapon Mastery x I'd like to take STR 19 to start with, but then dex and charisma get dropped (by 2 and 1, respectively). Mithril fullplate seems like the best option for armour, with no heavy armour proficiency. The lack of hitpoints (d8 instead of d10/d12) isn't conducive to dropping con, whereas AC can be made up with gloves of dex. I think you could get away with charisma 13 by just getting a big cloak of charisma; you don't need charisma to get saving throw DCs. Choice of weapon is kind of dictated by deity. Hmm... that doesn't work... Rapid Metamagic requires 12 ranks in spellcraft, which while possible, would probably be better spent in concentration. Yes, this character only gets 1 skillpoint each level. Arcane Preparation only works for arcane spells too... Darn ;-) Any suggestions? Cheers, Jolyon choices for a favoured soul are even harder than for a cleric - full caster progression is nearly a must. some obvious suspects: church inquisitor: 3/4 BAB, d8 contemplative: 1/2 BAB, d6 divine oracle: 1/2 BAB, d6 sacred exorcist: 3/4 BAB, d8 seeker of the misty isle: 3/4 BAB, d8 stormlord: 3/4 BAB, d8 the best choice would be church inquisitor, as it has the lowest requirements, but as usual, one needs to find access. sacred exorcist consumes lots of skills and needs special documentation too. stormlord is open but consumes a lot of feats, may be an option for a human. ciao martin m.
Maesto 04-06-07, 03:39 PM	Given the skill requirements to get rapid metamagic and the need for concentration, this guy is going to be hard pressed to get into any PRC, I realise... Contemplative is just out of the question, needing far too many ranks in knowledge religion... Ditto for divine oracle, sacred exorcist (knowledge planes also). I don't know that you can even get a favored soul into these prcs before level 14 without the well read feat or somesuch. Seeker of the Misty Isle needs 8 ranks in survival, which is also cross class, so level 14 at best - also no good. Stormlord could be made to work, although melee weapon mastery and craft arms and armour would need to be dropped. CAA probably isn't such a great choice anyway, as you're unlikely to have all of the spells you need to make anything. Kinda want to take 12 levels of favoured soul for the weapon spec + melee weapon mastery, although it's happy enough to dump to take a whole bunch of stormlord levels. Kinda cute, actually. Church Inquisitor restricts to a lawful good deity, but that's no prob. Domain spells don't add much, but the +4 bonus to all dispel magic checks is a goodie. Low level abilities are cute, third level ability is useful. Detect Evil at will is fun. Skill prereqs are again a problem, although with a bit more intelligence, this character can actually get into CI. Stormlord looks like the best option presented, going FS6/Stormlord9. Take feats of: Power Attack Endurance Great Fortitude Rapid Metamagic Quicken Spell The only penalties of going through this route are smaller increases in reflex save (more than offset by the bonuses to fort and will saves), the second energy type is fixed at electricity, and you don't get melee weapon mastery and weapon specialization (+2 to hit, +4 to damage), although your weapons shocking, thundering, and eventually shocking burst. Definitely cute and flavorsome, although I think I'd be content just to stick with FS15. Cheers, Jolyon
Sieylianna 04-06-07, 06:17 PM	Seeker of the Misty Isle needs 8 ranks in survival, which is also cross class, so level 14 at best - also no good. The problem with favored souls is that without the ability to turn undead and knowledge - religion being a cross-class skill, it's almost impossible to get into a prestige class in a timely manner. If you get access, Ruathar has all knowledges and Survival as class skills and you don't lose any caster levels. I know my favored soul is hoping for access to it at some point. Ed
Maesto 04-07-07, 01:49 AM	Mmm... Ruathar is indeed a good springboard - and it even works for an elf ;-) If you just want to be a spellcaster, then the following works: Favoured Soul 6 Ruathar 3 Seeker of the Misty Isle 1 Church Inquisitor 1 Contemplative 1 Sacred Exorcist 1 Divine Oracle 2 Lose out on a whole lot of bab (BAB of 7 at level 15), saves becomes great (base saves of 8/10/18), pick up travel, inquisition, oracle domains plus one more (contemplative), acquire turn checks and evasion, good spellcraft, knowledge religion and planes, concentration, as well as diplomacy and sense motive, few ranks in heal. Only feat prereq is Skill Focus (Knowledge (Religion)). Too bad 5 of the prestige classes require special access or have special requirements =( Also that the domain spells simply add to the list you can choose from rather than adding to your spells known. I reckon you could make a decent spellcasting character out of that. Alternatively, you've picked up martial weapon proficiency from seeker of the misty isle, but you lack heavy armour prof and tower shield prof. Regardless, you could probably still make a good fighter out of it, relying on divine power and divine might. What can I say? Cute. Still, I think weapon spec/mastery isn't worth giving up on for a fighter. I'd be tempted to go FS12 into ruathar 3, or springboarding into whatever other dips are available, however. Church Inquisitor should be possible to dip for a level, as should seeker of the misty isle, both of which would add something to the character.
Gaelforcwynd 04-07-07, 11:26 AM	A level of Cleric of a deity with the Travel and War Domains would give you Survival as a class skill, MWP and WF in your deity's favoured weapon. Or does Survival only count as a class skill for Cleric levels?
Jesse Heinig 04-07-07, 09:27 PM	If you're going straight-up melee combatant, you could do what I did and take Hospitaller. You relegate your casting to pinch healing and self-buffing, while you work toward getting an Ebony Fly or similar magical mount. The Hospitaller's full BAB makes you better at combat while you sacrifice some feats and skill points to get into the class and your caster level will always be a few levels behind. Favored Souls tend to be such specialized spellcasters that being a straight self-buff machine isn't a bad deal anyway. Plus, your high Charisma (for your spells) also segues into your Hospitaller lay on hands, for a little extra healing.
TWG_Prometheus 04-10-07, 07:53 PM	I'm working on a Favored Soul as well. At first it started out as an Archer, but the concept morphed after I found a better build to match the theme for the archer Favored Soul. My thoughts run along the same lines as Maesto, except with perhaps a more balanced approach: Human Favored Soul 15 Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 14 The 14 Charisma lets you put all your level bumps into Cha to qualify for 7th level spells...all the spellcasting stats you'll ever need if you give up on saving throw spells, which is a good idea for Favored Souls generally. The 12 Intelligence on a Human gives full ranks in Concentration, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive--something I'd die to get with any of my other characters--and a little left over to help me get to Rapid Metamagic. Feats are mostly the same: Improved Initiative (going earlier equates to one round you can sacrifice to buffing if you need to) Iron Will (because divine casters with middling Will saves aren't funny) Power Attack at 3rd Weapon Focus and Specialization from Favored Soul Quicken Spell at 6th (retrained from whatever at 10 if you want to) Rapid Metamagic at 9th Melee Weapon Mastery at 12th 15th level feats are mostly irrelevant - if your build isn't working how you want it to before then, you won't get to 15th After that pick either a god or a weapon and you're mostly done. Get some good buff spells to cast/quicken when you get to 10th level and some healing and you're set.
copper_wyrmling 04-10-07, 09:44 PM	Improved Initiative (going earlier equates to one round you can sacrifice to buffing if you need to) Iron Will (because divine casters with middling Will saves aren't funny) Power Attack at 3rd Weapon Focus and Specialization from Favored Soul Quicken Spell at 6th (retrained from whatever at 10 if you want to) Rapid Metamagic at 9th Melee Weapon Mastery at 12th 15th level feats are mostly irrelevant - if your build isn't working how you want it to before then, you won't get to 15th I'd most likely take Power Attack at L1 (replacing Iron Will) and CWI at L3 (make yourself some Str-boosters to compensate for the lower Str from being human). Honestly... if you're wearing medium-to-heavy armor and a prominent holy symbol, what bad guy is ever going to hit you with a Will-save spell? My cleric has a Will save in the mid-20s, and it's largely wasted - nobody EVER targets her with Will-save effects. It's not like your Will save is really bad (it's just comparable to a wizard, rather than a cleric), especially if you multiclass into ruathar or take a dip in contemplative.
buglepong 04-11-07, 10:20 AM	I agree with the hospitaler as a good prc, I'm currently doing a character: Favoured soul 6/Paladin 4/Hospitaler 10, and pump Cha for good effect Also, what are the rules/lists for a magical mount? Apart from the usual classes, of course
buglepong 04-12-07, 03:51 AM	If your DM allows Prestige Paladin (Unearthed Arcana) you can do: Human favoured soul 11/cleric 1/prestige paladin 3 you get detect evil at will, immunity to disease and fear, saves through the stratosphere, magical mount, turn undead for divine feats, granted powers of 2 domains, and a small pool of magical band-aids in exchange for 2 caster levels, some skills, a feat choice and having to roleplay Paladin. Worth it? up to you