[3.5] Divine Soul (domain-based spontaneous caster)

[Benly]

Divine Soul

If there is one thing that gods have in common, it is that they move in mysterious ways. Their full depths transcend mortal understanding, and sometimes the strictures of religion that mortals have built around their worship will fail to fulfill the deity's needs from its mortal agents. It is then, or so scholars believe, that divine souls are created. Divine souls are mortals who have been empowered by the gods for their own mysterious reasons. While they are usually at least lay worshippers of the god who has empowered them, they often have beliefs or understanding of the deity that are somewhat askew of the orthodox teachings, and sometimes they are chosen from among those who did not previously worship that deity at all. It is presumed that the divine soul's empowerment is intended to inspire it to deeds or conclusions that the deity's normal worshippers might not reach on their own, and the acts of such individuals often spark schisms or new understandings of their patron deity.
Divine souls often possess powers that the deity does not grant to most of its worshippers, but these strange talents come with their own disadvantage; the divine soul might, in turn, lack miracles that are granted commonly to other worshippers. They represent an unusual position within the relationship of mortals and divinities, and no two are entirely alike.


Class Skills
The divine soul's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + int

Alignment: A divine soul's alignment must not be opposed to her patron deity's. For example, a divine soul of a lawful good deity could be of any non-evil, non-chaotic alignment.

Hit Dice: d8

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st| +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 |Domains, Deity's Weapon, Divine Channel| 3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd| +1 | +0| +0 | +3 | |4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd| +2 | +1 | +1 | +3 |Domain|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th| +3 | +1 | +1 | +4 | |6|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th| +3 | +1 | +1| +4 | | 6|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th| +4 | +2 | +2 | +5 |Domain|6|5|3|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th| +5 | +2 | +2 | +5 | |6|6|4|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th| +6/+1 | +2 | +2 | +6 | |6|6|5|3|-|-|-|-|-

9th| +6/+1 | +3 | +3 | +6 |Domain|6|6|6|4|-|-|-|-|-

10th| +7/+2 | +3 | +3 | +7 | |6|6|6|5|3|-|-|-|-

11th| +8/+3 | +3 | +3 | +7 | |6|6|6|6|4|-|-|-|-

12th| +9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +8 |Domain|6|6|6|6|5|3|-|-|-

13th| +9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +8 | |6|6|6|6|6|4|-|-|-

14th| +10/+5 | +4 | +4 | +9 | |6|6|6|6|6|5|3|-|-

15th| +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +9 |Domain|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|-|-

16th| +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +10 | |6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|-

17th| +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +10 | |6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4|-

18th| +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +11 |Domain|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|5|3

19th| +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | |6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|4

20th| +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | |6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A divine soul is proficient with light and medium armor (but not shields) and simple weapons. A divine soul may also gain an additional proficiency from the Deity's Weapon class ability (below).

Deity's Weapon: The divine soul gains proficiency with a single additional weapon. Normally, this is her deity's favored weapon. However, a divine soul may instead choose a weapon type based on her alignment: warhammer for good alignment, longsword for lawful alignment, flail for evil alignment, or battleaxe for chaotic alignment. A divine soul who qualifies for more than one possible Deity's Weapon type must choose only one to treat as her Deity's Weapon.
The divine soul may use her Deity's Weapon as a divine focus and treats it as her deity's favored weapon for purposes of abilities or features that specifically refer to a deity's favored weapon, such as the War domain ability.

Spellcasting: The divine soul casts divine spells using Charisma to determine maximum level of spells known, save DCs, and bonus spells per day. She may cast a number of spells per day as shown on the table above. A divine soul casts spells spontaneously, and may cast any spell she knows at any time without preparation if an unexpended slot of appropriate level is available.
The divine soul does not gain spells known in the usual sense. Instead, she is considered to know all spells from the domains to which she has access if she has slots of high enough level to cast the spell. The divine soul may cast any such spell freely as a spell known, and is not considered to have any special domain slots.

Domains: The divine soul starts with access to three domains, and gains access to an additional domain at third level and every three levels thereafter. The spells of these domains are added to her spells known, and she gains the domain ability of each domain. She may use her divine soul level instead of cleric level for any domain abilities which are based on cleric level, and domain abilities which add skills to the cleric skill list add to her divine soul skill list instead.
The domains chosen do not have to be domains normally granted by her deity, and may include racial domains of races not the divine soul's own. However, a given deity will consider certain domains anathema. These domains may not be selected to be gained. Alignment domains representing alignments directly opposed to the deity's own alignment are always considered anathema. Other domains may be anathema depending on the deity's personal preferences and hatreds. For example, a deity who hates elves would consider the Elf domain anathema, while a deity of humility might consider the Pride domain anathema. The divine soul's player and GM should work out what domains are anathema to her deity. Any worshipper of a deity will know what domains would be anathema to that deity, as will anyone reasonably familiar with the precepts of the deity in question.
The domains granted in this way may not be exchanged for devotion feats, although the divine soul may choose devotion feats for her normal feat selections as anyone else might. A divine soul who multiclasses as a cleric or other base class that grants domains does not add those domains to her domains known for divine soul spellcasting, nor does she use her divine soul domains when preparing spells in cleric domain slots. Bonus domains from prestige classes are added to all spellcasting progressions normally, however.

Divine Channel: The divine soul may channel divine energy into her deity's weapon a number of times per day equal to 3 plus her Charisma bonus. For one minute, the weapon is treated as magical and aligned identically to her deity. Once during that duration, she may automatically confirm a threatened critical hit with that weapon against an enemy whose alignment is opposed to her deity's. Thus, a divine soul of a lawful good deity treats her weapon as both lawful and good, regardless of her own alignment, and could automatically confirm one hit against a chaotic or evil opponent.
This ability counts as Turn Undead for purposes of qualifying for feats that require Turn Undead as a prerequisite. If such a feat requires the expenditure of Turn Undead uses to activate it, Divine Channel uses may be used instead. A Divine Soul who takes the Extra Turning feat may instead apply its effects to her daily pool of Divine Channel uses. A Divine Soul who gains the ability to turn or rebuke undead from another class may add her Divine Soul levels to her levels in that other class for purposes of turning, and both abilities are drawn from the same pool of daily uses.

Changelog:

3/25/11: Moved Divine Channel to level 2 to make things a little less frontloaded.
3/25/11 (2): Reconsidered, changed Divine Channel back to 1. Clarified regarding devotion feats.
3/25/11 (3): Clarified wording of Divine Channel.
3/26/11: Clarified Divine Channel/Rebuke stacking. Clarified divine soul/cleric multiclass domain interactions.

[Benly]

Alternate Class Features

Planar Soul: Some divine souls are infused with the power of the outer planes by their deity. A first-level divine soul may choose this class feature. Instead of choosing three domains at first level, she chooses one domain and one planar domain (Spell Compendium). The divine soul does not have to meet the usual alignment requirement for the planar domain. However, domains with a requirement of an alignment opposed to the divine soul's deity's alignment are considered anathema.

Exorcist Soul: Occasionally, a divine soul is empowered to fight the undead in particular. A first-level divine soul may choose this class feature. The divine soul gains Turn Undead (as the cleric class feature) instead of Divine Channel.

Ascetic Soul: There are some divine souls who work their deity's will through their own two fists rather than a mortal-made weapon. A first-level divine soul may choose this class feature. The divine soul does not gain proficiency with light or medium armor. The divine soul gains Improved Unarmed Strike and gains the unarmed damage and armor class bonus of a monk of her divine soul level, using Charisma rather than Wisdom to calculate her armor class bonus. A divine soul with this class feature treats her unarmed strike as her Deity's Weapon rather than choosing her deity's favored weapon or an alignment-based weapon. A divine soul with this class feature may multiclass divine soul and monk freely, and her levels in the two classes stack for calculating unarmed damage and armor class bonus.

[jiriku]

Overall, I'm really impressed with the elegant simplicity of the class. The choice of domains automatically injects a specific flavor and style into each divine soul. The new domain powers provide a steady stream of bonus feats or interesting class features. The additional spells known vs. a sorcerer or favored soul is offset by the reduced flexibility you have in choosing spells. There's even a tension between choosing X domain for its useful domain power or Y domain to gain access to its spells. And yet the class has very few decisions to make, creating an effective option for players who don't want a complicated class with five pages of features (like mine tend to be).

This is really, really good. I like it a lot.

A couple of points of concern:
I don't often say this, but it needs fewer skill points. You don't have enough class skills to really offer the kind of choices that 4 skill points per level needs, and as a full caster with more spells known than either a sorcerer or a favored soul, you really don't need the extra skill points anyhow. Let the guys who don't have spells play with skills.
The first level is extremely dippable, granting three domains, proficiency with a broad set of weapons and armor, three domains, a feature that grants free critical hits and powers divine feats, and three domains. You might want to defer Divine Channeling or the third domain until level 2.
A capstone feature at level 20 would be a nice ornament on top of the tree, although it's not necessary.
You imply, but do not explicitly state, that the divine soul must have a patron deity and cannot simply worship a philosophy like a cleric can. If this is the case, you should explicitly state it.
It would be extremely helpful if you would provide a list of suggested anathema domains for each of the deities in the default D&D pantheon in the Player's Handbook. This would save many DMs some legwork, and would provide a good jumping-off point for DMs who use other deities.

[Benly]

Overall, I'm really impressed with the elegant simplicity of the class. The choice of domains automatically injects a specific flavor and style into each divine soul. The new domain powers provide a steady stream of bonus feats or interesting class features. The additional spells known vs. a sorcerer or favored soul is offset by the reduced flexibility you have in choosing spells. There's even a tension between choosing X domain for its useful domain power or Y domain to gain access to its spells. And yet the class has very few decisions to make, creating an effective option for players who don't want a complicated class with five pages of features (like mine tend to be).

This is really, really good. I like it a lot.

Thanks! I'm glad you like it.


I don't often say this, but it needs fewer skill points. You don't have enough class skills to really offer the kind of choices that 4 skill points per level needs, and as a full caster with more spells known than either a sorcerer or a favored soul, you really don't need the extra skill points anyhow. Let the guys who don't have spells play with skills.

This is actually something I waffled on for a while. The main concern is that there are a lot of domains that add extra class skills as their domain ability, and 2 skill points per level is just not enough to make any of those domain abilities worthwhile. One of my design goals with the Divine Soul is to make any domain ability function properly, even ones I've never heard of (even if some of them aren't actually good) and something like, say, Kobold domain doesn't work properly without a few skill points to throw around (Concentration being effectively mandatory for 3.5 spellcasters). My hope is that the short skill list means that skills will still be rather restricted without using domains to expand the list, while the skill points per level mean that such domains won't be wasted.


The first level is extremely dippable, granting three domains, proficiency with a broad set of weapons and armor, three domains, a feature that grants free critical hits and powers divine feats, and three domains. You might want to defer Divine Channeling or the third domain until level 2.

Moving Divine Channeling to 2 might work. The three domains at first level is to give them the same number of spells as a sorcerer (without the same versatility of selection).

(I wouldn't call it a "broad set of weapons and armor", though. Simple weapons are granted by dang near every class, so what you're getting is the Deity's Weapon proficiency and light/medium armor - the latter of which are also granted by pretty much every class that isn't severely penalized for using them.)


A capstone feature at level 20 would be a nice ornament on top of the tree, although it's not necessary.

I couldn't think of a good one and there didn't seem much need for it. Six ninth-level spells per day is a pretty good capstone to begin with. :smallsmile:


You imply, but do not explicitly state, that the divine soul must have a patron deity and cannot simply worship a philosophy like a cleric can. If this is the case, you should explicitly state it.

Yeah, I should probably clear that up. The intention is indeed that a patron deity (or deity-like force such as the Silver Flame or Ancestral Court in Eberron) is required.


It would be extremely helpful if you would provide a list of suggested anathema domains for each of the deities in the default D&D pantheon in the Player's Handbook. This would save many DMs some legwork, and would provide a good jumping-off point for DMs who use other deities.

That's probably worth considering. I'll give such a list some thought.

Edit: After some consideration, I moved Divine Channel back to 1. Without it, a number of domains become nonfunctional. However, I've made it so that domains can't be traded out for devotion feats, meaning the classic "cloistered cleric, trade out for Knowledge Devotion and Travel Devotion" dip option is blocked. The class is still potentially a pretty decent dip, but I think I'm okay with that.

[Shark Uppercut]

At last, someone who really appreciates cleric domains.
At higher levels I'd worry that the you'd have an unbalanced variety of spells-- some blasting, some healing, some buffing, some utility-- that a cleric or wizard couldn't achieve. But I suppose limiting domains to one deity's portfolio would limit that.

[Benly]

At last, someone who really appreciates cleric domains.
At higher levels I'd worry that the you'd have an unbalanced variety of spells-- some blasting, some healing, some buffing, some utility-- that a cleric or wizard couldn't achieve. But I suppose limiting domains to one deity's portfolio would limit that.

Domains are deliberately not limited to one deity's portfolio. This is explicitly stated in the class.

You will never have a cleric or wizard's versatility. You can have spells that aren't on one list or the other by way of domains, but they have access to literally hundreds of spells that are impossible for a divine soul to add to her list.

[Tacitus]

I disagree that spells alone means it shouldn't get a capstone. Having more domains is all well and good, but after a certain point some people might just jump out to a PrC because they feel they have enough spells known (or into a PrC that grants extra domains anyhow). If nothing else, perhaps an ability that allows you to change one of your domains after 24 hours of meditation? Or maybe grant additional uses of limited use domain granted powers (ie, ones usable 1/day)? It's not an earth shattering ability, but its something mighty tasty at the end of the day.

Though, on that note, are alternate class features printed in official sources that change how some domains work applicable? I can't recall them all off the top of my head, but I think there is one that lets you chose one wizard spell of each level and one that lets you swap domains 1/day, and whatnot. Its been a while since I went trawling through books for domains and cleric ACFs. >.>

[Ernir]

I like it. I'm doing something similar to this in my Cleric revision, actually.


Oh, the headache that it will be to pick the right domains. xD
Have you tried building an example character? I have a feeling your spell list is going to look veeeery short at higher levels.

Have you decided what to do with Planar Domains? They are in the spell compendium. For a Cleric, they "count as both of a cleric's domain choices".

Wording issue: "she may automatically confirm a critical hit with that weapon" - I believe you mean "a critical threat".

I have to agree with it being front-loaded. (Cloistered) Cleric 1 is considered one of the best dips available, and this isn't very far behind even with the [Domain] feat trades unavailable.
At the very least, I'd move one of the domains to second level. Isn't much of a headache for those that intend to stick with the class, but it reduces the menu of options for dippers.

[Tacitus]

Have you decided what to do with Planar Domains? They are in the spell compendium. For a Cleric, they "count as both of a cleric's domain choices".

*points at the second post with Alternate Class Features*

[Benly]

Oh, the headache that it will be to pick the right domains. xD
Have you tried building an example character? I have a feeling your spell list is going to look veeeery short at higher levels.


It'll be a longer spell list than other spontaneous casters get, barring shenanigans, but shorter than a full-list caster's. Since they're in between in terms of flexibility, this seems reasonable to me.


Have you decided what to do with Planar Domains? They are in the spell compendium. For a Cleric, they "count as both of a cleric's domain choices".

Already addressed! Check out the second post and the Planar Soul ACF. Planar domains are also involved in the Planetouched Divine Soul racial substitution levels once I get around to formatting them for posting.


Wording issue: "she may automatically confirm a critical hit with that weapon" - I believe you mean "a critical threat".

Either wording more or less works, but yours is clearer. Changing.


I have to agree with it being front-loaded. (Cloistered) Cleric 1 is considered one of the best dips available, and this isn't very far behind even with the [Domain] feat trades unavailable.
At the very least, I'd move one of the domains to second level. Isn't much of a headache for those that intend to stick with the class, but it reduces the menu of options for dippers.

Having only two spells known at first level on a primarily-casting class really bothers me, is the problem. I'm not really bothered by it being a pretty good dip for some builds. What would bother me would be if either A: it was so good a dip as to be a no-brainer for a huge number of builds (which it isn't) or B: if it was better as a dip than as a continued class (which it also isn't).

[nonsi]

You might want to defer Divine Channeling or the third domain until level 2.

I think Divine Channeling can be pushed as far as 5th level.
I mean, how often do you encounter opponents with the [Alignment] subtype prior to 4th level ?
And if you do, is it really necessary to rob them of their schtick at such early stages of one's character development ?

[Benly]

I think Divine Channeling can be pushed as far as 5th level.
I mean, how often do you encounter opponents with the [Alignment] subtype prior to 4th level ?
And if you do, is it really necessary to rob them of their schtick at such early stages of one's character development ?

Two counterpoints.

First, Divine Channeling is used as a stand-in for Turn Undead. I want divine souls to be able to pick domains that interact with Turn Undead even at low levels.

Second, enemies with aligned damage resistance already lose their "schtick" to Magic Missile or any other source of nonweapon damage well before level 5.

[jiriku]

Human Divine Soul 1 feats:

1st level: Persistent Spell
Human: Divine Metamagic (Persistent Spell)
Planning: Extend Spell
Undeath: Extra Turning
Rune: Scribe Scroll

Multi-class into cleric at levels 2+. Casting progression is delayed by 1 level (although you get extra 1st-level spells), gain 3 useful bonus feats and doubled available number of turn undead uses per day. Able to persistify one spell by level 1, and two by level 2.

Divine soul 1/cleric 1 is dramatically superior to cleric 2. Divine soul 1/cleric (x-1) is arguably superior to cleric x.

But, all my nanny-goating aside, if you're happy with it, then it's probably good to go for your own campaign.

[Benly]

Human Divine Soul 1 feats:

1st level: Persistent Spell
Human: Divine Metamagic (Persistent Spell)
Planning: Extend Spell
Undeath: Extra Turning
Rune: Scribe Scroll

Multi-class into cleric at levels 2+. Casting progression is delayed by 1 level (although you get extra 1st-level spells), gain 3 useful bonus feats and doubled available number of turn undead uses per day. Able to persistify one spell by level 1, and two by level 2.


Divine Channeling and Turn Undead use the same pool if you have both, as noted in the ability description. Although I should note that the same applies to rebuking.

I am aware that a divine soul can use Divine Metamagic at low levels, just as a cleric can. Clerics have been doing the Planning/Undeath stunt for quite a long time now. My assumption is that if a DM has a problem with Divine Metamagic he will address it by barring or houseruling Divine Metamagic. Changing the divine soul won't fix his problems with DMM, it will just mean that a player who wants to abuse it will have to use a cleric like he always has.


Divine soul 1/cleric 1 is dramatically superior to cleric 2. Divine soul 1/cleric (x-1) is arguably superior to cleric x.

For a campaign that will only take place at level 2, any multiclass of two distinct primary-caster classes is superior to being single-classed due to the hugely increased number of slots and minimal effect of increased caster level at that level. As for the second claim, see above about the shared uses pool.

Edit: However, I should clarify how domains gained from separate base classes interact. Doing so, which also cuts into the perceived synergy.