Favored Soul Handbook?

[Curmudgeon]

For others, given that LA buyoff rules are in effect and we are starting at 6th, the plan is Aasimar, not lesser Aasimar; however, if somebody has a good reason to switch I'd consider it.

Well, you'll be starting 3,000 XP behind the others, and will stay there for a while; that's fairly annoying if the others are at the floor of level 6 and you're only 40% of the way there from level 5. Also, if you ever want to benefit from Enlarge Person to get 20' radius control with that spiked chain, being Outsider will suck greatly for you. And getting below -10 HP as a Humanoid is fixable with level 4-5 spells; with an Outsider it's time to generate a new character if you can't pony up for level 7-9 spells. I think those are three good reasons.

[NNescio]

Well, you'll be starting 3,000 XP behind the others, and will stay there for a while; that's fairly annoying if the others are at the floor of level 6 and you're only 40% of the way there from level 5. Also, if you ever want to benefit from Enlarge Person to get 20' radius control with that spiked chain, being Outsider will suck greatly for you. And getting below -10 HP as a Humanoid is fixable with level 4-5 spells; with an Outsider it's time to generate a new character if you can't pony up for level 7-9 spells. I think those are three good reasons.

Aasimars have the (Native) subtype.

[Curmudgeon]

Aasimars have the (Native) subtype.

Right you are; I missed that. OK, make that two good reasons instead of three.

Thanks for the correction.

[Psyren]

Favored Souls largely work better as gishes. The biggest reason for this is that the spells they need to function as pure casters often have save DCs, and trying to maximize these makes them MAD. (They get spell access and bonus spells from Cha, but get save DCs from Wis.) Having all good saves and a martial (or exotic) weapon from their deity helps too.

My personal favorite use for them is to turn them into super-paladins - a gish build with most of the relevant paladin abilities but much more powerful spells. This usually involves Fist of Raziel (BoED) for various flavors of smite, Sacred Exorcist to get into Prestige Paladin, or possibly a paladin 2 dip.

[Cog]

I like Knight of the Raven (Expedition to Castle Ravenloft) for getting turning on a Favored Soul. Earlier entry, though you get turn at about the same ECL, and the class is better suited to a martial character. Refluffing the raven to a hawk might work for an Egyptian-themed FS of Zoser build; I've got one of those sitting on a back burner.

[Psyren]

I like KotR too, but the fluff/setting requirements are tricky, and you lose another caster level. If it's allowed though, it's a nice way to get into prestige paladin.

[gallagher]

What does divine bard offer that's worth 7th, 8th, and 9th level spells? What does crusader offer that's worth access to DMM?

For others, given that LA buyoff rules are in effect and we are starting at 6th, the plan is Aasimar, not lesser Aasimar; however, if somebody has a good reason to switch I'd consider it.

In case anybody missed it, I mentioned that cleric is banned in the op. Also, given the ability scores, I don't think the character needs to care about MAD very much.

for the divine bard: you guys are starting at 6th level no? what sort of guarantee do you have that you will get to 9th level spells? bards have a lot of class features, skill points, and all that jazz that make them still a viable character from 1-20

for crusader over paladin: depends on what DMM you plan on using, but maneuvers are awesome, stances are great, and the crusader is just flat out better than a paladin. plus the bardsader is already a well known powerful build.

[Psyren]

The benefit to classes that can get 9ths isn't just realized at high-level play - such classes by necessity also have faster spell acquisition than classes that top out earlier. So while a Favored Soul may not get 9ths until level 18, he can get 5ths at level 10 - whereas a Divine Bard must wait until level 13 for the same level of spells.

[hex0]

Favored souls should have Know. Religion and Dragon Shamans should have Know. Arcana. End of discussion!

But as a favored soul, you should take pRcs that hand out domains. Diveine oracle, contemplative, etc.

Is this for gestalt?

[Psyren]

Favored souls should have Know. Religion and Dragon Shamans should have Know. Arcana. End of discussion!

WotC realized this (a bit late, but still )

I have no idea why they have Arcana though.

[nedz]

...
But as a favored soul, you should take pRcs that hand out domains. Diveine oracle, contemplative, etc.

Unfortunately more domains don't add to your spells known - unlike a spontaneous cleric say - you just get the powers and the ability to learn the spells from the list.

[Mystral]

Try to get your DM to let you play a seraph instead. That class fixes most of the issues of the favoured soul and makes it usable.

http://www.dnd-gate.de/gate3/page/index.php?id=1630

[Zaq]

Try to get your DM to let you play a seraph instead. That class fixes most of the issues of the favoured soul and makes it usable.

http://www.dnd-gate.de/gate3/page/index.php?id=1630

Favored Soul is one of the strongest classes in the game (DEFINITELY in the top ten, probably in the top eight or so). Just because it has pale skin from standing in the Cleric's shadow doesn't mean it's "unplayable." Seriously, it's a 9th level caster with more spells known than the Sorcerer and nearly full access to one of the Big Three lists. So what if it doesn't get domains? So what if it needs two stats? It's still likely to be one of the strongest and most valuable members of the party, unless everyone else is a Druid/Artificer/etc. Spells are just that good, and the Favored Soul gets a ton of 'em.

Really. "Makes it playable." Just how much do you need?

[Psyren]

If you want "spontaneous cleric" without Favored Soul but don't want 3rd party, use the Mystic from Dragonlance Campaign Setting. They have the entire cleric list, are Cha-SAD, and even get a domain.

[nedz]

Favoured Soul is Tier 2.
So is the Spontaneous Cleric from UA - which you can also find in the SRD.

[hex0]

I would suggest going into a Sacred Exorcist/Prestige Paladin combo asap.

[sebsmith]

Unfortunately more domains don't add to your spells known - unlike a spontaneous cleric say - you just get the powers and the ability to learn the spells from the list.

Yeah, I just found that again while looking though my books. Is there any good way to add spells know to a Favored Soul?

[deuxhero]

Try to get your DM to let you play a seraph instead. That class fixes most of the issues of the favoured soul and makes it usable.

http://www.dnd-gate.de/gate3/page/index.php?id=1630

Where is the no-save die of spontaneous combustion gaze attack?

Pft, some Seraph.

[Jopustopin]

Favored souls should have Know. Religion and Dragon Shamans should have Know. Arcana. End of discussion!

But as a favored soul, you should take pRcs that hand out domains. Diveine oracle, contemplative, etc.

Is this for gestalt?

Favored souls do have knowledge religion (check the web enhancement). Dragon Shamans do have Knowledge Arcana (check the errata). End of Discussion!

[hex0]

Favored souls do have knowledge religion (check the web enhancement). Dragon Shamans do have Knowledge Arcana (check the errata). End of Discussion!

Double end of discussion! Woo!

You may want to snag a bonus domain or too that has nice spells not on the cleric list so you can learn them. Like Magic.

[Psyren]

Double end of discussion! Woo!

You may want to snag a bonus domain or too that has nice spells not on the cleric list so you can learn them. Like Magic.

Note that while FS can indeed learn domain spells, doing so still uses up their existing spells known. So rather than just gaining domain spells, you're trading away cleric spells for the privilege.

[dextercorvia]

Yeah, I just found that again while looking though my books. Is there any good way to add spells know to a Favored Soul?

Take Apprentice Spellcaster + Mother Cyst. Use Apprentice Spellcaster to trade away the Mother Cyst spells. This gets you 11 new spells known -- 2 1st and 2nd, 1 3rd - 9th.

[hex0]

Note that while FS can indeed learn domain spells, doing so still uses up their existing spells known. So rather than just gaining domain spells, you're trading away cleric spells for the privilege.

Which is why I mentioned that it is worth trading your potential cleric spells for Domain Spells. Magic, Protection and War have a lot of spells that are not on the Cleric list. Contemplative dip...