D&D 5E Optimizing Favored Soul Sorcerer

[TheBigHouse]

Favored Soul is awesome, but you guys got it wrong.

Don't combo it with Paladin or Fighter, you already get the extra attack from favored soul. Doubling up on that ability is a waste.

If you want to make a Gish and you're looking at 5-6 pally or Fighter levels already, make it a storm Sorcerer.

The FS gives you armor, extra attack, and some free spells. (You get 2/3 from multiclassing Fighter or Paladin anyway). The storm gives you free spells and a slew of other abilities.

Storm doesn't give you free spells anymore as of SCAG.

I know it seems sub-optimal because you get armor and extra attack from pali anyway, but i think spiritual weapon is just that good. Its a bonus-action cast, no concentration required, every round repeating 1d8+cha. Obviously you have quicken spell, but if you are low on metamagic points, or want to conserve, spiritual weapon + eldritch blast or physical attacks makes you a powerful force with very low resource expenditure.

Look at the features for storm.
The fly thing is bonus action, so like spiritual weapon, it competes for that action slot. But I would rather have spiritual weapon.
Heart of the storm is decent damage, but requires you to start your turn within 10 feet of an enemy, and cast a thunder or lightning spell; there aren't many good ones.
Storm Guide is flavor
Storm's Fury requires you to get hit, takes your reaction so you can't cast shield, but it is quite a bit of damage.

Favored Soul gets you some really great spells at level 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, and then a flight mode at 14.

I would say you can go either way but personally FS is more attractive to me.

 

[TheBigHouse]

Draconic makes you a better (elemental) blaster. FS offers stronger utility and flexibility.

If you are going to be running a Sorcerer X/Warlock 2 and relying mostly on eldritch blast (force) for your offense, that makes the elemental affinity bonus from the Draconic bloodline somewhat less attractive. I would probably go FS. If you take the life domain, Bless + Agonizing Blast on your eldritch blast would make it formidable -- a bonus to hit and damage with an energy type which very few have resistance to. I would also consider Quickened Spell so you can cast a regular spell if necessary and shoot an eldritch blast in the same round. You can immediately activate your bless and fire eldritch blast in the same round, for instance. Keep in mind that if you quicken a 1st level or higher spell, the other spell cast during that round can only be a cantrip. So tossing 2 fireballs in the same round is illegal. But since eldritch blast is your main offense Quicken Spell fits nicely.

At level 11 Eldritch blast -> quicken -> Eldritch Blast becomes insane. 6d10+6xcha. Throw on Hex for another 6d6 and you are looking at one of the best damage options in the game.

 

[TheBigHouse]

Would it be worth it to take FS over Draconic? The idea I've had was to use (at DM's discretion) the Eladrin subrace in my half-elf sorc to use Misty Step. Basically, to run around using Agonizing Blast from a lock 2 dip and teleport out of any danger that catches me.

Yeah, warlock 2 / sorc 18 is probably the best build for this strategy. FS or draconic, either will work, but FS probably edges Draconic IMO for just the spell list.

As an aside, I expect favored soul will be nerfed when the official version comes out. I expect they will remove the extra spells like they did with storm sorc.

 

[IAmTimeGhost]

Favored Soul Sorcerer14, Tome Warlock of Undying Light3, Swashbuckler 3 seems the way to go. Lots of fun with Short rest spell slots and metamagic. The ability to fly and to get up after being reduced to 0 once per long rest. Dont' forget the +CHA to fire and radiant damage.

Which domain for FS would you take with this?

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I assume that the "final" version of favored soul will lose the bonus spells. If they replace bonus spells with allowing the fss to get the 2nd level channel divinities (which would keep the connection to the clerical domains), what would be the best favored soul sorcerer then?

 

[miburo99]

Favored Soul is awesome, but you guys got it wrong.

Don't combo it with Paladin or Fighter, you already get the extra attack from favored soul. Doubling up on that ability is a waste.

If you want to make a Gish and you're looking at 5-6 pally or Fighter levels already, make it a storm Sorcerer.

The FS gives you armor, extra attack, and some free spells. (You get 2/3 from multiclassing Fighter or Paladin anyway). The storm gives you free spells and a slew of other abilities.

I've been thinking about this and pose an alternative. Paladin 2/Favored Soul X could make a really interesting "Gish" character without wasting the double extra attacks. Go Half-Elf or Variant Human with bonuses to Strength and Cha (+Con for Half-Elf). Wear Heavy Armor, carry a Greatsword. Take Resilient Con/Warcaster and Great Weapon Master as feats (if you start as Sorc you do gain Con save but you lose Heavy Armor and hit points). You now have Heavy Armor, Smiting, and a Fighting Style (either GWF or Defense), and eventually 9th level spells. Take Life for additional defensive spells, as you will have enough blasting spells as a Sorc. Also, take Greenflame Blade as a cantrip.

Now, you can attack (either two attacks for multi-smite or Greenflame Blade for scaling damage), with smite bursting damage, quicken a healing or offensive spell on top of that, and eventually you'll be flying as well. That's a lot of versatility in a single package. The Paladin mainly gives you heavy armor, fighting style, and burst smiting.

Edit: If Favored Soul loses its bonus spells this is less powerful but still viable. You still get Cure Wounds and Bless at least.

Edit 2 Electric Boogaloo: Pal 6/Storm Sorc is also very interesting, though it takes longer to come online. You do get more Paladin abilities like Divine Grace though. I would also consider Draconic Sorc because you get the +1 hit points which might help as a Gish (1d6+1 is close enough to 1d8).

 

[Coyote81]

Which domain for FS would you take with this?

If your going to want to mix in combat a little(which if your taking swashbuckler, you probably are.) Then War domain gets a some nice combat spells. If you want to be more of a blaster (Which the Undying light warlock helps a lot with) then the Light domain gives you those domain fire spells. And if you want to be more support/blaster, taking life actually lets you have healing spells, and you can use metamagic on those to make them even better.

 

[Ogre Mage]

As an aside, I expect favored soul will be nerfed when the official version comes out. I expect they will remove the extra spells like they did with storm sorc.

I will be sad if this happens. The current incarnation of the favored soul is my favorite class.

 

[Coyote81]

I will be sad if this happens. The current incarnation of the favored soul is my favorite class.

I think it will happen as well, but I think they might give them some access to cleric cantrips or some healing spell, otherwise they really lose the divine feel. Other then getting some wings and self heals later on.

 

[Moraine]

From a 3.5/Pathfinder point of view, magic has been screwed up with the concentration issue (yes, fighting BBEG with several buff spells on it was painful, but now you cannot buff your party members - I know, twinned spell - OR debuff the evil guys OR control the battlefield - Web a concentration spell? Some developer suggested it after an argument with his couple? -).

From the same pointy of view, the number of spells you can cast has been reduced as stats do not provide bonus. So you can cast less spells and a lot of them have been nerfed.

From the sorcerers' point of view, in 5th level I had 15 spells... now you need 20 levels...

I suppose none of the developers told "hey, l hate spellcasters, let's **** them", but it seems suspicious.

And yes, this has something to do with Favored Soul. All Sorcerous Origins SHOULD give extra spells. Mandatory.