1st Level Cleric w/Deity's Favoured Weapon

[Ranes]

My lack of familiarity with 3E rears its ugly head again and I'm hoping someone here will be kind enough to clear up something for me. A friend is rolling a first level party to play in a game I intend to run just for him. The cleric is a half-elven, NG, Ehlonna worshipper, with Good and Sun domains. According the Classes chapter's cleric entry, if a cleric's deity has a favoured weapon, the cleric is granted Martial Weapon Proficiency and Weapon Focus feats free, if that cleric chooses to wield the same weapon.

My query relates to the Weapon Focus feat. For this, the cleric's BAB must be +1 or higher and he must be proficient in the weapon. My understanding leads to me the conclusion that, as the required weapon proficiency has already been granted, there is no problem on that score. I'm less certain about the BAB issue. A first level cleric's BAB is +0 but this cleric's Strength is 14, making a BAB of +2. If this is correct, the cleric can receive Weapon Focus at level one?

Thanks for giving this your consideration.

 

[CRGreathouse]

My lack of familiarity with 3E rears its ugly head again and I'm hoping someone here will be kind enough to clear up something for me. A friend is rolling a first level party to play in a game I intend to run just for him. The cleric is a half-elven, NG, Ehlonna worshipper, with Good and Sun domains. According the Classes chapter's cleric entry, if a cleric's deity has a favoured weapon, the cleric is granted Martial Weapon Proficiency and Weapon Focus feats free, if that cleric chooses to wield the same weapon.

This is only for clerics who take the War domain.

My query relates to the Weapon Focus feat. For this, the cleric's BAB must be +1 or higher and he must be proficient in the weapon. My understanding leads to me the conclusion that, as the required weapon proficiency has already been granted, there is no problem on that score. I'm less certain about the BAB issue.

Normally if you don't qualify for it, you don't get it. In this case, though, I'd let them take the benefit anyway. I don't think this is spelled out anywhere, though.

A first level cleric's BAB is +0 but this cleric's Strength is 14, making a BAB of +2. If this is correct, the cleric can receive Weapon Focus at level one?

Strength adds to attack bonus, not base attack bonus.

 

[Lord Thurham]

I'm less certain about the BAB issue. A first level cleric's BAB is +0 but this cleric's Strength is 14, making a BAB of +2. If this is correct, the cleric can receive Weapon Focus at level one?

BAB = Base Attack Bonus (in this case it is 0) (specific to the classes on the BAB charts for each class)
the +2 Str. Bonus is the Attack Bonus or think of it as Adjusted Attack Bonus. The +2 Str. bonus should not be considered for meeting the pre-requisite of +1 BAB or better.

Does that help clarify it?

LT

 

[Ranes]

Thank you both for your clarifications. It all makes sense now. I plead blown lightbulb and poor low light vision for missing the reference to War as a domain...

Thanks again.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Thank you both for your clarifications. It all makes sense now. I plead blown lightbulb and poor low light vision for missing the reference to War as a domain...

Hey, don't worry about it. We're here to help.

 

[jlhorner1974]

I don't know if this is what you mean, but in many cases, when free feats are awarded, it specifically states that the prerequisites are waived.

For example, monks get Deflect Arrows at 2nd level for free, even if they don't meet the prerequisites.

I would handle Weapon Focus for War domain clerics the same way. I would say that the deity's favored weapon is such an important part of the cleric's training that they get proficiency and Weapon Focus with it for free, regardless of whether they meet the prerequisites or not.

 

[Bastoche]

Exactly like a ranger with a dex of 14 and less.