Favoured Soul, wing or lose

[Aus_Snow]

Er.. I'm just wondering if anyone's written up / thought about any alternatives to the 'wings' ability that the Favoured Soul base class (from Complete Divine, by WotC) gains at 17th level.

Or have I missed a thread about this very thing? Or, on the other hand, do people generally think it would be pointless or wrong to have each particular deity bestow a more fitting gift upon their Favoured Souls, in accordance with their portfolio / powers / description / style etc.? If so, please state why.

I've thought about a few things, like Fast Healing, Blindsense, certain immunities and various other odd abilities. Mainly though, I was thinking a low level spell (e.g., fly - but not that, of course) always on or at will, could be one way to go. Or, a medium level spell a certain number of times per day, or under certain circumstances. Maybe even a high level spell 1/day, 1/week or whatever. Keeping in mind that they cast and know spells pretty much as a 'sorcerer of the divine', extra spellpower could be handy, I suppose.

Anyone else interested in tinkering with this class, in a fairly minor way such as this? I'm also interested to hear what people think of the class in general, and whether there are any other changes to it that GMs have thought about, or implemented.

 

[Guero Caballero]

Favored Soul

I like this class, but, like you, I find the "wings" ability at 17th level to be needlessly generic. If someone in my campaign plays a Favored Soul and actually makes it to 17th level, I'll give them a granted ability based on whatever god "favors" them. Of course, if the PC in question actually worships some sort or bird-god, then the "wings" might be the right choice.

 

[Aus_Snow]

I like this class, but, like you, I find the "wings" ability at 17th level to be needlessly generic. If someone in my campaign plays a Favored Soul and actually makes it to 17th level, I'll give them a granted ability based on whatever god "favors" them. Of course, if the PC in question actually worships some sort or bird-god, then the "wings" might be the right choice.

That's also what my intention has been until now, if anyone was ever to play one, that is. Still, I'd like to have a kind of list made up, even if it's incomplete.

 

[Guero Caballero]

If you use an established setting, it'd be easy to get a list through the collective efforts of the boards here. If you use a homebrew setting, it be a little harder...others wouldn't know what your pantheon is like. I do think that coming up with one 17th level granted power per domain might be a nice start...a FS would pick from the domains offered by his diety (but wouldn't actually get the domain, ofc) at 1st level, and then at 17th he'd get the granted power. Thoughts?

 

[Aus_Snow]

If you use an established setting, it'd be easy to get a list through the collective efforts of the boards here. If you use a homebrew setting, it be a little harder...others wouldn't know what your pantheon is like.

For the sake of this thread, I'll use FR as the base for it all, if that suits. As it happens, one campaign I'm running is 'pseudo-Realms'.. well, something like that. So it would certainly suit me fine.

I do think that coming up with one 17th level granted power per domain might be a nice start...a FS would pick from the domains offered by his diety (but wouldn't actually get the domain, ofc) at 1st level, and then at 17th he'd get the granted power. Thoughts?

I like this idea. It would definitely streamline the whole process, which is what's needed, I think.


So, the challenge now is to come up with deity-given 17th level class abilities that are comparable with having a pair of wings @ 60ft mv. + good man., one for each cleric domain in the core rules, FRCS, or really, wherever else people want to draw domains from.

OK, this could take a while...



edit --- Of course, another really good reason for having these alternatives around is illustrated by cases of winged PC races (avoriel - or whatever they're called, fey'ri, half-fey, etc. etc.).

 

[Guero Caballero]

Incomplete List of 17th level FS Powers by Domain

(Core domains only at this point)

Air: Gaseous Form (Sp) at will
Animal: Speak with Animals (Su)
Chaos: Magic Circle Against Law (Sp) at will
Death: ?
Destruction: ?
Earth: Meld into Stone (Sp) at will
Evil: Magic Circle Against Good (Sp) at will
Fire: Burning Hands (Sp) at will
Good: Magic Circle Against Evil (Sp) at will
Healing: ?
Knowledge: Tongues (Su)
Law: Magic Circle Against Chaos (Sp) at will
Luck: +2 generic (stackable) bonus to all saving throws
Magic: Arcane Sight (Su)
Plant: Speak With Plant (Su)
Protection: Protection from Arrows (Su)
Strength: +4 inherent bonus to Strength
Sun: Daylight (Sp) at will
Travel: ?
Trickery: Nondetection (Su)
War: ?
Water: Water Breathing (Su)

 

[Guero Caballero]

I'm Bored, so here's m take on FS powers for domains from CD

Celerity: Speed increased by 30 ft, same restrictions
Cold: ?
Community: Status (Sp) at will
Competition: Zeal (Su)
Creation: Minor Creation (Sp) 3/day or Major Creation (Sp) 1/day
Domination: Enthrall (Sp) at will
Dream: ?
Force: Mage Armor (Su)
Glory: any weapons wielded are treated as being good for the purposes of overcoming DR
Inquisition: Discern Lies (Sp) 3/day
Liberation: ?
Madness: ?
Mind: Mind Blank (Sp) 3/week
Mysticism: Visage of the Diety (Sp) 1/day
Oracle: Identify (Sp) at will
Pestilence: ?
Purification: ?
Summoner: bonus feat : Augment Summoning
Weather: Control Weather (Sp) 3/week

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Of course, if the PC in question actually worships some sort or bird-god, then the "wings" might be the right choice.

Well, it's worth noting that both Half-Celestials and Half-Fiends are granted wings, despite that neither all Celestials nor all Fiends possess wings.

I see being a high-level Favored Soul as being the first step to ascending to become a high Exemplar-- akin to an Archon or a Balor. I'm actually thinking of removing most of the "main" Exemplars and replacing them with high level Half-Outsider Favored Souls, allowing me to use the appropriate base creature for the deity.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Keep in mind that by 17th level wings are little more than a flavor ability. The PC has almost assuradly been flying around for many levels, and perhaps better. If you're going to change it, it would probably be best to keep this in mind and give out some kind of flavorful abilities that stand out and make the player think "neat ability!" without being actually powerful.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Keep in mind that by 17th level wings are little more than a flavor ability. The PC has almost assuradly been flying around for many levels, and perhaps better. If you're going to change it, it would probably be best to keep this in mind and give out some kind of flavorful abilities that stand out and make the player think "neat ability!" without being actually powerful.

Exactly: things that, in each case, reflect the nature of the deity in question.

As I said, I think low-level spells (more or less equal to Fly) always on or at will would seem to be OK, or powers that (approximately) equate. That's hardly going to break the class.

Well, it's worth noting that both Half-Celestials and Half-Fiends are granted wings, despite that neither all Celestials nor all Fiends possess wings.

.. which also doesn't appeal to me, logically or in terms of style.

I prefer half-demons, half devils, half-eladrins, half-archons etc. (all with specific parentage, abilities, style and so on) for my campaigns. That's a work in progress too, though.



Still going with the domain idea. It's mostly easy, but tricky in parts. :\