JollyDoc's Age of Worms!

[Joachim]

Having somehow missed Jollydoc's other threads entirely I'll be in something of a bewildered mode. But, the first post is a goodun' and looking forward to more.

Check out Jollydoc's Shackled City Story Hour. The first page has linked entries of the story, because we get a lot of chatter (very welcome chatter, I add) from players, JD, and the readers between posts. I must warn, you are about to enter the land of the Powergamer. Beware.

 

[gfunk]

I will, however, ask my remaining players to refrain from posting their stats until after their characters have been officially introduced in the SH, which will be in the next post, which should be...soon.

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww . . . .

Hurry, hurry!

 

[LordVyreth]

So those were Havoc's stats at introduction to the party? I wondered why he had so many magic items, but while I knew he was introduced mid-campaign, I didn't realize you were so far into it already!

The Dex thing makes sense, since pretty much everything a warlock does is a ranged touch attack. I was a little surprised about the low Cha score until I noticed the lack of offensive invocations that usually require save DCs.

Could you get into detail on how the flaw and trait work? I haven't really worked with those optional rules yet.

 

[Hammerhead]

Traits are "freebies" that give a bonus to one thing (usually a skill) and a greater penalty to something else.

You can take a Flaw to get an additional feat.

So, Joachim and Gfunk, what did you guys think of the Favored Soul? My opinion is that, compared to the Cleric, they're pretty weak. The dual stat spellcasting system tends to hose their spell DCs too much, and their special abilities don't really replace the Cleric's domains.

 

[Joachim]

So, Joachim and Gfunk, what did you guys think of the Favored Soul? My opinion is that, compared to the Cleric, they're pretty weak. The dual stat spellcasting system tends to hose their spell DCs too much, and their special abilities don't really replace the Cleric's domains.

Well, considering that the Favored Soul was the only way for Angel/Gideon to have wings at 1st level, that was the way to go. As far as the Cleric vs. Favored Soul debate, I am going to say that its going to be dependent on character concept. For sheer powergaming, the cleric is probably the most flexible, but the Favored Soul gives on-the-fly casting for all spells known, which can be eminently useful. The Favored Soul, in my humble estimation, is a superior healer because, by about 10th level, he can be prepared to remove just about any condition that might afflict his allies without being relieved of other flexibility. If you are looking for beat-down potential, I believe that the Favored Soul can be effective, but the cleric is superior.

Of course, opinions are like buttholes...every has one and they always stink.

Let me say here that I am NOT a fan of the stupid Divine Metamagic Persistent Spell garbage, even though some like to claim its dominance in gameplay. One dispel magic and *poof* that character is neutralized, having spent so much in the way of resources (i.e. feats) to be able to have divine favor and divine power all day.

 

[gfunk]

One dispel magic and *poof* that character is neutralized, having spent so much in the way of resources (i.e. feats) to be able to have divine favor and divine power all day.

I've actually heard of a nice counter for this. Buy a bunch of rings of counterspell (they are cheap) and load them with DM or GDM and wear 10 on all of your fingers. If one goes off, then simply activate the next one (a standard action?).

Your luck runs out if the DM/GDM is a SLA. However, this is an obscure rule that most DMs (not ours) ignore.

Also, if you go the Shadow Weave Adept route or take levels of Heirophant you can bump up your caster level to help buffer against dispels.

 

[Joachim]

I've actually heard of a nice counter for this. Buy a bunch of rings of counterspell (they are cheap) and load them with DM or GDM and wear 10 on all of your fingers. If one goes off, then simply activate the next one (a standard action?).

Your luck runs out if the DM/GDM is a SLA. However, this is an obscure rule that most DMs (not ours) ignore.

Also, if you go the Shadow Weave Adept route or take levels of Heirophant you can bump up your caster level to help buffer against dispels.

Wait until higher levels when you get hit with that Disjunction. Nada you can do as Ring of Counterspelling can only store up to 6th level. But, I get your point. Still, there are quite a few outsiders (demodands come immediately to mind) that can cast Dispel Magic at will as an SLA.

I just think that there is so much claptrap about that one tactic for clerics and how 'broken' it is. You need to dedicate 4-5 feats (Extend Spell, Persistent Spell, Divine Meta [Persistent Spell], and Extra Turning maybe twice depending on CHA), and that will get you the ability to use the feat ONCE. Then you need to dedicate substantial monetary resources (8k gp a pop for Rings of Counterspelling at 8th-12th level can be steep, depending on the number you want) for the protection of this ability or 12k a pop for at least two Nightsticks so that you can use it a second time. And after all that is done guess what: You can beat things down almost as good as a fighter (who has spent his money on nice magical weapons, has higher HD, and booku combat feats to boot) and you can heal yourself. Wow. Too much bloody trouble.

Sorry about the rant. I realize that the original question had nothing to do with this, but I have read waaaaaayyy too many threads regarding clerics where the ultimate answer is "You should go the Divine Meta route" or "The Divine Meta [Persistent] cleric is teh BORKEN!!" (mispelling and bad english intended).

 

[Hammerhead]

Well, considering that the Favored Soul was the only way for Angel/Gideon to have wings at 1st level, that was the way to go. As far as the Cleric vs. Favored Soul debate, I am going to say that its going to be dependent on character concept. For sheer powergaming, the cleric is probably the most flexible, but the Favored Soul gives on-the-fly casting for all spells known, which can be eminently useful. The Favored Soul, in my humble estimation, is a superior healer because, by about 10th level, he can be prepared to remove just about any condition that might afflict his allies without being relieved of other flexibility. If you are looking for beat-down potential, I believe that the Favored Soul can be effective, but the cleric is superior.

Of course, opinions are like buttholes...every has one and they always stink.

Let me say here that I am NOT a fan of the stupid Divine Metamagic Persistent Spell garbage, even though some like to claim its dominance in gameplay. One dispel magic and *poof* that character is neutralized, having spent so much in the way of resources (i.e. feats) to be able to have divine favor and divine power all day.

I don't even consider the Divine Metamagic junk. What seems to be popular for high level clerics these days is to take Quicken Spell, so you can quicken out a Divine Favor or a Divine Power if you need the combat edge.

How did you get wings at 1st level? I thought the wings came in play by 17th.

So you would argue that a Favored Soul requires a much more "focused" character concept than the typical cleric, who can be good at everything? Our current Favored Soul can't decide between being a meleeist, evoker, combat buffer, necromancer, or conjurer.

 

[Joachim]

That's about how I look at Favored Souls. Pick a role and stick to it. Like you said earlier, they have problems with getting super-high DCs because of the MAD (Multiple Attribute Deficiency). Favored Souls really cant afford any kind of 'dump stat'.

Angel got his wings by being an aasimar, taking a flaw, and selecting the feats Celestial Heritage and Outsider Wings from Races of Faerun. Outsider Wings require base +2 on all saves, which means that only Favored Souls or Monks could take it before 6th level (or some multi-class combo). I only post this information because Angel is dead. I will let JD clue you in on the other characters.

 

[A'vandira Silvermane]

Fallen for it again. JD for writing again, me for following the link and getting hooked again. Brain, doesn't this inspire to do some updating to your SH as well?

Well, here's to another SH to consume my time