Favored Soul Cleric Archetype

The favored soul follows the path of the cleric but is able to channel divine power with surprising ease. She is able to perform the same tasks as her fellow divine spellcasters but with virtually no study; to her, it comes naturally. Scholars wonder if favored souls have traces of outsider blood from unions, holy or unholy, centuries ago and generations removed. Others suggest that divine training of the proper type awakens the ability, or that favored souls are simply imbued with their gifts by their gods when they begin the cleric’s path. In any case, favored souls cast their spells naturally, through force of personality rather than through study. Though this gives them extraordinary divine abilities no normal person could ever match, they see their gift as a call to action, and so in some ways may lag behind their more studious colleagues.

Favored souls cast divine spells by means of an innate connection rather than through laborious training and prayer, so their divine connection is natural rather than learned. These divine spellcasters know fewer spells and acquire powerful spells more slowly than clerics, but favored souls can cast spells more often, and they have no need to select and prepare them ahead of time.

Saves: A favored soul uses the good saving throw progression for all saves. This alters the cleric’s saves.

Class Skills: The favored soul’s class skills are Craft (any), Diplomacy, Fly, Heal, Jump, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (religion), Profession (any), Sense Motive, Spellcraft and Use Magic Device.

This alters the cleric’s class skills.

Spellcasting: The favored soul draws divine spells from the cleric spell list, but because the favored soul’s magic comes by virtue of force of personality, she can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a favored soul must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a favored soul’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the favored soul’s Charisma modifier. Use the sorcerer table to determine spells per day at each level.

A favored soul’s selection of spells is extremely limited. Use the sorcerer table to determine the favored soul’s spells known at each level. Unlike a sorcerer, these spells are divine and do not suffer the spell failure chance for arcane spells for casting in armor.

This replaces the cleric’s spellcasting and spontaneous casting ability.

By Blood or by Spirit: Choose one domain granted by your patron, and one bloodline that fits the portfolio of your patron deity (cannot be the mongrel bloodline; also see note below). You gain the domain spells of the chosen domain as additional spells known to those you select upon leveling up, but you do not gain the ablities of the chosen domain. You do not gain the bloodline spells of the chosen bloodline, nor the bloodline arcana, but you do gain the 1st, 3rd and 9th level bloodline powers.

Further with this dual nature to your power, you may choose alternate favored class bonuses from either the cleric, or the sorcerer list, so long the bonus applies to a feature you possess.

This replaces domains, but you do count as having both domains or a bloodline for the purpose of feats or other prerequisites. It is also considered having domains for the purpose of archetypes that might replace domains, in which case this entire feature is replaced by the new feature.

What bloodline should I choose?

A bloodline can be chosen based on the portfolio of a deity, or a general concept of the deity’s divinity. For example, the Destined bloodline could be applicable to just about any favored soul. The Celestial bloodline could be used for most good aligned deities, while Infernal or Abyssal could fit most evil ones. Fey powers might lend themselves to the Fey bloodline, while a god of darkness would lend themselves to choosing the Shadow bloodline, or a god of undeath might suggest the Undeath bloodline; a draconic deity could tie to the draconic bloodline. Ultimately you can come to an agreement with the GM if you’re in question about a bloodline choice.

Channel Energy: The favored soul does not gain the ability to channel energy either positive or negative. The following special abilities replace entirely the channel energy feature.

Marked by the Gods: At 1st level, the favored soul carries some distinctive marking that is representative of the deity who has showed their favor. This could be a birthmark or other sort of marking that harkens to the symbol or portfolio of the chosen power; it could even be something that was self affected, like a tattoo. Whatever it may be it is distinctive, and may not be easily concealed. With it, you are always treated as having a divine focus, regardless of what you actually have on hand, and using your divine abilities or casting your spells does not require you to brandish one.

Deity Weapon Focus: At 3rd level, you gain Weapon Focus in your patron’s favored weapon. If you already have the Weapon Focus feat, you may choose another combat feat for which you qualify that has Weapon Focus as a prerequisite for the same weapon.

Bonus Feats: At 5th level you gain a bonus feat, and another at 10th and 15th levels. These bonus feats must either be the bloodline feats from your chosen bloodline, or a metamagic, spell focus or spell penetration feat, or a combat feat for which you qualify that applies to your Deity Weapon Focus weapon. You may also select Deific Obedience as a bonus feat, and receive your first boon upon receiving the feat (you must still perform the acts of obedience in order to receive the benefits of this feat).

Energy Resistance: At 7th level, choose a form of energy — acid, cold, fire, electricity, sonic, negative (if good), positive (if evil). You gain resistance 5/- to this energy type. At 11th level select another energy type, you are resistant to both energy types and your resistance increases to 8/-. At 15th level, choose another energy type, for a total of three, and your resistance increases to 10/-.

Any energy resistances you gain from racial traits or other class features do not stack with this resistance.

Martial Champion: At 10th level, count half your favored soul level as fighter levels for the purpose of qualifying for feats, prestige classes and other features.

On Lofty Wings: At 17th level, you grow wings and can fly at a speed of twice your land movement with average maneuverability. The exact appearance of these wings is dependent upon alignment or the nature of the deity that is your patron, be they feathered wings, leathery bat-like wings, draconic wings or gossamer insect-like wings. If you gain wings through a racial feature or your bloodline powers in addition to this ability, then your flight maneuverability increases to perfect.

If you would opt to not have wings, you may choose another bonus feat instead.

Divine Apotheosis: At 20th level, you become a mortal petitioner of your patron. You become a native outsider, and gain the immunities and vulnerabilies that go along with it, such as immunity to humanoid-only affecting magic, but vulnerable to magic that specifically targets outsiders. You gain 10 points of damage reduction, the bypass for which is the opposite alignment of your deity. For example, if your deity is Lawful Good then your damage resistance is 10/evil or chaotic. If your deity is neutral on both axes, your damage reduction is your choice of 10/cold iron or 10/silver.

You may also choose to take an alternate capstone, or the 20th level power of your chosen bloodline in lieu of this capstone.