garrbear758 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 07, 2022 4:31 pm
As the people who made the class, Aniel and I have been adamently against them getting either from the start. It goes against the rp niche they fill, and it just makes them "cleric but spontaneous," when the class is intended to be much more than that and very different from cleric. If you want consecration on a FS, there's a gift for that. If you want a language, theres an award for that. You can take both, but I am very against giving the class either by default.
I can see where you're coming from, with regards to your reluctance to give FS the exact same RP goodies as Cleric. You're right, that would make them too samey, and I think that would be a pretty lazy and underwhelming way to give FS something fun. Even so, I disagree with the idea that they are fulfilling their niche as-is. The issue I see with FS - and, again, this is not an issue with
just FS, more that FS is emblematic of the reoccurring issue throughout several classes - is that the class gets nothing comparable to really hammer in what kind of roleplay they're intended to pursue.
For comparison sake, I'm just going to pick out three base classes and prestige classes at random and go into how their mechanics supplement their identities.
[Disclaimer: This is not an attempt to say "You Must Roleplay This Class In This Way," this is just a generalization about the archetypal identity each listed class is associated with.]
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- Wizard -
Roleplay Identity: The intelligent, educated arcanist; a versatile problem-solver who approaches the world with the meticulous mind of a mathematician, perfectly suited to unravel the mysteries of the universe through their keen mind and many magical tools at their disposal.
Supplementing Mechanics: Oodles and oodles of bonus feats allow the Wizard to claim and demonstrate their expertise in up to five of the eight schools of magic; Specializations further emphasize the ability to portray expertise within a specific field; being Intelligence-based, the Wizard will naturally be able to learn many languages and pick up many skills; infini-casting through GSF demonstrates the practical application of their knowledge limitlessly and effortlessly; there are certain spells and rituals that only a Wizard can cast.
- Fighter -
Roleplay Identity: The hardened, professional battlemaster; a veteran to combat and master of martial technique, whose discipline and training affords them the ability to adapt to any danger and survive any battle. Whether a footsoldier, a general, or a mercenary, the Fighter has honed their body and mind alike to the art of war, approaching combat with a razor-sharp efficiency.
Supplementing Mechanics: Weapon Specialization is a feat exclusively granted to Fighters, alongside many bonus feats that can be taken to supplement combat skill; Second Wind creates the sense of a sustainable, efficient, self-sufficient fighting machine
- Monk -
Roleplay Identity: The warrior-poet and philosopher-knight; he who pursues both spiritual and physical perfection in tandem, with the understanding that the spiritual and physical are intrinsically linked. Wielding his very soul as a weapon and shield alike, the Monk eschews traditional forms of magic and instead practices strange mystic arts to achieve supernatural feats.
Supplementing Mechanics: Open up the Monk level progression table and you'll see a whole slew of unique feats and abilities that are earned at nearly every level of play, each one themed around the concept of spiritual and physical enlightenment; at higher levels, the Monk even gets a unique marker of their transcendental nature via their (in)famous eyeglow effect.
- Assassin -
Roleplay Identity: The lethal murderer that strikes from the shadows; whether fulfilling the wicked whim of some murderous ideology, or merely a coin-hungry killer that plies his bloody trade for little more than greed, the Assassin is a remorseless butcher and a dangerous threat whose victims will pay any price to avoid his professional attention.
Supplementing Mechanics: Let's start with the obvious, which is the entirety of the Assassin's Guild; the Assassinate ability drives home the image of a studious serial murderer who stalks his prey before taking out the target; Death Attack's ability to paralyze enemies caught unawares; poison synergy reinforcing the idea of a prepared and committed killer; while only able to access a small number of spells, the tailored nature of the spell list and the way those spells evolve with level investment add a unique aspect to their spellcasting.
- Arcane Archer -
Roleplay Identity: A warrior trained in mystic tradition known only to the elves; using magic to supplement ranged warfare, the Arcane Archer blends spellcraft with martial practice, firing enchanted arrows to slay their enemies with lethal efficiency. Whether trained in the arcane arts or attuned to nature's blessings, the Arcane Archer uses their power to become a deadly master of the bow and arrow.
Supplementing Mechanics: Racial restriction to elves suggests a narrative to be explored; enchanted arrow abilities unique to the class; innate ammo creation; the self-evident nature of the awesome power of a +10 arrow.
- Divine Champion -
Roleplay Identity: A knight committed to the service of a god; whether oathsworn like a paladin or propelled to their duty by some deep, unspoken conviction, the Divine Champion seeks with every action to make their gods' will manifest in the world - and in so doing, has earned the favor and attention of their chosen deity.
Supplementing Mechanics: Divine Wrath, an ability unique to the Divine Champion; their Paladin-adjacent nature is expressed through abilities such as Smite & Lay on Hands.
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What I hope this little writeup demonstrates is that every class has their "thing" that makes them feel special and unique. Some of them do it better than others - for example, I'd say that AA & DC still leave something to be desired in terms of unique flair and I would be thrilled to see them get something else that clearly sets them apart from other similar classes. Clearly, though, they all have their own roleplay niche, and that niche is further solidified by some ability that is exclusive to the class in question. And that's why the idea that FS is somehow narratively empowered by a
lack of "special something" doesn't sit right with me. Surely there must be
something special and new that the class can be granted to supplement its niche. There has to be some unique way that it can express its unique role in the universe, right? I'm not going to pretend I know exactly what that "special something" could or should look like, though it's something I'd certainly love to brainstorm - and I hope the team feels empowered to pursue the idea! This all of course extends to classes beyond Favored Soul, but, again, I would say FS is the most egregious offender on the list.