Favored Soul and Altar Shenanigans

[Red_Wharf]

Why are Favored Souls unable to consecrate altars and hold ceremonies? It seems to me like this goes a little against the concept of the class. If you are a pseudo-cleric divine magic-wielding chosen of a god, why can't you consecrate an altar in their name if you want to be a champion of that faith? Favored Souls are not far from clerics, in fact, this according to Complete Divine, some Favored Souls realize what they are during "divine training", a.k.a cleric training.

In the Expedition to Undermountain campaign book, there's this Dwarf High Priest called Belkram. His build? Favored Soul 4 / Fighter 3. He's one of the few Favored Souls mentioned in the lore, and he happens to be a High Priest. A character like Belkram could technically exist in Arelith, but they would be forced to take the Gift of Devotion. Why force a divine class so closely tied to Cleric to take a gift in order to roleplay a priest character, though? I can understand taking the gift in the case of a Fighter or a Barbarian, but not for a class that casts the same spells that a cleric do, a class literally linked to some god.

I understand that not all Favored Souls want to be priests, but for those who do, why not give them the mechanical cookies to play one? These are my two cents. If I'm wrong, please do mention it, I want to know what other people think of it.

[Xerah]

Those that do can take cleric classes or the gift. There are already options for this and it is different than a cleric.

[garrbear758]

The difference is that favored souls don't have to worship their patron or follow their alignment restrictions or be consenting recipients of divine power.

[Dreams]

This is about ability vs choice.

Favoured soul doesn’t have to actively do stuff for the god giving powers. That doesn’t mean they don’t have the ability, it means they aren’t choosing to go around consecrating altars.

The ones that choose to spread the word of god should be able to consecrate. To consecrate they’re channeling divine power through ritual anyway.

[Nitro]

Consecrate is a simple level 2 spell on the cleric spell list in the P&P, favoured souls gets access to all cleric spells and can therefore consecrate altars just fine in the P&P. If Arelith doesn't want to do that for whatever balance reason, sure. But it has plenty of lore justification.

[garrbear758]

Consecrate is a simple level 2 spell on the cleric spell list in the P&P, favoured souls gets access to all cleric spells and can therefore consecrate altars just fine in the P&P. If Arelith doesn't want to do that for whatever balance reason, sure. But it has plenty of lore justification.

Thats a valid counterpoint. Ive never played pnp and im definitely not 100% on the lore. Ill look into it and we might reconsider, but no promises.

[Red Ropes]

Consecrate /is/ a simple level 2 spell in PnP. However, it is a /choice/ for a Favored Soul.

Could we give Favored Soul consecration because of that? Sure!

But honestly it makes more sense for them to have taken the gift to represent them making some willful choice to learn the rites a cleric learns in their learned journey of faith.

I'd probably make sure they can do what paladins can do (I think, correct me if I am wrong here Xerah/other guys) where they can reconsecrate desecrated altars of their power.

But leave it as a choice.

[Drogo Gyslain]

Consecrate is a simple level 2 spell on the cleric spell list in the P&P, favoured souls gets access to all cleric spells and can therefore consecrate altars just fine in the P&P. If Arelith doesn't want to do that for whatever balance reason, sure. But it has plenty of lore justification.

Thats a valid counterpoint. Ive never played pnp and im definitely not 100% on the lore. Ill look into it and we might reconsider, but no promises.

This is one of those times that while there is a good Lore Standpoint to go off of, the Griefing capabilites of giving Favored Soul a free gift could lead to increased Altar Griefing.

And before people start saying 'oh its not a big deal' currently there is no penalty for Alter Shenanigans as it is, and by opening it up to Favoured Souls to be able to Desecrate/Consecrate Altars, you are bridging a gap that could have in an RP community, pretty severe and wide reaching consequences.

I've already posted a thread about the existing altar shenanigans, and the consensus at the time was that there was very little RP to be done about it, and it's a broken system. By introducing it to MORE people to be able to Con/Des an Altar, it will further expand and anonymize the problem we are already seeing IC.

[garrbear758]

After talking with the team and some of the feedback here, I would prefer to leave it as requiring the gift of devotion.