On the favored Souls admin debate

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:48 am

Helios wrote:Amen +5! - cept' players might go to one DM to another. Sorta like a kid asking one parent if this is okay, and if that parent refuses, the kid just goes to the other one. That's about the only concern.

This was the concern when it was decided that the prestige classes in NWN1 would require a certain amount of DMing, though to the best of my knowledge, DM shopping never happened.

stephenhamilton · Post by **stephenhamilton** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:11 pm

When someone becomes a favored soul, it is the choice of a god, not the person chosen. Therefore players should not be capable of choosing to play a favored soul. If they wish to have a strong connection to their god, they can play a cleric. Let us not forget that a person who hears the voice of their god and is blessed with the ability to inflict that gods will upon the realm is without a doubt a special individual. If that cleric or other follower shows an extreme devotion or connection that surpasses the level of faith that has ever been seen before, they might be considered for such an honor. However, when and if that honor is chosen to be granted is a decision to be made by those who represent the god and the setting of the realms. I believe that such a possibility should not be entirely ruled out, but you must know that such a case is exceedingly rare. The decision to grant the class would have to come after years of in-game demonstrations that shows the player fully understands their god and only once the setting requires one to come forward.

fluffmonster · Post by **fluffmonster** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 4:05 pm

It'd be a shame to eliminate the class completely. There's such rich RP opportunities with a PC that has been unwillingly chosen by their god.

I would make it restricted...one favored soul per diety, permission required. The player should absolutely consult the HDM of the intended server, as they should know ahead of time what the play environment will be like for that character. I discount the argument that the server DMs should have no say...the "One ALFA" argument in this context is tantamount to erasing canon regional variation from this interpretation of the FR, which pretty much undermines the purpose of the entire venture. Also, the DMs are nobody's bitch...if they aren't comfortable with a particular concept, you can't make them DM it and its pretty foolish to try.

dergon darkhelm · Post by **dergon darkhelm** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 5:07 pm

I guess I come down othe opposite side on this issue.

Having a PC be legally allwed onto a server is different from mandating DMs to interact with said PC.

PCs move across servers. What is an acceptable PC concept/ bio on Server A should be acceptable on Server B,C,D (and optimistically E, F,G, H

)

Having HDM A sign off on the PC X at creation doesn't help to lessen the liklihood of problems when in 2011 PC X has travelled to Server G run by HDM K and HDM A isn't even a member of ALFA anymore.........but having some centralized body sign off on it does (at least imo).

So I stand by the "One ALFA" here. It's why we have Admin and why we have standards in the first place...to make sure the game experience is the same across the board.

"Regional canon variation" is fine......but any legal PC should be free to move about any ALFA server at will according to a centralized rule set.

Brokenbone · Post by **Brokenbone** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 5:24 pm

Excerpt from here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070425

"Most Faerûnian deities have at least a few favored souls in their service. Some choose to have only one at any given time, but others spread out their favored souls among the lands in their worship. Rarely is there more than one favored soul in a given region, unless it's highly populated. Because they are often seen as direct signs from their god, favored souls rarely lead normal lives. The reason there are so few is because they create ripples in their travels, affecting everything they touch with their god's divine power."

ALFA's currently representing one little region in NWN2, eventually I guess four or more regions (TSM, WHL, BG, Moonsea).

No two Favored Soul PCs of the same deity ought reasonably to cross paths in our little sandbox- too rare. Crossing paths with an NPC Favored Soul of the same deity might be interesting for a DM'd plot though... mentor possibilities, enemy possibilities, whatever. Also conveniently explains their walking on and walking off, i.e., they don't belong on the PC's turf, they're back to being... dunno, Malar's Favored Soul hunting dinosaurs in Chult or something.

Maybe even if a PC Favored Soul of "Deity X" dies / retires, another "Deity X" FS following in their footsteps too soon after (especially in the same region) would be silly. Favored Soul of Tymora dies to a rat, and twenty minutes later a new one loots the old one's corpse

Favored Souls becoming commonplace, whether among PC or NPC base, would suck. "Please go to the following cave and kill the Favored Soul of Gruumsh for 10gp" statics would be sad.

Again, see that article linked above for ideas on really how FS NPCs seem to be regional movers and shakers. Example, Unther already has its one and only required FS of Tiamat. Also, somewhere in the Western Heartlands, a FS of Urdlen and a FS of Baravar Cloakshadow (both NPCs, obviously) seem to be on a collision course with each other... pure adventure seed right there, it would be kind of weird if a PC 1, FS of Baravar Cloakshadow, popped up in the region to "tip the scales." Cleric or other gnome sympathizers welcome, just that the deities have already picked their proxies for the region.

psycho_leo · Post by **psycho_leo** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 5:45 pm

WotC seems to defines the FS as a chosen, just like elmister. The only difference being that FS are picked at the moment of their birth instead of after dedicating their lives to the deity's service or somesuch.

While some Chosen come into their status because of deeds and service, others come into the world with their deity's favor. These Chosen are known as favored souls, infants born as physical manifestations of a deity's power on Faerûn.

Quite honestly, leaving how it is the FS may be a perfect fit for a PnP group, but not as much for a PW. My personal preference would be to rework the RP concept of what a FS really is and making them more likely to happen, while at the same time keeping them different from clerics.

It will always feel stupid when the chosen of Tymora is mangled by a rat (even more so than any other adventurer), regardless of how many others will follow in it's wake.

HATEFACE · Post by **HATEFACE** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 6:16 pm

Brokenbone wrote:Excerpt from here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070425

"Most Faerûnian deities have at least a few favored souls in their service. Some choose to have only one at any given time, but others spread out their favored souls among the lands in their worship. Rarely is there more than one favored soul in a given region, unless it's highly populated. Because they are often seen as direct signs from their god, favored souls rarely lead normal lives. The reason there are so few is because they create ripples in their travels, affecting everything they touch with their god's divine power."

ALFA's currently representing one little region in NWN2, eventually I guess four or more regions (TSM, WHL, BG, Moonsea).

No two Favored Soul PCs of the same deity ought reasonably to cross paths in our little sandbox- too rare. Crossing paths with an NPC Favored Soul of the same deity might be interesting for a DM'd plot though... mentor possibilities, enemy possibilities, whatever. Also conveniently explains their walking on and walking off, i.e., they don't belong on the PC's turf, they're back to being... dunno, Malar's Favored Soul hunting dinosaurs in Chult or something.

Maybe even if a PC Favored Soul of "Deity X" dies / retires, another "Deity X" FS following in their footsteps too soon after (especially in the same region) would be silly. Favored Soul of Tymora dies to a rat, and twenty minutes later a new one loots the old one's corpse

Favored Souls becoming commonplace, whether among PC or NPC base, would suck. "Please go to the following cave and kill the Favored Soul of Gruumsh for 10gp" statics would be sad.

Again, see that article linked above for ideas on really how FS NPCs seem to be regional movers and shakers. Example, Unther already has its one and only required FS of Tiamat. Also, somewhere in the Western Heartlands, a FS of Urdlen and a FS of Baravar Cloakshadow (both NPCs, obviously) seem to be on a collision course with each other... pure adventure seed right there, it would be kind of weird if a PC 1, FS of Baravar Cloakshadow, popped up in the region to "tip the scales." Cleric or other gnome sympathizers welcome, just that the deities have already picked their proxies for the region.

Fantasy universe is serious fucking business. Why not turn FS into a "prestige class" or just change the definition or class concept?

fluffmonster wrote:It'd be a shame to eliminate the class completely. There's such rich RP opportunities with a PC that has been unwillingly chosen by their god.

I would make it restricted...one favored soul per diety, permission required. The player should absolutely consult the HDM of the intended server, as they should know ahead of time what the play environment will be like for that character. I discount the argument that the server DMs should have no say...the "One ALFA" argument in this context is tantamount to erasing canon regional variation from this interpretation of the FR, which pretty much undermines the purpose of the entire venture. Also, the DMs are nobody's b*tch...if they aren't comfortable with a particular concept, you can't make them DM it and its pretty foolish to try.

I should of read that fluff. That's a dang good idear. How about this 'un. DMs tell what players will be favored souls in RP form. Sorta like some PC goes out of his way to do something for his faith and the god is like, "guess what bitch? you're gunna be my new favored soul." 'course this wouldn't be REQUIRED by a DM everytime some sort of faith based "quest" comes up, it could be discussed and done at random. You would then have a mix of players who feel burdened, hateful, used, happy, proud, sense of obligation, etc. Would it be also possible for players to turn away from their fate? The DMs could haunt them with prophecies left unfullfilled. The Faerunian gods are not perfect, they're down right flawed at times.

"For those wishing to employ the concept of favored births but without adding the favored soul class to their games, here is an alternative. Favored status need not have a mechanical representation. Prophecies, signs, and portents could indicate the favored status of an infant's birth without requiring a special class. Feat and prestige class choices, as well as spell selection, can create a theme for a cleric that separates her from her colleagues."