Priests vs. Clerics vs. Faithful

[TakenByTheStormX]

No! after I'm done playing a useless paladin I wanna play an OP favored soul!

[grant]

From the wiki: The most important Sharran ritual of worship is Nightfall, the coming of darkness. Clergy hold this ritual every night. It consists of a brief invocation, a dance, a charge or series of inspiring instructions from the goodness spoken by one of the clergy or by a raven-haired female lay worshiper, and a revel celebrated by eating, drinking, and dancing together.

So for Shar anyway, certain lay followers can act as a priest if no priest/cleric is available, which could be fairly frequent due to the cell like organisation of Shar's faith where the priests go from cell to cell. This might be facilitated by Shar's (believed) ability to know every secret revealed in the dark.

This was also why Nati used to walk away from the group or camp fire pit so frequently at sundown. She was whispering all your overheard secrets to Shar. The few times she was questioned... well "I WAS raised as a Chauntean and they do pray every sunset." You just never saw her pray at sunrise also a Chauntean practice.

[grant]

I was not going to add this but some 10 other posts came in wile I was on and off again writing my last.

This is a world where the gods take an active role...not just with PC Clerics and Favoured Souls "bringing the thunder" as some one said. But every day blessing, for different classes of people, something for those in need of a favour revolving around some portion of the deities domains and something more for the truly faithful.

A grieving parent might ask for and receive a blessing of "acceptance" to help them move on, while one who makes Kelemvore his personal patron would never need it not just because of "faith" but because the priests would actually be blessing the regular faithful to protect them at every service. On the other hand Kelemvores wedding ceremonies would be not much different from ours no mater how faithful, but Illira's, Sune's and maybe Sharess's faithful would receive some appropriate blessing that would endure the life of the marriage; while a couple dropping by for the Vegas version would get some obvious but lesser blessing.

[Vaelek]

Pretty much exactly what I wanted to say, Grant.

The station of an actual priest, not the big bad clerics that everyone plays, is one that still very much requires the powers granted them by their gods in the Forgotten Realms. It's not just a handy thing thrown to the adventurers, the show of divine power is a large part of what makes the difference between a priest and a respected member of the faithful.
Exercising the powers granted by your god is something earned through time-tried service, and while they may not be throwing around ninth level spells every day, the lesser blessings are a crucial part of how a temple wins over the trust of her public.
Going to someone you know is a strong member of the faith for reassurance on religious dogma is great. Probably.
For faithful people, I don't know, sounds great.
But then you run into needs like a blessing from Chauntea for the farmers, a priest capable of performing the Passing, or Lament for the Fallen, as you mentioned Kelemvor. Potion making to sell or donate to those with need of them, curing minor ailments that befall the idiotic villagers..
And so on and so forth for various faiths.

There was an alternative to using the title of priest mentioned earlier, and personally I thought that sounded great. I may use it myself for an especially devout character sometime, with a DM's permission.

But priests aren't ordinary people, in any faith in Forgotten Realms.
Bitches can do shit, and often are required to do so in the path of spreading the faith.
They may not do it as frivolously as many of we cleric PCs do, but they're still somewhat capable, and that capability is part of what earns them the mantle.

[gbbishop]

but favored souls are cool, no matter what anyone says. i have never rolled one, but the RP behind them just screams I AM ONE BAD MOTHERFUCKER.

Make them RPotM winner only, like Warlock.

Warlock is not RPOTM as far as I know.. perhaps that has changed. It does still require something to unlock it.

Only problem with making caster classes application only, DMs have to spend time sorting paper work. So I say screw that idea. Let them get in game where they can do the most good.

When ever I find a blatant powerbuild with no background, I leave the area as soon as possible. I have no use for one dimensional toons. Anyway the only FS I have seen in action was Cybil -played by Brytersword. Was played flawlessly. My vote leave classes as they are.

[Vaelek]

When ever I find a blatant powerbuild with no background, I leave the area as soon as possible. I have no use for one dimensional toons. Anyway the only FS I have seen in action was Cybil -played by Brytersword. Was played flawlessly. My vote leave classes as they are.

Actually, there are a lot of Favored Souls running around, I could name a few off of the top of my head from both the previous and current list of active characters.
It's likely you simply didn't realize they were FS as opposed to cleric, because they're rarely RPed with any great difference.
That is to say, neither show any regard for the deity they're meant to be receiving their abilities from.

But, this is getting a tad off the topic point.

[GodBeastX]

There's tons of FS's running around.

I never liked the class, since NWN2 opened to them I never liked it. I wanted to grab obsidian and vomit down their throats for implementing it when there is like 300 better classes out there.

[roguethree]

I say we work with that and let Obsidian live vicariously through our Favored Soul PCs.

Iosolde, come here. GBX has something he wants to tell you.

[Lollercide]

Favored Souls are like scythe weapon masters; immediately dismissed from the good RPer realm.

(Whether rightfully so or not is up for debate!)

However, this quickly turned to a discussion about OP Favored Souls instead of the point of the OP. I rest firm in that at least a few levels of cleric should be taken to represent yourself being super pious, knowledgeable, and spreading your God's word via enforcing their domain.

[Darkened Skies]

Clerics, Favoured Souls and Spirit Shamans are all evil. Full casting capabilities with no hindrance in full-plate is bad imho regardless of how well it's RPd. Who needs a fighter when you can get exactly the same AC as a divine caster?

[Kaybrie]

Favored Souls are like scythe weapon masters; immediately dismissed from the good RPer realm.

(Whether rightfully so or not is up for debate!)

However, this quickly turned to a discussion about OP Favored Souls instead of the point of the OP. I rest firm in that at least a few levels of cleric should be taken to represent yourself being super pious, knowledgeable, and spreading your God's word via enforcing their domain.

Well I think you're a bad role player to, you and every other OP paladin.

[MelancholyWinds]

Everyone knows Lollercide is a terrible roleplayer. He once played a paladin Horse, but kept roleplaying as the human mount.

I think the real solution though,

Is to make Palemasters and Wizards playable by RPOTM only.

[Kaizen]

FS > Cleric > Wizard

Wizard's are tough as hell to play, contrary to popular belief. And palemaster = lol.

[Lollercide]

Well I think you're a bad role player -->to<--, you and every other OP paladin.

True. Bad RPers can smell their own.

[Kaybrie]

Touche' Grammarcide, well played.