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I run a level two Sylvan Sorceress. She's human, and takes the human FCB for extra spells. Because her husband Omar (my boyfriend's character) has converted her to worshipping Shelyn, I am considering going evangelist prestige class at level 7, just after I get the ability to cast 3rd level spells.
It would fit the character's back story very well.
For those who want statistics, here they are.
Zahra Senay
Female human (keleshite) sorcerer (wildblooded) 2 (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 70)
NG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +1
Defense
AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex)
hp 14 (2d6+4)
Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +4
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee spiked gauntlet -1 (1d4-2)
Ranged light crossbow +3 (1d8/19-20)
Sorcerer (Wildblooded) Spells Known (CL 2nd; concentration +6):
1st (5/day)—color spray (DC 15), grease
0 (at will)—acid splash, detect magic, ghost sound (DC 14), light, mage hand, message, prestidigitation
Statistics
Str 7, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 18
Base Atk +1; CMB -1; CMD 11
Feats Boon Companion, Eschew Materials
Traits friend in every town, savannah child
Skills Diplomacy +9, Handle Animal +10 (+12 vs. Pumpkin while worn), Knowledge (arcana) +5, Knowledge (nature) +5, Perform (wind instruments) +7, Sense Motive +3, Spellcraft +5, Use Magic Device +8; Racial Modifiers +2 Sense Motive
Languages Common, Kelish, Osiriani
SQ mutated bloodline (sylvan)
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds (2), wand of mage armor (50 charges), wand of protection from evil (50 charges), acid (2), smelling salts; Other Gear crossbow bolts (10), light crossbow, spiked gauntlet, backpack, belt pouch, candle (10), chalk (10), earplugs, flint and steel, wooden holy symbol (Shelyn), ink, black, inkpen, mug/tankard, masterwork Flute, powder (2), signal whistle, silent whistle, spell component pouch, string or twine, wrist sheath, spring loaded, wrist sheath, spring loaded, 835 gp, 4 sp, 4 cp
Special Abilities
Animal Companion Link (Ex) You have a link with your Animal Companion.
Boon Companion (Animal Companion) +4 levels to calc familiar/animal comp abilities (max of your HD).
Earplugs +2 save vs. hearing effects, -5 hearing-based Perception.
Eschew Materials Cast spells without materials, if component cost is 1 gp or less.
Share Spells with Companion (Ex) Can cast spells with a target of "you" on animal companion, as touch spells.
Sylvan Your magic shows a kinship to that of the beast-talkers and shapechanger fey.
Wand of mage armor (50 charges) Add this item to create a wand of a chosen spell.
Wand of protection from evil (50 charges) Add this item to create a wand of a chosen spell.
Here's the deal: I would dearly love the extra skill points and hit points that an evangelist would get. Evangelist would also give me four more class skills, including Perception and Knowledge Religion. Heck, it would give me Glaive proficiency (though with my strength, I'd never use it.) It would stack with my animal companion. But I would lose the human FCB of extra spells known, and one level of spell casting. I'm trying to decide if the trade off is worth it, or if I will be crippling my sorcerer at high level PFS play by losing that caster level and having my spell progression delayed by a level. Thoughts?
Hmm
In my opinion, the extra hit points, Skill points, and class skills etc are slightly outweighed by the loss of a caster level. Therefore I'd only take it if you wanted the boons from the obedience feat early.
What does Shelyn grant and do you want them enough?
In my opinion, the extra hit points, Skill points, and class skills etc are slightly outweighed by the loss of a caster level. Therefore I'd only take it if you wanted the boons from the obedience feat early.
What does Shelyn grant and do you want them enough?
About what you would expect from a goddess of love and art.
Evanglist's Boons
1: Fiction Weaver (sp) silent image 3/day, minor image 2/day,
or major image 1/day
2: Versatile Artist (Ex) Drawing on Shelyn’s divine inspiration,
you can substitute your bonus in a specific Perform skill
for your bonus in another related skill, as the versatile performance class feature. Select one type of Perform skill which you can substitute for its associated skills. If you already have the versatile performance class feature when you obtain this boon, choose an additional Perform skill to substitute; you gain a +2 bonus on checks with this additional Perform skill.
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The SLA boon can make up for the spells lost. If you take Magical Knack to make up for the caster level, it might be worth it. You would also want to take boon companion to make up for the lost progression for your pet.
If you don't want to sink two feats into catch up, that may be a bigger deterrent than the loss of spells.
I would stay sorceres. You will lose caster level. And the favored class spells known. And it is possible to be religious without picking a divinly powered class.
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I think it would be an excellent way to demonstrate your own faith and help me spread the teachings of Shelyn.
Yes, Omar. But I believe that Shelyn has the patience to understand if I need to forge a separate path for my art. Please, let these excellent seers advise me... There is so much to consider before taking such a challenging step.
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So... Back to out of character. My plan already included taking Additional Traits to get Magical Knack at Level 7, if I went Evangelist. So the Caster Level at least would be covered. And I could take Reactionary along with it for +2 to initiative.
Of course this does mean that the cost of Evangelist is two feats -- Deific Obedience and Additional Traits.
I already have Boon Companion to make up for my Druid -3 on my animal companion. Since Boon Companion covers 4 levels, my tiger will advance normally. Pumpkin's covered here.
What I am most concerned about is getting my spells one level later than everyone else. Will this be a problem in higher levels of PFS play?
Another question... The first three levels of Evangelist give me just about everything that I would want from the class. Could I switch back to sorceress and then pick up the Human FCB again? Or would that be stupid and would I be better off staying an evangelist once I become one?
Hmm
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Does it make sense for your character? That should be more important than the mechanical workings of your character.
Staying sorcerer would be more powerful, but the game isn't played by statblocks, it's played by characters. If devotion to Shelyn is important, build to the concept (instead of concepting to the build).
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Does it make sense for your character? That should be more important than the mechanical workings of your character.
Staying sorcerer would be more powerful, but the game isn't played by statblocks, it's played by characters. If devotion to Shelyn is important, build to the concept (instead of concepting to the build).
It makes a ton of sense for the character. I am just trying to weigh my options because if I do go for it, it means committing with skill points in my very next level.
Hmm
"Handle Animal +10 (+12 vs. Pumpkin while worn)"
Is Pumpkin your companion? And if so, is Pumpkin a ferret?
Pumpkin is her tiger animal companion.
I feel about the spells at least, is what are you wanting from your spells?
Losing a level will mean no lv6 slots at lv12. It'll mean that you gain the new list later. But it's up to you whether you need that list as soon as possible. I know of a blaster wizard that went the sorcerer dip later because he wanted his fireball as soon as he could. But if you're just casting haste and can already cover the people that need it then you don't need the higher levels as much.
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Does it make sense for your character? That should be more important than the mechanical workings of your character.
Staying sorcerer would be more powerful, but the game isn't played by statblocks, it's played by characters. If devotion to Shelyn is important, build to the concept (instead of concepting to the build).
It makes a ton of sense for the character. I am just trying to weigh my options because if I do go for it, it means committing with skill points in my very next level.
Hmm
Go for it.
It's cool, if nothing else, and the "rule of cool" should still hold weight in what is a game, not a calculus optimization problem.
And, since this is PFS, a wide skillset is valuable in its own right- -so the benefits (more skills, more BAB, extra bonus "stuff" from Evangelist) at the very least are comparable to the things you lose (one spell level, one level of bloodline progression).