So You've Decided to Become A Divine Caster (wip)
Okay lets first discuss the obvious stuff, i.e. the
Red Templates which you will wish to avoid at all costs. These will be anything that:
Lowers your Primary casting stat (which can be checked
here and
here )
Increases your Level Adjustment (which can be checked
here )
Makes you lose all Special Attacks or Spellcasting (which can be checked
herePlease note some few Monsters or Templates list casting as a Special Quality if you're adding multiple Templates so check
here to confirm they don't make you lose all Special Qualities as well.
Int based Casters (Archivist)
LA +0 or -Ancient Dead Massive bonuses, no drawbacks (except maybe Undead status). Teal plus plus. Assuming of course your rank is high, lower ranks have an Int Penalty instead of a Bonus.
Demonically-Infused Elemental As long as you don't mind being Evil, and can find an LA +0 Template to become an Elemental first, the Int Bonus from this is damn nice.
Dhampir Most of the benefits of Vampire, no LA or Undeadness. Granted you can't use a bunch of your Supernatural stuff in sunlight, but still.
Ermordenung Has some nice boosts, but the toxicity of your touch will prevent you from using your touch spells to buff the party.
Favored Spawn of Kyuss Defensive Abilities might make up for the lack of HP.
Ghastly Creature It has some Alignment restrictions and lower HP, but the Paralysis and stat bonuses easily make up for it.
Ghoulish Creature It has some Alignment restrictions and lower HP, but the Paralysis and stat bonuses easily make up for it.
Greater Mummy Normally I wouldn't give an Undead Template such a rating but with all of the abilities this one adds it makes up for the hp loss.
Scion of Kyuss Great if you intend to use a lot of touch spells or engage in melee, not so much otherwise.. Being Undead means you take a hit on your HP though.
Sepulchral Thief It wont boost casting much, and you lose your Con score, but damn you get some nifty stuff.
Silveraith Becoming a flying, incorporeal Undead is nice enough even without Magical Absorption. The only downside is you lose positive energy spells, so if you want to heal the rest of the party they better be Undead.
LA: +1 Deep You get Darkvision, +2 Int, and some minor abilities in exchange for a +1 LA and Light Sensitivity. The trade-off could be worth it in very specific instances, but is otherwise meh.
Wis based Casters (Adept, Cleric, Druid, Healer)
LA +0 or -Ancient Dead Massive bonuses, no drawbacks (except maybe Undead status). Teal plus plus.
Anthropomorphic Animal Bat: +6 to Wis and Small? Sign me up. Not quite as good for Paladin or Ranger due to the hits to Str and Cha. For much the same reason Clerics who wish to do a lot of Turn Undead will not like it much either.
Anthropomorphic Animal Lizard: Roughly the same as the Bat, but with a worse Wis (+4) and Cha (-4), but a higher Dex (+2). Probably best as a Druid.
Anthropomorphic Animal Monkey: Roughly the same as Lizard.
Anthropomorphic Animal Rat: Roughly the same as Lizard.
Anthropomorphic Animal Raven: Roughly the same as Lizard. Could go up to
blue if you can buff it's Flight.
Anthropomorphic Animal Weasel: Roughly the same as Lizard.
Chosen of Bane Limited due to the Alignment, most likely a Cleric or Paladin of the LE type.
Chosen of Denier Clerics only.
Dhampir Most of the benefits of Vampire, no LA or Undeadness. Granted you can't use a bunch of your Supernatural stuff in sunlight, but still.
Drider The rating assumes that you have the minimum Hit Dice to avoid Aberration Levels. Best for casters that also indulge in melee such as Clerics and Paladins.
Ermordenung Has some nice boosts, but the toxicity of your touch will prevent you from using your touch spells to buff the party.
Blue if you intend to be an Evil Cleric who fights or Paladin.
Favored Spawn of Kyuss Great for Paladins of Kyuss. Being Undead means you take a hit on your HP though.
Ghastly Creature It has some Alignment restrictions and lower HP, but the Paralysis and stat bonuses easily make up for it.
Ghoulish Creature It has some Alignment restrictions and lower HP, but the Paralysis and stat bonuses easily make up for it.
Gravewight Rating assumes an appropriate Alignment, and once again that you intend to mix it up in fights. Being Undead means you take a hit on your HP though.
Greater Mummy Normally I wouldn't give an Undead Template such a rating but with all of the abilities this one adds it makes up for the hp loss.
Huecuva It gives some nice boosts, but not enough to make up for the huge Int Penalty when you're already lowish on skill points.
Monster of Legend It's nice and powerful, and has no LA, but it can only be applied to Base Creatures who likely have racial Hit Dice.
Nether Hound of Kiaransalee Assuming you've already taken an Undead Template this can be helpful, though you take a minor penalty to skills.
Scion of Kyuss Great for Paladins of Kyuss, not as much for others. Being Undead means you take a hit on your HP though.
Silveraith Becoming a flying, incorporeal Undead is nice enough even without Magical Absorption. The only downside is you lose positive energy spells, so if you want to heal the rest of the party they better be Undead.
Wendigo Gaining flight and massive stat bonuses is quite nice, but ths is probably best for combat builds.
LA: +1Feral Creature Isn't bad for the LA, may jump to
Blue for some combat builds.
Cha based Casters (Favored Soul, Shugenja)
LA +0 or -Ancient Dead Massive bonuses, no drawbacks (except maybe Undead status). Teal plus plus.
Chosen of Bane Limited due to the Alignment, most likely a Favored Soul of the LE type.
Dhampir Most of the benefits of Vampire, no LA or Undeadness. Granted you can't use a bunch of your Supernatural stuff in sunlight, but still.
Dread Revenant Undead with Regeneration, Turn Immunity and Immunity to Mind-Affecting Effects. The CHa Bonus is only a +2, but who gives a toss when you're nigh well unstoppable.
Drider The rating assumes that you have the minimum Hit Dice to avoid Aberration Levels. Best for casters that also indulge in melee such as Favored Souls.
Ermordenung Has some nice boosts, but the toxicity of your touch will prevent you from using your touch spells to buff the party.
Favored Spawn of Kyuss Defensive Abilities might make up for the lack of HP.
Ghastly Creature It has some Alignment restrictions and lower HP, but the Paralysis and stat bonuses easily make up for it.
Ghoulish Creature It has some Alignment restrictions and lower HP, but the Paralysis and stat bonuses easily make up for it.
Greater Mummy Normally I wouldn't give an Undead Template such a rating but with all of the abilities this one adds it makes up for the hp loss.
Juju Zombie Has some nice defensive abilities if you can work around the Int Penalty and hp loss.
Magic-Blooded No real drawbacks.
Memelith May go down to
blue depending on build.
Nether Hound of Kiaransalee Assuming you've already taken an Undead Template this can be helpful, though you take a minor penalty to skills.
Revenant Only really blue if the party is pursuing the Revenant's killers, otherwise you won't stick around.
Scion of Kyuss Being Undead means you take a hit on your HP, but some of the Abilities can mitigate that.
Sepulchral Thief It wont boost casting much, and you lose your Con score, but damn you get some nifty stuff.
Silveraith Becoming a flying, incorporeal Undead is nice enough even without Magical Absorption. The only downside is you lose positive energy spells, so if you want to heal the rest of the party they better be Undead.
Tarterian Creature Pure bonus with no drawbacks. Unless you die...
Wendigo Gaining flight and massive stat bonuses is quite nice, but this is probably best for combat builds.
LA: +1Draconic Not enough ooomph for the LA.
Feytouched A Con penalty? Really?
Wis/Cha based Casters (Spirit Shaman)
LA +0 or -Ancient Dead Massive bonuses, no drawbacks (except maybe Undead status). Teal plus plus.
Chosen of Bane Gotta love a Cha Bonus and SLA's.
Dhampir Most of the benefits of Vampire, no LA or Undeadness. Granted you can't use a bunch of your Supernatural stuff in sunlight, but still.
Dread Revenant Undead with Regeneration, Turn Immunity and Immunity to Mind-Affecting Effects. The CHa Bonus is only a +2, but who gives a toss when you're nigh well unstoppable.
Drider The rating assumes that you have the minimum Hit Dice to avoid Aberration Levels.
Ermordenung Has some nice boosts, but the toxicity of your touch will prevent you from using your touch spells to buff the party.
Favored Spawn of Kyuss Being Undead means you take a hit on your HP, but some may find the extra abilities worthwhile.
Ghastly Creature It has some Alignment restrictions and lower HP, but the Paralysis and stat bonuses easily make up for it.
Ghoulish Creature It has some Alignment restrictions and lower HP, but the Paralysis and stat bonuses easily make up for it.
Gravewight Being Undead means you take a hit on your HP, but some may find the extra abilities worthwhile.
Greater Mummy Normally I wouldn't give an Undead Template such a rating but with all of the abilities this one adds it makes up for the hp loss.
Huecuva It gives some nice boosts, but not enough to make up for the huge Int Penalty when you're already lowish on skill points.
Memelith May go down to
blue depending on build.
Nether Hound of Kiaransalee Assuming you've already taken an Undead Template this cane be helpful, though you take a minor penalty to skills.
Revenant Only really blue if the party is pursuing the Revenant's killers, otherwise you won't stick around.
Scion of Kyuss Being Undead means you take a hit on your HP, but some of the Abilities can mitigate that.
Silveraith Becoming a flying, incorporeal Undead is nice enough even without Magical Absorption. The only downside is you lose positive energy spells, so if you want to heal the rest of the party they better be Undead.
Tarterian Creature Pure bonus with no drawbacks. Unless you die...
Wendigo Gaining flight and massive stat bonuses is quite nice, but this is probably best for combat builds.
LA: +1Draconic Not enough ooomph for the LA.
Feral Creature Isn't bad for the LA, may jump to
Blue for some combat builds.
Feytouched A Con penalty? Really?