I'm not sure I understand the Favored of the Deity mechanics. Are you effectively gestalting all such characters with full spellcasting and an awesome granted power?
No no, spellcasting is available only to spellcasters. Favored characters who are NOT spellcasters get only one granted power, one bonus weapon/armor/shield proficiency and the Deity's class skills.
If so that's really depressing for characters that aren't Favored of the Deity. Such characters are often quite compelling, and yet they get NOTHING.
A very good point. My initial thought was to say that non-favored characters are gestalt characters, for the sake of balance. I didn't go for it in the end, for two reasons:
1) I want to encourage becoming Favored in game, at least at low levels. And this rule would make everything hopelessly complicated.
2) The whole point of being Favored is that you cheat, or rather that a god cheats for your sake.
That said, I want non-favored characters to be a valid option, too. When I finish this thing and start recruiting for a game, I'll certainly clarify the following:
1) Favored characters have enemies by default. If Zeus likes you, Hera hates you - good luck with that.
2) Non-favored characters won't be as gimped as it seems. There's a hidden mechanic that I'd prefer to keep, well, hidden.
You're also going to have to really ramp up encounters and monsters, as the CR system wasn't designed for Wild Shaping Warblades with 9th level spells.
Well, this is impossible - but wild shaping Warblades OR wild shaping full-casters are perfectly possible.
EDIT - Also, I ban Natural Spell in all my games. :-P
This system isn't for newbies DMs. The encounters will have to be eyeballed on a case by case basis, and not only because of Granted Powers. More crucially, even the most basic spells may or may NOT be available to the party, depending on what sort of Favored spellcasters are around. Simplest example: Fly is only available to Hermes and Zeus.
