So in anticipation for a long (all the way to level 20) campaign, my friends and I have been planning out characters. We will have a Magus, Barbarian, Alchemist, and Polearm Fighter. I want to play a Holy Vindicator to be the party's divine caster.
I'm personally not a fan of the cleric, so I'd rather be playing Life Oracle for the Channel Energy Mystery, which I can then use as a prereq to Holy Vindicator. It also unlocks some tricks later on.
Now, I think the campaign will start at lv4, and then go all the way to 20, so I've been looking into what I can do for my build. Being a spontaneous caster, I'm going with the human race for the bonus spells when applicable. I know that hit points are a better choice usually, but a spontaneous caster with extra spells is always good. I noticed that between the 3 bonus orisons I can get, plus the standard 9 I can learn, I can have 12 out of the 13 available Orisons, so I'm also going for that.
I'm going for Oracle 7/Holy Vindicator 8/Oracle 5. That way I only lose on 2 caster level while getting most of the abilities. For Curse I was thinking either Dual Cursed (Haunted/Tongues) or just Haunted Oracle, because I like the bonus spells. Also, I want to Take advantage of my charisma to use the Edlritch Heritage Feats. Arcane Bloodline seems tempting, as I can get a familiar to deliver heal spells for me should they be needed in battle. Additionally, I can use the lv9 ability to gain extra (arcane) spells.
The resources we are using are CRB, APG, UM, UC, and Feats 101 (only third party stuff)
So the build I'm looking for so far is as follows
Traits: Magical Knack, Sacred Conduit
LV1: Oracle 1. Haunted Curse, Revelation: Channel (1d6), Feats: Skill focus (Knowledge: Religion), Extra Channel. Bonus Spells: Cure Light Wounds, Mage Hand, Ghost Sound, One Orison
LV2: Oracle 2. Mystery Spell: Detect Undead. Bonus Spell: Orison
LV3: Oracle 3. Channel 2d6, Revelation: Safe Curing. Feat: Eldritch Heritage: Arcane. Arcane Bond: Familiar (something that flies, Effective Wizard level = HD-2).Bonus Spell: Orison
LV4: Oracle 4. Mystery Spell: Lesser Restoration. Bonus Spells: Cure Moderate Wounds, LV1 Spell
LV5: Oracle 5. Channel 3d6, Feat: Power Attack. Curse spells: Levitate, Minor Image. Bonus Spell: LV1 Spell
LV6: Oracle 6. Mystery Spell: Neutralize Poison. Bonus Spells: Cure Serious Wounds, LV2 Spell
LV7: Oracle 7. Channel 4d6. Revelation: Spirit Boost. Feat: Alignment Channel (Evil). Bonus Spell: LV2 Spell
LV8: Holy Vindicator 1. Vindicator's Shield (4)
LV9: Holy Vindicator 2. Channel 5d6 (VShield 5), Stigmata 1. Feat: Improved Familiar (Harbinger Archon). Bonus Spell: Cure Critical Wounds
LV10: Holy Vindicator 3. Faith Healing (Empower)
LV11: Holy Vindicator 4. Channel 6d6 (VShield 6), Stigmata 2, Divine Wrath. Feat: Improved Eldritch Heritage: New Arcana. Bonus Spells: Mass Cure Light Wounds, LV5 Wizard Spell (Overland Flight maybe?)
LV12: Holy Vindicator 5. Bloodfire, Channel Smite
LV13: Holy Vindicator 6. Channel 7d6 (Vshield 7), Stigmata 3 (Move Action), Versatile Channel. Feat: Mystical Healer*. Curse Spell: Telekinesis
LV14: Holy Vindicator 7. Divine Judgment. Bonus Spell: Mass Cure Moderate Wounds.
LV15: Holy Vindicator 8. Channel 8d6 (Vshield 8), Stigmata 4, Faith Healing (Maximized). Merge Spells**, Bonus Wizard Spell: LV6 Spell.
LV16: Oracle 8. Mystery Spell: Restoration. Bonus Spell: Mass Cure Serious Wounds. Bonus LV6 Spell
LV17: Oracle 9. Chanel 9d6 (VShield 9), Feat: Improved Channel. Bonus Spell: LV7 Spell
LV18: Oracle 10. Mystery Spell: Breath of Life, Bonus Spells: Mass Cure Critical Wounds, LV7 Spell
LV19: Oracle 11. Channel 10d6 (Vshield 10) Feat: ??? I guess Toughness, (though wouldnt it be late for that? Alternatively, Human Versatility from the upcoming Race book would net me 11 HP+11 Skill Ranks, I assume it's retroactive because it's been easy to keep track of what ive been using the FC bonus for, spells.) Curse Spell: Reverse Gravity. Bonus LV8 Wizard Spell, Bonus LV8 Spell
LV20: Oracle 12. Mystery Spell: Heal. Bonus LV8 Spell
*Mystical Healer: All healing I do heals an extra 4d6 (from Feats 101)
**Merge Spells: Benefit: You can join two spells that can be cast in a single action and can have the same legal target to form a single effect. All variable effects of the spell are based on the higher level spell. A merged spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the highest level spell’s actual level and uses up the same slot as the lower level spell’s actual level.
I figure that Merge Spells will let me cast 2 buffs/round on myself should I need to on the fly.
So, I want critique on the feat choices, if improved familiar is worth it (Healing at long range seems nice), what spells should I choose with access to those 3 wizard spells?
Also, if i make my weapon throwing and returning, can i throw it on the ground, cast my spell, then next turn have it return to my hand? If not, I guess i can get a buckler instead of a shield.
Also, we have access to the campaign setting that introduces the holy warrior Cleric type...I can give up my domains for full BAB and d10 HD. Worth it so that i only need to be lv5 to qualify for HV?
I played the holy warrior cleric type for a campaign, and I can say its really powerful. I let him worship Gorum and picked up heavy armor pro for full plate. He is an absolute beast. I have the BAB of a fighter and at level 11 was saying heal on my self if I needed in combat. Losing the domains mainly hurts that extra spell per level. It didn't bother me losing the domain powers
Intriguing...If the campaign didnt go to lv20, i'd probably go that route, BUT this is to 20, so i feel like i will experience diminishing returns later on