RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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I'm looking at making an oracle for PFS. I'm wanting him to be a "problem solver", using the strong and diverse cleric/oracle spell list to have a solution for whatever the party might be facing.
As such, I figured protection from evil should be one of the first spells I grab. Then it occurred to me just how handy it would be if I used Reach Spell metamagic to cast it at range instead of as a touch. Then I remembered the Magical Lineage trait, allowing you to pick one spell and reduce metamagic adjustments on it by 1 level.
So I'm seriously considering doing that with ProtEvil, but wanted to pick the collective's brain to see if there would be a better choice of touch spell to do that with.
Not a big fan of clerics or metamagic so I don't really have a helpful suggestion, but in my PFS environment everybody using Wayfinder + Clear Spindle Ioun Stone from Seekers of Secrets kind of makes Pro Evil obsolete.
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I keep thinking Magical Lineage and Reach Metamagic on Breath of Life could be a life saver, literally. But it means you wouldn't get to use the trait until you can cast a 5th level spell.
Of course, Reach metamagic could be used with other cure spells, too. Being able to cure someone from a distance when they need it most could be crucial.
I keep thinking Magical Lineage and Reach Metamagic on Breath of Life could be a life saver, literally.
I've always been under whelmed by Breath of Life. Having to use the spell within one round of dying means you don't have time for a heal check. So, more often than not, you'll be using a 5th level spell on an ally who is stable at -1 hp when a 1st level spell would have done. Worse, you won't have that spell later in the day if you did actually need it.
Or is there a trick to make this spell useful?
That pretty much comes down to how much metagame knowledge is allowed and accepted at the table.
In most games I play, players share their current hit point values... so you know, automatically, the difference between a dead PC and an unconscious but bleeding one. Then again, a game I almost played in, which fell apart before starting, was going to have the players not even know their own hit points; just a description from the DM as to roughly how wounded they were.
So if your character can't tell the difference between a wounded and unconscious character, and a dead one, breath of life is pretty much useless; just cure critical wounds at a higher spell slot. But if you can tell, it's a spell that can save a life, a much more expensive raise dead or worse, and keep the player active in the adventure.
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RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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So, more often than not, you'll be using a 5th level spell on an ally who is stable at -1 hp when a 1st level spell would have done.
In an encounter where I have access to breath of life, using a CLW on someone who went down is a terrible, terrible idea. If I CLW them, and they weren't already dead, there's a good chance I bring them back up to consciousness, and make them a target again. Then the CR 10 monster attacks them again and actually kills them. (As opposed to ignoring them in favor of more immediate threats.)
If I think they need a breath of life and I'm wrong, then at least I've given them 5d8+10 HP, and they might survive another hit, allowing them time to get into a recoverable position (i.e., withdraw, then chug a couple of CSW potions). I've at least still helped.
That seems like a reasonable advantage. (That, and players tend to announce in frustration when they're actually dead-dead, but maybe that doesn't count.)
Inevitable metagaming aside, I'm not sure it takes an action to see if somebody is alive or dead using the Heal skill, it seems more like a specialized Perception or Knowledge check.
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I think Reach Spell is awesome for divine casters, and is very useful with protection from evil (and a bunch of other buffs). Frankly, if the Fighter with a greatsword is already under the effects of a dominate person, I'd really rather not get into touch range of him...
For wizards, sorcerers, and witches, you're much better off avoiding Reach Spell entirely, and instead take spectral hand (which is way more awesome than most people give it credit for).
Having said that, I don't think that protection from evil is that great of a selection for Magical Lineage. For that matter, I don't think Magical Lineage is nearly as attractive for divine casters as it is for arcane casters.
A magus with Magical Lineage (shocking grasp), or an admixture wizard with Magical Lineage (fireball), both kind of rock thanks to that trait. But protection from evil at range...it's great when you need it, but how often are you expecting to need it? Is it that worthwhile to be able to do it with a lower spell slot?
Reach Spell you can use on a slew of spells. I wouldn't even waste a trait to make this particular combo cheaper.
Also (although I don't play pfs, and I don't even know if the spell is allowed), wouldn't it be more fun to modify communal protection from evil? Still not worth the trait, though, imo.