I am going to be in an Evil campaign, and want to do something with a backbone. My idea is a rage Prophet, though, I have played neither a Barbarian or an Oracle.
What is the best way to set it up?
Rage prophet is something of a trap. 3/4 BAB, 7/10 casting after sacrificing both some BAB & some casting to enter. It doesn't give any more revelations or rage powers without spending feats either.
Better would be bloodrager 1/oracle X (no rage prophet) with the Mad Magic feat if you want to focus on casting. Or, if you want to focus on the rage with some casting backup, just bloodrager X.
Edit: Bloodrager 1/Scarred Witch Doctor X with that feat would give you some synergy on a similar concept if you're so inclined.
If Paizo ever does more Hybrid Classes, making a 3/4 BAB 6/9 divine rage-oracle would probably be one of the forefront classes to be done.
Rage Prophet is a cool idea, but in practice it's just "meh". At first glance it looks like a fair counterpart to the Dragon Disciple, but when you compare the two directly, the Rage Prophet just ends up falling flat.
At least the DD is just about 50% Barbarian (especially the permanent stat increases) 50% Sorc, and you end up being just about as strong as each of those base classes when all is said and done; the Rage Prophet is about 20% Barbarian, 80% Oracle, and is generally underwhelming in all regards compared to those two classes.
A Hybrid class (I like to call it the Volvr) would make the idea much more plausible and balanced.
we all know Rage Prophet is a trap, but how about we still try to make a good one?
dude this thread is six months old
IMHO, it works better favoring Barb levels, not Oracle, i.e. BarbX Oracle1.
Reason being the delay in casting AND the fact you can't convert spell slots to rage rounds until 6th level of PrC AND it doesn't grant rage rounds. The last is more of a deal-killer than lack of rage powers/revelations.
Even Ragecaster +CON to DC, +BarbLevel to CL, is witheld until 4th level,
so approaching from Oracle heavy build it just sinks your casting with very little payback:
You are better off dipping into Barbarian in that approach, and taking Extra Rage Rounds.
On the contrary, only taking 1 level of Oracle and several of Barbarian works well: you have "enough" Rage Rounds from Barbarian*, at least until you can convert spell slots to RR @ 6th level in PrC (at that point, you actually have MORE RR than a pure Barb would have if you convert all slots). You can pick up alot of no or low-level pre-req Rage Powers that scale well, and augment it with casting... Basically it works better than taking the same # of levels in Oracle (as in the PrC).
MAJOR thing that benefits Rage Prophet: scaling Guidance/Competence bonus in Spirit Guardian/Warrior. Yes, that is Rage Cycle-friendly, so use it.
My gripes: Moment of Clarity should not be a pre-req, the PrC doesn't even leverage it until level 4, and even then the class doesn't fall apart if you never use MoC. IMHO, the PrC should just GIVE you MoC for free at level 4 (and if you already have it, allow any other rage power/revelation you qualify for).
Paizo "clarified" in a FAQ that the PrC doesn't "advance" Oracle Revelation spells, although nothing in RAW distinguishes between specific class features from which spells known are granted "as if you gained a level". I have always granted those spells known, which helps keep the PrC decent IMHO (also granting the Rage Prophet bonus spells of PrC).
*Honestly, even for Barb-heavy builds the lack of RR sucks horribly, IMHO the lack of RR advancement should be Errata'd just to achieve baseline decent functionality. You can BARELY make it work with a Barb heavy build, high CON, and maybe one Extra Rage Round Feat. For an Oracle heavy build with only 2 barb levels, you just don't have enough Rage Rounds to be able to rage reliably, at least until 6th level of PrC (12th character level if you go for 4 oracle/ 2 barb levels to qualify). Meanwhile of course your casting as been totally dumped. The PrC should either just grant 2 RR/level, or grant 1/level and let Oracle levels count towards that (1/level RR).
I guess you can go extremely heavy in Oracle taking 6 levels with Lunar Mystery, in order to get Rage as a spell (you won't get it via PrC casting progression if you use Paizo FAQ), and then rely on Rage spell instead of Rage Rounds, albeit your bonuses are smaller... but you can still benefit from Moment of Clarity stuff AFAIK (?).
Also, its' good to know what LOW LEVEL or NO LEVEL pre-req rage powers you can get.
Unexpected Strike is Barb Level 8, which IMHO you can do by going Barb heavy when qualifying, and pick up 3-4 Barb levels AFTER entering PrC.
There is a few around Barb Level 6, but going Barb heavy lets you think about getting those.
On the other side, Oracle Revelations RARELY (if EVER?) have Level Pre-Reqs, and scaling is no problem...
So a Barb heavy build can still pick them up no problem.
no, zero action besides entering rage... and in fact ONLY you can benefit, you don't actually cast it yourself (the 'spirit guide' does):
"Whenever the rage prophet rages, he gains the benefit of a single guidance spell from his spirit guide; this bonus can be used at any time during his rage. "
(+ later scaling to 1/2 PrC level at 5th, full PrC level at 9th PrC level when fighting fey, outsider, undead, or incorporeal creature)
(notably, you don't have to USE the bonus vs. said types, just be fighting them at the time
Keep in mind that Oracle curses advance with other classes (barbarian, in this case, since rage prophet stacks) at 1/2 HD. A useful little tidbit many don't know.
Rage prophet used to have some sort of selling point of casting cure spells and some other stuff while raging. Now.... play bloodrager or barbarian and get Mad Magic, congratulations, all the casting you want while raging, not to mention mad magic makes moment of clarity pretty interesting because it allows you to retain all bonuses without any of the penalties.
Next rage prophet caps you at greater rage basically so i'd just do 11 levels of bararian, 9 of oracle. Play a Changling if you really need that level 15 curse ability by using their favored class bonus.
Then squeeze in as many mysteries as you can by being a dual-cursed oracle.
Personally once bloodrager + mad magic + bloodragers can give up bloodline powers for 2 rage powers became a thing it permanently ruined rage prophet for me. Oracle spells + casting without restriction while raging + the fun abilities from bloodlines on top of all the rage powers you want + arcane spells. Not to mention the silliness of the arcane bloodline allowing you to get blur, haste, and so forth just for raging.
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I've got a 2/4/4 barb/oracle/rage prophet. It's an absolute blast to play. I've read far too many posts about how gimped they are and how they are a trap. Lies! All of 'em.
Race: Human (age 45)
HP: 114
BAB: +8
Movement: 45
Caster Level: 7
Abilities: Base:
STR: 23 19
DEX: 14 15
CON: 21 17
INT: 13 12
WIS: 12 11
CHA: 17 16
Rage Power: Moment of Clarity, Mystery: Battle, Curse: Lame, Revelation(s): War Sight, Weapon Mastery
Feats:
PA
Totem Spirit (extra human feat) - Tamir Quah (+5 speed, +2 jump)
Weapon Focus (revelation) - Earthbreaker
Intimidating Prowess
Dazzling Display
Quicken Spell (house rules = 3/day)
Improved Crit (revelation) - Earthbreaker
Craft Magical Arms and Armor
Gear:
Boots of Striding and Springing - only thing needed to get speed to 45
This guy wrecks face! I use him as a front-line fighter who self-buffs, self heals, and has some damaging spells.
Raging with 29 STR, swinging an earthbreaker with PA +21 to hit, +31 to damage, enlarged, large size earthbreaker = 3d8...
Dude. WRECKS FACE!!
dude this thread is six months old
Don't get all high and mighty like you've never flirted with necromancy at midnight.