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If Oracle PC suffers an in-game injury which is greater than their curse (like losing their legs for a lame oracle, or eyes gouged out of a clouded vision oracle) do they continue to gain benefits from the curse, does another curse manifest, or are they somehow prevented from taking lasting damage that would replace their curse?
Mechanically, nothing changes. In your game, whatever you want happens.
I think it's an interesting question, and not easily answered since the curses differ from each other quite a bit as to how an oracle even can suffer injuries that "overrule" said curse. Saying that nothing changes mechanically simply doesn't cut it. Let's have a look at the core curses:
Clouded Vision: gouging out the eyes screws the oracle pretty hard until 10th level because up until then all benefits are strictly sight-based. After 10th level, it might not be a real problem.
Deaf: not sure how this could be worse, the sense is alrady completely gone.
Haunted: this one is interesting - what is worse than being haunted? Being possessed? If so, than (as a GM) I'd say the benefits should totally remain with the character since it gives the possessing spirit new and interesting ways to mess up the party's day :)
Lame: half of the benefits are just tied to the oracle having a base speed so losing her legs doesn't necessarily cause the oracle to lose the benefits since she could - theoretically - crawl around or something. The immunities to fatigue/exhaustion still apply. I think this one is based very much on how the impediment is overcome, a magic items that grants flying should ignore any bonuses to walking around, but a pair of wooden legs should not.
Tongues: everything here is tied to speaking, and having no tongue or mouth removes every benefit except the ability to understand what others are saying. Pretty harsh I guess, and as a GM I am thinking that the oracle should get its hands on some means to overcome this, like a headband of telepathy, or an intelligent magic item that speaks out all the oracle's thoughts for the others (twisting the words in the process, of course).
Wasting: not sure how to escalate this one... becoming an actual undead? If so, than the immunities of the undead type override and exceed any and all bonuses by far and the oracle doesn't really lose anything.
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Yeah, not all oracle curses can be made worse. Clouded vision is likely the best example.
The reason I'm asking is because the curse is supposed to be imposed by an otherworldly force or divine power. Just seems like the curse no longer affecting the oracle would result in some sort of divine intervention to reinstall the curse, or would require some sort of atonement like a cleric that no longer follows their faith.
Likewise, the oracle has a few spells than can impart curse features onto other creatures. Seems a bit odd to impart curse related effects that the oracle isn't currently suffering, even if only because what they have is much worse.
But, rules forum, so nothing against this?
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In the case of the eyes, I'd seriously consider going with the oracle retaining his vision, even without eyes. He'd get a red glow in his eyesockets or something.
I think that curse strongly suggests that the oracle might in fact be really blind but seeing in some supernatural way anyway, so that's why I'm comfortable with that.
I guess for Lame, I might go with floating over the ground. But then I'm in favor of freaky high fantasy.
I do like the idea of the clouded vision having nothing to do with the eyes.I don't think they'd be inflicted with a new curse but if the damage was healed the curse would remain. Why would an oracle having their eyes gouged out result in divine intervention? Would the same happen if the oracle wore a blindfold?
since this is the rules forum...
you can't lose your legs or eyes or otherwise be physically maimed unless a specific ability says so.