How to get Lore Oracle's Focused Trance ability as a Bard

[Particle_Man]

I am playing a knowledge-focused bard and noted that the focused trance ability of the Lore Oracle would come in handy (a +20 competence bonus to int-based skills, cha mod times a day, with a 1d6 rd casting time). I guess I could take a level of Oracle, but if possible I would like to keep progressing as a bard so I was wondering if there were other ways to get that ability, or at least that bonus.

I thought about variant multi-classing but focused trance is not on the lore oracle's list in the variant multi-class rules for oracles.

Anyhow, is there a feat or something? A bard spell that does a similar thing? Something else?

[Particle_Man]

It is as I feared, then. Ah well, even the best optimizers run aground when the ideal options just are not available. Thanks for those that read the post and at least gave it some thought.

[Cass_Ponderovian]

Look at the bardic masterpiece Pagenant of the Peacock. It's not perfect but it's a really good bonus if you optimize it right.

[Particle_Man]

Thanks! I have also a thought that Soothsayer's Rainment (focused trance) applied to Elven Chain may help me here. And I could also throw in a Headband of Awesome Intellect keyed to UMD if necessary.

[Particle_Man]

I guess a ring of revelation (focused trance) would also work, so long as one has or gets UMD.

[andreww]

Particle_Man wrote:

I guess a ring of revelation (focused trance) would also work, so long as one has or gets UMD.

UMD doesn't work with rings of revelation. It is in a FAQ or errata somewhere or possibly the PFS clarifications document.

[andreww]

Particle_Man wrote:

I am playing a knowledge-focused bard and noted that the focused trance ability of the Lore Oracle would come in handy (a +20 competence bonus to int-based skills, cha mod times a day, with a 1d6 rd casting time). I guess I could take a level of Oracle, but if possible I would like to keep progressing as a bard so I was wondering if there were other ways to get that ability, or at least that bonus.

I thought about variant multi-classing but focused trance is not on the lore oracle's list in the variant multi-class rules for oracles.

Anyhow, is there a feat or something? A bard spell that does a similar thing? Something else?

Honestly I would just take the level dip, it opens up a lot of excellent options.

Charisma to AC and Reflex saves instead of Dex
Charisma for knowledge skills instead of Int. This doesn't work with Focused Trance but it makes it much more likely that you will make important in combat knowledge checks. For out of combat ones just learn the page-bound epiphany spell and/or investigative mind.
Inherent bonuses to Int, albeit not really kicking in until level 7.

Admittedly to get these you are going to need to invest either some feats into extra revelation or some cash into rings of revelation. However, few feats are going to offer you these sorts of benefits.

It also opens up the chance to take Oracle archetypes. I would recommend going for dual-cursed which also gives you access to the misfortune revelation.

You also gain the benefit of a curse. While they have drawbacks most also offer significant bonuses and your bard levels will count half towards your effective curse level. These can give you benefits such as a swim speed (deep one), uncanny dodge (powerless prophecy although it has big drawbacks), big save bonuses (accursed, hellbound, demonic) amongst plenty of others.

Finally you get access to a lot of extra sells, you will cover pretty much every level 0 spell as well as poaching some useful stuff from the cleric list. You can even make them offensive spells as they are also charisma based.

[Particle_Man]

andreww wrote:

Particle_Man wrote:

I guess a ring of revelation (focused trance) would also work, so long as one has or gets UMD.

UMD doesn't work with rings of revelation. It is in a FAQ or errata somewhere or possibly the PFS clarifications document.

Do you have a link for that?

What if the bard took variant multi-classing "Lore Oracle" and *then* used UMD to emulate the Lore Oracle's "focused trance" (which the VMC lore oracle doesn't have as an option but which non-VMC lore oracle's have as one of their class options)?

[andreww]

It is in the Ultimate Equipment errata which you can find on the produce page. The text is:

Page 173—In ring of revelation, in the first paragraph, in the last sentence, at the end add “, and Use Magic Device doesn’t allow a character to gain a revelation from this ring”

[Particle_Man]

andreww wrote:

It is in the Ultimate Equipment errata which you can find on the produce page. The text is:

Page 173—In ring of revelation, in the first paragraph, in the last sentence, at the end add “, and Use Magic Device doesn’t allow a character to gain a revelation from this ring”

Thanks, I would not have spotted that one (although it is odd they don't add a similar errata for the Advanced Player's Guide in which both the Ring of Revelation and the similarly powered Soothsayer's Rainment are introduced).

I guess from an optimization POV, dipping into Oracle (Lore) is the way to go after all. They really, really, really don't want UMD used with ring of revelations! ;)

From my personal POV, I don't want to multi-class (I want to keep things simple) so I will just play the catfolk single-classed bard, relying on the fact that no one is playing a lore oracle in my party to keep my niche as Sage of the party.

Thanks for the replies, everyone!