I've been working on some Oracle characters for fun (that's right, a plurality of Oracles, hee), and I'd like to read an optimization guide on the class, if there's one out there.
I haven't found anything on this messageboard or by googling, but earlier today I happened upon a link from here to a Summoner Handbook on another forum. It was awesome. (Now I'm making an extraneous Summoner, too).
So I thought I'd ask: is anybody here aware of a Pathfinder Oracle Guide available anywhere on the internets? Ftr, I am not so much committed to optimization as a concept as I am interested in reading about good options that I may not have considered on my own. Optimization guides have been really good for providing that!
It's probably not the most optimal-uber-leet build ever (since optimization says don't lose caster levels and focus on casting over melee if your class offers such), but I am in a group with a guy who plays a Oracle/Barbarian heading into Rage Prophet.
Holy crap.
His character is not only fun to watch him play, but seems incredibly awesome from about every perspective. He went with an Oracle of Battle, grabbed the Weapon and Heavy armor proficiency at 1st, uses a Great Axe and Full Plate. Also, his Barb style is based on the "drinking" line of options I believe, as he is constantly extending Rages and beefing himself up by pounding flasks of booze during fights, screaming for a while, and then spending a couple of rounds vomiting when combat is over. It's as funny and ridiculous and cool as it sounds.
He took the cloudy vision Oracle option, though, for his specific build I would have taken the one where you speak in some random language while in combat...just cause it would be extremely funny with the rest of his build. I would have picked Celestial.
Anyhow, I don't have an exact build for you per se, but I'm sure you can put it together to your taste. If it wasn't total copycatting, it would absolutely be the next build I play.
It's probably not the most optimal-uber-leet build ever (since optimization says don't lose caster levels and focus on casting over melee if your class offers such), but I am in a group with a guy who plays a Oracle/Barbarian heading into Rage Prophet.
Holy crap.
His character is not only fun to watch him play, but seems incredibly awesome from about every perspective. He went with an Oracle of Battle, grabbed the Weapon and Heavy armor proficiency at 1st, uses a Great Axe and Full Plate. Also, his Barb style is based on the "drinking" line of options I believe, as he is constantly extending Rages and beefing himself up by pounding flasks of booze during fights, screaming for a while, and then spending a couple of rounds vomiting when combat is over. It's as funny and ridiculous and cool as it sounds.
He took the cloudy vision Oracle option, though, for his specific build I would have taken the one where you speak in some random language while in combat...just cause it would be extremely funny with the rest of his build. I would have picked Celestial.
Anyhow, I don't have an exact build for you per se, but I'm sure you can put it together to your taste. If it wasn't total copycatting, it would absolutely be the next build I play.
Actually, although it's not one of the four Oracle builds I'm actively working on right now, I've really been wanting to make a Rage Prophet - it just sounds like SO MUCH fun to play. (Uh, not that I typically get to play these multiple hypothetical characters I make; I'm in two long-term campaigns right now and, barring character death, probably won't have use for a new PC anytime soon!)
I'll admit I'm a little stymied by multiclassing - especially magic-users with melee. I can work out which levels in what I'd need to qualify for Rage Prophet, but how do I know what order to take the levels? Do I take more levels in Oracle than necessary before going Rage Prophet, in order to collect additional revelations?
Any thoughts?
Here is a Combat Monkey build that could be fun to play.
Lame Battle Oracle 5 / Brutal Pugilist 11 / Rage Prophet 4
Battle Oracle 5: Revelations : Maneuver Mastery, Weapon Mastery - your RP level will stack for those - Your CMB/CMD will be as good as a full BAB character, and with those 2 revelations, you will get 3 combat feats with your RP levels...Improved something, Weapon Focus (almost close the gap for full BAB) and Improved Critical, not bad at all!)
Barbarian (Brutal Pugilist 11) : Nice bonuses to CMB/CMD maneuvers)
Rage Prophet 4 (You want to get Savage Seer AND Ragecaster1)
By level 20, you get BAB 17 (+2 for the free weapon focus), 19 for CMB/CMD, (plus the bonuses from the pugilist), 4th level spells and a caster level of 19 when raging. You also can enlarge yourself, boost yourself with spells, cure yourself and others, etc. If you take extra revelation (Battle medic)as a RP, you could cure as a swift action. You also rage as a lv 15 barbarian.
But, the most important - Take LAME as your Oracle's curse - That is the reason why I would go as far as Oracle 5. Fist, you don't care loosing 10ft movement, since barb 1 gives it back to you AND you get to be immuned to the fatigued condition. That is too good to be true.
Congratulation, now you can enter and exit rage at will. Need to use a power - free action to rage, use the power, then drop the rage. Need to boost your caster level, same thing. You drop an opponent and need to move to get to the other one - don't spend a turn enraged for nothing!
you don't need to be level 5 oracle. remember. non oracles improve the curse by I think.... half. so the above character would be treated as I think lvl 14 for the oracles curse.
You are right, I missed that. Cool.
So, What if you go Battle Oracle1, Barb15, RP4?
You get 18 BAB, but loose the +2 from weapon focus OR the +2 to CMB/CMD AND 2 Feats granted by the revelations, 3rd and 4th level spells, and you gain? More bonus on maneuvre from Pugilist, 2 rage power, Indomitable Will (only +2 to will saves, because you loose 4 levels in Oracle) and 8 rounds of Rage/day. Ah, and 4 hp or skill ranks.
You could get the extra rage/day and rage powers with feats with the first build (you get 2 feats for free) so I for one would go for Oracle 5 - you get level 4 spells for "free", and loose almost nothing in the combat abilities department... I think.
I would Go Barbarian Pugilist 1 / Battle Oracle +4 / Barbarian +1 (immunity to fatigue)/ Rage Prophet +4 / Oracle +1 (gets you Improved Critical and level 4 spells, not too bad for a dead level in the Oracle progression table) / Barbarian +9.
Maybe I missed something?
Don't know if this helps but I'm playing Ghost Rider in D&D. Spirits of the innocent lead him to battle evil and all that.
I'm playing a rage prophet in a upcoming King Maker game. So far I'm planning on the following build.
Half - Elf Barbarian Skill focus spell craft
1 Barbarian 1 -feat
2 Barbarian 1 -rage power Lesser Spirit Totem
3 Oracle 1 Curse - Haunted Mystery - Lore revelation Sidestep Secret Cure
4 Oracle 2
5 Oracle 3 -feat Extra Rage Power Moment of Clarity revelation Lore Keeper
6 Oracle 4
7 Rage Prophet 1 Feat Extra revelation Brain Drain
8 Rage Prophet 2
9 Rage Prophet 3 Feat Extra revelation Mental Acuity (Ex)
10Rage Prophet 4
11Rage Prophet 5 Feat Extra Rage Power Spirit Totem
12Rage Prophet 6
13Rage Prophet 7 Feat
14Rage Prophet 8
15Rage Prophet 9 Feat Extra Rage Power Great Spirit Totem
16Rage Prophet 10
How about:
Gnome Oracle/Barbarian Rage Prophet (Lame curse, Life mystery)
I really like the Lore mystery build, but seeing as how it's already built, here's another option. Instead of focusing on ways to up AC and Reflex saves, go all out with healing. I know healing is inefficient and lore is better, but I'm experimenting.
Gnome favored class bonus for oracle: add 1/2 to class level for determining curse.
1. Barbarian 1- Feat - Power Attack or Toughness
2. Barbarian 2- Rage Power (Lesser Spirit Totem)
3. Oracle 1- Life Relevation (Safe Curing) Feat - Extra Rage
4. Oracle 2-
5. Oracle 3- (Immune to Fatigue) Life Revelation (Spirit Boost) Feat - Extra Rage Power (Clarity of Mind)
6. Oracle 4-
7. Rage Prophet 1- Feat -
8. Rage Prophet 2-
9. Rage Prophet 3- Feat - Extra Revelation (Combat Healing)
10. Rage Prophet 4-
11. Rage Prophet 5- Feat - Extra Rage Power (Spirit Totem)
12. Rage Prophet 6- (Full Speed in Armor)
13. Rage Prophet 7- Feat - Extra Revelation (Empowered Healing)
14. Rage Prophet 8-
15. Rage Prophet 9- Feat - Extra Rage Power (Greater Spirit Totem)
16. Rage Prophet 10-
From there, either Barbarian or Oracle, depending on how much you'd want to focus on either area or how quickly you want to be immune to exhaustion. Possibly quit Rage Prophet at either level 4 or 7 as well because those are good stopping points.
Thoughts?
Human Oracle:
Deaf Curse
Time Mystery
Temporal Celerity Revelation
You'd have a penalty to initiative, but get to roll twice. Nice offset. Plus time is hardly a bad mystery anyway and having free silent spell can be handy.