Can a Life Oracle ever use Versatile Channeling

[wolflord]

Versatile Channel Prerequisites: Channel energy class feature, necromancer or neutrally aligned cleric (see below).

Oracle Life Mystery Revelation Channel (Su): You can channel positive energy like a cleric, using your oracle level as your effective cleric level when determining the amount of damage healed (or caused to undead) and the DC. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier.

I have a life oracle who is true neutral with channeling. My revelation says that I channel positive energy like a cleric. There is no option to channel negative energy in any of the other oracle mysteries.

Is there a way to get this feat with my oracle so that i could channel positive or negative energy?

Technically I don't think I could take the Versatile channel feat because I am not a cleric or a necromancer. However, I do channel positive energy and am neutral. The description for Versatile Channel leads to believe that perhaps this might not be entirely out of the realm of possibility.

I think it comes down to a matter of the actual rules as written vs. the intent of the rules. So what say you Paizo or community?

Can a life oracle ever use Versatile Channeling or are they specifically designed to not allow this option?

[John Kretzer]

I would say no as you don't have a choice on rather to channel for negative energy like the TN clerics do. I think it goes against the RAW as well as the RAI of the feat.

[Mojorat]

my guess is the omit ion of oracles is deliberate. I would kill for my oracle of bones to have that feat. but the raw rai seem I'n synch here of no for oracles.

[Serisan]

Nope. You are neither a cleric nor a necromancer. If you somehow snuck one level of Cleric in, you would qualify.

[Slaunyeh]

John Kretzer wrote:

I would say no as you don't have a choice on rather to channel for negative energy like the TN clerics do. I think it goes against the RAW as well as the RAI of the feat.

This was the conclusion I reached as well, when looking into the feat for my life oracle.

[LazarX]

It definitely violetes the flavor intent of this feat which seems to be intended for a divine caster that stands on the edge of life or death.

As a Life oracle however you're not on the edge. You're committed (volountarily or not) to life.

[DrakeRoberts]

Serisan wrote:

Nope. You are neither a cleric nor a necromancer. If you somehow snuck one level of Cleric in, you would qualify.

I realize this is thread Necromancy, which seems appropriate (get it.. necromancer... versatile channeler... heh >.>)

Anyhow, this came up recently in another thread as well. If you take 1 level of cleric, have a neutral god, and are neutral yourself... you qualify for Versatile Channeler. Channels, to my knowledge, don't stack, but rather you keep uses separately. The question: If I multiclass cleric/life oracle, and gain channeling from both, can my versatile channeler feat be used for all channels, or only those from my cleric levels?

[Nefreet]

All Channels.

Qualifying for the feat is the only hurdle.

[Bigdaddyjug]

Nefreet wrote:

All Channels.

Qualifying for the feat is the only hurdle.

I disagree. I think Versatile Channeler would only work with the pool of channels gained from the cleric levels, since the feat specifies that you channel as if your effective cleric level were 2 lower. Oracles don't have an effective cleric level and therefore cannot channel as such.

[wraithstrike]

Channels are tracked by class, and don't stack unless specifically stated to stack.

[cartmanbeck]

Except that oracles of Life with the channel energy revelation DO have an effective cleric level.

Channel revelation wrote:

Channel (Su): You can channel positive energy like a cleric, using your oracle level as your effective cleric level when determining the amount of damage healed (or caused to undead) and the DC. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier.

So yes, you can use Versatile Channeler on your oracle channels if you qualify for the feat using a cleric level. It's not what was intended, but it works.

[pauljathome]

cartmanbeck wrote:

Except that oracles of Life with the channel energy revelation DO have an effective cleric level.

Channel revelation wrote:

Channel (Su): You can channel positive energy like a cleric, using your oracle level as your effective cleric level when determining the amount of damage healed (or caused to undead) and the DC. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier.

So yes, you can use Versatile Channeler on your oracle channels if you qualify for the feat using a cleric level. It's not what was intended, but it works.

If this is for a home game, check your GM.

If this is for PFS, expect GM variation. I think that RAW AND RAI the versatile channeling would apply ONLY to your 1 dice of chanelling

[Suma3da]

Sean K Reynolds wrote a lengthy post about this subject a few years back. It can be boiled down to "If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck."

So generally, yes, Life Oracles with the Channel Revelation qualifies for most feats involving channeling positive energy.

*Edit* Whoops, I had Selective Channeling mixed up with Versatile Channeling.

[pauljathome]

Suma3da wrote:

Sean K Reynolds wrote a lengthy post about this subject a few years back. It can be boiled down to "If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck."

So generally, yes, Life Oracles with the Channel Revelation qualifies for most feats involving channeling positive energy.

And do NOT necessarily qualify for feats with explicit requirements over and above channeling positive energy. Notably that the character COULD have chosen to channel negative energy.