I have been working on a cohort build that is totally focused on healing. The cohort has really high charisma (22 total) and uses a phylactery of positive channeling, so at level 5 channels 5d6 11 times a day, with the extra channeling feat. The cohort also has selective channeling of course.
I was looking at the oracle with the Life mystery and you can gain channeling from there as well. I know that the strength of the channeling would not stack with the cleric, but since the character uses a phylactery of positive healing I figured I would only need 1 dip to get an extra 21 dice worth of healing a day. I am aware though this would drop the channeling healing from cleric down to 4d6 but I think the dip would more than make up for it with a total of 65 dice worth of healing a day to everyone with in the area of effect.
I am just wondering if there is any rules against this.
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Nope, you're good to go, as you already noticed the non-stacking of the channels. Keep in mind Caster Level is lower for both, too.
Nothing stops you from doing this, though.
Much as someone can multi a sorc/wiz should they desire. I wouldn't, but that doesn't mean it can't be done.
Heck, if you've got a half-elf, both can be favored classes.
Nope, you're good to go, as you already noticed the non-stacking of the channels. Keep in mind Caster Level is lower for both, too.
Nothing stops you from doing this, though.
Much as someone can multi a sorc/wiz should they desire. I wouldn't, but that doesn't mean it can't be done.
Heck, if you've got a half-elf, both can be favored classes.
May I ask why you would suggest against this course of action?
The purpose of the cohort was to be a pure support character and to provide a lot of healing. With my previous build the cohort cleric would have 55 dice worth of healing from channeling alone but with the dip of oracle the cohort cleric would have a total of 65 worth of healing from channeling. This of course is only viable because of the phylactery of positive healing which does apply to both. I am aware that I sacrifice being able to cast 3rd level spells but that would only be for 1 level. It is a trade off but I think that it does balance each other out.
4 levels of Cleric/ 11 channels for 4d6 with phylactery of positive healing
1 level of Life Oracle/ 7 channels for 3d6 with phylactery of positive healing
In my experience, channel energy is nice to have outside of combat, but really makes its presence known during the flow of battle. That's when having a few less channels per day but each channel healing a few more HP really makes a difference.
Outside combat, a wand of cure light wounds will eventually take care of any amount of lost HP, and the cohort can already do that. Just buy them a wand.
I'd recommend sticking to straight cleric in this case, since while technically you get more HD worth of healing from the combo, it's not really about how many d6 you're rolling TOTAL as much as how many you get from EACH CHANNEL that really make a difference, and I think that the trade-off in terms of weaker caster level, redundant spell lists between Oracle and Cleric, and loss of additional channel dice per use are not worth getting 10 more d6 worth of channels. I'd rather have 11 channels which cure 17.5 hp on average than have 11 channels a day cure 14 and 7 channels a day cure 10.5, even though more HP are healed by the second option.
Don't forget- support can also come in the form of dispel magic, remove blindness/deafness, bless, prayer, aid.... there's no shortage of great cleric buff and support spells (not surprisingly) and getting access to higher level spells typically will give a more noticeable benefit than having a TON of level 1 spells you can cast between cleric and oracle levels, since they are all drawn from the same list. There just aren't many cases where you'll need THAT MANY protection from evil spells, for example. Rather than getting a bunch more level 1 spells and a few channels, I'd rather have the cohort toss out a Magic Circle Against Evil or Prayer.
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How are you getting a 22 Charisma at 5th level when your head slot is occupied by the Phylactery of Positive Channeling? You are also ignoring the ability score table for creating NPCs.
In addition to that, Cohorts are created as NPC's and the wealth of a 5th level NPC is less than 4K gold. As a matter of fact, treasure allocation is also preset for NPC's and it would require a 16th level NPC to have an 11K gold miscellaneous magic item.
The bottom line is that this concept doesn't work for a cohort. You could do it for a PC, but I think the Oracle dip is a waste. If you need to channel more than 11 times a day, there is something wrong with your playing group.
It's a short term gain, but you put yourself a level back for getting your next bump to the clerics channel as well. Assuming this is an ongoing campaign, I think keeping the amount you can heal per channel higher is more important.
I've played a paladin and thought long and hard about the level dip to cleric to get the channels, but felt the increases to my LoH per round was more effective.
How are you getting a 22 Charisma at 5th level when your head slot is occupied by the Phylactery of Positive Channeling? You are also ignoring the ability score table for creating NPCs.
If you look at the magic items section:
Head: circlets, crowns, hats, helms, and masks.Headband: headbands and phylacteries.
You can wear a circlet of charisma while wearing a phylactery. Both are on your head, but they use different "chakra" (sp?) points (if you will).
In addition to that, Cohorts are created as NPC's and the wealth of a 5th level NPC is less than 4K gold. As a matter of fact, treasure allocation is also preset for NPC's and it would require a 16th level NPC to have an 11K gold miscellaneous magic item.
What an NPC cohort starts with is up to the DM really, but when it becomes a player's cohort, the player spends HIS cash on what the cohort is outfitted with.
If the player (or group) wants to spend tens of thousands of gold on their healer-bot, then they can. NPC wealth is for encountering an NPC, not once it's part of the group as a cohort.This is no different than the party chipping in for a curative wand. You are correct that the NPC should not start with that kind of equipment.
The bottom line is that this concept doesn't work for a cohort. You could do it for a PC, but I think the Oracle dip is a waste. If you need to channel more than 11 times a day, there is something wrong with your playing group.
This is both to you and the OP. Ultimate Magic has the "Quick Channel" feat: you channel energy as a move action.
This can mean twice in a round, or channel + standard action (like a different spell for buffing or dispel/etc).The caveat? It takes 2 uses per attempt. This means that you might cut that 11 uses down to only 6 (and using them up in less rounds too). More uses can be exceptionally worthwhile with this tactic.
Although I do agree that the amount of healing we are talking about might be a little over the top. Stop wasting cash on a cohort and maybe beef up your tank's defenses... yikes!
I'm playing a life Oracle right now, with only 1 + Cha channels per day, and in the 9 levels of gaming I have yet to run completely dry on healing power (and that's without spending more than one or two slots on cure spells).
This sucker really helps get the most bang for you channeling buck though.
The Charisma boosting item is a headband, not a circlet.
You are right, I must have gotten it confused with the Circlet of Persuasion. Great, now I need to audit my character sheet. /frown
It is only worth it if you pick up the Quick Channel feat to be able to burn through channels as a move action. Then you can heal and cast, and need the extra uses per day for staying power.
You are right, I must have gotten it confused with the Circlet of Persuasion. Great, now I need to audit my character sheet. /frown8,000gp Ioun Stone would do the trick however.
Well, the Ioun stone in question is only +2 and does not say it stacks, still you should also buy a wayfinder along with it to prevent them floating around the head.