Character creation question from a noob: Oracles? Bard?


Advice


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

First, I'll preface with the fact that I've not played a pen&paper game since some 2nd Ed Planescape games in the late '90s, so while I've studied the rules, I have no practical experience with either Pathfinder or the 3.5ed rules.

To get on to the questions, here's a bit about the party makeup and the goals of the character:

Campaign is Council of Thieves, so it's an urban setting. Three-person party. Other two players are going to be:
A) Strong, tanky front-line damage type (probably barb, maybe fighter)
B) Perceptive damage-dealing type (ranger or rogue)

Since we're a three-person group, I have a somewhat diverse set of character requirements:

Out of combat:
* Face of the Party
* Knowledge/Lore person

In combat:
* Healing
* At least middling level of survivability (since we're a 3 man team taking some hits may be unavoidable)
* Whatever utility/buffs/debuffs/support I can provide without failing at any of the other roles.

Given those requirements, the Oracle and Bard stuck out as classes that could be made to work, as they're both primary CHA casters, which meshes with the Face of the Party role.

Regardless of where I put my other levels, I was planning on doing the first level as a Haunted Oracle of Lore; taking Sidestep Secret would let me dump DEX heavily without taking a penalty to AC/Reflex saves (I'd take a hit on Init/CMD/ranged attacks, but I can live with those). I would use a feat to also take Focused Trance at level 1. Plus (as I understand spell trigger mechanics) having one level of Oracle would let me use any cleric/oracle spell wand of any level without a UMD check?

My real question is where I go from there. Would I be better off sticking with Oracle all the way, go Oracle but dipping a few levels in Bard, or go straight Bard after the first level? I've heard that straight up hit point healing is often more wand-based than spell-slot based. Either Oracle or Bard would fit well with the character theme/backstory I have developed.

Only allowed sources of spells and such are CRB, APG, plus the campaign setting.

Planned starting stats (after a 20 point buy, Middle Aged bonuses/penalties, and +2 human spent on cha). Int is maybe a bit higher than needed, but I figure I need a lot of skill points to make this all work:
Str 14(+2) Dex 6 (-2) Con 14 (+2) Int 16 (+3) Wis 8 (-1) Cha 18 (+4)

Silver Crusade

1: Get with the other two players and go over the players guide as a group.
Things that are in the players guide your missing.
1A: A bard who makes sure to take skill ranks in Perform (act) has a
significant advantage over others in the city of Westcrown.
1B: A rogue (or, indeed, any character with a large amount of skills) would do well to consider spending skill ranks on the following skill choices in particular for Council of Thieves: Bluff, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Knowledge (all), Linguistics, Perception, Perform (act), Sense Motive, Spellcraft(This dose not show up as much in the game.), Stealth(One of the most important skills for this AP.), and Use Magic Device.

2: The party face dose not work well in this AP.

3: Full bard is your best option. Oracle can work, but not as well for this AP as the bard. This AP has allot of places where a bard can shine.

Council of Thieves:
The use of Bluff, Diplomacy, Perception, and Stealth can be critical your survival in this AP. And even more so if your going to do it with 3 players. There are many parts of this AP that require the players to take time and plan, or find information. Not all of the characters will be in the same place when this happens. Over all the AP is short and ends around level 11-13.

Goilveig wrote:
Planned starting stats (after a 20 point buy, Middle Aged bonuses/penalties, and +2 human spent on cha). Int is maybe a bit higher than needed, but I figure I need a lot of skill points to make this all work: Str 14(+2) Dex 6 (-2) Con 14 (+2) Int 16 (+3) Wis 8 (-1) Cha 18 (+4

If your making a caster go full oracle. If your making a bard you will need to move your stats around. Don't dump Dex you will need it for this AP.

Goilveig wrote:
Regardless of where I put my other levels, I was planning on doing the first level as a Haunted Oracle of Lore; taking Sidestep Secret would let me dump DEX heavily without taking a penalty to AC/Reflex saves (I'd take a hit on Init/CMD/ranged attacks, but I can live with those). I would use a feat to also take Focused Trance at level 1. Plus (as I understand spell trigger mechanics) having one level of Oracle would let me use any cleric/oracle spell wand of any level without a UMD check?

With one level of bard you will not need UMD for 75% of the wands any how. And it is only a DC 20 to use any wand. A combat bard with Cha 14 by level 6 can do it. With out much of a investment. (2+6+3=11UMD)


I'd haven't played this AP, but just based on the party you described, I'm thinking a bard would probably fit best -- you get slightly more skill points, two high saves instead of the oracle's 1, and just generally a lot more flexibility.

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