I was thinking of making an archery based oracle for a new campaign I'll be joining, and sadly, I just don't know much about oracles to make up my mind.
My main idea was to hit from range, while providing self-buffs and heals if needed.
I was assuming the Lame curse as the penalty in movement would be negligable when considering a ranged build. Although thats not set in stone.
How would you guys build an archery based oracle? What mysteries and revelations would work well for this char? Would multiclassing help any?
Assume its a 25pt buy if that helps.
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Try an Elf. They get Longbows and Shortbows for free, and get a bonus to Dex, the important stat for hitting. Nature is a good Mystery for a Ranged build because you can get a buddy, also known as the Animal Companion. Lame would work quite well, and so would Wasting. Do not, I repeat, go with the Clouded Vision Curse. Haunted probably would not work well either.
For stats, try this on for size:
STR 14
DEX 16+2
CON 12-2
INT 8+2
WIS 10
CHA 16
All the important stats are covered. The numbers on the side are for Racial modifiers.
Important feats include Point Blank shot, Rapid Shot, and the all important Precise Shot.
i would say life or nature. the lifelink revelation that life oracles get would heal the frontline fighters while keeping you out reach. the nature oracles i like because they get a mount that gets all the benefits of a druids animal companion of the same lvl.
I should mention that our party consists of a battle cleric a paladin a magus and a sorc. So with 2 of the 3 frontline fighters fully capable of healing, healing is not a priority for me, so I'm not sure if the life oracle is the best for thing for this char. Personally I'd be better off choosing some other char to balance out the party, but I really want to try the oracle out.
The nature mystery seems intriguing and is certainly a possibility, but what I'm looking for is what mystery and revelations would best serve a bow based oracle. Our party has good healing, what it lacks is good ranged damage.
Is it even possible to make a respectable bow oracle or should I just abandon the premise now and go with more traditional ranged chars?
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there is no ranged focus oracle, there is a battle oracle that's good for general combat.
War Sight (Su): Whenever you roll for initiative, you can roll twice and take either result. At 7th level, you can always act in the surprise round, but if you fail to notice the ambush, you act last, regardless of your initiative result (you act in the normal order in following rounds). At 11th level, you can roll for initiative three times and take any one of the results.
if they get in close they have this
Surprising Charge (Ex): Once per day, you can move up to your speed as an immediate action. You can use this ability one additional time per day at 7th level and 15th level.
and these 3 are just fun to have
Weapon Mastery (Ex): Select one weapon with which you are proficient. You gain Weapon Focus with that weapon. At 8th level, you gain Improved Critical with that weapon. At 12th level, you gain Greater Weapon Focus with that weapon. You do not need to meet the prerequisites to receive these feats.
Iron Skin (Su): Once per day, your skin hardens and takes on the appearance of iron, granting you DR 10/adamantine. This functions as stoneskin, using your oracle level as the caster level. At 15th level, you can use this ability twice per day. You must be at least 11th level to select this revelation.
Battlefield Clarity (Ex): Once per day, as an immediate action, whenever you fail a saving throw that causes you to become blinded, deafened, frightened, panicked, paralyzed, shaken, or stunned, you may attempt that saving throw again, with a +4 insight bonus on the roll. You must take the second result, even if it is worse. At 7th and 15th level, you can use this ability one additional time per day.
All revelations except Iron skin can be taken at 1st lvl.
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For good ranged damage, I recommend the following mysteries:
Battle: see above. War Sight, Surprising Charge, Weapon Mastery are big.
Ancestors: Great choice! Ancestral Weapon, Blood of Heroes, Sacred Council, Spirit of the Warrior, Spirit Shield.
Wind: Air Barrier, Invisibility, Wind Sight, Wings of Air.
I'm thinking that Ancestors is the mystery I'd go with.
For good ranged damage, I recommend the following mysteries:
Battle: see above. War Sight, Surprising Charge, Weapon Mastery are big.
Ancestors: Great choice! Ancestral Weapon, Blood of Heroes, Sacred Council, Spirit of the Warrior, Spirit Shield.
Wind: Air Barrier, Invisibility, Wind Sight, Wings of Air.
I'm thinking that Ancestors is the mystery I'd go with.
I like what I see out of the Ancestors mystery. The Ancestral Weapon would provide for some nice RP flair. And Spirit of the Warrior just sounds awesome. Wish it had a longer duration but still sounds pretty good. I was a little worried about to-hit, but the full BAB that Spirit of the Warrior gives combined with Blood of Heros would help tremendously.
I was originally leaning Battle Mystery, but I think you've just convinced me otherwise.
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I currently have an oracle of stone with rock throwing. It was awesome at low levels but not so good at mid levels. Its 2d4+ (1 and 1/2 str) damage and you get a +1 bonus to hit. If you use ultimate combat you can enchant your stone and use returning weapon on it so you can throw it every round.
A stone oracle gets Mighty Pebble, another ranged attack, and can use Shard Explosion to take a 5ft step, throw the rock then explode so the opponent can't take a 5ft step to follow up.
archers are feat hungry, something you are light on as an oracle. to fire into combat you will need precise shot. as an oracle you will be at least 3rd level before you get this unless you are human as point blank shot is a prerequisite...
Another archer feats is deadly aim. You will struggle with base attack being a moderate progression. You can't get the feat until 3rd (+1ba requirement) and you don't get a +4 Ba for the extra damage until 6th level.
You don't get longbows as a proficiency as you are only proficient with simple weapons, unless you are a battle or metal oracle with the relevant revelation.
I think you are better off focusing on your spells. You get a lot, you are a pure spell caster and will be missing out when you are using a missile weapon. At 6th level, I find I'm out damaged by the druid, magus and fighter. I didn't focus on charisma as I was missile based, so my saves on spells are relatively low (15 cha). Even with my rock things aren't great, but I have a glut of spells and I never use them all.
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Which mystery gives good bonus spells?
Battle: Magic Vestment? Battle's better at melee.
Stone: Magic Stone, Stoneskin
Wind: Cloak of Winds, other wind-based stuff
Ancestors: Spiritual Weapon, Heroism, Greater Heroism
Dark Tapestry: Entropic Shield
It's mostly defenses, with the exception of Ancestors. I definitely think Ancestors wins for the archer oracle.
As for curse, I'd rate best to worst as: Wasting, Tongues, Lame, Deaf, Haunted, Clouded Vision. Clouded Vision is a BIG no, and Haunted is potentially annoying--you should still be able to draw ammunition without triggering the curse, but dropping your bow and drawing your melee weapon is fraught with peril. Wasting, Tongues, or Lame are probably the best curses to choose. Deaf won't punch you where you need the most help, though, so it's actually a possibility.
Elf is an excellent race because you get bows for free. It's unfortunate that the Arcane Archer is specifically enhances arcane spellcasting, otherwise it's a good fit with the Ancestral Oracle. As it stands, don't go for Arcane Archer.
First feat: Point Blank Shot. Second feat: Precise Shot. Feats to consider: Deadly Aim, Reach Spell, Rapid Shot.
Ancestor is the best Mystery.
Take Blood of Heroes and Spirit Shield. You can use both in the same round and if you take that feat for making metamagic on one spell -1 level you can quicken divine favor in the same round.
So with 1 round buffing in lvl 8 you will end up with +4 to hit and damage plus all ranged attacks have a 50% misschance at you.
I think this is the best choice for Ranged Oracles. But Ranged Oracles are rather... bad... I mind you ;)
I recently rolled up a Kitsune Wind Oracle who focuses on archery. I am in the process of swapping to this character from my Aasimar Paladin of Sarenrae. Even by quick math done in my head, I can see my kitsune will be easier to kill and a worse damage dealer. However, he will have greater utility.
I don't think it's a particularly effective setup - there is an Oracle guide that lists archery as a very poor choice for the class, and while I initially agreed with it, building the character has confirmed it.
However, I don't play the game to have the best character at the table. I play the one I am going to have fun with. I have revelations to fly and turn invisible, and then all the spells I have access to. It might not be the complete beast my paladin is, but fun will definitely be had.
The Wood Mystery is another option. The Wood Bond ability gives you a +1, +1 per 5 levels on attacks with bows and other wooden weapons. This will help make up for your medium BAB as an oracle as well as the penalty from Deadly Aim.
Make sure you take the divine favor spell, which gives up to +3 on attack and damage rolls. Once you have 4th level spells, take Divine Power, which will make you go from a mediocre archer to amazing. Other good spells are Align Weapon, Air Walk, and the godly Fickle Winds (which lets you attack other people with ranged attacks but makes you all but immune to them). And of course, Summoned Monsters are great for many reasons, if you can afford to spend the full round to summon them.
The Wood Mystery is another option. The Wood Bond ability gives you a +1, +1 per 5 levels on attacks with bows and other wooden weapons. This will help make up for your medium BAB as an oracle as well as the penalty from Deadly Aim.
Make sure you take the divine favor spell, which gives up to +3 on attack and damage rolls. Once you have 4th level spells, take Divine Power, which will make you go from a mediocre archer to amazing. Other good spells are Align Weapon, Air Walk, and the godly Fickle Winds (which lets you attack other people with ranged attacks but makes you all but immune to them). And of course, Summoned Monsters are great for many reasons, if you can afford to spend the full round to summon them.
A Cleric/Oracle with DP is still a medicore Archer. You just can't get all the feats as early and can't get them all if you still want quicken etc pp.
Plus the MAD...