I actually just came up with a similar concept (different mystery) just a few mere minutes ago.
Ranged sneaker ninja/oracle
as for kingmaker, I dont know how far you are in the AP, but eventually there is room in your party for a character like this, don't want to post any spoilers but i think you would find this type of niche character very satisfying.
MY wife had a very satisfying dagger hucking elf rogue in Kingmaker (before ninja was a PFRPG base class) with the ninja out now, and alot of new ranged feats for cartwheeling around in combat and tossing ranged sneak attacks, it's time to revisit that build! The Mysteries we were talking about are ancestor (super power!) or Flame for all it's movement awesome sauce!
dark tapestry seems appealing too
How about a sylph character with the feat that lets you see through fog and then use obscuring mist a lot? Sylphs also get +4 on stealth and can eventually fly later through feats.
There is another possibility of playing an ifriit with fire sight, using smoke bombs and similar spells.
You can still combine that with Pendagasts suggestions.
I like concept characters very much that focus on some things they can do good. Important is you know what you are taking why and you know what you want to do with it. For me a sylph with the racial traits Breeze-kissed and Whispering wind makes a pretty good ninja, especially if you can cast obscuring mist now and then and have hte cloud gazer feat.
That´s completely up to your taste and imagination though.
Fetchlings make good ninja´s too.
I didn´t look into the oracle lately, but i thought of a similar character before, but using a sorcerer.
I´ll take a look at oracle later and tell you my thoughts.
Oracle curses could really hamper you though.
Or give you fun at roleplaying, depends on the perspective :)
I would like to see Pendagasts build though very much!
Can you please share with us?
A build from a while ago that you might look at for some ideas is the Mist Assassin. Uses Waves Mystery and Deaf Curse and Rogue, though there was talk of doing it as Ninja if he ever revisited it. It was, I believe, 2 rogue levels for every 1 Oracle. The Waves Mystery for Obscuring Mist and Water Sight, using ranged attacks so that you had concealment.
Fetchling offers nice options, but the racial feats are a chain mostly and therefore costly.
Also with a fetchling, racially you would profit more of "darkness" spells, creating darkness and/or dim light conditions, to take out the most of shadow blending. Gloom strike requires blind-fight, but the +1 to hit in dim light could be worth it. Also since you already have blind-fight, you are only combat expertise away from Moonlight stalker, which gives you +2 attack and damage as long as you have concealment vs a foe.
This could counter the problems multiclassing from medium BAB to low BAB can provide in combat, especially the lower BAB problem. With a ranged or melee combat character, you still want to hit.
Then did you think about which oracle curse you take?
And that other classes have only half the progression with the curse?
Legalistic does the least damage probably, but others can be fun, like Tongues or Haunted. Deaf could be difficult i guess.
If you don´t start on level 1, its not so important which level to take first, right?
As for the Mysteries, battle Oracle with Weapon Mastery could help in fights, but people might treat the progression while multiclassing differently.
Flame Mystery with Cinder Dance and Flame sight could help you a lot too.
TWF and Flurry of Stars both decrease your attack bonus.
I´m not sure if hoping to roll high rolls through numbers is better than having better boni.
Also shuriken are difficult, because you have to enchant them like ammunition, which will cost you a lot.
You can also do the shuriken-from-concealment trick with the Flames mystery "Gaze of Flames" revelation and the "Smoke Bomb" ninja trick - or a plain old smokestick!
hmm thats an interesting trick.
Our idea was a ninja oracle with clouded vision (sneak attack doesnt generally work farther away than 30 feet anyway...)
The bonuses from the curse over several level means she could eventually "see" through lots of stuff and sneak attack from all over the place and through stuff like smoke and darkness.
I have a Ninja/Oracle. One level in Oracle (Waves). The trick has been discussed before so it isnt new but: Obscuring Mist + Water Sight. It's a fun trick full of flavour.
"Water Sight (Su): You can see through fog and mist without penalty as long as there is enough light to allow you to see normal..."
I have used this to great effect, though you have to take care for your allies...they might not see a thing either.
Means you get sneak attack if they cant see you. If you go more than one level Baleful Polymorph is quite amazing.
Flame Oracles have a similar (and more powerful) vision I think.
It´s of course a big flavor thing.
Like you see, there are several ways to achieve a goal^^
Just pick the one you like most. I think all of them work.
I didnt find your 3PP Mystery and im also not familar with UE equipment.
The flames mystery seems also to be a good choice for any ninja, but I actually don't really get the idea of a sneaky ninja with flames mystery together in my head. From a flavor point of view, I think this is not a perfect fit.With my ninja/oracle, I just spin it as heat and smoke, not fire and flames. (Clan motto: "Ashes to ashes.") Cinder Dance, Gaze of Flames, Heat Aura and Molten Skin are easy to visualize without actual flames. For the others, just get creative: Fire Breath is a cone of hot ash, Wings of Fire are wings of smoke, etc.
The Clouded Vision curse would fit the theme perfectly (smoky eyes) but is hard on a ranged build; Tongues (speaking Ignan) or Wasting (covered in burns that never heal) also match well.
Sneak attack cant normally be used farther away than 30 feet, ranged for throwing is likewise lower than normal ranged attacks, take the few close quarters thrower, and its a melee thrower, that's what my wife is going for (with clouded vision) sometimes builds with weakness have more flavor as you figure out how to use or work around said weakness for said flavor.
Plus at higher levels you get dark vision (throwing in the dark hmmm? and blind sense (throwing at enemies behind you without turning around to look at them? neat ninja trick without blowing the ninja trick on it, dont you think?
Mh there are always the real expensive sniper goggles, which are supercool, but also expensive.
I agree with you Pendagast, its an neat idea.
Also the sword and pistol feat and snap shot could fit well.
I don´t really see how wasting with its toll on CHA is helping a ninja.
I don´t really see how wasting with its toll on CHA is helping a ninja.
The -4 is only on Charisma-based skill checks, except for intimidate. It's not a penalty to the charisma stat and doesn't effect an Oracle's spells.