is a Life Oracle Channel purely mental?

[Seraphimpunk]

Paralyzed a life oracle the other day with a ghoul. He was like, no problem, i can still channel. I was like, no it requires more than just thought. Its not something that requires a concentration check, because its supernatural, but you can't do it while paralyzed.

afterwards I went to look up more on supernatural abilities to refresh my point of view and make sure I made the right call.

channel energy says they're channelling their faith through their holy symbol. a case could be made that they're brandishing their symbol. but devil's advocate could say that as long as the holy symbol is out and visible, they could channel their faith through it, except the last bit "A cleric must be able to present her holy symbol to use this ability." But does a life oracle have a holy symbol? they don't need a divine focus for their spells

the Glossary on Supernatural Abilities doesn't cover it though. Just that it can't be dispelled, doesn't apply to SR, doesn't work in an antimagic field, and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity.

I checked paralysis, and yea purely mental actions are allowed, like casting a spell with no components. But is a Supernatural ability a purely mental action? i don't see support for it across the board. A cleric has to be able to present their holy symbol. A grey area is opened up for Oracles though.

Thoughts?

[Diego Rossi]

In the same situation I ruled that the oracle didn't needed a holy symbol and could present her raised hand or do some similar dramatic gesture.

For me it isn't a pure mental action but a oracle can do it without an holy symbol but not while paralysed or bound.

From what my players and I have found RAW is silent about this question.

[Urist The Unstoppable]

Oracle's don't need holy symbols. They don't even need to worship gods.

[RumpinRufus]

Urist The Unstoppable wrote:

Oracle's don't need holy symbols. They don't even need to worship gods.

Except the ability says an oracle can channel "like a cleric", and the cleric ability says "A cleric must be able to present her holy symbol to use this ability." So, in order for the oracle to channel, they do need to present a holy symbol.

I remember there being some controversy over what it means to "present" a holy symbol, however, and I don't know if that's every been clarified - does it just need to be showing, or does the cleric actually have to gesture with it?

[Matthew Morris]

One could argue the Oracle is her holy symbol ;-)

More seriously what about the character who has their symbol tattooed on their face? (Ultimate Equipment)

[Seraphimpunk]

or the Birthmark faith character trait , where their holy symbol is a birthmark?

thanks diego

[asthyril]

or just has their holy symbol on their shield. (also UE i believe)