Oracle Illusionist Build

[rpewin01]

I need to build a 9th level character using a starting array of 16, 14, 13, 12, 12, 11, and 41k in items.

I am interested in building a character that has a mix of healing and divine spells, along with battlefield control.

My current idea is to build a heavens oracle, going into veiled illusionist at 6th level. Does anyone have suggestions for feats, spells, and skill allocations?

I am also debating race. The overall idea is a sneaky, tricky illusionist. Playing a gnome looks appealing, but so does human for spells known, and extra feats.

Current feats I'm considering are Extra Arcana, Secret Signs, Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus, Eldritch Heritage (Arcana) for working towards more wizard spells, Spell Focus (Arcana), and Improved Initiative.

Illusion spells I would like to get off the wizard list include Mirror Image, Invisibility, Displacement, Loathsome Veil, Rainbow Pattern, Shadow Conjuration, and Greater Invisibility. But, spending all my resources for these spells do not get me much from the divine side other than cures, Resist Energy, and a few others.

We have one other battle cleric for divine spells, and a magus, bard, DD, and arcane trickster on the wizard side. I am looking at having a high UMD, so what wizard spells and divine spells should I look for as wands or scrolls to round out the concept?

[Mystically Inclined]

Having an oracle of heavens myself, I present a cautionary word: OoH don't get the 'image' spells. You'll have to go out of your way to pick them up, such as the Eldritch Heritage method you're using.

What are you looking for in the class?

Wow, your group has a LOT of arcane casters. Are you sure you don't want to go Alchemist just to complete the set? ;)

[rpewin01]

Mystically Inclined wrote:

Having an oracle of heavens myself, I present a cautionary word: OoH don't get the 'image' spells. You'll have to go out of your way to pick them up, such as the Eldritch Heritage method you're using.

What are you looking for in the class?

Wow, your group has a LOT of arcane casters. Are you sure you don't want to go Alchemist just to complete the set? ;)

I actually was playing an Alchemist but am changing because I found the bombs repetitive and the use of extracts/infusions unsatisfying.

I want to provide clerical support with battlefield control. Illusions seems neat way of providing control, and I've never seen one played at a table.

I don't plan on getting the image spells. My plan is to focus on the pattern spells to take advantage of the Oracle revelation, and then various defensive spells like mirror image, displacement, and greater invisibility. And then offensive spells like shadow conjuration and evocation.

My biggest problem is now that I have built him, there just doesn't seem to be much room for clerical spells because of so few spells known. At 9th level I have shadow conjuration and g. invisibility or rainbow pattern. No cleric spells. For third I have loathsome veil, borrow fortune, and dispel magic.

[Mystically Inclined]

Welcome to the Oracle.

The cleric is usually a better generalist. They can do a little battlefield control, a little buffing, maybe a little debuffing, and still have heal and 'get rid of nasty status effect' stuff.

The oracle is a specialist with an interest on the side. They have enough room to focus on one thing (and be FANTASTIC at it) and still get a little of one other thing (and be okay at best).

For a vanilla oracle, the oracle curse can really helps to round out the character depending on what you take. Also, vanilla oracles get spells of the Cure or Inflict line for free.

However, YOU are not building a vanilla oracle. The oracle levels are just the framework for going into veiled illusionist. As such...

1. I'm not sure if the oracle curse will continue to evolve, or if you get stuck with the penalty while having very little benefit.

2. Same with the mystery.

3. I'm not sure if you still get the Cure or Inflict line in addition to spells known, although my impulse is to say yes since it's a part of the spellcasting class.

4. Humans get their extra spell per level from a favored class bonus. You'd be getting the extra spell for the first five levels but then you'd be leveling in a class that's not favored. So between the choice of human and gnome, you'd want to go gnome.

I'm not sure that Oracle is the best choice for your base class. Then again, I'm not sure what the best choice would be. So assuming you stick with oracle, I'd pick one thing and stick with it. You can be a buffer, a healer/status effect remover, or a battlefield controller with an occasional 'something else' spell on the side. In addition, you will have your illusion powers.

You know that you want to do illusions. That's one of your things. Now focus your spells known on doing the other.

Also, check with your GM to see what happens with your oracle curse when you go veiled illusionist. If it continues to grow as if you were still an oracle, I'd look over the oracle curses and choose whichever one you feel benefits you the most.

Another thought- since you don't actually have to play through the first few levels, you could go dual-cursed for m0rE P0wAR kthx and pick up your dazzling spells through the veiled illusionist. But it's pretty cheesy and introduces the whole question of 'and HOW exactly did my character survive levels 1 through 5, hmmm?'

[Lab_Rat]

Bunch of advice in no particular order:

Go Gnome. Sink you favored class bonus into progressing your curse.

Grab awesome display and moonlight bridge (great utility).

Get effortless trickery - yes it is redundant with veiled prophet but you can get it super early.

Take Haunted Curse. It gives you a 0-lvl illusion spell. Take magical knack (ghost sound) and grab threatening metamagic feat to use on ghost sound. Now you have a 0-lvl spell that can give allies flanking bonuses.

Spell focus (Illusion) and Greater - Illusions live and die by their save DC.

If you go the eldritch heritage route, go arcana. The metagamic use and double spell focus are great for illusionists.

[Seriphim84]

Just a random question, how are you getting all of those illusion spells?

I ask because I never found a way to do so. I have a gnome oracle of heavens. I wanted a lot of Versatility and this is how I got it:

I have a Gnome with the Pyromancer trait, the Heavens revelation and the Blackened Curse of the Blood of Angels. He has a stupid high charisma and no spell focus. I take the favored class option to increase is curse.

at level 4 he knows:
1. Cure Light Wounds, Color Spray, Burning Hands, Summon Monster, Command, Burning Disarm, and one other I can't remember
2. Cure Moderate Wounds, Hypnotic Pattern, Scorching Ray, Flaming Sphere, and Lesser Restoration.

He is also taking Elderitch Heritage arcane though more for the familiar. He will gain a few spells at high level though (as a note I saw you didn't list spell focus. don't for get it is a prereq :) ).

In Combat his tactics are alog the line:
Can I effect his mind? yes/no
Can I burn him? yes/no
can I use healing to hurt him yes/no
Then Summon a monster and heal my allies.

I hope this helps and if you know how to get more illusions please let me know.

[rpewin01]

The Veiled Illusionist class allows you to add every level a wizard illusion spell to your class list.

[Seriphim84]

Oh, Thanks, I have missed that so many times. As a side not if you want to have some cleric spells and don't want to spend the spells know buy some pages of Spell Knowledge. It will buff up your abilities substantially.

[Lab_Rat]

Veiled illusionist is probably the best way to go on a heavens oracle. It's chock full of goodies:

Extra illusion spells that are drastically needed to make illusion investment worthwhile.
Lots of Disguise self shinanigens (swift action, buffs, bonuses, other senses)
Ability to fake out spellcraft checks when casting illusions. "Seriously Mage...that was a summon monster spell"
Rerolls vs SR
Trueseeing
Double illusions - basically all illusions are persistant