I've been agonizing over how to remaster my battle oracle. While there was a mechanically viable option with the champion archetype, after discussing with my group I'm not sure any cause feels appropriate for my character. So I took another look at War Priest.
Variant rules: Free archetype, gradual ability boosts.
NGMediumHumanDromaarHumanoid
Perception +20; Low-Light Vision
Languages Common, Orcish
Skills Acrobatics +1, Athletics +20, Deception +21, Diplomacy +21, Intimidation +23, Lore: Farming +14, Nature +18, Occultism +14, Performance +17, Religion +18
Str +5, Dex +1, Con +3, Int +0, Wis +4, Cha +3
Items Bastion of the Inheritor, Adventurer's Pack, Sling Bullets (10), Tent (Pup), Caltrops, Grappling Hook, Piton, Hammer, Crowbar, Oil (2), Playing Cards, Manacles (Poor), Signal Whistle, Rope, Musical Instrument (Handheld), Scroll of Dream Message, Scroll of Breath of Life, Ring of Discretion, Disguise Kit, Cold Iron Blanch (Lesser), Predictable Silver Piece, Boots of Bounding, Air Bladder, Elemental Wayfinder (Air), Candlelit Ceremony, Cape of the Mountebank, Cold Iron Chunk, Snapleaf, Ash Gown (Greater), Jug of Fond Remembrance, Wand of Disrupting Weapons, Scroll of Circle of Protection, Scroll of Comprehend Language, Lifting Belt, Bravery Baldric (Haste)
AC 32; Fort +20, Ref +18, Will +23
HP 152; Resistances piercing 6
Too Angry to Die Prerequisites master in Intimidation Trigger you stand up from prone after waking up from being unconscious You refuse to yield the battle, even after you've been knocked off your feet and nearly killed. For you, such a brush with death is less something to fear and more a thing to become infuriated by. As you stand up, you roar in defiance and can attempt to Demoralize a foe.
Zealous Rush Trigger You cast a divine spell that takes 1 action or more to cast and that affects only you or your equipment. You bless yourself on the move. Stride up to 10 feet. If the spell took 2 or more actions, you can Stride up to your full Speed instead.
Orc Ferocity Frequency once per day Trigger You would be reduced to 0 Hit Points but not immediately killed. Fierceness in battle runs through your blood, and you refuse to fall from your injuries no matter how terrible they may be. You avoid being knocked out and remain at 1 Hit Point, and your wounded condition increases by 1.
Shield Block Trigger While you have your shield raised, you would take physical damage (bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing) from an attack. You snap your shield in place to ward off a blow. Your shield prevents you from taking an amount of damage up to the shield's Hardness. You and the shield each take any remaining damage, possibly breaking or destroying the shield.
Speed 25 feet
Melee +2 Greater Striking Brilliant Astral Greatsword +23 (Versatile P, Magical, Spirit, Magical, Spirit), Damage 3d12+5 S +1d4 Fire +1d6 Spirit
Melee +1 Striking Shortsword +22 (Agile, Finesse, Versatile S, Magical), Damage 2d6+5 P
Whispers of Weakness (Cursebound, Divine, Oracle) Voices whisper to you how to best lay a creature low. You target one creature within 60 feet; if it has any weaknesses, you learn them, as well as which of its saving throw modifiers is lowest. You also come to understand its movements, gaining a +2 status bonus to your next attack roll (or skill check made as part of an attack action) against that foe before the end of your turn. The target is then temporarily immune for 1 day.
Trick Magic Item (General, Manipulate, Skill) Prerequisites trained in Arcana, Nature, Occultism, or Religion You examine a magic item you normally couldn't use in an effort to fool it and activate it temporarily. For example, this might allow a fighter to cast a spell from a wand or allow a wizard to cast a spell that's not on the arcane list using a scroll. You must know what activating the item does, or you can't attempt to trick it. Attempt a check using the skill matching the item's magic tradition, or matching a tradition that has the spell on its list, if you're trying to cast a spell from the item. The relevant skills are Arcana for arcane, Nature for primal, Occultism for occult, Religion for divine, or any of the four for an item that has the magical trait and not a tradition trait. The GM determines the DC based on the item's level (possibly adjusted depending on the item or situation). If you activate a magic item that requires a spell attack modifier or spell DC and you don't have the ability to cast spells of the relevant tradition, use your level as your proficiency bonus and the highest of your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifiers. If you're a master in the appropriate skill for the item's tradition, you instead use the trained proficiency bonus; if you're legendary, you instead use the expert proficiency bonus. Success For the rest of the current turn, you can spend actions to activate the item as if you could normally use it. Failure You can't use the item or try to trick it again this turn, but you can try again on subsequent turns. Critical Failure You can't use the item, and you can't try to trick it again until your next daily preparations.
Oracular Warning (Auditory, Cursebound, Divine, Emotion, Mental, Oracle) Trigger You are about to roll initiative. You have a premonition about impending danger that you use to warn your allies. Each ally within 20 feet gains a +2 status bonus to their initiative roll and gains temporary Hit Points equal to half your level, which last for 1 minute. If you are cursebound 2 when you use Oracular Warning, the bonus increases to +3, and if you are cursebound 3, the bonus increases to +4.
Divine Weapon Frequency once per turn Trigger You finish Casting a Spell using one of your divine spell slots on your turn. You siphon residual spell energy into a weapon you're wielding. Until the end of your turn, the weapon deals an additional 1d4 spirit damage. If you are holy or unholy, Strikes with the weapon also gain that trait, and the additional damage increases to 2d4 against creatures of the opposing trait.
Brilliant Rune (Magical, Spirit) Activate Shine Bright! (concentrate, light) Effect You plunge your weapon into darkness to return the light. Attempt a counteract check with a counteract rank of 5 and a +19 counteract modifier to end a magical darkness effect whose area is within reach of the weapon.
Bastion of the Inheritor (Uncommon, Enchantment, Invested, Magical) Activate command; Effect The armor's cloak becomes red for 1 minute. As long as the cloak is red, you gain the benefits of the armor's deflect melee trait without needing to spend an additional action to activate it during each turn. Craft Requirements You worship Iomedae.
Predictable Silver Piece (Divination, Magical) Activate Interact; Effect You rub your thumb on one side of the coin with the intent of slightly tweaking the strands of fate, then flip the coin into the air in a coin toss. No matter how the toss is resolved— letting the coin fall to the ground, slapping it down on the back of your hand, or catching it on your open palm—it always lands with the side you rubbed face up.
Elemental Wayfinder (Air) (Uncommon, Evocation, Invested, Magical, Air) Activate command; Frequency once per day; Effect The wayfinder casts a 4th-level lightning bolt.
Cape of the Mountebank (Conjuration, Invested, Magical, Uncommon) Activate Interact; Frequency once per day; Effect You cast dimension door. The space you leave and the one you appear in are filled with puffs of smoke that make anyone within concealed until they leave the smoke or the end of your next turn, at which point the smoke dissipates. Strong winds immediately disperse the smoke.
Ash Gown (Greater) (Fire, Invested, Magical) Activate Blazing Promenade (manipulate); Frequency once per 10 minutes; Effect The ash gown ignites in a ferocious blaze, flames licking the floor and trailing behind you like a dancing cape. You Stride and make a Strike at the end of your movement. During the Stride, your flames incinerate minor obstacles in your path; you ignore non-magical difficult terrain, and any you move through is destroyed. Creatures that are adjacent to you at any point during your movement take 4d6 fire damage with a DC 28 basic Reflex save. A creature doesn't need to attempt this save more than once, even if you move past it multiple times.
Jug of Fond Remembrance (Conjuration, Magical) Activate Interact; Frequency once per hour; Effect You take a long swig on the jug and then Recall Knowledge about a creature you can see, with a +2 circumstance bonus to the check. If you fail but don't critically fail this check, you get a success instead. You're then stupefied 1 for 3 rounds.
Lifting Belt (Invested, Magical) Activate Assisted Lift (manipulate) Effect You lift an object of up to 8 Bulk as though it were weightless. This requires two hands, and if the object is locked or otherwise held in place, you can attempt to Force it Open using Athletics as part of this activation. The object still has its full weight and Bulk for all other purposes - you just ignore that weight. The effect lasts until the end of your next turn.
Bravery Baldric (Haste) (Invested, Magical) Activate command, envision; Frequency once per hour; Requirements The baldric has a charge; Effect One charge in the baldric expires, and you gain its benefit, according to its type. The baldric is silver when charged, and it grants you the effects of haste. This baldric has the transmutation trait.
Divine Known Spells DC 29, attack +19; Cantrips Shield, Needle Darts
Occult Known Spells DC 29, attack +19; 3rd Shadow Spy ☆, True Strike (H+2), Lose the Path (H+2), Warrior's Regret (H+1), Calm Emotions (H+1), Blazing Dive, Heroism (1 slots); 2nd Illusory Creature ☆ (1 slots); 1st Illusory Disguise ☆ (1 slots); Cantrips
Divine Prepared Spells DC 30, attack +20; 6th Heal, Heal, Heal, Heal, Heal; 5th ; 4th ; 3rd ; 2nd ; 1st ; Cantrips
Divine Prepared Spells DC 30, attack +20; 6th Heroism (H+3), Blessed Boundary, Suspended Retribution; 5th Divine Immolation, Scouting Eye, Blink Charge; 4th Inner Radiance Torrent (H+2), Divine Wrath, Divine Wrath; 3rd Haste, Roaring Applause, Haste; 2nd See the Unseen, Revealing Light, Sure Strike (H+1); 1st Sure Strike, Sure Strike, Sure Strike; Cantrips Bullhorn, Needle Darts, Shield, Void Warp, Divine Lance
Focus Spells (3 points) Fire Ray, Guidance (Amped), Weapon Surge
Additional Feats Assurance, Basic Psychic Spellcasting, Battle Cry, Domain Acumen, Domain Initiate, Dragon Disciple Dedication, Dromaar, Emblazon Armament, Emblazon Energy, Fleet, Group Coercion, Incredible Investiture, Intimidating Prowess, Oracle Dedication, Psychic Dedication, Replenishment of War, Shameless Request, Toughness, Warpriest's Armor
Additional Specials Anathema, Archetype Conscious Mind (The Infinite Eye), Archetype Psychic Cantrip (Standard Cantrip: Guidance (Amped)), Archetype Psychic Casting Ability (Charisma), Cleric Spellcasting, Curse of the Mortal Warrior, Deity, Divine Font (Healing Font), Doctrine (Warpriest), Domain Acumen (Destruction), Domain Initiate (Fire), Dragon Type (Crystal), Fourth Doctrine, Mystery (Battle), Resolute Faith, Sanctification, Second Doctrine, Third Doctrine
Ancestry - Human
Heritage - Dromaar
BG SF - Assurance athletics
Deity - Ragathiel
Healing Font
1 Natural Ambition >> Domain Initiate >> Fire Ray
2 War Priest's armor, battle Oracle dedication, trick magic item
3 Toughness
4 Emblazon Armament, Basic Mysteries >> Oracular warning, Intimidating Prowess
5 Orc Ferocity
6 Divine Weapon, Advanced Mysteries >> Whispers of Weakness, Group Coercion
7 Fleet
8 Zealous Rush, Crystal Dragon Disciple Dedication, Battle Cry
9 Multi talented >> Psychic >> Amped Guidance
10 Replenishments of War, Basic psychic casting, Shameless Request
11 Incredible Investiture
12 Emblazon Energy, Advanced mystery >> Domain Accumen >> Weapon Surge, Too Angry to Die
The charisma investment isn't optimal but I still need to be the face. I thought about dropping psychic spell casting since my lower charisma makes illusory disguise shenanigans harder, but again, face gotta face. I'm a bit frustrated to have to switch from full orc to half, but I went from having bad class feats to really good ones and needing to spread them further to recapture the old concept. Dragon Disciple is grandfathered in. It does much less for me now but my body crystalizing imwas an important character aspect.
I like oracular warning and whispers of weakness on a multiclass. It recaptures two significant abilities which now won't be competing with anything else, and Curse of the Heroes Burden is so light I might as well use both every combat. Shame I can't get the better cursebound options like debilitating dichotomy, but at least my resource pool is easy to manage.
I like the look of Zealous Rush a lot. Haste, heroism, sure strike, and surge all make easy triggers. Also heal, though it seems unlikely I'll need to heal while rushing to the fray often. Speaking of heal, I don't love how much of my power budget gets tied to the healing font... But I lost my fast healing and need some extra longevity. I thought about harm and channel smite, but I find it effective but repetitive. I might swap away from the bulwark plate since extra speed is good with Rush.
I'm not sure about the Emblazon Energy line. Extra damage is always good, but two feats for 1d6 is expensive. I went with Divine Weapon over Bespell Strikes to get holy cuz I love that weakness damage.
Big cleric feats I can't find room for: Healing Hands, Channel Smite, Divine Rebuttal, Shield of Faith, Advanced Domain, Shared Replenishment.
Finally, I'll note I'm not married to the class. I looked at many Oracle builds, and even a Bard build. But it is the simplest way to recapture most of the old play style.
If Divine Weapon is there just for the holy, you can prepare Infuse Vitality, it is 1 action when only used on you and can be holy. That would free the feat there.
And everytime that I look at cleric I kinda look at Cast Down... it's so damn strong even with the lower wisdom as only enemy critical success makes them not be prone.
And I agree that the Emblazon energy line is too expensive for just 1d6.
Well, Divine Weapon is also extra damage, and a free action to boot. But Infuse Vitality is worth another look as a Zealous Rush trigger. Maybe I can spare a 1st level slot for it. I have a homebrewed bastard sword that counts as a staff with Sure Strike, so already have a solid number of them. I could see using it against undead or when I can't burn spell slots.
Cast down is quite strong... But even setting aside lower DCs, it's an action on a build that always wants more than it has. Spending one action to spell shape + at least one to harm. That coul have been spent on, say Suspended Retribution for 70 damage. My party also gets off guard pretty consistently. I'd probably feel differently if I had Reactive Strike or it worked on Channel Smite.
Speaking of channel Smite... Maybe I ought to reconsider it. If I ditch emblazon energy I have the feats freed up, and it is pretty chunky. Makes me less of a heal bot, too. Idk, need to decide on that. Harming Hands works with that, right?
Finally, I'll note I'm not married to the class. I looked at many Oracle builds, and even a Bard build. But it is the simplest way to recapture most of the old play style.
What defined the old playstyle for you? Or at least what was most important about it for you?
Yes Harming Hands works with Channel Smite as you cast the spell with it.
As you have Trick Magic Item and Nature, maybe pick a wand of Tailwind lvl 2, drop fleet and use the armor general feat instead and still keep a decent speed and that frees a lvl 2 class feat.
Assuming that you drop the emblazon line.
Lvl 2 Harming hands
Lvl 4 Channel Smite
Lvl 6 Divine Weapon
And then lvl 12 one of the feats that you wrote that you have interest.
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Finally, I'll note I'm not married to the class. I looked at many Oracle builds, and even a Bard build. But it is the simplest way to recapture most of the old play style.What defined the old playstyle for you? Or at least what was most important about it for you?
Having the magic of a full caster on a chassis with respectable durability and good striking power. A tactically rewarding and varied action economy, between spells, movement, strikes, sure strike, and demoralize. Spell + strike, or spell + sure strike + strike if hasted, could deal sick damage.
I didn't use heal or a ranged weapon despite those probably being optimal. I wanted this divine caster to be aggressive, not a reactive heal bot. The curse really encouraged that as well. I'd often improve my defenses more by striking than using a shield spell.