So we recently started playing Carrion Crown and I would like some advice on spells to take and feats. Our party is made of a cleric (healer/support), a bard (mostly summons stuff as far as I can tell), Alchemist(bomber), Inquisitor(ranged), and myself(Oracle) who is trying to fill the gap as the melee beater. Pretty much all support classes save myself, we will see how it goes.
I chose Nature as my Mystery mostly because I liked it for background fluff, and I didn't feel like optimizing because the majority of the other players are new to the game. Outshining the other characters in terms of damage and abilities might have taken away from their enjoyment of the game so I felt keeping my character somewhat less than stellar.
Also we are still pretty early on in the fist book and we just hit level 3, and I am curious as to what would be useful for this campaign. I have heard it is heavily undead/evil/construct filled and am wondering (spoiler free) the kinds of things that would be useful.
So far my spells and feats are as such:
Feats: Imp Initiative, Extra Revelation (Natural Divination)
Spells:
0 lvl: Create Water, Mending, Read Magic, Detect Magic, Light
1st: Bless, Protection from Evil
Anywhoo ideas for what feat and spells to take this level an the upcoming ones would be appreciated.
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I have played that campaign with a life oracle,and it worked well, but I rarely meleed much. I hope your cleric is good at channeling. Be prepared to run. You don't necessarily have to fight everything. If you are being the melee guy, I would recommend a battle oracle/barbarian going into rage prophet. To be honest, a paladin would be much better. If you just want feats, I would get power attack instead of extra revelation. Pick up a trait that gives you some 0 level arcane spells and get disrupt undead. You will need it. Your spells seem fine. There isn't a whole lot you can pick at first level, though you might want divine favor instead of PFE if you are going to be fighting, but that is a hard choice to make.
Well, its a little late for battle oracle, and I took a look at rage prophet which seems like you lose out on a bunch of spells for some OK-ish abilities. I am mostly curious as to what spells I should take in the upcoming levels. Spear of purity seemed nice as a non touch spell for fighting undead and ghosts, and I think when I hit level four I might try and take the favored class bonus to pick up divine favor.
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To be honest, you aren't going to be much of a melee damage dealer/tank. Oracles aren't that great in melee. There are really three ways to be a tank/melee guy as an oracle that don't rely on buffing with high level spells.
1) Battle or metal mystery
2) Rage prophet
3) Life oracle/Holy Vindicator (great with a few paladin levels)
Another option that isn't really great, but is better than straight oracle is divine scion, especially if your deity has a good favored weapon.
As for spells. For second level spells you want lesser restoration, spear of purity, and spiritual weapon. 3rd level: searing light, magic circle against evil, magic vestment (this AP is very light on magic items, so want want to buff your own weapons and armor if possible) 4th level: death ward, holy smite, greater magic weapon, restoration
5th level: breath of life, disrupting weapon, flame strike, summon monster V
I apologize for leaving my vital stats out, that was a little shortsighted. I am a Human Nature Oracle, the revelations I have are Natures Whispers (Cha for AC) and Natural Divination (bonus to initiative, skill check, or saves a few times a day). Also in terms of how I want to rumble, I think I will probably be more front line centered since I am the least squishy of the group in terms of AC. At the same time though I don't want to entirely focus my spells on melee. The Oracle in me has glimpsed doom for our newbie Bard player, and he has expressed a love of melee classes.
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Also we are still pretty early on in the fist book and we just hit level 3, and I am curious as to what would be useful for this campaign. I have heard it is heavily undead/evil/construct filled and am wondering (spoiler free) the kinds of things that would be useful.
I had to reread that. You are early on in the first book with five people and are level 3? What have you been fighting? Your DM must have added a lot of extra encounters or been giving exp out like candy. A party of four should be 4th level when they are finished with the first book. If you have made it to 3rd level, you should already know that the first book is filled with undead, haunts, and constructs. I hope someone in your group is good with traps, because there are some parts of this AP where it may save your butts. Good luck.
Yeah he has been pretty liberal with the xp. We had a session on Halloween where we got a nice chunk of bonus experience if we dressed as our characters, which I did and damn well too, I ended up winning a new set of dice. Anyways two of the players are still level 2, the bard and cleric, as well as being the two of our three new players. Honestly their inexperience has made the encounters more difficult that they should be so combat hasn't really become one sided.
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Well, this AP is a meatgrinder, so you all may need the extra xp with newb players and all. I was the only one to finish the AP with an original character, and I was reincarnated once. Anyway, you really have the wrong class and mystery for a melee build (it would be very helpful to see the full build, race, class, ability scores, feats, traits, equipment,etc.)but We will work with what we have. You have a good AC, and a good charisma, but can't do much melee damage (If you can, I'd like to know how). You may be hard to hit, but intelligent enemies will bypass you to get to the dangerous ones (cleric, inquisitor, and alchemist) if they are played intelligently. You need a way to make them target you. My advice is to get a reach weapon, max out your diplomacy, and get the antagonize feat and combat reflexes if you have a decent dexterity. That way enemies may be forced to target you and trigger AoO's if they try to move past you to get to your friends.
So hopefully this might help a little.
Hp:25
Ac:18 (+3 Cha, Studded Leater, Buckler, and bracers that give 1 ac)
Stats: 14 str,12 dex,12 con, 10 int, 9 wis, 17 cha. 15 point buy.
Attack: Morningstar +4(1d8+2)
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The bracers of armor +1 do not stack with yur studded leather armor. They are both armor bonuses. A general rule of thumb in Pathfinder is that for AC to be a good defense it has to be 20+ your level. You may have the highest AC in the party, but it is not party tank level AC. You need to put your favored class points into hp, and get better armor and a shield ASAP. Maybe pick up toughness. You may also want to pick up great fortitude later on. If you are lawful good, I would strongly recommend taking at least two levels of paladin, if you are serious about being the tank. If not, follow my advice upthread. What is your race, btw?
I ended up choosing good ole vanilla human for my race. I don't know if I will be tanking for the group as mostly our plan so far has been to burn things down before anyone gets seriously smacked around. I mostly just want to be able to take a hit or two for the team if I have to.
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Then get toughness, put your favored class bonus into hp (until 4th when you should start getting the human extra spells know bonus instead), and get the best armor and shield you can. Also, don't be afraid to ask the rest of the party for buffs if you will be taking some hits for them. Seriously, a level of paladin or cavalier for heavy armor and martial weapons plus a reach weapon and antagonize could make you a respectable tank.
Thank you for the advice, I really appreciate it. This is my first post so I appreciate your quick responses and helpfulness, it really reflects how supportive the Paizo community is.
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No problem. You are welcome. There are plenty other folks that would do the same. I just happen to be bored at work on a twelve hour night shift, so this helps pass the time. I am sure others will chime in on a fairly complex min/maxed tanking monstrosity build for your guy. Just be prepared for that.
It had occurred to me that mount riding might be a pretty solid choice but I can't say how often it will be viable. I would almost rather take feats and abilities that were useful on a constant basis rather than one that only comes up every other battle or so.
Ghostbane Dirge is one spell you'll probably want to look at, I'd at least pick up a scroll or two to keep handy because it will make the difference between life and death.
Blood Biography can also be very useful for some of the investigations you'll take part in too. For an inexperienced party this could be a really wonderful pick or just a fun roleplaying hook with your mystery too.
I did have a talk about taking a wolf or boar rather than horse or camel for the Bonded Mount revelation but sadly it was a no go.
I was considering ghostbane dirge as a spell but because of Oracles low spells known it is far to situational to be chosen this early.
I did have a talk about taking a wolf or boar rather than horse or camel for the Bonded Mount revelation but sadly it was a no go.
I was considering ghostbane dirge as a spell but because of Oracles low spells known it is far to situational to be chosen this early.
You can always swap it out later too. ^_^
That is true, and I am assuming it will be incredibly useful considering all the ghosts we have been fighting. I am mulling over Spear of Purity as well since it does a nice chunk of damage and has the added bonus of possibly blinding.
What are you're opinions on later level feats for an Oracle, I am thinking Weird Revelation in order to get some of the revelations from other trees.
So far we have been doing fairly well as group, we defeated the piper (I think!) and started our descent into the basement floor of Harrowstone. As my oracle skills had forseen, the bard died, and that player is now rolling a much needed meatshield. And now I am left deciding how to play my character out, I will probably end up being more of a controller since our Cleric seems to be focused on healing. Any suggestions?