I dislike clerics. But I really really dislike Oracles. I just don't get them. But my DM is trying to get me to play one.
Can anyone convince me they are are worth it?
Why is your DM trying to make you play a class you have no interest in playing?
DM probably wants the OP to try something new.
IMO Oracles are better than clerics. Clerics don't have versatile enough spells to be primary casters without judicious use of domains or other few abilities that give spells. Domain spells can be only prepared in their respective slots, while Oracle mystery spells, which serve the same purpose, can be used as often as they want. Almost all clerics will spend some time in melee or ranged combat, and Oracle mysteries revelations do more for combat than domain powers. The one level delay of spell levels is rough, but every other oracle ability is better than cleric abilities. Even the curse gives you benefit, and GOOD ones.
Each mystery has at least 2 or 3 VERY good revelations. I think they are better flavor-wise then clerics, too. Only thing I don't like is being dependent on cha rather than wis. Wis is a better stat overall. But even with regard to that, several mysteries have abilities that transfer certain stat dependencies to charisma.
I say give em a chance. Oracle is my favorite class.
Oracles, unlike Clerics, really got the "PF treatment," meaning that they have a certain level of customization that doesn't occur in most of the core classes.
The Mystery/Revelation system (vs. the Domain system for Clerics) gives you more control over how you play your servant to the divine.
I dislike clerics. But I really really dislike Oracles. I just don't get them. But my DM is trying to get me to play one.
Can anyone convince me they are are worth it?
Do you dislike playing clerics, watching other players play clerics, or the concept of a god-powered spellcaster?
I play clerics and oracles as support classes that help other characters function at high levels without claiming much glory for themselves. Playing support is not to everyone's taste. My combat-oriented clerics specialized in summoning.
The battle oracle is an exception. It becomes an effective fighter who is handicapped by a need to cast self-buff spells before combat and blessed with more ability to help after combat. Likewise, by choosing the right revelations for an oracle of any mystery, the character's role can be more than a walking first-aid kit who also wields a heavy mace. In the campaign I currently run, the party is escorting an NPC time oracle who is trying hard to pull her weight (despite her weaker stats) through her oracular knowledge and clever revelations as much as through her timely healing.
Since clerics seldom gain the limelight in battle and usually lack the charisma to act as the party face, the players who roleplay a cleric either let their character disappear into the background or express themselves through attitude. I like playing the wise old man, but one of my more infamous clerics was a bigoted elf who was in the party to help the lesser races in the name of his god Corellon Larethian. He was wise enough to be polite about it. On the other hand, playing a proselytizing enforcer of a moral code that the other characters do not subscribe to will be a pain in the neck.
Oracles are better in that regard. They did not necessary chose to serve a god, so they have no incentive to proselytize for that god. And they do have the charisma to serve as the party face.
The concept of clerics is the weakest part of the class. If the gods are going to meddle, why do they meddle by giving priests the same set of spells that are less powerful than arcane spells? Oracles make more sense than clerics. Many oracles are granted their powers by minor supernatural entities or energies. Minor entities don't have the options of cosmic gods.
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Divine Sorcerer who can tell GMs "No you didn't critically hit the fighter with 3 hitpoints using that scythe", "I colorspray Cthulu, make a will save. He falls unconscious", "I am going to do 2 channels this turn, and the party heals an additional 5HP from life link, and I take half their damage. Good luck killing them", and my personal favorite "Fighter, you have bad luck. Reroll that failed save v. dominate person" is a fun character. Of course, it annoys GMs, but your GM is cool with it.
If you want to play an elemental warrior type of character with flavorful, non-spell abilities, Oracle is the best way to go. A Flame oracle can get cool fire-related abilities almost every level (taking Extra Revelation for feats) in ADDITION to the spells, whereas an elementalist wizard, elemental domain cleric, or other class will only get 2 or 3 abilities that relate to their theme and spells.
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Because when they're Half-Elves they can Paragon Surge Expanded Arcana and Eldritch Heritage for any spell on the Cleric/Wizard lists.
EDIT: OR if you prefer something else, you can get an AC, as well as initiative, AC, and Reflex running off Cha at level 1.
Oracles ... clerics without worrying about spell alignment descriptors, gods, codes of conduct, or organizations. That by itself is enough for me, then add in spontaneous casting (my preference), and there's zero chance I'll play a cleric ever.
It might help if the OP came back to answer some of the questions being asked of him or her.
They're really neat. Some of their revelations just can't be copied by anyone else.
The curse might raise a red flag, but it offers a really good roleplay opportunity.
Oracles (at least Half-Elf or Racial Heritage ones with Paragon Surge and Eldritch Heritage (Arcane) and Expanded Arcana) are probably the strongest class in the game. The mysteries provide a number of different routes to take like being a mini-druid with Lunar and the Dual-cursed Oracle gets some extremely nasty abilities. Seeker Oracles can also replace a trapfinder for your party.
To the OP
Are you going to be the only cleric/oracle in the group?
To the rest of you
How often does your party consist of more than one of cleric/oracle?
How did it go?
And
-Have any of you ran an all druid group, and if so, how did it go?
To the rest of you
How often does your party consist of more than one of cleric/oracle?
The oracle NPC I mentioned developed oracle powers spontaneously when the cleric player quit because he became a new father. She was a fighter beforehand. The party PCs currently are a fighter, samurai, sorcerer, magus, and ninja.
The battle oracle in another campaign was accompanied by a paladin who specialized in mercy feats, so she was not the sole healer. The battle oracle and the paladin were also the main martial characters in that party.
Another oracle in yet another campaign did not perform much healing. Partly that was because my alchemist's bombs and the summoner's eidolon softened up the enemies right before melee, so PCs were seldom injured. As for those who were injured, they usually carried an infusion of Cure Light Wounds from my alchemist so that the oracle could focus on offensive spells.
OP here.
DM wants me to try it because no one else wants to play one, and its the one class we have yet to see at our table.
I dislike Clerics because I hate their whole concept. I mean, Gods actually exist, and yet they are (usually) boring support class.
Maybe I am making the case for the Oracle...
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Does your DM unlock an achievement for seeing every class at the table? Is this like Pokemon where the point is to catch em all?
Play the class you want to play.
I had an oracle who walked around as a huge sized Treant, had a 48 STR, could fly at will, and could full round for almost as much damage as the full fighter (archer). All while having full casting.
I checked his build, it was legit (gimicky, but legit)
Oracles can pretty much whatever the hell they feel like, and do it well.
As the others have said, clerics/oracles aren't restricted to be boring support classes. That's just what the rest of the group tends to want you to be.
Explain to your DM you don't want that and try it out under the premise you are going to make him cool for you to play,
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I could run a four oracle party pretty easily I think
Note: half elf oracles and paragon surge is flat dumb, and is banned in my game.
I would probably take 2 battle, 1 life, 1 heavens, but there are a lot of good mixes. Tongues curse on everyone for laughs, but probably not that
I think you could make one of those battle oracles a metal oracle.
But yes, each person takes a different language with the tongues curse.First 4 levels will be very interesting.
...and yet they are (usually) boring support class.
Ths depends totally on the build you're playing.
An evil(or neutral) cleric or oracle with inflicct spells and negative channel can be a bad ass front line fighter, who never heared of such a word like "support".Even my Torag Battle-Cleric is all about self-buffing and then heading right into the first combat line dealing a lot of damage.
I think you have an old (2.0/3.0) view of the cleric , I would suggest building some "test-builds" and check the very good class guide from Tark (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h6-_4HvPvV-Tt7I67Gi_oPhgHmeDVA5SBl-WrJ Sgf5s/edit?hl=en&pli=1#)