Help with an Oracle build ... or 2.

[Amric]

Hey all, my fellow players are worse at creating builds than I am so they often come to me for help. I am putting together 2 oracle options for my friend, Battle and Life. Below are the 2 builds, feel free to adapt, change or comment on either or both. Thx in advance.

Human Life Oracle

1st level Dual Cursed Oracle of Life: Favored class is Oracle. Traits are Magical Knack and Reactionary. Feats are Fey foundling and Improved initiative. Curses are Haunted and Sickened. Revelation is Channel. Focused study for an alternate racial trait.
2nd level Bard with the Dervish of Dawn archetype.
3rd level Oracle: Feat is Selective channel. Revelation is Energy body.
4th level Oracle: Revelation is Misfortune.
5th level Oracle: Feat is Quick channel. Revelation is Fortune.
6th level Oracle: Revelation is Enhanced cures.
7th level Oracle: Feat is Extra revelation of Life link.
8th level Oracle: Revelation is Safe curing
9th level Oracle: Feat is Extra channel.
10th level Oracle: Revelation is Spirit Boost.

Tengu Battle Oracle
1st level Dual Cursed Oracle of Battle: Favored class is Oracle. Traits are Reactionary and Focused mind. Feat is Improved initiative. Curses are Haunted and Sickened. Revelation is Skill at arms.
2nd level Bard with the Dervish of Dawn archetype.
3rd level Oracle: Feat is Extra revelation War sight.
4th level Oracle: Revelation is Weapon mastery.
5th level Oracle: Feat is
6th level Oracle: Revelation is Iron skin.
7th level Oracle: Feat is
8th level Oracle: Revelation is Combat healer.
9th level Oracle: Feat is

[XMorsX]

For the battle oracle:

Either go deaf + wolfscarred or ditch the archetype and just take a 'light' curse like legalistic or tongues.

You cannot have Iron skin before the 11th lvl.

Why Tengu? They have no racial boost to Charisma and the boost to Dex is countered be the penalty in Con. The only special thing that it is going on for them is the Shigenjo archetype, which works best with a natural weapon focused build and not a Dervish Dance one.

You will want to take the revelations in that order: Skill at Arms, Weapon mastery, Surprising Charge, War sight, Maneuver Mastery at 7th lvl, Battlefield Clarity and Iron Skin at 11th lvl.

For the Oracle of Life, the bard dip is completely inappropriate because it delays your Channeling progression, which is what your oracle is (almost) all about. Also, being an Aasimar with its favored class bonus to channel will be of great help here. Versatile Channeler with a good alternative channeling like ale or ruleship can go a long way too.

[Amric]

Thx for the reply. The bard dip is being forced on us by the GM, he has some theme in mind which we are unaware of.

I was thinking Tengu for flavor. definitely not committed to the race.

[XMorsX]

Well, the bard dip at least gives Dervish Dance for free. I say take the chance and make a Dex oracle. Battle mystery will work great, but this time I will suggest the metal mystery instead, as it can provide armor training, which can become really useful with a high Dex. You can afford an additional lvl dip without losing 9th lvl spells too, I recommend one lvl in unarmed figher for the bonus style feat (crane style). Take the touched by divinity feat, worship something appropriate and take Arcane Strike too, as you will need all the damage boosts you can take.

A Half Elf Oracle could go like this:

Traits: Blade of Mercy (for Enforcer), Touched by Divinity (for Arcane Strike)

1 Dervish Dance (bonus), Dodge, Skill Focus: Knowledge (whatever)
2 Oracle Lame Curse, Revelation: Dance of the Blades
3 Unarmed Fighter Crane Style, Crane Wing (bonus)
4 Oracle
5 Oracle Revelation: Skill at Arms, Arcane Strike
6 Oracle
7 Oracle Extra Revelation: Armor Mastery, Eldrich Heritage: Arcane (Arcane Bond) (your Scimitar)
8 Oracle
9 Oracle Revelation: Vision in Iron, Improved Initiative
10 Oracle
11 Oracle Crane Riposte, Enforcer
12 Oracle
13 Oracle: Revelation: Iron Body, Divine Interference

Beyond the excellent defenses with crane style and the other boons that go with a metal oracle, you are now open to Paragon Surge abuse. Try to play fair :)

What is your point buy? You need Dex first, Cha second, a 14 in Con and a passable Str because armor is heavy.

Arcane bond is your scimitar because it is thematic and useful to be able to enchant your own weapon, right?

[XMorsX]

It seems I have make a mistake with feats in the above build. Also, the dual-cursed archetype is attractive, seeing that you do not need the skill at arms revelation.

Here is the updated version:

Half-Elf Dual-Cursed Oracle of Metal

Curses: Lame, Legalistic (non improving)

Traits: Blade of Mercy (for Enforcer), Touched by Divinity (for Arcane Strike)

1 Bard Dervish Dance (bonus), Dodge, Skill Focus: Knowledge (whatever)
2 Oracle Lame Curse, Revelation: Dance of the Blades
3 Unarmed Fighter Crane Style, Crane Wing (bonus), IUS (bonus)
4 Oracle
5 Oracle Revelation: Misfortune, Arcane Strike
6 Oracle
7 Oracle Revelation: Armor Mastery, Enforcer
8 Oracle
9 Oracle Revelation: Fortune, Eldrich Heritage: Arcane (Arcane Bond) (your Scimitar)
10 Oracle
11 Oracle Crane Riposte
12 Oracle
13 Oracle Revelation: Iron Body, Divine Interference
14 Oracle
15 Oracle Revelation: Vision in Iron, Power Attack
16 Oracle
17 Oracle Revelation: Iron Constitution, Improved Initiative
18 Oracle
19 Oracle Quicken Spell
20 Oracle