Hello,
I am building a new character and I want some advice. The character is a paladin 2/ oracle 6 so far, and I am planning to go some eldritch knight later to get better BAB without completely skipping my spellcasting.
We made a modification with my DM, to allow me to qualify for EK with 3 lvl divine spells instead of arcane. I am going elf, but I exchanged some bonuses from it with half elf (to get paragon surge cheese).
The character is going to be an archer while using his versatile and defensive spells for out of combat utility and in-combat buffing and control, without overdoing it. My dm trusts me in this.
I want your advices if I am doing it right.
Oracle 6/ Paladin 2
Divine Hunter Paladin:
Elf Favorite class bonus: Add +1/2 hit point to the paladin's lay on hands ability (whether using it to heal or harm).
Aura of good
Detect Evil
Smite evil
Lay on Hands 1/2 paladin lvl + cha mod/day for 1d6
Divine Grace (add cha bonus to saving throws)
Ancient Lorekeeper Oracle
Elf favorite class bonus ''Oracle'' (Add +1/2 to the oracle's level for the purpose of determining the effects of one revelation.) I am adding it to the Wood armor)
Use also Elven Arcana from the archetype to add some extra wizard spells in my spells known.
Mystery = Wood (revelations: Wood Bond (to enhance my bow), Wood Armor +6 from favorite class bonus instead of +4)
Curse = Haunted
str. 7
dext. 17 + 1 (8th lvl) + 2 (half elf racial) = 20
con. 10
int. 12
wis. 10
cha. 17 + 1 (4th lvl) = 18
BAB + Saves:
BaB: 2 (paladin) + 4 (oracle) = 6
Fort: 3 (paladin) + 2 (oracle) + 4 (divine grace char bonus) + 0 (con modifier) = 9
Ref: 0 (paladin) + 2 (oracle) + 4 (divine grace char bonus) + 5 (dext modifier)= 11
Will: 3 (paladin) + 5 (oracle) + 4 (divine grace char bonus) + 0 (wis modifier) = 12
Feats:
0) Skill focus: Nature (half elf), Cosmopolitan (free feat from my DM)
1) Precise shot (divine hunter paladin archetype), Point Blank shot
3) Rapid shot
5) Eldritch Heritage (arcane bloodline, familiar or arcane bond probably my bow)
7) Deadly Aim
Traits:
Magical Knack (increase my caster lvl by 2)
Dangerously Curious (UMD skill)
Skills: 30 (oracle) + 6 (paladin) = 36
*Bluff: 8 (from cosmopolitan feat)
Climb:
Craft:
Diplomacy: 8
Handle Animal:
Heal:
Knowledge Planes:
Knowledge Nature: 4 + 3 [skill focus (+6 at 10 ranks)]
Knowledge History:
Knowledge Religion:
*Perception: 8 (from cosmopolitan feat)
Profession:
Ride:
Stealth:
Survival:
Sense Motive:
Spellcraft:
*UMD: 8 (from trait)
What I am aiming with this character is to be decent ranged combatant, providing enough DPR (something we seriously lack with our 3man party), while at the same time be able to provide some defensive spells like healing, restores, and cures from my oracle spell list, and later at 11+ lvl, use wizard/sorcerer spells (via paragon surge, new arcana combo) for extra utility especially out of combat, as we tend to roleplay and solve mysteries much more than actually fighting.
The party is me, an arcane bloodline sorcerer, focusing mostly on blasting and throw area of effects and control, and a melee ranger.
None of them is optimized at all. I recognize the dangers to outshine them completely, but I prefer to lift them with some buffs and aid them in other ways instead of stealing their thunder. My DM knows and trust me with this too.
With my cha based skills I will be able to provide some decent party face abilities while using paladin's diving grace to make me beefy with my saving throws. (something my DM uses a lot too)
I know I am sacrificing a lot of spellcasting, around three levels if I will get also Eldritch Knight, but being able to access both wizard and cleric spell lists even for up to 7 lvl spells is great I think for what I want to do. I found most really high lvl spells not fun for anyone.
My initial plan was to go wizard 1(with divination sla to qualify for 3d lvl arcane spells for eldritch knight)/eldritch knight 5/arcane archer 2
(the all martial weapons proficiency requirement is not necessary as long as I keep my elf bow proficiency and use always a bow)
So here we are, Let me know with what you guys think. Any suggestions? something you would like to add? What should I avoid or change is always welcome.
ps: I was considering taking the waves or metal or ancestors or battle mystery or the natures mystery for the animal companion. I never played a melee or archer type before and I dont know how it works with BAB or if its too low or if I will hinder it if I dont choose wood and the wood bond revelation. Not that I know exactly all those +1 enchantments and what they do but it seems wise to have a potent weapon, considering I am gonna spent most my rounds full attacking with my bow.
Doesn't Eldritch Knight require "arcane" casting ?
Indeed it does. But I mention in my post that my DM is willing to change this to 3d lvl divine spells instead of arcane. My elven arcana from ancient lorekeeper oracle archetype, allows me to take some arcane spells anyway and with the paragon surge later, my DM sees it as enough to qualify even without the 3d lvl divine/arcane spells.
He said he could qualify with divine spellcasting, via GM deal.
No, not by RAW. They are pointed out to cast divine spells, and like a cleric who gets "arcane spells" through a domain, they are considered arcane spells added to their list, but cast as divine.
So, no, without GM help, cleric, paladin, inquisitor, oracle, etc. can not qualify for Eldritch Knight.