I'm having a bit of trouble building a Melee Oracle, Ancestor Mystery, Haunted Curse. (Ghost themes)
I'm not sure what spells I should be casting as this is my first time playing a divine caster.
How do combat oracles normally operate?
Any advise on how to make this character melee capable or combat competent?
The general rules for the campain;
Starts at lvl 5
20 point buy, no stats below 8.
I have full BAB and either a d10HD or one of my bad saves is a good save, my choice.
I'm human
Other than HP and skills I have no favored class bonuses. All hardcovers, Player Companions and third party material that I own is useable. I have a lot so its easier to ask if I have something than it is to list all that I have.
the Fate's Favored trait + Divine Favor will let you have +2 attack / damage bonus at first lvl.
Are you interested to be a Half-Elf so that you can abu.. ehm make good use of the Paragorn Surge + Eldrich Heritage Arcane feats?
Other than that, having reach is the best way to dish damage. AT 5th lvl you should look like this:
STR 18
DEX 12
CON 14
INT 10
WIS 8
CHA 14
1 Improved Initiative, Combat reflexes, R: Ancestral Weapon
2
3 Power Attack, R: Sacred Council
4
5 Furious Focus
Use Ancestral Weapon to conjure a Baurdiche. Buff yourself with Divine favor and let them come to you. This way they provoke AoOs and then you are free to full-attack them. Initiative is improtant as it will let you cast before engaging into melee.
Your low CHa means that you should avoid save or suck spells, focus on buffs and battlefield control spells that does not require a saving throw; have in mind utility spells as well.
Having more life is probably better as you already have good willsave progression.
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I'd suggest reading the guides to reach cleric and taking the general available themes to heart as an oracle.
The ancestor mystery has some fun abilities but few of them are as 'cut and dry' as battle oracle abilities. Not that this is all bad, just in some cases your powers will be more situational.
I've had a group with an ancestor oracle, and he user spiritual weapon and spiritual ally to devastating effect (ally was always flavored to the ghost of a specific ancestor, my favorite was his grandmother attacking bad guys with a spiritual soup ladle)
Long story short, is the biggest challenge will be focusing in on the few spells you know, and making sure that you have the ones you really need. Blessing of Fervor being one, just sayin'
speaking of guides, i think that Sean FitzSimon did a guide on oracles, and he's a FANTASTIC guide-maker, i think its called Channeling the Cosmos or summat.
but other than that ive never played a melee oracle. save or die and save or suck should probably be avoided, and oracles make terrible blasters, so your best spells will be buffs, heals, and Battlefield Control, not in that order.
Channeling the Cosmos is the great Oracle guide at the top of this Advice thread. It's packed with good advice for an up and coming Oracle.
I'll also second the people above who pointed you to the Reach Cleric Guide (also in the Class Guides) and who encouraged you to consider using a reach weapon. Here's why. It could be considered an advanced technique (many groups apparently never bother to learn how to effectively use reach weapons!) but it sounds like you are up to the challenge.
Malwing wrote: I'm having a bit of trouble building a Melee Oracle, Ancestor Mystery, Haunted Curse. (Ghost themes)
I'm not sure what spells I should be casting as this is my first time playing a divine caster.
How do combat oracles normally operate?
Any advise on how to make this character melee capable or combat competent?
The general rules for the campain;
Starts at lvl 5
20 point buy, no stats below 8.
I have full BAB and either a d10HD or one of my bad saves is a good save, my choice.
I'm human
Other than HP and skills I have no favored class bonuses. All hardcovers, Player Companions and third party material that I own is useable. I have a lot so its easier to ask if I have something than it is to list all that I have.
Aasimar/Half-Elf/Elf or Human with Racial Heritage one of those so can get the favored class oracle bonus of +1/2 to a revelation.
I suggest spend it all on the armour revelation. You cannot go wrong, being front line/less HPs etc won't matter.
The normal progression will become:
1st: +4 AC
5th: +6 AC
8th: +8 AC
9th: 50% ranged weapon immunity
10th: +10AC
13th: +12AC
Also get the trait
Magical Lineage: One of your parents was a gifted spellcaster who not only used metamagic often, but also developed many magical items and perhaps even a new spell or two—and you have inherited a fragment of this greatness. Pick one spell when you choose this trait. When you apply metamagic feats to this spell, treat its actual level as 1 lower for determining the spell's final adjusted level.
For spiritual weapon (yours goes on charisma) and the toppling spell feat. Great opening move - ranged attack that keeps going, can get multiple attacks, has a trip ability and if they come close attack with your long spear or whatever ranged weapon you use.
Cast heroism ALWAYS !!!
Do you think insaneogeddon that the armor is a better candidate than the ancestral weapon?
Weapon, even enhanced with favored class, is really poor progression. Best to compete where you can not just win but utterly dominate as its unlike any other class/class ability.
With ancestral weapon in comparison its a auto loose. Others magic weapons (most found a +1 by 5th or 7th), never mind bought by level or due to weapon bond or arcane pool or/and black blade or blade thirst or inquisitors bane etc are all ahead (5+ levels ahead) worse they make your ancestral weapon look almost common.
Remember your a caster with great buffs - as ancestral is a physical weapon you can always cast 'Magic Weapon, Greater' and at 1 hour per level (highest enchantment counts) your ancestral weapon will always be better than a straight revelation weapon or a favored class weapon. Besides there is not much difference just using a long spear instead of the ancestral weapon.
Front lining as an oracle has more HP and AC issues than damage issues. Weightless, Likely (up to DM) invisible, No armour penalty, Armour is priceless and cool exp. if 50% immune to missile attacks (even guns).
The extra armour level adds AC AND HRs per day so can rely on having it when needed at very early levels and rely on it exclusively from early to mid levels when most games happen.
Its like toughness or iron will - seems less glamorous but you won't regret it!
Besides once you get into the whole flawless super armour no other class can match thing it becomes pretty glamorous.
insaneogeddon wrote:
For spiritual weapon (yours goes on charisma) and the toppling spell feat. Great opening move - ranged attack that keeps going, can get multiple attacks, has a trip ability and if they come close attack with your long spear or whatever ranged weapon you use.
Cast heroism ALWAYS !!! Uhm that bit about spiritual weapon isn't true I think. It's suggested as a viable houserule but it isn't technically true RAW afaik.
gnomersy wrote: insaneogeddon wrote:
For spiritual weapon (yours goes on charisma) and the toppling spell feat. Great opening move - ranged attack that keeps going, can get multiple attacks, has a trip ability and if they come close attack with your long spear or whatever ranged weapon you use.
Cast heroism ALWAYS !!! Uhm that bit about spiritual weapon isn't true I think. It's suggested as a viable houserule but it isn't technically true RAW afaik. Read the FAQ
http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fm
"Oracle: Can I use my Charisma modifier for cleric spells and effects that use Wisdom, such as spiritual weapon?
As written, those effects say "Wisdom" (because they were written before the idea of the oracle class as a Charisma-based caster), so an oracle has to use her Wisdom modifier.
However, it is a perfectly reasonable house rule to allow an oracle to use her Charisma modifier (or bonus) for cleric spells that refer to the caster's Wisdom modifier (or bonus).
—Pathfinder Design Team, 05/09/13"
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