Building a "White Mage" (with aspirations of paladinhood)

[Better_with_Bacon]

Good Evening Fellow Gamers,

I'm planning on my next character; Cephira.

Description: Cephira Hrist

While I have a lot of her background and personality, I don't know what class I want her to be.
I know I want her to be a 'white mage' type of character, but I have a bunch of concepts for her.

Cleric of Iomedae - Pretty straight forward. Likely with the tactics subdomain.
Wizard (Abjurer) - Protections, wards, and banishments.
Wizard (Diviner) - Scrying, clairvoyance, and initiative
Celestial Bloodline Sorcerer - Area control, some blasting
Witch - Combining offense and healing spells, and re-skinning her hexes to be minor divine intervention/minor miracles

My DM allows a 20 point buy, and I want her aspirations of paladinhood to be a goal for her, even if it might be sub-optimal.

What do you think? I've been playing around in hero lab... and have 4 different 3rd-level 'builds' already...

I'm interested in hearing your inputs, because there is certainly some options and ideas that I haven't considered.

Very Respectfully,
--Bacon

[Conundrum]

More paladin stuff? They en vogue this month? -"ya gotta be f%#!@: kidding me"- quote, my boss.

[Better_with_Bacon]

Paladin and Wizard are my favorite classes.

But I'll never play a paladin as my first character with a new DM. :)

Very Respectfully,
--Bacon

[xebeche]

If optimal isn't a goal, then any of these choices will be fine.

There are so many aspects to consider. If the character aspires to Paladinhood, what is holding them back? Why are they a pursuing the life of a cleric or arcane spellcaster? Do you anticipate a specific maximum character level? What of these starting options appeals to your vision of the character in mechanics? Roleplaying? Will the character fight in melee often?

If I were designing this character I would have their respect for Paladinhood dictate their actions, but not always their training. For example, if a character is intellectually brilliant they might be doing themselves a disservice by ignoring mental pursuits. It makes sense that this character be a Wizard, or delve into other relevant options. All while adopting a Paladin's code, carrying around the holy symbol of a favored deity, and harnessing their strengths to bring about good and order.

[blackbloodtroll]

Battle Oracle.

[Better_with_Bacon]

Battle Oracle interests me, but I don't know which Oracle Curse fits the concept.

I know the charisma dependency fits with the potential paladinhood aspirations, and "Oradin" has proven to be a popular concept.

Very Respectfully,
--Bacon

[CELLWOOD]

I'd agree with blackbloodtroll here.
The Guide to the Guides list gives a great Oracle guide.

I'd recommend a 16/12/13/10/10/16 (+2 for Human included, 20 pt. buy) build for an Oracle if you don't want to dump INT and WIS like it mentions in your character description. Bonus, these stats work pretty good for a Paladin as well.

As for curse, I'd consider Lame for roleplaying purposes. You said your character desired to be a Paladin? Maybe this is why those dreams never manifested. This comes with the additionally bonuses that the -10 movement speed simulates the speed of a Paladin in Heavy Armor, and if you choose to play a mounted warrior Oracle (a very viable concept) you would not only mitigate the movement penalty, but get the added visual of the knight on horseback that the Paladin class is meant to evoke so well.

Just my two cents, hope it helps.

[Amir Hiram]

One thing you may consider is starting off as a Celestial Bloodline Sorcerer ( http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/sorcerer/bloodlines/bloodlines -from-paizo/celestial-bloodline ) or a Hedge Witch, and then dipping into Paladin and becoming an Eldritch Knight at higher levels. You can probably use feats and such to bolster your Paladin spellcasting along with your arcane magics. If your DM decides to make you fall, you still have Eldritch Knight and Witch or Sorcerer, so...

[rorek55]

Angel kin Aasimar yay +2str/Cha :DDDD

[LazarX]

Consider a warpriest. with the Good and War domains.

[Better_with_Bacon]

While I'm totally ok with Tiefling and Aasimar characters when I DM, when I am a player, the DM thinks that Aasimar are 'too powerful' (but think Tieflings are legit)

Aasimar was on my radar for the initial concept before the DM told me "No"

...I never even considered Sorcerer/Paladin to earn Eldritch Knight.

Warpriest is viable, but not on the list of 'allowed' classes (until the book is actually released)

Very Respectfully,
--Bacon

[Fruian Thistlefoot]

Well I have a "Jedi" cleric. Now the Jedi are much like a Paladin only more hardcore. You can use it if you like it.

Jedi Cleric

Human 20 point buy: +2 in Wis

10,14,12,7,20,10

Evangelist Cleric

Domain: Travel

Traits: Finding Haleen
Magical Lineage- Spiritual Weapon

Feats:
H-Improved Initiative
1- Spell Focus- Enchant
3- Toppling Spell
5- Grater spell Focus-Enchantment
7- Extra Traits- Magical Lineage x2- Blade Barrier & (Forceful Strike or Spiritual Ally)
9-Spell Penetration
11-Quicken spell

The Whole point of the Build is Force spells, and Enchantment "Mind tricks". The Force spells w/ Toppling spells is nuts. Especially Blade barrier toppling. They have it dropped on them, They take damage, They are tripped, and have to spend their turn standing up and taking Blade Barrier damage. If they try and move through it they are stopped with a trip. By level 3 you have the Toppling strategy online and your already able to Command and Hold person. Tons of Enchantment spells on the Cleric list to play with. Evangelist cleric really helps the build with its focus on enchant spells and help like Tongues to help you land language dependent spells. Lastly let me Mention Gozreh's Trident a.k.a Divine Trident. Allows you to make a light Saber as a 2nd level spell that allows you to attack the touch AC. Couple Trident with a toppling Forceful Strike you get a huge blast to the face with force damage + Bull rush + trip all in a single swing.

All in all you will have the Complete Package of the Jedi. Mind tricks, Light saber, force powers, and HEALING all coupled up with Bardic performances to Preach the way of the force to your allies.

[blackbloodtroll]

Go Legalistic Curse.

It is basically "don't break your word, or bad stuff happens", so it fits.

[Better_with_Bacon]

Where can I find this Legalistic curse?

Very Respectfully,
--Bacon

[blackbloodtroll]

Find the Legalistic Curse here.

[TriOmegaZero]

Life Oracles make the best white mages. Also meshes well with paladin levels. Maybe not as melee driven as the Battle Oracle, but you can build for it.

[Dekalinder]

@Fruian you can't take the same trait more than once. Exra trait doesn't bypass the standard restriction of 1 trait per type.

[Fruian Thistlefoot]

@ Dealinder

DMs can rule around that. But just replace that with Persistent or extend spell and the build will still work. Toppling is only a +1, 5th and 7th level spells are kinda meh so Bumping up Blade barrier, forceful strike, or Spiritual ally is not really a deal breaker on the build. Most the spells at those levels can be lack luster anyways.