I have chosen to play a Merciful Healer Cleric slash Life Mystery Oracle Changeling for maximum healing even as a 5/5 split level 10 character in a campaign. I love her and I just want to know something. I know that I could take Extra Revelation as a feat and choose Channel as my extra, but I already chose it as a mystery revelation. Is it a legal move to reselect Channel as the option, since there is no line saying that Channel can not be selected again, if previously selected? It would effectively double my channeling output (7 times from Cleric, and 5 [1 + my +4 Charisma modifier] from the first time I chose Channel) to a grant a total of 17 chances for a 3d6 of positive energy healing. I am currently using PC Gen 6.02.00 and it will allow me to do so. I would just like some clarification on the matter. Thank you for your time.
You can only take an Oracle Revelation once, unless it says otherwise. If you think you will often run out of channels there's the feat 'Extra Channel', which gets you two more. Consider the Quick Channel feat to allow you to both channel and do something else. Fey Foundling is another feat that might be great for your PC.
Please consider that your 5/5 level split does not give you anywhere near maximum healing ability. Both Oracle and Cleric are primary spell casters. Spell caster PCs, especially healers, increase in power geometrically as they go up in level. By multi-classing with a primary caster you drastically decrease your available healing power. This is a fine thing to do, so long as it's a deliberate choice and you know what you are getting into. Some multi-class combinations work better than others. Cleric and Oracle is not a combination that works well. Oracle and Paladin (the Oradin) is a great combination. I've not played one, but I have GMd for several, and they are quite effective. Anyone considering a healer PC should know about the Oradin option, to see what's possible, even if you don't choose to play one. An Oradin is both an effective healer and a sturdy front line melee combatant, and can do both jobs well at the same time. A level 5/5 or 4/6 Oracle/Paladin would bring far more to your group than a level 5/5 Oracle/Cleric. A level 10 Cleric or level 10 Oracle would also be a great choice.
By 10th level you will face threats that can deal 15d6 or 30d6 damage per round. 3d6 channels will barely be noticed. Even if you have a lot of channels, you can't get them out fast enough to make a difference. Many small channels are terrific for out of combat healing, but so is a wand. You would be far more helpful to your team as a dedicated single class character, either Life Oracle or Cleric. If your PC were a dedicated Cleric she would be almost able to cast Heal, which is the most powerful healing spell in the game.
Get a Phylactery of Positive Channeling for about 11,000 gp that gives +2d6 channeling. A level 9+ Cleric or Life Oracle can now channel for 7d6 HP, and might be able to do it twice per round. This will at least be noticed during a 10th level fight.
Magda Luckbender wrote: Get a Phylactery of Positive Channeling for about 11,000 gp that gives +2d6 channeling. A level 9+ Cleric or Life Oracle can now channel for 7d6 HP, and might be able to do it twice per round. This will at least be noticed during a 10th level fight.
Yes this. You are running out probably because of the fact that your channels as so horribly small.
You have 12 channels per day, that is already a huge number. Except.. they suck.
Get the phylactery and your channels will heal for 5d6 each.
12 x 10.5 (avg of 3d6) is 126 heals per day on average now.
12 x 17.5 (avg of 5d6) is 210 heals per day on average with Phylactery.
Also, pick up Quick Channel whenever you have the first opportunity to do so. Being able to channel and still cast in a round is huge.
Thanks, guys. I don't really have any experience in playing a Paladin, mostly because my personality, as a person, is chaotic good, where paladins are only lawful good. I'm not really good at playing "bad" characters, even in real life or on stage (my major is theater [this is probably why I love RPGs so much]). I only made this character to be a healer because the group needed one desperately. We are running the Reign of Winter Adventure Path books and I joined in book #3. The group was in much need of a healer, so I was trying to do the most good. I really haven't been playing Pathfinder that long (about a year now), but even then my first couple characters were (and typically always are) geared toward arcane casting (summoner, wizard, sorcerer) and are typically an archetype of some sort. This was my first time playing a healer/divine caster, so I wasn't really sure how to go about creating the character.
I talked to my GM and am in the process of rebuilding my character. I do love her. I think the reason I took the Life Oracle mystery was for the Safe Casting and Enhanced Cures revelations. So my next question is: If I rebuild her, I was going to do 9 Cleric/1 Life Oracle with a feat of Extra Revelation so I could get both revelations and build up the Cleric Side. My question is: Would both revelations apply to the Cleric healing or would it be more prudent of me just to make my Changeling a full 10 Life Oracle?
And thank you for the suggestion on the Phylactery of Positive Channeling. My character has Craft Wondrous Item, so I will definitely take y'all's suggestion on the item.
jobysama wrote: Would both revelations apply to the Cleric healing or would it be more prudent of me just to make my Changeling a full 10 Life Oracle? Go fully one or the other. If you absolutely, positively must have the ability to heal in melee, a Cleric with the Merciful Healer archetype can be useful.
Also, quick lesson in Pathfinder Healing - As you go up in levels, it becomes harder, and eventually impossible, to do the "Holy Trinity" bit during combat. Damage will eventually outstrip pure healing capability over the course of a single combat (but not an adventuring day.) The Heal spell helps with this when you get it, but you can't keep that up to the pace necessary.
I don't go so far as to say healing in combat is useless, but you seriously need to be looking at other options. Holy Word/Blasphemy is the same level as Heal and can potentially prevent far more damage. And of course there's a reason the saying "The best debuff is death" exists.
Short version: Even if you want to be a "primary healer" pick yourself some kind of secondary role and make sure to get spells and feats to support it.
A 9/1 split works pretty well also, particularly if you get a phylactery of positive channeling. That lets you choose whether you do a small or big channel (1d6 or 5d6, and 3d6 or 7d6 with a phylactery).
Strictly by the numbers, you lose half a die of progression on 3+Cha channels, while gaining 1+Cha 1d6 channels.
Chris Kenney wrote: Holy Word/Blasphemy is the same level as Heal and can potentially prevent far more damage. Your point stands, but those spells are actually one level higher than Heal.
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As an argument in favor of going single classed, look at the 5th level cleric/oracle spells. As a 10th level cleric or oracle, you potentially have access to Raise Dead, Breath of Life, and Mass Cure Light Wounds. The 4th level spells include Cure Critical Wounds, Restoration, and Neutralize Poison (with the last spell being 3rd level for an Oracle of Life). For every Cure spell above 1st level, a 10th level caster gets 5 more points of healing than a 5th level caster. And if you want to limit how often you have to be adjacent to your allies to heal them, a Reach Rod (normal) is your best friend.
The 10th level Oracle of Life in my game has to date never run out of channels or cure spells.
Thanks so much guys for the clarification and help!
I emailed my GM and talked to him about revamping my Cloracle (as my group calls her) and taking the advice you all have given. I'm planning on giving up the Cleric levels, simply because the Enhanced Cures revelation adds to the base HP I can heal that my group needs in combat. I did take into account the true healer and affliction healing that she would have gotten, had I made her a full cleric, but for the backstory I gave the character, I believe the oracle class is a better suit for the Changeling (especially with the Favored Class option granting me access to Reverse Gravity).
Plus I asked him if I could change my curse (since I'm doing a reset button on her) from Wrecker to Haunted because of the additional spells I gain. I gave the new her the Phylactery like y'all suggested. Although I've only got 6 channels, I believe that she will be better than the first incarnation of this character.
Once again, I thank all of you who read this and responded to my question.
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