I was curious how other people perceive the role playing aspects of this ability.
When a link is established do you think the target has any knowledge? A physical feeling or some soft mental awareness?
The same when the link is broken.
If the link is established for long periods of time (days), could there be some additional manifestations of effects. Positive or negative I'm a looking for flavor only here, not trying to get more out of the skill.
I've been having the wounds visibly manifest on the Oracles body, are others doing this? Are you having them appear where the linked individual was injured?
Anything else fun people are doing with this?
The rule is that a target of an ability or spell knows they have been hit by something unless the ability or spell states otherwise. So there would be some kind of feeling for the targets of the ability.
Considering the flavor of the life oracle, it is probably a warm glow, as you get standing in the sun on a spring day or from a warming lamp. It should be faint, but you could even have it be vaguely directional (not enough to, say, pinpoint the oracle or something). Or the warmth is just for the first 10 minutes and then it fades into the background until the link is broken/expires, at which they feel a bit colder as if the temperature dropped five degrees.
I wouldn't have the wounds appear, since hit points aren't actually physical wounds so much as capacity to continue fighting (it is a bit of a tricky abstraction). Also, it is a slow siphoning of damage. Perhaps an odd bruising or reddening that appears on the oracle's flesh?
Hmm ok I can work with that. I like the warmth and temperature bit.
The reason I was having wounds appear is that you are taking lethal damage from them. I would assume if it was nonlethal only, then yes, bruises would appear.
It may be slow, but at level one when I have 11 HP and I suck 5HP a round, that's nearly 50% of my hitpoints zapped away in six seconds.
I don't know that it will help, but I like to ramble.
My life oracle is an aasimar complete with angel wings (GM allowed it, though they are non-functional until she can take the feat at 11th level).
She gifts her "favored companions" (those remotely akin to good-aligned) with feathers from her wings.
When said companion takes damage, the feather starts glowing, they heal, and their wounds appear on her. (Just like that Star Trek episode.)
It was wonderful to roleplay it out that way (with an obvious physical component) because the uber-protective barbarian had to make a Perception roll every fight to find out why he was healing, and when he finally figured out the link he exploded at her and told her that it was HIS job to protect HER, not the other way around, and she was to break the link IMMEDIATELY.
So I personally liked adding a physical component, though it might someday come around to bite me. It made the link really obvious to the players, while it was easy for them to play their characters as oblivious.
EDIT: Let's actually answer the questions, shall we?
(1) I did not give the target physical awareness, other than the physical object, until the link activated because the target took damage.
(2) Same when it's broken.
(3) No additional effects. Some of the links have been up for weeks in our campaign.
(4) Yes, I have the wounds appear on the oracle exactly as they appear on the target.
(5) Yes, I'm having very much fun with it.
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As my companions are generally weak-willed, with little tolerance for the exquisite beauty and clarity of mind that injury can bring, the Prince of Pain has graced me with the gift of their pain. Their wounds become mine, and I revel in them. They may come to appreciate the enlightenment that pain brings, eventually, but until then, their wounds bring me ever closer to self-perfection, and I bear their scars proudly.
May I be the first to applaud a Life Oracle of Zon Kuthon! Too awesome! Now I feel all silly for my Lawful Goodness.
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I'm a fan of Zon-Kuthon, so my Life Oracle uses the life link to experience the pain of the others, taking on a portion of their wounds over an extended period. Unless the wounds were small (e.g. 5 or less damage), it's nice to let them experience their own pain for a little while. Can't be selfish and all...
EDIT: and I just realized someone else had the same idea, lol.
Excerpt from my wife's Oradin, who is modeled after Cpt. Jack Harkness...
During one of our first sessions with a group of players we play PFS with regularly, her Oradin gave the party's half-orc Barbarian a pat on the derrière and told her that she was life-linked.
The half-orc turned, nodded solemly and affirmed that such a boon must require physical contact. Then, before waiting for an affirmation from Cpt. Jackson Harthner, simply strode off to begin breaking down doors with her face.
Ever since, before any delve or adventure we play with our regular player group, the half-orc dutifully waits for a pat on her rump from Cpt. Harthner in order to 'activate' Life Link.
These are all great, thanks everyone for their personal flavor and touch! I will probably steal from you all ;)