OK, so it looks like I'm going to pick up another player for my RotRL campaign. For those who haven't been keeping score, here's where I'm at so far:
- A catfolk barbarian, using a home-brew alternate racial trait subbing STR for DEX to create more of a 'lion'-themed character than the usual 'housecat' type. Going to go with Invulnerable Rager, & take the Beast Totem line of rage powers.
- A halfling bard. Pretty standard party face/buffer role.
- An elf wizard, taking the Admixture school to go with a combination Blockbuster/God wizard build (referencing Treantmonk's & KBrewer's guides).
- A human female ranger, switch-hitter build (again, referencing Treantmonk's guide).
- And finally, a half-elf female zen archer monk.
It seems to me, the group needs something in the way of a divine spellcaster - someone who can help with healing (even if mostly using wand of CLW), along with some additional battlefield control/utility magic. After talking to the player, he thinks an oracle sounds interesting. He typically prefers to play arcane casters, but one of the rules for this campaign that everyone agreed to was to try playing something they normally wouldn't. The idea of a character who was given divine powers without a choice, as well as rp'ing the curse piqued his curiosity.
I also suggested an inquisitor, as he'd be far less restricted than a normal cleric. Using a reach build with a longspear, he would also be able to stay back a bit to help protect the other casters, as well as serve as backup melee. If we went that route, I think I would highly recommend Desna or Cayden Cailean. Desna in particular would really fit the storyline well
I'm certainly not opposed to the oracle, but I don't know much about the class, as we've never used it before. I've been reading posts on the boards that have given great suggestions for game mechanics, but the biggest issue I'm having is helping him come up with a good backstory for the character. Given the player doesn't want to play an overly religious character, I thought something along the lines of Alahazra's background would work nicely (PathFinder's iconic oracle). Having the player growing up in Rahadoum (the Kingdom of Man - all religion banned) & then have to flee when his powers mainfested would really suit the player, I think.
As far as mysteries go, I plan on figuring that out once we've got the storyline figured out, so any ideas/suggestions/advice you guys can give would be greatly appreciated.
Remember Shaman is also an option.
The Oracle is really fitting if he wants to be someone who was given his powers on accident. If he likes arcane casters then the Dark Tapestry Oracle might be a good fit. They're pretty flexible, and they get some cool perks.
Alternatively, if he wants to try something new, I've had a lot of divine-caster fun with this build:
Race - Half-Orc with City Raised Alt Trait for Whip, Long Sword Proficiency
Class - Oracle
Mystery - Stone
Curse - Any
Ability Scores:
STR 10
DEX 17 (With Half-Orc Bonus)
CON 14
INT 8
WIS 10
CHA 16
(STR, INT, or WIS could all be the 8, none are that important)
Revelations: (whatever order you want)
Stone Stability
Crystal Sight
Earth Glide
Shard Explosion
Feats: Take Weapon Finesse (lets you use DEX instead of STR on CMB using the whip), Weapon Focus (Whip), Whip Mastery, Improved Whip Mastery, and whatever else you have room for.
Traits:
Reactionary
Gifted Adept (or, if available, the better version from the APG) giving Dispel Magic a CL boost.
Equipment:
Best Whip you can afford (enhancment bonus adds to your CMB)
Best shield you can afford with no ACP (ACP applies to Weapon Finesse attack and CMB rolls)
Breast Plate
Gauntlets of the Skilled Maneuver (Trip) if available
Play Style:
Play party buffer with your oracle spells. Use your mystery spells and shard explosion for battlefield control. Use Dispel Magic to make sure your party stays debuff free. When you don't need to cast a spell, make ranged trip attempts (or disarm attempts) against opponents. With a shield, high dex, and medium armor (preferably a mithral breastplate), you'll have a very solid AC. You won't do much physical damage, but between a barb, a ranger, and a zen archer, you're probably covered for damage anyway.
I only played with this guy a few nights as a guest spot in another campaign, but he was a lot of fun.
Edit: Oh, and the Dual Cursed Archetype adds a powerful effect with the misfortune revelation, but it replaces stone call with Oracle's burden, which I am not a fan of.
I'm rather a fan of the lunar mystery for oracles myself. Get an animal companion, basically wildshape, and plenty of other perks.
I'm hoping to get more ideas for character background rather than game mechanics. This player always has trouble developing character concepts/background/storylines, so that's more what I'm looking for. Things like:
- What was the character's life like before he was chosen for this 'gift'?
- How did the mystery manifest? What happened to him when it did? How did those around him react?
- What has the character been doing since? How did he end up in Sandpoint?
Once we get a concept that we can flesh out, we'll start to tackle the game mechanics (mysteries, revelations, curses, etc). I often find that a lot of those game mechanics questions start to sort themselves out when you know what your character's story is.
*bump
really depends on what "gift" he picks.
he could have been born with it, but that's a cop out, then heard rumors about the old father's daughter, and just happened to be there on the festival day. what he heard of the daughter is the folklore about her from prior to her "death", and came seeking a possible cure.
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With oracles a lot of their story comes down to what you chose as both your curse and your mysteries, because those would be used as a key event in their past. So you should talk to your play about that if they want to play an oracle. Also if they really have a hard time doing character back grounds I suggest the Ultimate campaign book it has a section on character backgrounds and has specific stuff for each class that is related to it (aside from the new Advance classes guide). I pretty bad with backgrounds my self but using that section of the book helped me out alot
I'm playing in that Campaign right now with an Oracle of Life. My backstory (short)was that my parents were healer/midwife, but were members of a very skeptical community. One day an Angel showed up needing severe healing, and my parents told me to leave the house. My character, being too curious for his own good, went to see what that kind of healing would look like. He walked in just as the huge amount of combined divne power pulsed, which blinded him (he has the clouded vision curse), but also gained a spark of pharasma's power. The community, having seen this light and what my character now looked like, shunned my family and forced them to move. So my character left his family to go find out why he was affected so, when no one else involved seemd to have adverse affects. So he's headed to the church in Sandpoint to learn what he can.
Go batman:
Pick Lunar and have the character born via C-section after his mother was wounded severely by a werewolf. The werewolf was wounded but never caught and you the bitter father was a harsh parent...
Hmm... looks like 22 different Oracle Mysteries to build a story off of. Had I not other things to do in a bit, I would have give a brief story possibility / idea that you could check out for each and every one of them. If you haven't decided on a particular mystery when I have more time later, I'll see if I can open the idea flood gates and give you some ideas to look over.
Also, how does this player prefer to play (sneaky, diplomatic, attack the carbuncle, etc...)? I ask because play style can be integrated into a background.
We talked about his role in the group, as well as the fact that he may not be able to make it to every session, so I may have to occasionally run the character as an npc (he's ok with that). Discussed having him possibly staying back more with the squishies to protect them, but as he's more of an action-oriented kind of player, I feel that giving him some battlefield control/buff-debuff/utility spells will help him stay busy (from what I'm reading in the AP though, he's probably going to see more combat than he expects, even with his rear-level protection role).
We took a look at the mysteries and narrowed the options down to four (a LOT better than 22!):
- Bones
- Heavens
- Metal
- Wood
I did peruse the Ultimate Campaign book, and saw some possible background ideas (keep forgetting I have that on pdf!). I'd rather wait on sharing them to see what you all come up with first, though. Thanks for the help thus far!
isn't it the curses that the story builds off of?
anyway
bones: fell deathly ill, and was buried alive, after 3 days he awoke and dug his way out, but afterward he was changed.
heaven: one day while walking in the night, you were hit by a shooting star, miraculously you survived and awoke several days later, but a peace of the heavens seems to follow your every step.
Metal: was a blacksmith, had molten iron spilled on him in a horrific accident, however it didn't injure you and you seemed to feel more in-tune with your work after that. however you [insert curse here] started to manifest shortly after.
Wood: a tree ate you? i don't know.
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"This mystery can represent a devotion to one ideal, prayers to deities that support the concept, or a natural calling to champion a cause."
I'm gonna use metal as my example: A Orcale that follows the Mystery of Metal feels that most challenge are easy to overcome with force, Generally the force of ones blade and the steel that protects their chest. I would say someone who follows metal is highly protective of their allies, and a force which know no equal to those who threaten them. If they followed any Deities or had any support from deities it would be the ones closely related to crafting metals, protraction and war, where metal reigns.
A good way to look at the curse is as punishment for his or her mistake when they first got the powers that were granted to them for someone who seems heavily involved in the front lines as the metal oracle I described would seem to be. I suggest two curses that most people may feel are a bit extreme but seem to fit the basic outline I have given and those are: Blackened:"Your hands and forearms are shriveled and blackened, as if you had plunged your arms into a blazing fire, and your thin, papery skin is sensitive to the touch." It has a set of negatives which would make a metal orcale consider alot of things about themselfes. But the other option is Wrecker which has an equally devastating effect to the character I described above.
In closing my way of doing things may come off as odd and you might not understand it but hey if we all did things the same way these games wouldn't be interesting.
the ultimate combat's backstories don't seem to meld well with what the classes actually suggest.
summoner is when I first realized this, as eidolon is described as a seperate type of outsider in the class, but the backstories are all existing outsiders or weird things getting attached to you.
like the eidolon fluff suggests that they don't exist and don't have a form. the summoner then gives them shape, and with out a summoner then they are blank. This is kind of why they always agree with you and share their alignment, as they're blank slates until given shape.
oh and aren't oracles actually cursed because anyone who can see the future in pathfinder lore is basically f#&%ed by the universe? like didn't there used to be like thousands of people who could see the future, then some god died and everyone who could see the future like died or something?
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Here's some backstory possibilities I have so far for you.
- As a young boy (or girl) whose parents tended the local tombs and graves, death, even gruesome ones never really phased (player name). His (or her) father had taught him (or her) at an early age that death itself should not be feared, nor hated, but respected. That death was but a doorway to what one had earned in life. (Player's name) would often wander the graveyard at various times of day. It made him (or her) feel at peace, separated from the daily frustrations and irritation of every day life.
On one particularly cloudy, cold and breezy day; the town had buried a self-proclaimed prophet, known for rambling about various obscure things. No one save you and your father gave a moment of silence for the old woman. No one had come to mourn, nor look upon the grave. The father left (player's name) standing at the grave, staring at the freshly covered hole in the dirt. As he (or she) stared, seemingly entranced, a pale, bony, talon of a hand thrust out from the grave, grabbing (player's name) by the ankle. The boy (or girl) attempted to free themselves, but the grip was too strong to break. A cold feeling quickly shot through the body, from the feet to the head.
Upon reaching the head, the boy (or girl) noticed someone standing directly in front of them. It was the old woman that had been buried. The same that the boy (or girl) had been staring it not just a minute ago. The woman was staring at the boy (or girl) intently, a feint sign of worry around her eyes.
"I... I am so sorry my child. I had no control over it, and yet I am so sorry for what will be given to you. For you will inherit my power. My curse. Haunted until your death and more than likely even after. Fear not child. For while this power is a curse, it will teach you things about death, that many a mortal will never comprehend. You are strong. I can feel that. I've seen it. I pray however, that you are strong enough for this burden. I... am so sorry."
[Option for having the player see this woman again as a regular person that no one else can see, but he can talk to (not gaining any mechanical benefit of course)].
The woman faded away and the cold feeling stopped abruptly. Looking down, (player's name) found that the dirt was undisturbed, with no hand wrapping around his (or her) ankle. Over time, (player's name) found life to be more complicated. Things that would normally easily be within reach somehow alluded him (or her) briefly before allowing him (or her) to pick up the item [haunted curse]. At first this frustrated (player's name) greatly, but over time, they learned to accept it as an unavoidable part of their life. They also learned of their ability to cast spells, the source a mystery save for a distinct feeling that it was connected to death and bone. Over time, he (or she) learned to control himself (or herself) and further understand death and its connection with him (or her).
Now, he (or she) searches away from the comfort of the graveyards, in the fray and excitement of battle, where death is plentiful and therefore his (or her) understanding of the end of life. He (or she) does not fear confrontation, nor battle, nor death. Indeed, he (or she) looks forward to the glimpses of potential understand they could gain, as well as a personal enjoyment of the art of combat.
(Player's name) used to always stare at the stars at night, sitting atop the roof of the towns tavern, despite their insistence that he (or she) stop doing so. Wonder twinkled in his (or her) eyes and peace consumed them whenever they looked into the clear night sky. Over time, (player's name) had learned the name of various stars and even named a few on their own for fun. The stars were named after people they knew and cared about. Family. Friends. People they loved and even (player's name) themself.
One night, a freak storm struck the town, clouds encircling the sky. As (player's name) watched the storm from their bedroom window, they saw a single lightning bolt strike down from the center of the the rotating cloudscape, striking the ground with such force as to rattle the very bed they were sitting on. Standing in awe, (player's name) thought they knew where the bolt had struck and out of curiosity, they waded into the stormy night as it began to ease.
They approached the site of the striking thunderbolt, finding a crater large enough to fit four wagons in. As the clouds cleared and (player's name) made their way into the crater, they saw a rock, glowing red with extreme heat. As they approached, putting their hands near the fire hot rock, warming their bones, they looked to the sky and were surprised at what they had seen. Their star. The star they named after themselves was no longer there. All of the others were there and his alone was missing. This disturbed him (or her) greatly and then they looked back to the hot stone. As his (or her) hands neared the rock to further warm their fingers, the red intensity began to abruptly increase, glowing brighter and brighter until the now ball of light shot from the stone into their chest, knocking them out on the spot.
They awoke, feeling different. (Player's name) inspected their surroundings only to find that they couldn't see past 30 ft or so [Clouded Vision curse]. Looking to the sky, his (or her) heart dropped in despair as he (or she) couldn't see any of the stars. The sky was but a blur to him (or her). (Player's name) stumbled into town, eyes squinting in attempt to adjust. Making it into town after a while, he (or she) was immediately assaulted by three bandits looking for an easy take. Not afraid of a fight, (player's name) attempted a backhand at one of his (or her) attackers. He (or she) missed, whiffing in an ark. Bright energy followed (player's name) fist, and his (or her) stared in awe at the colorful pattern left behind. They were entranced.
Hesitantly, (player's name) gave a command to leave the town and never to return and to his (or her) surprise, they did so without arguing. (Player's name) began to seek counsel the day after this incident and was only able to piece together that they had been chosen by the stars to use the power given to them for good. But the power came at a price. The loss of vision past 30ft. However, he (or she) did find that they could see in the dark now. Which would help them in their fight against those that would take advantage of the weak.
To further their experience in battle and their power, (player's name) decided to adventure outside of their town in hopes that some day they'd learn more about the power they'd been given.
I'll through up what I have idea wise for metal and wood in a bit.
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And now for Metal and Wood.
A cage is all (player's name) knew. Wide strips of rusting steel, riveted into a dome shape around him (or her) until it was time to fight for his bastard of a "master's" profit in the streets. It had been so long that (player's name) could only remember how he gotten there and that was only because it was all that fueled the reason to fight. (Player's name)'s parents had sent him (or her) to live with his (or her) wealthy aunt, in hopes that he (or she) would have a better life. That is in fact the opposite of what would happen. Not a day after arriving in the new city, (player's name)'s heartless, gambling aunt bet him (or her) as collateral in a game of liars dice. She lost and shrugged without emotion as (player's name) was dragged away into slavery, saying that she'd say he (or she) had ran away for unknown reasons and hasn't been seen if his (or her) parents asked.
Thrown into a cage, (player's name) was only allowed out to do labor or train for fighting. He (or she) didn't know why they were training him (or her) for fighting, at least not at the time, but he (or she) didn't care. It gave them something to focus their fury and hatred on as well as giving them the opportunity to some day, more skillfully reach the neck of his (or her) dear aunt. Years went by and the cage got smaller. A disciplinary method of these particular slavers, to ensure the slaves knew who was boss. The day came when (player's name) finally had to fight another and of course, it was to the death. It was a brutal fight. One that (player's name) nearly lost, but he (or she) was able to ground his (or her) opponent, slamming their head into the cobblestone repeatedly. (player's name) didn't come out unharmed. The opponent had managed to grab a spare nail from a broken crate, jamming it into (player's name)'s shoulder, leaving it there as they fought.
The slavers were kind enough to leave the nail in place as a trophy of his (or her) first fight. As (player's name) was caged, he (or she) took out the rust covered nail by hand with not even a cringe. As he (or she) was wheeled away in the cage on the wagon, he (or she) rolled around the blood covered nail in their hand, analyzing it. (Player's name) wiped away the blood with their hands and some spittle, to find that the area where the blood had soaked the nail while in the wound, was now clean, rust-free iron (nothing mechanically beneficial here of course). (Player's name) began to feel light headed, only just managing to stay conscious. Days later, when (player's name) fought their next opponent, they felt stronger than ever, doing things they've never dreamed of being able to do, including spells and strange abilities never before explored by him (or her). He (or she) easily defeated the opponent and was about to get in their customary cage, when he (or she) was told that they'd be facing another opponent.
Furious at having to handle another life or death situation when there were self-changes to be explored, (player's name) cursed in anger... in a tongue he and others never had heard before (Tongues Curse). Not about to let that worry him (or her) when life is on the line, he (or she) cursed in the strange tongues throughout the fight until that opponent was also dead. Finally allowed to sit in his (or her) cage to think over what was happening to them, they pondered over it for days. That is, until, (player's name) decided that the newfound power was enough to break free from this point in life. Finding themselves attuned metal, something he (or she) had been surrounded by most of his (or her) life, it was easy to break the cage.
After defeating the surprised captors and his (or her) "master" it was time to find a way back to his (or her) aunt for some family time.
(Player's name) born into the life of traveling entertainers, his (or her) mother and father both skilled musicians, he (or she) was used to seeing the world in an explorer's eyes. One day, when he (or she) was still a young toddler, he (or she) followed a ball of light deep into the nearby woods. He (or she) was lost amongst the humongous trees that towered over everything. He (or she) could hear his (or her) parents calling out desperately for him (or her) but the further he (or she) followed the sounds of their voices, the further he (or she) went into the woods. It was only days later that he (or she) had confined himself (or herself) to the fact that the woods had claimed him (or her).
(player's name) learned to survive off of the woods from various traveler's that he (or she) met while with his (or her) parents, and had found shelter in a hole, inside of an especially large tree. He (or she) learned to call this tree home, even though it was only large enough to provide a comfortable place to sleep. Weeks or months later, (player's name) once again saw the ball of shining light but this time it spoke to him. A tiny being with wings emerged showed themselves in the light. It was a pixie. The pixie told (player's name) that they were sorry and that they didn't realize they were being followed into the forrest and promised to help him (or her) if they could in return.
The pixie helped (player's name) grow into a strong man (or woman) and to learn about nature, about the trees and how they needed to be guarded and the pixie taught (player's name) magic in order to help defend the woods more effectively, yet never told (player's name) where the source of the magic had came from. As (player's name) grew to be more experienced, they grew abilities outside of magic itself, as if the woods had rewarded him (or her) for his (or her) hard work, but as their abilities grew, the strength in his (or her) leg faded. The cost of his (or her) abilities, the pixie claimed. [Lame curse]
The time came when (player's name) happened across bandits burning a wagon near the woods. Angered not only at the attack of the innocent, but also at their disrespect of the forests safety, he (or she) attacked the bandits. After a drawn out battle, (player's name) was able to defeat the bandits and return to his tree, where the pixie awaited. The pixie told of places in the world where the innocent were constantly under attack by evil, a lot even worse than those he (or she) faced that day. The pixie urged (player's name) to explore the world and to protect not only the innocent, but to keep nature in balance. Ensuring that wood was not squandered meaninglessly and wastefully. (Player's name) agreed and began his (or her) exploration outside of the woods he (or she) grew to cherish.
There's what I have for now. Hope you can get something out of any one of these.
@ Bandw2: That's part of the problem I've been having - there seems to be a number of different ways to go about the oracle, so I'm having a hard time with the backstory. Personally, I would think deciding on the mystery 1st and then choosing a curse that can be worked into it makes more sense, but there's really no right or wrong way to go.
@ Third Min: That's exactly the type of stuff I'm looking for! Thanks!
@ everyone else: Maybe I should have asked for people to share the backgrounds for their oracle character instead.... Seeing other people's ideas tends to spark my own, so please keep them coming!
Well, we've eliminated the Bones mystery. Are there any other players out there that have used the Heavens, Metal or Wood mysteries who would be willing to share their character's background/story? Would be much appreciated...
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The Wood Oracle is very potent when it comes to wielding a weapon; Wood Bond allows you to fight with a bow or spear or whatever as if you had a much better physical ability score. I made an Angel-Kin Aasimar 'Jaguar Warrior Oracle' build a while ago:
He grew up with the tribe, but not of it. The spirits of the endless canopy were his true tribe - not those who sought his healing or his guidance, but never his company. After all, what does a superstitious people in the far reaches of the jungle do with a lineage of children with strange powers and unnaturally long lives? He may have been revered for his powers - as some scions of his family before him - but they kept away from him otherwise. Family had passed away while he was still young, and that had been that; there was little understanding there while it had lasted anyhow. He should have grown to be another medicine-man living out his days with the whispering spirits of the canopy, but he had no intention of living like that. Apparently, something out there had agreed.Now, on the road, visions guided him. Guided? No, they had shoved him from his home and dragged him down one road after another - what else was he going to do out here but follow? In a dream he had smashed his obsidian totem and napped the shards into his ancestral medicine-staff; so when he awoke, he forged a fearsome, two-handed terbutje from the shards of his old life. When battle first fell upon him he had prayed for strength, and then cut some fool soldier near in half with one clean stroke. He began to understand then that in him - in his bond with the spirits of the jungle, in his ancestry of strength - a divine weapon had been forged...
Angel-Kin, 18/12/14/10/8/16
Favored Class Bonus: Wood Armor RevelationNotable Stuff: Fate's Favored, Bully, Power Attack, Cornugon Smash
I picked a Great Terbutje for the fun of it, but a Spear works just fine. Wood Armor gets awesome with a 50% level bonus, and there's a good case for it being a valid target for Magic Vestment. This was set up for combat, but with Wood Bond you can focus on your casting stat and let the revelation pick up the slack just fine, assuming you got a decent start.
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My mother's life, Elhspethaine, whose body lies over the funerary pyre in this first day of spring.
(Her hair, long and red as mine, emerald green eyes closed forever. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, even in her death they sing how often she smiled. Her little, callused hands, always green with the plants she handled with such skill. My mother, who lived with the pulse of the seasons and the blooming of petals at the first sun of March. My mother, deaf to the noises of the world to better hear the voices that revealed the misteries of life).
El had prepared so carefully the speech for the last goodbye to her mother. She even wrote it on some little pieces of paper she had found in a drawer. But a naughty gust of wind had scattered them all over the place, just like it used to happen more and more often those days. Oh well, she thought, I remember it so well anyway. After all, it would have been too hard for her to read it, with the tears filling her icy green eyes and threatening to stream down her rosy, maiden cheeks.
Sixteen years is too young an age to recite an eulogy for your mother, especially when you've already lost your father and brother before even getting to know them. Stubborn as ever, she clinged to her mother's favourite teaching: "love life, cure life, protect life, remember life before anything else". Her mother's hands were so beautiful when they gracefully danced like butterflies to phrase this thought.
"My mother loved life above everything else. She dedicated her whole existance to care for other people. Gathered here today, before her, each and every one of you has a story to tell. You, Gerda, you came to find her crying desperatly because your womb seemed sterile, and now you rejoice in your twins. And you, Umte, remember when you got hurt with your hoe and your foot got infected and my mother stayed at your bedside three days and three nights until the fever broke; you have her to thank if now you can run after your little granddaughter. And all the elderly who remember the terrible raiders' invasion from so many years ago, the suffering and the devastation: every one of you has been cured, cared for and consoled by my mother."
(The only moment of sadness in her eyes was when she remembered my father's death, trying to protect from the raiders this little village between Brevoy and Numeria, and the kidnapping of my brother Thannaris, who was only eight years old and whom she never saw again. I was just a little thought of light in her womb at that time.
A brother with red hair and green eyes like my mother, who maybe lives and breathes in this very moment in some far corner of Golarion, and I've never even seen him, and he doesn't even know about me. What else can I do now, except go and look for him?).
"I ask this of you, my friends, that your remember her love for life in any form. My mother lives in each and every one of you, and in me, and in my brother. And I, Elhriarhodan, will carry on her legacy, her gifts which are also mine... ooooops!" A stronger gust of wind forced her to stop, to pull down her skirt, threatening to fly upward in a very undignified manner, considering the occasion.
("These little incidents are a part of your gift, my sweet El, just like the silence that surrounds me. Remember, we don't belong to the gods but we respect them, and we cherish Sarenrae above all others. And we don't belong to the laws of men, fickle like the moon or the sand in the wind, but to the laws of life")
- This is my background for El, oracle of life with the haunted curse. The AP is obviously Kingmaker. She is the queen now, has found her beloved brother, who happens to be a dear friend of Irovetti's... -
Very nice, thanks!
We've been discussing the wood mystery, with the idea that he can summon a wooden longspear when necessary - a very handy thing, as we're considering a reach build. The wood armor revelation is also nice (and, yes, I will allow Magic Vestment on it).
We're working on a background story currently - I'll post it once we've fleshed it out. However, we're not completely sold on the wood mystery yet - just working on an idea. I'd like to have an idea for at least 1-2 other mysteries to offer some variety, so please keep the backgrounds coming!
The ability of Nature, Lore and Lunar Oracles to switch AC and other important things from dexterity over to charisma is both really powerful and really cool thematically. With the Noble Scion of War feat, even initiative can be moved over to charisma.
A character with seemingly poor coordination but exceptional 'dodge' is open to a wide range of themes: a visionary half-lost in visions that warn and protect, a paragon of the ideal of survival by sheer force of will, a character whose very body is partly possessed by benign spirits.... My personal favorite is a Nature Oracle as 'ancient Daoist sage-sorcerer'. Hard to explain without getting into a lot of Daoist metaphysics, but sort of like a person who never seems to try or struggle - even has contempt for action - but who somehow comes out on top, not even in spite of it, but because of it.
The big advantage mechanically is that it's a lot safer to go walking into trouble when your casting stat is your AC stat. AOE debuffs like Archon's Aura and Aura of Doom can make entire packs of foes suffer just by being near you. A 'dual talent' human or Aasimar can also start out with 18's in two stats fairly easily, so that your combat ability, casting ability and defensive ability can all be big right from the start.
Here's the background we came up with for the Wood mystery:
And so, Ora had grown up playing alone in the woods, with nothing but the trees for company. He even had his own special place – a secluded glen deep in the woods, that even his mother couldn't find. It was here that Ora felt the most at peace, both with himself and the world.
That peace was destroyed the day the loggers arrived in the woods. Ora was in his glen relaxing when he heard the sounds of the lumberjacks and their axes tearing down his beloved trees. Ora desperately wanted to take action, but he had no idea what to do. It was then that a voice came to him, telling him he could make a difference – the power was there for him, if he would take it and use it to defend the woods. As he listened to the destruction around him, Ora made his decision and sprang into action.
After dealing with the loggers, Ora returned to his glen, only to find it was no longer empty. Before him stood a beautiful woman, with skin that seemed to be made of wood. She told him she was a dryad, and that she represented the wood spirits. The spirits had chosen Ora to be their champion, to defend the woods. Sensing a purpose to his life, Ora quickly agreed. He decided to return home one last time, to say goodbye to his mother and tell her what had happened to him.
Once home, he began to tell his mother what had occurred that day. As he recounted the events in the woods, he grew more excited, and his mother's eyes widened in shock. She then interrupted him, asking where he had learned to speak sylvan. In his excitement, Ora hadn't even realized he was speaking another language (tongues curse).
After bidding his mother farewell, Ora returned to his woods. He spent months honing his skills and defending his home from the loggers, until eventually they gave up and moved on . Shortly thereafter, the dryad returned to him. She told Ora how there were other places in the world where the woods were under attack, by forces far more evil and worse than what he had seen so far. These forces not only threatened the woods, but also the innocent as well. The spirits now wanted Ora to travel the land and protect the innocent, preserve the woods and fight for good. At their urging, Ora has begun to explore life outside his small forest. His travels have recently brought him to the town of Sandpoint, just in time for dedication of their new multi-denominational cathedral.
More backgrounds as they are ready....