Building an Oracle using Eldritch Heritage


Advice


We are starting at level 10. 23 point buy (weird I know)

Right now I have...

Gnome Oracle of Heavens

Stats
Str 10 (-2 racial) 8
Dex 12
Con 12 (+2 racial(|) 14
Int 10
Wis 12
Cha 18 (+2) 20

Feats
1: Skill Focus Knowledge X (still thinking which one I want, maybe religion)
3: Eldritch Heritage
5: Divine Protection
7: Spell Penetration
9: Improved Familiar (Faerie Dragon)

Mysteries
1: Awesome Display
3: Lure of Heavens
7: Coat of Stars

Curse: Deaf
This is one of the reasons I'm a big fan of upgrading to the faerie dragon since they get telepathy. I'm wondering if I should use the racial favored bonus, at level 10 I would have tremor sense, but I fear that might be a bit too much cheese considering I never had to suffer from the serious problems of being deaf starting at such a high level as it is)

Clearly I will be focused on casting and have no real combat abilities (which I'm fine with)

Any suggestions on items, play styles, or changes I should make?

Also, if I take improved eldritch heritage at 11, there is no problem with me adding a sorcerer spell to my spell list correct? would LOVE to add more illusion spells. Thanks guys in advance for your posts


You need to check the Faq but I believe you can not add wizards spell to Oracle spell list.

This feet you work well.

Adept Channel

Some orc adepts enjoy a greater connection to their gods, and can channel their faith through their unholy symbols. You gain the ability to channel energy as a cleric.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast divine spells, summon familiar class ability, caster level 4th, Charisma 13.

Benefit: You gain the channel energy class feature, as a cleric, usable 2 times per day. This ability otherwise functions like the cleric's channel energy ability, except that your effective cleric level is equal to your divine spellcasting class level –3. Unlike a cleric, however, the number of times per day you may channel energy is not affected by your Charisma modifier.

Grand Lodge

If Calartnick is playing a gnome, an orc-only feat will require GM approval. Some GMs are pretty lax, others sticklers.

Tom is correct though that improved eldritch heritage will not net you more sorcerer spells. They've ruled that you can only use spells from your own spell list.

FAERIE DRAGON STUFF

That said... faerie dragons are sorcerers. They cast like a third level sorcerer. Many use silent image and ghost sound. They can trigger wizard/sorc wands automatically. You can use your faerie dragon as a backup illusionist, or a backup blaster-caster with the right wands.

Other things to consider:
Faerie dragons have high intellegence and all knowledge skills as class skills. I took Page Bound Epiphany to use on my Faerie Dragon, and can give it a +10 to it's already awesome knowledge rolls. That's a great spell to use when not in combat. Even without the spell, monster IDs are an awesome ability for Faerie Dragons. Plunk a point in each knowledge so that your Faerie Dragon can ID things for you.

GNOME ORACLE STUFF

Other things to consider:
Do pick up silent spell for your gnome. It's a great way to shut down enemy casters. If you do so, make certain that other casters in your group (including your dragon) have a silent spell metamagic rod.

I would go ahead and plow the gnomish favored bonus into tremor sense.

Regarding archetypes... Most are garbage for Heavens Oracles, because they replace your mystery spells. This is one mystery where you can't afford the loss of mystery spells. However, there is one archetype that you might want to consider for your gnome, and that's Spirit Guide. This archetype will open up the spells of other mysteries to you. You'd have to pick up Perception as a class skill with a trait, but you'd have shaman wandering hexes and other spells to play with. You can change what spirit you play with EVERY DAY, depending on what you want to do.

Here are some of my favorites:

Heavens -- It wouldn't net you any new spells but it's a free teleport for the entire group.
Flame -- Would let you see through mist and Fireball!
Nature -- Anti-construct awesomeness

Lore is also a beautiful, beautiful spirit, but it requires GM approval to be able to take the lore hex that grants arcane spells. It's either golden or garbage depending on what your GM says.


If you want more illusions then you might either aim for the veiled illusionist PrC, or play an elf rather than a gnome and take the ancient lorekeeper archetype. Despite the lack of a charisma bonus elves do get some nice stuff for an oracle - free spell penetration and a favored class bonus which could give you a +10 armor bonus to AC and DR 5/slashing.

Grand Lodge

Ancient lorekeeper is a bad idea for a heavens oracle.

Ancient lorekeeper wrote:
Elven Arcana (Ex): At 2nd level, an ancient lorekeeper’s mastery of elven legends and philosophy has allowed her to master one spell used by elven wizards. She selects one spell from the sorcerer/wizard spell list that is at least one level lower than the highest-level oracle spell she can cast. The ancient lorekeeper gains this as a bonus spell known. The spell is treated as one level higher than its true level for all purposes. The ancient lorekeeper may choose an additional spell at 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 18th levels. This ability replaces the bonus spells she would normally gain at these levels from her chosen mystery.

It replaces some of your mystery spells. You cannot do that as a heavens oracle. You'd gimp yourself.

If you want to go for a different race that does get sorc-wizard illusion spells as its favored class bonus, go wayang.

Wayangs get the following oracle FCB.

Wayang (Advanced Race Guide) wrote:
Add one spell known from the wizard’s illusion school spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the oracle can cast. That spell is treated as one level higher unless it is also on the oracle spell list.

The only problem with Wayangs... No charisma bonus, and no racial boost to illusions. It helps for heavens oracles to get that charisma bonus sky high. Still, if you want more illusion, that is one way to go.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Piercing Spell may be better for you than Spell Penetration?

Certainly Extend Spell and Persistent Spell are also good Metamagic options.

Playing a human will give you a bonus feat (Spell Focus) countering the extra +1 Save D.C. advantage a gnome would have AND you get a better favoured class bonus (divine spells for when the illusions don't work).You could also take Focussed Study for up to 3 skill focus feats at higher levels.

In terms of your curse, would Haunted not be better?


Hmm wrote:

FAERIE DRAGON STUFF

That said... faerie dragons are sorcerers. They cast like a third level sorcerer. Many use silent image and ghost sound. They can trigger wizard/sorc wands automatically. You can use your faerie dragon as a backup illusionist, or a backup blaster-caster with the right wands.

I don't actually see that in the Bestiary entry for the Psuedodragon. The entry in the Bestiary lists no spell like abilities, class levels, or spell casting ability.

I assume that is spelled out somewhere else?


Faerie dragon, not Pseudodragon. ;)


strayshift wrote:

Piercing Spell may be better for you than Spell Penetration?

Certainly Extend Spell and Persistent Spell are also good Metamagic options.

Playing a human will give you a bonus feat (Spell Focus) countering the extra +1 Save D.C. advantage a gnome would have AND you get a better favoured class bonus (divine spells for when the illusions don't work).You could also take Focussed Study for up to 3 skill focus feats at higher levels.

In terms of your curse, would Haunted not be better?

Haunted would probably be better. I like deaf because it would be a different experience for me, plus I want to make a sneaky caster, being small I can make him very stealthy, even cast silent on myself and still cast spells.


Hmm wrote:

Ancient lorekeeper is a bad idea for a heavens oracle.

Ancient lorekeeper wrote:
Elven Arcana (Ex): At 2nd level, an ancient lorekeeper’s mastery of elven legends and philosophy has allowed her to master one spell used by elven wizards. She selects one spell from the sorcerer/wizard spell list that is at least one level lower than the highest-level oracle spell she can cast. The ancient lorekeeper gains this as a bonus spell known. The spell is treated as one level higher than its true level for all purposes. The ancient lorekeeper may choose an additional spell at 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 18th levels. This ability replaces the bonus spells she would normally gain at these levels from her chosen mystery.

It replaces some of your mystery spells. You cannot do that as a heavens oracle. You'd gimp yourself.

If you want to go for a different race that does get sorc-wizard illusion spells as its favored class bonus, go wayang.

Wayangs get the following oracle FCB.

Wayang (Advanced Race Guide) wrote:
Add one spell known from the wizard’s illusion school spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the oracle can cast. That spell is treated as one level higher unless it is also on the oracle spell list.
The only problem with Wayangs... No charisma bonus, and no racial boost to illusions. It helps for heavens oracles to get that charisma bonus sky high. Still, if you want more illusion, that is one way to go.

Odd Wayang oracles can get wizard spells via FCB, but little Gnome can't get a few high level spells through eldritch heritage feat chain. Ill definitely have to look at wayangs closely, make great sense for a stealthy oracle. Ill check with GM to see if he'll allow them in his campaign. Great advice

Grand Lodge

Calartnick -- You're welcome. If I'd designed the gnome oracle FCB, I would have totally given them what wayangs get. Gnomes and illusions go together like peanut butter and chocolate.

As you can see, I love oracles (I've played three different mysteries and two different archetypes) and I adore faery dragons. I have one as a familiar on a sorceress, and she's great! I wish you good luck with yours!

Saldiven -- Faerie Dragon


Hmm wrote:

Calartnick -- You're welcome. If I'd designed the gnome oracle FCB, I would have totally given them what wayangs get. Gnomes and illusions go together like peanut butter and chocolate.

As you can see, I love oracles (I've played three different mysteries and two different archetypes) and I adore faery dragons. I have one as a familiar on a sorceress, and she's great! I wish you good luck with yours!

Saldiven -- Faerie Dragon

Yeah, it probably makes more sense to go sorcerer. I'm not going to use combat so I waste oracle BAB. I'm actually totally fine with the lack of illusion spells on the cleric spell list, but if I'm taking 3 feats already just to get my faerie dragon and skill focus, I would love to be able to take the next step in order to get a very good ability with improved eldritch heritage. I may end up going sorcerer and still taking eldritch heritage, or I could just boost up my illusion capabilities like a boss.

Grand Lodge

If you're going sorcerer, it's perfectly fine to dip Heavens oracle for Awesome Display Revelation. Many illusionists do.

Take a look at this build that was done for PFS:

Sor-Oracle's Guide to Being Eleanor

I don't agree with everything that Eleanor did, but there are a lot of good ideas there.

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Advice / Building an Oracle using Eldritch Heritage All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.