|
I'm making a half-elf dual cursed life oracle. Curses are Deaf and Legalistic (legalistic won't advance, deaf will). Here's what I've got planned.
Feats
Half-elf Skill Focus - Knowledge Planes
1 - Fey Foundling
3 - Eldritch Heritage - Arcane (familiar)
5 - Toughness
7 - ? (probably Quick Channel)
9 - ?
11 - ?
Ability Scores
Str - 8
Dex - 12
Con - 14
Int - 12
Wis - 10
Cha - 19 (17 + 2) (obviously 4th level increase will go here)
Revelations
1 - Channel
3 - Misfortune
5 - Life Link
7 - Energy Body
11 - ?
I don't plan on doing much fighting. I'll have as big a shield as I can carry and probably also wear full plate just to be harder to hit (because I won't really care about the ACP).
I picked half-elf because I can use the FCB to up my cleric level for channeling. That also let me get skill focus for something, which I put towards a knowledge skill so I could take Eldritch Heritage (arcane) so I can get a familiar. I would've picked Improved Initiative because being deaf gives me a -4 (though it's reduced as I level), but I can get a familiar for +4 (just like Improved Init) but it also has other bonuses. And I can still take Improved Init later if I want.
Fey Foundling is because I'm going to be using Life Link so I'm going to need that extra boost of healing. At level six I'll be able to cast Paragon Surge to gain feats so I can gain Extra Channel as needed. At level 5 when I take the Life Link revelation I'm also taking Toughness (for obvious reasons)--hopefully I'll have a con belt by then.
The only spells I know that I really want are Command, Silence, and Paragon Surge. I get all of the cures for being an oracle. Silence is because it doesn't affect me because I've got the deaf curse and it can really shut down other casters.
This is my first full caster/support character so I don't really know else I should take or if I'm missing something. I also have no idea what gear I should be working for.
Thoughts/suggestions/improvements?
i think you will be prety bored during combat. I have a similar char, assimar life oracle. Till lvl 4 all i ve done is cast bless and whack things with a spear. But i atleast have 18 strenght. I ve casted the odd fear here and there but the spell selection is very limited. i cannot recommend life oracle. You can better support your grp With an other mystery like heavens, where you neglect dmg instead of healing it. If you know there will be many undead you can. Dip 1lvl undead sorc.
I planned on fey foundling and life link, but everyone has more hp then i do!
Btw without selectiv channeling, won t you be healing enemys? It was my first feat.
You left out Selective channeling. Very important! You only want to heal your friends, not your enemies. I approve of EH (arcane). Familiars are useful for healers because they can deliver the touch spell for you. In my home game, my daughter's oracle cast a healing spell and walked up to the edge of a cliff with her 20 ft of movement, then her EH familiar (a cat) jumped down from her shoulder onto an ally at the bottom of the cliff, delivering the touch spell when it landed. Alignment channel could be useful to let you hurt evil outsiders.
Are you starting at level 1 or is this a pregen or GM credit baby?
Weapons for Oracle: longspear so you can help provide flanking, crossbow so you can plink at people if no spells or healing are currently needed. Tanglefoot bags, tangleburn bags, alchemist fire, acid, and similar things.
Armor for oracle: breastplate, then Mithril breastplate when you can afford it.
The spirit guide archetype is just so tempting. You can go double life for double the channels per day. Or you dabble in the fire spirit to be a life oracle with blasts.
|
Here's how mine turned out.
Half-elf Ancient Lorekeeper Life Oracle
Traits: Clever Wordplay (UMD), Student of Philosophy
1 Fey Foundling, Bfeat skill focus diplomacy REV Channel
2 Spell Open/Close
3 selective channel REV Life Link
4 Spell Blood Money
5 Diabolical Negotiator
6 Spell Life Pact
7 Quick Channel REV Energy Body
Lesser Ring of Revelation Focused Trance
Authoritative Vestments
|
|
I'm on my phone so I'm replying without quoting. Hopefully the comments are straight forward enough that you can tell what goes to what.
Tongues and Wolfscarred both have bad drawbacks that will effect by spell casting. Command will never work, for example.
You're right. I did forget selective channeling. I had it as my first level feat but then I realized I'd want fey foundling and forgot to put it back I somewhere.
Shields are martial weapons so I still threaten with a shield. I'll just never attack with it for obvious reasons. In combat I can have fun with a wand of ill omen. And some other choice spells depending on those I pick.
I will be paying this char at level 1--no GM credit.
If I take life link at level one instead of channel, then my fcb went be doing much good. I'd rather take channel at level one and be channeling 2d6 at level two.
Specifically about the familiar, as I mentioned in my first post, I take a -4 penalty to my initiative for being deaf. I could take improved init, or I could get a familiar that gives me the same bonus as improved init and a lot of other stuff for the same cost of one feat.
So changes I need to make.. I think I'm going to drop my strength to 7 and up my con to 15 and put my lvl 4 increase there. That'll be like taking toughness. I'll push toughness back to level 7, eldritch heritage back to lvl 5, and take selective channel at level 3.
Are there any specific magic items that are must haves for oracles?
The Ill Omen spell you pick up with Dual Cursed starts out a pretty typical level 1 mild debuff, but as it increases in power it gets way more powerful than a level 1 no-save spell has any right to be. Pick up the trait Magical Lineage: Ill Omen and the Quickened Spell metamagic feat, and by level 10 you can cast a no-save spell on someone that cripples their next 3 d20 rolls as a level 4 swift-action hand-wave.
Say you want to drop a Hold Person - slapping them with swift Ill Omen first will cripple their next 3 saves. If you swift Ill Omen then advance with a Bestow Curse (also a bonus spell), you can gimp their save vs. curse and then leave them with utterly destroyed '-4, worse of two rolls' saves and attacks.
The life oracle is reactive, so needs a high initiative less than any other class. Not that it's bad to go first, just not as necessary as you are used to.
Hey there. I'm not sure how set you are on precisely that build, but I have a similar character that works I think rather more smoothly. Mine uses VMC from Unchained, but it's easy enough to adapt out of it.
Half Elf Paladin 2 / Oracle of Life 1 / Paladin 2 / Oracle 2 / Paladin x
Str 16 (+2 from)
Dex 12
Con 14
Int 8
Wis 8
Cha 15
Use the Elvish FCB for + 1/2 level to Lay on of Hands healing
Grab Life Link in Oracle, then Channel later on. Hospitaler archetype if you want to get into battle channeling. If not, only dip one level into Oracle of Life for Life Link.
Feat progression like:
1) Power Attack
3) Fey Foundling
5) Selective channel
7) Quick Channel
It's a decently simple set-up and makes you an effective battle healer, which is something most people don't see much of. Your healing all takes place as a swift action, your Strength (with a +2 belt later) will help you be a mid-line fighter of sorts, like a support cleric. Otherwise just ramp up your Cha, Str, and Con and make the Supernatural abilities of the Paladin a force to be reckoned with.
I see you picked Dual Cursed for some tasty rerolls. In that case, you want MOAR. Worship Pharasma and take Fateful Channel at level 5.
|
|
The life oracle is reactive, so needs a high initiative less than any other class. Not that it's bad to go first, just not as necessary as you are used to.
That's a good point. I may not need arcane heritage as much.
You want heavy armor but you have no strength for it. In fact I see no proficiency with it either unless you want to accept a -15.
Because the armor check penalty affects my str and dex skills (which I don't care about) and since I'm not proficient it also affects my attack rolls (which I also don't care about). So why worry about an ACP that literally doesn't affect my character?
Hey there. I'm not sure how set you are on precisely that build, but I have a similar character that works I think rather more smoothly. Mine uses VMC from Unchained, but it's easy enough to adapt out of it.
Half Elf Paladin 2 / Oracle of Life 1 / Paladin 2 / Oracle 2 / Paladin x
Str 16 (+2 from)
Dex 12
Con 14
Int 8
Wis 8
Cha 15Use the Elvish FCB for + 1/2 level to Lay on of Hands healing
Grab Life Link in Oracle, then Channel later on. Hospitaler archetype if you want to get into battle channeling. If not, only dip one level into Oracle of Life for Life Link.Feat progression like:
1) Power Attack
3) Fey Foundling
5) Selective channel
7) Quick ChannelIt's a decently simple set-up and makes you an effective battle healer, which is something most people don't see much of. Your healing all takes place as a swift action, your Strength (with a +2 belt later) will help you be a mid-line fighter of sorts, like a support cleric. Otherwise just ramp up your Cha, Str, and Con and make the Supernatural abilities of the Paladin a force to be reckoned with.
A couple things, VMC isn't legal for PFS. Fey Foundling is a lvl 1 only feat (so your GM may have let you take it at lvl 3 at home, but for PFS that's a no go). And I don't really see myself being combative--more of a caster.
I see you picked Dual Cursed for some tasty rerolls. In that case, you want MOAR. Worship Pharasma and take Fateful Channel at level 5.
Very good idea, I could swap that out with eldritch heritage.
I'm still looking for good traits/gear, though. A ring of revelation with a good umd will let me access nearly revelation I want, so that could be good.
|
Hello, I'm Lyric the Singing Paladin from PFS!
I'm also deaf, and have one level of spirit guide life oracle so far. If you click my avatar, you can see my build. I have a 17 charisma, a 16 strength, and yes, a 7 wisdom. I used my half-elf racial alternate to boost my will save, and the second level of paladin with divine grace really helped there too. So did the multi-classing.
My initiative modifier is the lowest the GMs around here have ever seen. Yep, I have a -4 due to being deaf. I've actually rolled a -2 initiative once.
The thing is, my low initiative doesn't matter. I do mostly healing with a side of melee. Lay on hands, blessed touch, fey foundling and the +1 elvish FCB for paladins to Lay on Hands allows me to keep healing others through the life link and still get in a hit or two against bad guys.
The multi-classing delayed my spell casting, but I think it upped my in game versatility. While I am primarily a healer, I can and do fight. I use reach tactics with my glaive, and get to wear full plate.
Because of my deafness I am also an awesome anti-caster fighter. I've started investing in scrolls of silence, thunderstones and other fun things to mess with enemy casters.
I am planning to stay oracle for the rest of my levels because I am looking forward to playing with the wandering spirit goodies from my archetype. I can take the teleport hex from heavens (that's not what its called) or the see-through-smoke-and-mist hex from flames. Or maybe go ancestor and finally get an ancestral weapon spell based off charisma rather than wisdom. The options are endless.
|
|
Hello, I'm Lyric the Singing Paladin from PFS!
I'm also deaf, and have one level of spirit guide life oracle so far. If you click my avatar, you can see my build. I have a 17 charisma, a 16 strength, and yes, a 7 wisdom. I used my half-elf racial alternate to boost my will save, and the second level of paladin with divine grace really helped there too. So did the multi-classing.
My initiative modifier is the lowest the GMs around here have ever seen. Yep, I have a -4 due to being deaf. I've actually rolled a -2 initiative once.
The thing is, my low initiative doesn't matter. I do mostly healing with a side of melee. Lay on hands, blessed touch, fey foundling and the +1 elvish FCB for paladins to Lay on Hands allows me to keep healing others through the life link and still get in a hit or two against bad guys.
The multi-classing delayed my spell casting, but I think it upped my in game versatility. While I am primarily a healer, I can and do fight. I use reach tactics with my glaive, and get to wear full plate.
Because of my deafness I am also an awesome anti-caster fighter. I've started investing in scrolls of silence, thunderstones and other fun things to mess with enemy casters.
I am planning to stay oracle for the rest of my levels because I am looking forward to playing with the wandering spirit goodies from my archetype. I can take the teleport hex from heavens (that's not what its called) or the see-through-smoke-and-mist hex from flames. Or maybe go ancestor and finally get an ancestral weapon spell based off charisma rather than wisdom. The options are endless.
The Spirit Guide archetype isn't compatible with the dual cursed archetype because they both change class skills. I was really looking forward to Misfortune. And unfortunately, the misfortune hex is not a spirit hex so can't be taken with the Spirit Guide archetype. Strength really doesn't interest me because I want to be more of a caster.
I really prefer spirit guide for being a caster. Pick up the flame spirit and your life oracle can also be a bit of a fire blaster.
|
|
Dual cursed is a strong archetype, but for a caster, I prefer Spirit Guide. For one, life's revelations aren't that interesting. Life has 3 revelations that I want. The rest are meh. Sure, misfortune is awesome. And there's no other way to get it. But spirit guide gives you access to other spell lists and a ton of flexibility. It also grants you all knowledge skills as class skills -- a real bonus for PFS play.
I think at some point I may try a dual cursed oracle in a mystery where I love the revelations and don't care much about the class skills granted. I just haven't figured out which yet.
The one downside to Spirit Guide Life Oracle is that you have to wait a long time to get both Channel and Life Link, unless you spend a feat on Extra Revelation.
But double life has more channels than you can probably use at level 7. 2(Cha+1) channels per day.
Yep, I spent a feat on extra revelation in order to get both Life Link and Channel starting out. I plan to NEVER do double Life.
Lyric is already optimized for healing. I want to be able to do other things!
Yeah, double life is a bit of overkill most of the time. If you expect a lot of undead, you could lay the smack down on them though. The beauty of Spirit Guide is you get to make that choice every day.
The question with spirit guide lore hex is whether you can benefit from "adding spells to the list of shaman spells you can prepare" when you have no levels of shaman spells and don't prepare spells. For PFS you could potentially run into trouble.
It's a class feature of the spirit guide oracle so you should be able to get those spells. I expect they would work like the spirit magic spells of the spirit guide:
At 4th level, she adds the bonded spirit's spirit magic spells to her oracle spells known for that day, but only of spell levels she can cast.
Arcane Enlightenment (Su): The shaman’s native intelligence grants her the ability to tap into arcane lore. The shaman can add a number of spells from the sorcerer/wizard spell list equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1) to the list of shaman spells she can prepare. To cast these spells she must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell’s level, but the saving throw DCs of these spells are based on her Wisdom rather than Intelligence. When she casts these spells, they are treated as divine rather than arcane. Each time the shaman gains a level after taking this hex, she can choose to replace one of these spells for a new spell on the wizard/sorcerer spell list.
The oracle can't benefit from this curse, because they don't prepare spells. And this is not "spirit magic" as that has a different in game definition.
|
|
The question with spirit guide lore hex is whether you can benefit from "adding spells to the list of shaman spells you can prepare" when you have no levels of shaman spells and don't prepare spells. For PFS you could potentially run into trouble.
Oh, I wasn't referring to the Lore hex. I ignore the Lore hex as something not for PFS given the possibility of GM table variation.
When I talk about getting more spells to play with, I am referring to the mystery spells you get from your wandering spirits. There are some fun ones there.