Support Based Paladin / Oracle - ("I Shall Guard You With My Life!")

[TheMonkeyFish]

Some backstory about myself before we continue with this build. I've been a long time follower for Pathfinder since the original core rulebooks. However, I have not played the game first hand for many years since the local game store I played at closed down. I've created several characters, and while they may never be used, I wanted to work with them to see if they can be improved or perfected in any way. Please bare with me, as I've never had any first-hand practice with this game for many years. These builds will be made as closely to PFS legal as possible - so some 'optimal' choices may be ignored because they were banned in PFS.

With that out of the way, let us continue with my first concept build, one which is close to my heart because of how it reflects myself personally. While this concept is nothing new, I've always felt myself feel a connection towards the Paladin/Oracle Multi-class. I, myself, have a weakness for self sacrifice for others. My close friends all say it is my greatest downfall that I'm too nice... SO HOW ABOUT WE REFLECT THAT IN MY CHARACTER?! None shall fall so long as he is alive, and he shall protect everyone within his companionship - even at the cost of his own life!

Mechanically, I'll be taking the Half-Orc race. Normally, I'm 100% humans, but I'm trying to step out of my comfort zone... even if it's only 50% not-human... AT LEAST I'M TRYING!

Basically, sword and board paladin focusing on supporting his party and redirecting damage to himself. Using Spells and Stigmata's to buff his party and keep them topped up, he isn't really a threat himself (other then not really dying). Any tips/advice would be helpful. I know PFS, people want "DO MORE DAMAGE!" over Face and Support, but I feel like this character really fits my personality and I wanna see what people think of it.

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Racial Options
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Base Race: Half-Orc

* Ability Score: +2 to Any (Constitution)
* Sacred Tattoo: +1 Luck Bonus to Saving Throws. (Replaces Orc Ferocity).
* Shaman's Apprentice: Gain Endurance as a Bonus Feat. (Replaces Intimidation).
* City-Raised: Proficiency with Long Swords/Wips. +2 Knowledge (Local) checks. (Replaces Weapon Familiarity).
* Skilled: Gains +1 Skill Point per Level. (Replaces Darkvision).
* Orc Blood: Counts as Orc and Human Types

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Character Options
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Strength: 10 (+0), Dexterity: 12 (+1), Constitution: 16 (+3)
Intelligence: 13 (+1), Wisdom: 10 (+0), Charisma: 18 (+4)

(+2 Con Race, +1 Int Level 4, +1 Cha Level 8, +1 Cha Level 12).

Classes:
* Progression: Paladin 1 > Oracle 4 > Paladin 7
* Paladin (Martyr Archetype) Level 8
* Oracle (Spirit Guide Archetype) Level 4

Feats List:
Bonus: Endurance
Level 1: Die Hard
Level 3: Body Guard
Level 5: Combat Reflexes
Level 7: Unsanctioned Knowledge
Level 9: Noble Scion of War
Level 11: Channeled Revival

Traits List:
* Blessed Touch: +1 healing when using Lay on Hands, Channel Energy, and Cure spells
* Magical Knack: +2 to caster level up to HD.

Class Skills:
* Aura of Good: Detect as Good
* Detect Evil: Use Detect Evil as a Move Action.
* Stigmata: Activate Countersong, Distraction, or Inspire courage bardic performance. Bleed Damage 1/turn.
* See No Evil, Hear No Evil: 20ft. Aura, Allies gain +4 vs Language, Sonic, and Gaze saves.
* Lay on Hands: Heal 4d6, 4+CHA Modifier/day
* Aura Mastery: Extends Auras by 10 ft, removes immunity.
* Aura of Courage: 20 ft. Aura, Allies gain +4 Saves vs Fear.
* Aura of Health: 20 ft. Aura, Allies gain +4 Saves for Disease
* Martyr’s Mercy: Use unknown Mercy to transfer effect to self.
* Mercys : Gain Abilities using Lay on Hands.
* Channel Energy: Channel Energy using 2 Lay on Hands.
* Divine Bond: Divine Bond with Weapon or Mount
* Aura of Resolve: 20. Aura, Allies gain +4 Saves vs Charm.
* Mystery (Nature): Gain Mystery from Oracle List
* Oracle's Curse: Gain Oracle Curse from List
* Revelations: Gain Revelations based on Mystery
* Bonded Spirit (Life): Gain bonuses from Wandering Spirit

Revelations / Hexes / Mercy
* Nature's Whispers: Replace DEX for CHA in AC and CMD
* Life Link Hex: Bond with up to 3 Allies. Heal allies by 5 HP, take 5 Damage.
* Fatigued Mercy: Heals target from Fatigued Status
* Targeted Mercy: Sanctuary on Target, DC 10 + Paladin Level + CHA Modifier.

Class Spellcasting:
* 1st Level Paladin Spells/Day: 2
* 2nd Level Paladin Spells/Day: 2
* 0th Level Oracle Spells: 9 (Unlimited/Day)
* 1st Level Oracle Spells: 4 (6/Day)
* 2nd Level Oracle Spells: 2 (3/Day)

[TheMonkeyFish]

Anyone got any advice?

[Chromantic Durgon <3]

You can't take noble scion at 1st level unless I'm missin something.

[avr]

CD means you can only take noble scion at 1st level.

The reason to go with paladin in the oradin is swift action healing so you can still hit enemies while healing. If you're not planning to hit enemies, why not go pure oracle? It at least gives you the option of casting offensive spells or more buffs if you don't need to heal that round.

[Red Griffyn]

IMO an Oradin is better kept out of melee to preserve the HP reservoir is is providing. The Divine Hunter Paladin Archetype lends itself well to that build (see my suggested build below). Note that the race selection of half-elf is for the free skill focus. A familiar with the protector archetype increases your hp reserve by 50% for lifelink/shield other, AC with his bodyguard, and gives scouting abilities (better than taking half-orc IMO). Half elf also allows you to recover skill points or hp for multi-classing.

In terms of critique on your build, I have a few comments. Noble scion must be taken at level 1. I'm not really a fan of the Martyr archetype. It looks like you give up a lot (especially divine grace) so you will not have great saves and put yourself at risk. Usually a melee Oradin goes with the Hospitaler paladin archetype because it separates your lay on hands and channeling pools from the Paladin class. This allows you to heal more effectively/longer in the day.

Similarly, people generally take the spirit guide archetype so they can expand some abilities/spells which are limited by taking the life mystery. If you don't take the life mystery you won't have the fundamental life link to be a ordain for quite some time (level 3 oracle from the shaman class). You also lose out on the second pool of channeling as you only get the spirit ability at an oracle's level 7, which you aren't planning on taking in your build. Even though having life link is nice, it isn't the end all be all and channeling will net you better healing capabilities in the long run. Without it, you'll be in a weird spot and not as effective as possible. Other than the Spirit Guide, you could look at getting warsighted (see build below) to have a flexible combat feat that you can swap out as necessary depending on the combat requirements (e.g., buy an agile finessable weapon and you can go melee if required for a combat with your higher dex).

I don't think you even need the diehard chain. Just prepare every level 1 paladin spell slot as Hero's Defiance and grab 1-2 1st level pearls of power. This will end up making you impossible to kill. Usually most oradin builds start with Fey Foundling as the level 1 feat because it significantly increases your healing capabilities with multiple dice (i.e., lay on hands + Bracers of the Merciful Knight + Hero's Defiance Spell will net you a lot of healing if required)

In terms of your attributes, you aren't going to be a sword and board with Dex/Str at a +0/+1. You'll just be a board. You will have a lot of trouble hitting with that stat spread, even though you are between 3/4 and full BAB.

The build below will be a much better combatant (better to hit/more damage, more versatility to heal via channeling or buff from out of melee, far more HP in reserve as an Oradin from the familiar), increased out of combat utility (scouting), and will be far stronger for you. By going archer you also avoid the needless feat/revelation taxes to compensate for a bad Dex by swapping everything to run off CHA. You can just have a decent CHA/CON/DEX without compromising any one facet of the build. Below if you think you may not be accurate with a bow, swap the CON/DEX belt/Ioun Stone so you have a higher accuracy vs. Con (you'll have 50% extra hp from the familiar anyways so you don't have to pump it as much). You also get to keep Divine Grace so your saves will remain good and you can dump WIS safely to squeeze out a better point array.

Suggested Build:

Class Paladin (Divine Hunter) 2 / Oracle (Warsighted) 4 / Paladin (Divine Hunter X)

Race Half Elf

Deity Erastil

Traits:
1 - Dead Eye Bowman (must worship Erastil - ignore 1 rank of soft cover for ranged attacks with bow)
2 - Magical Knack or Blessed Touch

Revelation - Life
Curse - Legalistic or Powerless Prophecy

STATS Level 1
STR 12
DEX 16 14 + 2 from half elf
CON 15
INT 10
WIS 7
CHA 16

STATS Level 11
STR 12
DEX 18 14 + 2 from half elf + 2 from ioun stone
CON 20 15 + 1 at level 4 + 4 from belt of con
INT 10
WIS 8 7 + 1 at level 8
CHA 20 16 + 4 head band of CHA

Feats/Revelation
1 - Level - Feat - Fey Foundling (more +2 per die rolled when you are magically healed)
1 - Class - Feat - Precise Shot (ignore -4 from ranged into melee)
1 - Race - Feat - Skill Focus (Knowledge - Religion)
3 - Level - Feat - Extra Revelation (Life Mystery - Life Link or Channel)
3 - Class - War Sighted - Add an extra combat feat a # of times per day (should add as follows - Point Blank Shot/Rapid Shot/Many Shot)
5 - Level - Feat - Point Blank Shot
5 - Class - Revelation - Life Link or Channel (whatever wasn't taken at level 3)
7 - Level - Feat - Eldritch Heritage (Arcane) - Provides a Familiar

- Take the Green Sting Scorpion and apply the Protector Familiar Archetype. Give him Skill Focus (perception or Stealth) and put the one skill point in the other skill (turns the scorpion into a awesome scout). Scorpion gives you a +4 to initiative (i.e., a free feat). Protector Archetype gives you and your familiar Shield Other so you can split damage you take with your familiar 50-50 (note familiars always have half your current HP). Protector gives combat reflexes and loyal bodyguard so your familiar can use one AoO as an aid another action if he is in your square to give you +2 AC per successful DC10 check. Scorpion has a +3 dex mod (so 4 AoO) so potentially +2 AC to 4 different enemies or up to +8 AC to one enemy without needing to threaten it. Note that the life sharing is gained at character level 7 (familiar level 5) so taking this before level 7 doesn't get you that much compared to completing your ranged feat chains or healing chains.

TLDR - 1 Feat = +4 initiative, 50% increase in HP, up to +8 AC to one target or +2 AC to 4 targets, scouting familiar with telepathic communication.

9 - Level - Feat - Rapid Shot or Greater Mercy or Extra Channel or Extra Lay on Hands
11 - Level - Feat - Rapid Shot or Greater Mercy or Extra Channel or Extra Lay on Hands

Level Progression:
1 - Paladin 1 - Free Feat, Smite 1/day, Detect Evil
2 - Paladin 2 - Lay on Hands, Divine Grace (CHA to all saves)
3 - Paladin 2 / Oracle 1 - Floating combat feat, spells from oracle, Mystery 1 (life Link)
4 - Paladin 2 / Oracle 2 - Mystery Spell 1
5 - Paladin 2 / Oracle 3 - Mystery 2 (Channeling)
6 - Paladin 2 / Oracle 4 - Level 2 Oracle Spells
7 - Paladin 3 / Oracle 4 - Aura of Percise Shot, Mercy 1
8 - Paladin 4 / Oracle 4 - Channel Energy (paladin pool), Smite Evil 2/day, Paladin Spells (take Hero's Defiance for immediate lay on hands to stay up if dropped below 0, can use as an immediate action and doesn't expend lay on hands charge, +1D6 for the heal)
9 - Paladin 5 / Oracle 4 - Divine Bond (archetype adds ranged specific options, great for a +1 bow)
10 - Paladin 6 / Oracle 4 - Distance Lay on Hands (archetype swaps out mercy which sort of sucks)
11 - Paladin 7 / Oracle 4 - Smite Evil 3/day, Level 2 Paladin Spells

Roles:
1 - Health Battery - When someone you life linked is damaged, take up to 5 damage to yourself. You use swift action lay on hands to heal yourself, giving the front liners Fast Healing 5. Works instantly and can be cancelled as an instant action if it'll kill you. Familiar adds to your health pool by 50% your HP (scales up with you). Certain Feats or Paladin spells will keep you dipping below 0, instantly gaining a bunch of HP and being a healing totem for the entire party. Also grab the shield another level 2 oracle spell so you can take 50% of damage dealt to a particular person (scales better at higher levels than only taking 5 at a time).

2 - Archer - Decent Archer Damage Full round actions for putting out the most arrows. Since most healing is on a swift action and done at range you don't need to move to people and waste your turn. You have your full move/standard or full round action to deal damage and heal the party.

3 - Scout - Familiar at level 7 gives you scouting abilities (send him out and let him provide you information). Also you can use his darkvision and perception scores for your own rolls to notice things.

4 - General Healer - Take various general buffs as an oracle or remove X conditions.

5 - Buffing - Able to provide level 1 buffing spells.

6 - Face - You'll still have great CHA in this build.

Items:
- Belt of Con +4
- Efficient Quiver
- Dark Life Ring
- Boots of Earth
- Bracers of the Merciful Knight
- Pearl of Power (to reuse Paladin's Hero's Defiance)
- Ioun Stone - Deep Red (bump to Dex to increase to hit on bow).
- AoNA
- RoP
- Bow with +1 Seeking enchantment
- Durable Mithral/Adamantine/Cold Iron arrows.
- +X Mithral Agile Breastplate or Kikko

[Chess Pwn]

with the OP's current build,
at lv 2 what is your first three actions in combat?
at lv4 what is your first three actions in combat?
At lv 8, what are your first three actions in combat?

Because with the stats you have, I'm not seeing much for you to do in combat.

[TheMonkeyFish]

@ Red Griffyn - That is an interesting concept honestly. Hadn't thought about the Channel Energy thing being removed, honestly just wanted to have lifelink and use the healing from my own actions. Sucks that the only Bardic Performance archetype for Paladin sucks absolute garbage. Seriously, PFS gave support paladins the giant middle finger when they banned Peoples Council, just because it was "better" then a pre-existing option (one that is complete and utter garbage to begin with).

@ Chess Pwn - Well...

Level 2 - Action 1: Activate Inspire Courage, Action 2: Pull Sword, Action 3: Wait until next turn to try and wack something lol.

Level 4 - Action 1: Activate Inspire Courage, Action 2: Support Buff Party Spells, Action 3: Wait until next turn to start healing and buffing more.

Level 8 - Same as level 4, but with more options.

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Really, the center focus I want for this build is Bardic Performance. Its not my fault PFS gave support paladins the giant middle finger saying "F%~~ YOU, YOU CANT HAVE ANYTHING GOOD!" by banning People's Council. The only option I have for Bardic Performance is Martyr. Why is it my fault that the only option available is absolutely garbage because PFS decided to ban the only half decent option?

[Darigaaz the Igniter]

Is Variant Multiclassing PFS legal? Because pure paladin VMC oracle of life is really really good one you get your first revelation.

[UnArcaneElection]

^Last I heard, Variant Multiclassing (and a lot of other Unchained stuff) is banned in PFS.

[avr]

TheMonkeyFish wrote:

Level 2 - Action 1: Activate Inspire Courage, Action 2: Pull Sword, Action 3: Wait until next turn to try and wack something lol.

Level 4 - Action 1: Activate Inspire Courage, Action 2: Support Buff Party Spells, Action 3: Wait until next turn to start healing and buffing more.

Level 8 - Same as level 4, but with more options.

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Really, the center focus I want for this build is Bardic Performance. Its not my fault PFS gave support paladins the giant middle finger saying "F*%% YOU, YOU CANT HAVE ANYTHING GOOD!" by banning People's Council. The only option I have for Bardic Performance is Martyr. Why is it my fault that the only option available is absolutely garbage because PFS decided to ban the only half decent option?

With 10 str, 12 dex the only reason to draw your sword is if you are about to use smite evil. With major multiclassing, casting buff spells may not be a good use of an action - you realise you're topping out at 2nd level spells at 12th level?

Bardic performance can come from many options. Like, for example, being a bard. Or an evangelist cleric, an exemplar brawler, a sensei monk, or any of several prestige classes. Paladin is not required for that, and shield other can come from any divine class and substitute for a life oracle's life link. I think a single-classed evangelist cleric could perform the same roles as your oradin and back it up with real spell power.

[nicholas storm]

The character looks terrible. A single class evangelist cleric would be much better.

If you are going to do this character, my suggestions are:

1) Bump your STR up to 14 minimum. The stat spread I would change to is S14 D12 C14 I14 (+1 level 4) W10 CH18 (+2 from race; +1 Level 8, 12)
2) Change some of your feats to add flagbearer and divine fighting technique: Iomedae's Inspiring Sword.

[Jader7777]

You don't need to get Endurance + Die hard as a half-orc.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/racial-feats/ferocious-resolve-orc-half-orc