= Oracle of Lore 1 / Bard 7 =
My pfs character is Oracle of Lore 8.
I was going to write a post about how good and precious it is and how much fun it is to play it (except for combat where it can't do a thing), but i've created Oracle 1 / Bard 7 in PCgen and now i'm depressed.
To be honest, you don't need Bard 7: past second versatile performance at Oracle 1 / Bard 6 you can go wherever you want, but i guess staying at least for Haste is worth it.
Race: Human
Attributes:
Point buy:
Str 12, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 17
Human attribute: +2 Cha
Attributes at level 4 and 8: Cha, Int
Headband of Mental Prowess (Int/Cha) +2 along the way
Total attributes at level 8:
Str 12, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 22
Traits:
Reactionary
Irrepressible (CHA instead of WIS on will saves versus charm/compulsion)
Feats:
Level 1:
Noble Scion (of War)
Extra Revelation
Favored class bonuses:
FCB: bard. 7x Human Bard FCB (extra spell).
Oracle of Lore revelations:
Sidestep Secret (CHA to AC instead of dex (capped by max dex), CHA to Reflex (uncapped))
Lore Keeper (all Knowledges are now CHA skills)
Oracle Curse:
Lame or Clouded Vision, but anything will work if it does not hinder your talking skills (i.e. deaf/mute/hobo curses)
Gear in no particular order:
Backpack, masterwork 50gp
Gauntlet, Spiked (Cold Iron) 10gp
Circlet of Persuasion (+3 to all CHA checks [Initiative, Concentration, Reflex, social skills, UMD, Knowledges]) 4500gp
Handy Haversack 2000gp
Headband of Mental Prowess (Int/Cha) +2 10000gp
+1 Darkwood Heavy Shield 1257gp
+1 Amulet of Natural Armor 2000gp
+1 Deathless Mithral Agile Breastplate 8400gp
+2 Cloak of Resistance 4000gp
Gear to get through low levels:
5gp - buckler, after first or second scenario get MWK Darkwood Heavy Shield for 2PP
100gp - Chain Shirt
Might get around level 8:
Wand of Bestow Grace (lvl2 paladin spell) 6000gp:
+CHA (thats +6 for you) to all saves (except Reflex as you already have it here) for 4 minutes.
50 uses should last from level 8 until character retirement at 3 uses per scenario, but you need to have high UMD to make it worth;
your checks auto succeed since level 7 (UMD +19) though.
Meaningfull stats at level 8:
HP: 51
AC: 26, flat 21 touch 15
Saves:
Fort +5
Ref +16 (+5 base, +6 CHA, +3 Circlet, +2 cloak)
Will +10 ( +6 cha - 1 wis +3 circlet: +8 extra vs charm/compulsion effects)
Initiative: +15 (+2 reactionary +4 imp.init +6 CHA +3 Circlet)
Skills:
+22 Diplomacy, Sense Motive, Intimidate, Bluff via Perform(Oratory/Comedy) (+6 cha +3 Circlet +3 class +2 Prodigy +8 ranks (note that you only spend ranks on two Perform skills))
+16 Knowledge (all) (+3 bardicKnowledge +6 cha +3 circlet +3 class +1 rank)
If you want, you can focus some knowledges by giving them more than one rank.
Also you can take 10 on all knowledges.
Also you can take 20 once a day on knowledge.
Also half your spellbook grants you bonuses to already made rolls.
+20 UMD (+6 cha +3 circlet +3 class +8 ranks)
Other skills that you should put 8 ranks into:
+9 Acrobatics (you have to jump sometimes)
+9 Escape artist (with your CMD/CMB grapples are dangerous)
+12 Perception
+14 Spellcraft
At level 8, you have (6+1+3)*8 = 80 skill points (some of them are tied to Headband, but i guess you'll retrain your ranks once you get it, so total is the same).
You maxed out Perform(Oratory), Perform(Comedy), UMD, Acrobatics, EscapeArtist, Perception, Spellcraft, thats 7*8=56 skill points.
You put 1 into every knowledge, thats 10 skill points.
You have 14 spare skill points to put wherever you want.
Consider maxing out Linguistics, or at least put some skills here relatively early, to be able to talk to almost every native and/or outsider.
Four elemental languages, Draconic, Celestial and Abyssal are a good choice, though both fiends and angels usually have a form of communication themselves.
As a point of comparison here is a level 8 Lore Oracle with 38.5k of gear. The stat block includes ant haul and two magic vestment spells.
Skill wise it is very comparable, although it lacks sense motive. Page-bound epiphany means you will beat any out of combat knowledge check.
It has access to a lot more spells per day, bone lock gives you something to do if you don't want to bother casting and it has a wide range of different spells to call upon. Being able to swop spirits each day adds a whole extra layer of options.
If you wanted to you could switch to using the Ancestor Spirit and take Wisdom of the Ages to turn all Int skills into charisma based. That would save you a feat on extra revelation or you could take the inherent Int boost revelation and play around with point buy. You would also gain access to Heroism.
Defences are arguably better, it has slightly higher AC which hits 30 with Shield of Faith. A Wand of Shield will push it higher. Saves are much better (+5 fort at this level is really low) and it has access to a lot of defensive and cleansing spells.
Overall I don't think the comparison is really all that off between the two options. Certainly the bard/oracle is a really strong option for versatility. I have one in PFS myself (or will once she gains another level and takes Oracle 1) and it is a lot of fun to play. Mine went with Thundercaller for extra stuff to do once the fighting starts but Oracles do similar things really very well.
Lore Oracle:
Male half-orc oracle (spirit guide) 8 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 106, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 42)
N Medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +10; Senses Perception +17
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 27, touch 15, flat-footed 22 (+8 armor, +5 Dex, +4 shield)
hp 67 (8d8+24)
Fort +10, Ref +16, Will +11; +2 vs. illusions
Defensive Abilities sacred tattoo[APG]
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft.
Oracle (Spirit Guide) Spells Known (CL 8th; concentration +18)
Gear lesser extend metamagic rod, [/b]mwk mithral breastplate, mwk darkwood heavy wooden shield, belt of mighty constitution +2, circlet of persuasion, cloak of resistance +2, cracked pale green prism ioun stone (saves), eyes of the eagle, handy haversack, headband of alluring charisma +2, lesser talisman of freedom[OA], page of spell knowledge (ant haul)[UE], page of spell knowledge (comprehend languages)[UE], page of spell knowledge (endure elements)[UE], page of spell knowledge (remove fear)[UE], page of spell knowledge (shield of faith)[UE], jewellery[UE]
Wow, Spirit guide archetype seems really strong.
My own lvl 8 Oracle of Lore suffers from the fact that i completely botched point buy (i was new to pathfinder then), and only past level 5 i understood that if you don't have a bunch of fighting feats you might as well have -2 in physical stats.
Thus i started with Str 14, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 8 and Cha 17, wrecking my fort save, will save and total skill points (i only have diplomacy, perception and UMD maxed out).
Good thing i started as half-elf though, paragon surge and extra spell fcb are almost the only thing that keeps me afloat.
Also given that i already had mandatory Skill Focus, i decided to try Eldritch Heritage route for familiar - can't wait for next game so i can check out Imbue with Spell Ability in action. In all three actions it takes to cast three spells.
Hopefully i can make it to level 9 so i can grab Improved Familiar to poke me with Wand of Bestow Grace in the first round of combat.
I've been fiddling around with a gnome heavens oracle for PFS and after reading this thread, I've added the Spirit Guide archetype to her. As a heavens oracle, the only revelation that really matters in Awesome Display.
Andreww you got any recommendations on which spirits might work well with a heavens oracle?
I'm currently playing a Lore Oracle(Psychic Searcher)1/Bard(Archivist)2 and having a blast with him. I haven't picked up Lore Keeper or a Circlet of Persusaion yet but I'm looking forward to it.
Mine generally uses Ancestors to grab Heroism as a spell known and use the Wisdom of the Ages hex to make all Int based skills into Cha based skills. This means they also benefit from the circlet of persuasion.
I have used Bone before as the spells are pretty decent, I have always liked Fear and Bone Lock and Fearful Gaze can both be quite dangerous.
In the early levels I sometimes used Flame for some AoE damage if I was concerned about swarms.
Slums looks interesting if you are in an urban environment, Evasion and Improved Uncanny Dodge and Confusion at level 8.
Nature is not a bad choice, it gives Barkskin and a hex for spontaneous summons.
Lore can add some useful utility spells and confusion curse is a handy at will ability.
Really, the spirit you are going to pick is going to vary depending on the situation but my default tends to be Ancestors as Heroism is so useful and helps offset the weak fortitude save. I also like being able to be the knowledge monkey with 1 rank in each skill giving you are a +14 bonus to all of them at level 8 (1rank +7stat +3class skill +3 competence). Add in page bound epiphany for out of combat checks and you are looking at a 32 on any knowledge skill taking 10.
You really do need Bard 7, that's when you can start performances as a move action. Getting back the most important standard action of every fight (the first one) is huge.
You really do need Bard 7, that's when you can start performances as a move action. Getting back the most important standard action of every fight (the first one) is huge.
Pretty much exactly this, Bard 7 is the breakpoint for 3rd level spells and the shift to move action performance. It is also when Symphony of the Elysium Heart becomes available for a spell slot which is one of the best masterpieces around and worth taking even with the uncertainty about how they work.
