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I've got a first level Oracle chracter (Haunted Nature Oracle) for PFS that I'm seriously considering dipping into Sorcerer for one level, mainly for the arcana. Click on my profile for the character sheet at present.
Thematically, she is a fey-touched individual with a deep connection to the Lost Prince. Operationally, she is a Caster Oracle type with a high AC, who has a specialty in compulsions.
So, for her next level, I'm considering taking Fey Sorcerer for the +2 DC to compulsions. First level spells planned on being taken are feather fall and true strike, because they do not have somatic components, and continue as an oracle for the rest of her career.
But since I'm mainly dipping for arcana, I started looking at Cross-Blooded. But what would be the best second bloodline? Undead or Serpentine would greatly expand the possible targets for spells like command and hold person. Arcane could get me a familiar (I'm thinking monkey, to retrieve items for me, but that could also just be a trained animal). Maestro would increase caster levels.
Thoughts?

Captain Morgan |

I think an increase to save DCs is a poor reason to dip. Slowing down your spell progression, especially on a spontaneous casters, hurts. Heck, it also offsets your DC bonus since you will be casting lower level spells. Maestro has a similar problem, in that your Caster level increase is completely offset sans Magical Knack. If you are going to dip, it pays to make sure you are getting a unique benefit which you can't just replicate with a feat or two.
So I'd probably focus on arcana that expands your options like Serpentine. Undead may or may not be worth it, because a divine spell list probably provides you options to deal with undead when they pop up anyway.

Louise Bishop |

Perhaps the Bloodlines that let you Use Charms/Compulsions on Constructs. Those tend to be a major weakness for Casters.
Also you can trade away your Level 1 power for a familiar if you have the Familiar Folio. Familiars are always nice even if it is level 1. (Its HP, saves, skills, BaB actually scales with the master. You miss a few other goodies but +4 initiative or Save increases are very nice.)

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Since you're Charisma focused you could take Eldritch Heritage and then have the ability to later on grab Improved Familiar and pickup an Azata, Lyrakien which would be thematically appropriate for your character.
Undead bloodline would be more useful as it seems like undead show up more than beasts in PFS. Not sure if the Undead bloodline fits your theme though, whereas Serpentine may have a more fey/woods vibe. Rakshasa and Maestro could be good options also and may fit your theme more.
I'd suggest Enlarge Person over True Strike though as it will be a more useful spell for the party to increase the dmg dice and reach range of your frontliner(s).
EDIT: Maybe the best option is to not dip, but to just keep going straight Oracle and to pickup Eldritch Heritage: Arcane for a familiar and take Improved Familiar to grab an Azata, Lyrakien. You really won't be gaining much that you couldn't live without and you'll just be slowing down your spell progression.

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Definitely not Enlarge Person, because it has a somatic component and I'm still going to wear the best armor I can. I can keep that spell in a wand (which my monkey fetches).
Mathematically, though, a +2 DC beats out a -1 CL for a given spell; the DC doesn't scale with caster level, anyway.
I have thought about Eldritch Heritage, though, and it is good but feat-intensive, and does not allow access to arcana. I'll still consider it, though.

Captain Morgan |

Definitely not Enlarge Person, because it has a somatic component and I'm still going to wear the best armor I can. I can keep that spell in a wand (which my monkey fetches).
Mathematically, though, a +2 DC beats out a -1 CL for a given spell; the DC doesn't scale with caster level, anyway.
I have thought about Eldritch Heritage, though, and it is good but feat-intensive, and does not allow access to arcana. I'll still consider it, though.
Yes, it amps up the power of a given spell, but it comes at the cost of gaining more spells, including higher level spells. A first level spell with the dip is only 1 higher on the DC than a second level spell without it. And you'll have more powerful effects. Do you really want to wait until level 5 to get Hold Person? That's a much better option to use than Forbid Action, even with a higher save DC.
Plus, I'm not sure the Oracle list actually has enough enchantment spells to best leverage those Dave DCs. You've got some good options to be sure, but your missing a lot of big ones. Which means having plenty of other options is important.

Derek Dalton |
The problem with double dipping with casters is the lower casting level. However there is another problem, armor. You stated you want to wear the best armor. Arcane classes can't unless you take two feats and magical mithral armor. Two feat even for a human is painful especially considering you are taking those feats just for only a level or two for Sorcerer.

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The problem with double dipping with casters is the lower casting level. However there is another problem, armor. You stated you want to wear the best armor. Arcane classes can't unless you take two feats and magical mithral armor. Two feat even for a human is painful especially considering you are taking those feats just for only a level or two for Sorcerer.
That's actually not a problem, because I'm only considering one level only. A Sorcerer knows very few spells, so you choose ones without somatic components and then use wands to back up anything else you want in the arcane category. You don't rely on the sorcerer's spellcasting to get the arcane spells cast, you rely on the spell list.
No feats needed.

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I've really enjoyed Fey/Serpentine on my Mesmerist. Charm Person on inappropriate targets is comedy gold. So far, a winter wolf is my favorite, but I've hit bears, a sphinx thing, and a couple others to good effect.
Since you're level 1 still, consider the adopted(half elf) trait for bifurcated magic. That'll double your sorcerer durations, and get back your Oracle caster level.

Derek Dalton |
I'm glad to see you are making this character interesting. One suggestion is switch your Oracle type to Ancient Oracle. It's an Elf only but a GM could always allow any race to play it. It's bonus spells are arcane. Keep the theme you have and curse but this archtype gives you arcane spells you probably are looking for. As a GM I'd allow it because it fits with your concept and seems really cool. The rest would be RP.

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I also did a 1 level dip with my oracle. I had a kitsune (+1 DC to enchantments) dip one level into fey/serpentine and take the wrecking mysticism curse. So I now have +3 DC to enchantments compulsions and get a lot of them through the magical tail feat chain. I also did the spirit guide archetype to give me some extra spells from the Wander Spirit selection off the Shaman list, negating most of the bad stuff from my curse. If you do go 1 level dip sorcerer for arcana I would recommend taking a bloodline familiar (greensting scorpion) for +4 to Initiative as that is far better then the first level bloodline power from most bloodlines (especially fey).

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I've decided that I'm definitely going Fey/Serpentine for the sorcerer dip. That will give me three cantrips and one first level spell to cast.
For cantrips, I could choose flare, light, and spark, as they all can be cast without somatic components. I don't like flare, though, so I'm also considering spells that I can cast in downtime when I don't have to be wearing my armor, like read magic or mending. I already have light as an oracle, but that can be traded out easily enough.
The first level spell should most definitely be one without somatic components. Although I originally considered true strike and feather fall, I realize that hitting things is not my goal, so heightened awareness and deja vu suddenly become much more interesting.
I'll probably go with light, spark, mending, and heightened awareness, and eventually trade out my oracle's light for create water.