[PFs] A Life Oracle gish

[RndmNumGen]

I'll soon have to rebuild one of my Pathfinder Society characters, which means I can make a level 7 anything. I've been interested in Life Oracle for a while, but I don't just want to heal - that's boring. So, I was thinking about making a gish which can heal my party while killing the enemy.

For theme, I was thinking about a masochistic follower of Zon-Kuthon.

My goals for this character are as follows:

1) High Survivability. As a Life Oracle, my party benefits as long as I am alive.
2) Low-Cost Healing. This includes opportunity cost; I would rather not spend an action healing someone when I can spend an action hitting someone else.
3) Damage. Because hitting other things.

I was thinking about going Oracle 3/Barbarian 3, then PRCing into either Rage Prophet or Holy Vindicator(not sure which one I want - both have advantages and disadvantages). For race I was going to go Half-Orc, taking the Shaman's Apprentice trait for free Endurance, then grabbing Diehard and Fast Healer(which is awesome with a high Con score, which I will want anyway).

Does the Playground have any suggestions for this build?

[Psyren]

One trick you can try is to go with a more generally useful Mystery (Heavens is fantastic) and instead see if you can buy a Ring of Revelation, along with cross-classing some ranks in UMD so you can fake being a Life Oracle. Per James Jacobs, this is a legal use of UMD - you couldn't fake the mystery class feature if you weren't an Oracle, but you can fake having a different mystery if you are.

Thus, you would get the most useful part of Life (the channel energy) while still having the much more useful combat abilities of another mystery like Heavens, Bones, Battle, Fire etc.


If all else fails, go with a combat-oriented mystery anyway and just learn healing spells (or use items). Channel Energy is nice but doesn't heal for much anyway.

[RndmNumGen]

I mainly wanted Life for the Life Link ability; If I just wanted Channel, I would go Cleric. I do like UMDing the ring, though.

[grarrrg]

Well, other than your preference in God/Alignment, I'd say play the Oradin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=13120545#post13120545) (details in that thread, and a more recent-ish thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=250754))

Otherwise, if LG just isn't an option, then I'd say lean towards Inquisitor (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/inquisitor) (at least for a while).
One of the Judgments is Fast Healing, which would work well with Life Link (and it scales decently). Alternately, for when the party is at/near full health you can use your Judgment to enhance To-Hit or Damage. You could then proceed as either Inquisitor (to further enhance your Judgment/multi-Judgment), or switch to Holy Vindicator to advance Channeling as well as casting.

[Aemoh87]

One trick you can try is to go with a more generally useful Mystery (Heavens is fantastic) and instead see if you can buy a Ring of Revelation, along with cross-classing some ranks in UMD so you can fake being a Life Oracle. Per James Jacobs, this is a legal use of UMD - you couldn't fake the mystery class feature if you weren't an Oracle, but you can fake having a different mystery if you are.

Where can I find this... I am not doubting you, but I really wanna have this handy to show my very upset DM when I unload this giant wheel of Gouda on him.


Well, other than your preference in God/Alignment, I'd say play the Oradin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=13120545#post13120545) (details in that thread, and a more recent-ish thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=250754))

Seconded. I have a player in my group playing this build now and he does pretty well. He can be very hit or miss in combat (literally), but he is an excellent healer who can hit big crits regularly.

[navar100]

Or ...

Stay single class Oracle and just pick spells that help you in battle - Divine Favor, Divine Power, Righteous Might, etc. Spend a feat on heavy armor proficiency if it's important enough.

Take Power Attack and use a morningstar two-handed.

Or ...

Forget Life Link, take Battle Mystery, take as revelations Skill At Arms, Iron Skin, and Combat Healer, and choose appropriate spells.

[Aemoh87]

I do have one suggestion though with the Oradin build, if you don't prestige take the Consumed curse as it quickly can be a HUGE damage soak. Also find a way to gain DR as there are just some rounds when the damage gets piled on thick.

[grarrrg]

I do have one suggestion though with the Oradin build, if you don't prestige take the Consumed curse as it quickly can be a HUGE damage soak. Also find a way to gain DR as there are just some rounds when the damage gets piled on thick.

Consumed?
"Whenever you take lethal hit point damage, you take an additional number of points of nonlethal damage equal to 1/2 the lethal damage you took"

So if I would lose 6 HP, I instead effectively lose 9?
That would be the opposite of helping.
Especially on a Life Link build, as you'd take extra damage every time you transferred life.

And the abilities don't get helpful in that regard until level 15 when you get the whole "temp HP" thing (which still probably doesn't make up for the extra damage).


For an Oradin, Lame is OK, as is Wasting (you aren't going to be the skill monkey, so no loss).
Ooo! Wolfscarred Face? Gain a Natural attack?! I think we have a winner for a Gish build. Granted verbal spells have a 20% chance of failure, BUT you don't waste the Spell Slot, just your turn.

Hmm...
I think I finally found a use for Dual Cursed Oracle!
Combine Wolfscarred with Deaf!
Wolfscarred gives the Natural Attack, and Deaf treats ALL spells you cast as if you used Silent Spell! No Verbal > No chance Failure!

[navar100]

Dual Cursed does not give you the benefits of the second curse. You just get a couple of extra revelations.

[Aemoh87]

Dual Cursed does not give you the benefits of the second curse. You just get a couple of extra revelations.

It just does not scale the second curse, you could still get the bite attack though.

[RndmNumGen]

Dual Cursed does not give you the benefits of the second curse. You just get a couple of extra revelations.

Actually, you still get the first-level ability, which makes Deaf + Wolfscarred actually work, regardless of which curse you decide to advance. Useful combo, there.

At any rate, while Oradin is nice it just doesn't fit into my character concept. I also really do want the Life Link ability, just because it fits my character concept like a glove. I think I'm still going to go with Oracle/Barbarian.

I also think I'm going to take the Rage Prophet PRC, because I need at least an effective Oracle level of 5 to get Life Link on my whole party(which Vindicator wouldn't give me, as awesome as the Stigmata is).

This places my current planned build at the following:
____________________
Mystic Half-Orc Oracle 2/Invulnerable Rager 4/Rage Prophet X
14 Str, 12 Dex, 19 Con(16 + 2 Racial + 1 Level), 8 Int, 12 Wis, 13 Cha

Feats:
Orc) Endurance(from Mystic)
Lv 1) Diehard
Lv 3) Fast Healer
Lv 5) Power Attack
Lv 7) Gore Fiend
Lv 9) ??? (Extra Rage Power? Stalwart?)
Lv 11) ???

Traits:
Anatomist - +1 to Confirm Criticals
??? (Legacy of Sand - +1 Will Saves?)

Rage Powers:
Moment of Clarity(Bleh, but needed for Rage Prophet)
Auspicious Mark? (High Rage cost, but possible +1d6 to a d20 roll once per round? Very useful.) - Alternatively considering Powerful Blow or Surprise Accuracy, though still open to suggestions.
____________________

So, it's obvious I will be taking a lot of damage. I'm not worried about out-of-combat healing, though I obviously want to avoid going down in combat; are there any ways to heal health whenever I damage an enemy in Pathfinder(similar to MIC's Lifedrinker Crystal)? What about gaining some sort of benefit when I take damage?

[grarrrg]

Easy stuff first, "Rage Prophet Sucks" rant for later...

Mystic Half-Orc Oracle 2/Invulnerable Rager 4/Rage Prophet X
14 Str, 12 Dex, 19 Con(16 + 2 Racial + 1 Level), 8 Int, 12 Wis, 13 Cha

Feats:
Orc) Endurance(from Mystic)
Lv 1) Diehard
Lv 3) Fast Healer
Lv 5) Power Attack
Lv 7) Gore Fiend

Seriously rethink Fast Healer.
It only heals half CON mod per healing.
With your CON that's only an extra +2 per spell/rest, +3 when Raging.
AND you had to spend 2 feats to get it.

If possible, take Fey Foundling (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/fey-foundling) instead, you get +2hp per die instead.
OR
Ferocious Tenacity (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/ferocious-tenacity-combat) can serve as a replacement for BOTH Fast Healing AND Die Hard. If you would drop below 0 you can spend Rage Rounds to 'not' drop below 0.
OR
Toughness. Yeah, it usually sucks, but it can be nice on a Life Link build.

Gore Fiend and Power Attack are good.

I'd like to see your STR a little higher, but the build is fairly MAD! MAD I SAY! So it'll have to do.


Rage Powers:
Moment of Clarity(Bleh, but needed for Rage Prophet)
Auspicious Mark? (High Rage cost, but possible +1d6 to a d20 roll once per round? Very useful.) - Alternatively considering Powerful Blow or Surprise Accuracy, though still open to suggestions.

I'd vote down Auspicious Mark, you won't have a lot of Rage to be spending it on other abilities.


are there any ways to heal health whenever I damage an enemy in Pathfinder(similar to MIC's Lifedrinker Crystal)? What about gaining some sort of benefit when I take damage?
Not really.


I also think I'm going to take the Rage Prophet PRC, because I need at least an effective Oracle level of 5 to get Life Link on my whole party(which Vindicator wouldn't give me, as awesome as the Stigmata is).

Alright, time for Rage (against the) Prophet.
It's bad.

(over 12 levels) You're no worse off (and probably a little BETTER off) going Oracle 6/Barbarian 6
Your basic stats (hp/skills/saves...) will be almost identical, you'll have better Bab.
You'll have +1ea. Revelation and Rage Power, better DR from Barb.

You lose weak/limited "spirit guide".
You also lose slightly boosted casting (adding Barb level or CON to caster level/DC).

I'd say Oracle/Barb is better just because of the extra Revelations/Powers without having to spend an "Extra _____" feat to get them.


_If_ Rage Prophet had either Full Bab, or Full casting, or any Revelation/Powers, then I'd say it would be decent. As is, it is bad.

[Psyren]

Where can I find this... I am not doubting you, but I really wanna have this handy to show my very upset DM when I unload this giant wheel of Gouda on him.

He discusses it here (http://paizo.com/forums/dmtz2u4o&page=331?Ask-James-Jacobs-ALL-your-Questions-Here#16532)

[RndmNumGen]

STUFF!

I liked Fast Healer for instances when I get Fast Healing, such as from casting Infernal Healing on myself; that's 30 hp per charge as opposed to 10. Fey Foundling can't match that. I could possibly see replacing it with something else, though.

I don't really like Ferocious Tenacity because the exchange rate is low, but as I'm trading out orc ferocity anyway(and may end up having to play a half-elf, due to rebuild restrictions) that's out regardless.

Interesting point about Oracle/Barbarian versus Rage Prophet. I certainly wouldn't mind more Barbarian levels, though I still need to get an effective Oracle level of 5 when I really don't want to level past 3 in the actual class. Perhaps I will spend more time thinking about this... maybe revisiting Holy Vindicator.

[Crasical]

Consumed?
"Whenever you take lethal hit point damage, you take an additional number of points of nonlethal damage equal to 1/2 the lethal damage you took"

So if I would lose 6 HP, I instead effectively lose 9?
That would be the opposite of helping.
Especially on a Life Link build, as you'd take extra damage every time you transferred life.

It's nonlethal damage though. So no, you don't effectively lose 9, you lose 6 and take 3 points of nonlethal damage, which will do nothing until it stacks up so much that you exceed your total HP and fall unconscious. And it goes away at a rate of character level/hour, and any cure magic you cast on yourself or have cast on you removes as much Nonlethal damage as it does real damage.

[grarrrg]

It's nonlethal damage though. So no, you don't effectively lose 9, you lose 6 and take 3 points of nonlethal damage, which will do nothing until it stacks up so much that you exceed your total HP and fall unconscious. And it goes away at a rate of character level/hour, and any cure magic you cast on yourself or have cast on you removes as much Nonlethal damage as it does real damage.

I understand how Nonlethal damage works.
But I was responding to this:

take the Consumed curse as it quickly can be a HUGE damage soak.

Consumed is the OPPOSITE of damage soaking (unless you mean soaking in damage...).

In regards to a Life Link build, that means EVERY TIME you transfer HP you take _8_ effective damage instead. And depending on if multiple Bonds 'activate' simultaneously, you may be taking 16 for every 10 given.

Since RndmNumGen wants to be Life Link focused AND a Melee monster this is a VERY bad idea due to how Nonlethal damage (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat#TOC-Nonlethal-Damage) works (emphasis mine):

when your nonlethal damage equals your current hit points, you're staggered (see below), and when it exceeds your current hit points, you fall unconscious
Current HP, not Max HP.
So until you get a Cure spell or something, it is effectively 9 damage and not 6.

[RndmNumGen]

Okay, so I just realized that due to the rebuild rules I've been given for this character, I have to throw a level on Monk in there, and thus, be Lawful. Thus, no Barbarian. So, dang, original plan won't work.

In the face of cold, hard restrictions preventing my original plan, I'm giving new thought to an Oradin. Possibly a former devotee of Zon-Kuthon who was redeemed, and now takes other's suffering to repent for the suffering he caused? Something like that. So now I'm looking at something like the following

Half-Elf Oracle 4/Paladin 2/Monk 1/Holy Vindicator 4

16 Str(15+Level 4 boost)
18 Con(16+2 Racial)
10 Dex
8 Int
10 Wis
14 Cha

Not decided on feats yet, but I think I'll take the Monk level in Master of Many Styles to grab Crane Style, then Stalwart at level 5. This will let me trade in 2 Attack for DR 4/-, which seems to be a reasonable trade.

[grarrrg]

Okay, so I just realized that due to the rebuild rules I've been given for this character, I have to throw a level on Monk in there, and thus, be Lawful. Thus, no Barbarian. So, dang, original plan won't work.

As much as I want to encourage the Oradin thing, I feel compelled to point out that the Martial Artist (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/monk/archetypes/paizo---monk-archetypes/martial-artist) Monk can be of ANY alignment.