PF: Santuary Question and DMPC Help

[joca4christ]

Quick questions, and then to my long one. Has anyone every used Santuary? If so, what is it really good for?

Now: Am thinking of running an aaismar oracle (Life Mystery, Tongues curse). My players are only level one, and I'm going for the healbot side of things. Spell selection advice, anyone?

[navar100]

Sanctuary is no Invisibility, but it's decent enough. In my opinion it's not efficient to use until 3rd level where three rounds of it will give you good use. One tactic is to use it on an NPC you want to protect. Use it on yourself if/when you intend to be pure healbot for an encounter, which is not a terrible tactic. Healbot is more than just healing. With Sanctuary on yourself you're a little bit safer moving about the battlefield buffing others, removing afflictions, and yes, the occasional healing. You can also provide some offense power by summoning monsters. The act of summoning does not break Sanctuary and neither does their attacking.

Of course, as a 1st level spell at mid-to-high levels bad guys can often make the saving throw. By that time you probably don't need the spell anyway, regardless of any access to Invisibility you may or may not have. However, it's still a viable tactic. You can make it work better with Heighten Spell. If normally you would buff yourself with Divine Power or Righteous Might but for whatever reason a particular combat you want to stay out of harm's way while buffing and summoning, a Heightened Sanctuary in that spell slot instead is a good fit.

Sanctuary is also a good spell to use in desperation if you need to move out of harm's way. However, Pathfinder offers a better spell for that, called Grace.

[Squirrel_Dude]

Sanctuary is great as a way to buff your allies without being in harms way or be given the opportunity to summon monsters with impunity if that's your thing. It's not fantastic, but it can be a good way to try and keep the fighter from immediately shooting the wizard casting haste and stinking cloud in the face.