[PF] Help With a Ranged Paladin/Oracle Build

[WillPhillips]

Hey guys,

First time actually posting here after lurking for a good long while.

I'm trying to build a Human ranged Hospitaller Paladin / Oracle of Life using a heavy crossbow (I know, I know - crossbows are feat heavy, but I like them better with this character concept than a longbow). The idea is to hunker down, Rapid Shot + Smite Evil as needed, and still be able to hand out healing and the like.

I am figuring some multiclass work to setup the build, but then focus on Paladin levels after that.

The character will start at level three (I'm changing characters as I wrote myself into a conceptual wall with my madman Cleric of Groetus), and I'm having a tough time figuring out which particular direction to go with:

Two Build Ideas

1. Extra fighter feat to get the crossbow up to snuff: Fighter 1 / Oracle 1 / Paladin 1 (Four feats: Rapid Reload, Point-Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Crossbow Mastery)

Or, 2. Get up to Paladin 2 for Lay on Hands: Oracle 1 / Paladin 2 (Three feats: Point-Blank Shot, Rapid Reload, Extra Lay on Hands/Extra Revelation)

My concern is going with option one is it may set me back too far with the paladin advancement compared to the rest of the party.

Is that a valid concern? Or will the level of fighter with the extra feat getting me into full crossbow mojo balance out?

Being ranged, I'm more than likely going to go with the Lame Oracle curse, as I don't need to be moving a ton around, anyway.

Campaign Details

We've got a fairly large party, and we focus more on roleplaying than min-maxing the bejesus out of things. Combat and dungeons are still pretty frequent, however. Party includes:

Human Two-Handed Fighter (Power Attacking generic melee guy who we have to coax into combat once he's taken damage.)

Human Two-Weapon Fighter (Never actually looked at his character sheet. Not sure the build out.)

Halfling Bard (Buff, buff, and buff some more. Minor healing.)

Halfling Monk (Melee and grapple focus.)

Elf Fire Domain Druid (New to the party; uncertain as to character build and play style.)

Gnome Sorcerer (I thought he was a Storm bloodline, but looking at the SRD, none of those match up... so who knows? Ranged attacks for the most part).
Allowed Materials

GM is a stickler: Core Rulebook and Advanced Players Guide *only.* Advanced Race Guide is completely out. I *may* be able to weasel in a feat or feature from Ultimate Combat or Ultimate Magic, but don't bet your suggestion on it.

Ability Generation

4d6, discard the lowest die. I rolled pretty damn luckily and have 18, 16, 14, 12, 12, 11 to work with.

Clearly, my focus is on Dex and Cha here.

Would I best be served by Going Dex 20 / Cha 16 or Dex 18 / Cha 18?

As I said, I'm not trying to min/max my way into the most optimal Tier 5 character evar, but at the same time don't want to totally gimp myself.

[Spore]

I wouldn't go for crossbows on a feat starved build like that. Maybe on an Inquisitor, but definitely not on an Paladin/Oracle. Take a bow or consider a Paladin/Fighter combo without oracle. Dipping and Oradin is fine for the oracle but extensive multiclassing spreads your power too thin.

You could play a good ranged cleric, an oradin with bows or an paladin/fighter with crossbows, but I do not recommend multiclassing 3 classes with the feat extensive crossbow tree.

[Bigbeefie]

So you want a ranged oridin? I honestly recommend just going straight paladin. You get plenty of healing with lay on hand, channel, and a wand of cure light wounds. Battle healing is not really an effective route to go. Think of it this way: you can stand by and heal with your standard action...this allows the enemy more time to do more harm. Or you can just smite them down that round and end the combat allowing you to heal after battle. Pathfinder favors offense over defense and healing.

But if you wanna stick yourself in the role of a healer your gonna be treated as one in the group. They will demand you give up your turns to fix their problems. I don't like playing band aids and honestly not many people do as they loose interest.

I recommend straight paladin or divine hunter archetype. Your dex should be 20 AND cha should be 16. Str will be 14 for a composite lingo to add more damage. And you want a long bow best damage.

Feats. Point blank, precise, rapid shot, deadly aim, many shot. In that order and don't deviate. You will put out high numbers and have plenty of heals to go around.

[Callin]

Either one should be fine. Depending on how far you think you would level should make your choice between the two. Higher level option 2 and lower level option 1.