Oracle/Paladin optimization

[Unbalanced]

Looking at some ideas on how to optimize my character - I'm currently level 3, so up to level 3 is locked in.
I posted this quite a while ago before we'd started playing and got a few ideas, but I'm just looking to see if there's any other ways I can go about really making my character kick some ass. He has ended up becoming the tank of the group and I need to really be able to fill that role whether I like it or not...



Human
(Alternate racial trait: Focused Study)

STR 14
DEX 12
CON 14
INT 14
WIS 11
CHA 18 (incl. +2)

Languages:
Common, Celestial, Abyssal

Traits:
Seeker - +1 bonus to perception and perception becomes a class skill.
Wolf Cub - Once per day as a standard action, you can take a deep breath through your nose to gain the scent ability for 1 minute.

Oracle 1-
HP: 10
Initiative: +0 (+4 Cha, -4 deafness)
Attack: +2 (Str +2)
Damage: 1D4+3 (bite)
AC: 17 (Chain shirt +4, Dex +1, Heavy steel shield +2)
FORT: +2 (Con +2)
REF: +1 (Dex +1)
WILL: +2 (Oracle +2)
Oracle: Mystery (time), Oracle's Curse (deaf & wolfscarred face), Orisons, Revelation
Revelation: Temporal Celerity
Feat: Noble Scion (Scion of War)
Focused Study: Knowledge (Religion)

Spells:
0 level - Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Spark
1st level (4 per day) - Cure Light Wounds, Murderous Command [DC 15], Forbid Action [DC 15]



Oracle 1/Paladin 1-
HP: 22
Initiative: +0 (+4 Cha, -4 deafness)
Attack: +3 (BAB +1, Str +2)
Damage: 2D6+3 (greatsword)
AC: 18 (Banded Mail +7, Dex +1)
FORT: +4 (Paladin +2, Con +2)
REF: +1 (Dex +1)
WILL: +4 (Paladin +2, Oracle +2)
Paladin: Aura of good, detect evil, smite evil 1/day

Spells:
0 level - Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Spark, Guidance
1st level (4 per day) - Cure Light Wounds, Murderous Command [DC 15], Forbid Action [DC 15]




Oracle 2/Paladin 1-
HP: 33
Initiative: +0 (+4 Cha, -4 deafness)
Attack: +4 (BAB +2, Str +2)
Damage: 2D6+3 (greatsword)
AC: 18 (Banded Mail +7, Dex +1)
FORT: +4 (Paladin +2, Con +2)
REF: +1 (Dex +1)
WILL: +5 (Paladin +2, Oracle +3)
Mystery Spell: Ill Omen
Feat: Combat casting

Spells:
0 level - Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Spark, Guidance
1st level (5 per day) - Cure Light Wounds, Murderous Command [DC 15], Forbid Action [DC 15], Ill Omen [DC 15]

[Unbalanced]

Current proposed progression that is open to adjustment:


Oracle 3/Paladin 1-
+2 CHA (or +2 STR??)
HP: 44
Initiative: +1 (+5 Cha, -4 deafness)
Attack: +5 (BAB +3, Str +2)
Damage: 2D6+3 (greatsword)
AC: 18 (Banded Mail +7, Dex +1)
FORT: +5 (Oracle +1, Paladin +2, Con +2)
REF: +2 (Oracle +1, Dex +1)
WILL: +5 (Paladin +2, Oracle +3)
Revelation: Time Flicker


Spells:
0 level - Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Spark, Guidance
1st level (7 per day) - Cure Light Wounds, Murderous Command [DC 16], Forbid Action [DC 16], Ill Omen [DC 16], Divine Favor





Oracle 3/Paladin 2-
HP: 56
Initiative: +1 (+5 Cha, -4 deafness)
Attack: +6 (BAB +4, Str +2)
Damage: 2D6+3 (greatsword)
AC: 19 (Banded Mail +7, Dex +1, Natural Armour +1)
FORT: +11 (Oracle +1, Paladin +3, Con +2, Cha +5)
REF: +7 (Oracle +1, Dex +1, Cha +5)
WILL: +11 (Paladin +3, Oracle +3, Cha +5)
Paladin: Divine Grace, Lay On Hands
Arcane Bond: Giant Isopod
Feat: Eldritch Heritage (arcane)

Spells:
0 level - Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Spark, Guidance
1st level (7 per day) - Cure Light Wounds, Murderous Command [DC 16], Forbid Action [DC 16], Ill Omen [DC 16], Divine Favor





Oracle 4/Paladin 2-
HP: 66
Initiative: +1 (+5 Cha, -4 deafness)
Attack: +7 (BAB +5, Str +2)
Damage: 2D6+3 (greatsword)
AC: 19 (Banded Mail +7, Dex +1, Natural Armour +1)
FORT: +11 (Oracle +1, Paladin +3, Con +2, Cha +5)
REF: +7 (Oracle +1, Dex +1, Cha +5)
WILL: +12 (Paladin +3, Oracle +4, Cha +5)
Mystery Spell: Oracle's Burden

Spells:
0 level - Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Spark, Guidance
1st level (8 per day) - Cure Light Wounds, Murderous Command [DC 16], Forbid Action [DC 16], Ill Omen [DC 16], Divine Favor, Bane
2nd level (4 per day) - Cure Moderate Wounds, Oracle's Burden [DC 17], Bull’s Strength

[Unbalanced]

Note: Dual-cursed oracle is the reason for 2 curses.


Also, just a side question, how does the mechanics work if I choose to attack with my sword, and then use my wolfscarred bite attack in the same round?

Thanks.

[JHShadon]

Also, just a side question, how does the mechanics work if I choose to attack with my sword, and then use my wolfscarred bite attack in the same round?

If you use natural attack in the same full attack with manufactured weapons the natural attack is treated as a secondary natural attack which means it gets half STR bonus to damage and a -5 to attack.

I don't have much PF experience so I can't help you with optimization except for linking this Oradin Guide (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?257365-PF-Oradin-Mini-Guide-Or-How-to-be-a-Healbot-minus-the-bot) if you haven't read it.

[Unbalanced]

If you use natural attack in the same full attack with manufactured weapons the natural attack is treated as a secondary natural attack which means it gets half STR bonus to damage and a -5 to attack.


Cheers for that.

[Spore]

Seems solid although I wouldn't advise for bull's strength on oracles. It's VERY useful now but quickly goes into doing nothing. I have started to love "Aid" in the last weeks because it combines a heal and offensive capability. And as you lack Bless you don't have a morale bonus up most of the time. And I would exchange Forbid or Murderous Command for Shield of Faith.

[Unbalanced]

Seems solid although I wouldn't advise for bull's strength on oracles. It's VERY useful now but quickly goes into doing nothing. I have started to love "Aid" in the last weeks because it combines a heal and offensive capability. And as you lack Bless you don't have a morale bonus up most of the time. And I would exchange Forbid or Murderous Command for Shield of Faith.

Thanks, just looking through the spells list, there's definitely some better options for buff spells. I was originally going for a mind-controller sort of approach but soon realised there's not a whole lot of spells that support me specializing in that.

With that in mind, should I take +2 STR at level 4 instead of CHA. Seeing as I'm going away from wanting a high save.
+2 STR or +2 CON would probable be more beneficial....

[Spore]

With that in mind, should I take +2 STR at level 4 instead of CHA. Seeing as I'm going away from wanting a high save.
+2 STR or +2 CON would probable be more beneficial....

There is always the possibility of investing into a Con-belt and keeping Bull's Strength. Casting Bull's Strength over and over again will get tiresome and annoying after a while since it's another turn you're not dealing damage (and unless your combat takes about 7-9 rounds, the wasted round on buffing will actually decrease your damage).

[Unbalanced]

There is always the possibility of investing into a Con-belt and keeping Bull's Strength. Casting Bull's Strength over and over again will get tiresome and annoying after a while since it's another turn you're not dealing damage (and unless your combat takes about 7-9 rounds, the wasted round on buffing will actually decrease your damage).

To be perfectly honest, I don't really like the idea of buffing, but to fill my place in the team, I think I'm going to have to.
Getting magic items is pretty unlikely. My DM works on the premise that magic items are previous and as a result very rarely turn up in shops, so we get what we loot or we get nothing basically.
I'll revise my spells a bit, got for +2 STR to make me hit a bit harder, and continue down the path of Oracle 18/Paladin 2...

[Gabe the Bard]

If you're allowed spells from Mythic Adventures, you could pick up endurance, diehard, and then the 4th level spell Deathless which has a non-mythic version. Basically, you can hold off on dying when you're at negative hit points below your Constitution, so if you have diehard you can stay conscious and fighting. The duration is rounds/level, so you still have to heal up before it expires or gets dispelled, otherwise you're gone for good. I only suggest this because you mentioned being the tank of the group. You could also pick up racial heritage orc and deathless master to keep making full attacks at negative hit points, though that might be overkill.

[Spore]

To be perfectly honest, I don't really like the idea of buffing, but to fill my place in the team, I think I'm going to have to.


Why exactly are you being a spontaneous cleric then? Go for full Paladin with retraining then.

[Unbalanced]

Why exactly are you being a spontaneous cleric then? Go for full Paladin with retraining then.

I love the flavour of a deaf/wolfscarred man with mysterious powers that nobody really understands. Not even himself.

As I said, my original intention was to pump up my DC and go for a mind-controlling sort of feel with a little bit of healing on the side. However, once I looked further at the spells list, I realised the mind controlling stuff was very limited.
It wasn't until we began playing that I realised I'd end up being the tank.
Its only a party of 3 and I'm teamed up with a rogue and an alchemist.
The rogue specializes in feint attacking (hence getting sneak attack bonus every attack) and being a skill monkey, but he can't take many hits before he's down.
The alchemist brews up healing spells for us and uses bombs very effectively from a distance. In melee he's completely useless.
I'm the highest strength, highest constitution, highest AC member of the team, so I've naturally fallen into the tank role.

So, yeah, this isn't at all what I had planned for my character, and admittedly, I didn't do enough research (within PF and within my own team) before we started playing, but this is where we are, so I'm trying to make the most of it.
I still really love the flavour of my character and I don't want to lose those time-controlling revelations.