Oracle, the eternal doubt...

[NetherVoid]

Hi folks, i’m going to play an oracle in our next campaign and i’ll role an half-elf oracle. We are going to start from level 4 and the party has a half-orc barbarian, a sorcerer and a bard.
I have some options open, but i don’t know which role is better.

- Dark Tapestry (spirit guide) for control and versatility
- Time (arcient lorekeeper) for nice tricks + background reasons
- Life (archetype to choosej for healing
- Wood (spirit guide) for melee support and versatility

for some reasons dual cursed is not an option. All i’m asking is which build do you think can be more useful and fun to play in my party.

Thanks!

[Eldonauran]

Since you are starting at level 4, I'd say play the Spirit Guide Oracle (for sure). Take the Life Mystery if you think you'll be doing a lot of healing, or the Life Spirit If you think it will be a secondary concern.

[Recherché]

Depending on the exact build of the bard and the sorcerer you might already have some extra healing and not need someone heal focused. I personally find Life Oracle healbotting gets boring after a while and wouldn't pick it myself.
Ancient lore keeper sounds like the fluff would be fun but making the most of it does require combing through the spell lists.

[grarrrg]

I personally find Life Oracle healbotting gets boring after a while and wouldn't pick it myself.

Life Mystery>Life Link + Swift action way to heal yourself = Much less "bot" in your heal-bot (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?257365-PF-Oradin-Mini-Guide-Or-How-to-be-a-Healbot-minus-the-bot).

[Seto]

Well, as someone playing with an Oracle of Life in the party, all I can say is that this character makes it much, much easier for the rest of us. She can pump out absurd amounts of healing, Breath of life for unfortunate deaths, Heal in a pinch to make us good as new... She also restores negative levels, ability damage/drain, curses and other nasty conditions. She's a pillar of the party, and I'm very grateful for her. Whenever the player is absent to the session, we're much more hesitant to venture into the dangerous parts of the dungeon.
I think the player is having fun, too. But it's very much a healbot role, it's not very versatile or varied, and not for everyone ; I can't tell you whether you would personally enjoy it.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by NetherVoid
We are going to start from level 4 and the party has a half-orc barbarian, a sorcerer and a bard.

Out of curiosity, what are the other party members focusing on, in terms of their builds?

[Recherché]

Life Mystery>Life Link + Swift action way to heal yourself = Much less "bot" in your heal-bot (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?257365-PF-Oradin-Mini-Guide-Or-How-to-be-a-Healbot-minus-the-bot).

Oradin is a rather different build than your average Oracle though.

[grarrrg]

Oradin is a rather different build than your average Oracle though.

Pei Zin Oracle (http://www.aonprd.com/ArchetypeDisplay.aspx?FixedName=Oracle%20Pei%20Zin %20Practitioner)
Most of the fun of a 'real' Oradin, but 100% Oracle.

[NetherVoid]

Out of curiosity, what are the other party members focusing on, in terms of their builds?
Unfortunately no clue about their builds.

[Geddy2112]

The problem with the dark tapestry is that the sorcerer might be the same control/utility caster. With time, the bard is likely to also be the party textbook and/or smarmy trickster. The barbarian is melee but they could use a second unless the bard spec'ed for melee. Life oracle is never missed and with healing as a passive secondary, you can niche spell to cover the bard sorcerer casting.

I would consider wood or life for those reasons-if you go life and the barbarian is the only frontliner it could be rough times for a while, even if your life oracle is pumping HP into everyone. A life oracle buffing and healing a barbarian is pretty nasty. Even without life, you bring plenty of healing to the party so as a wood oracle you can beat face, heal, and provide that nice divine casting goodness.

Regardless of choice, you are not going to be deadweight as an oracle. Unless you go stone mystery...

[NetherVoid]

I would consider wood or life for those reasons-if you go life and the barbarian is the only frontliner it could be rough times for a while, even if your life oracle is pumping HP into everyone. A life oracle buffing and healing a barbarian is pretty nasty. Even without life, you bring plenty of healing to the party so as a wood oracle you can beat face, heal, and provide that nice divine casting goodness

Thanks. I think i will follow your advice and go Life or Wood, probably the second one. Spirit Guide archetype over Ancient Lorekeeper, ‘cause Wood got good spells and spirits will provide versatility.

For stats we use a 18pts point buy system: STR 16(14+2 racial)
DEX 12
CON 14
INT 10
WIS 8
CHA 16(15+1@4th)

Spirit Guide

Feats
1: Improved Initiative; Skill Focus (?)
3: Extra Revelation

Revelations:
1: Wood Bond
3: Bonded Spirit; Wooden Weapon

Oh yes, Haunted or Legalistic curse!

A good trait?

Pretty standard build, not sure about stats. Later on Wood Armor will allow better DEX bonus than breastplate, but HP are always useful. Also INT to 12 at least would have been interesting to make a good use of Arcane Enlightenment hex from Lore spirit.

Any suggestion?

[grarrrg]

INT 10
WIS 8
CHA 16(15+1@4th)

Spirit Guide

Also INT to 12 at least would have been interesting to make a good use of Arcane Enlightenment hex from Lore spirit.

You may have missed an errata somewhere:
"She uses her oracle level as her shaman level, and she switches Wisdom for Charisma and vice versa for the purpose of determining the hex’s effects."

You're probably going to need WIS 12+ a lot more than INT 12+. (unless your DM let's you use the original printing)

[NetherVoid]

You may have missed an errata somewhere:
"She uses her oracle level as her shaman level, and she switches Wisdom for Charisma and vice versa for the purpose of determining the hex’s effects."

You're probably going to need WIS 12+ a lot more than INT 12+. (unless your DM let's you use the original printing)
Uhm yep, you’re right. This applies only for hex right?