Finding the Spark (Pathfinder 1E Quest)

[X] Only grow stranger as you age and many whisper that you are ill luck upon the tribe. As you grow apart so do you gain a measure of understanding of what you have become and how you might wield it (Oracle)
 
Yep!

My proposed Shadow Oracle build starts off with a +9 Stealth bonus, and it will rapidly increase from there. It will be +14 by 3rd level, if we gain the Cloak of Darkness Revelation, and +19 at 5th level. At 10th level it will be +32, and that's without considering boosts from spells or magic items.

We'll also be able to cast the Invisibility spell at 4th level. We learn Deeper Darkness at 6th level, and that's a potentially devastating spell to use against anything that relies on sight and doesn't have our See in Darkness ability; IIRC, See in Darkness is very rare to find outside of Devils and certain other denizens of the Darklands.

Just because we won't have a Rogue's ability to Sneak Attack doesn't mean we won't be able to pull off good ambushes.
can we only go 7 levels deep in shadow oracle then go full bore into the Shadowdancer prestige class then put the remaining three levels in rogue to get some more rogue talents and some sweat sneak attack dice , if we ever get allowed to go past level 20 then we can go back to finish our Oracle levels or maybe get more sneak attack dice , a hard choice there if there ever was one

also for state spread it goes without saying , charisma for our Oracle and shadowdancer spell casting , dex for the AC , sneaking , acrobatics and trickery boost as our primary stat

intelligence for extra skill points and con a distant second for more survivability as our secondary stats

strength is dump stat and while I don't think dumping wisdom is wise cause perception is important we could always bite the arrow and dump form con
 
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[X] Become first a cook, then a healer of sort, experimenting with strange mushrooms and the meat of beasts unfit even to burn (Alchemist)

[X] Only grow stranger as you age and many whisper that you are ill luck upon the tribe. As you grow apart so do you gain a measure of understanding of what you have become and how you might wield it (Oracle)

[X] Show kindness unbidden to a beast which barely seemed large enough to be thrown in the pot and were rewarded with uncanny power (Witch)
 
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can we only go 7 levels deep in shadow oracle then go full bore into the Shadowdancer prestige class then put the remaining three levels in rogue to get some more rogue talents and some sweat sneak attack dice , if we ever get allowed to go past level 20 then we can go back to finish our Oracle levels or maybe get more sneak attack dice , a hard choice there if there ever was one

also for state spread it goes without saying , charisma for our Oracle and shadowdancer spell casting , dex for the AC , sneaking , acrobatics and trickery boost as our primary stat

intelligence for extra skill points and con a distant second for more survivability as our secondary stats

strength is dump stat and while I don't think dumping wisdom is wise cause perception is important we could always bite the arrow and dump form con
You can advocate for that, but it's not a route I want to take.

IMO, there is no reason to multi-class or progress through a prestige class for most Pathfinder classes, especially something like an Oracle, which gains so many abilities and bonuses based on their level.

We do not need Sneak Attack to be effective, and trying to build for it would mean handicapping pretty much everything else about the build.

If you haven't checked out the Shadow Mystery, take a look at the bonus spells and Revelations. We'll have the kind of stealth by default that a Rogue would struggle to acquire, costing them feats and serious gold, and all of the good Shadow/Darkness spells from the Sorcerer/Wizard list.

There are other goodies, too. For example, the Shadow Projection Revelation, if we select it, will make us an extremely effective scout and assassin.
Shadow Projection (Su): You infuse your life force and psyche into your shadow, causing it to separate from your body and act as an independent creature. This ability functions as shadow projection except as follows. Your shadow has the outsider type and the phantom subtype instead of the undead type. As a result, this ability does not have the evil descriptor and your shadow cannot be turned or affected as undead (though it can be affected as an outsider). You can use this ability for a number of hours per day equal to half your oracle level. These hours don't need to be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1-hour increments. Your shadow's hit points are not replenished between uses, although your shadow can be healed in the same manner as any other outsider. When this ability isn't in use, any healing done to you also heals your shadow for an equal amount. You must be at least 7th level to choose this revelation.
 
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You can advocate for that, but it's not a route I want to take.

IMO, there is no reason to multi-class or progress through a prestige class for most Pathfinder classes, especially something like an Oracle, which gains so many abilities and bonuses based on their level.

We do not need Sneak Attack to be effective, and trying to build for it would mean handicapping pretty much everything else about the build.

If you haven't checked out the Shadow Mystery, take a look at the bonus spells and Revelations. We'll have the kind of stealth by default that a Rogue would struggle to acquire, costing them feats and serious gold, and all of the good Shadow/Darkness spells from the Sorcerer/Wizard list.

There are other goodies, too. For example, the Shadow Projection Revelation, if we select it, will make us an extremely effective scout and assassin.
There's also the neat built in capstone for oracles already.

But we can work this out in game and see what makes sense once we make it that far. No reason to get pinned down to that level of detail this early.
 
[X] Only grow stranger as you age and many whisper that you are ill luck upon the tribe. As you grow apart so do you gain a measure of understanding of what you have become and how you might wield it (Oracle)
 
I'm curious how Oracle will work considering the MC's unfamiliarity with most gods.
 
For my part on this, I think this depends on what you mean by help.

An alchemist can pass out certain sorts of useful material to other people, but the scale at which they can do it is limited by their own time. One person can't be a craft bot for an entire town or city. Especially if we want to go do other things.

The value in PC is in being a PC, and from that perspective it's a lot more debatable and dependent on what you're trying to do.

Edit:

I'm curious how Oracle will work considering the MC's unfamiliarity with most gods.
Oracles are one of the divine casters that don't have a relationship with a particular god as with the domain or concept in general that lets them draw power from whatever patrons are aligned with it.

Not understanding how they got into the class seems like a pretty common starting point for them.

Edit2: Once again, should have refreshed first. Lol
 
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I'm curious how Oracle will work considering the MC's unfamiliarity with most gods.

Oracle is not like a cleric or even a D&D Favored Soul, it is about being touched by the divine in ways you do not appreciate and did not ask for . There is a reason it comes with a curse. On that note I said 'the divine' there and not 'a god' intentionally because while the powers of an oracle can come from pissing off a patricular god (or impressing them and being tested) they do not have to. Oracles have broad themes not patrons, in a thematic sense almost serving as a divine version of the witch, though of course they are mechanically very distinct
 
[X] Wander far into the wilds, finding the company of the beasts that fill the nightmares of your kin to be better at times than their own
-[X] Druid
 
[X] Only grow stranger as you age and many whisper that you are ill luck upon the tribe. As you grow apart so do you gain a measure of understanding of what you have become and how you might wield it (Oracle)

can we go to the starstone and try out the trials if we hit high levels like 18+?
 
Every time something bad happens to Kori: "Is this a test?"

Splits open his wineskin climbing through a crevice in the depths of the earth: "First damnation, now prohibition?"

Burns his food because of his unfamiliarity with cooking with flame: "Surely this too is a curse."
 
[X] Only grow stranger as you age and many whisper that you are ill luck upon the tribe. As you grow apart so do you gain a measure of understanding of what you have become and how you might wield it (Oracle)

can we go to the starstone and try out the trials if we hit high levels like 18+?

I mean you can, not sure if it would be wise, the number of ascended gods is rather limited. I would suggest getting a mythic path to its end before attempting that.
 
[X] Only grow stranger as you age and many whisper that you are ill luck upon the tribe. As you grow apart so do you gain a measure of understanding of what you have become and how you might wield it (Oracle)
 
I mean you can, not sure if it would be wise, the number of ascended gods is rather limited. I would suggest getting a mythic path to its end before attempting that.
oh not even really thinking about doing it so much as seeing what you will and wont write and how far we can travel. its really too far away too attempt it I think it'd be at least 6 years real life of regular updates to do it. Honestly probably more since you have multiple quests you update less in any one than aswah was.

Then again a lot of aswah was in political minutia which personally I loved. But, its not exactly helping level up like adventuring more and more would be.
 
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It's been 24 hours and Oracle has pulled ahead looks like Akorian is going to be blessed and cursed by fate, though more on the cursed side when it comes to inter-personal relationships.
Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Feb 19, 2023 at 3:24 AM, finished with 67 posts and 25 votes.

  • [X] Only grow stranger as you age and many whisper that you are ill luck upon the tribe. As you grow apart so do you gain a measure of understanding of what you have become and how you might wield it (Oracle)
    [X] Show kindness unbidden to a beast which barely seemed large enough to be thrown in the pot and were rewarded with uncanny power (Witch)
    [x] Are pushed too far by your peers and in a moment of strife discover the power within that will mark you for all your days in the eyes of your kin and beyond (Sorcerer)
    [X] Acquire a gift for writing and a love of words second to none; watching and cataloguing powers seen and unseen even as you are ignored (Wizard)
    [X] Become first a cook, then a healer of sort, experimenting with strange mushrooms and the meat of beasts unfit even to burn (Alchemist)
    [X] Call out in the dark places of the world for someone, anyone to hear your voice and give you purpose. Something answers (Summoner)
    [X] Wander far into the wilds, finding the company of the beasts that fill the nightmares of your kin to be better at times than their own
    -[X] Druid
    [x] Only grow stranger as you age and many whisper that you are ill luck upon the tribe. As you grow apart so do you gain a mssure of understanding of what you have become and how you might wield it (Oracle)
    [X] Discover a strange altar of ancient make in your wanderings from which a voice speaks without words, soothing the uncertainties of your soul
    -[X] Paladin
    [X] Barbarian
    [X] Rogue
    [X] Paladin
    [X] Oracle
    [X] Wander far into the wilds, finding the company of the beasts that fill the nightmares of your kin to be better at times than their own
    -[X] Hunter
    -[X] Ranger
    [X] Grow into a fierce warrior, turning the rage at your fellows' disdain against the enemies of the tribe
    -[X] Bloodrager
    [X] Follow the path of the Dancer as best you understand it, those unbound by clan who wander the long tunnels to bind the people to one another beyond the trackless miles
    -[X] Skald
    [X] Discover a strange altar of ancient make in your wanderings from which a voice speaks without words, soothing the uncertainties of your soul
    -[X] Paladin
    -[X] Inquisitor
    [X] Wander far into the wilds, finding the company of the beasts that fill the nightmares of your kin to be better at times than their own
    -[X] Ranger
    [X] Wander far into the wilds, finding the company of the beasts that fill the nightmares of your kin to be better at times than their own
    -[X] Hunter
    -[X] Ranger
    -[X] Druid
    [X] When you first saw a spell being cast by a visiting duregar trader your first questions were how ? , What ? and Why ? , since then you have scrutinized and near obsessed over every bit of magic you could get your hands on trying to answer these questions ,examining their causes and effects along with all the supernatural forces and powers big and small involved to satisfy your curiosity of the arcane. This fascination with foreign sorcery has done little to endear you to the rest of your people ( Arcanist – d20PFSRD)
    [X] Follow the path of the Whisper-Foot, most common among your kin
    -[X] Slayer
 
[X] Are pushed too far by your peers and in a moment of strife discover the power within that will mark you for all your days in the eyes of your kin and beyond (Sorcerer)

[X] Call out in the dark places of the world for someone, anyone to hear your voice and give you purpose. Something answers (Summoner)

[X] Show kindness unbidden to a beast which barely seemed large enough to be thrown in the pot and were rewarded with uncanny power (Witch)

[X] Wander far into the wilds, finding the company of the beasts that fill the nightmares of your kin to be better at times than their own
-[X] Druid
 
Arc 0 Post 3: Unchancy Beginnings
Unchancy Beginnings

Sudden Flame Season

Odd things have a habit of happening when you are around, like that time someone tied a stone rattler to the tail of a dead foot grub and put it under your bed, scaring you half-to-death thinking it was a Death Rattle Worm. Or that time someone left a sweet-core nugget next to your bed as a treat for High Harvest only for it to turn out that 'well-wisher' had dusted it with frothing powder which left you frothing at the mouth all day and unable to eat much of anything at the feast. The only game anyone will play with you is hide-and-go-seek for the chance to rough you around when they find you. It's 'good training' the Mistress Hulkxi, Keeper of the Hall, insists. If an enemy finds you hiding you can expect more than a scuffing, a xulgath's pot or a duergar's chain that's what you'd get, if you're lucky. But you're not dumb, you can see the suspicion she throws you, like you're a new kind of snake in the pantry. She hides it better than the other children, but that doesn't mean she hides it well, not when you're so used to weighing apathy against ill will in eyes high and low, young and old.

When you try to fight back you are outmatched, not silent-footed enough to deal with the eyes paired up like proper, not strong enough to take on more than one or two even when you get lucky. Well, not unless you picked on the littles and that just feels like rolling the shit ball downslope. So you get better at hiding, squeezing down narrow passages and crouching all snug like in sand-worn dips... well snug after you'd nicked the bedding from the hall at least, but if they didn't want you stealing bedding they should have kept Vex from pouring pitch on you while you slept.

Barely coming out to get meals and snatching as much as you can when you do so you won't have to do it more than one time in three, you start to earn something of a reputation. The older kids start warning the younger ones about you, making it out like you're some kind of people-shaped funnel-web, a monster just waiting to snatch them up, but as the tales grow in the telling you start to notice odd things happening to the worst of your tormentors. Ixil tripping in a storeroom and getting so tangled up in the nets that they had to cut him out of it, chewing him up for ruining a perfectly good net, Lurz getting a rash all over her face and hands trying to make itching powder that you later learned was meant to be dumped all over your new bedding.

You change your nook after that, though you start to wonder... is someone, something looking after me? Can you ask for things? Make things happen? Sometimes it feels like the world's holding its breath, balanced like a rat's bone on an egg so that the smallest push can tip it this way or that. Like it is or like I want.

When you think about it that way the fear of the strange power fades before the chance to change things. After all, what do you have to lose?

[] Write in character sheet
OOC: I was going to include some of Akorian getting back at his bullies, but I do not know what skills or spells you guys might be getting to use. Also, I rolled up your starting wealth and you got a better than average roll, 120 gp. That will be wealth you get with your magic one way or another before starting in the wide world. You guys might want to start thinking what you want to buy with it. The duergar traders are going to be in town when the time finally comes to equip yourselves.
 
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