Mister Obscure (Oracle Archer/Melee Build)
Class Selection: Fighter 1 / Oracle (Wave Revelation & Wasting Curse) 11
Race: Human
Theme: From second level on, you shot unseen from mist and take your enemies out with deadly arrows (Water Sight). Meanwhile, you are an Oracle with healing and buffing as options. You are also an effective melee front liner (through Oracle Spells and Mysteries). You are even an effective scout. This build is human and starts off with one level fighter to jump start the archery theme. After that, it is all Oracle class. This build outline stops are 12th level because that is when the theme of the build has been fully realized.
Stats (25 pt. build): Str (14); Dex (18); Con (14); Int (10); Wis (8); Chr (14).
Stats (20 pt. build): Str (12); Dex (18); Con (12); Int (10); Wis (10); Chr (14).
Stats (15 pt. build): Str (10); Dex (18); Con (10); Int (10); Wis (9); Chr (14).
- Note: +2 Human Stat Bonus was placed into Dexterity.
Stat Level Adjustment: At 4th, 8th, 16th and 20th level put one point into Dexterity. At 12th level, put one point into Chr. Buy a +2 Charisma Headband at 11th level and upgrade it to a +4 Charisma Headband at 15th level to keep you Charisma on pace with your spell casting. Why? Well, you need a Charisma equal to 10 + spell level to cast a spell of a certain spell level.
Campaign Traits: Slippery (+1 stealth & class skill); Eyes and Ears of Society (+1 perception & class skill). These make you into a great scout. Even without them (if your GM does not allow traits) you are still going to be a decent scout. How cool is an Oracle Scout?
Feat/Mystery Selection: F1) Precise Shot, Pt. Blank Shot, Rapid Shot; O2) Water Sight; O3) Deadly Aim; O4) Ice Armor; O5) Weapon Focus (Longbow); O7) Power Attack; O8) Water Form; O9) Manyshot; O11) Clustered Shots; O12) Wintery Touch
- Alternative Feat Selection 1: You could replace Precise Shot at first level with the human alternative trait Duel Talent (gives you an additional +2 to one trait). This would make your Dexterity 20 at first level. You would then pick up Precise Shot at level 3 and Deadly Aim at Level 5. You would forgo Weapon Focus. This route would make you a less effective archer for level 1-4, but an equally effective archer and all around more effective character (+1AC, +1 Dex Skills, +1 Reflex Save, +1 CMD, +1 Initiative) from level 5 on. If your campaign starts level 5 or above, definitely take this alternative option.
Skills (49 pts.): Stealth (10), Perception (12), Acrobatics (12), Escape Artist (12), Climb (3). Note that Oracle skills are horrible. Oracles are Charisma based characters that are given no Charisma based skills. Further, this is an archer build that synergizes nicely with scouting and acrobatics. Thus, this build forgoes Oracle class skills. Also note that Escape Artist synergizes well with the Liberating Command spell you will learn.
Spells Known: 1st) Obscuring Mist, Divine Favor, Cure Light, Protection from Evil, Shield of Faith, Liberating Command, Air Bubble, Mystery Spell (Touch of Sea); 2nd) Weapon of Awe, Cure Moderate, Defending Bone, Resist Energy, Remove Paralysis, Silence, Instant Armor, Mystery Spell (Slip Stream); 3rd) Blessing of the Mole, Channel Vigor, Cure Serious, Invisibility Purge, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Disease, Sky Swim, Mystery Spell (Water Breathing); 4th) Air Walk, Divine Power, Freedom of Movement, Greater Magic Weapon, Mystery Spell (Wall of Ice); 5th) Fickle Winds, Righteous Might, Mystery Spell (Geyser)
- Note 1: Touch of Sea and Sky Swim work well together. Also note that while spells like Divine Favor, Weapon of Awe and Divine Power can make you into a better Archer, this build can use those spells and Righteous Might to become a formidable Melee Fighter. These work well in conjunction with the Water Form mystery.
- Note 2: Obscuring Mist is this builds bread and butter spell.
- Note 3: This build has extra known spells because of the human alternate favorite class selection.
Items: +1 Adaptive, Corrosive, Shocking Longbow Comp (+2) (19k); +2 Greatsword (8K); + 2 Ring of Protection (8K); +2 Amulet of Natural Armor (8K), +2 Headband of Charisma (4K), +2 Belt of Dexterity/Strength (10K); Handy Haversack (2K); Efficient Quiver (1.8K); +3 Cloak of Resistance (9K); Rod of Extend Lesser (3K), Cloak of Elvenkind (2.5K); Boots of Elvenkind (2.5K); Wands & Scrolls – for low level spells you know, but that you don’t want to have to use your spell slots to cast all of the time; Whatever else since there is plenty of cash left over.
Longbow Composite Attack: +18 (two arrows) /+18/+13 (1d8 + 1d6 frost +1d6 shock +1d6 acid +15) – So, 30 points of damage per arrow on average. This attack array assumes that Mister Obscure is using rapid shot, point blank shot, divine favor spell, deadly aim, wintery touch and greater magic weapon. These are logical pre-buffs and/or automatic/free action feats, so he should find himself in such a position often.
- Note – He still has other tricks up his sleeve. The number one trick is casting Obscuring Mist and then shooting from the middle of it. He could pre-buff with Weapon of Awe for an additional +2 damage or Righteous Might to add more Strength Damage to the adaptive Composite Longbow. In times of serious competition, he could pre-buff with Channel of Vigor for a +4 on all ranged attacks or to gain haste. Finally, divine power spell can replace divine favor giving the same +3 to damage/attack while also giving you an extra attack each round. He uses his stealth to get the jump on foes allowing him to pre-buff and to even get a surprise round on occasion.
Greatsword Attack: +20/+15/+10 (2d6 + 20 + 1d6frost) – So, 31 points of damage per hit on average. This attack array assumes that Mister Obscure is using Divine Favor spell, Power Attack and Elemental Form (Water). These are logical pre-buffs and/or automatic/free action feats, so he should find himself in such a position often.
- Note 1: – In this pre-buff state, his AC is 34 using Ice Armor, Righteous Might and Elemental Form. His Constitution increases by 10 giving him an extra 60 hit points.
- Note 2: – He still has other tricks up his sleeve. The number one trick is casting Obscuring Mist and then shooting from the middle of it. He could pre-buff with Weapon of Awe for an additional +2 damage. Divine power spell can replace divine favor giving the same +3 to damage/attack while also giving you an extra attack each round.
- Note 3: – Fight in the mist. Hey, fighting in Obscuring Mist does not have to be limited to using your bow. In this form, you are large with reach, so smack them with an attack of opportunity without them knowing its coming. Those running up to you can’t charge you if they don’t know exactly where you are (no pouncing you). Even when they get five feet away from you they have a 20% miss chance.
Dual Talent specifically says to pick two ability scores. You can’t put both bonuses into Dex.
Looks awesome. I may try this build in PFS.
Have fun
I read up on Obscuring Mist and i don’t get why it’s good. don’t you also get the 20-50% chance to miss and if so why is it so good then i’m am actually very confused
nevermind i’m stupid i just realized it’s because of the water sight revelation
Ha, this is a really flavorful build with power to back it up. Love it.
Can someone explain how he is getting 3 attacks at lvl 12? As far as I can tell, at that level he should have a +9/+4 BaB.
Specifically with the Great sword. Where is that 3rd attack coming from?
Divine power likely.
But you are correct, there is no third attack normally. And with divine favor it should be 20 / 20 / 15
Edit, i mean divine power
Elemental body is a polymorph effect, so any weapons, armor, and gear can’t be used in water elemental form. It’s a revelation, so activating it usrs a standard action. The greatsword strategy doesn’t work in the way you described it.
This build is wildly innovative – 9th level spells, proficiency with ranged and melee options, buff spells, crowd control… What can’t it do? That being said, it’s a mess of overlapping buffs which haven’t been accounted for in the above outline.
Drop Eyes and Ears of the City and take Magical Knack to boost your caster level. A lot of the spells increase in potency every 3, 4, or 6 levels and this will be more useful than extra levels of Perception.
Instant Armor is meh and will almost never be used over the Ice Armor revelation. Drop it and pick up a spell to increase utility in combat like Admonishing Ray or Hold Person.
The Water Form revelation, while powerful, is extremely awkward. As it stands, you have to drop both weapons, your Handy Haversack, and whatever you’re using to cast spells, polymorph into a water elemental, and then pick everything back up. I know this can be done outside of combat, but pre-buffing will almost always lead to the DM pre-buffing whatever you’re about to fight. I’d say swap the Handy Haversack for a Polymorphic Pouch and consider Quick Draw.
Water Form specifies size changes to stats and Righteous Might specifies size changes to stats – these do not overlap. You mention +10 to Con but the best I see is +6 from Large Water Elemental form. With Righteous Might active, you’re at +4 Str, -2 Dex, +6 Con, and +8 to natural armor.
Your AC won’t be quite as high as above after the Water Form transformation and Righteous Might because the bonus from your Amulet doesn’t stack with the natural armor bonus from the elemental form. I got 33 AC due to the -1 from being a large-sized creature. Still very impressive for a switch hitter.
Greater Magic Weapon is an enhancement bonus and will not stack with weapon enhancements. Drop the +1 from the Composite Bow and turn the +2 on the Greatsword in for Impact which will give you 3d6 normal damage and 4d6 while Righteous Might is active.
In the damage numbers above, the only way I can get as high as you did was to cast 2 or 3 buff spells. Greater Magic Weapon is a given but casting Divine Favor, Divine Power, and Righteous Might is three whole rounds you’re not actually helping the party fight a battle. You could cast Obscuring Mist and sit in the cloud while buffing, but if you do that more than once, suddenly every enemy is going to come equipped with Fogcutting Lenses or Scent and your trick is useless. I think you can reasonably assume one buff spell each combat in addition to Greater Magic Weapon.
Forceful Strike might actually be a useful spell with this build to not only increase damage, but buy turns against an annoying enemy. The fact that it can be cast as a swift action is just gravy.