Oracle and Misfortune

[SteelDraco]

You could just have them roll twice and take the lower roll. Not as reactive as written, but better at being a debuff power than how it's written. The listed ability is way better to use on allies.

 

[N'raac]

You could just have them roll twice and take the lower roll. Not as reactive as written, but better at being a debuff power than how it's written. The listed ability is way better to use on allies.

This seems like a reasonable alternative. The player doesn't get the advantage of holding the ability until someone gets a roll he doesn't like, and can't use it to buff allies, but the target will always lose the higher roll.

I don't think it's that out of line to simply have the GM make the rolls in the open until the ability is used on the target.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I like it the way it's written, for games where dice rolling is in the open, so that it's both a buf and debuff in use. Frankly, Dual-Cursed's penalties are horrific and you gain almost nothing for it. I see "Misfortune that can also be used on self and allies for benefit" as the whole (mechanical) reason to take the archetype at all. Seriously, the archetype is really really painful, especially at 1st level when you're eating a whole other curse and no benefit of additional class skills for...the ability to take misfortune with your revelation slot and pretty much no other benefit at all.

 

[SteelDraco]

Fair. If it's as good a buff as a debuff it needs a better name. If the intent is strictly debuff (which doesn't seem to be the case) it needs to be reworked.

 

[Jadeite]

Having seen Misfortune and Dual Cursed Oracles in play, it's an extremely powerful ability. One might say overpowered.
I roll in the open, though.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Meh, the same book that introduced D-C Oracle also introduced a no pre-req (other than CL) mid level feat that lets any Cleric or Druid duplicate the debuff ability of Misfortune as many times a day as they have 1st level pearls of power to burn, without the annoying part about not knowing the result before you choose to use. It explicitly says you use it AFTER your ally is hit.

Considering Cleric is already more powerful than Oracle and, again, D-C Oracle other than Misfortune is a giant pile of suck...it doesn't worry me that much.