This seems like a reasonably solid build for a Pathfinder Metal Oracle. Here's one way to increase both readiness and damage output.
You said your primary concern is maximizing damage output, and also that you are concerned about surprise attacks and over-reliance on buffing. Things I don't see, which directly address your primary concerns are a reach weapon and the Combat Reflexes feat. Combine these with tactical positioning and get both your martial and spell abilities into action on Round One. My experience shows that this approach will roughly double your damage output through level 9. Maybe this is already your plan, but you don't say so. This would be one way to take this character concept to the next level (pun intended).
Combat Reflexes (Combat)
You can make additional attacks of opportunity.
Benefit: You may make a number of additional attacks of opportunity per round equal to your Dexterity bonus. With this feat,
you may also make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed.
Normal: A character without this feat can make only one attack of opportunity per round and can’t make attacks of opportunity while
flat-footed.
Basically, you cast spells with your Standard Action and inflict damage with AoOs. This works surprisingly well in Pathfinder. This historical battlefield combat style is called 'pike-and-shot' and dominated European battlefields for several centuries. This build first became prevalent with Reach Clerics, but the principle of improved action economy also benefits Oracles.
The Combat Reflexes feat is doubly important,because it both gives you iterative AoOs and also lets you take AoOs before your first action, which is especially important in ambush situations.
Here's an example of how this approach might play out in Pathfinder combat:
Two orcs are rushing a PC who wields a long spear. The PC has the
Combat Reflexes feat and a 12 DEX. The orcs are both 20' away when the
PC wins initiative. What are some of her options?
Option A - PC rushes the orcs and attacks. She takes one attack from
10'. Both orcs 5' step and attack. She rolled one attack, while the
orcs got two.
Option B - PC holds her ground, readies an action to attack the first
foe to come within reach, and ends her turn. Both orcs run up to her
and attack. Her readied action goes off first, giving her an attack
against the first orc. It survives and keeps coming. She gets an AoO
against that same orc, possibly killing it before it attacks. The
other orc runs up, and she gets another AoO. She rolls three attacks,
versus only one or two from the orcs.
See how that works?
Advanced trick: Move away! Say two orcs have closed on our doughty
PC,intent on slaying her. It's her turn again. What are some options?
A. She 5' steps away and attacks an orc. On their turn they close and
attack. She's trading one attack for two until she can kill one.
B. She moves away, giving each orc an AoO. For her Standard Action she
readies an action to attack the first foe to come within reach. If the
orcs rush her she gets her readied attack, and another AoO versus each
orc as it approaches. She trades three attacks for their 4 attacks,
unless she manages to kill one. Not great, but better than option A.
C. She uses Acrobatics to tumble 15' away. Probably it will work but,
worst case, the orcs might get an AoO. She's now wounded, so she
decides to cast Cure Light Wounds on herself. She can cast safely, as
no foes are close. The orcs rush and attack. She gets an AoO against
each. She's now trading her one spell and her two attacks for two
attacks from the orcs.
