I've been looking at the white-haired witch, and it's got some pretty spiffy grappling abilities, which considering it gives up hexes, it better darn well be spiffy!
But the thing is, even with using INT for grapples, given the awful BAB of a witch, is it really an option at higher levels? I mean, at low levels you're only a point behind, but by level 10 that's a huge disparity from another grapple-focused character, such as brawler, monk, fighter, or barbarian...
My wife -might- join a game I'm in where we're 10th level, and I thought this would be a fun archetype for her to play, but if it's main draw is pretty much obsolete by the level we're at...well... :-/
I'm not terribly familiar with the witch's spell list, but it doesn't seem heavy with self-buffs to compensate for the low BAB (more of a control/debuff list from my previous experience). Am I wrong?
I dunno, does a grapple-focused white-haired witch seem like a good idea, mechanically speaking? I already see it is cool thematically, and this is really just brainstorming at this point.
Wasn't aware transformation was on the witch list. That's a plus, I suppose. There aren't any other, lower level buffs to supplement them?
How does tetori make it more viable? I had a player run a tetori/whw at low levels and she was a grapple beast, but I don't see how this would run into higher levels.
The appeal I found for the grappling was the grab ability and especially the extended reach. The hex magus and regular witch don't seem to get those, IIRC.
Nah, she's not particularly interested - I'm just considering unusual ideas, and as I said this is a brainstorming session. Sadly, it appears you're confirming my suspicions about it, though. :-/
The issue I run into most with the WHW is people forgetting that it takes a standard action to maintain a grapple each round and the hair doesn't grant one. So, if you grab someone on your turn (with the hair), they'll be grappled on their turn, and then on your next turn you have to decide what's worth your standard action.
With some monk thrown in you can grapple one or two targets with your arms and a second with your hair, but you're going to be letting some target(s) go on your next turn. Greater Grapple will let you maintain two.
Transformation is definitely on the Witch spell list. If you're 10th level right now it would only be a 1 level wait to pick it up. If your wife wouldn't mind playing an orc she could potentially play a Scarred Witch Doctor with the Prehensile Hair hex and attack people with her Constitution instead. My girlfriend has a PC like that with 2 levels of Barbarian and the Raging Vitality feat, and her hair is starting to get pretty useful.
It is easy to pick up the Constrict ability via a Belt of Anaconda's Coils. The Belt also gives you a +2 bonus on Grapple checks. It might be kind of a DM call whether the Constrict ability from the belt would let you qualify for the Final Embrace feat. If so then you could also gain the Grab ability, which gives you a big +4 boost on Grapple checks.
Final Embrace (Combat)
Your coils are particularly deadly, allowing you to constrict opponents of your size or smaller.Prerequisites: Str 13, Int 3; naga, serpentfolk, or creature that has the constrict special attack; base attack bonus +3.
Benefit: You gain the constrict and grab special attacks. Your constrict attack deals damage equal to your unarmed strike or primary natural weapon melee attack. Further, you can grab and constrict opponents up to your size.
Normal: You can grab and constrict creatures one size smaller than you.
I think that having the constrict special attack makes you a "creature that has the constrict special attack". That said, the feat is kind of weird since it grants one of its own prereqs and includes some information about Grab which isn't accurate since there's a FAQ which allows you to Grab creatures of up to your own size with Grab unless otherwise specified (as per Bestiary 2)
I think the Scarred Witch Doctor is better for hair grappling not only because you can consolidate into Con and boost that with Rage but because hexes such as Evil Eye can debuff your foes in ways which make them susceptible to your attacks. A -4 to AC is a -4 to CMD, for instance. Barring some crazy ninja trick exploit I haven't thought of I'd say that hexes seem better than the stuff the White Haired Witch gets.
That's true though it seems like WHW still kind of sucks. With the BAB +6 requirement for Greater Grapple and Body Shield a single class Witch has a tough path towards grapple dominance.
I was a big fan of Bride With White Hair when I saw it years ago, and I wish the news on White Haired Witch was better. It just doesn't seem that great though.