Synergist witch


Rules Questions


I love the flavor of the Synthesist Witch but I have this nagging feeling that it kind of stinks.

Symbiosis:
At 1st level, a synergist gains the ability to meld or unmeld with her familiar as a standard action. While the familiar is melded, its body becomes part of the synergist's and can't be targeted or affected by any means (including ongoing effects), though the familiar can still communicate its feelings empathically. The symbiosis causes the synergist to adopt some basic physical features of the familiar and grants additional abilities based on the synergist's level.

At 1st level, during symbiosis the synergist gains darkvision or low-light vision if the familiar possesses it.

At 5th level, during symbiosis the synergist gains any abilities the familiar possesses that are listed under beast shape I, except flight.

At 8th level, during symbiosis the synergist gains any abilities the familiar possesses that are listed under beast shape II. If the familiar can fly, the synergist can fly for a total of 1 minute per witch level she possesses per day while in symbiosis. This duration need not be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-minute intervals.

Additionally, during symbiosis the synergist gains a single natural attack of a type possessed by its familiar.

The attack deals 1d6 points of damage if a primary attack (1d6 for Small synergists) and 1d4 points of damage if a secondary attack (1d3 for Small synergists).

At 11th level, during symbiosis the synergist gains any abilities the familiar possesses that are listed under beast shape III. If the familiar can fly, the synergist can fly for an unlimited amount of time each day while in symbiosis.

At 14th level, during symbiosis the synergist gains any abilities the familiar possesses that are listed under beast shape IV. If the familiar has multiple natural attacks, the synergist gains them all, rather than just one.

This ability replaces the hexes gained at 1st, 8th, and 14th level.


First question: do you lose the familiar bonus (i.e. +4 initiative from greensting scorpion) when melded?

Second question: do you still get the benefit of the alertness feat when melded?

Not quite a rules question: is there something in beast shape that a witch really wants? It seems very melee focused.

Designer

Bat familiar offers blindsense and flight, which is pretty nice (and a great reason to choose something new like a bat, rather than the ubiquitous initiative familiars that don't have anything great for a witch). Another benefit is that nobody can kill your familiar while melded. For a witch that can be pretty important.


Does blindsense let you hex an invisible target? It seems kind of underwhelming to give up three hexes from an archetype to get flight when you can just take one hex to get flight. I guess it gives you a hex back but it would be nice if the archetype gave you something unique.


Blindsense (Ex) wrote:
Using nonvisual senses, such as acute smell or hearing, a creature with blindsense notices things it cannot see. The creature usually does not need to make Perception checks to pinpoint the location of a creature within range of its blindsense ability, provided that it has line of effect to that creature. Any opponent the creature cannot see still has total concealment against the creature with blindsense, and the creature still has the normal miss chance when attacking foes that have concealment. Visibility still affects the movement of a creature with blindsense. A creature with blindsense is still denied its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class against attacks from creatures it cannot see.
Aiming a Spell wrote:
Target or Targets: Some spells have a target or targets. You cast these spells on creatures or objects, as defined by the spell itself. You must be able to see or touch the target, and you must specifically choose that target. You do not have to select your target until you finish casting the spell.

At range:

If it is a targeted effect? No. You know where they are, but if you still can't see them to target them with targeted effects.
If it requires a ranged attack roll? Yes, in which case they get their miss chance from total concealment.

Melee:
Attacks suffer the miss chance.
Targeted effects can be delivered with a touch (but not ranged touch).


Going a little deeper into the familiar list, an octopus lets you pick up a tentacle with grab at 8th level. A pufferfish gives access to a fairly devastating poison at 11th level.

Tetrodotoxin wrote:
Spines—injury; save Fort DC 12; frequency once; initial effect staggered for 1 round; secondary effect paralysis for 1d4 rounds; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.

If you follow the usual druid rule of 10 + 1/2 hit dice + Con then it could be pretty brutal, although I'm not clear on whether you would get the spines.

There are also a few options that give you darkvision and low-light vision, which is tough to do otherwise. Giant Isopod for the truly dedicated front-liner I guess.

I couldn't find any familiars with pounce.

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