I've never made a witch before, but I'm making a Plague Patron Witch (for Animate Dead) for our next campaign. I'm toying around with what might be the best spell to use Spell Hex for at lvl 13 (my lvl 11 feat will be Split Hex). My first thoughts were Hex Vulnerability or Charm Person, but upon further consideration I'm thinking Beguiling Gift.
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Beguiling Gift
School enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting]; Level bard 1, psychic 1, witch 1
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, F (the object to be offered)
EFFECT
Range 5 ft.
Targets one creature
Duration 1 round
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
DESCRIPTION
You offer an object to an adjacent creature, and entice it into using or consuming the proffered item. If the target fails its Will save, it immediately takes the offered object, dropping an already held object if necessary. On its next turn, it consumes or dons the object, as appropriate for the item in question. For example, an apple would be eaten, a potion consumed, a ring put on a finger, and a sword wielded in a free hand. If the target is physically unable to accept the object, the spell fails. The subject is under no obligation to continue consuming or using the item once the spell’s duration has expired, although it may find a cursed item difficult to be rid of.
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I'm immediately tempted to go searching for cursed items to keep for Beguiling Gifts. I'm also thinking about handing out Putrefied Food and Water.
Lvl1 Extra Hex, Extra Hex Evil Eye, Cackle, Misfortune
Lvl2 Fortune
Lvl3 Accursed Hex
Lvl4 Flight
Lvl5 Persistent Spell
Lvl6 Coven
Lvl7 Leadership
Lvl8 Slumber
Lvl9 Extra Hex Scar
Lvl10 Hag's Eye
Lvl11 Split Hex
Lvl12 Agony
Lvl13 Spell Hex: Charm Person
Lvl14 Retribution
Lvl15 Heighten Spell
Lvl16 Major Healing
Lvl17
Lvl18 Summon Spirit
Lvl19
Lvl20 Natural Disaster
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Plague Patron
2nd—detect undead,
4th—command undead,
6th—contagion,
8th—animate dead,
10th—giant vermin,
12th—create undead,
14th—control undead
16th—create greater undead,
18th—energy drain.
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Spells Known (if it says lvl 3 or lvl 4 next to the spell, that's what level I'll be getting that spell at using the Human FCB)
0-lvl
1st lvl Beguiling Gift, Charm Person, Burning Hands, False Life, Comprehend Languages, Cure Light Wounds, Hex Vulnerability, Mage Armor,
Ray of Enfeeblement, Enlarge Person, Cause Fear, Identify - lvl 3, Itching Curse - lvl 4,
2nd lvl Glitterdust, Vomit Swarm, Zone of Truth - lvl 5,
Web, Blind/Deaf, Touch of Idiocy - lvl 6
3rd lvl Dispel Magic, Stinking Cloud, Remove Curse - lvl 7
Lightning Bolt, Remove Disease, Fly - lvl 8
4th lvl Enervation, Black Tentacles, False Life, Greater - lvl 9, Threefold Aspect
Confusion, Dimension Door, Summon Monster IV - lvl 10
5th lvl
6th lvl
7th lvl
8th lvl
9th lvl
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This is what I have so far, any advice/thoughts? I want to capitalize on using the Scar Hex + Split Hex by training ravens to fly to specific places and unleash Hexes on unsuspecting enemies. I also want to capitalize on having 4HD per level worth of Animated Dead monsters, as well as having Leadership+Coven for a myriad of +CL stuff.
Regarding the Fortune hex I've had problems in the past with "but I might need it later" due to its once per 24 hours restriction. I assume you've looked into the Gravewalker archetype? Being able to deliver touch spells at range is awesome and not having a familiar increases your Leadership score by 2. Your initiative might be a little lower but unlike other caster the witch can still use hexes without concentration checks and without provoking attacks of opportunity, so even if you've taken damage or an enemy has closed in you still have options.
The Poison Touch hex can be a nice way of giving your undead/summons/team mates/yourself an rather nasty claw attack. I seem to be obsessed with this hex at the moment
If you're interested in covens and coven magic I'd suggest playing as a changeling. That way you can form a proper coven with 2 other changeling. These are easier to get with Leadership than a hag.
Personally I'd take Sinew Stitch at level 16 instead of Major Healing. I'm pretty sure Sinew Stitch fast healing can be used on undead and it can also be used to restore ability score damage and regenerate limbs/organs.
I had not seen the Gravewalker yet, that's awesome :D I could sacrifice initiative if I had a robust army of Bonethralls and Animate Dead :D
Sinew Stitch? Are you talking about Regenerative Sinew Hex? That would be really nice for keeping my undead alive.
That Aura of Desecration and Ranged Touch Spells with the Poppet looks awesome!
Yeah that's the name, I didn't have time to look it up. Regarding the undead you animate you should consider making use of bloody skeletons as these are difficult to permanently destroy thus saving you gp.
A lesser metamagic rod of extend spell will allow you to control a mindless undead (with no saving throw) for 2 days per caster level with the command undead spell. The Undead Master feat can allow you to animate (but not permanently control) more undead per casting of animate dead. It also doubles the duration of of command undead which presumably stacks with extend spell. The command undead spell works well on a wand since you can control a mindless undead for three days per charge. I'd use the wand on weaker disposable undead and save your spells for the undead you want to keep around.
If you want to make the most use of animate dead you should check out the charnel Soldiers feat; it grants undead you animate a teamwork feat that you know. This can allow you to make use of the betrayal subset of teamwork feats such as callous casting. Also look up necrocrafts.
Another race you might want to consider is the gnome. Their favoured class bonus gives them an extra hex every 6 levels. They can also take the fell magic alternate racial trait for a +1 to necromancy DCs. While they don't get an int bonus, the con bonus is always nice and not having cha in the pits could be useful if you try to control the undead of another spellcaster.
Edited to say: You might want to check out the unique patrons to see any are to your liking. http://archivesofnethys.com/UniquePatrons.aspx
The archetype will override spells granted by the patron.
Also the prehensile hair hex will give you an extra appendage with which to hold your poppet.