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First of all, well done! The revised Magus sounds like tons of fun, and fixes almost all the problems I had with the first playtest version. However, it occurs to me that there is never any reason to use Spellstrike with Spell Combat. Using spell combat alone gives the extra free touch attack. Since spellstrike doesn't give an additional attack, it only makes that touch attack carried by one of the normal attacks. That it, it gives it a much lower chance to it, with no discernable benefit. IMO it would be better if spellstrike gave an additional attack, at a -2 penalty, when combined with spell combat. The lowered chance to hit with the spell attack is worth the potential for extra damage, IMO.
I wrote some of the following in another thread, but it's a different enough idea that I think it deserves its own thread. There seem to be three basic archetypes of witch that people think of, and this can be most clearly seen in the threads about whether they should use intelligence, wisdom, or charisma as their casting stat. In his thread describing an alternate witch class, SmiloDan wrote this:
SmiloDan wrote:
I really like having different "builds" for witches, since the witch encompasses many different archetypes. I would probably change the titles though, to be more gender-neutral: Enchanting Witch, Wise Witch, and Cunning Witch. Also, cunning witches really should have Bluff and Disguise as class skills, and enchanting witches shouldn't have disguise. The quintessential western cunning witch is the sleeping beauty queen, who uses disguises and trickery. The witch in Stardust is also a manipulative, disguise-wearing crone. Each witch role could be tied to a different casting attribute. Enchanting Witches could base their spells and hexes off of Charisma, Wise Witches could base their spells and hexes off of Wisdom, and Cunning Witches could base their spells and hexes off of Intelligence. (If going this route, I would recommend raising the witch's skill points to 4/level, so enchanting and wise witches have enough points for their archetypal skills.) Each witch role could also have additional bonuses to certain spell types. Perhaps enchanting witches could add +1 to the save DCs of their enchantment spells, and cunning witches could gain the same for their necromancy and transmutation spells (the curses, basically). Wise witches could be better at healing and divination. I really like this approach to making witches more interesting and flexible. It goes a long way to making the witch feel like its own unique class. SmiloDan also wrote the following:
SmiloDan wrote: Hag Apotheosis (Ex). At 20th level, the Witch gains some of the qualities of the Night Hag. She becomes an Outsider (native, augmented humanoid (or whatever type she was before)). She is immune to Charm, Fear, and Sleep Effects, has Cold Resistance 20, Fire Resistance 20, and gains DR 10/cold iron and magic. I love the idea of a witch becoming an Outsider at 20th level, with the qualities of a hag. It's especially good if it makes the witch count as a hag for the purpose of forming a Coven. I don't think the energy resistances are necessary though. You should also add the following, cribbed from the Monk's Perfect Self capstone: "Unlike other outsiders, the witch can still be brought back from the dead as if she were a member of her previous creature type."
I've seen several suggestions, scattered among various threads, that some "witchy" spells are missing from the witch's spell list, and should be added. I thought it would be helpful to consolidate them. I avoided adding the spells from the Familar-specific spell lists, since the designers' intent was obviously to keep those restricted to certain kinds of witches. Spells to Add
Spells to Make Lower Level
New Spells that should be invented and added
Edited: to remove augury and speak with dead from the list, because those are the functions of a Coven.
I was just reading through the Witch's spell list, in preparation for converting my wizard into one, and was very surprised to see that Witches don't get any shapeshifting spells at all, aside from alter self. This seemed very strange to me, because I see shapeshifting as one of the archetypal witch abilities. Cursing, healing, flying on brooms, enchantment, and shapeshifting are the archetypal witch abilities. Even stranger, some of the familiars give access to beast shape, animal shapes, and shapechange, even though none of those spells are on the witch's spell list. Was this an intentional design decision, or an oversight?
I was surprised to see that the majority of the witch's hexes are touch range. Witches have poor hit points and BAB, so should avoid melee range at all costs, but their hexes force them to get into the middle of the fight. It also doesn't suit the flavor IMO. In stories, witches hex their opponents by speaking to them, or by gazing at them with the evil eye. A 30' range would be more appropriate. This is arguably stronger, since it doesn't require a touch attack, but almost all the touch-range hex attacks also give a saving throw anyway. By the rules as written, a witch also can't use his familar to deliver hexes, only to deliver spells. Of course, it's downright stupid for a witch to put his familiar (i.e. living spellbook) anywhere even close to harm's way, but that's a topic for another thread. |