Don't forget that getting constrict from white- haired witch qualifies you for the final embrace feat, assuming you have strength 13. If you get some extra natural attacks, you can make a fairly powerful build with that.
The witch has all the benefits of that feat already as she can constrict anyone her hair can grapple (not just smaller creatures).
I understand that the White Haired Witch is not an amazing archetype, but I really like the flavour of it. This is for PFS, so I need to make sure it's at least viable.
The biggest issue that I can see is that I have low BAB.
Also, it seems I will have to burn a feat on Weapon Finesse because White Hair only uses Int for damage and CMB, not attack rolls more generally.
However, at level two this is made easier with the Constrict ability (swift action).
I could really use some advice. I will be going with White Haired Witch until level 4 (trip and reach) and then going into Master of Many Styles (Kirin Style).
Character level 6:
Dual Talent Human White Haired 4/Monk 2
Str 8 Dex 18 Con 10 Int 21 Wis 12 Cha 10
When I have enough Fame I'll get an Amulet of Mighty Fists. Until then I'll use potions of lesser magic fang or even a wand (UMD +9). Also, I have a headband of vast intellect +2 and a belt of incredible dexterity +2.
White Hair Shocking Grasp
+9 (+12 if they have metal) 1d4+5d6+7 (+10 damage, kirin strike) damage 13-51. All with reach 10, a grab and then constrict (1d4+7,+10 with kirin strike).
Wow. Scarred Witch Doctor is so OP lol. The issue I have with it, I guess, is that it doesn't fit the theme I'm trying to go with. I'm trying to go with the white haired witches that you see in kung fu movies haha.
I'm too new to PFS to start GMing unfortunately. :(
Misfortune is horrible without cackle, and I'm trying to avoid the debuff+cackle thing. I thought I made that pretty clear. Replacing evil eye with misfortune doesn't address my issue.
Hey, I'm trying to build a witch that doesn't follow the typical debuff role. This is for Pathfinder Society, I should add. I'd also like to mention I want it to have an "Eastern" feel to it, so I'd like to draw upon non-Western folklore and such.
I really like prehensile hair (and the idea of the white haired witch, but it seems pretty terrible mechanically). This archetype is one I've seen often in Eastern cinema.
One way of designing something along these lines would be to make a hexcrafter magus and take the prehensile hair hex at level 4. I could get spell strike with reach, but I'm not sure if I can use my arcane pool on my hair (any rules here?). Not sure what feats I should take with this though.
Otherwise I could just build a witch who could do combat (prehensile hair is pretty much usable each encounter so long as you have enough witch levels (probably three or four is when it starts being reliable).
I'm not opposed to taking slumber or evil eye, but I think it would be best if I used them to supplement my combat rather than be cheesy with them. I could imagine a white haired witch putting her enemy to sleep before strangling them with her hair or even cursing them to fumble before striking them with her white locks. I don't, however, want to focus on slumber or evil eye too much.
This spell causes instant growth of a humanoid creature, doubling its height and multiplying its weight by 8. This increase changes the creature's size category to the next larger one. The target gains a +2 size bonus to Strength, a -2 size penalty to Dexterity (to a minimum of 1), and a -1 penalty on attack rolls and AC due to its increased size.
A humanoid creature whose size increases to Large has a space of 10 feet and a natural reach of 10 feet. This spell does not change the target's speed.
If insufficient room is available for the desired growth, the creature attains the maximum possible size and may make a Strength check (using its increased Strength) to burst any enclosures in the process. If it fails, it is constrained without harm by the materials enclosing it--the spell cannot be used to crush a creature by increasing its size.
All equipment worn or carried by a creature is similarly enlarged by the spell. Melee weapons affected by this spell deal more damage (see Table: Medium/Large Weapon Damage). Other magical properties are not affected by this spell. Any enlarged item that leaves an enlarged creature's possession (including a projectile or thrown weapon) instantly returns to its normal size. This means that thrown and projectile weapons deal their normal damage. Magical properties of enlarged items are not increased by this spell.
Multiple magical effects that increase size do not stack.
Enlarge person counters and dispels reduce person .
Enlarge person can be made permanent with a permanency spell.
Prehensile Hair:
The witch can instantly cause her hair (or even her eyebrows) to grow up to 10 feet long or to shrink to its normal length, and can manipulate her hair as if it were a limb with a Strength score equal to her Intelligence score. Her hair has reach 10 feet, and she can use it as a secondary natural attack that deals 1d3 points of damage (1d2 for a Small witch). Her hair can manipulate objects (but not weapons) as dexterously as a human hand. The hair cannot be sundered or attacked as a separate creature. Pieces cut from the witch's elongated hair shrink away to nothing. Using her hair does not harm the witch's head or neck, even if she lifts something heavy with it. The witch can manipulate her hair a number of minutes each day equal to her level; these minutes do not need to be consecutive, but must be spent in 1-minute increments. A typical male witch with this hex can also manipulate his beard, moustache, or eyebrows.
So my questions are: if a witch uses both enlarge person (on herself) and prehensile hair, what is her reach? And, can she still attack adjacent targets?
Also, is there a way to increase the number of times I can use prehensile hair in a day? There doesn't seem to be an "extra hex" feat (probably because most hexes are "once per 24 hours" on any given target).
There's the rub. There aren't actually rules for touching (but not damaging) an enemy with a weapon against the enemy's will. Touch attacks assume that you use whatever means necessary to make contact with the enemy; those means are significantly lessened if you aren't right next to the enemy. Basically, the difference between whipping someone and just touching them (with or without the whip) is much narrower at 15' range than it is when you're right next to them.
That said, I'd allow it, but don't expect all GMs to.
This is the one that actually explains why it doesn't work, thanks.
I think what's being lost here is that I don't mean to actually deal damage.
It's like if I were using a staff and just tapped the person to deliver the spell (not dealing weapon damage), except in this case with a whip.
"whenever a magus casts a spell with a range of “touch” from the magus spell list, he can deliver the spell through any weapon he is wielding [u]as part of a melee attack.[/u]"
At 2nd level, whenever a magus casts a spell with a range of “touch” from the magus spell list, he can deliver the spell through any weapon he is wielding [u]as part of a melee attack.[/u] Instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, a magus can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell. If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. If the magus makes this attack in concert with spell combat, this melee attack takes all the penalties accrued by spell combat melee attacks. This attack uses the weapon's critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier.
Touch Attacks:
Some attacks completely disregard armor, including shields and natural armor—the aggressor need only touch a foe for such an attack to take full effect. In these cases, the attacker makes a touch attack roll (either ranged or melee). When you are the target of a touch attack, your AC doesn't include any armor bonus, shield bonus, or natural armor bonus. All other modifiers, such as your size modifier, Dexterity modifier, and deflection bonus (if any) apply normally. Some creatures have the ability to make incorporeal touch attacks. These attacks bypass solid objects, such as armor and shields, by passing through them. Incorporeal touch attacks work similarly to normal touch attacks except that they also ignore cover bonuses. Incorporeal touch attacks do not ignore armor bonuses granted by force effects, such as mage armor and bracers of armor.
If I use a whip with spellstrike, can I use it just for touch attacks, and not to deal damage, which it can't do with a +1 armor bonus or +3 natural armor bonus.?
For instance, if I want to use chill touch and hit an enemy with my whip with AC 17 and touch AC 13, could I opt to just touch the enemy with the whip to deliver the touch spell rather than attempt to hit the enemy with the whip?
The idea I have is that this halfling was born stillborn as part of a ritual (his parents were being experimented on by a mad wizard). However, while the wizard prepared the autopsy, the stillborn child woke up, fully alive.
At level 1 I could use ray of enfeeblement (as a full round action) at a range of 60 feet 1d6+1 strength penalty (Sanguine gives +1 caster level for necromancy).
This seems pretty lack luster. Is there nothing cooler I can do with this idea?
My halfling weighs 32 lbs and is carrying 9 lbs of equipment, so I'm good.
I can't carry too much, but I'm ok with that for a few levels at least. It also means I have to ride bareback (that -5 penalty really hurt in the last session).
There are down sides to my strategy, obviously, but that's what makes it fun. :)
Build-wise, everything looks good at first glance. I would let the GM know what you're doing before the game, so they can familiarize themselves with the flying rules. You should become an expert on the flying rules so the GM doesn't have to tell you what you can and can't do, or what checks your mount needs to make. That will speed up play significantly.
Also, don't forget that you'll need to make concentration checks when casting from your mount: See the Vigorous Motion while casting rule.
Oh, and make sure that you have all your additional resources. You need the Bestiary to use a Roc animal companion, Ultimate Magic for Toppling Spell and Sylvan bloodline, APG or ARG for the Outrider trait, and possibly more.
Your tactics can make it very hard on the GM and might be considered cheesy. So you need to make sure that you follow the rules very closely. Making concentration and fly skill checks without the GM telling you will go a long way towards convincing them that you're trying to do something cool rather than cheating to break the game. Having all your resources available is another.
As far as where to go with your build in the future: Dazing Spell is the gold standard in metamagic riders. Spell focus and preferred spell are also excellent feats. If you can get the Pathfinder Society Field Guide (I think it's in there) the Boon Companion feat will be a very high priority since your Roc will be at level -3 and therefore stay pretty weak. I'd also consider spending PP for the Mage armor wand. Maybe get a Wand of Ant Haul for your Roc as well.
I thought I only had to take concentration checks when the mount did a double move. Hm... This makes the build a lot less viable.
Also, I'm losing the toppling spell thing. It's not that great I'm realizing.
Also, I intend on getting a Robe of Arcane Heritage (I don't have the book for Boon Companion), but I can't get that until 31 Fame.
I played my first game and everything seemed to go well, but I fell off my mount twice (at really low altitudes). I was playing "First Steps." I didn't really get a chance to fly around and cast. I was always just using the flight to get around my lack of strength (we had to climb a rope). I'm going to give up toppling spell in lieu of Mounted Combat.I'll replace "Magical Lineage" with "Ascendant Recollection" (also in Unlimited Campaign) to increase my effective sorcerer level by one for my first bloodline power (animal companion).
Casting Spells While Mounted:
You can cast a spell normally if your mount moves up to a normal move (its speed) either before or after you cast. If you have your mount move both before and after you cast a spell, then you're casting the spell while the mount is moving, and you have to make a concentration check due to the vigorous motion (DC 10 + spell level) or lose the spell. If the mount is running (quadruple speed), you can cast a spell when your mount has moved up to twice its speed, but your concentration check is more difficult due to the violent motion (DC 15 + spell level).
I'm building my first Pathfinder Society character, and I'd love input!
I played one game with a pregen, but I'm looking forward to having a character that suits me personally!
character background:
Azden Twist-twig is the only child of the great wizardess Ayanna the Forceful and the gifted sorcerer Lyal the Sylvan Scion.
His mother, Ayanna, was a gifted wizardess who specialized in manipulating unseen forces - what she considered to be the purest form of arcane energy.
His father, Lyal, hails from a long line of sorcerers who have fey and sylvan blood. They are well known for rearing a menagerie of animals that range from wolves to rocs.
Azen, as represented by a twig being bent by a mysterious force, is the gifted child of these great arcane magic users. He, like his father, carries sylvan wild-blood and has learned a trick or two from his mother regarding magical theory and the pure power of force.
Handle animal +7, Knowledge (Nature) +6, Ride +10 (-5 for riding bareback, the animal companion isn't strong enough to fly with a saddle), Spellcraft +6 and UMD +8
Spells
0
Detect Magic
Mage Hand
Prestidigitation
Read Magic
1
Magic Missile
Color Spray
the concept:
Azden will fly on "Rocky" (the animal companion) and shoot from his crossbow, fly overhead and color spray, or shoot toppling magic missiles (spell level 1 thanks to magical lineage). His defensive stats aren't great, but having him fly should help.
As I've played one session already, I have 500gp and 2PP. I will be using the PP to get a wand of cure light wounds. When I get 9 Fame I'll purchase a wand of mage armor to help with my low defenses. When I get 13 Fame I will purchase a ring of featherfall (for obvious reasons). I'm not really sure what to build toward with feats. I'm also not sure what else I can do in the future (I don't really play sorcerers often - I'm usually a witch, oracle or fighter).
Ideally I'd like to be a mobile (flying) nature(sylvan)/force themed sorcerer. Perhaps I could specialise in magic missile (although I know that it's not ideal or optimal). Perhaps I could just get a bunch of metamagic feats and do weird things with magic missile? I don't know, I need help with ideas!
The weird thing is: the Axe Beak is listed as available for the druid too, so why would a person need the Axe Beak boon? Or is this for cavaliers and rangers and stuff?
Its for cavaliers rangers and stuff. (paladins, cavaliers, some clerics technically...)
Seran Gee: The first thing to realise is that each class that can have an Animal companion has a set number of companions that they can pick from. Rangers have the most limited number of choices. Druids have the largest number of choices. In the case of the axebeak its not normally available to be taken and thus the boon from the sheet opens it up to be picked. Its currently the only way to get access to the axebeak.
Down the bottom you will see the list Druids have access to. Its a lot. Some can be taken at certain levels etc. Now its up to you to determine which ones are Pathfinder legal (so you should be checking the Additional Resources document you have). The Roc is indeed listed and no you only need to meet the requirements to get that Roc (which is not a boon).
Thanks! This exactly what I needed.
The funny thing is: the Axe Beak is also available to the druid on this list. The difference that I can see is the roc has an "animal companion" entry in Bestiary 1 and the Axe Beak has no such entry in its respective bestiary. Also, I guess the boon could also make the Axe Beak available to other classes such as the cavalier.
So in short: is it the case that any entry with "animal companion" with reference to druids are available for druids?
I am a new player and don't quite understand how boons work yet.
I played a pregen for my first PFS game and
Spoiler:
saw that if you complete all three parts of the Quest for Perfection campaign you get an Axe Beak animal companion boon, which lets you take the axe beak as an animal companion.
I'm currently building a level 1 character and was wondering:
Do I need boons for other animal companions?
In Bestiary 1 it says I can take a roc as an animal companion. Do I need a boon for this?
