Okay... I am looking at playing a witch in our upcoming RotRL game and we have a bit of an issue: we have 7 players, but only one was interested in playing a cleric, and that of an evil deity, so we have no healing potential at all. While I am never one to expect the cleric to healbot, channelling positive is a great free way to keep peeps alive that we just won't have.
I can't get Craft Wand until 5th... So, I am faced with 3 current options as I see it: audible to my other concept (an Oracle), take the Healing Hex, or just let everyone suck it up and maybe natural selection will turn over a few characters (possibly picking up a divine caster that can heal).
I don't really like the Healing Hex. Not because I think the ability is terrible, but because it has a high opportunity cost. So, I am going to post a mini SWOt (little t because there really aren't any external threats in this analysis) in hopes that some of you can add to it, benefit from it, and/or help me find the right, or another better, decision.
SWOt: Healing Hex
2) Scales a bit at L5.
3) Better than a (Sp) because it is (Su)
2) While it scales, it doesn't scale much or all that well.
3) Feats (which in this case it essentially is, since I will be Extra Hex'ing) are pretty universally worth more than GP, and this ability is usurped after a few levels when we can pick up a wand of CLW, and eliminated by L5 when I will have the ability to make said wands at 1/2 price.
Advice is greatly appreciated. I could probably play the same character concept/story that I am in love with as an Oracle of Bones (maybe even Life, but more contrived) instead of a Witch, but I really want to try the class out.
Sounds like everyone else is playing what they want to play without considering party needs so you should as well, and like you said let nature take it's course.
That being said how about a human witch with both feats at first level going to extra hex. That way you can start with slumber, evil eye, and healing. With such a selfish party make up I would make sure you are only paying 1/7th the cost for any wands of CLW.
Right now it is looking like 2xExtra Hex for: Evil Eye, Cackle and Healing. Planning to take Slumber @2. For the most part, at L1, I think that giving any enemy -2 to ATK for basically a whole combat, save or not, is just as effective as Slumber for 1 rd and I can get it going on a whole mob of enemies if things are going okay.
2xExtra Hex is the best, though... :)
I think the healing hex is overall a good investment, you can even spare a heal for a monster you want to question about it's lair of no good compaions, at it's peak it will be average 19 hp for everyone in the party still and one more for your familiar and possibly animal companions, horses, summons, random travelers and so on.
It is also good to know you only have 1 cure for everyone, so might be that they are a bit more cautious, it seems to me the witch while good is a bit squishy having less ways to ward herself from harm.
While the cleric can not channel for healing he will prolly animate dead as fodder and can do his share of healing still, so you might still be able to manage. Another character with some healing potential would be welcome though, maybe a druid or bard.
Alternatively, pick whatever hex(es) you want, to make your character enjoyable.
Learn cure light wounds as one of your spells though and keep it hush hush.
Another option might be to take Scribe Scroll. If you have enough time this will let you not only make some CLW scrolls for emergencies but back up your familiar to scroll in case the DM decides that killing your spellbook is too fun to pass up. I'm playing a Witch with Scribe Scroll right now, and I find myself going to scrolls a lot. I played an entire session while out of spells last week using mostly scrolls.
Granted, this is kind of redundant with Craft Wands, but I figure that while you can't make a wand of every spell it can be really nice to always have the right spell on hand via scroll. This is especially true when stuff immune to your Slumber hex shows up. Of course if your DM won't give you time to craft then both feats are pretty useless, so you might want to ask in advance.
I suggest collecting a "healing tax" when the party divides treasure.
I really love the healing hex and really don't see a reason not to take it. It is useful...even if the party already has a healer( there is no such thing as too much healing...and allow the regular healer to do otherthings sometimes)...it is a great souce of money and good will w/ NPCs at no real cost to resouces.
But just this alone won't make you the primary healer...Mr. I whorshiped and evil God guy will have to kick in a little healing too...and maybe prepare on or two. If he doesn't I probably wouldn't heal him as he has the power to do so...he could atleast sacrfice a slot for himself considering you are sacrficing a hex or feat to help the rest of the party.
You will also need to buy a wand...but if the entire party chips in( another benefit of such a large party) you should be able to get one by 2nd level.
Goodluck.
large parties also blow through resources faster.
more usage of the healing hex does little to balance the fact that you have to stretch your resources even thinner.
i believe that a party of 6-8 is reccomended to have at least 2 potential primary healers. contributing from sources other than wands. channel positive energy is not quite a neccesity, but it's a pretty darn good ability to have access to.
a big problem with my saturday group is that despite the fact we have 8 players, we have but 1 primary healer who has to stretch his resources rather thinly and my inquisitor doesn't have the ability to fight as many encounters in a given day if she offers even a tiny bit of healing. as her buff resevoir is rather limited and the reckless party lacks tactical ability, lacks group cooperative ability, lacks the ability to efficiently manage resources and generally lacks the ability to optimize efficiently.
If you have a fast familiar, you an use it to heal your party with healing hex. Unlike touch spells, you don't need to be in contact with your familiar to channel a thouch range hex through it. That's especially a good tactic for some of the improved familiars. An earth elemental could heal from under the ground or an Imp or Quasit could stay invisible while doing some healing. Might save you some move actions, so you can keep cackling.