I'd like to see some tips vs. undead and similar foes in this guide. It seems a bit of a blind spot for the witch, as a lot of good witch spells won't function against them, as well as some hexes (evil eye, slumber). It's basically out of caution for these types of foes that I'm taking Web (though a fine spell on its own) and Enlarge Person (the witch seems considerably more limited when it comes to buffing than debuffing).
There are plenty of good options for a witch when fighting undead. Just off the top of my head:
- 1. Misfortune + Cackle
- 2. Facing hordes of undead? No worries - Healing hex. Just keep healing those hordes from 30 feet away
- 3. Fortune + Cackle to keep your own party buffed as they plow their way through the undead.
- 4. Flight hex - just levitate or fly above the party out of harm's way while you employ tactic 1. or 3.
- 5. When you're low level, even spells such as burning hands can be useful.
I'm sure there are countless other options. There just the few I thought of quickly off the top of my head that would work from low levels. There is more to a witch than just Evil Eye and Slumber.
Healing Hex is touch range I think (how are you getting it at 30ft?), as well as low damage that they can save to take only half of, which doesn't really strike me as very useful. Better than nothing, but still, I'd rather buy wands of CLW than take the healing hex.
Burning Hands does seem a decent option at low levels, yeah. But many of the witch tools are mind-affecting.
I like Fortune, and will definitely pick it up, though that it's only good for one fight for that ally makes me cautious. Because of that it seems the lesser of Misfortune (unless enemies often come in hordes and debuffing one at a time is a misuse of time).
Here's the witch I made (lvl3, 25 PB) with "maybe undead" spell choices, while assuming foes that can be mind-affected for hexes. I've taken a look at the book, though I'm all for suggestions. I agree that Extra Hex really does seem like gold for witches. Eldritch Heritage is just a bit of fun (oh the RP uses for making people burst out laughing with no save at social occasions. Also handy for getting out of a grapple?)
http://www.dndsheets.net/view.php?id=24329
I'm probably going to pick up Flight at lvl 5, and maybe Extra Hex for Fortune or Misfortune. I'm afraid that by having Evil Eye, Slumber, and Misfortune, I'm overloading on single-target hexes at the neglect of area control, but misfortune isn't mind-affecting, so it has that...
Not a huge fan of Ward because it doesn't stack with common magic items, and it gives monsters a bigger incentive to attack frail ol' me if they can't hit my tough as stone allies. I like to give out offensive party buffs more.
Healing Hex is touch range I think (how are you getting it at 30ft?)
My bad. Should have checked my book before posting.
Reading through it, nice guide, but I'd downgrade the Shadow patron. Shadow conjuration and Shadow evocation got a major nerf, with only a 20% chance of an effect occuring, e.g., a web, it is probably not blue anymore.
I'd like to see some tips vs. undead and similar foes in this guide. It seems a bit of a blind spot for the witch, as a lot of good witch spells won't function against them, as well as some hexes (evil eye, slumber). It's basically out of caution for these types of foes that I'm taking Web (though a fine spell on its own) and Enlarge Person (the witch seems considerably more limited when it comes to buffing than debuffing).
Misfortune is good against undead, though it can sometimes be a crap shoot; if they make the will save, you don't get a second shot (unless you took the feat). Your buff hexes come in handy, though. My party members will never turn down a Fortune. Shame it's not a mirror of the Misfortune hex, though. Retribution is a great hex, though, and I don't see why it wouldn't work against undead. Plus, if your target is lucky enough to make their save, you can always just try the hex again.
If you know you're gonna be up against undead, the Thanatopic and Threnodic Spell metamagic feats from UM are a must-have. The first lets you bypass negative energy resistances and immunities and use your handy-dandy negative energy spells against undead (and people with death ward and similar spells up) with the same effect they'd have against a living target. Threnodic Spell lets you use mind-affecting spells against undead (but a spell modified by this feat won't work against a living creature). Both require six ranks of Knowledge (religion) and Spell Focus (Necromancy) as a prerequisite. +2 spell level adjustment. Alternately, get a metamagic rod (or two, and pick up the Prehensile Hair hex). These feats will let you get more mileage out of the bulk of your spells.
If your party has a cleric, pick up some divine spells and prepare them. That way, your witch can take on the typical cleric role in a battle, freeing the cleric up for things like channeling.
I'm playing a witch in Carrion Crown, but it's rare that I've been in a fight where there's absolutely nothing I can do. Heck, my witch was even a meat shield in one fight after the party's main melee combatants got mummy rot and ran out of HP. I don't recommend doing this often, though.
Hope you don't mind me adding this guide to the Guide to the Guides.
Hope you don't mind me adding this guide to the Guide to the Guides.
Not at all. Be my guest.
If you know you're gonna be up against undead, the Thanatopic and Threnodic Spell metamagic feats from UM are a must-have.
This is the first I have heard of these feats. I'll check them out as they sound interesting.
A couple of corrections:
1) The description you give in the guide for the Reincarnate spell says that the spell can be used against undead. I don't think that's actually the case, however. The spell description says, "A creature that has been turned into an undead creature or killed by a death effect can't be returned to life by this spell. Constructs, elementals, outsiders, and undead creatures can't be reincarnated." That suggests to me that the spell would fail against undead.
2) You have Cloak of Dreams listed as a terrible spell because it just dispels illusions. Clock of Dreams is actually a pretty awesome spell; any creature that starts or ends its turn within 5 feet of you save or fall asleep for a minute. This, IMO, makes it even better than the slumber hex, as you can use it against multiple targets with one casting (1 round/level, so at least 11 rounds by the time a witch can cast it, which is plenty long enough to end the fight). Also, creatures with scent take a -4 penalty against this spell. No HD limit, either. This spell is at least a green, though I'd put it at a blue.
The spell that dispels illusions and such is Banish Seeming, and I agree that it's a terrible spell. Could be handy against druids, as it would dispel Wild Shape, but not really worth prepping unless you know you'll be facing a druid BBEG, or something.
Hi guys, I'm going to throw my $0.02 in.
let me start off by saying that I love the guide articals. They're a fantastic place to start when you're trying something new, and are a real service to the community. Keep up the good work.
However i noticed one spell that was getting an undeservidly bad rating:
Chill touch.
Against the living, one star is about right, and it only gets worse at higher levels. what's not getting accounted for is the tiny little clause at the end... which makes this spell at least two stars (because it only works on undead.)
When used on the living dead, this first level spell is a multi-target save or lose with no HD cap. Its only real flaw is touch range, something that can be taken care of by prehensile hair or spectral hand, and the fact that undead tend to have fairly solid will saves. Notwithstanding this, the spell is a true boon to low level witches, who tend to struggle against undead foes.
It gets even better if your DM lets both you and your familiar use up the charges, effectively doubling your output per turn.unless metamagic is applied its usefullness ends by about 5th level, though persistant spell can extend its life somewhat.
It should also be mentioned that while you can't cast spells while holding a charge, you can still use your hexes without losing your remaining touches. Combine that with your familiar doing the touching (preferably while under the effects of improved invisibility or similar) and you have a virtual 'I win' combo against the undead: misfortune or evil eye, then persistant chill touch. 'Right, make a will save and roll two dice, taking the lowest. You passed? Ok, do it again!' at four saves a round, even saving on a roll of 5+ isn't a sure-fire defense.
As for it being a save or lose spell... well, you have seen what panic does to you, right?
Against the undead this spell is solid gold, particularly for a witch. If you're using it against the living then something, somewhere has gone horribly, horribly wrong.
if this has already been said somewhere, then sorry for the repeat.
Thanks for reading, and have fun playing.
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A couple of corrections:
1) The description you give in the guide for the Reincarnate spell says that the spell can be used against undead. I don't think that's actually the case, however. The spell description says, "A creature that has been turned into an undead creature or killed by a death effect can't be returned to life by this spell. Constructs, elementals, outsiders, and undead creatures can't be reincarnated." That suggests to me that the spell would fail against undead.
They changed reincarnate on me, it used to be a valid tactic against undead.
2) You have Cloak of Dreams listed as a terrible spell because it just dispels illusions. Clock of Dreams is actually a pretty awesome spell; any creature that starts or ends its turn within 5 feet of you save or fall asleep for a minute. This, IMO, makes it even better than the slumber hex, as you can use it against multiple targets with one casting (1 round/level, so at least 11 rounds by the time a witch can cast it, which is plenty long enough to end the fight). Also, creatures with scent take a -4 penalty against this spell. No HD limit, either. This spell is at least a green, though I'd put it at a blue.
It's rated that way because of the requirement of the target having to START or END it's turn in the field. This requires your witch to move up to the big bad and stand in full attack range (and hope the target doesn't get an AoO on you for moving next to it) and hope it fails it's save. This is generally considered a bad tactic, a good witch keeps it's distance.
The spell that dispels illusions and such is Banish Seeming, and I agree that it's a terrible spell. Could be handy against druids, as it would dispel Wild Shape, but not really worth prepping unless you know you'll be facing a druid BBEG, or something.
Hi guys, I'm going to throw my $0.02 in.
let me start off by saying that I love the guide articals. They're a fantastic place to start when you're trying something new, and are a real service to the community. Keep up the good work.However i noticed one spell that was getting an undeservidly bad rating:
Chill touch.Against the living, one star is about right, and it only gets worse at higher levels. what's not getting accounted for is the tiny little clause at the end... which makes this spell at least two stars (because it only works on undead.)
When used on the living dead, this first level spell is a multi-target save or lose with no HD cap. Its only real flaw is touch range, something that can be taken care of by prehensile hair or spectral hand, and the fact that undead tend to have fairly solid will saves. Notwithstanding this, the spell is a true boon to low level witches, who tend to struggle against undead foes.
It gets even better if your DM lets both you and your familiar use up the charges, effectively doubling your output per turn.unless metamagic is applied its usefullness ends by about 5th level, though persistant spell can extend its life somewhat.
It should also be mentioned that while you can't cast spells while holding a charge, you can still use your hexes without losing your remaining touches. Combine that with your familiar doing the touching (preferably while under the effects of improved invisibility or similar) and you have a virtual 'I win' combo against the undead: misfortune or evil eye, then persistant chill touch. 'Right, make a will save and roll two dice, taking the lowest. You passed? Ok, do it again!' at four saves a round, even saving on a roll of 5+ isn't a sure-fire defense.
As for it being a save or lose spell... well, you have seen what panic does to you, right?
Against the undead this spell is solid gold, particularly for a witch. If you're using it against the living then something, somewhere has gone horribly, horribly wrong.
Couple things to say about this
Any DM that is letting both you and your familiar use charges is making a horrible mistake. However, you make a good point and its probably worth bumping up to two starts with a footnote that states for use on undead only.
It's rated that way because of the requirement of the target having to START or END it's turn in the field. This requires your witch to move up to the big bad and stand in full attack range (and hope the target doesn't get an AoO on you for moving next to it) and hope it fails it's save. This is generally considered a bad tactic, a good witch keeps it's distance.
Against a single big bad, just use your slumber hex. Cloak of Dreams is for when you've got multiple baddies you want to take down. Plus, by the time you hit 11th level (the earliest you'd be able to cast Cloak of Dreams), you've got options that make wandering into melee less of a problem. Invisibility is an obvious choice, and if your patron doesn't give you that spell, your UMD should be high enough that you'd have a reasonable chance of casting the spell with a scroll or wand. Since you don't need to spend a standard action to put people to sleep after casting the spell, you can also drop a Glitterdust on a group of baddies to blind them before you wander into melee to put them to sleep. Cast Obscuring Mist when you get into melee so the baddies can't see you in order to hit you. Cast Eruptive Pustules on yourself. <a href="http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/d/dust-form">Dust Form</a> (from Ultimate Combat) is also handy if you need to go into melee; you become incorporeal, so those who manage to stay awake only deal half damage if they manage to hit you.
Plus, you're still able to drop spells and hexes while making more enemies fall asleep at your feet, assuming there are any left standing to use a spell/hex on.
I fully intend to use this spell the first chance I get. (I also have 16 Con, so I can take a couple of hits to the face before I drop. Very handy, that.)
FuelDrop, you won't be able to use Evil Eye against undead, since they're immune to mind-affecting stuff. Misfortune will still work, though.
Lets add some Ultimate combat spells to the list
Level 1 spells
Air bubble*- Super circumstantial, I might teach it to my familiar if I found it, but don't pay for this one.
Compel Hostility*** - Plan this out a little to get some nasty results, the spell doesn't mention what happens if the enemy cannot reach or pinpoint you so I would rule that they just look at you angrily whilst shaking their fist. use cover, fog, webs to avoid ranged attacks and if they have to hit you in melee just fly away.
Damp Powder* - Surely you have a better use for your actions? Do note however, that gunslingers do not get spellcraft.
Jury Rig* - touch range, doesn't actually fix the object and the duration is short so it would have to be cast in combat. Skip it just cast mending later.
Lock Gaze** - I like compel hostility better as it can affect more than one target and it works across multiple turns. Remember that if you choose to use this that positioning is key.
Negative Reactions** - Circumstantial, but decent for that one awkward situation where you can't just kill the guy talking circles around your party. Work against feinting and demoralizing too.
Peacebond** - Its decent, but I have better things to do during my surprise round or round one of combat. Most people carry backup weapons anyway.
Reinforce Armaments* - Can't see myself giving up a slot for this or paying for it, not worth my time. If your worried about sundering just make sure the guy with fragile armor doesn't get hit in the first place.
Unerring Weapon* - Only adds a bonus to critical confirmation rolls, pass.
Weaken Powder* - *See Damp Powder*
Level 2 spells
Adoration** - Someone at some point is going to use diplomacy for something, make a scroll or two.
Bestow Weapon Proficiency* - Not very useful, your allies should not be picking up weapons their aren't proficient with anyway.
Destabilize powder* - either of the two level one firearm based spells are better than this.
Frost fall** - 2d6 damage no save, possibility to be staggered, damage to anyone that starts their turn in the area. Good spell for a surprise round at low levels and for mobs, shame that it doesn't scale with level.
Mask Dweomer, Communal* - Still a so-so spell, just one level higher casting with a split duration option.
Mount, Communal** - Summon mounts for your party, not bad.
Qualm** - Good against certain builds, but the target can dispel it just by doing nothing for a round.
Recoil Fire* - Still waiting for a good firearm spell, nothing substantial here just skip it.
Reinforce Armaments, Communal* - *See reinforce armaments*
Returning Weapon* - Aside from shuriken and the occasional dagger I have never seen thrown weapons, and nobody I play with has ever paid for the returning property. No thanks.
Stabilize powder* - Where are the good firearm spells?
Thundering Fire* - Had potential here, but the short range and poor status effect isn't worth it in my book.
Level 3 spells
Delay Poison, Communal* - Not a fan of the communal spells, stick with a few scrolls of the standard delay and hold out for full fledged neutralize if poison is that big of a problem.
Flash Fire**- Blinded is much better than deafened, range is the same. Not a great firearm spell but its at least usable, baby steps.
Hostile Levitate* - Not worth its level for the effect it produces.
Healing Thief** - Once again minor effect for its level at this point were competing with spells like fly, heroism, ray of exhaustion, stinking cloud, suggestion, etc. this spell can't compete in my book and if I really want to heal in combat with a third level spell vampiric touch is probably just as good an option.
Pup Shape* - Not a lot uses I can think of for this, if anybody can think of a good one let me know.
Returning Weapon, Communal* - Any good communal spells out there? Contingency, Communal please?
Compel Hostility*** - Plan this out a little to get some nasty results, the spell doesn't mention what happens if the enemy cannot reach or pinpoint you so I would rule that they just look at you angrily whilst shaking their fist. use cover, fog, webs to avoid ranged attacks and if they have to hit you in melee just fly away.
Take another look at the spell's description:
Whenever a creature you can see that threatens you makes an attack against one of your allies, as an immediate action, you can compel that creature to attack you instead.
Looks like this spell would only work if you're within thumping range. You have to be able to see the creature you're going to compel (so, no fogs), and you must be in melee with that creature (so no being in the air out of reach). A very poor witch spell, but quite handy for summoners (who can have their eidolon be the target), paladins, and rangers (who have better AC and are more likely to be in melee anyway).
Lock Gaze is definitely better than Compel Hostility, since you don't have to be in melee for it to work. No fogs, since you need line of sight, but you can be in the air and out of reach.
Compel Hostility*** - Plan this out a little to get some nasty results, the spell doesn't mention what happens if the enemy cannot reach or pinpoint you so I would rule that they just look at you angrily whilst shaking their fist. use cover, fog, webs to avoid ranged attacks and if they have to hit you in melee just fly away.Take another look at the spell's description:
Whenever a creature you can see that threatens you makes an attack against one of your allies, as an immediate action, you can compel that creature to attack you instead.Looks like this spell would only work if you're within thumping range. You have to be able to see the creature you're going to compel (so, no fogs), and you must be in melee with that creature (so no being in the air out of reach). A very poor witch spell, but quite handy for summoners (who can have their eidolon be the target), paladins, and rangers (who have better AC and are more likely to be in melee anyway).
Lock Gaze is definitely better than Compel Hostility, since you don't have to be in melee for it to work. No fogs, since you need line of sight, but you can be in the air and out of reach.
Nice catch, my bad so that would make compel hostility a one star and lock gaze a three.
want to make a quick comment on the frostbite spell. if your witch is built around using hexes in combat (and many are) this spell is awesome. it scales like no other first level damage spell, and at level 9+ it beats most save or die spells for raw damage potential. (at 9th level it does 1d6+9 damage with no save up to nine times. minimum 90 damage if all touches are used.) as you can use your hexes without disrupting your remaining charges, it works wonders with your familar as toucher and you debuffing the foe with evil eye/cackle. for maximum awesome i recommend adding mage armour and false life to your familar (you should be doing that anyway), plus reduce person, cats grace and heroism. on a cat you get claw/claw/bite for three charges a round, or from 33 to 48 damage per round if all hit (attacks are at about +16 {+4 bab +5 dex + 4 size + 2 heroism} or so, and if you're at all careful kitty's AC should be quite considerable as well.) add rime so that every attack entangles, and kitty should be able to make mincemeat out of anything foolish enough to try and disturb your cackling. this spell becomes among the best damage spells in the game at high levels, with a theoretical max damage of 20d6+400 with no save... for a first level spell! combines well with rime spell, reach spell... you get the idea. if you throw it and transformation (another red spell) on kitty then your familiar can theoretically power down a dragon with CR equal to your level... without aid! reference
please consider upgrading this spell from its lowly one-star status, as it is one of the best-scaling combat spells on the witches list and one of the best value for money spells in the game.
Miserable Pity is a horrible spell. It's like Sanctuary, except worse and higher level.
I'm not seeing the love on Threefold Aspect.
So yeah, 16,000 gp you saved. For that, you lost 2 skill points per level, a 4th level spell slot every day, 2 points of dex and str. Or, in other words, you can spend 16000 on the headband, or you can spend 16000 on a 4th level pearl of power to get your spell slot back, and 10,000 for a belt of physical might to get your str and dex back. You could say forget the str, but no one's going to say forget the dex. If you forget the str, since you probably dumped it, you're looking at a dangerous 5-6 str range. And you're just out of luck on the 2 skill points per level. I'd probably be more likely to use Threefold Aspect for raising the str and dex than raising the int. Still not worth 1 casting every day in my head.
Got the 3rd level spells
3rd-Level Witch Spells
Cackling Skull** - 2 stars solely because the innovative will undoubtedly find some genius use for this, but I just don't see it.
I know I am a bit late to the party, But I gotta disagree with you pipedreamsam. The duration on the skull is Permanent. Set the trigger to when the skull is dropped. Now you can drop it at the start of combat (a free action) and make every enemy shaken. This lowers their saves.
You can stockpile 50 of the little buggers and have them for every encounter. Its like a quickened spell that does not take up a spell slot. I'd rate it 3 or 4 stars.
I'm not seeing the love on Threefold Aspect.
So yeah, 16,000 gp you saved. For that, you lost 2 skill points per level, a 4th level spell slot every day, 2 points of dex and str. Or, in other words, you can spend 16000 on the headband, or you can spend 16000 on a 4th level pearl of power to get your spell slot back, and 10,000 for a belt of physical might to get your str and dex back. You could say forget the str, but no one's going to say forget the dex. If you forget the str, since you probably dumped it, you're looking at a dangerous 5-6 str range. And you're just out of luck on the 2 skill points per level. I'd probably be more likely to use Threefold Aspect for raising the str and dex than raising the int. Still not worth 1 casting every day in my head.
But You can change the threefold aspect on the fly. Str when you need it, Int when you don't. Also, if you buy that pearl to get the slot back, you still have all the higher DCs.
Also, when you get level 5 slots, you can extend threefold aspect and it becomes a 'permanent' bonus since it lasts more that 24 hours and you can have your skill points. :)
Better, you can, in theory, *change* which skills you have every 2 days.
Where did everyone go? This thread has been quiet for a while.
I am making a witch right now, and I've been looking at the patrons. It seems to me that the moon patron should rank at least 2 stars. A lot the campaigns I play in won't go much past 6th level, so the early part of the patron is very important, and the moon patron gives darkness as a first level spell.
It seems that in a party with a bunch of darkvision races, that could be pretty powerful at low levels.
I have to agree with that somone said earlier time parton is rated way too high, and agility is rated too low.
the only plus to time is level 18 when you get timestop.
Got the 3rd level spells
3rd-Level Witch Spells
Cackling Skull** - 2 stars solely because the innovative will undoubtedly find some genius use for this, but I just don't see it.
I know I am a bit late to the party, But I gotta disagree with you pipedreamsam. The duration on the skull is Permanent. Set the trigger to when the skull is dropped. Now you can drop it at the start of combat (a free action) and make every enemy shaken. This lowers their saves.
You can stockpile 50 of the little buggers and have them for every encounter. Its like a quickened spell that does not take up a spell slot. I'd rate it 3 or 4 stars.
The Problem would be that you (and your Party) are affected by your own cackling Skull. The Spell text says: "All creatures that can hear the cackles must save or become shaken for 1d4 rounds."
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The reason Time is rated as high as it is for a very basic reason, it's efficient. Most of the patrons only offer about half of their spells that you'll use reliably.
Time, every bonus spell on it's list will definitely be used multiple times each week (many will be used several times a day). Also many of those bonus spells tend to be ones that many GM's try to avoid giving out in the first place considering how strong they are. (Time stop, Temporal Stasis & Disintegrate are usually HARD spells to find in many campaigns).
But mostly it's just the most efficient way to get the spells you know you are going to want without having to spend a fortune buying scrolls to learn them.
These spells would cost you 13125 gold to buy them and since you want all of them (ok, ventriloquism and expend are kinda meh) it's just easier to do it this way.
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I got the second level spells
2nd-Level Witch Spells
Blood Transcription** - A pretty creative way to add more spells to your familiar. It doesn't rely on saves so this is a spell I carry one or two scrolls of before going into a dungeon. Note that it does not require the target to be humanoid, but it does have the evil descriptor so cast sparingly.
Decent but remember without scribe scroll it's pointless.
I need to re-clarify this statement I made due to an ingenious conversation with a player. Now this may or may not be raw but it makes a lot of sense and could clarify how this spell and witches work together.
An alternative use of this spell is cast it on your familiar via share spells and have it drink the blood. At this point the familiar has learned the spell and can teach it to itself (or another familiar) following the normal rules for learning spells.
I will personally be using the spell this way from now on and seeking clarification from the PFS heads to see if this is valid for society play.
Wish me luck.
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The reason Time is rated as high as it is for a very basic reason, it's efficient. Most of the patrons only offer about half of their spells that you'll use reliably.
Time, every bonus spell on it's list will definitely be used multiple times each week (many will be used several times a day). Also many of those bonus spells tend to be ones that many GM's try to avoid giving out in the first place considering how strong they are. (Time stop, Temporal Stasis & Disintegrate are usually HARD spells to find in many campaigns).But mostly it's just the most efficient way to get the spells you know you are going to want without having to spend a fortune buying scrolls to learn them.
These spells would cost you 13125 gold to buy them and since you want all of them (ok, ventriloquism and expend are kinda meh) it's just easier to do it this way.
While I would consider Time one of the top options, saying that every spell on its list will be used multiple times per week is a bit much. Ventriloquism and Expend are, as you note, situational at best, and Threefold Aspect is interesting but not all that useful. Temporal Stasis's combat use can be duplicated with a hex (and the hex isn't touch-range, either), so its only real benefit is the permanent duration which, while nice, is again situational. (Also, it has a 5000-GP material component - if you're casting it frequently, that 13000 gold to buy some extra spells is not your biggest cash issue.) You seem to rate Silence a lot higher than I do, which I suppose is a matter of play style - I find it often creates more problems than it solves.
Overall, let's not get carried away. Time has four great spells on its list that will see heavy if not constant use once they're available - Haste, Teleport, Disintegrate, and Time Stop. Teleport is already on the witch list, but even three great exclusive spells, combined with a few good ones, is enough to call Time a high-quality patron.
I never said they where situational, I just said they where Meh. I'll definitely find a use for expend every week, if not every day. Getting rid of all succubi's Dominate person, or a Planetar's blade barrier not to mention that pit fiend's quickened Fireball is well worth the spell slot. Especially if I can make it think the demon/devil/fighter over there cast the spell (Ventriloquism always has uses).
As for threefold aspect an Silence, those spells get used EVERY chance (remember 3 fold is the easiest and cheapest enhancement bonus in the game and it affects 2 stats at once. Use it for Con & Dex and it's the equivalent of a 10K GP belt for next to free AND it's an amazing disguise spell as well). Silence on the other hand only becomes a problem if your casters are trying to be in melee with the boss without coordinating with you. NOTHING shuts a caster boss down like a well used silence spell.As for Temporal Stasis, it is significantly better then Ice Tomb since it's fully effective on undead (tomb isn't) and you get this spell AFTER you pick up create demiplane so the material components are not an issue anymore. In my demiplane those things grow on trees, literally and all my enemies are imprisoned their in stasis, forever.
Mostly however I use this spell for my Scarred turtles, they are totally invulnerable so I split hex bounce all my hexes off them and onto anyone around them. Makes adventuring/defending my lair so much easier.
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Basically I have only two responses to that. The first is that Threefold Aspect is not "free" unless you seriously have no better plans for a fourth-level slot every day. The second is that if you are talking about regularly using Ventriloquism to fool a pit fiend into thinking its allies silenced it, and having a personal demiplane that generates unlimited quantities of expensive material components, you may be extrapolating the unusual circumstances of your own campaign a bit too far for your advice to be considered generally applicable.
Every other day actually, you use a metamagic rod of extend before bed to cast this so it lasts 2 days and on the second day you just leave a spell slot open. This spell costs you nothing to keep running while adventuring.
The ventriloquism is for the expend, it would be rather stupid to use it with a silence, but the point is to make the sound of the casting come from somewhere other then where I am standing. Invisible and hidden cause Demons are nasty.
And when you are dealing with 8th & 9th level spells the gameplay becomes different. Oh and you may want to look at exactly what the elemental trait does for Create Demi-plane, this is a tame use of this power.
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Where did everybody go? The guide has been updated as of 2018-03-22 (according to the note at the end). Not sure who (if anyone) is taking this on since then.
Great guide. I had avoided it for a long time because the Guide to the Guides had mistakenly listed it as having been last updated in 2011.
Even so, I would like addition of some of the more recent material, particularly archetypes (also including many from before 2018-03-22), because some of them REALLY change things up -- most obviously Cartomancer (replaces Familiar with a Harrow Deck, but you can still have it deliver Touch spells by slinging cards -- just don't try this until 3rd level), Ley Line Guardian (become a spontaneous caster with a Sorcerer's spellcasting progression, but still Intelligence-based), Scarred Witch Doctor (the Errata on this said you can't have a Witch who can't spell, so Orc Scarred Witch Doctors got nerfed, but Half-Orc Scarred Witch Doctors are now brokenly overpowered), and Seducer (Charisma-based -- finally you can have a Witch who can't spell).
Also an update is in order for Half-Elf, which deserves a higher rating: Paragon Surge is Half-Elf-only (unless you are a Cleric getting it through the Self-Realization Subdomain), but it is on most spell lists, including Witch (3rd level) and Magus (4th level). This gives Half-Elves a BIG boost. Need a Hex you don't have? Use it to get Extra Hex. Haven't been able to fit Split Hex into your build yet? Now you have a stopgap until you can. Are you a Hexcrafter Magus? Same things, except you can also use it to get a different Combat Feat from the one you get with Tactical Adaptation (such as to get 2 feats in a chain), or Extra Magus Arcana. If you have enough Charisma (Seducer Witch, maybe?) and are willing to invest in Disguise, you can use it to get Item Creation feats temporarily but for long enough to use them by taking Eldritch Heritage and its Improved version with the Shapechanger Bloodline, whose 3rd level Bloodline Power eventually extends the duration to 1 hour per level.
More later if anybody is still on the air here.
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@phoenixburn: Could you please use proper capitalization and form complete sentences? Your post is honestly a nightmare to read.
Aphasia -- Shut down a spell caster, though it targets Will saves which are likely her best.
It's also mind-affecting and compulsion, so same as Slumber, and by the time you can take Spell Hex, you also have access to Swine, which shuts down somatic spell components (affecting 93% of all divine and arcane spells). Tiefling Witches also have Steal Voice. Neither have a once-per-24h limit, nor a new save every round.
This is actually the main issue with Spell Hex - for most of the 1st level spells, you can already do better with actual hexes. The only good spell I see is Beguiling Gift, and that 1) pretty much requires access to cursed items (which PCs don't normally have wilful access to select ones to), 2) requires you to start with the item in hand (otherwise it takes two turns to draw the object, move within 5 ft of the target, and use the hex), and 3) once again faces the same immunities and save bonuses as Slumber.
Web Bolt -- This targets reflex saves and ignores SR. Probably your best choice.
Sadly Drow only, though.
Where did everybody go? The guide has been updated as of 2018-03-22 (according to the note at the end). Not sure who (if anyone) is taking this on since then.
Great guide. I had avoided it for a long time because the Guide to the Guides had mistakenly listed it as having been last updated in 2011.
It may say 2018, but it wasn't content updated since 2011, making it woefully outdated because the Witch has fundamentally changed since then.
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Adhesive Spittle takes two standard actions to activate, so unless you have time to 'prebuff', it's crap.
Good to have some free witch guidey stuff out there for PF1e, c873788. ;)
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I have found that Adhesive Spittle a.k.a. the tanglefoot bag spell works best as a wand used by a hench/critter or as a SLA on your Homonculus.
Euwwwww.... Becky!
That thing of yours just barbed up another hairball!