Suggestions for Alchy 2 / Witch 3

[Trei Shouri]

So, I'm picking up my copy of Ultimate Magic today, and it turns out to be fortuitously timed. My Alchemist in a tabletop Legend of Zelda campaign kind of got eaten... So, I'm looking to put together a Witch.

The rules of the campaign stipulate that I can't go into a full caster class until 3rd level, so I'm thinking to go Alchemist 2, Witch 3 to start. My logic is, this gives me Brew Potion for free, and with the Infusion discovery I can start handing out potions of True Strike to my allies. Add Scribe Scroll as my first level feat, and I can start tossing out some nice support for my allies.

However, here's where it gets tricky. Since a lot of the stuff we've fought so far has been Constructs / Undead, it's unlikely that mental magic effects are going to be very reliable. So, I'm looking at Augmented summoning, but figured I would come here and see what advice people had for me.

[Ryzoken]

Trei Shouri wrote:

The rules of the campaign stipulate that I can't go into a full caster class until 3rd level

...

...

...Really?

Uh... don't build a full caster?
I mean, you could... but honestly, getting kneecapped like that before you even begin... blows hardcore. Maybe give a Magus, Summoner, or Full on Alchemist a try? The latter is exceptionally fun, I can attest, and the former is promising.

TWO CASTER LEVELS ... AT THE START!?
So you're -2 to penetrate SR (making the Spell Penetration feats bloody mandatory), an entire level of spells behind, you lose 4 developed spells on a wizard but lose a crapton off a sorcerer, have less spells per day than normal, and generally can't do what you really want to do for two whole levels. What's worse, you're better at doing SOMETHING ELSE for 3 levels, begging the question: why the hell would you stop doing what you were doing to become a mage after two levels?

Is... is this normal for your group? Is there some rationale behind this or is it just a hackneyed attempt at reigning in the power of full casters?

Wow. Just, just wow.

[Trei Shouri]

1st: Advice =/= griefing the hell out of my Gm.

2nd: The rationale is that this is a Legend of Zelda campaign. You don't meet many full-on casters in LoZ, aside from maybe the Wizrobes. So access to a full spell caster is withheld for the first two levels, and at third I'd be able to take the Witch class.

[calagnar]

Depending on what the others of your group are playing. Bard is a good way to help a melee heavy group. Or should I say brak encounters for a melee heavy group. My players right now have a group of 4. There all melee focused. Fighter, Ranger(Two Weapon Fighting STR base), Oracle of battle(reach polearm), Bard(Reach polearm) they are taking out encounters 2 CR higher then them in short order. It's about force multiplyers.

If you can't take a full caster till level 3 it's to hard to start one that will work. So I recomend Magus(Hexcrafter). It's up on the Pathfindersrd.
Magus
Hexcrafter (Archetype)
A hexcrafter magus has uncovered the secret of using his arcane pool to recreate witch hexes. These magi can hex friend and foe, curse those they strike, and expand their spell selection to include many curses and harmful spells.

[Trei Shouri]

Yea. With the bomber alchemist dead, the party has a Ranger and a Fighter for frontline, and an Arcane Duelist bard and Court Jester bard as the back line. They have control of the items that provide the party with healing.

[calagnar]

Then Magus Hexcrafter is my best suggestion.