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As people have been saying, the witch has an amazing spell list. In fact, in my personal opinion, they have just about the best spell list.
Not only do they get quite a bit of the best of all worlds (and then some once adding their Patron into the mix), but they also get an excellent combination that isn't restricted by alignment or class function issues. On top of all that spell feats start to play in a whole new manner of effectiveness with the witch, because not only are you receiving the bonuses of your feats, but you're most probably intermittently taking bonuses away from those you're casting your spells on.
Top notch class, I say.

StreamOfTheSky |

Beast Bonded Witch is the most purely "powerful" witch, due to the unlimited use Magic Jar shenanigans.
Gravewalker Witch has the fewest weaknesses and turns one of the witch's toughest most numerable types of foes, undead, into a class strength.
Winter Witch w/ the prestige class of same name is probably the weakest witch in pure power terms due to losing a CL. But at ECL 13, she can ignore cold immunity, which combined with Dazing Spell means goodness. I had previously figured a witch with the Elements patron was best for a "Triple Threat"* build. With the PrC, you can just daze anyone not immune to daze with reflex save cold spells to complement your other save attack options.
Scarred Witch Doctor is hardy, but loses the familiar and mostly sucks beyond having a lot of hp and being a little more SAD than the already SAD witch.
*What I mean is: Witch already has tons of spells plus Slumber, Misfortune, and Retribution to win encounters against will; and Ice Tomb and some spells like blindness/deafness to win encounters against fort saves; so using dazing spell on reflex spells allows the witch to target any save and autowin fights.

Nosforontu |
As people have been saying, the witch has an amazing spell list. In fact, in my personal opinion, they have just about the best spell list.
Not only do they get quite a bit of the best of all worlds (and then some once adding their Patron into the mix), but they also get an excellent combination that isn't restricted by alignment or class function issues. On top of all that spell feats start to play in a whole new manner of effectiveness with the witch, because not only are you receiving the bonuses of your feats, but you're most probably intermittently taking bonuses away from those you're casting your spells on.
Top notch class, I say.
I love the witch personally and haven't even looked at a wizard since the APG came out but I can understand the argument that witches have a weak spell list.
1: We have a lot of mind affecting spells that wont work on a large variety of creature types. Our list is large enough that we can get away from it in play especially with the right patron but it can still be problematic.
2: We have the smallest spells per day of any of the full casters, we have hexes that stretch it out nicely for use in play but looking at just the spells known table and comparing to other full casters I can see where others might be a bit disappointed.
3. Lots of save or Die effects far fewer save and something still happens effects. Some groups/casters prefer spells that at least something happens if the target saves instead of going for the knock out so to speak.
4. Limited selection of damage dealing spells and some that are just difficult to actually make use of in a fight. We have no force affect spells so to speak added in to our heavy concentration of Fort Save/Mind affecting spells and most archetypes have difficulty with Incorporeal undead at most levels. We have a fair number of Damage over Time affects or Save or Suck for a really long time affects, but most combats end well before their effects are really well noticed (nature exile for example).
5. Healing Gap, we can sub in as a healer for the party and in some ways can be the most amazing healing class on the planet with a simple healing hex as has already been mentioned a single witch could heal an army by herself of at least a little injury. When working off our spell list for healing though we are much more limited than other classes with similar healing abilities.
We skip third level cure spells and that skip carries over to us getting Heal as a 7th level spell instead of a 6th level spell instead for example. Additionally unlike most casters with access to Healing spells we have no way spontaneously casting such a spell (except via hex) so must prep heals ahead of time.
Overall like I said I can see the arguments for saying the witch has a weak spell list but I will also be honest in that frequently in play I often dont see it play it out as weak and the hexes do so much to expand the number of meaningful actions that she can enjoy during a game that I have rarely felt it as being weak in game.

Take Boat |

The witch spell list is pretty narrow, even if it does include some strong ones you just don't have the versatility if you're talking purely about spells. The spellcasting is just plain weaker than a Wizard or Cleric's. Weaker because less flexible.
But that doesn't matter because they have hexes. Hexes. HEXES.
(They have Hexes.)

StreamOfTheSky |

Um what is SAD? MAD is Multiple Ability (Score) Dependency. So is SAD single? If so how is that a problem?
Feel free to point me to a list of Pathfinder common TLAs!
You are correct on each point. Single Ability Dependent, and it is not a problem. I'm saying Witch is already pretty SAD, so Scarred Witch Doctor making them slightly more so isn't really that big a boon. I see people say it's awesome because you can focus solely on con, but base witch can already focus on int and still put decent scores in dex and con. And even a scarred witch is going to want some int to power spellcraft and the knowledges. So basically the only advantage of it is the higher hp. Which can easily become a double edged sword if it misleads you into thinking you can "get into melee." :)

Mendeth |

Just played my witch through a vampire encounter.
How it went: Misfortune (1st vampire, save success), 5-foot-step. Misfortune (2nd vampire, save success), 5-foot-step. Slumber (Friendly Dominated PC, save success). Misfortune (last vampire, save failed), Cackle!
How it looked: He simply walked two steps in the middle of the combat, waiting a short time before throwing his head back in laughter.
I'm gonna get him Ability Focus: Misfortune soon.

Mendeth |

Next time, throw out Evil Eye first.
Sadly, vampires are immune to mind affecting stuff. I would have weakened my "friendly" PC first, but he already held me in a hold person and was readying his greataxe for a coup de grace, so I didn't really have that extra turn. He broke free from domination before the coup, though, so we were better off without it.

lemeres |

Hecknoshow wrote:You can also build a bridge out of 'em.I hear they make a great substitute for firewood.
They make good emergency life rafts too since they are lighter than ducks.
But the unlimited debuffs is a good consolation too. They are basically wizards that focus into a particular role until they have mastered it, and then took the rest of their spare time to learn first aid.

Anzyr |

Gravewalker Witch really does not get the respect it deserves. Look at that 8th Level ability. That's crazy powerful, especially at level 8. Unlimited Magic Jar that can target any undead you've made into a minion is really really powerful. Especially since they get no save. Make an undead fall under your control and then you can possess them until they die. Fantastic!

Gluttony |
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In addition to the debuff stuff, which has been talked about a lot, they're great support casters in a caster-heavy party.
Got a wizard already? He's gonna be best friends with the party witch, and the enemies will rightly learn to fear the combination of the two of them. Save or die spells hurt when a witch is doing their darndest to make absolutely sure that her enemies fail that save.

chaoseffect |

I love witches...but what is so good about the beast-bonded one people mentioned?
Twin Soul. Congratulations on reaching level 10; you are now an immortal body-snatcher.
It's powerful stuff, though not as powerful as the necromancy done on this thread.

Unruly |
Well, since this thread was pulled from the grave...
I will say that from my limited experience with the witch, which is admittedly still in the very low levels(2), Evil Eye has been more of a game changer than Slumber has been. That Save-and-Still-Suck way that Evil Eye works just makes it amazing in my book, even if it is only for one round.

Sadurian |

a battle that I ended by the hair of my eyebrows (+12 to hit, 1d3+12 damage and 10 foot reach at level 8, man do I love those eyebrows).
I had a witch with the more usual animated hair (used to grapple and strangle), but am I missing something here?
Hair is a secondary attack which means -5 to hit. Does your +12 include that -5 (in which case, wow, +17 Attack for a level 8 witch!) or is there a away to circumvent the negative?

Claxon |

Lythe Featherblade wrote:a battle that I ended by the hair of my eyebrows (+12 to hit, 1d3+12 damage and 10 foot reach at level 8, man do I love those eyebrows).I had a witch with the more usual animated hair (used to grapple and strangle), but am I missing something here?
Hair is a secondary attack which means -5 to hit. Does your +12 include that -5 (in which case, wow, +17 Attack for a level 8 witch!) or is there a away to circumvent the negative?
I'm not sure if there was an official FAQ out of it, but I personally recall a developer saying that while the hair was a secondary natural attack it behaved like any other normal secondary natural attack. Which means that if the hair is the only natural attack a witch possesses then it becomes a primary attack.
If a creature has only one natural attack, it is always made using the creature's full base attack bonus and adds 1-1/2 times the creature's Strength bonus on damage rolls.

Sadurian |

Okay, so as long as the hirsute witch doesn't cast a spell or use any other weapon in that round, her hair is actually a pretty potent attack. Of course, the disadvantage at higher BABs is that the Natural Attack caveat of not gaining extra attacks applies.
Still, it does make it more useful for Grapple and Strangle.

Torbyne |
I have a Witch player in my group and the feedback i hear about them is that they are swingy. Their main thing is mind affecting save or suck effects and a string of good rolls for the baddies can be very disheartening. Misfortune can get at the undead and golems (there were a lot of these earlier on) But then what do you do after the first or second round when you have your hexes up? aside from laughing that is.

Gluttony |

I have a Witch player in my group and the feedback i hear about them is that they are swingy. Their main thing is mind affecting save or suck effects and a string of good rolls for the baddies can be very disheartening. Misfortune can get at the undead and golems (there were a lot of these earlier on) But then what do you do after the first or second round when you have your hexes up? aside from laughing that is.
Cast spells, perhaps?
And in those first few rounds of hexing, you've saved a spell slot or two that the wizard has used up. His spell slots won't be back until tomorrow, while most of your hexes are good for every enemy in the next encounter, and the encounter after that, and so on, even if you blew through them all in the first fight of the day.
...The wizard probably has more potential for short-term impact if he's prepared for his enemies, but the witch survives a prolonged adventuring day for significantly longer than the wizard does. Perfect spellcaster choice if you're racing the clock and don't have time for 8-hour rest stops (or if your GM is really sadistic about not letting you rest).

Gerald |

In addition to the debuff stuff, which has been talked about a lot, they're great support casters in a caster-heavy party.
Got a wizard already? He's gonna be best friends with the party witch, and the enemies will rightly learn to fear the combination of the two of them. Save or die spells hurt when a witch is doing their darndest to make absolutely sure that her enemies fail that save.
This is the best post in this thread, IMHO. Either the Blockbuster wizard or a blow'em-all-up sorcerer type will LOVE a witch in the party once they hit level 5 or 6. Nothing will ever save.

gamer-printer |

Kudaku wrote:Witches also make excellent flotation devices.Isn't that "have" excellent flotation devices? Or am I just thinking of the iconic?
Ah, this is referring to the fact that in the medieval era, if you are suspected of being a witch, a common test was to tie you up and toss you into a pond. If you float, you're a witch. If you don't float, but sink and drown, then you were innocent. A witch floats, thus a good flotation device...

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After this weekend, I say 'getting the party killed'. But that is probably more on the player.
Sounds like you played with my wife, who loves the witch class and has the philosophy of "friendly fire is an acceptable option."
To the OP, see my guide on the matter. The Witches Guide to Shutting Down Enemies. They are the masters of making people suck in life and debuffing to the ridiculous levels. They do have major weaknesses against certain enemies, but in general they are devastating. Especially so in you have a party optimized to take advantage of her abilities.
In a couple late level fights I was able to lower saves by -12 in two rounds, then hit them with a DC 30+ finishing spell or hex that removed the target from the fight. Oh, and the target had to roll twice and take the worst roll.
They are terrible solo characters, and rely heavily on others to survive, but no party is worse off by having a witch.