i would never ask for this normally.
but as a reserve character for in case i die. i need the following.
an orcish scarred witch doctor whom doubles as party healer for a party of the following
my current character is a small framed chelexian fetchling gothloli (the fashion style not the age category) ninja who was raised by tian clans in a branch in cheliax
a Tian Fighter 4/Barbarian 3 who 2hands a Katana
a light armored Dwarven Fighter 7 who dual wields sawtooth sabres
a gnomish sorcerer 7
a drow rogue 7 whom shows up every other week, uses poisons and lots of spell like abilities
a nagaji waves oracle 7 whom serves a melee combatant with a longspear
an ulfen animal singer bard 7 whom casts, uses skills and buffs, but cannot fight with a cassian angel familiar
a halfling witch 7 whom uses a combination of hexes (especially slumber) and secondary weak blasting
the rules for designing said witchdoctor
7th level build
must meet the requirements to be a scarred witch doctor and use the archtype
standard wealth by level
25 point buy; there are no special rules on dump stats, dump ahoy
2 traits
no crafting feats (with the exception of consumables and stuff like bonded objects)
in lieu of the skill points from your class at 1st level (not counting intelligence, racial, or favored class) you get 1 rank in every one of your class skills (including from traits or feats gained at 1st level)
must have something to contribute to a pirate ship (would prefer profession, sailor)
must at least somewhat exploit his orcish strength bonus in case he ran out of spells. so an 18 STR (including racial) would be preferred
must have builds for levels 7-10. level cap is 15.
the array i was considering (not very typical, but hey)
Str 18 (14+4)
Dex 12
Con 18 (17+1) Favored Class goes to hit points
Int 12
Wis 10
Cha 5
Magus 1/Witch 6/eldritch knight x (fighter 1 instead of magus works too, but you don't get spell combat or arcane pool)
That way you can take advantage of your high str.
For stats your array will work fine.
Traits: Magical knack and adopted (tiefling) -> dark magic affinity or wayang spellhunter if you want to use metamagic feats.
for healing reach spell combined with wayang spell hunter CLW or CMW can be nice.
Hexes:
If you want to be able to heal the healing hex ist a must, even if a lot of people think it's weak. But it's a cure moderate wounds for every party member per day without expending a spell slot.
For a ship campaign water lung could be nice. Else flight. Gives nice abilities including a bonus to swim which seems to be ignored often.
feats:
If you take offensive hexes ability focus for that hex works well.
Then metamagic feats. like mentiond above reach spell.
For melee take weapon focus. at higher levels the eldritch knights opens up weapon specialization
No full build but something I'm thinking about building some time. (without the healing focus in my case)
I will look at this later and hopefully have good stuff for you, but two things jump out at me immediately:
1)Using the Prehensile Hair Hex, you can just attack straight out with Con--you won't need Strength at all.
2) Why was mentioning that your current character was a gothloli relevant at all? You didn't mention the style choices of any of the other PCs, after all. Does this Witch Doctor need to be a hipster or something? Sorry, just struck me as a bizarre nonsequitor.
Personally, I would be a Human and use Racial Heritage (Orc). You start with 2 higher Con that way, plus the extra skill point is useful given Int is somewhat of a dump stat.
I agree--Human with Racial Heritage (Orc) so you can start with 20 Con and Prehensile Hair--you pretty much won't need any other stat.
If you are concerned about running out of spells (why would you when you have hexes?), you can take a single level of Monk to get Flurry of Blows and take Feral Combat Training so you can flurry with your hair, thus getting your full compliment of attacks with your Con mod.
If you have to be the party healer, you probably want to be a Hedge Witch. Bonus: you can cast cures from 10' away with your hair!
Every witch probably wants the Flight Hex.
Otherwise, go with the gold standards--Sleep, Evil Eye/Cackle, etc.
Min-maxing an overpowered archetype like Scarred Witch Doctor (Con to everything is automatic win) is pretty much as simple as being a Scarred Witch Doctor.
I mean, I guess there's probably some extra unfair trick you can do with your Mask--but my biggest weakness when it comes to Pathfinder rules and D&D optimization in general is magical items, because I personally don't use them in my games.
Also Hex Strike + Feral combat. Apply hexes with a hair slap!
I will look at this later and hopefully have good stuff for you, but two things jump out at me immediately:
1)Using the Prehensile Hair Hex, you can just attack straight out with Con--you won't need Strength at all.
2) Why was mentioning that your current character was a gothloli relevant at all? You didn't mention the style choices of any of the other PCs, after all. Does this Witch Doctor need to be a hipster or something? Sorry, just struck me as a bizarre nonsequitor.
i didn't know the style choices of the other PCs or i would list them. they don't put as much effort into detail as i do. the orc doesn't need to be a hipster.
what are good spell, feat, and skill selections? the human raised by orcs does sound pretty sweet for the skills and additional Con.
but the orc offers darkvision, an obscure bane vulnerability, ferocity, and doesn't need a feat to take the archetype.
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i would never ask for this normally.
but as a reserve character for in case i die. i need the following.
an orcish scarred witch doctor whom doubles as party healer for a party of the following
my current character is a small framed chelexian fetchling gothloli (the fashion style not the age category) ninja who was raised by tian clans in a branch in cheliax
a Tian Fighter 4/Barbarian 3 who 2hands a Katana
a light armored Dwarven Fighter 7 who dual wields sawtooth sabres
a gnomish sorcerer 7
a drow rogue 7 whom shows up every other week, uses poisons and lots of spell like abilities
a nagaji waves oracle 7 whom serves a melee combatant with a longspear
an ulfen animal singer bard 7 whom casts, uses skills and buffs, but cannot fight with a cassian angel familiar
a halfling witch 7 whom uses a combination of hexes (especially slumber) and secondary weak blasting
the rules for designing said witchdoctor
7th level build
must meet the requirements to be a scarred witch doctor and use the archtype
standard wealth by level
25 point buy; there are no special rules on dump stats, dump ahoy
2 traits
no crafting feats (with the exception of consumables and stuff like bonded objects)
in lieu of the skill points from your class at 1st level (not counting intelligence, racial, or favored class) you get 1 rank in every one of your class skills (including from traits or feats gained at 1st level)
must have something to contribute to a pirate ship (would prefer profession, sailor)
must at least somewhat exploit his orcish strength bonus in case he ran out of spells. so an 18 STR (including racial) would be preferredmust have builds for levels 7-10. level cap is 15.
the array i was considering (not very typical, but hey)
Str 18 (14+4)
Dex 12
Con 18 (17+1) Favored Class goes to hit points
Int 12
Wis 10
Cha 5
I would consider going Urban Barbarian 1/Scarred Witch Doctor X. Your stats look great. Your first level of Barbarian will net you a maxed (at least in most games) d12 hit dice, armor and weapon proficiencies, and a rage that gives you +4 Str or Con depending on the situation you're in, still allowing you to cast your witch spells. You should also pick up the Raging Vitality feat to get +6 to Con from raging instead. This will significantly increase save DCs against your Hexes.
Also Hex Strike + Feral combat. Apply hexes with a hair slap!
Awesome! Apply that to Misfortune or Evil Eye, and you can throw those hexes on enemies that you're casting touch spells on, doubling their misery. Bestow Curse + Evil Eye is a brutal -6 bomb to the roll of your choice, and Witches get early entry into it.
but the orc offers darkvision, an obscure bane vulnerability, ferocity, and doesn't need a feat to take the archetype.
Humans get a bonus feat anyway, so nothing lost. They can raise their Con to 20 which orcs can't, they don't have a wasted bonus to a dump stat (i.e. Str), or penalties to any stat at all, and they're not dazzled by light.
Ferocity is ok, but with so much Con and Scarshield, you're not going to be going down.
I kind of think the only aspect of the archetype keeping it in check at all is the fact that you have to be such a terrible race to take it. Humans bypass that, thus winning.
If you have to be the healer, you probably want the Healing patron, so that's chosen. 20 Con, as high a wisdom as you can get (for that Monk dip). Get a respectable Dex. Dump Str and Cha. You want Weapon Focus (Hair) and Feral Combat Training (after your monk dip), then Hex Strike and tie it to a debilitating Hex like Misfortune or Evil Eye. Take lots of touch spells so you can inflict your hex on top of the spell effect. It kind of builds itself.
Edit: I also approve of the Barbarian dip, but you don't want to lose too many spell levels.
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Magus 1/Witch 6/eldritch knight x (fighter 1 instead of magus works too, but you don't get spell combat or arcane pool)
That way you can take advantage of your high str.
For stats your array will work fine.Traits: Magical knack and adopted (tiefling) -> dark magic affinity or wayang spellhunter if you want to use metamagic feats.
for healing reach spell combined with wayang spell hunter CLW or CMW can be nice.
Hexes:
If you want to be able to heal the healing hex ist a must, even if a lot of people think it's weak. But it's a cure moderate wounds for every party member per day without expending a spell slot.For a ship campaign water lung could be nice. Else flight. Gives nice abilities including a bonus to swim which seems to be ignored often.
feats:
If you take offensive hexes ability focus for that hex works well.
Then metamagic feats. like mentiond above reach spell.
For melee take weapon focus. at higher levels the eldritch knights opens up weapon specializationNo full build but something I'm thinking about building some time. (without the healing focus in my case)
i might take interest in the Fighter 1/witch 6/EK build.
Gear (23,000 GP worth, not counting pocket change)
Witch Doctors mask of physical perfection +2 and resistance +2 (11,000)
+1 darkleaf cloth hide armor (2,515) ring of protection +1 (2,000) +1 Glaive (2,309) eyes of the eagle (2,500) +1 Adaptable Composite Longbow (3,410)
Hexes, water lung, flight, healing
Feats; Toughness, Power Attack, Deadly Aim, Extra Hex (Slumber) Open Minded (Psionics Unleashed)
Traits Observant (Perception) Magical Knack (Witch)
If you're going to go EK, take 1 level of Sohei monk instead of Fighter and grab Feral Combat Training so you can just fight your hair.
Or Urban Barbarian as cartmanbeck suggested. Fighter just does nothing for you, and being a high Strength Witch is a waste of point buy.
Yes and a boat load of ability penalties do half orc instead and all you lose is a bonus feat at first. I wish I had gone half orc with mine. You still want Int for skill points. As for skills I love alchemy and heal. You also have to have Spellcraft and Arcana.
Also I think the cauldron hex line is boss. At higher lvls for two of your hexes you can make three potions for every one you pay for.
Also take the patron that gives giant form is a good option. I can not remember atm which one it is but I am pretty sure there is one that does.
Magus 1/Witch 6/eldritch knight x (fighter 1 instead of magus works too, but you don't get spell combat or arcane pool)
That way you can take advantage of your high str.
For stats your array will work fine.Traits: Magical knack and adopted (tiefling) -> dark magic affinity or wayang spellhunter if you want to use metamagic feats.
for healing reach spell combined with wayang spell hunter CLW or CMW can be nice.
Hexes:
If you want to be able to heal the healing hex ist a must, even if a lot of people think it's weak. But it's a cure moderate wounds for every party member per day without expending a spell slot.For a ship campaign water lung could be nice. Else flight. Gives nice abilities including a bonus to swim which seems to be ignored often.
feats:
If you take offensive hexes ability focus for that hex works well.
Then metamagic feats. like mentiond above reach spell.
For melee take weapon focus. at higher levels the eldritch knights opens up weapon specializationNo full build but something I'm thinking about building some time. (without the healing focus in my case)
i might take interest in the Fighter 1/witch 6/EK build.
Gear (23,000 GP worth, not counting pocket change)
Witch Doctors mask of physical perfection +2 and resistance +2 (11,000)
+1 darkleaf cloth hide armor (2,515) ring of protection +1 (2,000) +1 Glaive (2,309) eyes of the eagle (2,500) +1 Adaptable Composite Longbow (3,410)
Hexes, water lung, flight, healing
Feats; Toughness, Power Attack, Deadly Aim, Extra Hex (Slumber) Open Minded (Psionics Unleashed)
Traits Observant (Perception) Magical Knack (Witch)
of wait, flight hex, ranged weapon and deadly aim aren't needed.
guess i could Swap DA for weapon focus (Glaive) and remove the bow.
So 11,000+2,309+2,000+2,515,+2500 leaves 4,176 GP to spend. by adding the eyes of the eagle property to the mask for +50%-half (Crafting price for bonded object). that leaves me with 4,901. for 3K i could upgrade my armor to +2 and have 1,901 to spend on miscellaneous mundane goods.
Also take the patron that gives giant form is a good option. I can not remember atm which one it is but I am pretty sure there is one that does.The Strength patron? I'd think that you'd get more mileage out of the Endurance patron for Bear's Endurance (+4 Con). Alternatively, the Elements patron will give you Shocking Grasp which you can then deliver using your hair.
Bears endurance is an enchantment bonus so it does not stack with the common CON item. Giant form is a size bonus so it does.
If your GM will go for it, ask about the possibility of taking Scarred WD + White-haired Witch. Technically, both lose lvl 1 hex but he may give you the option to lose your first two hexes because of they manner in which "tiered bonuses" work. It's fudging, but he might go for it.
The White-Haired Witch actually gives up all Hexes, which makes it a terrible witch archetype in general unless you want to do something very specific with the hair.
I would consider going Urban Barbarian 1/Scarred Witch Doctor X. Your stats look great... and a rage that gives you +4 Str or Con depending on the situation you're in, still allowing you to cast your witch spells
You can't cast spells in a Controlled Rage.
Controlled Rage:
"When using a controlled rage, an urban barbarian gains no bonus on Will saves, takes no penalties to AC, and can still use Intelligence-, Dexterity-, and Charisma-based skills. This ability otherwise follows the normal rules for rage."
Rage:
"While in rage, a barbarian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration."
Controlled rage doesn't say anything about ignoring the part of regular rage that restricts the use of "any ability that requires patience or concentration".