I love the concept behind the WHW, but find the execution a little lackluster, giving up most of what makes a witch a witch. Starting with an attack with a bunch of holes making its weaker counterpart seem more powerful by comparison and ending with numerous roguish options that are either entirely ineffective or show up at too late a level to be relevant.
I made a few minor adjustments to give back some "witchiness" to the white-haired witch. Too strong? Too weak? Easy to understand? Feedback is much appreciated.
the ability to use her hair as a weapon. This functions as
the prehensile hair hex except as noted below. The hair is
a primary natural attack with a reach of 5 feet that
deals 1d4 points of damage (1d3 for a Small witch). In
addition, the witch gains the Grab ability with her hair When
a white-haired witch grapples a foe, she does not gain the
grappled condition and is not forced to move the opponent
adjacent. The witch is not limited in the amount of time she
may use her hair in this manner.
At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, a white-haired
witch’s hair adds 5 feet to its reach, to a maximum of
30 feet at 20th level.
A white-haired witch can choose from any of the following
upgrades to her white hair in place of a hex:
Constrict (Ex): The white-haired witch gains the constrict
ability with her hair, dealing damage equal to that of its attack
whenever she successfully maintains a grapple.
Trip (Ex): A white-haired witch who successfully strikes a
foe with her hair can attempt a combat maneuver check to
trip the creature as a swift action.
Pull (Ex): A white-haired witch who successfully strikes a
foe with her hair can attempt a combat maneuver check to
pull the creature 5 feet closer to her as a swift action.
Strangle (Ex): When the white-haired witch’s hair is
grappling with an opponent, that creature is considered
strangled, and cannot speak or cast spells with verbal
components. You must be at least 8th level to select this
upgrade.
This ability replaces the hexes gained at 1st and 2nd level.
Rogue Talents: At 4th level, a white-haired witch may
choose to learn a rogue talent instead of a hex, using her
white-haired witch level in place of her rogue level. A
white-haired witch cannot select an individual rogue talent
more than once. These tricks must be selected from among
the following: assault leader*, combat trick, finesse rogue,
major magic, minor magic, positioning attack*, resiliency,
surprise attack, and weapon training. At 14th level a
white-haired witch adds the following advanced rogue talents
to the list: another day*, defensive roll, improved evasion,
opportunist, redirect attack*, slippery mind, and thoughtful
reexamining*.
The white witch will forever suck as long as her abilities are anchored to a 1/2 BAB chassis with poor short-range survivability. Nothing you've posted here will make it anywhere near overpowered, because due to their abysmal combat maneuver bonuses, most all of it is effectively useless.
If you want to fix the white haired witch, she needs something major. Like adding a bonus to combat maneuvers equal to her caster level. That would actually allow her to use her class features on something other than commoners.
The white witch will forever suck as long as her abilities are anchored to a 1/2 BAB chassis with poor short-range survivability. Nothing you've posted here will make it anywhere near overpowered, because due to their abysmal combat maneuver bonuses, most all of it is effectively useless.
I looked at that, which is why I tied it to the prehensile hair hex letting the witch use int for attack and cmb. Likewise, the witch is a full caster and has numerous touch spells which could be used with the hair. This version would also give her some hexes back, helping with offensive potential.
The white witch will forever suck as long as her abilities are anchored to a 1/2 BAB chassis with poor short-range survivability. Nothing you've posted here will make it anywhere near overpowered, because due to their abysmal combat maneuver bonuses, most all of it is effectively useless.
If you want to fix the white haired witch, she needs something major. Like adding a bonus to combat maneuvers equal to her caster level. That would actually allow her to use her class features on something other than commoners.
INT as a replacement for strength to all things related to hair and a BAB equal to her casting for the effects of it would maybe make it usable.
Int, even as an addition to Str, would not make it usable. Look at the CMD of creatures at higher levels. It scales very rapidly because it's 10 + BAB + Str + Dex + Other. Even full martials can have trouble preforming CMs regularly even with a full BAB.
Even humanoids reach CMDs in the low to mid 40s without issue (3/4 BAB class reaches CMD 30 + stat modifiers). Even adding Intelligence, with a 30 Intelligence you'd only have around a +20 CMB at 20th level. That's horrible. Absolutely horrible for someone whose shtick revolves around grappling, constricting, tripping, etc.
Which is why I suggested something like +witch caster level. That would allow her to reach around +40 on the high end with her favorite tactic (a tactic that becomes progressively less attractive anyway as levels rise). As 10 BAB + 20 CL + Strength (probably not higher than +6) = +36. Once you factor in potential buffs you could be looking at +40.
Would something like "she may use her witch level as her base attack bonus for attacks and combat maneuvers made with her hair" work? Or is that too little? Witch level + Int mod + Grab bonus (+4).
Would something like "she may use her witch level as her base attack bonus for attacks and combat maneuvers made with her hair" work? Or is that too little? Witch level + Int mod + Grab bonus (+4).
Well, keep a few things in mind. All the martial characters have additional benefits that they pile onto their to-hit/CMBs on top of their existing BAB. For example, a ranger can use instant enemy to get a +10 bonus on all CMBs vs a foe. A Paladin gets their Charisma to hit on a smite. Barbarians get to rage. All of these things before buffs.
Meanwhile, White Haired Witches are not martial characters, but are expected to be ground-zero (their hair only gets up to a 30 ft. length, and earlier than that is shorter). We're talking low-AC, low-HP, and likewise a poor CMD (because they can get grappled, tripped, and so forth too). Which means if you're actually going to consider this archtype, you'd better be damn good at doing what the archtype is supposed to do, because more than likely you're only hurting yourself (and could be standing back casting spells with far more safety).
Check out some of the CMDs of creatures in the bestiary at different levels as well. They get quite high. The White Haired Witch needs someone to press the Buff button, and press it hard. :P
