Advice for Tiefling Witch

[AsmodeusUltima]

Putting the pieces together for a new character and decided I would get some advice from the keen minds of my fellow players. To be clear: I am set on this character being a tiefling and a witch. I am NOT interested in any posts along the lines of "Tieflings/witches suck, X race/class is way more optimized!" I would love to hear any advice on how to make my chosen race and class work well together. The character would be 20pb, starting at level 1, essentially anything that would fly in PFS will work here.

I am thinking of going one of two ways with this: a darkness-themed standard tiefling with the Shadow patron who takes Fiendish Sight twice and starts dropping Deeper Darkness that he can see through, or a death-by-time themed grimspawn with the Time patron who takes Eldritch Heritage feats to grab powers from the Daemon bloodline. Either would focus on being a debuffer/battlefield controller.

Shadow-Witch
male tiefling witch 1
Str 10 Dex 14 Con 14 Int 20 Wis 10 Cha 5
darkness 1/day, darkvision 60', fiendish resistances, prehensile tail (for holding rods), vestigial wings
Shadow patron, greensting scorpion familiar
Feat: Extra Hex (cackle)
Hex: Evil Eye
1st Lvl Spells: Cause Fear, Charm Person, Frostbite, Fumbletongue, Ill Omen, Mage Armor, Obscuring Mist, Ray of Enfeeblement
Planned Feats: Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus (for Shadow Conjuration/Evocation), Fiendish Sight x2, Armor of the Pit
Planned Hexes: Misfortune, Slumber, Flight, Charm

Time-Witch
male tiefling (grimspawn) witch 1
Str 8 Dex 10 Con 10 Int 20 Wis 10 Cha 14
Darkvision 60', fiendish resistances, soul seer, vestigial wings
Time patron, greensting scorpion familiar
Feat: Skill Focus: Heal
Hex: Evil Eye
1st Lvl Spells: Cause Fear, Charm Person, Frostbite, Fumbletongue, Ill Omen, Mage Armor, Obscuring Mist, Ray of Enfeeblement
Planned Feats: Eldritch Heritage (Daemon), Extra Hex, Armor of the Pit, Grasping Tail, Improved Eldritch Heritage (Daemon)
Planned Hexes: Cackle, Misfortune, Slumber, Flight, Charm

I think the Time-Witch is much cooler thematically, but he gives up a LOT to get that high charisma necessary for the Eldritch Heritage feats. Based on stats alone he will have lower carrying capacity, AC, ranged touch attacks, reflex and fort saves, and hp than the Shadow-Witch. It will also start slower, being stuck with a crappy skill focus feat at 1st level which will delay my hex progression a couple levels. Heck, he'll even end up with one less Int since he needs to put a level-up point in Cha to qualify for Improved Eldritch Heritage by level 11. The trade-off is a fairly useless stat for a witch (guess I could pump Intimidate or Use Magic Device) and two really awesome powers. I love the thought of hitting a foe with Evil Eye (ability checks), then Wasting Ray and watch them fail those Con checks and die of thirst/starvation...

So... I want to know what people think of the basic builds I have here. I have not even looked at traits, so suggestions on those would be welcome. If you think I should go with the Shadow them then any tricks to up my Illusion DC further would be appreciated. Thoughts on whether or not the Daemon bloodline powers are really worth the trade-off would also be good. Really, I would like any advice you care to give, with the one caveat stated at the beginning of my post. What do you all think?

[TGMaxMaxer]

Even though I disagree with it personally, I seem to understand that stat items count for pre-reqs for feats, so you can save a ton of build points in exchange for gold later getting a +4 cha item and starting with a 11 Cha.

If I am mistaken in this, then I'm sure someone will point it out to me.

As well, although that 20 is cool at 1st level, by the time you really worry about DC's mattering, starting with a 19 and saving another 4 build points there is fine.

for the Grimspawn

I'd say Str 10 Dex 14 Con 12 Int 19 Wis 10 Cha 11 (or Cha 13 and con 10, since +2 item doubled to be slotless is only 8k instead of the 16k for the +4) and you put that first point in int instead of Cha, and still have a 21 base at level 11 (22int at 12)

Also, someone pointed out to me that evil eye isn't limited in 1/day even for the same type of penalty, and in general you only get maybe 2 penalties on something before it dies, so cackle and evil eye arent' really necessary together. They are good later, when things live longer, but in general, for low levels where they will have a good chance of failing the save, limiting yourself to a 5ft step isn't that useful, considering that they still have 1 round even if they make the save, and it's 7+ rounds if they fail(3+int). Take charm or slumber for your extra hex on the shadow type instead at 1st level.

[blackbloodtroll]

I suggest the Prolong Magic and Shadow Caster traits.

I also suggest the Tenebrous Spell and Umbral Spell feats.

[EvilMinion]

Although the shadow witch thing might sound fun, its going to be affecting your fellow party members just as much as your enemies, is it not? Does not sound particularly group friendly.

[Arbane the Terrible]

TGMaxMaxer wrote:

Also, someone pointed out to me that evil eye isn't limited in 1/day even for the same type of penalty, and in general you only get maybe 2 penalties on something before it dies, so cackle and evil eye arent' really necessary together. They are good later, when things live longer, but in general, for low levels where they will have a good chance of failing the save, limiting yourself to a 5ft step isn't that useful, considering that they still have 1 round even if they make the save, and it's 7+ rounds if they fail(3+int). Take charm or slumber for your extra hex on the shadow type instead at 1st level.

Charm never struck me as all THAT great, and at first level, Slumber needs a little teamwork to be worth it (an ally standing by your target ready to coup-de-grace when they fall over). So Cackle might be a good choice if you plan on grabbing Misfortune (FUN!) next level.

Have you considered the Healing hex? Free CLW to everyone 1/day can be nice at low levels.