After some deliberating, I've decided on trying out a witch for an upcoming Skulls and Shackles game; of the APG classes, it's the only one I haven't tried yet, and I'm eager to see how they stand in an actual game, rather than endless theorycraft.
That being said, I'm a bit concerned; I've heard how much of a bloodbath this AP is, and the witch seems incredibly fragile; low hit points, two weak saves, and almost no defensive spells, I can see this ending badly.
The game is a 25 point buy to compensate for a lack of player; there are only going to be three of us, so our DM allowed us more individual power.
My character concept is that of an educated, civilized inventer, interested in all things science and mechanical. He'll have a firm grasp of engineering, as well as having a few craft skills. He'll also be interested in guns and black powder, possibly taking up gunsmithing.
Here's what i have thus far:
Human Witch
Str: 10
Dex: 14
Con: 14
Int: 18 (16, plus human bonus)
Wis: 13
Cha: 12
I'm avoiding negative stats, because it doesn't fit my character concept, nor do I want any glaring weaknesses For this AP.
Other than stats, I'm still up in the air about the character. I'm fairly certain that I'll be spending the majority of my feats on Extra Hex; unlimited supernatural abilities are too good to pass up, and I want to grab as many as I can.
I'll probably start out with Water Lung, and two others, using the bonus human feat and the feat for first level. In addition, I'll probably pick up the Heart of the Sea racial trait.
Does anyone have any advice on a witch for this AP?
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Witch is a great class
Hex of note are Missfortune / slumber / cackle
bewteen slubmer et missfortune you can shut down one ennemy at a time.
use your spell (at level 3) for AoE will save disable (Glitterdust) and blindness (fort save) to shutdonw caster.
you spell should help you either disable fort save weak npc (caster primarly) the BDF will be taken dow by a combination of missfortune / slumber
keep a few buff spell on list for those fight where you comme across mind affecting immune critter (lokk for Aoe damage / buff - haste)
don't reglet the heal hex cause at level 5 2d8+level free healing for all party members + pet + familiar+ annimal compagnion+ Ship crew => lots of free spell (don't forget that is can damage undead too. i don't recommande stepping toward the big skelly but its said skelly as managed to get on top of you then hit him with it and 5 foot back)
the Witch is prolly the best enduring caster (along with summoner) that can do stuff all day long
Have you checked the spellslinger wizard?
Not sure you really want water lung - doesn't that require you to be away from the party to be useful?
Wow, I forgot about the Spellslinger! Thanks for pointing it out; a single level dip would create better synergy than my original plan of going into gunslinger.
Water Lung allows you to breathe underwater for one minute. I don't see why you would have to be away from the party to use it.
Witch is a great class
Hex of note are Missfortune / slumber / cackle
bewteen slubmer et missfortune you can shut down one ennemy at a time.
the Witch is prolly the best enduring caster (along with summoner) that can do stuff all day long
The Witches staying power is definitely appeals, as I've heard that there are a few instances in S&S where you're stuck in an on-going, running battle with no rest; being able to constantly spam hexes would ease that up a bit.
As for starting hexes, I'm uncertain about Sleep. I know it's godly, but at first level it would only last for one round, and it can't be extended with Cackle, as far as I know. I was thinking I might wait until 2nd level to pick it up, or perhaps 3rd level with the extra hex feat. I'm not sure yet.
From my experience even at first level the slumber hex can destroy foes. Foe gets slumbered next to an ally? One Coup de grace is all you need. Its still pretty nice to wait for it later, misfortune is fun and there are a few other good hexes you need to get eventually. Namely fly and evil eye.
From my experience even at first level the slumber hex can destroy foes. Foe gets slumbered next to an ally? One Coup de grace is all you need. Its still pretty nice to wait for it later, misfortune is fun and there are a few other good hexes you need to get eventually. Namely fly and evil eye.
Hmmm, good point. I didn't even consider coup de grace when it came to the sleep hex; I suppose timing is the key for optimized use with it at first level; wait until a goon is in melee with an ally, hex them, and step back.
Yeah, I killed 3 bosses in a row in a game once doing that. One after another they charged in and they got slept standing next to the party druid. I apologized to the DM becuase I didn't think such a stupid idea would work and I didn't want to steal the spotlight.
Coup de grace or getting the opponent out of the fight is the big reason to use slumber. I've also had situations where we just take the moment to tie them up or knock them out because we had a few extra turns. Only bad if your group for some reason disagrees on what to do with people.
So, an update. In addition to my witch, we have a human aquatic druid, and a human corsair; it looks as if I'll be handling the arcane magic, and the healing will be between the druid and myself.
Right now I'm torn between taking a level in spellslinger to get the gun use, or just biting the bullet (heh) and spending a couple of feats to get proficiency and gunsmithing.
Alternatively, I'm also considering dipping a level of cross-blooded sorcerer, to get the serpentine and undead bloodline arcana; seeing as many of the witches spells are enchantments, that would allow animals, magical beasts, monstrous humanoids, and humanoid undead to be effected by my enchantment spells, which would greatly expand my usefulness.
Or perhaps I should just scrap the character for something else, seeing as there are only three of us and no real blaster or healer.
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Don't Losse Spell caster level
(at 1st level you withc feat should be:
Extra Hex: Cackle
Extra Hex: Misfortune
Hex: Healing
At level 2 pick up evil Eye
at level 3 Extra Hex: Slumber
@level 1 tactic is to missfortune some and use your cackle to extend its effect round after round)
if you need you still have you standard action to cast a spell
with missfortune up Target rolls 2 dices for everything, therefore giving him a higher chance to miss saves or attack rools
the Hedge wiitch arechetype will let you (at level 4 and after) spontanouasly convert any of your spell into cure spell => flexibility in choosing your spell)
as for spell selection look for buff / controle / debuff (on reflexe / fort save)
Profit
If your GM will allow it, consider making yourself old and rearranging your stats accordingly. That will allow you to go 20 or 22 INT, which really helps with save DCs and your strength modifier with the Prehensile Hair hex.
I built an old Witch with prehensile hair and a king crab familiar in an aquatic campaign. Took improved unarmed strike and improved grapple as feats. He would hover off the side of a ship, and then grapple people on the boat at range with his hair, to drag them off into the water.
If your GM will allow it, consider making yourself old and rearranging your stats accordingly. That will allow you to go 20 or 22 INT, which really helps with save DCs and your strength modifier with the Prehensile Hair hex.
I built an old Witch with prehensile hair and a king crab familiar in an aquatic campaign. Took improved unarmed strike and improved grapple as feats. He would hover off the side of a ship, and then grapple people on the boat at range with his hair, to drag them off into the water.
It might be possible to convince him, but I don't think I'd like being old; I've heard enough horror stories of near TPK's in this AP to not want to nerf myself by having low physical stats. I may not need much strength, but dexterity and constitution will be needed for survival.