Equipment Recomendations for a Witch as a New Player

[Mazikeen]

So I'm playing pathfinder for the first time, and I'm looking for recommendations on what equipment to buy as a 2nd level witch. I have about 1600 gp to spend, and so far have just been going naked into combat because the task of looking through all the available equipment is so daunting, and I would love some suggestions. I feel like I should purchase a simple weapon as a back up but I'm not entirely sure what that would mean for my class, and I would love some defensive stuff but since armor and shields might cause my spells to fail I'm not sure if that's an option for me. If there are items I should be saving for, I'd love to hear about them too. Are wands like summon monster worth picking up? Pretty much any advice at all would be helpful at my particular rpg experience, so lemme have it!

[Marie]

Hi! Welcome to Pathfinder.

Here are my thoughts on low-level witch equipment.

Weapons:
A dagger (2gp) will give you a back up that lets you threaten enemies or provide a flank.
For enemies at range, a light crossbow (35gp) and bolts (1gp per 10 bolts) will do the trick.

Mundane Items:
for 21gp, you can get a Witch's kit, which contains some basic items.
A backpack, a bedroll, a belt pouch, candles (10), chalk (10), a flint and steel, ink, an inkpen, an iron pot, a mess kit, soap, a spell component pouch, torches (10), trail rations (5 days), and a waterskin.

Defenses:
You're right that almost all armor and shields might make your spells fail.
For 1005gp, you can pick up a mithral buckler. It's a great shield for casters because it weighs 2.5 lbs, keeps your hands free, and actually doesn't mess up your spells.
You can eventually upgrade the shield for more AC.
For 2000gp, you can get a +1 ring of protection.
For 2000gp, you can get an amulet of natural armor.

Wands and Scrolls:
In general, when you cast a spell from a wand or scroll, you cast like the lowest level, least intelligent witch that could possibly cast that spell. This is the main thing I keep in mind when thinking about which wands and scrolls to pick.
For example, a scroll of Summon Monster I: a 1st level witch can cast Summon Monster I. That means that even if a 20th level witch used
a scroll of summon monster I, it would only last for 1 round.
If a 20th level witch used a scroll of Burning Hands, it would do 1d4 damage, an the reflex save DC would be 11.

Here are some cheap wands and scrolls that can be useful.

Wands:
Wands are great for spells you might use a lot of times.
750gp: Cure Light Wounds
750gp: Mage Armor

Scrolls:
Scrolls are great for spells you might need in a pinch.
You'll probably want to get a scroll box (5gp), which is watertight and holds up to 10 scrolls.
*Air Bubble (25gp): Gives the target one minute of breathable air, protecting them from toxic gas and letting them breathe underwater. This spell is from the book Ultimate Combat.
*Comprehend Languages (25gp): Lets you understand all spoken and written language
*Detect Secret Doors (25gp): For finding secret doors.
*Remove Sickness (25gp): Is the fighter too busy throwing up to participate in combat? Nausea is a really nasty effect, and Remove Sickness lets you suppress it for 10 minutes. This spell is from the book Ultimate Magic.
*Mount (25gp): For 2 hours, you have a horse. Great for carrying things (or testing a hallway that might be trapped).
*Unseen Servant (25gp): Unseen servants can fetch objects for you.
*Glitterdust (150gp): For when invisible enemies are causing problems for the party

Other Fun Items:
*Sleeves of Many Garments (200gp): Always be appropriately dressed, for adventuring or a noble gala. They come in handy for disguising and blending in.
*Masterwork tools (30gp): Does your witch have a hobby or a craft? For 30gp, you can pick up an nice set of tools for it. These will give you a +2 bonus to skill checks for that craft.
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Slightly Higher Levels (Some items to save up for)
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*Headband of Vast Intelligence +2 (4000gp): This item increase your intelligence by 2, which is excellent for witches
*Cackling Hag's Blouse (6000gp)
*Lesser Metamagic Rods: Metamagic rods let you add an extra effect to three of your spells per day. Lesser Metamagic rods can effect Level 1-3 spells.
*Lesser Rod of Reach (3000gp): Extends the range of your spells so you can cast them from farther away. Touch spells become close range, close range spells become medium range, and medium range spells become long range.
*Lesser Rod of Extend (3000gp): Makes your spell last twice as long

[pauljathome]

A handy haversack is great (it is 2,000 so not yet), especially if you have a low strength.

Grab a dagger. That way you can flank if the group really needs it.

I'd forget armour for quite awhile. You'll just go from being hit 80% of the time to being hit 70% of the time. Not worth it. Your defence is to cower behind the meat shields.

Mostly I'd buy a bunch of scrolls. Not ones that require saves, but utility spells like Obscuring mist, Air bubble, mending, cure light wounds, mage armour, etc. Take a look at the SRD and just grab 1 or 2 of anything interesting. A spell caster should usually have literally at least a couple of dozen scrolls.

Grab a spring loaded wrist sheathe and put a scroll of Obscuring mist there. If you're ever ambushed by archers it can stop a TPK

Get the group to chip in on a wand of cure light wounds if possible.

If you're the only healer in the group buy a couple of potions of cure light wounds in case you go down.

Grab some alchemist's fire, some oil.

You can probably now see why the Handy Haversack is so valuable:-)

[Lamontius]

Wand of Cure Light Wounds in a Spring-loaded Wrist Sheath
Wand of Mage Armor
Scrolls Scrolls Scrolls Scrolls
A Familiar Satchel
Tanglefoot Bags
A Thanotopic Rod (Eventually)
Anything that gets you Fire/AoE - Alchemist's Fire, Alkali Flasks, Dust of Acid Consumption, Acid Flasks, etc.

[Deylinarr]

Marie wrote:

even if a 20th level witch used a scroll of summon monster I, it would only last for 1 round.

If a 20th level witch used a scroll of Burning Hands, it would do 1d4 damage, an the reflex save DC would be 11.

I've known plenty of people who hoarde their wand charges, but to me this is the exact reason to use them; eventually they stop being worth it to you.

It might not be optimal, but for my low-level casters I always buy a wand of Mage Armor as soon as I can. Nothing worse than only having 2-3 spells a day and having to burn one of them to protect yourself every combat. Maybe not as big a problem with a witch and hexes but it can make you feel ineffective pretty fast.

So I but the wand and never prepare Mage Armor again, and by the time I run out of cyarges Im at the point where I can buy Bracers or a Ring or whatever and Im not so worried about my AC at the beginning of every single encounter.

YMMV of course, but it's worked well for me.........

[pauljathome]

The value of a wand of mage armour depends a lot on the campaign. Good for dungeon crawls, less useful in the wilderness.

But if you're planning on avoiding combat I wouldn't bother with t. Take a scroll or 2 for the times you really need it.

But if you're using touch attacks a lot or the prehensie hair hex then you absolutely need image armour,

[Optimistic Cynic]

Silken Ceremonial Armor is as much of a needed item for Witches as for Wizards and the like. Yes, your Mage Armor will be better for numerical bonuses, but after getting that +1 on it, you are able to put on the other nice armor buffs.