I'm looking to improve my witch's flavor by coming up with a few custom hexes to present to my DM.
-= optional background =-
I'm playing a witch with the Time patron in the Way of the Wicked AP. She was wrongfully burned at the stake 60 years ago but saved at the last moment by her patron. Her body was repaired, though changed in the process. Her mind never fully recovered from the event. She trained outside of civilization for a number of years and has been unleashed upon the world in present time. She's an angry, vindictive, calculating b##~* who wants a revenge she can never truly have... or can she?
She's level 5 now, beginning book 2 of the adventure.
-= End backstory =-
Contents:
Hex
- Temporal Celerity
Major Hexes
- Bad Touch
- Giver of Gifts
- Pyrokinesis
HEX
Hex - Temporal Celerity (Su) - The Time Witch adds her INT as well as DEX bonus to her initiative rolls.
At 7th level the witch may always act in in surprise rounds. If she failed to notice the ambush, she goes last.
At 11th level the witch may roll twice for initiate and take the better result. At 19th level the witch's initiative roll is automatically a natural 20.
Requirement: Time Patron,
Compare: Time Oracle mystery with same name, Kensai Magus Iaijutsu
Considering making the 2 initiative rolls + natural 20 initiative a second Major Hex. What is fair and balanced?
MAJOR HEXES
Major Hex - Bad Touch(Su) - Hexes and spells with range can instead be channeled through a touch attack (or indeed any form of bodily contact) with +2 bonus to their DC. Hexes and spells with a range of touch do not benefit from this hex.
(I like the added risk/reward of this hex. Makes moving in for the save-or-die/suck all the more fun. Makes good use of Prehensile Hair as well.)
Major Hex - Giver of Gifts (EX) The witch gains the feat Craft Wondrous Items with a +4 insight bonus to Spellcraft checks for making wondrous items. She may also elect to purposely make cursed items; this is an evil act.
On top of this, if the witch has the Cauldron Hex, she may make potions with spells of up to 6th level. Potions with spell levels 4-6 must be made with an intended recipient. An unintended drinker takes no effect from helpful potions, but must make a Fortitude save vs the dc of the spell or be nauseated for 5 minutes by the dark energy of a harmful potion.
(Crafting call be cool when you're making horrible weapons and items for people to use against each other. Somebody has to be making Necklaces of Strangulation on purpose. I believe two feats/hexes is a fair investment, especially as it makes Brew Potion viable later in the game.)
Major Hex - Pyrokinesis (Su) - A powerful witch need not fear the flames of a pyre.
A witch with this hex may create fire at will as per the Spark cantrip.
She gains resist (fire 30) That can be used for a number of minutes equal to her witch level. These need not be consecutive.
She may cast Pyrotechnics as a spell-like ability once per day using her witch level as caster level.
She may unleash a Fireball (as per the spell, using her HEX DC for Reflex save) once per day but doing so uses up 5 minutes of fire resistance.
(I figure if a Major Hex can replicate a 7th level spell like Control Weather once a day, it can replicate a few weaker spells instead.)
-=-=-=
What do you think? Are the power levels appropriate? What should I change? Any help/suggestions are appreciated!
First of all, I applaud you for coming up with more hexes. I strongly believe there are far too few as it stands now.
Temporal Celerity: It does require having the Time patron, but don't forget Oracles only naturally get 6 Revelations, whereas witches get 11 (I think). So the revelation is proportionally more valuable to an Oracle. I also worry that this would be a mandatory hex for anyone with Time patron. I suggest not letting it scale to the level 11 and 19 bonuses.
Bad Touch: I love it. It gives more incentive to use your familiar to deliver hexes (which is a feature that seems to hardly ever be used). I wonder if it's strong enough to be a major hex though, especially since it basically adds another check to the hex (need to succeed on a melee touch attack as well as overcoming their saves)
Giver of Gifts: I also love this. I don't know if cursed items should count as an evil act though. I can definitely see legitimate uses for cursed items from a good perspective. This is such a good hex I might actually consider removing the bonus to Cauldron.
Pyrokinesis: I'm leary of this one. This seems like something that should be in an archetype. I'm not sure if it's overpowered, but witches are generally kept away from blasting spells for a reason it seems.
Temporal Celerity: I wanted an alternative to Improved Initiative that was more powerful as a Time Witch should have a better initiative score than a figher who took the Imp. Initiative feat. Looking over the Time Oracle and Kensai magus I wanted something comparable.
Bad Touch: I love it, too. Witches already risk a lot being within 30 feet of major enemies to deliver hexes. Why not get a bit of a boon for getting a little closer? I wrote it with the Prehensile Hair hex in mind as making touch attacks while adding INT to hit with 10 foot reach is pretty much what the hex was made for.
Perhaps modify it that a near miss will still deliver the spell/hex though without the bonus to the DC? Leaving the witch within 5-10 feet of the opponent, but perhaps okay.
Giver of Gifts: My character takes joy in the little things, and thus having cursed items out in the world ruining lives would bring a smile to her face. Seems evil enough, though I do see your point.
I like the addition to cauldron because Brew Potion needs something more and the current hexes with only a single effect, or brewing two potions in a day just don't cut it for a PC character.
Potions are cool and very witchy, but you lose a lot of flavor if the witch can't make potions of Baleful Polymorph. I think of the poison apple from Snow White... the witch put strong magic into a single use item out of spite for that girl. If it were Pathfinder she'd just walk up and cast the spell.
Really, this is indeed expensive and actually having the person ingest it makes it harder than just casting a spell. Social RP, bluff rolls, or stealth rolls to sneak it into someone's food/drink, etc.
Should the cauldron part be a separate major hex?
Pyrokinesis I'll admit, needs work. There are witches using fire in lots of stories and I felt Pathfinder really could use something of the kind!
I feel too many of the Major Hexes are just another variation of a shut down... and often with will saves, which regular hexes already have covered. If the Hex is to be Major it should be new and special, as if applauding the witch for surviving until level 10.
Throwing out a single fireball a day at level 10 isn't game breaking, but for a witch who was seconds away from dying at the stake? Throwing a fireball at a group of Mitran peasants would feel very good. Then again, I suppose she could just UMD a scroll or wand at that point. Way less flavorful.
Hope it's not bad form to "bump", but I really hope to hear more opinions on these. Thank you.