Grapple Witch (White-Haired)

[Petty Alchemy]

I'm playing in a mini-campaign (lvls 1-5). My original plan was to be a monk, but we have one other non-caster, and I think it may be wise to shore that up.

This seems like a good time to try out the White-Haired Witch archetype.

It's a small party (3 characters), compensated by a generous array (18, 16, 14, 12, 12, 10). That's going into Int>Dex>Con>etc, and Weapon Finesse will be the first feat. I'm picking up the King Crab familiar, and Serpentine Squeeze trait.

What next? Should I go for Improved Grapple (which means taking IUS), or pick up something such as Toughness instead? No monster races (I figure that means no torches-and-pitchforks stuff like tieflings, but perhaps not other less threatening-looking races). I'm thinking Human or Half-Elf though.

My early spells will probably include some AoE (burning hands), buffs (Enlarge Person), and perhaps CLW (still good at level 1).

Here's an art. I plan to reflavor hair as kelp.

[Humphry B ManWitch]

I have one that is Fighter (lore warden) 2/ Monk (master of many styles(probably replace with Maneuver Master))2/witch (white haired witch)1/Evangelist (witch chosen) 6+

the basis of this build is to make hair attacks instead of unarmed strikes.

from experience the white haired witch is great but very limited in attack bonus. remember that the attack roll uses STR but the grapple and damage uses INT.

mine is Str 18 Int 16

[Humphry B ManWitch]

spells to choose are "Mage Armour" and "Should of faith"

witch dose not have "enlarge person" on their spell list

[Humphry B ManWitch]

if you pickup dragon style your hair attacks get to add STR to the damage aswell as INT

[Petty Alchemy]

I appreciate your feedback, but I don't think that build will help me at lvls 1-5, for a small party in which I'm also filling the arcane caster role.

I'm using Weapon Finesse to attack with Dex (and to improve AC).

Witches do have Enlarge Person on their spell list, they don't have shield of faith (unless you get it from a Patron).
Mage Armor is definitely going to be needed though.

[Bahsko]

I think of Naruto's Jiraiya with the white hair being used.

[Tiny Coffee Golem]

dot

[LoneKnave]

If you are at lvls 1-5, just going straight white haired witch doesn't really impact you that negatively. You lose out on 2 BAB, but that's made up for by having the Grab ability for grappling. Don't forget to take Combat Reflexes if you are going for high DEX, that way you can use your AoOs for grabbing people instead of your standard actions.

If you want a more martial bent, 2 levels of white haired and then the rest in hexcrafter magus could also work. To keep up with BAB you could also try to dip a level in a class that gives martial weapon proficiency and then go with eldritch knight (although that's also a higher level build).

[stuart haffenden]

WHW is best suited to blend with Magus, using the prehensile hair hex arcana.

[cartmanbeck]

Yeah, I think if I ever get the chance to play in a gestalt game, I'll have to go with some combination of Magus and WHW. But as it is now, having to split between two arcane caster classes just kills your survivability in lower levels, and the build really doesn't come together until after 8th level or so. :-S

[Petty Alchemy]

Yes, I intend to go WHW straight through level 5 for this short campaign, branching off won't return dividends in time.

I'm considering Tiefling for race.
I could pick up Maw/Claw for two primary claw attacks, and either go:
Str based (16) with Armor of the Pit to make up for lower (14) Dex,
Dex based (18) with Finesse, AotP at 3 (the claws are less threatening, only 1d4+1 instead of 1d4+3),
or skip the claws (once I have more spells they'll be more threatening/safer than trying to full attack).

I like the Combat Reflexes suggestion for sure (though reach'll be at lvl4). Since a WHW isn't grappled while grappling with WH, you can still take AoO I think.

[Gregory Connolly]

Sohei 1/ White Haired Witch 2/ Eldritch Knight 2 is a viable way to go as well. You end up with enough bonus feats between Monk and EK and you still end up with level 2 spells at 5th level. You need to be an Aasimar to pull it off though, and not one of those variant ones, the kind without an int or str bonus.

Ragebred Skinwalker White Haired Witch 2/Barbarian X is very nasty, but it is for sure a bestial race and it doesn't really get going until level 4.

[Petty Alchemy]

So, what type of damage does the hair do?

[Finlanderboy]

I am not a fan of the white haired witch.

You spread yourself way to thin

You need str to hit, int to grapple and damage just to land blows. Then when you grapple you place them next to you. So you need dex and con to take blows as well.

[themanfromsaturn]

White hair is considered a natural attack. I recall reading something about an option to use DEX to hit with a natural attack. Perhaps it's weapon finesse. Maybe you can just do it. So, you really just need high DEX and INT.

My preference would be a Tiefling, but since they aren't allowed, I'd go Elf. Elves get longbow proficiency, so why not pick up a bow and shoot some arrows into the guy while he's cocooned in your hair?

Combat reflexes is a good feat for a WHW.