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Yeah, this was in advice, but people are slow to respond on anything but on general discussions, soooo...
So, I've noticed a lot of different kinds of players and characters within my local PFS community.
I've seen Tanks, Front-Line Fighters (who aren't always Fighters), some Nukers, and a LOT of Healers/ Supporters. However, in an attempt to be useful at my table, I have thought up a great idea for a build- a "curser"
The whole point of this build would be like the opposite of a healer/supporter. His main goal in combat is to completely shut down his opponent, making their dice rolls AWFUL. This gives your team the edge and takes away some of the work that your supporters are having to do.
I was thinking a witch or an oracle would be good for this (I'm leaning towards witch, though).
So First: How do you suggest I carry out this build? Which race, class, feats, traits, etc. I've realized that most of you are better at min/maxing and strategy than me, and that's good.
Second: Do you think a build like this is even viable?
Go all out guys. Don't be afraid to technical, but I'll let you know that the only resources I have available are; The Core Rulebook, The Advanced Players Guide, UC, UM, ARG, Bestiary 1, and I sadly don't have any boons. I can always get on the Player Reference Doc, though, so go ahead and go nuts. Please don't fry my brain though ;)
Okay, thanks guys!
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And because I know that this will come up:
I would like to play a witch with this, and I will most likely have fun doing anything as long as I'm playing.
So PLEASE don't give me the silly:
"Play what you think will be fun and meld with your group :D"
I'm normally okay with it, but I just want direct answers to my situation instead of this particular thread becoming cluttered with non-useful information like that.
Sorry, I don't wanna insult you, but yeah...
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Here's the problem with this, really it doesn't get much more optimal then an improved familiar with a wand of Ill Omen and the Slumber Hex. Nothing is as detrimental to your opponents as falling asleep in combat. The best case scenario for them at that point is you wasted two enemies turns with one of yours, usually that's a pretty good trade. So yeah this is totally doable, works extremely well, can even be done via Magus (yep seen it done that way), and will leave you with plenty of other (lesser) options to play around with.
Stats: Max your intelligence, so Human/Half-Orc/Tiefling/Half-Elf/Elf/Peri-blooded Aasimar. Crunch is there for all choices, fluff to desires.
Feats: Improved Familiar, Spell focus? if you actually want to use some curse spells this doubles the need for improved familiar because you do not want to be where you can deliver touch attacks...
Here's the problem with this, really it doesn't get much more optimal then an improved familiar with a wand of Ill Omen and the Slumber Hex.
It's worth noting that a lot of players and GMs find this particular build to be disruptive in PFS, as it can really break encounters when the GM doesn't have the option of tweaking NPCs numbers and tactics.
I played that kind of character concept in a home game, and from that experience, I can tell you this: Don't do too much cursing/debuffing. A few tricks are enough, you won't be able to pull off too many different tricks anyway. Having somthing else to do when all enemies are under control lets you feel less useless ^^
Also, you'll want to have somthing to do when your enemies are immune to your tricks.
Witches give you good opportunities to develop a second tactics without cutting back on your main tactics, especially since many hexes can be used once per target each day instead of a certain number of times per day.
RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 8
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Brom, take a look at the Court Bard.
Long have I wanted to see a PC that does this.
Satire (Su): A court bard can use performance to undermine the confidence of enemies who hear it, causing them to take a –1 penalty on attack and damage rolls (minimum 1) and a –1 penalty on saves against fear and charm effects as long as the bard continues performing. This penalty increases by –1 at 5th level and every six levels thereafter. Satire is a language-dependent, mind-affecting ability that uses audible components. This performance replaces inspire courage.
You can also be an aasimar, and pick up the favored class bonus
Bard: Choose one bardic performance; treat the bard as +1/2 level higher when determining the effects of that performance.
So at level 11, you could give your opponents -4 to attacks and damage by insulting them as a move action, as well as a -4 penalty to fear and charm effects.
Pretty unique debuff that's not as janky as the ill omen wand-wielding familar.
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Brom, take a look at the Court Bard.
Long have I wanted to see a PC that does this.
Satire (Su): A court bard can use performance to undermine the confidence of enemies who hear it, causing them to take a –1 penalty on attack and damage rolls (minimum 1) and a –1 penalty on saves against fear and charm effects as long as the bard continues performing. This penalty increases by –1 at 5th level and every six levels thereafter. Satire is a language-dependent, mind-affecting ability that uses audible components. This performance replaces inspire courage.You can also be an aasimar, and pick up the favored class bonus
Bard: Choose one bardic performance; treat the bard as +1/2 level higher when determining the effects of that performance.So at level 11, you could give your opponents -4 to attacks and damage by insulting them as a move action, as well as a -4 penalty to fear and charm effects.
Pretty unique debuff that's not as janky as the ill omen wand-wielding familar.
That's pretty neat. I wonder what sort of debuffing powers the Gnome Racial Bard gets... TO THE PDF!
My wife has played several witches and I'm really familiar with the build. I would suggest an Elements patron Witch with Improved Familiar. You get enough debuff with Evil Eye, Misfortune, and Slumber that you can afford to memorize a bunch of evocation and save-or-lose. As long as you take your turns quickly having a wand familiar isn't that bad, characters who summon often are a much bigger time suck.
I'm playing a Hexcrafter Magus with 2 levels of White Haired Witch.
This building is great for what you are looking for. Prehensile Hair arcana works brilliantly with the WHW and with enlarge person up you can spell-combat/spell-strike at 15ft. I've taken the debuffer options as in...
Rime Spell/Frostbite
Enforcer feat
Deadly Embrace
Bludgeoner
So after a frostbite I impose fatigue, entangle, shaken and grappled. With the reach you can, with Arcane Accuracy, start off with a Trip to add prone too!
Even without the trip the target is -7 to hit, -5AC,-9CMB and -6CMD plus they need to make 2 rolls to cast a spell. Then you Constrict them to further ruin their day. You'll be dealing 1d6 + INTx1.5 twice (constrict) plus 1d6 + CL in non-lethal cold damage all using your BAB+INT to hit.
Sorry the bit about PFS didn't get processed so I think my build isn't going to fly as is but you can do something ever similar with a regular Magus.
My curse builds are:
Wizard: Conjuration-Teleportation specialist. Spell Focus/Gr. Spell Focus in Conjuration and Necromancy. Controls the battlefield and debuffs single foes.
Cleric of Desna: Luck-Curse domain. Spell Focus/Gr. Spell Focus in necromancy (debuffs single foes but at level 7 also uses Aura of Doom). I also use Bodyguard to help protect my allies.
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My curse builds are:
Wizard: Conjuration-Teleportation specialist. Spell Focus/Gr. Spell Focus in Conjuration and Necromancy. Controls the battlefield and debuffs single foes.Cleric of Desna: Luck-Curse domain. Spell Focus/Gr. Spell Focus in necromancy (debuffs single foes but at level 7 also uses Aura of Doom). I also use Bodyguard to help protect my allies.
Wow, that's pretty unique. I instantly think witch, but using a Cleric is pretty creative.
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A Cleric, Inquisitor, or Druid with the Madness domain is one of the best single target dubuffers in the game.
Vision of Madness (Sp): You can give a creature a vision of madness as a melee touch attack. Choose one of the following: attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks. The target receives a bonus to the chosen rolls equal to 1/2 your cleric level (minimum +1) and a penalty to the other two types of rolls equal to 1/2 your cleric level (minimum –1). This effect fades after 3 rounds. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
As a touch attack, -1/2 level to attacks and saves for thee rounds.
Or the spell Bestow Curse!
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white haired witch
Wow. It's a whole archetype dedicated to a hex that I always thought was pretty silly.
Useful, no doubt.But silly
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You might consider a dual cursed oracle, while you don't get hexes, the misfortune revelation and the bonus spells have the potential to be crippling to an opponent.
This was what I was originally thinking for this build, as Oracle's Curse is a pretty wicked spell.