Mavis Finch (Controller Build)
CN Human Witch
STATS
Str 8 (-1)
Dex 14 (+2)
Con 12 (+1)
Int 18 (+4)
Cha 14 (+2)
Wis 10
HP /8
Initiative 6
Fort 1
Reflex 2
Will 2
Hex: Evil Eye
Feats:
Extra Hex - Swamp's Grasp
Extra Hex - Prehensile Hair
Traits: Focused mind, Bluffy buff (I forget what it's called).
Deity: Bokrug
Background:
Mavis is a refugee from the ruined city of Bodie's Haunt, which was decimated by Urdul Bazzak six years ago. Mavis was eleven at the time. She was taken in by local lizardfolk and raised as part of the tribe for a time; after that she returned to her ruined village and hid out with the spirits. She was given a book of witchcraft by Old Magda, who lives by herself in the swamp, and taught a few beginner hexes. From other books left behind she learned Alchemy.
Pirate looters came through to raid the ruins for scrap; Mavis killed one of them in self defense. She fled from the village and sought to hide among the Pathfinders. At first, she wears the garb of the pirate she killed, roughly shortened to fit her smaller stature.
Mavis has dark black hair, pale skin, and stands about 5'4". At first she is quiet and somewhat withdrawn with regards to strangers. After she gets to know them a bit, her personality reflects her once-around philosophy. It is almost impossible to shame or embarrass Mavis, and she is always game for a dare or a social challenge.
Mavis is easily distracted when bored. When something piques her interest, her focus can be unearthly.
Spells: Mage Armor, Enlarge Person, Reduce Person, CLW, Obscuring Mist, Web Bolt (Reflex DC 15), Burning Hands (Reflex 15), Mount, Ray of Sickening (Fortitude 15).
(Spent 100gp on extra scrolls)
RP wise, I think she has an interesting motive for joining the Pathfinders (hiding out!).
Mechanics wise, I didn't want to sink too much into stuff that bad guys can save against. That's why I went for the Swamp's Grasp to create difficult terrain (maybe save the wizards a grease or two?) and Prehensile Hair. The spells I've chosen are there to provide a nice spread for saves. (two reflex, one fort, Evil Eye for Will)
Hair - I don't count on making too many standard attacks, but the reach allows me to supply a pain in the rear via some creative positioning and provide a flanking buddy for tough guys. Also, it provides a buffer for casting, since most things I run into at level one aren't likely to have reach. And if I have to make an attack roll, +4 for d3+4 isn't terrible at first level. Better than my familiar's.
Almost forgot! Procompsognathus familiar for free improved initiative.
First off, why such a high charisma? If you want to be good at bluff there is a trait that allows you to use your intelligence instead of your Charisma.
Also I would recommend a 20 intelligence if possible. While you are trying to avoid saving throws there are not many witch Hexes or spells that do not have save DCs.
Feat/hex tree:
2 - Misfortune
3 - Improved Familiar
4 - Flight
5 - Spell Focus Conjuration
6 - Aura of Purity
7 - Augment Summoning
8 - Water Lung
9 - Superior Summoning? or Quickened Spell? Or a hex-buffing feat?
Note that level 5 is when she gets access to Stinking Cloud. So folks can wade through it in my aura of purity one level later.
No cackle? Is he crazy?
The answer is that I had it on there and had to replace it with Improved Familiar. I don't know where I'd fit it in - it would need to replace the conjuration/summoning feats or come too late to be of much use in my career.
Also I don't like that it locks me in place. This is less of a debuff build and more of a multi-option controller one. I'd much rather have an entropic monkey carrying a wand around delivering healing spells to folk than be locked in place cackling with my crappy compsognathus.
I suppose this might work:
2 - Misfortune
3 - Improved Familiar
4 - Cackle
5 - Flight
6 - Aura of Purity
7 - Spell Focus Conjuration
8 - Water Lung
9 - Augment Summoning
Makes a little more sense since those higher levels are where those tougher summoned beasties could use a buff. At fifth level I can be hovering over the battle cackling and zapping heads with misfortunes and evil eyes while my monkey is bouncing around the battlefield with a quiver of wands.
First off, why such a high charisma? If you want to be good at bluff there is a trait that allows you to use your intelligence instead of your Charisma.
Also I would recommend a 20 intelligence if possible. While you are trying to avoid saving throws there are not many witch Hexes or spells that do not have save DCs.
Respectfully disagree. Buffs, summons, and heals don't worry about saving throws. As you can see, in her first nine levels I only have two hexes that offer a save, and they work pretty well in conjunction with each other.
Nevertheless, I did pick a nuke (stinking cloud) and made it tougher at level 7 (two levels after I got it, when the bad guys are just going to be leveling out of it).
What trait puts INT for bluff?
Also, Cha buffs UMD, which will be pretty useful once I get improved familiar.
The trait is called clever wordplay. It allows you to use your intelligence modifier instead of your Charisma on any one charisma based skill. So if you really want you could use it for UMD if you want to max it out. Oh, regarding the familiar and UMD: it uses your skill ranks not your skill modifier so any traits, buffs, or abilities you have regarding the skill will not be shared by your familiar.
I also initially shared your dislike for cackle due to it keeping you locked in one place. However I realized that if you were mounted you can direct your mount to move as a free action(DC 5 ride check) then take your standard and a move equivalent (aka a hex then cackle).
The trait is called clever wordplay. It allows you to use your intelligence modifier instead of your Charisma on any one charisma based skill. So if you really want you could use it for UMD if you want to max it out. Oh, regarding the familiar and UMD: it uses your skill ranks not your skill modifier so any traits, buffs, or abilities you have regarding the skill will not be shared by your familiar.
I also initially shared your dislike for cackle due to it keeping you locked in one place. However I realized that if you were mounted you can direct your mount to move as a free action(DC 5 ride check) then take your standard and a move equivalent (aka a hex then cackle).
Fair enough on the familiar. The familiar can take skill focus as a feat, though, no?
Btw, how often does a familiar gain feats? Every other level (HD)?
As far I know I do not think that familiars ever actually gain hit die, and thus feats, they just gain hit points as you do.