Witch Hexes and the undead.

[memorax]

Having started a new Carrion Crown Ap. One of the player has a Witch. Being the DM the player wonders if Hexes work on the undead. As many of them are mind-affecting effects. With undead being mostly immune. Or am I wrong?

[Doomed Hero]

Witches have a hard time against undead and constructs.

A smart witch picks up Fortune hex for those encounters.

[HyperMissingno]

Misfortune is not mind affecting, so you can use that against them. Other than that and buffing hexes you are kinda screwed against undead unless you pack spells for them.

[Anzyr]

If the Witch goes Gravewalker Witch, they'll be just fine. My favorite Witch archetype on that note.

[memorax]

Good suggestion Anyzr. Not sure if the Paladin in the group would be ok with the arctype. As well it seems more suitable to a villain and not a PC IMO. Still with the right group and DM it would be interesting to play.

[EvilTwinSkippy]

In a pinch, Healing Hex will at least give you a decent melee touch attack against them.

[voideternal]

+1 for Healing Hex. It doesn't scale very well, but at low levels, it's an infinite use (1/undead) attack method bypassing DR that does okay damage. There aren't many infinite-use reliable attack options vs undead for low-level full casters that beat healing hex. Heavy crossbows generally fail vs DR/slashing or bludgeoning. Also, it's precious healing. Cure Light Wounds is a lot of HP for a level 1 PC.

If you're worried about it not scaling well, you can always retrain it later.

[quibblemuch]

The hex channeler and hedge witch archetypes can also leverage positive energy. And I think (tho double check) they can be taken together.

[Samasboy1]

Hex Channeler can be taken with Grave Walker as well, if you want to go for controlling undead instead of destroying them.

[Paladin of Baha-who?]

Misfortune works at lower levels, and cackle extends it. Healing hex works, although it's a bit limited. Prehensile hair can be used to deliver spells at range. Fortune and Ward are useful to buff party members to help them destroy undead. If the undead in question uses weapons, like a skeletal champion, peacebond can keep the weapons from being drawn. Soothsayer is a good hex to make the most use of Misfortune. At higher levels, Retribution will work to return some damage to creatures that are hurting your party, and can be used to get past pesky DR.

I don't think Carrion Crown gets to 18th level, but if you add on additional adventures beyond the AP, it could be useful to take the Lay to Rest grand hex, which is specifically for Undead.

[GM Lamplighter]

The witch's healing hex was the star of our Carrion Crown group for the entire first book.

[Tzimiscar]

I would not say you are screwed. Low level has the healing hex witch can be combined with persile hair for a nice ranged touch attack. Misfortune works, not sure about evil eye... I'd say no. At higher levels you get a greater healing hex or Ice Tomb, which should work just fine.

As this is about hexes:
Do hexes ignore ignore SR? (I think they do but am not certain)
What do you need that hexes can work?
Not too certain of that one. You do need line of sight, so blinding should affect you in some way. No movement necessary, so grapple should not affect you (or does it?). Do you need to speak, I think you don't so silence doesn't do anything(probably?)
Does armor affect hexes?
I don't think so. 'f the spell lacks a somatic component, however, it can be cast with no chance of arcane spell failure.' If a hex can be cast without a word it has NO arcane spell failure chance. It does affact your initiative, as it is a dex ability check(a feat could change that). Goes a bit against the class, though might be a fun idea. Wasn't there a variant that used con as casting stat? (Witchdoctor I think)
High physical attributes, heavy armor, but IS an arcane caster...

[Arbane the Terrible]

I had a lot of fun playing a witch, even when the campaign ended up fighting a lot of undead. At that point, you need to use your hexes to aid your allies (War, Healing, Fortune/Misfortune, Retribution at higher levels), and mostly use spells on the undead.

Unfortunately, a lot of your spells are ALSO worthless against undead. :( But mostly isn't all, and witches are prepared casters, so your spell selection is a good night's sleep away from making the undead wish they were REALLY dead. Bestow Curse and direct damage still work, Chill Touch makes undead flee, and Summon Monsters don't care what you summon them to kill.

Armor doesn't affect Hexes - they're (su) abilities, which don't need gestures or words to use (I believe the devs have ruled that you DO need to be able to speak to use Cackle, though). As (su) abilities, Hexes ignore spell resistance.

[wraithstrike]

Hexes are supernatural. Only spells and SLA's have to deal with SR.

[Paladin of Baha-who?]

Most hexes are supernatural. A few are spell-like, but I don't think most of those are combat offensive type hexes. Supernatural abilities ignore spell resistance entirely. They also have no arcane spell failure chance, as they aren't arcane spells. Grappling doesn't stop hexes, but you do generally need line of sight, although some hexes bypass this.

Scarred Witch Doctor is a Con-based caster, mostly, but is Orc only. Some permissive GMs will allow a half-orc to take the class.

[wraithstrike]

Paladin of Baha-who? wrote:

Most hexes are supernatural. A few are spell-like, but I don't think most of those are combat offensive type hexes. Supernatural abilities ignore spell resistance entirely. They also have no arcane spell failure chance, as they aren't arcane spells. Grappling doesn't stop hexes, but you do generally need line of sight, although some hexes bypass this.

Scarred Witch Doctor is a Con-based caster, mostly, but is Orc only. Some permissive GMs will allow a half-orc to take the class.

Half-orcs are allowed to take feats and other things for orcs because they count as orcs for such things.

[Just a Guess]

Lots of spells on the witch list work on undead.
I once played through a big dungeon full of undead with a witch and had few problems.
At low levels chill touch can work well.