| Seastar |
Tldr; is this a good build for debuffing and shadow spells with a witch?
I've been preparing for my second champaign for a while now and read every witch guide I found. Thing is there were a lot of opinions and options for building a witch, so I ended up building my witch in all directions. I'v been streamlining my build ever since, trying to focus it on debuffing and illisions, but I'm unsure if it needs more fixing.
Here is what I came up with:
Human witch, archetype: invoker, patron shadow. traits: reactionary and bloody-minded
ST 7, DEX 14, CON 14, INT 18+2, WE 10, CH 10
|1|Extra Hex: Evil eye, cackle, invoke patron
|2|misfortune
|3|improved init
|4|slumber
|5|accursed hex
|6|flight
|7|improved familiar: Silvanshee
|8|invoke patron+
|9|tenebrous spell
|10|second invocation
|11|split hex
|12|scar|shadow walk
|13|spell focus: illusion
|14|fortune|greater shadow conjuration
|15|greater spell focus: illusion
|16|invoke patron++|greater shadow evocation
|17|spell penetration
|18|protective luck|shades
|19|witch knife/persistent spell (I'm not sure yet)
|20|forced reincarnation
# Build explained:
So the basic idea is, that at early levels I'm hitting the enemies with the basic witch combo. I used my extra feat from human to start the campaign with invoke, evil eye and cackle. This way I'll be useful from level 1 and getting better at debuffing every level with slumber and misfortune. This pretty much locks me into human for my race, which probably will make me look basic, but I could figure out how to cram all the necessary hexes into the early levels without an extra feat or pushing all my hexes 2 levels further back.
Flight is mainly there is keep me safe while in close range for my hexes.
I tried boosting my init with trait: reactionary, feat: improved init and DEX +2 since going first is important for setting things up.
Improved familiar is mainly there for fluff, because I like witches with magic cats. I know it not really optimal. What I noticed is that my familiar has dark vision and speak to master. I need to check with my DM, but would that kinda give me darkvisiontoo since my cat can always tell me thats going on? I wonder if that works with language too? Silvanshee has truespeech and could just translate animals and other races for me. Before this feat I'll go with raven since my DM greenlit the idea of it flying around with a wand.
From level 8 onward I'll concentrate on buffing my shadow conjuration and evocation. Archetype: Invoker increases my shadow spells DC for one swift action per combat, so I had to take that archetype for sure. Tenebrous spell, witch knife, spell focus and greater spell focus all help me increase my DC for shadow spells further. I'm not sure if I went overboard with 4 DC increasing feats though.
The shadow spells will give me a lot of options in battle, but they can be really great outside of combat too. Communal mount or phantom steed is pretty handy, air bubble(obviously useful sometimes), greater teleportation/plane shift is a great get-out-of-jail-free-card.
Split hex and accursed hex are mainly there to make my debuffing better and because every guide I touched unanimously agreed, that those feats are a must-have for all witches.
Scar is for hex shenanigans. People have been coming up with all kinds of crazy ideas on how to use and abuse this hex and quite frankly they all sound awesome and I want to try it.
Fortune, protective luck and forced reincarnation are all hexes I choose, because I had hexes left and didnt know which to choose. They all seem supportive and I've heard, that Fortune + Protective Luck + Scar + Cackle is a disgusting combo, that'll make my DM hate me and my party love me. I still have to figure out how it works though.
Spell penetration is apparently important for all spellcaster during the higher levels. I never played a spellcaster, so I'm trusting the people on the internet, that this feat is a must-have. Ishould probably get spell penetration earlier then level 17, but I dont know where else to cram it in.
For gear I'll go with the basic +5 mythril buckler, silken ceremonial armor and of course The Big Six. I've read, that all witches need a way to keep their familiars safe since they're our spellbooks and that having something like a shield enchanted with hosteling or at minimum a familiar satchel is a must.
# Things that didnt make the cut, but I dont know if thats a good idea to throw it out:
* quicken spell: Apparently better on a wand?
* greater spell penetration: I dont know enough about spellcasters to know if this is necessary or not
* tiefling: I kinda wanted to play tiefling. Mainly for darkvision and not being made fun off for playing a basic human again, but I really needed that extra feat from human.
* mage's tattoo(illusions): I probably dont need more DC increases, right?
* ability focus (slumber): I've read a witch with slumber can be incredible, so you need to buff that slumber hex at all cost.
* eternal slumber, ice tomb and retribution hex: They seem like great hexes in theory, but I have no space and no idea how good they are.
# How combat is suppose to look like in my mind:
Hopefully I start with my high init and immediately go for the strongest enemy. Evil eye, misfortune, enervation, ray of sickening and bestow curse should open anyone up for save or suck spells, more hexes and generally getting beaten up. Maybe I can get someone to intimidate, so I can throw more safe or suck or better save or die spells. Cackle every round to keep the buffs and debuffs going.
Use solid fog, black tentacles, wave of exhaustion, web, glitterdust, stinking cloud and lipstick to get rid of archers and casters. Fly around with flight hex to keep the melee's away from me and if that doesnt work slumber them.
Occasionally throw some fortune and protective luck for my team or give it to them before the battle if I can, though scar.
Shadow conjuration and evocation are mainly there for more support, utility and control of the battlefield. Conjuration can give me grease, obscuring mist, spiked pit, wall of stone, hungry pit etc for control and with evocation I can telekinetic charge a teammate, resilient sphere someone like me or the archer to get a barrier, that requires the enemy to win a will safe to break through (Otherwise they're out of luck) or use blasting spells for that one in a million situation, where it might be a good idea. Also, greater planar binding, which is an awesome spell......apparently. I dont know how to use it yeT.