Best witch-only spells?

[Tamago]

Hey, folks!

I have a witch NPC who is joining my party. She's significantly below the level of the rest of the group, but I'd like her to still contribute at least a little bit to the party. However, the PCs all have mythic tiers, so the spellcasters can cast pretty much any spell in the game.

I'm wondering if you all know any good witch-only spells that would not otherwise be available to the party. That way the character can contribute something unique.

Currently I'm looking for 2nd or 3rd level spells, but advice for any spell level would be helpful.

The party consists of a barbarian, alchemist, wizard, and druid. So if there are any non-alchemist, druid, or wizard spells that *are* on the witch list, those would be the ones I'm most interested in.

[Arbane the Terrible]

Vomit Swarm is Witch- (and Alchemist-, unfortunately) only, and is fairly effective against anything that doesn't have AoEs or a lot of DR.

[chaoseffect]

It is a 1st level spell, but Ill Omen is great, especially if you have a PC that likes to throw down save or suck spells. Gotta love spells with great effects and no saves. As Arbane already said, Vomit Swarm is another fun one. Beyond those I can't think of anything else that would meet your needs that is specific to the Witch or at least not on the Wizard/Cleric list.

[Rennaivx]

She'll have her hexes as well, which will give her some unique contributions. Evil Eye + Cackle is a great combo for a character that is lower-leveled than the party, since Evil Eye is a guaranteed one round debuff against anything non-mindless (even if they make the save) and Cackle can extend it as long as you're able to spend a move action each round (no save).

EDIT: Fortune's a great one too - one reroll per round is going to be helpful in any party, and it's extended by Cackle as well.

[avr]

Spells which directly boost the other casters - collaborative thaumaturgy and sharesister - are valuable whether or not there's someone else in the party who can cast them.

[Lincoln Hills]

While druids have healing, it's pretty rare for a druid to choose to heal in combat (they have plenty of other options), so cure serious wounds is going to be a welcome addition. Assuming you didn't take the Healing hex, of course.

[Sekitou]

My witch just got 3rd level spells, and I can't wait to cast Screech (witch only spell).

[Imbicatus]

Sekitou wrote:

My witch just got 3rd level spells, and I can't wait to cast Screech (witch only spell).

It's a pretty awful spell for 3rd level. It's a small area, centered on you, that requires allies in melee range with available AoOs to take advantage of the AoO, and it has a will save. Even if it goes off, a single AoO does not do that much damage.

You would be better off with a lightning bolt, and those aren't that good.

[leo1925]

Let me get this straight, you are playing a PC in a party that everyone else is higher level than you and have mythic tiers?

[Tamago]

Thanks for your suggestions so far! I am already using Ill Omen, as well as the Evil Eye and Fortune hexes. I'll take a look at spells like Vomit Swarm and Screech as well.

[Tamago]

leo1925 wrote:

Let me get this straight, you are playing a PC in a party that everyone else is higher level than you and have mythic tiers?

It's actually an NPC (or GM PC, depending on how you like to use the terminology). The other PCs have mythic tiers as well, though more of them than this character.

She was actually relatively effective last night, for once! She now has two levels in the Winter Witch prestige class, and was able to use Freeze and Thaw to melt through a bad guy's wall of ice and let the rest of the PCs through :-)

[Sekitou]

Imbicatus wrote:

Sekitou wrote:

My witch just got 3rd level spells, and I can't wait to cast Screech (witch only spell).

It's a pretty awful spell for 3rd level. It's a small area, centered on you, that requires allies in melee range with available AoOs to take advantage of the AoO, and it has a will save. Even if it goes off, a single AoO does not do that much damage.

You would be better off with a lightning bolt, and those aren't that good.

It's actually a Fortitude save. My party tends to be up in melee a lot, and as a witch my character stays within 30ft of everyone anyway for her hexes. The spell should work great for our party at least.

[Kurald Galain]

Screech sounds like a great spell; I'd be tempted to build a witch just to try it.

Sure, you need party tactics and cooperation for it to work. But if planned right, it gives the /entire party/ (including you) a free attack. Bards would be jealous of that.

[Cykotr0n]

Witch is my favorite spell casting class in Pathfinder. I play a Blasty Witch using Elements Patron but more over I tend to use my witch as a debuffer before laying down the pain. Dat Misfortune! Anyways heres a small list of Level 2 and 3 Spells that should be much considered:

Lv.2
Blindness/Deafness: Can't tell you enough times this spell has taken out an opponent that otherwise proven difficult in battle. Only those with certain uncommon feats could get past its effectiveness.

Blood Blaze: Got a front liner that loves to be in the thick of it with lots of HP (looking at you Barbarian), then use this amazing DD spell to make him/her a pain to fight.

False Life: Witches have horrid HD. This spell is actualy pretty good till you get False Life greater. Being able to take a few hits is in my opinion invaluable as a caster. Also for more defense, see Iron Skin.

Glitter Dust: This spell is great for enemies that cast invisible on them selves. Sure you may have see invisible but that doesn't help your party if they cant smack the creature outside your turn.

Lipstitch: This is a great spell against enemy Spell casters. Also see Steal Voice.

Spectral Hand: This is a must for touch based spells and hexes.

Vommit Swarm: Another fun and offensive spell.

Lv.3
Barrow Haze: This spell is good if you don't have the feat Amplified Hex.

Bestow Curse: This is pretty good in a combination of of spell or hex. Its very tactful.

Disable Construct: I know this spell is not that great but it is one of the few spells that can stall a construct (hate constructs with a passion) and buy you some time to escape or set up for time sensitive tactics.

Gloomblind Bolts: Much like Stone Discuss, this can actually blind an enemy which can take an enemy out of play for at least one round.

Ice Spears: Awesome spell. works great against misfortune'd opponents.

Marrionette Possession: This one is fun!

Paragon Surge: One the best Buff spells I've seen. When you use Spectral Hand for touch attacks or touch attacks in general this really shines. Most good Witch spells and Hexes need touch so this works well.

Storm Step: Need to move but enemies in your way? Want to remind them that your not one to be cornered easily? Try this spell.

Thorny Entanglement: Not only helps stops enemies but also does some damage.

Vampiric Touch: Cant tell you how many times this has saved me from death.

Hope this short list finds some amusement and help to your group.

[LazarX]

Tamago wrote:

Hey, folks!

I have a witch NPC who is joining my party. She's significantly below the level of the rest of the group, but I'd like her to still contribute at least a little bit to the party. However, the PCs all have mythic tiers, so the spellcasters can cast pretty much any spell in the game.

I'm wondering if you all know any good witch-only spells that would not otherwise be available to the party. That way the character can contribute something unique.

That's what the hexes are for. Don't discount the spells that other classes can get. The witch IS unique in that she has spells from both the arcane and the divine side... that's an ADVANTAGE she should not thow away.

And by the way with those mystic tiers... the spellcasters are still limited by their spell lists. and those pool points should be going pretty fast.

[Shiroi]

I'm a fan of mind fog myself. If you land that, all hexes are basically auto success.

[Cevah]

The list of Witch Only spells is short.

0 Putrefy Food and Drink
1 Ill Omen
1 Mask Dweomer
2 Mask Dweomer, Communal
3 Cackling Skull
3 Screech
4 Spite
7 Familiar Double
8 Share Skin, Greater

That's it. Maybe you want to widen your search? :-)

Here is the list of spells not on the cleric or wizard lists:
1 Animal Purpose Training
1 Beguiling Gift
1 Frostbite
1 Fumbletongue
1 Hex Vulnerability
1 Hex Ward
1 Nauseating Dart
1 Nereid's Grace
2 Anonymous Interaction
2 Beastspeak
2 Binding Earth
2 Climbing Beanstalk
2 Enshroud Thoughts
2 Feast Of Ashes
2 Fester
2 Fury Of The Sun
2 Hidden Speech
2 Perceive Cues
2 Pox Pustules
2 Sickening Strikes
2 Vomit Swarm
2 Winter's Grasp
3 Cup Of Dust
3 Hex Glyph
3 Nature's Exile
3 Thorny Entanglement
3 Witness
4 Cape Of Wasps
4 Sleepwalk
4 Threefold Aspect
5 Banish Seeming
5 Hex Glyph, Greater
5 Old Salt's Curse
5 Reincarnate
6 Binding Earth, Mass
6 Fester, Mass
6 Share Skin
6 Swarm Skin
7 Black Mark
7 Fairy Ring Retreat
9 Elemental Swarm

/cevah