Had a battle with some qlippoth, and even had foreknowledge that we would face a certain one in sufficient time to prepare spells.
My Cohort, at Witch 10, turned out to have a poor selection at 2nd and 3rd levels. Had the battle not enervated 10 levels, cursed 3 on all d20s, and evil eyed 2 more on saves, it would not have gone well. Even so, it was tough. Since it was an augmented one, with its gaze attack also as an aura, you had to save just if you were close by. Neither my char, nor my cohort have great will saves, so we did get some difficulty from the aura.
My question for advice, is what spells to add to the ones I have. While I have played since 1st ed, I understand the concepts, but I never really got the hang of buying spells to add to the spellbook, and generally used scroll drops or captured spellbooks for the main access to new spells. In the Skulls & Shackles AP, we have not encountered any witches outside of the ones who became my follower, so I have not even had a chance to swap spells with any high level witches. I likewise have difficulty spending for consumables. This has combined to leave my cohort with a less than stellar selection of spells for all occasions. What do I need to add?
Here is what I have:
I have a lot of 1st level spells, since I have a lot of witch followers & we share our lists. Since they come with a mostly random selection, it has been OK. But higher levels, not so much.
As a cohort, in a very large party, his job is more support than star, so I am not looking to take over as arcane mastermind (another party member has that & his own cohort), but rather I want to contribute and not be sidelined just because it is immune to mind affecting.
Please let me know what spells I need to add to be well rounded, and also explain what hole they are fixing in my existing list. [I need all the help I can get. I have often played a divine caster, not so often an arcane one.]
EDIT: Race: Fetchling. Feats: Spell Focus (Enchantment), Greater Spell Focus (Enchantment), Craft Wondrous Items, Forge Ring, Extra Hex (Evil Eye).
Thanks
/cevah
|
2nd level - Glitterdust, a notable missing spell. Blindness/Deafness, Web, Vomit Swarm can also be nice.
3rd level - Screech is solid if you have a couple of melee fighters in your party. Lightning Bolt if you don't.
You haven't mentioned what the rest of your party is. Remember witches are best at debuffing - making it easier for your party to deal with the bad guys, so this info is key.
2nd level - Glitterdust, a notable missing spell.
Blindness/Deafness, Web, Vomit Swarm can also be nice.3rd level - Screech is solid if you have a couple of melee fighters in your party. Lightning Bolt if you don't.
You haven't mentioned what the rest of your party is. Remember witches are best at debuffing - making it easier for your party to deal with the bad guys, so this info is key.
Already have Blindness/Deafness & Web. Vomit Swarm requires melee, for a cohort.... :-(
Glitterdust is usually carried by the wizard mentioned earlier.
Screech, then, should be good as we do have several melee.
Party just gained 12th level, my cohort 10th:
Wizard (conjurer) w/Wizard cohort (crafter & complimentary wizard to primary)
Oracle/PrC (4-horseman one)
Alchemist (Investigator?)
Ninja 10/Witch 2 (self) w/Witch 10 cohort (crafting & enchanter)
Melee type, not sure what (player just brought in a new char)
Additional when player makes it (not often):
Druid (Air domain)
Inquisitor
Most notable about my cohort is the use of Loathsome Veil vs. enemy ships & Blindness/Deafness vs. opponents. Unfortunately, the SF(E) and GSF(E) has not seen much use. The one exception being Ill Omen. Most opponents get the kill-and-be-done treatment, and role-play use of enchantments has been limited.
/cevah
Regrettably, no retraining (baring exceptional circumstances), and no Intensified.
Not sure if going for Craft Wand or Craft Staff as my cohort's next feat. Given the pacing of S&S AP, there is plenty of time for refilling staves.
/cevah
The wizard should be able to scribe any spells on both lists to scrolls so you can feed them to your familiar (or your cohort's). See if you can hook up with a Sea Hag to get a coven going.
The wizard should be able to scribe any spells on both lists to scrolls so you can feed them to your familiar (or your cohort's). See if you can hook up with a Sea Hag to get a coven going.
Wizard make scrolls: Done. Problem: what spells?
Also have access to a 5th level cleric and a 12th level druid for spells. Pretty well covered for divine sources, and decent coverage for arcane sources. However, scrolls are usually 25*SL*CL+Components, which is OK for 1st level and 2nd level scrolls, but quickly gets expensive the higher the SL gets.
Sea Hag: Been looking a while. GM Issue with breaking the AP. Trying to come up with a compromise.
One of the criteria I use for spells gained by level it component cost. If the spell has a cost, and is worth having, it gets a higher rating than a spell without a cost.
As before, the main issue is what spells do I need.
/cevah
I've been looking at the guides, and the following spells look most recommended:
2 Glitterdust
2 Ironskin
2 Symbol of Mirroring (UM) [100gp]
2 Vomit Swarm
3 Howling Agony
3 Lightning Bolt
3 Rain of Frogs
3 Ray of Exhaustion
3 Screech
3 Stinking Cloud
3 Summon Monster III
3 Vampric Touch
4 Black Tentacles
4 Locate Creature
4 Summon Monster IV
4 Threefold Aspect
4 Web Cloud
5 Baleful Polymorph
5 Curse of Disgust
5 Feeblemind
5 Magic Jar
5 Summon Monster V
5 Symbol of Pain
Scroll total (after discounts for party crafting of known spells) is > 10,000 gp. More than I can spend just now.
Which spells should I add first? What gap is most glaring?
/cevah
Think I will start w/Screech & Ironskin.
/cevah
From that list, the most important is Baleful Polymorph, which addresses your concern about immunity to mind-affecting. I'd also toss in Stinking Cloud. Feeblemind is a good use of your feats, as well.
A couple extra options: Pugwampi's Grace (3rd, ISM), Dominate Person (5th), Telepathic Bond (5th), Teleport (5th).