| Infinityshift |
Not letting me edit the post for some reason so just going to paste it below.
Flesh Carver
Some witches are content to stay back and cast their spells and hexes from afar. Others, however, prefer to meet a foe face to face. Taking pleasure in watching them suffer as they not only assail them with magic but cutting in the flesh personally. The flesh carver takes this to the extreme, studying ways to make their enemies suffer with sword and spell together.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
The flesh carver is proficient with all simple weapons and a single martial or exotic weapon of the choice. Once chosen, this weapon choice may not be changed. The hex carver is not proficient with any armor or shields.
Diminished Spellcasting
The flesh carver may cast one fewer spell of each level than normal. If this reduces the number to 0, she may cast spells of that level only if her Intelligence allows bonus spells of that level.
Weapon Familiar
At first level, a flesh carver forms a close bond with her chosen weapon and channels her otherworldly power through it. All the spells a flesh carver knows are contained on the surface of her chosen weapon in the form of a distinct rune for each. She begins with 3 1st-level spells and an additional number of 1st-level spells equal to her intelligence modifier. At each new level she can add 2 new spells of and spell level or levels that she can cast (based on her new level) to her weapon. She may also add new spells to her weapon familiar with a special ritual, similar to the base witch. The flesh carver also gains weapon focus with this chosen weapon
In addition, this weapon may be used for the feat witch knife.
Should the flesh carver ever wish to replace her current weapon with a new one, she may do so by conducting a ritual that takes 8 hours to complete and must not be interrupted. After the ritual all spells carved in the old weapon are transferred to the new one and it becomes a normal item of its type.
This ability modifies the familiar class feature and replaces cantrips.
Spell Strike
At 2nd level, the flesh carver gains the spell strike class feature of the magus. A hex carver may use this ability for hexes and well as spells. Hexes and spells with the curse descriptor may be used with this ability even if they do not have a range of touch. Any spell that does not have a range of touch being used with this ability that misses its attack may be held ready until the hex carver either hits or dismisses it. A spell dismissed in this way is stilled expended for the day. This replaces the hex gained at 2nd level.
Flesh Carving
At 3rd level, the flesh carver begins to show true skill in the art of causing pain and suffering to her foes. The hex carver gains a bonus on attack rolls against any living creature equal to her intelligence modifier. Maximum +1 per every 3 levels of hex carver she possesses. The target must be a living being.
Carving Focus
At 6th level, the flesh carver learns how to use the innate power of her weapon to make her hexes and curses harder to resist. The flesh carver adds her weapons enhancement modifier, if any, to the DC of any hex or spell with the curse descriptor that she hits with using the spell strike ability. This ability replaces the hex gained at 6th level.
| Ciaran Barnes |
So you want to turn the witch into a part-time melee character?
Defense is a problem. She has no armor or shield proficiencies, and can't really cast in armor anyways. Her hit points will be low.
Even with Flesh Carving, investing in Strength (or Dex), and enhancing her weapon, her attack bonus will be low. Her BAB will be even lower, which worsens her ability to full-attack and to qualify for feats.
Losing cantrips is a mistake. They seems worthless once you're mid level, but they are important at low level, and a couple of stem even stay relevant.
What exactly is gained in exchange for diminished spellcasting. This class seems to lose much more than it gains.
I suggest trying this out as a magus archetype that uses the witch spell list.
| Infinityshift |
Flesh carver is what is gained from the diminished Spellcasting and the loss of cantrips is to show that less time is spent studying magic. I am building this to be a archetype for my friend who want to be able to melee but also have 9 levels of caster. This is only me starting point im trying to balance it without it being over powered which has happened before when I try to make a gish.