White haired Witch

[Kegdrainer]

Can you use Strength as normal instead of Intelligence with the hair?

(I was thinking of a reach weapon fighter that can use the hair if someone gets inside their defenses)

[Scott Wilhelm]

Well, no, but yes.

The description of the White Hair is not that you don't get to use your Strength, but you get to add your Intelligence. You get both, as far as I can tell.

But if all you need is a a close attack to go with your reach weapon, why White Hair? There are lots of ways to get that:

Take a level in Monk and get Improved Unarmed Strike.

Get Armor Spikes.

Bash with your Shield.

Be a Tengu, Half Orc, Goblin, or Tiefling, and you can get Bite and/or Claw Attacks.

If you take several levels in WHW, your Hair gains Reach and will function at close ranges, too.

I'm not saying that White Hair is definitely a bad idea. It's just unusual, and I would expect you to have a specific reason for doing that. I'm curious about your character.

[Wonderstell]

@Scott Wilhelm

I think he is interested in the free Grapple maneuver on hits, which uses INT instead of STR as the modifier.

*****

@Kegdrainer

As for the Grapple attempt ability modifier, I don't believe it is a choice of the two. You are stuck with INT instead of STR. If you were able to chose which one to use, then the description would be like the spell description of Thunderstomp, which says that "you can use your XXXX instead of XXXX".

Thunderstomp:

You stomp your foot or strike your weapon against the ground or floor, creating a ripple of power that you can use to trip a creature. Attempt the combat maneuver check to trip the target, but instead of your base attack bonus you can use your caster level, and instead of your Strength modifier you can use your spellcasting ability score modifier (Intelligence for magi and wizards; Wisdom for druids and rangers; Charisma for bloodragers and sorcerers). This does not provoke an attack of opportunity. This spell has no effect if you cannot reach the ground or floor, or if your target is not in contact with the ground or floor.

[Kegdrainer]

Wonderstell wrote:

@Scott Wilhelm

I think he is interested in the free Grapple maneuver on hits, which uses INT instead of STR as the modifier.

*****

@Kegdrainer

As for the Grapple attempt ability modifier, I don't believe it is a choice of the two. You are stuck with INT instead of STR. If you were able to chose which one to use, then the description would be like the spell description of Thunderstomp, which says that "you can use your XXXX instead of XXXX".

** spoiler omitted **

Correct Wonderstell. I was thinking by 4th level (White-haired Witch-2/Strangler-2) as a full round action, attack with a reach weapon, 5' step and secondary with the hair. If it grapples, then swift action constrict and toss in the 2d6 SA from the strangler. Later levels would be a full BAB class or classes.

[Wonderstell]

Love the combination.
Have you fought about what you should do with your familiar?

If you want to invest into it, you could pick a small familiar and buy it Muleback Cords so that it can walk around with armor/shield and help you flank/soak damage. (Flanking would also benefit your Grapple attempt)

If you chose the valet familiar archetype, it will also be granted your teamwork feats, so you can pick up Outflank or Intercept Charge if you want.

Of course, if you want to use your familiar offensively, be sure to have high HP. d10 classes, atleast +1/2 con modifier and use of the retraining* rules will allow you to keep it high.

*If it is for Society play, then I don't recommend spending that much Prestige to retrain.

*****

Familiar: "Wally" Wallaby

Muleback Cords and MWK Backpack: 1050 gp

Carrying Capacity: 37.5/115 lbs

Breastplate: 400 (200 x 2)

Tower Shield: 60 (30 x 2)

AC: 10 + 1 (size) +2 (Dex) +1 (Natural) + 6 (Breastplate) + 4 (Tower Shield) +2/3 (Fighting Defensively) = 26/27

Total ACP: -14

Total penalty to attack: -16

Speed: 40->30 ft

Total Cost: 1510 gp

*****

With Intercept Charge, if someone charges you then Wally will place himself between you and the charger, forcing the charger to attack Wally.

Then, on your turn you are 5 foot away and attack the enemy, 5-foot stepping closer and "hairing" him.

*****

Most often, enemies should ignore the small-sized tin can named Wally, but he does still threaten, so use him wisely!

[Kegdrainer]

Wonderstell wrote:

Love the combination.

Have you fought about what you should do with your familiar?

Since I will not be in the Witch Class that long, I was going to pass on the familiar and take the Half-Elf Bonded Witch Archetype, most likely the Ring for Shield

[Wonderstell]

Yeah, Shield is definitely great to have. But as I understand it, the spell isn't actually on you spell list, so you can't prepare it or use wands of Shield, right?
So you're giving up the familiar for 1 casting of Shield per day.

If you really don't want a familiar, then I propose that you chose the Amulet as your Arcane Bond and take the trait Magical Knack, allowing you to enchant it at character level 3.

[Scott Wilhelm]

Kegdrainer wrote:

Wonderstell wrote:

@Scott Wilhelm

I think he is interested in the free Grapple maneuver on hits, which uses INT instead of STR as the modifier.

*****

@Kegdrainer

As for the Grapple attempt ability modifier, I don't believe it is a choice of the two. You are stuck with INT instead of STR. If you were able to chose which one to use, then the description would be like the spell description of Thunderstomp, which says that "you can use your XXXX instead of XXXX".

** spoiler omitted **

Correct Wonderstell. I was thinking by 4th level (White-haired Witch-2/Strangler-2) as a full round action, attack with a reach weapon, 5' step and secondary with the hair. If it grapples, then swift action constrict and toss in the 2d6 SA from the strangler. Later levels would be a full BAB class or classes.

You should consider making your Hair your Reach Weapon. It will only cost 2 more levels in WHW to get 10' Reach (and Trip) with your Hair. Combining some other Reach Weapon with your Hair Attacks costs you a -5 with your Hair Attack as well as relegating you to .5 X your ST Mod for damage as a Secondary Natural Weapon instead of instead of 1.5 as your sole Natural Weapon. You get to focus your martial Feats and abilities on 1 melee weapon instead of 2. And you can use your Reach for nifty tactical tricks, such as 5' Stepping away from your Grappled victim, leaving him Grappled in your hair so that if he does make a successful Grapple check against you, with no reach of his own, he has no ability to Grapple you back.

Also, there is an awesome trick you can play with a familiar with the Protector Archetype. And the King Crab Familiar gives you a +2 on Grapple checks. Think about keeping your Familiar.

[Kegdrainer]

The idea is for a PFS game so the earlier it is useful the better and as I do not have Familiar Folio, the Protector Archetype is off the table.

I was looking at dipping WHW in order to keep the BAB high and less "squishy". As for the Bonded object there Wonderstell, it looks like it is the spellbook instead of the familiar being one (adding to the spell list just like the patron)

Not having to pay the 500(!) gp per Witch level to replace the familiar is far more useful in the long run. (like the idea about Magical Knack and will keep it in mind).

[Wonderstell]

Ah, yeah, without familiar archetypes the benefit of one lessens. But I'm not convinced that the Bonded Witch actually adds the spells to her spell list.

Bonded Witch; Bonded Item: SRD:

At 1st level, a bonded witch gains a bonded item instead of a familiar. This bonded item is similar to a wizard's arcane bond bonded item, and follows all the rules of such an item with the following exceptions.

/.../

A bonded witch starts with the same number of spells and gains new spells the same way as a witch, and can even add spells by learning them from scrolls in the same way, but a bonded witch cannot learn spells from another bonded item. Since a bonded witch does not have a spellbook, starting at 2nd level, a bonded witch's bonded item can be used once per day to cast a spell dependent on the type of bonded object chosen by the bonded witch. The spell is treated like any other spell cast by the bonded witch, including its casting time, duration, and other effects dependent of the bonded witch's level. This spell cannot be further modified by metamagic feats or any other ability. As the bonded witch gains levels, the bonded item gains new spells that the bonded witch can cast in this way. She can cast any one of these spells once per day using her bonded object, but gains greater flexibility in what spells she can cast, and gains more powerful spells as she gains new levels.

/.../

*****

If it really added spells to the spell list like the patron spells, wouldn't it be explicitly written?

Witch Patron:

At 1st level, when a witch gains her familiar, she must also select a patron. This patron is a vague and mysterious force, granting the witch power for reasons that she might not entirely understand. While these forces need not be named, they typically hold influence over one of the following forces.

At 2nd level, and every two levels thereafter, a witch’s patron adds new spells to a witch’s list of spells known. These spells are also automatically added to the list of spells stored by the familiar. The spells gained depend upon the patron chosen. Each patron is listed by its theme. Its actual name is up to the GM and the witch to decide.

*****

This is my opinion, but I don't think it does.

*****

So if you don't add Shield to your spell list, then you are chosing between one use of Shield per day and the familiar bonus. +2 to grapple CMB or a save is probably better.