Advice on PFS Witch

[Val'bryn2]

Okay, just got back from a convention where, due to some of what occurred, I wanted to change focus on what type of character I was playing. I've done two witches, focused on general skills and debuffs respectively, an earth kineticist tank, and a wizard focused on learning as many spells as possible. I'm trying to play more of a backup character, party support/healing, thinking of a Witch, devotee of Shelyn, Ancestor domain for the party buffs that I couldn't normally get. Now, what's giving me problems are hexes, feats, and familiar.

Currently on Hexes, I'm looking at 4 that really call out to me, Fortune, Evil Eye, Healing, and Scar. The main ones I'm trying to decide between are Fortune and Healing, to figure out how I'm going to do the party support. Both of them look good, especially for when I take Scar, so I can hit whomever with whichever hex I wanted to.

The feats actually tie in to my hexes, I'm tempted to dump both my feats into Extra Hex, so I can start with all 4, there doesn't really seem much more that I need right now. I'm getting Improved Initiative, but I'm uncertain as to whether to take it now or hold off until 3rd level, I've already got a +2 from Dex, probably a further +2 from traits, and the rest depends on what familiar I get. Just how bad/good an idea would getting twin Extra Hexes be? Remember this is level 1, so I can retrain if I end up hating it.

Now, the familiar is a bit more of a conundrum for me. Normally I'ld grab a greensting scorpion, rabbit, or that dinosaur thing, for a +4 to initiative, but I'm thinking of trying a bird, as more fitting for a Shelyn disciple. A thrush might be a good familiar, and would help my character be a good party face as well.

I'm looking for a mix of flavor and power, so whatever advice I can get is appreciated, whatever angle you're coming from.

[Theconiel]

I am a fan of the Greensting Scorpion as a familiar +4 to your initiative is always good. Hit your friends with buffs before their turn. Cackle is a good hex because it extends other hexes. Even if your opponent makes his save against Evil Eye, it still affects him for one round. Because he is under the hex, you can extend it.

EDIT: Birds are descended from dinosaurs, aren't they? So you can get the dinosaur and make Shelyn happy...right?

[Val'bryn2]

Oh yeah, Cackle is certainly one of the hexes I'm going to take, I just was looking at the others first because they were the core concept of the character I was going for, and so it just kind of fell to the side for now.

[Theconiel]

Val'bryn2 wrote:

Oh yeah, Cackle is certainly one of the hexes I'm going to take, I just was looking at the others first because they were the core concept of the character I was going for, and so it just kind of fell to the side for now.

I like Cackle at first level, because so many hexes are round/level duration. I am usually happy to use my move action to extend a hex.

[Drahliana Moonrunner]

I'd suggest the Hedge Witch archetype with the Healing patron.

[Nohwear]

I feel that I should warn you that my experience with Witches is that they are very hit or miss. Either the enemy fails to save against the Hex(es) and the enemy is shut down, or they make their saves and you are largely useless that fight. I am not trying to warn you away from playing a Witch, I just feel that I should let you know. This is assuming that you do not try for an odd build.

[Val'bryn2]

Nohwear, I've played Witches before so I know some of the pitfalls, which is one of the reasons I'm playing more of a party buff witch than a debuff witch, and taking the hexes that offer at least a chance of affecting the enemy even if they make their save.