I don't know about witch killer, all I can find is witch hunters, one being a 3pp, and the other an inquisitor, not slayer, archetype... could you specify the source or link to a description?
In some ways, it is better with superstition than even barbarians. In some ways, it is far worse.
It gets superstition constantly against arcane spells. Disregarding the obvious flaw of divine spells (and now psychic spells), this does allow the slayer to avoid an invisible wizard getting the drop on him. It also means that he can't simply wait a turn to activate his combat bonus while the wizard buffs him and such.
You CANNOT be a willing target to an arcane spell. EVER. The ability is constant, rather than being flipped on and off with the rage switch. You will always have to save against arcane spells. Admittedly, you aren't getting the stupid saves of a barbarian (no favored class bonus to toss around), but it is still quite the save. Now, the fact that divine casters aren't affected makes this lighter, but this still seems like a logistical problem depending on your party composition.
As for the studied target.... not sure how bad losing the ability to grab more than one is. My main idea with that ability is that, once it goes swift action, it is basically 'free'. You can use it every round without losing most things that a martial character would care about. So unless you are looking for swift action based abilities (such as hurtful), you won't miss it too much in most combats.
It might be a problem when using studied target for social skills (ie- spamming it in every social situation so you get bonuses to sense motive and such). I suppose the biggest loss is when you are using stealth- you can just study target on all the guards at once to get bonuses against them. Similar problems with disguise and bluff. You can decide how important that is for your game.
Side note- the witch killer does not seem that effective against...y'know... witches. Since witches tend to use supernatural abilities with their hexes (at least the bread and butter ones, like evil eye, slumber, and ice tomb), and this archetype is focused on arcane spells adn SLAs. Great wizard killers, but witches.... not so much.
Sure, witches might prefer it that way, and it is a nice allegorical thing that the witch killers are more practiced against killing more innocent magic users rather than the threat they claim to contain... still... seems silly.
What bothers me first in this arch is the availability of rage powers, to use without raging.
The studied witch balances the bonuses the bonuses against arcane spell casters with the fact that it can't be extended to several targets at once. I can't tell if it still serves as a mostly normal Studied Target against non arcane spell casters.
Lingering thrust is downright nasty, but without play testing I can't tell if it's a game breaker or not.
What bothers me first in this arch is the availability of rage powers, to use without raging.
The studied witch balances the bonuses the bonuses against arcane spell casters with the fact that it can't be extended to several targets at once. I can't tell if it still serves as a mostly normal Studied Target against non arcane spell casters.
Lingering thrust is downright nasty, but without play testing I can't tell if it's a game breaker or not.
Well, I think the balancing factor with the rage powers is that the GM could just throw a cleric of nethys into any group of wizards without batting an eye, and the cleric would be able to pretty much ignore the majority of the witch killer's abilities.
It is an archetype devoted to countering arcane magic. Admittedly, a fairly good bet, since a lot of creatures have arcane SLAs at least that makes the 'damage to spell users and SLA users' power rather effective. But it still has an obvious counter when clerics are common high end enemies working in cults, secret schemes, rebellions, etc.
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Wait, did I just hear my name?
Sorry, no, that was just my cousin...
I'm not familiar with the archetype but I find the best anti-caster method is just readying ranged attacks to interrupt their spells.
Wait, did I just hear my name?
Sorry, no, that was just my cousin...
I'm not familiar with the archetype but I find the best anti-caster method is just readying ranged attacks to interrupt their spells.
Yeah...witch killers might not be particularly good at that either.
They give up the ranger style feats in return for being able to pick some anti magic user rage powers instead. You can still grab the feats normally, but archery is rather feat hungry....
It seems more built just for grabbing a big stick and beating the magic out of them.
Wait, did I just hear my name?
Sorry, no, that was just my cousin...
I'm not familiar with the archetype but I find the best anti-caster method is just readying ranged attacks to interrupt their spells.
Yeah...witch killers might not be particularly good at that either.
They give up the ranger style feats in return for being able to pick some anti magic user rage powers instead. You can still grab the feats normally, but archery is rather feat hungry....
It seems more built just for grabbing a big stick and beating the magic out of them.
In my quest for self-discovery I discovered melee isn't always so good. If they just move back it's hard to get them. Step-Up can help, but if they can teleport or fly... You'd need a way to neutralize their movement. Maybe trip and AoO's?
It's maybe a decent archetype if you are wanting to use a two hander, as that is a relatively weak ranger combat style.
The arcane-only provision is great. Get buffed by the party divine and psychic casters, and enjoy your bonuses against the the nastiest offensive casters around. For older published material, you don't even have to worry about enemy psychic casters.
Can one intentionally fail a save?
I think so, that's why spells you wish to receive ton't offer one
Can one intentionally fail a save?
As long as nothing is forcing you to make the save, yes. Any time you receive healing or a buff, you're intentionally failing a save.
Looking at the class closer, it has some questionable rulings attached. It appears that you are not limited to just 3 of the barbarian feats, as you are with ranger combat style, so it gives you a lot more good choices for talents than the default slayer.
Lingering Thrust has no duration, so enjoy ruining an arcane spellcaster's life by sneak attacking them and running away.
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Side note- the witch killer does not seem that effective against...y'know... witches. Since witches tend to use supernatural abilities with their hexes (at least the bread and butter ones, like evil eye, slumber, and ice tomb), and this archetype is focused on arcane spells adn SLAs. Great wizard killers, but witches.... not so much.
Note that their Studied Witch ability does work against hexes. The rage powers are geared toward spells and SLAs, but their base ability is just as effective against witches.
I do agree that their superstitious should apply against hexes. I suspect that was a mistake.
Can one intentionally fail a save?As long as nothing is forcing you to make the save, yes. Any time you receive healing or a buff, you're intentionally failing a save.
Unfortunately, that is exactly what superstition does. You can't CHOOSE to fail the save, since you can't be a willing target (heck, maybe it always had a save, and everyone always intentionally failed it to the point that the save is a mere footnote). It is meant as a balancing factor for laughing while people shoot fireballs in your face. You have to save against the good stuff too.
The fact that this only applies to arcane, and allows the absolutely necessary things like healing also indicates that this is meant to be unavoidable. Not even barbarians can completely avoid some CLWs when they have finished their tempertantrums.
I do agree that their superstitious should apply against hexes. I suspect that was a mistake.
I want to give them the benefit of the doubt and that it is a joke about real life witch hunts.
IE: "You wouldn't know a witch if it was staring you in the face". Witch hunters that don't really go after witches, and the witch hunts that are more about targeting people you don't like.