Opinions on a " Synergist Witch"?

[Dwarftr]

So looking thru some of the classes/archetypes i came across the " Synergist archtype for the witch.... Now for what it losses, namely some hexes at certian lvls vs being able to merger with your familiar and gain some of its abilities, made me wonder.....

With what familiar would this best work with and why? And is it possible to use improved familiars?

Most DM's banned Synergist Summoners, but is this banned? Is it over/under powered? Currently our group is at lvl 12, would this be viable at this lvl?

Pls, thoughts, suggestions, maybe a build idea or 2, built to 12th lvl ok course, so things can run wild a little.

Thxs in advance

[avr]

It's totally different to a synthesist summoner. If anything the synergist is underpowered - familiars don't have many of the abilities under beast shape, and witches aren't the best to use them without something like eldritch knight in the mix. Adding a PrC stops progression of the synergist abilities of course.

If you're starting at level 12 that might help a bit. I'll take a look and see if there's an improved familiar with constrict or something when I've got a mo.

[avr]

OK. As expected most familiars have none of the beast shape III abilities, and none have more than 2 of the combat relevant ones. Standouts are the king crab (constrict), dweomercat cub (rake, pounce), and several with poison of which the pseudodragon and typhillipede are the best. No language in the archetype suggests that improved familiars would be a problem.

Getting constrict is aiming at a grapple build of course. Not via white haired witch, that's not compatible with synergist. The strength patron gives some useful spells. Assuming human you get 7 feats - defensive combat training, improved unarmed strike, improved grapple, claw wrench, snapping turtle style, snapping turtle clutch and quicken spell might be your choices. The hexes aren't greatly relevant though since you won't be getting flight via synergist, you may want to do it via the flight hex, and you may want prehensile hair for reach.

Pounce and rake suggests a build with multiple natural attacks, and maybe a little grappling. You can get a bite from the archetype, maybe claws from being a tiefling with Maw or Claw. Feats might go armor of the pit, blind-fight, combat expertise, moonlight stalker, improved unarmed strike, improved grapple, quicken spell.

Going for poison is trying to put it all into one attack instead. IUS, hex strike, weapon focus, feral combat training, dragon style, accursed hex and quicken spell might be a reasonable set of feats for a human, and make sure you have an offensive hex or two to use with hex strike.

[nicholas storm]

I think it's a worthwhile archetype if you are starting at level 12.

For 2 hexes (level 1 and 8), you can get unlimited flight (hawk has 60' average).

If you get an improved familiar, you can bump your flight to 90' good with an air elemental. With a pseudodragon, you can get blindsense 30' and flight 60' good).

[Melkiador]

It might be worth one hex to have a familiar that usually can't be lost or killed.