Can a witch cast a hex focus spell without their familiar, such as if their familiar had perished earlier in the day?
I saw elsewhere on the forums someone saying that you could not.
There's nothing in the description of the Witch's familiar class feature or Hex class feature that suggests you can't cast a Hex if the familiar isn't present as far as I can tell.
However, the Witch refocusing action is communing with your familiar, so you will have to deal with that if you don't have access to your familiar.
Good catch with the refocusing, Squiggit.
I think it was said to have something to do with the hex trait.
Still, if true, where does one draw the line?
When your familiar is dead? Unconscious? Kidnapped? Scouting a mile away? In the next room?
I'm thinking it's not true. It would just be too much trouble to adjudicate properly, and would be more clearly spelled out if that was the intent what's more.
Hex trait in the APG Glossary.
hex (trait) A hex is a short-term effect generated on the fly from your patron’s magic, requiring your familiar to draw from your patron. As such, you can cast only one spell with the hex trait each turn; attempts to cast a second hex spell on the same turn fail, and the spellcasting actions are lost.
Is this flavor, with the second sentence being the only actual rule? Seems very strange not to note this alleged familiar dependence in the Witch class familiar or hex sections.