Noted.
To give some feedback, I think you're underrating Rags to Riches a little bit. It also increases the enhancement bonus of an object by 1, so it's frequently used to increase a weapon, armor, or shield's bonus in addition to the skill bonuses and improved object durability. I also think you should mention Battlepot Cauldron, Poisoner's Gloves and Accelerated Drinker for the Brewkeeper recommendation. Action economy is the selling point and that's a big part of how you get it. Note that you could attack yourself or allies with those first two items.
As for the prestige class recommendations, I understand Agent of the Grave being a weird one. I wasn't recommending that this turn into some kind of necromancy guide. I just felt it was pointing out on account of necromancer witch being a real theme some people may be into, and if you want to lean into that theme all the way... then the Agent of the Grave prestige class is probably of interest.
Arcane Archer is certainly an oddity. It is a working build, but I mainly mentioned that because the Arcane Trickster was also listed and it's a handy trick.
Cyphermage, however, is worth listing in my view. You only need 1 level and with the Insightful Scroll feature, once per day you can cast a spell from a scroll with basically your spell DC. It really expands what you can do with scrolls and if you use Pragmatic Activator you can use scrolls that are not even on your spell list to affect people.
Ring of Spell Storing is something your familiar can probably use. You can also use the Familiar Spell metamagic, which is kinda ban-worthy imo for being a superior Quicken Spell with a lower cost. And on the subject of feats, many GMs will also let you use the Ability Focus feat to raise the DC of a single specific hex.
And on the subject of items, Shard of Winter, Belt of Spirit Vines, Hand of Glory, and Strand of Prayer Beads are worth noting, in my view.
As for spells, Death Knell, Skinsend, Aura Sight (it's all the detect [alignment] spells rolled into one, and the Witch can't even cast any of those), Countless Eyes (immunity to flanking can be quite handy against rogue-like foes), Greater False Life, Deathless (this spell is likely to be banned, in all honesty), Phantasmal Killer, and Share Shape (if you use this with Beastspeak you can just cast spells while in the form of a monkey, for instance).
Northern Spotted Owl wrote: Joynt Jezebel wrote: I recall a post on another thread, which I agree with, to the effect that the very best class features were-
1) Full casting.
2) A Summoner's Eidolon and
3) A Witch's hexes.
Agreed. I see a witch as a full caster with hexes, but overall a somewhat weaker spell list. Anything that takes away your hexes (beyond perhaps a 1 level dip) must either be very good indeed, or should nudge you toward another class. Yes.
Hexes, most of them only do 1 at a time and at short range. But if the problem can be solved that way hexes just rule.
I like to reserve my spell slots for problems your hexes won't solve e.g. area affect spells. And because you can solve so many problems with hexes, you are more likely to have room for spells like dispel magic, which you don't always need, but when you do you really need it.
Joynt Jezebel wrote: And because you can solve so many problems with hexes, you are more likely to have room for spells like dispel magic, which you don't always need, but when you do you really need it. Optimal spell allocation for a witch:
1. Vomit swarm
2. 50% area effect: web, sleet storm, confusion, etc
3. 50% utility
Very sensible.
Burning Hands is also often a good choice. It can do in swarms and do some area of effect damage.
Another area where Witches shine is when you are an overworked spellcaster, due to a small number of players or having an oddly constituted party, for example there are 6 of you, a Ninja, a Rogue and 3 melee specialists and a Witch.
Your spells last better due to hexes and if you give a Witch a wand of CLW you have a poor man's cleric.
^ . . . And if you have the Healing Patron, you're not even so poor. And the Herb Witch archetype complements this. So does the Hex Channeler archetype to a lesser degree if you concentrate on rider effects instead of d6s (but you can't take both archetypes, and in most cases Herb Witch is going to be better, the obvious exception being if you're Knee Deep in the Dead). Hedge Witch is also complementary to the Healing Patron, and is compatible with Herb Witch or Hex Channeler (again not both at once).
@UnArcaneElection Quite true. The only thing I disagree with is Hex Channeler. I dislike the archetype. If you want to channel energy you should play a cleric, not a witch when it costs you your hexes.
Tom Sampson wrote: Noted.
To give some feedback, I think you're underrating Rags to Riches a little bit. It also increases the enhancement bonus of an object by 1, so it's frequently used to increase a weapon, armor, or shield's bonus in addition to the skill bonuses and improved object durability. I also think you should mention Battlepot Cauldron, Poisoner's Gloves and Accelerated Drinker for the Brewkeeper recommendation. Action economy is the selling point and that's a big part of how you get it. Note that you could attack yourself or allies with those first two items.
As for the prestige class recommendations, I understand Agent of the Grave being a weird one. I wasn't recommending that this turn into some kind of necromancy guide. I just felt it was pointing out on account of necromancer witch being a real theme some people may be into, and if you want to lean into that theme all the way... then the Agent of the Grave prestige class is probably of interest.
Arcane Archer is certainly an oddity. It is a working build, but I mainly mentioned that because the Arcane Trickster was also listed and it's a handy trick.
Cyphermage, however, is worth listing in my view. You only need 1 level and with the Insightful Scroll feature, once per day you can cast a spell from a scroll with basically your spell DC. It really expands what you can do with scrolls and if you use Pragmatic Activator you can use scrolls that are not even on your spell...
I'll respond to your items individually. Thanks again for the time to call out these details.
Rags to Riches -- Increasing a +2 sword or armor to +3 is solid, but a bit unexciting for a 4th level spell.
Brewkeeper -- I think players will just distribute the potions to their party. The witch's 1/2 BAB doesn't work as well with the battlepot cauldron or poisoner's gloves as some other classes.
Agent of the Grave -- Added, with a brief summary.
Arcane Trickster -- Downgraded
Cyphermage -- Also added.
Ring of Spell Storing is already on the list. Most familiars can't cast magic (but I do love the faerie dragon), but I'll leave equipment for familiars off the list. Hmm. I saw a guide or write-up once. Maybe I'll try to find that and link to it.
Familiar Spell -- This is terrific metamagic for a witch. Thanks!
Ability Focus -- This isn't a PC feat, so I can't recommend it even if your DM allows PCs to take it.
Shard of Winter -- Great item for a Winter Witch.
Belt of Spirit Vines -- Added
Hand of Glory -- Already on the list
Strand of Prayer Beads -- The witch is an arcane caster, and this is for a divine caster.
Death Knell -- Hard to use reliably, but added.
Skin Send -- Wildly dangerous and has limited utility. I'm not saying it's never useful, but to me it fall under the broad swath of spells that are available but not worth calling out.
Aura Sight, Countless Eyes, Greater False Life -- Added, thanks
Deathless -- Hard to use at rounds/level, outside of using it with Spite.
Phantasmal Killer -- You need to get past a spell resistance (when relevant), a will save, and then a fort save. I think that's to inconsistent to recommend.
Share Shape -- This would be an amazing spell if it worked with an Improved Familiar. I still like it. Thanks.
UnArcaneElection wrote: ^ . . . And if you have the Healing Patron, you're not even so poor. And the Herb Witch archetype complements this. So does the Hex Channeler archetype to a lesser degree if you concentrate on rider effects instead of d6s (but you can't take both archetypes, and in most cases Herb Witch is going to be better, the obvious exception being if you're Knee Deep in the Dead). Hedge Witch is also complementary to the Healing Patron, and is compatible with Herb Witch or Hex Channeler (again not both at once).
Since I have the doc open, I added brief sections on party roles for a witch: Control, Healing, Buffing, Debuffing & Blasting. Are there others I'm neglecting? You're a full caster, with all that means (divination, teleport, lots of tools in your kit).
Mostly this is to pull together the key threads, as you mention for healing, without having them spread across the guide.
@Northern Spotted Owl
I believe I have found a [rare] error in your guide. It is from the section on roles, specifically buffing and the section bolded.
I also copied the rules for Accursed Hex, again with the relevant section highlighted. You don't get a save against Fortune, so that Hex is not one of those that can benefit from Accursed Hex.
The use of Soothsayer and Fortune Hex on a character wielding a weapon with a high crit range works fine as far as I can see, it's just the addition of Accursed Hex which I don't think works.
"Buffing
A witch must specifically choose her hexes to be effective at buffing. While you have a few good spells (heroism, etc) for buffing, the key here lies in a few hexes:
Protective Luck, Soothsayer (and Cackle) – Protective Luck is not limited to 1/day/target, and Soothsayer allows it to be applied in advance.
Fortune & Accursed Hex – Take Fortune after the above suite. A weapon with a high crit range (18-20), the feat improved critical, and the Fortune hex will get a critical success on half of its attacks. With Accursed Hex to apply it 2/day, Soothsayer to apply it in advance, and Cackle to sustain it through an encounter, this is a massive buff."
"Accursed Hex
You can make a second attempt at failed hexes.
Prerequisites: Hex class feature
Benefit: When you target a creature with a hex that cannot target the same creature more than once per day, and that creature succeeds at its saving throw against the hex’s effect, you can target the creature with the same hex a second time before the end of your next turn. If the second attempt fails, you can make no further attempts to target that creature with the same hex for 1 day.
Normal: You can only target a creature with these hexes once per day."
Joynt Jezebel wrote: @Northern Spotted Owl
I believe I have found a [rare] error in your guide. It is from the section on roles, specifically buffing and the section bolded.
I also copied the rules for Accursed Hex, again with the relevant section highlighted. You don't get a save against Fortune, so that Hex is not one of those that can benefit from Accursed Hex.
The use of Soothsayer and Fortune Hex on a character wielding a weapon with a high crit range works fine as far as I can see, it's just the addition of Accursed Hex which I don't think works.
"Buffing
A witch must specifically choose her hexes to be effective at buffing. While you have a few good spells (heroism, etc) for buffing, the key here lies in a few hexes:
Protective Luck, Soothsayer (and Cackle) – Protective Luck is not limited to 1/day/target, and Soothsayer allows it to be applied in advance.
Fortune & Accursed Hex – Take Fortune after the above suite. A weapon with a high crit range (18-20), the feat improved critical, and the Fortune hex will get a critical success on half of its attacks. With Accursed Hex to apply it 2/day, Soothsayer to apply it in advance, and Cackle to sustain it through an encounter, this is a massive buff."
"Accursed Hex
You can make a second attempt at failed hexes.
Prerequisites: Hex class feature
Benefit: When you target a creature with a hex that cannot target the same creature more than once per day, and that creature succeeds at its saving throw against the hex’s effect, you can target the creature with the same hex a second time before the end of your next turn. If the second attempt fails, you can make no further attempts to target that creature with the same hex for 1 day.
Normal: You can only target a creature with these hexes once per day."
You are correct. Thanks for catching that!
Fixed.
Just to give a quick reply to the above:
Agent of the Grave: I'd just bring up Prestigious Spellcaster here.
Cyphermage: I'm surprised you mentioned the option that uses full caster level (Enhanced Scroll) instead of the one that lets you use basically your spell DC (Insightful Scroll). If you really want, you can just scribe or purchase a scroll at a higher-than-minimum caster level. It's just more expensive.
Brewkeeper: The Battlepot Cauldron is really just an item for allies, yes. But when it comes to Poisoner's Gloves, you can already use two-weapon fighting without any feat. The feat only reduces the penalties. Since you are presumably attacking yourself (this will trigger Spite, by the way, but you can use that for another buff) or a willing ally, the attack should be an automatic success anyway and apply two draughts. If your familiar has hands, it can use it as well (and even without hands a familiar can smear a single draught on someone). Another point regarding the Brewkeeper is that your entire party can just drink a lot of draughts right before combat thanks to the fact that no one will hear you drinking the same way they would hear you casting spells.
Skin Send: This spell explicitly bestows upon you construct type, traits, and immunities (including immunity to mind-affecting effects, fortitude saves that don't apply to objects, death effects, necromancy effects, and much more). It's crazy. You shouldn't underestimate that. You can also self-heal with Infernal Healing or Celestial Healing spells (or Make Whole if someone has that).
Phantasmal Killer: It's awkward to use normally, but if you have the Shadow patron then you probably have Spell Focus (illusion), Greater Spell Focus (illusion), Persistent Spell, and possibly more, and that means Phantasmal Killer becomes much stronger.
Debilitating Pain and Mass Debilitating Pain should probably also get listed. Dazing someone for a round on a successful saving throw unless they have Stalwart is already really good and if they fail then they're really going to have it.
And I'd like to add the following:
On the subject of races, I think the Elves' Keeper of Secrets (raises the DC of enchantment spells used on humanoids by 1) and Half-Orc's Projection (spells with the fear or pain descriptor, like Debilitating Pain, Fear, or Phantasmal Killer, have their DCs raised by 1) should also be mentioned. And there are two Tiefling items I'd previously overlooked: Fiendgore Unguent gives a +1 circumstance bonus to the DC of all spells with the fear descriptor that they cast for a minute, but it's a full-round action to apply. But if you can put it on before combat or just have your familiar apply it to you, it's still handy. And the Halo of Inner Calm gives a good-aligned Tiefling a +2 sacred bonus to all saving throws and some other stuff.
Also, elves and half-elves can cast Blend, so you should probably list and mention that, and I think that's the only stealth spell a Witch normally gets, not counting Share Shape giving you the +8 size bonus to stealth and another +2 from its dex bonus, and you can even combine the two - or just cast Blend on your familiar if you want it to go scouting or hiding. It's really useful with its 10 minutes/level duration.
And I think it's worth noting that you can use Share Shape for combat if you turn into a monkey, use Beastspeak, and equip a spell component pouch after using Share Shape. You even get a +2 size bonus to armor class, another +2 AC from the size bonus to dexterity, and a +1 bonus from natural armor (if you didn't have one already), for a +5 total bonus to armor class.
Tom Sampson wrote: Just to give a quick reply to the above:
Agent of the Grave: I'd just bring up Prestigious Spellcaster here.
Cyphermage: I'm surprised you mentioned the option that uses full caster level (Enhanced Scroll) instead of the one that lets you use basically your spell DC (Insightful Scroll). If you really want, you can just scribe or purchase a scroll at a higher-than-minimum caster level. It's just more expensive.
Brewkeeper: The Battlepot Cauldron is really just an item for allies, yes. But when it comes to Poisoner's Gloves, you can already use two-weapon fighting without any feat. The feat only reduces the penalties. Since you are presumably attacking yourself (this will trigger Spite, by the way, but you can use that for another buff) or a willing ally, the attack should be an automatic success anyway and apply two draughts. If your familiar has hands, it can use it as well (and even without hands a familiar can smear a single draught on someone). Another point regarding the Brewkeeper is that your entire party can just drink a lot of draughts right before combat thanks to the fact that no one will hear you drinking the same way they would hear you casting spells.
Skin Send: This spell explicitly bestows upon you construct type, traits, and immunities (including immunity to mind-affecting effects, fortitude saves that don't apply to objects, death effects, necromancy effects, and much more). It's crazy. You shouldn't underestimate that. You can also self-heal with...
Agent of the Grave -- added
Cyphermage -- updated, thanks
Brewkeeper -- I added a note about the action efficiency here. Thanks again. I'll leave poisonser's glove shenanigans(tm) aside though.
Skin Send -- I suppose there are scenarios where having construct immunities really matters. Added.
Phantasmal Killer -- Understood, but I'll still pass. If you've boosted your spell DCs (via which ever mechanism), there are still better choices than an all or nothing single target spell. At least to me.
Debilitating Pain -- I had the Mass version, but skipped this. Added, thanks.
Blend -- added
Share Shape -- I added a monkey mention
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