Question on Witches, Spells & Hexes

[Gomezy3k]

I decided to run a Slyph Witch in our 1st Edition Pathfinder game. I am curious when I created her I discovered that the Witch is way different from even a normal mage, and she seems pretty limited..

When it came to spells there is a VERY limited number available. And most of the ones available are pretty useless. I am trying to talk my ST into letting me use some spells for 1,001 spells. There is a "0" level spell that I think would work well, "Lightning Sand"; at least it would be something the witch could do offensive wise.

My Witch has two spells she can cast, I chose "Mage Armor" just to keep her alive a little longer, and "Sleep". So she casts two spells, one hex and runs like hell?

Secondly I have a question about Hexes. Can she only cast one Hex at first level? I have "Evil Eye" but it really doesn't do much. I have the thing that allows me to target the same NPC again but if I can only cast one Hex it is useless.

And finally my PC has 18 Intelligence but only gets 7 skill points. Seems like this is low for an 18 INTEL.

[Farling]

They all sound like general Pathfinder questions, possibly better answered on the paizo.com message boards.

A witch's main trick is the Hex. Maybe evil eye isn't the best one to take at first level? (e.g. in a game I was reffing, misfortune was very delibitating)

Skill points are 2 + INT mod for a witch, so 6 would be appropriate. Maybe the 7th is from your favoured class bonus?

Don't forget you get cantrips which you can cast endlessly.

Have you looked at the available archetypes to see if any of them change the class to better suit your preferred game style?

[Ualaa]

The Witch is like the Wizard.
They get two spells by default, with each level increase.

In the Witch's case, her spellbook is her familiar.
If that is killed or lost, she's out of luck until another is found.
The wizard, same deal but it's a physical book they need to protect.

Like a wizard, the witch can add spells known from scrolls.
I assume the familiar studies the scroll and then knows it, as it functions just like the wizard's spellbook which she'd scribe into with inks and such.
Fluff, but more or less the same mechanically.

A large portion of the Witch is the Hex class feature.
Most would consider the "Cackle" to be an essential Hex.
Generally a creature is immune once they've been hit with a Hex, until I believe 24 hours have passed.
But you can Cackle to extend the effect another round (unless it was one of those with a duration of only one round, because the target made their saving throw).

[Parody]

Note that Evil Eye isn't limited. It's once per round (being a standard action) but you can hit the same creature multiple times with different penalties, put the penalties that run out back on them, and switch creatures as you see fit.

If you took the Accursed Hex feat (or something similar) you don't need it for Evil Eye but it can be very useful for other hexes as you accumulate them.

Also note that at first level you're also almost as good at hitting things as anyone else and you are proficient with some reach and ranged weapons. You'll want something for those annoying "immune to mind-affecting" creatures. :)

[Gomezy3k]

The reason I asked here is because I use Hero Lab to create characters and was trying to figure out creating PC using that.

Glad to find out that I can cast Hex numerous times. It wasn't really clear in the build. Trying to figure out which Hex to choose was mind boggling so I clicked on the one that sounded like it might be useful...

Oh another thing... What is with the Buying spells? I noticed that there is a "price list" for spells.. Kind of confused on that...

[Parody]

Originally Posted by Gomezy3k

Oh another thing... What is with the Buying spells? I noticed that there is a "price list" for spells.. Kind of confused on that...

Witches use their Familiar in the same way a Wizard uses a Spellbook: it stores the collection of spells that the Witch can actually memorize and cast out of the entire list of spells available to the class. The rulebook lays out a typical cost for teaching your Familiar a new spell from an NPC when you're in a large enough city.

Other ways to teach your Familiar a spell include using a Scroll you've found/purchased or negotiating with another PC or NPC Witch in-game for it. (Trading with PCs is more common in Society play where you might run into a bunch of other PCs over the lifetime of your character.) You also get new spells when you go up a level, some of your choice and some based on your Patron.

[Gomezy3k]

Originally Posted by Parody

Witches use their Familiar in the same way a Wizard uses a Spellbook: it stores the collection of spells that the Witch can actually memorize and cast out of the entire list of spells available to the class. The rulebook lays out a typical cost for teaching your Familiar a new spell from an NPC when you're in a large enough city.

Other ways to teach your Familiar a spell include using a Scroll you've found/purchased or negotiating with another PC or NPC Witch in-game for it. (Trading with PCs is more common in Society play where you might run into a bunch of other PCs over the lifetime of your character.) You also get new spells when you go up a level, some of your choice and some based on your Patron.

Thanks... I wondered about that...so now I will be on the look out for scrolls and mugging mages for their spell books LOL

[Minous]

Originally Posted by Gomezy3k

Thanks... I wondered about that...so now I will be on the look out for scrolls and mugging mages for their spell books LOL

The only way you can teach a witches familiar is via it eating scrolls, or from another familiar. Spell books are kinda useless for you.

[Farling]

To know the class properly it is best to read all about it from the book (or d20pfsrd), rather than trying to read individual ability descriptions with HL.

[mhossom]

For what it's worth, my daughter played a witch all the way through Rise of the Runelords and, as GM, I hated that character. Her hexes casused no end of problems for my baddies.

Common scenario: Witch uses Sleep on a creature, Barbarian Coup de grace's them. Happened over and over.