Witch Handbook

This guide will cover the new Witch class in Pathfinder (PF) in detail, from class features, to feat
choices, to the spell list. The guide will be limited to only Pathfinder sources, namely:
Core Rulebook (CR)
Advanced Players Guide (APG)
Ultimate Magic (UM)
Ultimate Combat (UC)
Bestiary I (BI)
Bestiary II (BII)
While there are other Paizo sourcebooks galore, these are by far the most mainstream and likely
to be used in a given game. While 3E is frequently allowed in various sizes and forms into
Pathfinder games, there is simply too much additional rules, and of tremendous variance in power
level, to make a comprehensive, yet concise guide trying to accommodate for different levels of
3E book allowance. In any case, as a spell caster new to PF, it is in a Witchs best interest to not
have 3E material in the game. Every extra spell the wizard and sorcerer get to pick from due to
legacy support is another reason to play one of those classes instead of Witch.

Contents:
Introduction
Race and Ability scores
Class Features (Familiar and Patron)
Hexes
Spells (split between 2 posts)
Feats and Equipment
Sample Builds
Archetypes, Multiclassing, and Miscellaneous
Ranking
This guide will use a ranking system using the color spectrum to rate the class features and
options, as follows:

Red: Absolutely terrible. Almost never worth considering, let alone a good idea.
Orange: Subpar. May have occasional use and isnt crippling to take if you like the flavor.
Green: Average. There may be more powerful options instead, but this is fairly solid.
Blue: A good choice, above average.
Purple: Among the best in its class, possibly a no-brainer pick. Outstanding!






Ability Scores

Strength: Youre a feeble arcanist, and unlike a wizard your spellbook carries itself around.
Dump this.
Dexterity: It adds to so many useful things, this is definitely an important attribute. AC, Reflex
saves, some important skills like Fly, and most importantlyInitiative!
Constitution: You have a d6 HD and poor Fortitude saves. Need I say more?
Intelligence: Your casting and hexes both feed off of this. Put it as high as you can without utterly
crippling your other important scores.
Wisdom: You already have good base will save. Perception is nice, but a small penalty wont hurt
that much.
Charisma: No ones going to like you for being a witch anyway.

Race Selection

I wont list every possible choice, only those in the CR and specific choices from Bestiary I and II
that would be well suited for witchery. None of the core races are outright terrible choices for a
Witch; a race would need a penalty to intelligence for that moniker.

Core Races:
Elf: Bonuses to Int and Dex, but a penalty to Con. APG offers the Dreamspeaker variant racial
feature, which will boost the DC of Slumber and your divination spells, which likely makes Elf the
best Witch race. The other racial abilities are alright, not great. If for some reason your strength
isnt negative, you can use a longbow if you want.
Human: Theyre seriously great at everything. Stat boost goes to Int. The favored class option to
learn extra low level spells is not worth it.
Half-Orc: Half-Orcs are decent witch doctors. The darkvision is always nice to have, Orc Ferocity is
actually handy when you can heal yourself, and the favored class option to give a skill rank (NOT
point!) to your familiar means your familiar can end up exceeding the normal limit on skill ranks. Of
course, a skill point spent on yourself benefits both of you, so the only reason to do this is
explicitly to break the skill rank ceiling.
Half-Elf: Like Human, but not quite as good. The best choice if you want to multiclass, but why
would you? Same favored class option as Human.
Gnome: Small size is a boon to casters, and Gnomes come with some spell-likes and an illusion
save DC boost.
Halfling: Also small sized and no Int boost. The save bonuses are nice, but I think gnome is
slightly better.
Dwarf: Despite not boosting Int, Dwarf is still a decent choice just because of how many amazing
racial features it grants. The low speed isnt as large a problem when you have flight magic
available. Also, has Honeyed Words trait for +1 Slumber DC.

Bestiary Races:
Tiefling (BI): Almost perfect ability modifiers, darkvision, immunity to person spells, and a few
other nice racial features. Nearly on par with Elf for the best pick (and overtakes Elf if your DM
nerfs Dreamspeaker to only benefit spells), and thematically appropriate, too.
Sylph (BII): Its an Elf thats immune to person spells and trades all the other racial features and
variant options for electricity resistance 5, darkvision, and feather fall 1/day. Its a step down from
Elf, overall.
Hobgoblin (BI): Its a very boring race and lacks an Int bonus, but it boosts the secondary scores
and has darkvision, so you could do much worse
Last Edit: February 19, 2012, 02:33:30 PM by StreamOfTheSky

Class Features



Witches recieve:
Poor BAB
d6 HD
Good Will Saves, Poor Fort and Reflex Saves
2 + Int skill points
Proficient with simple weapons and no armor/shields
Class Skills
Craft: Alchemy is alright. Basketweaving has been known to destroy campaigns and is often
banned.
Fly: You will be flying a lot. Possibly on a broom.
Heal: A one point wonder.
Intimidate: If you optimize for multiple round duration, shaken is a handy debuff to setup your
save or lose spells. You can demoralize from 30 ft away.
Knowledge (arcana): May as well max it.
Knowledge (history): One point wonder.
Knowledge (nature): See arcana.
Knowledge (planes): See arcana.
Profession: Not even worth a point 95% of the time.
Spellcraft: Int synergy, lets you know what enemy casters are doing, ID items, and is used for item
crafting. Max it.
Use Magic Device: It's one of the best skills in the game, and your spell list is kinda all over the
place, you may need this. Best for a (Improved) Familiar to double your casting per round.

Cross-class Skills
Perception: It's the best skill in the game; it's worth maxing always.
Acrobatics: I think tumble DCs are near impossible, but you'll probably have more skill points than
you know what to do with, and when in trouble, some chance is still better than no chance of
avoiding an AoO.
Other knowledges: Most if not all are worth dropping a rank into just so you can make checks
beyond DC 10.


As a Witch, your class features mainly boil down to spellcasting and hexes. The only other aspects
to decide on are familiar and your patron, which works like a Sorcerers bloodline in that it gives
you a specific set of bonus spells every other level. Hexes and then spells are in the following two
posts. This post will cover Familiars and Patrons.



Familiars


Despite what you may expect, a witch's familiar has no real benefits over those of any other class.
In fact, considering you lack the option of an arcane bonded item and that you have the d6 HD, 2
+ int skills, poor BAB mechanic going (compared to say...a Magus familiar), a Witch overall may
have the worst familiar class feature in the game. Go figure. In any case, while delivering touch
spells is handy, it's my opinion that you want to protect your familiar from harm at all times. Not
only does obtaining a new familiar cost 2.5x(!!!!) as much for you than it does any other class (I
guess that's the tradeoff for not having to wait a week...*sad face*), it's your spell book. You
know, that thing wizards go all super paranoid about trapping and hiding, and making duplicates
of? Familiars with high AC, tiny or smaller size (if you have a means to free them from grapples),
and high speed or various movement modes to escape from danger may be the best criteria to
look for. Beyond the bonus it grants to you, of course. Also, check with your DM regarding HD. If
the familiar counts as your HD for things like poison save DCs, those obviously are much more
useful than if not.
Bat: The skill bonus is alright, it's diminutive, has good flight, and blindsense.
Cat: Three primary attacks, great stealth, and scent. Shame you want to keep your familiar safe.
House Centipede (UM): Eww! Seriously, though, this guy is shockingly good. Land and climb speed 40, great
AC, darkvision, a poison that dazes, and stealth that puts the cat to shame. If the save DC improves
with HD, this might be blue.
Compsognathus (BII): It's Improved Initiative for free! That's enough on its own to make this the best
choice. Has speed 40 and a swim speed, and scent, too.
Donkey Rat (UM): It has scent and can swim, and boosts fort saves.
Fox (UM): Nothing really special.
Goat (UM): Your familiar is not for combat.
Hawk: It can fly, other fliers are better.
Hedgehog (UM): Slow and boosts the save you need least help with.
King Crab (UM): Why would you grapple?! Oh, it has the grab ability. For fending off pixies, I guess.
Lizard: Climb is worthless when flight is a class feature, and the animal itself is bad, too.
Monkey: Acrobatics is a decent skill and monkey has decent movement. If the monkey is allowed to Use
Magic Device wands, this is a much better choice.
Blue-ringed Octopus (UM): Much scarier in real life than in PF. The jet and ink cloud abilities are very handy,
making this a good choice for an aquatic game.
Owl: Pretty equal to the Hawk.
Pig (UM): Just awful.
Rat: Can climb and swim, but slow at everything. It is rather innocuous, though, has amazing stealth and
scent, and boosts fort saves.
Raven: It can fly and talk, and that's enough to be good. If it can Use Magic Devices, this is Purple.
Greensting scorpion (UM): It's not that bad, it's just that Compsognathus is so much better.
Scarlet spider (UM): Just as in real life, centipede wins this showdown handily. They do have insanely high
dex if you absolutely insist on having a familiar to deliver touch spells, though.
Thrush (UM): Flight alone makes this better than pig. Still pretty awful.
Toad: Speed 5 ft?! You don't need hp this badly.
Turtle (UM): It's too slow to be practical in a land game. In an aquatic game, it's alright, just for its massive
AC and the +1 AC boon it gives you.
Snapping turtle (UM): Awful.
Viper: It can climb and swim, but nothing else of note.
Weasel: Slightly better than fox; keep it away from melee despite the attach ability.

Patrons


This is your one big chance to grab some nice spells not on your spell list. Don't blow it! The
patrons will have an overall ranking, as well as ranking the spells they grant. For the purpose of
this class feature, it is INCREDIBLY suboptimal to take a patron that grants you spells you could
have gotten anyway. Any such spells will automatically be labeled red, without exception, and an
asterisk (*) will be placed next to the spell to denote this as the reason for its ranking (although
the spell itself may also suck on its own merits). Patrons from APG are unlabeled, patrons from UM
are denoted where applicable. Finally, as with the spells section, the spells are ranked for
usefulness to the Witch. Which may make it more or less valuable than it would be to a Wizard or
other caster.

Agility: Hexes do not depend upon form (save for a few, like Prehensile Hair and Nails), so
polymorphing spells shouldn't hose you as much as they do a wizard.
2ndjump, 4thcat's grace, 6thhaste, 8thfreedom of movement, 10thpolymorph,
12thcat's grace (mass), 14thethereal jaunt, 16thanimal shapes, 18thshapechange

Ancestors (UM): Blessing of Fervor, Prayer, and Bless are all great buff spells, but aren't enough to
carry this patron. Refuge is 2 levels lower than normal, but on your list regardless (and not very
good). I have to take a moment to rail on how GODAWFUL heroism as a 6th level spell is. I'm
assuming it's supposed to be greater heroism, but in either case, it's on your spell list already
(heroism as a 3rd level spell!). Atrocious.
2ndbless, 4thaid, 6thprayer, 8thblessing of fervor, 10thcommune, 12thheroism*,
14threfuge*, 16theuphoric tranquility, 18thweird

Animals: Antilife Shell is absolutely amazing. While you lack the animal friends to utilize some of
the spells well and the lower half of the list is poor, the high level spells are rather good. As
above, regarding polymorph spells.
2ndcharm animals, 4thspeak with animals, 6thdominate animal, 8thsummon nature's ally
IV, 10thanimal growth, 12thantilife shell, 14thbeast shape IV, 16thanimal shapes,
18thsummon nature's ally IX

Death (UM): Look at all those asterisks! And they're all pretty bad spells anyway. This is the
worst patron ever!
2nddeathwatch, 4thblessing of courage and life, 6thspeak with dead*, 8threst eternal*,
10thsuffocation*, 12thcircle of death, 14thfinger of death, 16thsymbol of death*,
18thpower word kill*

Deception: Invisiblity and Time Stop are both great additions. I like the idea of using Ventriloquism
while invisible to have your cackles emanate from somewhere else.
2ndventriloquism, 4thinvisibility, 6thblink, 8thconfusion*, 10thpasswall,
12thprogrammed image, 14thinvisibility (mass), 16thscintillating pattern, 18thtime stop

Elements: Blasting isn't very good, and this offers an awful lot of fire spells. Still, at least they're
not spells on your list already. If you want to use Dazing Spell feat a lot, this patron is green or
perhaps even higher. Fireball for a 6th level 20 ft radius save or lose or Flaming Sphere for a 5th
level single target save or lose (maybe; 2 rounds dazed might not be enough) that you can keep
putting on new people as a move action once/round.
2ndshocking grasp, 4thflaming sphere, 6thfireball, 8thwall of ice, 10thflame strike,
12thfreezing sphere, 14thvortex, 16thfire storm, 18thmeteor swarm

Enchantment (UM): This is just a sliver less terrible than Death. At least you get Unnatural Lust
early...
2ndunnatural lust*, 4thcalm emotions, 6thunadulterated loathing*, 8thoverwhelming grief,
10thdominate person*, 12thgeas*, 14theuphoric tranquility, 16thdemand*,
18thdominate monster*

Endurance: Miracle is awesome! The rest of the spells, not so much. Don't even consider this
unless you're starting at level 18, and even then I wouldn't do it.
2ndendure elements, 4thbear's endurance, 6thprotection from energy, 8thspell immunity,
10thspell resistance, 12thbear's endurance (mass), 14threstoration (greater), 16thiron
body, 18thmiracle

Healing (UM): Even the good spells are just seldom used utility items. I was very dissapointed
breath of life was not on here. That spell alone could make a patron worth taking, for saving your
familiar w/o costly components. *sigh*
2ndremove fear, 4thlesser restoration, 6thremove disease*, 8threstoration,
10thcleanse, 12thpillar of life, 14thgreater restoration, 16thmass cure critical wounds*,
18thtrue resurrection

Insanity (UM): How witches don't already have hideous laughter is beyond me. Overwhelming
Presence isn't bad considering the compulsion and save each round ends parts.
2ndmemory lapse, 4thhideous laughter, 6thdistracting cacophony, 8thconfusion*,
10thmind fog*, 12thenvious urge, 14thinsanity*, 16thsymbol of insanity*,
18thoverwhelming presence

Light (UM): The middle and upper levels are pretty good, but the low levels and 9th are awful.
2nddancing lantern*, 4thcontinual flame, 6thdaylight, 8thrainbow pattern, 10thfire
snake, 12thsirocco, 14thsunbeam, 16thsunburst, 18thfiery body

Moon (UM): Darkness as a level 1 is nice if you have racial darkvision. Overall pretty abysmal
when only the 1st and 9th level spells aren't complete fail, though.
2nddarkness, 4thdarkvision, 6thowls wisdom, 8thmoonstruck*, 10thaspect of the wolf,
12thcontrol water, 14thlunar veil*, 16thhorrid wilting*, 18thmeteor swarm

Occult (UM): This patron is very similar to Plague, but has more witch spells and is thus worse.
Create Undead is poorly ranked due to lack of a way to control them.
2nddetect undead, 4thcommand undead, 6thtwilight knife*, 8thblack tentacles*,
10thsnake staff, 12thcreate undead, 14thwaves of exhaustion*, 16thtrap the soul*,
18thgate

Plague: Again, creating undead w/o a way to control them isn't very useful. Negative levels are
great, but Energy Drain is so very inferior to Enervation...
2nddetect undead, 4thcommand undead, 6thcontagion, 8thanimate dead, 10thgiant
vermin, 12thcreate undead, 14thcontrol undead, 16thcreate greater undead, 18thenergy
drain

Portents (UM): Ding ding ding! We have a new loser! Aside from blood biography (which is totally
redundant w/ speak with dead): Every. Single. Spell. Is. Already. On. Your. List. W.T.F.?
2ndill-omen*, 4thlocate object*, 6thblood biography, 8thdivination*, 10thcontact other
plane*, 12thlegend lore*, 14thvision*, 16thmoment of prescience*, 18thforesight*

Shadow: Either we finally found another good patron, or my standards have just been lowered so
much at this point that anything without witch spells excites me. Probably both.
2ndsilent image, 4thdarkness, 6thdeeper darkness, 8thshadow conjuration, 10thshadow
evocation, 12thshadow walk, 14thshadow conjuration (greater), 16thshadow evocation
(greater), 18thshades

Spirits (UM): This is slightly less good than Deception, the other invisibility-granting patron, too
many of the spells are of very limited use. Spiritual Ally uses your BAB and Wis mod for attacks.
Yeah... Planar Ally is in an 8th level slot for a 6th level spell, maybe they meant it to be greater
planar ally?
2ndghostbane dirge, 4thinvisibility, 6thspeak with dead*, 8thspiritual ally, 10thmass
ghostbane dirge, 12thshadow walk, 14thethereal jaunt, 16thplanar ally, 18thetherealness

Stars (UM): A few good low level spells, then a lot of trash. You have a hex if you want Dream.
2ndfaerie fire, 4thdust of twilight, 6thguiding star*, 8thwandering star motes*,
10thdream, 12thcloak of dreams*, 14thcircle of clarity, 16theuphoric tranquility,
18thastral projection*

Strength: Oh, goodie. A patron to celebrate your non-existent melee prowess.
2nddivine favor, 4thbull's strength, 6thgreater magic weapon, 8thdivine power,
10thrighteous might, 12thbull's strength (mass), 14thgiant form I, 16thgiant form II,
18thshapechange

Time (UM): Good for a low level game, has some nice high level picks but too much trash along the
way. RAW no one has to hear your cackling, so being in silence isn't so bad, note that PF nerfed
the duration and casting time, unfortunately (I had this as Blue till I noticed that). Disintigrate is
worth extra to a Witch for undead-killing potential. Expend is oddly not compulsion, and is Green if
it actually requires the victims to waste actions expending their magic. If dispel magic couldn't
undo it, I'd almost say it would be worth 5000 gp to make your familiar unkillable w/ Stasis.
2ndventriloquism, 4thsilence, 6thhaste, 8ththreefold aspect*, 10thteleport*,
12thdisintegrate, 14thexpend, 16thtemporal stasis, 18thtime stop

Transformation: Again, you should be able to hex while polymorphed, so utility forms are decent.
The spells are extremely redundant, though. Would've been nice to have more variety.
2ndjump, 4thbear's endurance, 6thbeast shape I, 8thbeast shape II, 10thbeast shape
III, 12thform of the dragon I, 14thform of the dragon II, 16thform of the dragon III,
18thshapechange

Trickery: This is a solid patron overall. Mislead is the closest your spell list is going to get to
Greater Invisibility. Hallucinatory Terrain just feels redundant and unnecessary next to Mirage
Arcana.
2ndanimate rope, 4thmirror image, 6thmajor image, 8thhallucinatory terrain, 10thmirage
arcana, 12thmislead, 14threverse gravity, 16thscreen, 18thtime stop

Vengeance (UM): The 9th level spell is cool, but not nearly enough to pick this patron.
2ndburning hands*, 4thburning gaze*, 6thpain strike*, 8thshout, 10thsymbol of pain*,
12thmass pain strike*, 14thphantasmal revenge, 16thincendiary cloud, 18thwinds of
vengeance

Water: Note that slipstream is not an enhancement bonus to speed. This can be an alright patron
in an aquatic game, but it's not very good otherwise. Water Breathing can be replicated with
Water Lung hex.
2ndbless water/curse water, 4thslipstream, 6thwater breathing, 8thcontrol water,
10thgeyser, 12thelemental body III (water only), 14thelemental body IV (water only),
16thseamantle, 18thtsunami

Winter (UM): Cold only resist energy? Seriously? Most of these patron spells are already on your
list or are mediocre blast spells.
2ndunshakable chill*, 4thresist energy (cold only), 6thice storm*, 8thwall of ice,
10thcone of cold, 12thfreezing sphere, 14thcontrol weather*, 16thpolar ray, 18thpolar
midnight*

Wisdom: A pretty good patron, the stand-outs are magic vestment and spell turning. Again,
there's a hex if you want to use dream. Disjunction isn't nearly as treasure-destoying as in 3E,
though still dangerous around artifacts.
2ndshield of faith, 4thowl's wisdom, 6thmagic vestment, 8thglobe of invulnerability
(lesser), 10thdream, 12thglobe of invulnerability (greater), 14thspell turning,
16thprotection from spells, 18thmage's disjunction


Hexes


One important thing to note before we begin: unless it states otherwise, hexes do not provoke
attacks of opportunity. Being specific to hexes, this overrides the more general rule of spell-like
abilities provoking, so keep that in mind.

Blight: We begin with a stinker. This is for NPC villains, and frankly, even they could do much
better than this.
Cackle: May as well call it Crack-le, cause once you get some hexes up, youll be addicted to this
likewell, you know. Obviously this is useless without having any of the agony, charm, evil eye,
fortune, or misfortune hexes first.
Cauldron: Its a mediocre feat and a decent skill buff. Im not clear on if you need to buy an actual
cauldron to benefit from this hex or its offsprings, and if so if you gain one for free by taking this
hex.
Beast of Ill-Omen: Itsan sort of at-will Bane ability, except trickier to use. Id look for better stuff
and keep my living spell book far out of harms way.
Charm: This is incredibly limited in target selection, benefit, AND duration! Normal charm spells last
hours this requires constant evil laughter just to keep up for rounds! Pass on this.
Child Scent: This is beyond terrible. They couldve at least given the Scent a 1 mile range like a
shark has to make up for how incredibly super limited it is.
Coven: Bleh on its own, as it doesnt help you find or ingratiate yourself with other hags by RAW.
With Leadership feat or a cooperative party, this has potential.
Disguise: This would be really awesome if the Hat of Disguise didnt already exist.
Evil Eye: This is supposed to be the work horse debuffing hex, though after the first few levels
when youre not horrifically short on spells I question its value in the action economy. Still a nice
ability at low levels, at least. Best use is probably to lower saves, though hurting the targets
attacks or AC is helpful to the party, too.
Feral Speech: Depending on campaign, this could actually be really useful. It appears to be
unlimited usage per day, though the part about needing to decide what type of creature to talk to
muddies things. I suppose it just means you cant converse with lots of different animals
simultaneously like Dr. Doolittle?
Flight: Hell yes! Flight that cant be dispelled is always a good choice! You also get feather fall at
will and levitate once/day. Every Witch should take this.
Fortune: Simply put, this is not worth using for only 1 round. If you use this on an ally, youre
going to need to keep it up with cackles for it to have been worth initiating in the first place. The
DM will probably throw a book at you for it, but technically it seems like you could just cackle
incessantly to keep fortune going on an ally or allies between combats.
Healing: Nice at very early levels, though it quickly becomes worthless for in combat healing and
barely superior to a CLW wand for out of combat healing. Can be used to hurt undead, too.
Misfortune: A save negates this hex. If youre relying on the target to fail a save, just throw an
actual save or lose at him to begin with. Still a decent choice, just disappointing. Gets better in
games with critical fumble rules.
Nails: Ok, this isnt even villainous, just worthless.
Poison Steep: Great for NPC villains, for PCs it seems like too much effort to me.
Prehensile Hair: Has some utility use, but its very borderline between average and subpar.
Assuming you can use it to strangle people with your pubic hair pushed it over the edge to green
for me. Arbane noted this can also be used to deliver touch spells from reach.
Scar: This was originally just more villain crap, but Sean K. Reynolds slipped in a stealth buff:
"Fourth, the hex could benefit from a mechanical boost. Therefore, scarring a creature with the hex
has two benefits: the witch can use any of her hexes on that creature at a range of up to one
mile, and the witch is considered to have a body part from the target for the purpose of scry and
similar divinations." This makes Scar utterly amazing for buffing Witches and for scrying antics!
Slumber: THE #1 reason to be a Witch! Sleep pretty much at will, as a standard action, no SR, and
ignores HD! It cant get much more awesome than that.
Swamp Hag: Too small a benefit and too unlikely to come up much.
Tongues: Never have to deal with language barriers ever again! Shame you likely dumped
charisma.
Unnerve Beasts: As hilarious as it would be to use on a Druid, I really cant recommend this.
Ward: At higher levels this is garbage (due to the bonus types), but this is a great buff at the
early levels that you can put up before combat. Put it on the tank to make him feel overconfident
enough to stand between you and all those nasty monsters.
Water Lung: Obviously this is worthless if the campaign never goes near the water. When it can
be helpful, though, wow is it useful! A level 1 party could do a deep sea diving adventure (at a
very slow pace, granted) if the witch has this hex, thats really impressive.

Major Hexes
Available starting at level 10.

Agony: It allows a save to end the effect every single round.
Beast Eye: Potentially a cheap method of scrying and without error chance. What happens if
some of the animals in your chain move further than 100 ft apart after youve jumped between
them but are still viewing? Check with your DM.
Cook People: The spell effects are rather minor, but who can say no to some good old fashioned
home cooking?
Hags Eye: Arcane Eye is an alright spell to have some use of.
Hidden Home: I suspect this has its uses, and would be happy to upgrade my ranking if I could be
provided some ideas.
Hoarfrost: Not only does it take many minutes to actually kill the target, they get a new save each
minute to end it. This is simply impractical for a PC to use.
Ice Tomb: I really wish I knew how this worked, I have so many questions and its hard to rate
without a clearer picture. What range is this? Does resisting all the cold damage avoid the
encasement (since its fort, not reflex, and the text only requires failing the save, I assume not)?
Are creatures immune to being paralyzed still paralyzed since its due to being covered in ice?
What if the creature has Freedom of Movement active? Can you attack creatures trapped in the
ice, or is it a large solid block? How hard is it to destroy the ice? And more! Seriously, this thing
needs errata badly.
Infected Wounds: If you havent figured it out by now, PCs should not use offenses that work over
the course of hours or in this case, days.
Major Healing: Gives you a slightly stronger attack against the undead. I don't think this cuts it for
in combat healing at this point, but others disagree.
Nightmares: Maybe Witch is meant to be an NPC class
Retribution: This can easily shut down a melee brute.
Speak in Dreams: Eh, Id rather just use Sending or something.
Vision: Take all the DM fiat-dependence of typical divinations and add how soon before I can buff
him with it again? to that.
Waxen Image: While impractical, at least this hex is cool, yet impractical.
Weather Control: Its a 7th level spell effect, but one you have on your spell list anyway.
Witchs Brew: Faster crafting of potions is not worth a major hex.

Grand Hexes
Available starting at level 18.

Death Curse: Giving people heart attacks is just so stylish.
Dire Prophecy: There are much nastier things you can do to someone that fails a will save. Like
giving him a heart attack.
Eternal Slumber: Still good, but much worse than Slumber was, relative to the level you can obtain
it. Many things will be immune to sleep magic by now, and needing to get into melee touch range
is a turn-off. Still, in the cases where it can work, its a single save or die, instead of needing 2+
like most hexes.
Forced Reincarnation: While it's still very random and can come back to bite you, several benefits
have been pointed out to me that make this the best grand hex. At the least, this is a debuff for 2
negative levels and loss of 50% of unused spell slots for the day. My friend also noted that on
technicality, this royally screws over dragons, whose power is based on age category, and for
whom, being in a "new young adult body" (Young Adult age category) can be a MAJOR nerf.
Generally when using this on non-humanoids, this is better to use on the more powerful members
of a creature type, and to be avoided on the weaker ones. For example, this could turn a Storm
Giant into a Hill Giant...but it could also turn a Hill Giant into a Storm Giant. This hex also is a
hilarious way to cure someones cold.
Life Giver: Unless characters are frequently dying, the money this might save the party isnt worth
a high level class feature. On the other hand, with this hex, you're practically immune to losing
your spells due to familiar death.
Natural Disaster: Decent if you can avoid getting hit and losing concentration.
Summon Spirit: Im not a fan of the planar binding spells, and this carries an extra cost to it the
negative level.
Witchs Hut: Iuhwhat is this for? Anyone?

In conclusion, there is a tremendous amount of trash in the hex choices, but probably enough
good options to to fill up your selections from 1-20. Extra Hex is a decent option for the early
hexes, but it's mostly dissapointment in the major and grand hex lists. The "witches are bad" vibe
seems to have gotten way too much of an emphasis in the class design, at least a third of the
hexes seem like they were designed for the villain of the week.
Last Edit: November 08, 2011, 02:00:18 PM by StreamOfTheSky




Spells

Level 0 (Cantrips)

Arcane Mark
Bleed
Dancing Lights
Daze: Stop preparing it after the first few levels, till then it's good.
Detect Magic
Detect Poison
Guidance: It's only a +1 to one roll, but you can use it constantly.
Light
Mending
Message
Putrefy Food and Drink (APG)
Read Magic
Resistance: It's useful for the first few levels.
Spark (APG)
Stabilize
Touch of Fatigue

Level 1

Air Bubble (UC)
Beguiling Gift (APG): This requires some work, but it can be very good. Hand someone a
really nasty cursed item (preferably one you can retrieve for future use afterwards, current fave is
the robe of powerlessness for its cheap creation cost, light weight, and immediate strong effect).
Give them a potion that's actually an ingested poison. Make them let go of your friend for the
pretty wooden stick you've got. Biggest issue is it requires you to be adjacent in the first place.
Bungle (UM): Save negates. SR. Mind affecting. 10 HD limit. All for...the next attack/check
roll to probably fail. And if the target spellcrafts this, he will make sure that roll will be an
insignificant one. Pass!
Burning Hands
Cause Fear: Only good at low levels.
Charm Person
Chill Touch
Command
Compel Hostility (UC): This is great for more martial casters, not for you.
Comprehend Languages: Usage is somewhat dampened by the fact you have a hex to
take care of this.
Cure Light Wounds: You'll seldom prepare it, but it's nice to have on the list for wands.
Damp Powder (UC): Every single one of these spells is atrociously bad. Every single one.
Dancing Lantern (APG): This is worse than Dancing Lights, a cantrip!
Decompose Corpse (UM)
Delusional Pride (UM): Witch sure does get a lot of compulsion spells!
Detect Secret Doors
Diagnose Disease (UM): You can learn it just to be prepared, but you should leave playing
House to the cleric.
Ear-Piercing Scream (UM): Finally, a good spell! Much better w/o the "unofficial errata."
Enlarge Person: I'd just have the Fighter buy a wand for you to use on him.
Forced Quiet (UM)
Frostbite (UM): Touch range hurts, but this is a lot of damage and fatigue per casting to
inflict with no save.
Fumbletongue (UM)
Hex Ward (UM): Even if witches were common foes, it's a resistance bonus.
Hypnotism: Again, quickly becomes useless w/ levels.
Icicle Dagger (UM)
Identify: Have it in case you need the +10.
Ill Omen (UM): Of course the first Witch-exclusive spell would be compulsion! Compared to
Bungle, it benefits from no save and gains additional uses with level. Sadly, it's even easier to
counter for creatures that can spellcraft.
Inflict Light Wounds
Interrogation (UM): I found the 3E BoVD's torture rules that gave the victim a Bluff bonus
much more realistic. Oh, you want a verdict? This sucks.
Jury-Rig (UC): Casting this for an ally with the Fortified Armor Training feat can be a
delicious combo. Otherwise, this is pretty useless.
Ki Arrow (UM): I wouldn't even waste my action on this if it were a cantrip.
Lock Gaze (UC): This is basically an alternative to Obscuring Mist for screwing over a
Rogue. Oh, and it's yet another compulsion.
Mage Armor: Keep this active in any dangerous area.
Mask Dweomer (APG): Witch exlcusive, very similar to Magic Aura. It may come in handy
once in a while.
Mount
Negative Reaction (UC)
Obscuring Mist: Great spell, but you should just wand it.
Peacebond (UC): In order to use this well, you'll want to be invisible or otherwise unseen
and cast this (it has no verbal components) before initiating combat. And it probably will only work
in urban areas, where people don't just have their weapons drawn all the time.
Ray of Enfeeblement: PF nerfed this far too much.
Ray of Sickening (UM): Ranged touch and a save negates is more points of potential failure
than I'd like for such a minor debuff.
Reduce Person: A great spell for you. On a wand.
Reinforce Armaments (UC): If you need the sunder protection, wait for communal next
level.
Remove Sickness (UM): Get some scrolls in case of nausea, don't use spell slots on it.
Restore Corpse (UM): Scrolls will do just fine if the party needs zombies.
Sanctify Corpse (UM)
Shadow Weapon (UM)
Sleep: Goes out of fashion quickly, redundant with your Slumber hex. Possibly worth
preparing for foes that save against slumber for a re-try.
Summon Minor Monster (UM)
Summon Monster I: By the time this has a decent duration, the summons are very weak.
Unerring Weapon (UC)
Unprepared Combatant (UM): It's compulsion with save negates. For some inexplicable
reason it's not an immediate action, but standard, and it has verbal components. Good luck on
using it for the Initiative penalty! Holy gods does this spell suck.
Unseen Servant
Vocal Alteration (UM)
Weaken Powder (UC): Every single one.
Youthful Appearance (UM): So you won't look a day over 400.

Level 2

Adoration (UC)
Alter Self: This is seldom more useful than your Reduce Person wand.
Augury
Bestow Weapon Proficiency (UC): May be situationally useful enough for scrolls, but not a
wand or actual preparation.
Blindness/Deafness: Since Witch has so many will save effects, I think having a "fort save
or be blinded" spell is more useful to them than a typical caster.
Blood Transcription (UM): Very much worth knowing to quickly prep the next morning or to
have scrolls of.
Boiling Blood (UM): Even if your entire party is orcs and it's a lengthy battle, this still isn't
worth it.
Burning Gaze (APG): Fairly weak, but it gts points for style. Check with your DM if you can
light a fool up the round you cast this spell, as these sorts of things tend to work in every other
instance I've seen (Flaming Sphere, Spiritual Weapon, all summons, etc... all can attack the round
they're cast). This is a great spell for starting fires if you're a pyro.
Cure Moderate Wounds
Daze Monster: You know, this looks even more awful than normal to a class with the
Slumber hex.
Death Knell
Delay Pain (UM): Consider getting scrolls.
Delay Poison
Destabilize Powder (UC): Every single one.
Detect Thoughts
Disfiguring Touch (UM): Save negates and melee touch make this not worth the small
penalty. The long duration doesn't matter to a PC Witch.
Enthrall: I wanted to make a joke advising to be Canadian to avoid ever facing the save
bonus. But instead all I can say is wow, is this spell stupidly easy to screw over. One person
making the save spending a round "strangling" one of the enraptured turns the entire crowd
hostile. To YOU.
False Life: For your familiar if you're realy paranoid.
Feast of Ashes (APG): This is an NPC spell.
Fester (APG): Notably, this is "very" early entry. Only other class that gets it is Inquisitor
at 3, and they already have slower spell progression than you. Still bad.
Find Traps: Anyone can find non-magical traps in PF, and this spell doesn't let you find
magical ones. I think the duration is too short to bother with, YMMV.
Fog Cloud
Frost Fall (UC): Area and damage are both too small.
Gentle Repose: Good spell to know just in case an ally dies or you want to keep the slab of
meat you hunted fresh.
Ghostly Disguise (UM): Being a witch is already enough of a costume for trick-or-treating.
Glide (APG): Poor man's flight. I'd love to rank this higher, but it's just not going to be
useful that often when you have real flight. A "fly" speed of 300 ft is nothing to scoff at, though.
Combined with your 1/day Levitate at level 3 (you took Flight hex, right?!) this can be cool.
Glitterdust: Even nerfed, this is pretty darn good and retains the utility of revealing
invisible foes.
Haunting Mists (UM): It's like Obscuring Mist, but higher level and it hurts you!
Hidden Speech (APG): The message cantrip is nearly as effective, IMO.
Hold Person: Basically save-or-die for humanoids. Ready an action to disrupt the target's
turn with this, so his entire action is wasted and he can't get his first attempt (requires a full round
action) to break free until everyone else has had a turn. Or cast it immediately after his turn has
been resolved. Just don't use it immediately before his turn, that's a total waste.
Inflict Moderate Wounds
Levitate: Good, though you have the Flight hex.
Mad Hallucination (UM): Awful in combat, but has potential recreational uses.
Mask Dweomer, Communal (UC): Much more useful than the single target version.
Witch-only, again.
Masterwork Transformation (UM)
Miserable Pity (UM): A higher level Sanctuary that's strictly worse.
Mount, Communal (UC)
Perceive Cues (APG): Use it at higher levels when your low level slots become more for
buffing/utility.
Pernicious Poison (UM): Pro: no save. Con: melee touch range.
Pox Pustules (APG): Hmm... 2nd level fort save negates spell to sicken a target, or blind
them? Hmm...
Protective Penumbra (UM): Normally awful. Fluff text makes it sound like a great spell to
buff a Shadow Dancer with, though. Check with your DM.
Qualm (UC): Too weak for a save negates compulsion, and I would never use this unless I
could hit a creature with it before initiative is rolled (ie, surprise round).
Recoil Fire (UC): Every single one.
Reinforce Armaments, Communal (UC): If your DM uses sundering NPCs, this is much better
than the 1st level spell, unless the party has only a single item worth keeping in tact.
Returning Weapon (UC)
Scare
See Invisibility: It's usually better to just prepare Glitterdust.
Severed Fate (APG): Early entry. As a save or be shaken it's less good, and the small
effect overall but long duration makes this more fit for an NPC, again. Techincally not listed as
mind-affecting, but the shaken condition won't work on anything immune to that anyway.
Share Memory (UM): How awesome would it be if people engaged in the purchase or
trade/swapping of memories? Maybe some underground club or something. In the long run, does
it realy matter that you never actually went skydiving or what have you, if you have a crystal clear
memory of doing so to cherish?
Silk to Steel (UM): Assuming the spell does give you proficiency with the "whip" (RAW it
does not), this still sucks. You do not do melee combat. And the shield bonus application is worse
and shorter duration than the 1st level shield spell.
Skinsend (UM): I like being creepy, but at best you're losing half your hp just to squeeze
through tight spaces and explore, probably all alone and with far too low hp to solo. I'd limit the
use of this to social. Like delivering a singing telegram.
Spectral Hand: THE way to deliver touch spells, at least low level ones.
Stabilize Powder (UC): Every single one.
Status: For when the party must be split.
Steal Voice (UM): I'm sure NPCs drool over the permanent duration.
Summon Monster II
Summon Swarm: Good at the early levels.
Symbol of Mirroring (UM): Almost always too restricted and expensive. Potentially brokenly
powerful in the right circumstances.
Thunder Fire (UC): Every single one.
Touch of Idiocy: Very good against casters. Potentially good against low int monsters if
the DM tactically plays them as animal level intelligence after the spell, as he should. Melee touch
hurts, but no save.
Unnatural Lust (UM): It doesn't really matter how weak this spell is, you know you're going
to want to cast it.
Unshakeable Chill (UM)
Vomit Swarm (APG): Way cooler than just summoning it the normal method.
Web
Web Shelter (UM)
Zone of Truth

Level 3

Anthropomorphic Animal (UM): On its own, pretty weak. Better when combined with
Bestow Weapon Proficiency.
Arcane Sight
Ash Storm (UM): It's the fire version of Sleet Storm. Up to personal preference which you
want to use.
Bestow Curse: Melee touch, save negates, and SR. But still, very nice spell. The 50%
chance of losing your turn is generally the best choice, but you can get creative and make your
own curses, too. My friend once made one that left the target unable to full attack, and later on
royally screwed over a hydra with it.
Cackling Skull (UM): Witch exclusive, but hard to be happy about. Higher level than magic
mouth AND more limited in targets, for what? No 10 gp cost and a crappy d4 round shaken
effect? Hell, it lacks the (object) entry in the saves lines, so you techincally couldn't even cast this
on an undead skeleton's skull, which would be the first thing I'd want to do with this spell. The
worst part is, you don't even get Magic Mouth, since you're getting this "better version."
Clairaudience/Clairvoyance
Countless Eyes (UM): Nice long duration.
Cup of Dust (APG)
Deep Slumber: Just use Slumber.
Delay Poison, Communal (UC)
Dispel Magic
Eldritch Fever (UM)
Eruptive Postules (UM)
Excruciating Deformation (UM): You don't cast this for practicality, you use it to torture
those that pissed you off.
Flash Fire (UC): Every single one. Actually...this is decent if you actually expect to
encounter a gun user that day and he has friends. Still a lot of "if"s.
Fly: Less useful when you have the Flight hex, still good for buffing the fighter.
Glyph of Warding
Guiding Star (APG)
Healing Thief (UC): No save, but melee touch, have to stay within close range, round/level,
and caps at 50 healing total. Far too limited even used in optimal scenarios.
Heroism
Hostile Levitation (UC): Nope, it doesn't let you hover a melee monster in the air and make
it impotent. It's a save negates to avoid a small attack and CMD penalty. Ho hum.
Howling Agony (UM): Cool, yet impractical. Just think of it as "Slow, but worse."
Ki Leech (UM)
Lightning Bolt: What's with the incredibly random selection of blasty spells?
Loathsome Veil (UM): Most foes won't even get nauseated for the 1d4 rounds, and it has a
total HD cap.
Locate Object: Without a spell book, this is less useful for you than a wizard AND higher
level. Eww.
Locate Weakness (UC): It's awesome for Magus and Ranger, not for you.
Malediction (APG)
Marionette Possession (UM): I'm going to need help in finding a way for this to be useful,
but I'm sure there are ways.
Nature's Exile (APG)
Pain Strike (APG)
Pup Shape (UC): Unlikely to work, though a strong debuff to an animal/magical beast if the
party is evil and fine with puppy kicking. If this makes a familiar have only 1 HD of hp rather than
half the master's total (CHECK WITH YOUR DM, I don't think it does this), getting a ring of
counterspells with this spell in it for your familiar is beyond essential if you have a pet-targeting
DM.
Rage
Rain of Frogs (UM)
Ray of Exhaustion
Reckless Infatuation (UM): Yet another compulsion, but this probably has all sorts of fun
uses and a day/level duration.
Remove Blindness/Deafness: It's worth learning if the party has no cleric or druid, but only
prepare it when needed.
Remove Curse: As above.
Remove Disease: As above.
Returning Weapon, Communal (UC)
Sands of Time (UM): No save, but melee touch and very minor debuff.
Screech (APG): Witch only, and verbal components only. Very minor effect unless you have
a lot of allies with reach and Combat Reflexes and a lot of foes to target.
Seek Thoughts (APG)
Sepia Snake Sigil: Too expensive when you're not trapping a spell book with it.
Share Senses (APG): Early entry. I'd avoid sending my familiar off on scouting missions,
but if it gets taken / goes missing, this is good to have. Also, if the party splits into two groups,
you can send your familiar with the other half and use this spell to retain information on what
they're doing.
Sleet Storm: Solid battlefield control. See Ash Storm, also.
Speak with Dead: Great to know.
Spit Venom (UM): The poison is nice, but the no-save blindness for a round on a ranged
touch is why this is good.
Stinking Cloud
Strangling Hair (UM): You'd think witch could get this early or something. This dropped two
whole rankings just for being concentration. Not only does that restrict you from casting or
hexing, it means with the close range, it's super easy to disrupt this spell.
Suggestion
Summon Monster III
Tongues: As with Comprehend Languages, Tongues hex makes this less important to
prepare on a given day.
Twilight Knife (APG): Terrible on non-gish casters.
Unadulterated Loathing (UM): As handy as Reckless Infatuation, possibly more so from a
combat-sense.
Unravel Destiny (APG)
Vampiric Touch: More hp for your familiar, if it makes the touch.
Vermin Shape I (UM)
Vision of Hell (UM): The effects only persist while in the area, so in order to effectively fear
stack this, it needs to be in a spot where the victims can't run and thus have to cower. Can be
good, very situational.
Water Walk
Witness (UM): Early entry since bards and inquisitors get 3rd level spells later than you.
Similar to Share Senses but can be used on anyone and leaves you blind and deaf while looking
through it.

Level 4

Absorb Toxicity (UC): Decent for poison immunity now that Neuter Poison's been nerfed.
Age Resistance, Lesser (UM): Staple witch ability. Much more useful in games that start at
higher level so you can actually have this right off the bat.
Arcane Eye: Remember there's also the Hag's Eye major hex.
Black Tentacles: Nice at first, the grapple mod quickly becomes obsolete.
Cape of Wasps (UM)
Charm Monster
Confusion
Curse of Magic Negation (UM)
Crushing Despair
Cure serious wounds: If you were wondering when they'd smack you down for daring to
heal as well as an unarmored d6 HD poor BAB one good save cleric that has to pay for his spells
known...well, here's the breakpoint.
Daze, Mass (UM): It still has the 4 HD limit! I need a rating below red.
Death Ward: If only there was a communal version.
Debilitating Portent (UC): Why do clerics get what's clearly a witch spell?!!! And at the
same level, no less! *rages* Wow, this is edited badly. Says it uses wis for clerics and cha for
oracles...but no mention for poor ol' witch. I assume witches use Int. If not this is so, so, SO very
red!
Detect Scrying: For the paranoid among you.
Dimension Door: Thanks to the obscenely high grapple concentration DC, this spell is
completely worthless for escaping grapple in PF. Get a partially charged wand of this spell
(preferably made by a Summoner, to save money) or some use activated teleport item instead.
This spell is still possibly useful in some utility scenarios, but grapple escape was at least 90% of
its mojo.
Discern Lies
Divination
Enervation: Spam it on a caster. One of the few spells that's amazing empowered.
False Life, Greater (UM)
Familiar Melding (UM): Probably has its uses, though most likely involve needing to fake
being dead.
Fear
Fleshworm Infestation (UM): Melee touch, slow acting, and defeated by a 1st level wand
many people tend to have with them.
Geas, Lesser: No real threat will fall prey to it, but lots of weaker creatures can become
enslaved to your orders.
Ice Storm: Damage and battlefield control, with no save. Not bad.
Inflict Serious Wounds: As if the level delay on healing wasn't pathetic enough...
Locate Creature: Use it to find your "spell book" if it's taken hostage.
Minor Creation
Moonstruck (APG)
Named bullet (UC): Every single one.
Neutralize Poison: Apparently this spell was overpowered.
Phantasmal Killer: Decent early on, overshadowed later.
Poison: Yet another "why was this nerfed?" spell.
Ride the Waves (UM): The alternative to Water Lung hex + refreshing it on the party every
half minute. This also gives a swim speed.
Scrying
Secure Shelter
Shadow Step (UM): You can take a move or swift after using this; otherwise it's basically
like Dimension Door but worse in every way imaginable.
Sleepwalk (APG): The 100 gp cost crimps a lot of the fun you could have with Slumber hex
+ this.
Solid Fog: Got nerfed from 3E a bit, but still good.
Spite (APG): Witch exclusive. The 250 gp cost and fact that you have no control at all over
holding off on it going off until you want it to makes this a very bad spell, sadly. Of course, it's
amazing for a damned metagaming DM's villain NPC to use against the party.
Summon Monster IV: The first level where SM actually summons decent melee creatures.
Symbol of Healing (UM): Weak healing, late entry, 150 hp total cap, all the normal symbol
annoyances...
Symbol of Revelation (UM)
Symbol of Slowing (UM)
Threefold Aspect (APG): Enhancement bonuses, bleh. At least it's early entry. Nice for
being the sexiest venerable aged witch you can be.
Tongues, Communal (UC): As always, communal is a crazy good deal. But the party can
often get by with just one diplomaster doing the talking.
Touch of Slime (UM)
Vermin Shape II (UM)
Volcanic Storm (UM): A fire version of ice storm, less good since fire is more commonly
resisted.
Wandering Star Motes (APG): This can get a lot of mileage in the right situation. Probably
works beautifully with Persistent Spell.
Level 5
Baleful Polymorph: It's great when something that's iconic to your class is also really, really
good mechanically. Turn your foes into toads and newts! Other than against druids and things
with really nasty Su attacks (like dragons), the will save is pretty irrelevant, failed fort save = you
win.
Banish Seeming (APG): Something this narrow and high level should be automatically
successful. Never mind the melee range.
Blight: Melee touch, fort half, for d6/level single target damage to a plant creature only?! I
think I just hurt myself from rolling around on the floor laughing.
Break Enchantment
Cloudkill
Contact Other Plane: Super risky.
Contagion, Greater (UM): Strange you don't get the weaker version...
Cure Critical Wounds
Curse, Major (UM): Screw the +5 DC to remove, the draw here is that you can use bestow
curse at range!
Curse of Disgust (UM): This is more of a fun spell than a practical one.
Dominate Person: Even if you have a ton of mind-affecting stuff, having a mind slave a
week or more is still something new to you.
Feeblemind: I consider this "Mage's Disjunction, Lesser," as they're both insanely crippling
spells you never ever want used on you and you'd do best to form a gentleman's agreement with
the DM to never touch. Or if you lack strong accord with the DM, it's best to never bring this one
up and hope he doesn't notice it.
Hold Monster: For a 5th level spell, this is starting to look less sexy when the # of things
you can hold but not Slumber is so slim.
Hostile Juxtaposition (UC): It's a will save that's not mind-affecting. That's the only good
thing I can say about this.
Inflict Critical Wounds
Magic Jar: I can't believe this wasn't nerfed. This + some craftiness (basically, to hide your
body and keep it safe) can easily lead to a small army slaughtering each other, let alone countless
nasty tricks.
Major Creation: Much better than minor creation.
Mark of Justice: More cruel fun with captives!
Mind Fog: It's a trap. You don't rely on failed will saves in order to set people up
for...failing will saves.
Overland Flight: While Fly is mainly obsolete due to a hex, all day flight is something you
can't replicate. It's absolutely worth having both as options.
Pain Strike, Mass (APG)
Plague Carrier (UM): What a great NPC villain spell!
Possess Object (UM): It says it's "like" magic jar, but the uses are very, very different. I
think it's too situational to learn, but by all means, if you should ever find yourself near-crippled by
poison or disease, can find a safe hiding spot for your body, and there's say...a gargantuan metal
statue laying around...by all means, feel free to use a scroll of this!
Prying Eyes: Too easy to spot, and being spotted tips things off to your presence.
Reincarnate: Until you can raise dead, this is your only means of losing most of your spells
known if the familiar croaks, unfortunately. Learn it for that 2 level gap, then never touch it again.
Rest Eternal (APG): Worth learning and paying (un)holy water for those pricks you
absolutely, positively want to keep dead. For added style points, toss the cursed body into a bag
of holding and then destroy the bag.
Secret Chest: I know I refer to it as such jokingly a lot, but you do not have an actual spell
book you need to hide away. If only Witch had gotten less of these "protect a book" pieces of
junk and got more actual witch-iconic spells like Hideous Laughter.
Smug Narcissism (UM): Awful for combat, and in social situations, the verbal component
and low DC "detect enchantment" of Sense Motive make it even less practical.
Suffocation (APG): This needs eratta. As written, I don't know if failing the 1st save means
you will be at 0 hp on your turn, or if the save on your 1st turn (2nd save overall) prevents that. I
THINK the former is how it works and have rated this spell as such, but if your DM gives the target
TWO fortitude saves before he's for sure unconscious, this spell is red and pretty awful.
Summon Monster V: Starting at this level, you can get monsters with decent Sp abilities, or
that are great meat shields.
Summoner Conduit (UC): Note the summoner doesn't benefit from healing; just hurt by
harmful spells. Perhaps after getting this to stick to a summoned creature, separate your party
and the summon from the summoner (wall of force, teleportation, telekinetic sphere, whatever)
and torture it with a mix of pain and healing (to keep it from poofing) until the summoner, isolated
from stopping all this, inevitably drops.
Symbol of Pain: Still a symbol spell, but no hp limit at least.
Symbol of Scrying (UM): This symbol might actually be really useful to a fair amount of
groups.
Symbol of Sleep: Crazy powerful for protecting a stronghold from an army, if you have that
sort of dilemma.
Symbol of Striking (UC): More PC-oriented, but the effect is very limited. You always want
the weapon to be a 2H one for the higher damage.
Telepathic Bond
Teleport
Waves of Fatigue: No save!
Wreath of Blades (UC): Creatures should not be starting their turns adjacent to you.

Level 6

Age Resistance (UM)
Analyze Dweomer
Animate Objects
Cloak of Dreams (APG): Probably overkill with your Slumber hex, but maybe not.
Cone of Cold: Direct damage is "too good" for you to get at the appropriate levels.
*eyeroll*
Cure Light Wounds, Mass
Dispel Magic, Greater
Dust Form (UC): Should still be able to hex in dust form, check w/ your DM if you can cackle.
You can use magic items, including command-activated ones, so I don't see why not.
Epidemic (UM)
Eyebite
Fester, Mass (APG)
Find the Path
Flesh to Stone: Eh, usually Baleful Poly will do the trick just fine.
Geas/Quest: Cast this on anyone you take prisoner.
Guards and Wards: I really do love this spell, shame it's unlikely to ever be useful.
Heroism, Greater: Did you catch the 1/10th duration?
Ice Crystal Teleport (UM): You'll probably only get one coup de grace off before the ice is
destroyed. "Safe location" is extremely subjective, and your DM's view on the matter greatly
affects how useful this spell is. This spell is utterly pointless for allies, use it only offensively either
for the CDG or a trip to a super-max jail or whatever.
Inflict Light Wounds, Mass
Legend Lore: Why spend money on this when you can just role play it out?
Named Bullet, Greater (UC): Every single one.
Plague Storm (UM): Devastate an army or town.
Raise Dead: Save your spellbook!
Slay Living: Somewhere out there, a cleric is laughing at you.
Stone to Flesh: Super rarely needed, but you still may want to learn it.
Suggestion, Mass
Summon Monster VI
Swarm Skin (APG): Yet another Witch spell that practically requires a "body guard."
Duration seems to be "as long as you damn please," which is quite nice.
Symbol of Fear: Hurray for 150 hp limits!
Symbol of Persuasion: I'd rather just pay hirelings to be my friend for the day.
Symbol of Sealing (UM)
Transformation: Even with Su abilities galore, avoid this.
True Seeing: For emergencies only.
Unwilling Shield (APG): Round/level. Short range. Icky component cost. Pass.
Vengeful Outrage (UM): Duration is rather short, unfortunately.

Level 7

Age Resistance, Greater (UM)
Arcane Sight, Greater: +4 levels just for that?
Chain Lightning: Being late entry always hurts, but the jump to 7 here means you cannot
apply Dazing Spell to this (and have to pay crazy $$ on a greater meta rod of dazing instead of a
normal one). That's just heartbreaking.
Control Weather: This is also a major hex, though you likely won't bother to get it.
Create Demiplane, Lesser (UM)
Cure Moderate Wounds, Mass
Harm: Single target, melee touch, will half. Yeah, you really, really don't need this.
Heal: Still great to have, even if the cleric gets it sooner.
Hold Person, Mass: Humanoid only is just too limited by this level.
Hostile Juxtaposition, Greater (UC): Getting several targets for only 2 levels higher makes
this slightly more appealing than the base spell.
Ice Body (UM)
Inflict Moderate Wounds, Mass
Insanity: Confusion effects are powerful when there are lots of victims, so they infight.
This is single target...cripes, the 4th level spell hit a radius!
Instant Summons: This isn't even worth it for a wizard to cast.
Lunar Veil (UM)
Phase Door: Outstanding for stealth missions, and great to plop down around your
stronghold during downtime, too.
Plane Shift: Yeah, no level 5 for you. Still, you need this to get away to your demiplane to
chill out.
Power Word Blind: My favorite power word. Low enough level for it to still work on a fair
amount of creatures despite its descriptors, and a hefty hp threshold. Still, you've been blinding
people since 2nd level spells...
Regenerate: Learn it in case you need to prep it someday...
Scouring Winds (UM)
Scrying, Greater
Summon Monster VII
Symbol of Stunning: Has the 150 hp limit.
Symbol of Weakness: Very powerful if you can get enough victims to justify the cost.
Teleport, Greater
Teleport Object
Temporary Ressurection (UM): I sort of can get Wizards having this on the spell list, but
Witch actually HAS ressurection spells!
Vision
Walk Through Space (UC): There appears to be no casting time listed... In any case, this is
alright for a long battle perhaps. But between cackling and flyby attack strafing runs, your move
actions are actually pretty occupied.
Waves of Ecstasy (UM): I really wish this wasn't so weak, I love the fluff text.
Waves of Exhaustion: I think against any real threats, you're better off just spamming rays
of exhaustion since there shouldn't be too many of them (lest it become a TPK or time to run), but
this is still respectable.


Level 8

Antipathy
Charm Monster, Mass: How int-casters make friends.
Clone: Yet another familiar-death coping method. Best to keep the lab and clone body in
your created demi-plane or somewhere else uber secure.
Create Demiplane (UM)
Cure Serious Wounds, Mass
Demand
Destruction: Don't you just love it when the bastards casting in full plate get spells before
you? Yeah, me neither.
Discern Location
Frightful Aspect (UC): The no save and no SR fear effects are the only thing worthwhile
here, in the cases where foes aren't immune. All the buffs are pretty worthless. Kinda sucks that
the frightened effect ends the spell on that creature.
Horrid Wilting
Inflict Serious Wounds. Mass
Irresistible Dance: Touch, SR, mind-affecting... It's at least 1 round of "removed from
combat," but this spell just hits too many buttons you already could take care of.
Maze
Mind Blank: Makes dumping wisdom even less painful than before.
Moment of Prescience
Power Word Stun
Prediction of Failure (UM): It's every bit as cool as it is underwhelming.
Prying Eyes, Greater: You don't use these (much) for scouting; you use them for True
Seeing w/o the materials cost. Keep the spares in a container thick enough to protect them from
dispels and area damage.
Resurrection: Raise Dead should be enough to bring back the familiar, usually.
Stormbolts (APG): Actually a decent blast spell. Targets a different save (though in your
case, reflex would've been useful) and avoids friendly fire. Sadly, you can't Dazing Spell this w/o a
rod.
Summon Monster VIII
Symbol of Death: Aside from normal symbol issues, this only affects 150 hp of meatbag!
Total!
Symbol of Insanity: Leaps and bounds better than the above, yet STILL a terrible spell for
the cost and restrictions.
Sympathy
Trap the Soul

Level 9

Astral Projection
Create Demiplane, Greater (UC): Oh Yeeeeaaah! You can screw with time flow, this is
what we were waiting for!
Cure Critical Wounds, Mass
Cursed Earth (UM): Same old villainous NPC-only crap.
Dominate Monster: Against things not immune, it's still awesome.
Elemental Swarm
Foresight: I've always been underwhelmed by this spell. It's a party game, as long as
someone notices the ambush, it's ok. The other benefits are very meager.
Heroic Invocation (UC): Even if the entire party isn't all Mind Blanked, this is pretty pathetic.
Hold Monster, Mass: Nice in concert with Polar Midnight, but hopefully you have some way
of holding foes still for a round that isn't another 9th level spell. Preferably one that's not
mind-affecting, too.
Inflict Critical Wounds, Mass
Mind Blank, Communal (UC): Yeah, scratch the "if." The entire party IS protected by Mind
Blank!
Polar Midnight (UM): Requires a tandem with something else to prevent movement for 1
round, but once you get that going, this is incredible!
Power Word Kill
Refuge: Cleric 7! Yeah, if it's not saving you from losing your familiar, that's just
inexcusable. Nay, unforgiveable!
Soul Bind
Storm of Vengeance: You have a hex that does this better. Almost certainly impractical to
use against any real threat, but like many high level spells, awesome just for a power trip to feel
like a god against weaker stock.
Suffocation, Mass (APG): See Suffocation. Sort of better since you can probably just run
away and be sure they'll die within a minute even if they get two saves before hitting 0 hp.
Summon Monster IX
Symbol of Strife (UM): Do you know the kind of party you coud throw for 15000 gp?! And
seriously, why do these spells have to reference the symbol spell w/ the 150 hp limit, leading to
any iteration of the symbol line to not include a disclaimer to the contrary (like this spell fails to) to
being completely and utterly worthless even with infinite money?
Symbol of Vulnerability (UM): As above, but weaker effect... *shakes head* at least I don't
have to rate any more of these.
Teleportation Circle: It's costly to cast, but if you need to move an army, this is how you do
it.
Wail of the Banshee


Feats and Equipment


Feats
I'm not going to list every feat here, only those that pertain to the Witch class and would be
potentially helpful, or in some cases to highlight traps for you to avoid. Thus, this section will not
have many feats with very low ranking.

General

Ability Focus (BI): This could be a nice +2 save DC boost for several hexes, but by far the best
choice is Slumber, of course. With this feat and a 20 Int at level 1, you'll have a DC 17. A Fey
sorcerer can have a DC 19 sleep spell with Spell Focus, but 17 isn't far off from that benchmark.

Accursed Hex (UM): "No, I mean it! It is bed time, mister!"

Acrobatic (CR): One of the most useful dual skill boosting feats for you, but still bad.

Allied Spellcaster (APG): It's a trap!

Arcane Armor Training (CR): You have mage armor. I guess it's passable if you have no use for
swift actions, but you also need light armor proficiency. The Mastery version is definitely not worth
it.

Arcane Blast (APG): On the one hand, you lack a bit for sheer damage spells when you just really
need to finish off an injured yet still just as dangerous as at full hp foe. On the other hand, this
sucks.

Arcane Shield (APG): You need to blow a 6th level slot just to surpass the AC bonus an item you're
going to have anyway is providing.

Arcane Strike (CR): You have no business doing weapons combat, even with a ranged weapon.

Arcane Talent (APG): Here's your chance to get "the best spell ever" (Prestidigitation) if you wish.

Augment Summoning (CR): It's a solid feat if you want to use summons a lot. You are far from the
best class at it, though. You also lack many of the save-based conjuration spells that make the
Spell Focus requirement not a total waste.

Combat Casting (CR): Try to boost concentration with a trait if you want it higher. In any case,
you have AoO-safe hexes to use when threatened.

Combat Expertise (CR): If you're going to use a lot of touch spells, they hit on "not a 1" anyway,
and you have the Int for this, may as well get an AC boost. I don't think doing this is a good idea,
though...

Dazzling Display (CR): This is actually pretty nice. Combine your area fear effect spells with this 30
ft area demoralization ability to stack fear on foes to make them run or cower. The bad part is,
this requires Weapon Focus, and worse still, you need to "wield" that weapon to use this, so you
can't even get SOME marginal utility out of WF by selecting ranged touch spells or touch spells.
*sad face* You could probably get weapon focus on your prehensile hair, though that also have a
daily limit for use.

Defensive Combat Training (CR): In the long run, this is a big CMD boost. And even with poor
strength, a mage with this feat and lots of dex and touch AC boosting items can get a reasonably
good CMD total.

Destructive Dispel (UC): If you debuff with dispel magic often, save or be stunned until your next
turn is a nice boon. Obviously works best on readied actions disrupting the foe's turn for the
longest possible stun duration. Seems designed for a counterspelling character, but useful to
other casters, too.

Diehard (CR): This feat is much better on a class that can heal itself than it is for others. That said,
Endurance is very bad. This feat is green if you get Endurance for free or can bypass it somehow.

Dispel Synergy (UC): Works with area dispels for whole groups. Only helps spell save DCs, not
hexes, though.

Diviner's Delving (APG): It's sort of cool, and witch does have a lot of divination spells, but its
appeal is tremendously reduced for requiring Spell Focus (divination).

Dodge (CR): It benefits touch AC and CMD. Never a bad choice if you have no "must have" feats
lined up for a given level.

Elemental Focus (APG)

Eschew Materials (CR): Typically, the only times this ever matters is when you're either being
grappled or are facing an annoying pest that readies actions to disarm you. In either case, you
should look for ways to avoid being in the predicament to begin with and failing that, just use
hexes, rather than take this. If the DM likes to capture you or steal your stuff often, this is more
valuable. But in that case, you've likely got bigger problems (your familiar).

Evolved Familiar (UM): The cha 13 requirement is painful, but there are so many good options for
your familiar here. Reach to safely deliver touch spells for you; Skilled for +8 to Use Magic Device;
Improved Natural Armor for +2 AC; even Unnatural Aura is sort of decent for outright keeping
animals and dinosaurs away from your spell book w/o a save.

Extra Cantrips (UM): Witch doesn't get that many good cantrips on her spell list to begin with.

Extra Hex (APG): Plenty of decent choices at early levels. Higher levels barely have enough
goodies to fill up the hexes you gain from the class as it is, though.

Flyby Attack (BI): You can strafe foes with standard action spells/hexes, even "skirmish" with
melee touch spells, though you would provoke an AoO without superior reach. As a caster with
healing spells, this is also handy for saving the meatshield without ending your turn near the
danger yourself. The only downside is that cackling will often occupy your move actions.

Hover (BI): Just max the Fly skill.

Improved Counterspell (CR): Your limited range of spells makes this even worse than it is for most
other casters.

Improved Familiar (CR): Probably the most important feat you could take. Any familiar that can find
its way out of trouble (teleportation) is a huge boon in the area of "spell book protection." Check
with your DM if it retains all your spells known. IMO, it should as you gain the new familiar at no
expense, so it's not the same as run of the mill replacing a lost familiar, and a feat that wipes out
most of your spells known is really, really dumb. If it does not, you may want to struggle by
without learning any more than the spells you gain for fre until you get this feat, or adhere as
close to that plan as possible, saving up spells you want to know as scrolls to scribe after taking
the feat.

Improved Initiative (CR): Going first means winning!

Improved Share Spells (APG): Basically doubles the efficiency of your buff spells if you keep your
familiar around you at all times, which is very probable.

Leadership (CR): As always, if this feat is allowed in the game, it is hands-down the most powerful
one you could pick.

Lookout (APG): Basically the only teamwork benefit useful to you at all. If only your familiar could
acquire feats... If you have someone else in the party to take it with, consider it. Otherwise, it's
useless.

Lunge (CR): You would use this to make a melee touch attack from outside your foe's reach to
avoid the AoO, and/or to skirmish with said touch attack using Flyby Attack without provoking for
movement. A witch will not have the BAB to grab this until the 13th level feat.

Magical Aptitude (CR): The other dual skill feat useful to a Witch. Slightly better than Acrobatic, but
not by much.

Major Spell Expertise (APG): Cha-based save DC means you're picking a utility/buff spell.

Minor Spell Expertise (APG): See Major Spell Expertise. 1st level Sp abilities are much less
impressive than 5th level, though.

Nimble Moves (CR): Always be able to 5 ft step back and cast! Or you could just use your flight.

Parry Spell (APG): It's a trap. A very sexy looking trap, but a trap nonetheless.

Shielded Caster (APG)

Skill Focus (CR): Subpar choice, but might be useful for Use Magic Device.

Spell Focus (CR): Given how prevalent enchantments are on your list, this is well worth taking, and
possibly Greater Spell Focus as well.

Spell Hex (UM): Definitely has its uses. You just need to find a good 1st level spell that could
benefit well from the boosted DC, benefits of being Sp (and w/o text to the contrary, does NOT
provoke an AoO for casting), etc... Beguiling Gift, Charm Person, Frostbite, Ill Omen, and
Peacebond are alright choices, I think. Your 1st level patron spell might be a good candidate, too.

Spell Penetration (CR): Witch is lacking for no SR offensive spells. Greater Spell Penetration is
likewise helpful. You can use hexes to deal with high SR foes, though.

Spell Perfection (APG): I need to find good picks for this feat. Ideally, it'll be a spell that your
Greater Spell Focus (if you have it) applies to. I'm going to guess that whatever you choose, you'll
want a spell 5th level or lower so you can apply Quicken Spell to it for free.

Spell Specialization (UM): I don't think +2 CL on a single spell is worth a feat at all. However...

Spell Specialization, Greater (UM): Spont. casting a chosen spell is pretty awesome! Just...not
sure it's worth 2 feats (plus the spell focus both of these require!)

Split Hex (UM): It only works on the initially available hexes. But Slumber is one of those, so who
cares?! Also handy for Evil Eye and Misfortune. Double your debuffing output for no cost at all!
This is your level 11 feat. If you could take it at 10th level, you would!

Split Major Hex (UM): Sad that you couldn't split your Ice Tomb or Retribution major hexes? Wel,
noooo problem! This requires CL 18 and Split Hex, NOT Witch level 18, so how soon you get it
depends heavily on how much you can boost your CL into the stratasphere. At the bare minimum,
you should be able to nab this at level 17 with the +1 CL iuon stone.

Toughness (CR): Also will boost your familiar's hp.

Uncanny Concentration (UM)

Weapon Finesse (CR): For melee touch spells, of course.

Wind Stance (CR): If you plan to do more Flyby Attacking than cackling, this is some nice all-day
miss chance.

Witch Knife (UM): Even if you have a whole slew of offensive save-based patron spells, this is only
+1 DC to a small number of spells. Alright, not amazing.


Item Creation

Brew Potion (CR): If you want this, spend a feat on Extra Hex (Cauldron) instead, and get a skill
bonus as well.

Craft Arms and Armor (CR)

Craft Construct (BI)

Craft Rod (CR): Metamagic rods become very desired items at higher levels, being able to cut costs
and not beg the DM to find them in a shop is handy.

Craft Staff (CR)

Craft Wand (CR)

Craft Wondrous Item (CR): It's just so useful to everybody.

Forge Ring (CR)

Scribe Scroll (CR): A great way to have utility spells at the ready.


Metamagic

Bouncing Spell (APG): Incredible in any game with fights against more than a single credible
threat.

Burning Spell (UM)

Concussive Spell (UM)

Dazing Spell (APG): Very costly at +3 levels and only applies to damage spells, which you're lacking
in. But, the notion of a large area Reflex-save-or-lose is appealing when you already have will
save or lose in spades and a fair amount of fort save or lose, as well. Could be good in concert
with the elements patron.

Disruptive Spell (APG)

Echoing Spell (UM): Great in general, probably has abusive applications as well.

Ectoplasmic Spell (APG): Basically 3E's "Transdimensional Spell."

Elemental Spell (APG): Even if you were a blaster, this would be horrible. Who knew Energy
Substitution was overpowered?

Empower Spell (CR): Can be good (it's amazing on Time Stop!), just unlikely for a Witch to be
useful.

Enlarge Spell (CR)

Extend Spell (CR): You're probably fine skipping this and just using rods.

Flaring Spell (UM)

Focused Spell (APG)

Heighten Spell (CR)

Intensified Spell (APG)

Lingering Spell (APG): With some teamwork (bull rushing?), this might have potential...

Maximize Spell (CR)

Merciful Spell (APG): It's good for what it does, you just lack the blasty spells to get much out of it.

Quicken Spell (CR): Every high level mage wants this.

Persistent Spell (APG): Drastically increases your chances of success. Works even better with
spells that have a save each round to either end the effect or reduce/ignore it for a round.

Piercing Spell (UM): Just get Spell Penetration.

Reach Spell (APG): Amazing flexibility.

Rime Spell (UM)

Selective Spell (APG): Strange that it's only a +1 spell level effect but requires 10 or more levels to
get. This works well enough on rods (which is set to up to 4 ignored creatures, btw) anyway.

Sickening Spell (APG)

Silent Spell (CR): Cast discreetly while invisible. Cast in an area of silence unhindered.

Still Spell (CR): Shame the grapple concentration DC's impossibly high, that was the main use of
this in 3E.

Thanatopic Spell (UM)

Threnodic Spell (UM): It helps against a common foe immune to mind affecting, but the +2 spell
level and good base will saves and high HD of undead means it probably won't work much still.

Thundering Spell (APG)

Toppling Spell (UM)

Widen Spell (CR): Too costly.



Witch sample build:

"The Stay at Home Hexer"

Based on the recent buff Scar got, I thought it'd be fun to make a silly build based around it that
stays in the party's mobile super fortress (Magnificent Mansion, Instant Fortress, Hidden Home
hex, etc...) or invisible/hidden near the cave/dungeon/deep sea dive/etc... area the party is set to
explore. Instead of risking her life with those other saps, the stay at home hexer kicks back in
posh luxury, keeping her team buffed and protected as she remotely views their goings on,
cackling the day away. Make sure the entire party and your familiar is scarred. Scar, Fortune, and
Cackle are the workhorses of this build. Remotely giving every ally one reroll every single round of
the day is almost as good as having an actual extra party member around all on its own. This also
makes for a great cohort. With an Improved Familiar that can greater teleport at will and a bag of
holding, you also have a great life-line to the party when needed.

Suggested Hexes:
Hexes: Scar, Cackle, Fortune, Ward, Water Lung (if useful), Healing, Tongues (to translate for the
party when necessary)
Major Hexes: Beast Eye, Major Healing, Waxen Image (use it to give an ally an extra move action
as needed), Hag's Eye (if Scar allows you to make a party member the casting point of origin),
Hidden Home, Vision
Grand Hexes: Life Giver, and if that runs out...Forced Reincarnation

Suggested Feats: Extra Hex, Split Hex, Split Major Hex, Improved Familiar, Extend Spell, Silent
Spell, Enlarge Spell, item creation feats (since you're basically support at this point)

Suggested/Synergistic Spells:
Greater Scrying (regular scrying's cast time and duration is usually insufficient)
Message (if scrying) or Telepathic Bond
Share Senses
Clairaudience/Clairvoyance
Witness
Magic Jar
Marionette Possession
Possess Object
Swarm Skin
Arcane Eye
(Greater) Prying Eyes
Teleport / Greater Teleport
Create Demiplane spells & Plane Shift (to retreat to afterwards)
[Any long duration buff spells]

Additional Comments: May extend the Witch's lifespan, as laughter is good for the heart. Check
with your DM.







Archetypes

Generally, for a full class, archetypes in PF are weaker than the normal class. But sometimes the
pain doesn't hit until a level past where you'll be playing or you really want a certain class feature
the archetype grants. So ratings may not be too helpful, but I will try to give a detailed review of
each.

Beast Bonded (UM): You gain a nice cost-free option right away and most of the other abilities are
good in the long run, though painful in the immediate term. Worth considering.

Transfer Feats: You can assign any of your gained feats to your familiar. Having the option but not
being required is nothing but a net plus.

Enhanced Familiar: One level higher, and only for the stuff on the Familiars table and anything the
familiar itself has. I don't think that's worth a hex, but in the long term it may be. I'd say, "Extra
Hex to make up for it", but you're already sending feats to the familiar as it is. This archetype
seems very feat-starved overall.

Familiar Form: By level 8, you should have an outsider improved familiar and this ability does
NOTHING. It also doesn't specify that you can split the use up like other min. per level abilities,
which likely means you can't. This is abysmal. Since you likely can't ever legally benefit (because
your familiar is an outsider), see if the DM will let you just get the hex.

Twin Soul: Basically, you delay Ice Tomb until level 12 (your level 11 feat is Split Hex, recall) for the
ability for you and your familiar to never truly die as long as you both don't. And unlimited Majic
Jar cheese, though risky. Long term definitely worth it, just a shame it comes so soon. One
counterpoint to this class feature is that it comes right when you're getting reincarnate and raise
dead, so it's not nearly as crucial for keeping the spellbook alive.

Gravewalker (UM): A great choice to deal with one of the toughest enemy types for a witch.
Unfortunately, won't fit in with most parties.

Spells: You're forced to replace some of your patron spells with the following: 4thcommand
undead, 6thanimate dead, 12thcreate undead, 14thcontrol undead, 16thcreate greater
undead
Fortunately, those spells are all awesome complements to the witch list! Undead are a huge
weakness for witches, this greatly helps. The create undead spells are ranked more highly here
than in the patrons section, since you have ample means to control them.

Spell Poppet: Instead of a familiar dying being your concern, you have to worry about it being
stolen, but can't make a duplicate like a wizard can with his spellbook. Doing touch spells as
melee touch is handy, but not being able to get an Improved Familiar to use magic devices really
hurts. Overall it's a pretty balanced trade-off, I'd say this is better at lower levels, the improved
familiar becomes the better deal as you get higher in level.

Aura of Desecration: Increased melee touch spell range is nice, but other than that, this uber
sucks.

Bone Thrall: Gives you a slightly larger control pool and more options to deal with undead. Just
wish it came later, you're starving for hexes by now.

Possess Undead: Definitely has its uses, though the range in painfully short that you have to
remain within.

Hedge Witch (UM): Pretty weak, but you don't lose much, so it isn't that crippling if you want to be
more healing-focused.

Patron: This is NOT a requirement, don't get coerced into following this advice, which is all it is.
Advice.

Spontaneous Healing: You get most cure spells later than cleric and are a sucker for using them,
as Logic Ninja would say. Still, this is nice for an emergency and for dumping unused spell slots
before bedtime.

Empathic Healing: Sucks. Even if you got immunity to disease/poison, then you can't even use
this. They may as well have just said, "you lose your 8th level hex."

Sea Witch (UM): Even if doing a fully aquatic campaign, I think you're better off without this.

Patron/Spells: This is moronic. It doesn't matter what patron you choose, because you're not
replacing "some" of your patron spells, you're replacing ALL of them! In any case, the spells are
pretty weak overall. Even if doing a nautical campaign, I think Water patron would be superior.
2ndtouch of the sea, 4thgust of wind, 6thwater breathing, 8thcontrol water,
10thcloudkill*, 12thcontrol winds, 14thcontrol weather*, 16thvortex, 18thtsunami

Know Direction: It's a free bonus, though all it really does is give you a weak cantrip / pretend you
have some ranks in Survival.

Sea Creature Empathy: You spend a hex on a more narrow wild empathy...which is already a poor
class feature. RAW I'm not sure if you get the "magical beast option," either.


Multiclassing

Don't do it! Seriously, though...don't do it. Not only are you a full-caster, your hexes are heavily
level-based. You lose more than even a wizard does from multiclassing. But if you insist (these
are NOT rated based on comparison to Witch 20, otherwise they'd all be red)...

Spellslinger Wizard (UC): This archetype is certainly tempting. You sell away most of your wizard
class features, to use your gun(s)'s enhancement bonus as a bonus on the save DC of many of
your spells, basically. +5 save DC for 50,000 gp market price (25 if you craft it yourself) and -1 CL
and hex progression is not terrible. This is as good as multiclassing can possibly get for you.


Prestige Classes
None. The only reason to play a witch over other casters is hexes. No prestige class currently aids
your hexes. Thus, there is no reason for a witch to take a prestige class.


Traits
Honeyed Words (Religion; dwarf-only): Bonus
on Slumber, Diplomacy, and some other stuff. Can
use adopted trait to pick it up as a non-dwarf if
you want.