Reasons why I should or shouldn't take the cauldron hex

[Dalebert]

FWIW, playing a Ratfolk so I get a nice racial bonus to alchemy skillchecks. Don't know if it would stack but I think so. Unless there are some really useful alchemical things I could make that remain useful at later levels and aren't easily purchased without the investment of time, I'm just not seeing much benefit. Potions seem like a very costly way to store up extra spells vs. wands, for instance. This lets me not invest a feat but I only get two hexes before 10th level as a Gravewalker so those are in some ways more precious than a feat.

[Slipperychicken]

Mainly because there are better hexes out there. You know how Sleep is awesome at first level? Slumber lets you spam a scaling version of that in your off-turns instead of missing with a crossbow. It has a side effect of making you feel more like a magic-user and less like an amateur crossbowman. Even when/if the target wakes up from the short duration, IIRC he should have fallen prone and dropped his weapon, which is a sizeable advantage at 1st level.


If it's just going to be you using the potions, you might as well craft scrolls or wands. Potions still suck because they're massively overpriced and take too many actions to drink, although you might want a few around so you can heal the cleric when he passes out.

Bonuses of different types will stack unless otherwise specified. For example, the ratfolk race gives a racial-typed bonus, while the Cauldron hex gives an insight bonus. The two are different types, so they stack.

[Dalebert]

Mainly because there are better hexes out there.

You're validating my initial feelings. I was just wondering if there were other benefits unseen to me because I'm new, like maybe feats or magic items or what-not that had some kind of nice synergy if I knew about them.

In fact, for my lvl 2 hex, I've been torn between slumber and evil eye. The appeal of evil eye is that it works for one round even if you make your save which is nice, but it is only a debuff and not something that removes someone completely from the combat.

[Ravens_cry]

Slumber is awesome. Lots of things are immune, but, but gods, it wreaks encounters when it does work. In fact, I almost don't recommend it's so good.

[Pex]

Slumber, because it is that good.

Misfortune, because it is also that good. I'm playing a dual-cursed Oracle. With both the Misfortune Revelation and the Ill Omen spell, forcing a reroll of a d20/take the lower result of 2d20 is a big deal. It is also one of the admired aspects of 5E playtesting of the Advantage/Disadvantage system.

Cackle, to keep the Misfortune going.

Misfortune is a prime candidate for Split Hex feat when you can take it.

Cauldron can wait. It's not terrible, just not needed so soon. See how the campaign develops. If you keep wishing you or a party member had a potion, then you know you need Cauldron. If you're doing fine without it, no loss.

[Benthesquid]

The thing to remember about Evil Eye is that not only does it work for one round even if they make their will save, which you've mentioned, BUT that one round can be extended by cackle as a move action, no save. And then again by cackle as a move action, no save on your next turn.

If you use it to target saves, it also makes enemies much more likely to fail their save against one of your other hexes or spells.

[Slipperychicken]

You're validating my initial feelings. I was just wondering if there were other benefits unseen to me because I'm new, like maybe feats or magic items or what-not that had some kind of nice synergy if I knew about them.

In fact, for my lvl 2 hex, I've been torn between slumber and evil eye. The appeal of evil eye is that it works for one round even if you make your save which is nice, but it is only a debuff and not something that removes someone completely from the combat.

I don't recall there being any synergy between potion crafting and magic items. If you want to make nonmagical alchemical items, you can simply put a rank into Craft (Alchemy) and grab some masterwork tools, and that should be enough to craft the items you want while "Taking 10". If you want to craft magic potions, I say just spend a feat on Brew Potion.

I would grab Slumber, since sleeping completely knocks opponents out of the fight, while Evil Eye just gives them a -2. As for when they save against it, a -2 for one round is unlikely to be noticeable.

[Eldonauran]

There are only two instance I would advise taking the cauldron hex. First, if you are dipping a level (or two) into witch and second, only take it as part of the Extra Hex feat, instead of taking Brew Potion.

[jindra34]

Definitely agreeing that Cauldron shouldn't be taken unless you were planning on taking Brew Potion. At which point it becomes an obvious choice. And look ahead to the Major Hex that allows brewing of multiple copies of the same potion at once.