What are some good offensive options for witches? (Spells, Not hexes)

[MonkeySage]

I'm looking for spells other than inflict spells that deal decent damage that stays relevant as the witch increases in level. There are lots of spells that deal a fixed 1d6 or 2d6 or 3d6, but witches don't have very many spells that deal damage comparable to something like Scorching Ray. In terms of damage, witches are very definitely not heavy dealers.

It'd be fine if pathfinder were not a combat heavy game, but that's not the case.

A big problem with inflict spells is that they're touch spells... I wanted to make inflict potions that I could weaponize, but this doesn't seem possible. I'd have to get the enemy to drink the potion, and I might as well just cast the spell on them.

[legomaster00156]

Witches actually aren't very good at dealing direct hit point damage. You'll find you can contribute more effectively via debuffs, such as "-2 to X" or plaguing your enemies with curses and status effects.

[Jack_Simth]

Perhaps Stone Discus (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/stone-discus/) or Lightning Bolt (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/l/lightning-bolt/)?

[Hunter Noventa]

Your best bet would be the Elements or Shadow Patrons. The former gets you clasics like Fireball and Flame Strike, while the latter gets you Shadow Evocation/Conjuration.

[Ettina]

I'm looking for spells other than inflict spells that deal decent damage that stays relevant as the witch increases in level. There are lots of spells that deal a fixed 1d6 or 2d6 or 3d6, but witches don't have very many spells that deal damage comparable to something like Scorching Ray. In terms of damage, witches are very definitely not heavy dealers.

It'd be fine if pathfinder were not a combat heavy game, but that's not the case.

A big problem with inflict spells is that they're touch spells... I wanted to make inflict potions that I could weaponize, but this doesn't seem possible. I'd have to get the enemy to drink the potion, and I might as well just cast the spell on them.

Beguiling gift?

[Crake]

Fleshworm infestation is pretty decent. 1 round/level, fort save vs 1d6 damage, 2 dex damage and staggered for 1 round every round. Succeeding on the fort save negates the effects for that round, and instead leaves you sickened, but does not end the spell.

[Psyren]

I'm looking for spells other than inflict spells that deal decent damage that stays relevant as the witch increases in level. There are lots of spells that deal a fixed 1d6 or 2d6 or 3d6, but witches don't have very many spells that deal damage comparable to something like Scorching Ray. In terms of damage, witches are very definitely not heavy dealers.

It'd be fine if pathfinder were not a combat heavy game, but that's not the case.

You can be plenty good in combat without blasting. Witches get debuffs like Glitterdust, Mudball, and Cause Fear, battlefield control like Web, Sleet Storm and Black Tentacles, and the entire Summon Monster line. Blasting is actually one of the weakest/worst ways to contribute to a fight (though Witches can do that too if you truly must, e.g. Lightning Bolt.)

(I always find it amusing that some people look at the Witch list, see that it doesn't have Fireball and Magic Missile, and immediately write it off.)



A big problem with inflict spells is that they're touch spells...

Not that you asked, but Witches can deliver touch spells safely in a couple of different ways, such as Prehensile Hair, Long Arm and Spectral Hand.

[Geddy2112]

Snowball stays pretty relevant for a 1st level spell, scaling to 5d6 and staggering on a failed save.
Frost fall is AoE, not a lot of damage, but staggering in an area. Vampiric touch scales and gives you temp hp. Stricken heart is only 2d6 but no save stagger.
Air geyser stacks a LOT of damage if they fail the save and fall. Double dangerous if you are in a room with a high ceiling as they fall twice. Plus they end up prone. Ice spears is another spell that can stack up damage and knock and enemy prone.

Enervation does damage(reducing max hp) and debuffs all in one stop shopping. Cloudkill does con damage and creates cover. At higher levels, banshee blast(can inflict panic) and cone of cold, stormbolts, and wail of the banshee are AoE damage blasts. Harm is touch but can do a lot of damage. If you count magic jar and its potential to take over enemies and use them to kill each other, then it does a LOT of damage.

If you are looking for "offensive" as in "they just deal damage" the witch spell list will come up short. A lot of witch spells that do damage carry nasty side effects(stagger, tripped) or inflict some kind of AoE debuff-the damage is really just icing on the cake.

[Kurald Galain]

I'm looking for spells other than inflict spells that deal decent damage that stays relevant as the witch increases in level.

It's certainly possible to build a witch for direct damage.

The witch spell list includes a number of stock damage spells like Burning Hands, Snowball, Lightning Bolt, and Cone of Cold. The elements patron adds Shocking Grasp and Fireball, whereas the time patron adds Disintegrate.

Then add the Intensify Spell feat to keep the first-level spells relevant longer, and take the Invoker archetype to add +1 point of damage per die. You're basically at the same level as other blaster casters now.

[Crake]

Enervation does damage(reducing max hp) and debuffs all in one stop shopping. Cloudkill does con damage and creates cover. At higher levels, banshee blast(can inflict panic) and cone of cold, stormbolts, and wail of the banshee are AoE damage blasts. Harm is touch but can do a lot of damage. If you count magic jar and its potential to take over enemies and use them to kill each other, then it does a LOT of damage.

Seconding enervation. Our witch's first ever enervation was a crit that rolled max on both d4s for a whopping 8 negative levels, really helped in bringing down the silver dragon we were fighting.

[Agahnim]

I am currently playing a level 2 witch, and I can tell you that my best way to deal damage is to use my Sleep hex (or any other way to disable an enemy) while the half-orc barbarian rages an deals a coup de grâce for 3d12+24 damage.
We got attacked in the night by an owlbear during my watch. Poor thing got decapitated before it could act.
On a side note, as it has been pointed out, you can still do damage with conventional spells. I like Snowball - compare it to scorching ray (2nd level spell) :
- scorching ray gets multiple rays as CL increases
+ snowball ignores SR, deals cold damage (less commonly resisted than fire), has a chance to stagger
Both are cool as far as flavor is concerned.
All in all I think blasting is only fun if there is something on top of it, like a nice status condition (snowball), ongoing damage (acid arrow), etc. It's just more satisfying, especially if you roll low on damage dice. Plus it doesn't steal the spotlight from martial types :smallsmile:

[Coidzor]

The Quarterstaff of Entwined Serpents (www.archivesofnethys.com/MagicWeaponsDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Quarterstaff of Entwined Serpents) is generally worth mentioning as a backup blast for when you want to contribute some reliable but modest damage but don't want to spend spell slots.

[Barstro]

The best way for a Witch to cause damage by way of spells instead of hexes is to become a Wizard. I suggest not trying to turn a Witch into something it is not.

Witches do all sorts of effective damage by using hexes and those hexes scale nicely. All that debuffing allows the other members to hit more, do more damage, and get past saving throws. At higher levels, those hexes become twice as good (-4 instead of -2) and Split Hex allows them to be used on twice as many people.

Putting someone to sleep is basically the same as killing that person. Landing Misfortune and Evil Eye is effectively reducing the CR by quite a bit.

For damage, my Witch just needed Magic Jar.

[stack]

The Quarterstaff of Entwined Serpents (www.archivesofnethys.com/MagicWeaponsDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Quarterstaff of Entwined Serpents) is generally worth mentioning as a backup blast for when you want to contribute some reliable but modest damage but don't want to spend spell slots.
If by modest you mean completely trivial. By the time you can afford it, it is completely inadequate as offense. By the time you can afford to keep it around as a backup for emergencies, it is even worse. Maybe if you could rent it to hunt will o'wisps.