Building a Demon-Sworn Hedge-Herb Witch - Need Advice

[Levism84]

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. This forum has been a huge help to me as I explore various mechanics in both Pathfinder and 5e D&D. I am grateful for any insight the community can lend me as I explore this character concept.

This character build is not intended for use in Pathfinder Society play but is meant to be built with Rules as Written.

The basic character concept is: desperate youth recklessly forges a demon-pact for the power to heal his sick family. Now, as an adult, he must find a way to deal with the fact his soul is bound to dark powers as he continues to pursue the healing arts, knowing drawing upon his abyssal bond to heal causes him and those he assists considerable pain.


The nitty-gritty mechanics: Human (http://archivesofnethys.com/RacesDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Human) Witch (http://archivesofnethys.com/ClassDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Witch) with the Demon-Sworn (http://archivesofnethys.com/ArchetypeDisplay.aspx?FixedName=Witch%20Demon-Sworn), Hedge Witch (http://archivesofnethys.com/ArchetypeDisplay.aspx?FixedName=Witch%20Hedge%20Wi tch), and Herb Witch (http://archivesofnethys.com/ArchetypeDisplay.aspx?FixedName=Witch%20Herb%20Wit ch) archetypes.

Alignment: Neutral Good (bordering on Neutral). He is trying to do good in the world, but feels a dark weight from his demon-pact and the pain his hexes cause others.

Target Witch Hexes (http://archivesofnethys.com/WitchHexes.aspx): Cauldron (required by Herb Witch archetype), Ameliorating, Healing, Scar; Major Hexes: Major Ameliorating, Major Healing, Regenerative Sinew, Witch's Brew; Grand Hexes: Forced Reincarnation, Life Giver.

Target Feats: Extra Hex (http://archivesofnethys.com/FeatDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Extra%20Hex) (for Ameliorating, Healing, and Scar), Signature Skill (http://archivesofnethys.com/FeatDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Signature%20Skill) (for the Heal skill), Skill Focus (http://archivesofnethys.com/FeatDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Skill%20Focus) (for the Heal, Profession [herbalist], and Perception skills).

Demon-Sworn Archetype Granted Abilities: Demonic Pact (replaces half of the patron spells with evil spells that can be cast regardless of, and with no consequences to, alignment), Cruel Hex (causes pain and nonlethal damage to hex targets and may cause damage to the witch), Manifest Pact (familiar becomes a loyal quasit (http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Quasit) and always returns to life remembering witch spells it knew).

Hedge Witch Archetype Granted Abilities: Spontaneous Healing (spontaneously convert prepared spells into "cure" spells of an equal or lower level without needed to know the spell), Empathic Healing (prolong the life of a diseased or poisoned creature by taking the damage of the disease or poison).

Herb Witch Archetype Granted Abilities: Herb Lore (bonus on Profession [herbalist] checks, use Profession [herbalist] in place of Craft [alchemy], use herbal remedies to remove disease, poison, and other conditions).

Human Racial Traits: Focused Study (gain Skill Focus for Heal, Profession [herbalist], and Perception), Heart of the Fields (bonus on Profession [herbalist] checks and once per day ignore fatigue or exhaustion).



I was hoping for some advice in finding feats, hexes, a patron, traits, spells, or other mechanics to help support the character concept. I considered Variant Multi-Classing as an option, but the build is very feat starved early on in order to gain access to the three additional hexes. I am not absolutely set on anything in the witch build, except perhaps the Demon-Sworn archetype. I could also see the character being a Tiefling (http://archivesofnethys.com/RacesDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Tiefling) with the Pass for Human and Soul Seer alternate racial traits to represent a deeper change to the character's human nature due to the demonic pact they made.

The idea of the build is to Scar party members with a brief flash of pain (thankfully something that only has to happen once or very rarely) to use Ameliorating, Healing, Major Ameliorating, Major Healing, and Regenerative Sinew at range. These abilities, of course cause nonlethal damage (and pain) to the targets and potentially deal lethal damage to the witch when used. Supplementing these abilities are spontaneously cast cure spells and potions of cure spells created using Cauldron and Witch's Brew. Prepared witch spells would focus on damage and utility rather than healing, since all healing can be covered through Herb Lore, hexes, the Heal skill, or spontaneously converting spells into cure spells.

Thank you again for your time and consideration. If you have any other questions regarding the build, please, feel free to ask.

[ATHATH]

What, exactly, other than flavor, is Demon-Sworn doing for your build? It seems like it's actively hindering what you want to do (heal).

Is 3.5 material available? If so, consider dipping into Nar Demonbinder (refluffed, of course) for a single level in order to gain the Inimical Casting ability, which lets you cast Magic Circle Against Good, Dispel Good, Blasphemy, and Unholy Aura as their Good/Chaotic/Evil/Lawful counterparts. You can snag the Iron Will feat (a prerequisite for Nar Demonbinder) without using a feat slot for 3,000 GP (IIRC) from the Otyugh Hole location.

[Levism84]

@ATHATH: Demon-Sworn's cruel hex ability deals nonlethal damage (1d4, 2d4, and 4d4 for hex, major hex and grand hex, respectively). While sort of vague as to order of operations, if the nonlethal damage is applied first, healing, major healing, regenerative sinew, forced reincarnation, and life giver are going to heal whatever nonlethal damage is dealt. If the nonlethal damage is applied after the hex, the nonlethal damage does cause a minor hindrance to the healing aspect of the build.

That being said, the mechanical advantage (beyond the mere flavor of the archetype) is the quasit familiar. If it dies, it doesn't lose familiar spells. For a human who can use their FCB to add more spells to their familiar each level, this is a significant advantage. In addition, as far as Improved Familiars go, it is a very powerful familiar normally only available to chaotic evil casters of 7th level or higher. Its invisibility (self only) at will allows it to avoid a number of dangers other familiars cannot, and its ability to change shape allows it to maintain the appearance of a standard familiar (or animal companion if it can change into a wolf).

Lots to love about that... which I didn't really see until I went to answer your question. Jeez, quasits are monster familiars.

Also, 3.5 materials are not available.

[Kurald Galain]

the quasit familiar. If it dies, it doesn't lose familiar spells.
Neither does any other familiar. I suggest looking into familiar archetypes.

For a healer character, it may be interesting to dip one level of oracle (life mystery) for the life link revelation.

[daryen]

Lots to love about that... which I didn't really see until I went to answer your question. Jeez, quasits are monster familiars.

You do realize, of course, that if properly played by the DM, due to its alignment and your radically different alignment, the quasit will be working at cross-purposes to your character all of the time. It is intelligent and is very highly motivated to turn you chaotic evil, and will work tirelessly to accomplish that. Regardless of whatever your character's motives, desires, or whatevers are, it has one single goal: bring your soul to the Abyss. It will stop at nothing to accomplish that goal.