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Message: <blockquote data-quote="StreamOfTheSky" data-source="post: 5706274" data-attributes="member: 35909">SpellsLevel 0 (Cantrips)[sblock]<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Arcane Mark</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Bleed</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dancing Lights</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Daze: Stop preparing it after the first few levels, till then it's good.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Detect Magic</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Detect Poison</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Guidance: It's only a +1 to one roll, but you can use it constantly.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Light</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mending</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Message</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Putrefy Food and Drink (APG)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Read Magic</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Resistance: It's useful for the first few levels.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Spark (APG)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Stabilize</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Touch of Fatigue</li> </ul>[/sblock]Level 1[sblock]<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Air Bubble (UC)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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 <a href="http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/cursed-items#TOC-Robe-of-Powerlessness" target="_blank">robe of powerlessness</a> 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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Burning Hands</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cause Fear: Only good at low levels.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Charm Person</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Chill Touch</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Command</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Compel Hostility (UC): This is great for more martial casters, not for you.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Comprehend Languages: Usage is somewhat dampened by the fact you have a hex to take care of this.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cure Light Wounds: You'll seldom prepare it, but it's nice to have on the list for wands.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Damp Powder (UC): Every single one of these spells is atrociously bad. Every single one.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dancing Lantern (APG): This is worse than Dancing Lights, a cantrip!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Decompose Corpse (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Delusional Pride (UM): Witch sure does get a lot of compulsion spells!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Detect Secret Doors</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Diagnose Disease (UM): You can learn it just to be prepared, but you should leave playing House to the cleric.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ear-Piercing Scream (UM): Finally, a good spell!  Much better w/o the "unofficial errata."</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Enlarge Person: I'd just have the Fighter buy a wand for you to use on him.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Forced Quiet (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Frostbite (UM): Touch range hurts, but this is a lot of damage and fatigue per casting to inflict with no save.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fumbletongue (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hex Ward (UM): Even if witches were common foes, it's a resistance bonus.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hypnotism: Again, quickly becomes useless w/ levels.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Icicle Dagger (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Identify: Have it in case you need the +10.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Inflict Light Wounds</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Jury-Rig (UC): Casting this for an ally with the Fortified Armor Training feat can be a delicious combo.  Otherwise, this is pretty useless.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ki Arrow (UM): I wouldn't even waste my action on this if it were a cantrip.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lock Gaze (UC): This is basically an alternative to Obscuring Mist for screwing over a Rogue.  Oh, and it's yet another compulsion.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mage Armor: Keep this active in any dangerous area.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mask Dweomer (APG): Witch exlcusive, very similar to Magic Aura.  It may come in handy once in a while.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mount</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Negative Reaction (UC)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Obscuring Mist: Great spell, but you should just wand it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ray of Enfeeblement: PF nerfed this far too much.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Reduce Person: A great spell for you.  On a wand.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Reinforce Armaments (UC): If you need the sunder protection, wait for communal next level.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Remove Sickness (UM): Get some scrolls in case of nausea, don't use spell slots on it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Restore Corpse (UM): Scrolls will do just fine if the party needs zombies.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Sanctify Corpse (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Shadow Weapon (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Sleep: Goes out of fashion quickly, redundant with your Slumber hex.  Possibly worth preparing for foes that save against slumber for a re-try.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Summon Minor Monster (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Summon Monster I: By the time this has a decent duration, the summons are very weak.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Unerring Weapon (UC)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Unseen Servant</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Vocal Alteration (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Weaken Powder (UC): Every single one.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Youthful Appearance (UM): So you won't look a day over 400.</li> </ul>[/sblock]Level 2[sblock]<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Adoration (UC)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Alter Self: This is seldom more useful than your Reduce Person wand.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Augury</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Bestow Weapon Proficiency (UC): May be situationally useful enough for scrolls, but not a wand or actual preparation.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Blood Transcription (UM): Very much worth knowing to quickly prep the next morning or to have scrolls of.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Boiling Blood (UM): Even if your entire party is orcs and it's a lengthy battle, this still isn't worth it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cure Moderate Wounds</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Daze Monster: You know, this looks even more awful than normal to a class with the Slumber hex.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Death Knell</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Delay Pain (UM): Consider getting scrolls.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Delay Poison</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Destabilize Powder (UC): Every single one.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Detect Thoughts</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">False Life: For your familiar if you're realy paranoid.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Feast of Ashes (APG): This is an NPC spell.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fog Cloud</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Frost Fall (UC): Area and damage are both too small.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gentle Repose: Good spell to know just in case an ally dies or you want to keep the slab of meat you hunted fresh.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ghostly Disguise (UM): Being a witch is already enough of a costume for trick-or-treating.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Glitterdust: Even nerfed, this is pretty darn good and retains the utility of revealing invisible foes.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Haunting Mists (UM): It's like Obscuring Mist, but higher level and it hurts you!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hidden Speech (APG): The message cantrip is nearly as effective, IMO.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Inflict Moderate Wounds</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Levitate: Good, though you have the Flight hex.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mad Hallucination (UM): Awful in combat, but has potential recreational uses.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mask Dweomer, Communal (UC): Much more useful than the single target version.  Witch-only, again.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Masterwork Transformation (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Miserable Pity (UM): A higher level Sanctuary that's strictly worse.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mount, Communal (UC)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Perceive Cues (APG): Use it at higher levels when your low level slots become more for buffing/utility.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Pernicious Poison (UM): Pro: no save.  Con: melee touch range.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Pox Pustules (APG): Hmm... 2nd level fort save negates spell to sicken a target, or blind them?  Hmm...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Recoil Fire (UC): Every single one.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Returning Weapon (UC)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Scare</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">See Invisibility: It's usually better to just prepare Glitterdust.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Spectral Hand: THE way to deliver touch spells, at least low level ones.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Stabilize Powder (UC): Every single one.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Status: For when the party must be split.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Steal Voice (UM): I'm sure NPCs drool over the permanent duration.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Summon Monster II</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Summon Swarm: Good at the early levels.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Symbol of Mirroring (UM): Almost always too restricted and expensive.  Potentially brokenly powerful in the right circumstances.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Thunder Fire (UC): Every single one.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Unnatural Lust (UM): It doesn't really matter how weak this spell is, you know you're going to want to cast it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Unshakeable Chill (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Vomit Swarm (APG): Way cooler than just summoning it the normal method.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Web</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Web Shelter (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Zone of Truth</li> </ul>[/sblock]Level 3[sblock]<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Anthropomorphic Animal (UM): On its own, pretty weak.  Better when combined with Bestow Weapon Proficiency.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Arcane Sight</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ash Storm (UM): It's the fire version of Sleet Storm.  Up to personal preference which you want to use.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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."</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Clairaudience/Clairvoyance</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Countless Eyes (UM): Nice long duration.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cup of Dust (APG)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Deep Slumber: Just use Slumber.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Delay Poison, Communal (UC)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dispel Magic</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Eldritch Fever (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Eruptive Postules (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Excruciating Deformation (UM): You don't cast this for practicality, you use it to torture those that pissed you off.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fly: Less useful when you have the Flight hex, still good for buffing the fighter.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Glyph of Warding</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Guiding Star (APG)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Heroism</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Howling Agony (UM): Cool, yet impractical.  Just think of it as "Slow, but worse."</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ki Leech (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lightning Bolt: What's with the incredibly random selection of blasty spells?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Loathsome Veil (UM): Most foes won't even get nauseated for the 1d4 rounds, and it has a total HD cap.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Locate Object: Without a spell book, this is less useful for you than a wizard AND higher level.  Eww.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Locate Weakness (UC): It's awesome for Magus and Ranger, not for you.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Malediction (APG)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Nature's Exile (APG)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Pain Strike (APG)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rage</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rain of Frogs (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ray of Exhaustion</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Reckless Infatuation (UM): Yet another compulsion, but this probably has all sorts of fun uses and a day/level duration.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Remove Blindness/Deafness: It's worth learning if the party has no cleric or druid, but only prepare it when needed.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Remove Curse: As above.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Remove Disease: As above.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Returning Weapon, Communal (UC)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Sands of Time (UM): No save, but melee touch and very minor debuff.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Seek Thoughts (APG)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Sepia Snake Sigil: Too expensive when you're not trapping a spell book with it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Sleet Storm: Solid battlefield control.  See Ash Storm, also.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Speak with Dead: Great to know.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Spit Venom (UM): The poison is nice, but the no-save blindness for a round on a ranged touch is why this is good.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Stinking Cloud</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Suggestion</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Summon Monster III</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Tongues: As with Comprehend Languages, Tongues hex makes this less important to prepare on a given day.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Twilight Knife (APG): Terrible on non-gish casters.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Unadulterated Loathing (UM): As handy as Reckless Infatuation, possibly more so from a combat-sense.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Unravel Destiny (APG)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Vampiric Touch: More hp for your familiar, if it makes the touch.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Vermin Shape I (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Water Walk</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> </ul>[/sblock]Level 4[sblock]<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Absorb Toxicity (UC): Decent for poison immunity now that Neuter Poison's been nerfed.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Arcane Eye: Remember there's also the Hag's Eye major hex.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Black Tentacles: Nice at first, the grapple mod quickly becomes obsolete.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cape of Wasps (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Charm Monster</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Confusion</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Curse of Magic Negation (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Crushing Despair</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Daze, Mass (UM): It still has the 4 HD limit!  I need a rating below red.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Death Ward: If only there was a communal version.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Detect Scrying: For the paranoid among you.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Discern Lies</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Divination</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Enervation: Spam it on a caster.  One of the few spells that's amazing empowered.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">False Life, Greater (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Familiar Melding (UM): Probably has its uses, though most likely involve needing to fake being dead.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fear</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fleshworm Infestation (UM): Melee touch, slow acting, and defeated by a 1st level wand many people tend to have with them.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Geas, Lesser: No real threat will fall prey to it, but lots of weaker creatures can become enslaved to your orders.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ice Storm: Damage and battlefield control, with no save.  Not bad.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Inflict Serious Wounds: As if the level delay on healing wasn't pathetic enough...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Locate Creature: Use it to find your "spell book" if it's taken hostage.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Minor Creation</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Moonstruck (APG)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Named bullet (UC): Every single one.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Neutralize Poison: Apparently this spell was overpowered.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Phantasmal Killer: Decent early on, overshadowed later.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Poison: Yet another "why was this nerfed?" spell.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ride the Waves (UM): The alternative to Water Lung hex + refreshing it on the party every half minute.  This also gives a swim speed.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Scrying</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Secure Shelter</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Sleepwalk (APG): The 100 gp cost crimps a lot of the fun you could have with Slumber hex + this.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Solid Fog: Got nerfed from 3E a bit, but still good.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Summon Monster IV: The first level where SM actually summons decent melee creatures.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Symbol of Healing (UM): Weak healing, late entry, 150 hp total cap, all the normal symbol annoyances...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Symbol of Revelation (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Symbol of Slowing (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Threefold Aspect (APG): Enhancement bonuses, bleh.  At least it's early entry.  Nice for being the sexiest venerable aged witch you can be.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Touch of Slime (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Vermin Shape II (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Volcanic Storm (UM): A fire version of ice storm, less good since fire is more commonly resisted.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Wandering Star Motes (APG): This can get a lot of mileage in the right situation.  Probably works beautifully with Persistent Spell.</li> </ul>[/sblock]Level 5[sblock]<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Banish Seeming (APG): Something this narrow and high level should be automatically successful.  Never mind the melee range.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Break Enchantment</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cloudkill</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Contact Other Plane: Super risky.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Contagion, Greater (UM): Strange you don't get the weaker version...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cure Critical Wounds</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Curse, Major (UM): Screw the +5 DC to remove, the draw here is that you can use bestow curse at range!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Curse of Disgust (UM): This is more of a fun spell than a practical one.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hostile Juxtaposition (UC): It's a will save that's not mind-affecting.  That's the only good thing I can say about this.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Inflict Critical Wounds</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Major Creation: Much better than minor creation.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mark of Justice: More cruel fun with captives!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mind Fog: It's a trap.  You don't rely on failed will saves in order to set people up for...failing will saves.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Pain Strike, Mass (APG)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Plague Carrier (UM): What a great NPC villain spell!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Prying Eyes: Too easy to spot, and being spotted tips things off to your presence.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Summon Monster V: Starting at this level, you can get monsters with decent Sp abilities, or that are great meat shields.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Symbol of Pain: Still a symbol spell, but no hp limit at least.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Symbol of Scrying (UM): This symbol might actually be really useful to a fair amount of groups.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Symbol of Sleep: Crazy powerful for protecting a stronghold from an army, if you have that sort of dilemma.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Telepathic Bond</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Teleport</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Waves of Fatigue: No save!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Wreath of Blades (UC): Creatures should not be starting their turns adjacent to you.</li> </ul>[/sblock]Level 6[sblock]<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Age Resistance (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Analyze Dweomer</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Animate Objects</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cloak of Dreams (APG): Probably overkill with your Slumber hex, but maybe not.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cone of Cold: Direct damage is "too good" for you to get at the appropriate levels. *eyeroll*</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cure Light Wounds, Mass</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dispel Magic, Greater</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Epidemic (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Eyebite</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fester, Mass (APG)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Find the Path</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Flesh to Stone: Eh, usually Baleful Poly will do the trick just fine.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Geas/Quest: Cast this on anyone you take prisoner.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Guards and Wards: I really do love this spell, shame it's unlikely to ever be useful.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Heroism, Greater: Did you catch the 1/10th duration?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Inflict Light Wounds, Mass</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Legend Lore: Why spend money on this when you can just role play it out?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Named Bullet, Greater (UC): Every single one.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Plague Storm (UM): Devastate an army or town.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Raise Dead: Save your spellbook!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Slay Living: Somewhere out there, a cleric is laughing at you.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Stone to Flesh: Super rarely needed, but you still may want to learn it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Suggestion, Mass</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Summon Monster VI</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Symbol of Fear: Hurray for 150 hp limits!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Symbol of Persuasion: I'd rather just pay hirelings to be my friend for the day.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Symbol of Sealing (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Transformation: Even with Su abilities galore, avoid this.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">True Seeing: For emergencies only.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Unwilling Shield (APG): Round/level.  Short range.  Icky component cost.  Pass.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Vengeful Outrage (UM): Duration is rather short, unfortunately.</li> </ul>[/sblock]Level 7[sblock]<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Age Resistance, Greater (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Arcane Sight, Greater: +4 levels just for that?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Control Weather: This is also a major hex, though you likely won't bother to get it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Create Demiplane, Lesser (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cure Moderate Wounds, Mass</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Harm: Single target, melee touch, will half.  Yeah, you really, really don't need this.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Heal: Still great to have, even if the cleric gets it sooner.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hold Person, Mass: Humanoid only is just too limited by this level.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Hostile Juxtaposition, Greater (UC): Getting several targets for only 2 levels higher makes this slightly more appealing than the base spell.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ice Body (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Inflict Moderate Wounds, Mass</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Instant Summons: This isn't even worth it for a wizard to cast.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lunar Veil (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Phase Door: Outstanding for stealth missions, and great to plop down around your stronghold during downtime, too.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Plane Shift: Yeah, no level 5 for you.  Still, you need this to get away to your demiplane to chill out.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Regenerate: Learn it in case you need to prep it someday...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Scouring Winds (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Scrying, Greater</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Summon Monster VII</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Symbol of Stunning: Has the 150 hp limit.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Symbol of Weakness: Very powerful if you can get enough victims to justify the cost.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Teleport, Greater</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Teleport Object</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Temporary Ressurection (UM): I sort of can get Wizards having this on the spell list, but Witch actually HAS ressurection spells!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Vision</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Waves of Ecstasy (UM): I really wish this wasn't so weak, I love the fluff text.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> </ul>[/sblock]Level 8[sblock]<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Antipathy</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Charm Monster, Mass: How int-casters make friends.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Create Demiplane (UM)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cure Serious Wounds, Mass</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Demand</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Destruction: Don't you just love it when the bastards casting in full plate get spells before you?  Yeah, me neither.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Discern Location</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Horrid Wilting</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Inflict Serious Wounds. Mass</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Maze</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mind Blank: Makes dumping wisdom even less painful than before.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Moment of Prescience</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Power Word Stun</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Prediction of Failure (UM): It's every bit as cool as it is underwhelming.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Resurrection: Raise Dead should be enough to bring back the familiar, usually.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Summon Monster VIII</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Symbol of Death: Aside from normal symbol issues, this only affects 150 hp of meatbag!  Total!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Symbol of Insanity: Leaps and bounds better than the above, yet STILL a terrible spell for the cost and restrictions.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Sympathy</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Trap the Soul</li> </ul>[/sblock]Level 9[sblock]<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Astral Projection</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Create Demiplane, Greater (UC): Oh Yeeeeaaah!  You can screw with time flow, this is what we were waiting for!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cure Critical Wounds, Mass</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cursed Earth (UM): Same old villainous NPC-only crap.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dominate Monster: Against things not immune, it's still awesome.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Elemental Swarm</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Heroic Invocation (UC): Even if the entire party isn't all Mind Blanked, this is pretty pathetic.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Inflict Critical Wounds, Mass</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mind Blank, Communal (UC): Yeah, scratch the "if."  The entire party IS protected by Mind Blank!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Polar Midnight (UM): Requires a tandem with something else to prevent movement for 1 round, but once you get that going, this is incredible!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Power Word Kill</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Refuge: Cleric 7!  Yeah, if it's not saving you from losing your familiar, that's just inexcusable.  Nay, unforgiveable!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Soul Bind</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Summon Monster IX</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">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?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Symbol of Vulnerability (UM): As above, but weaker effect...  *shakes head* at least I don't have to rate any more of these.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Teleportation Circle: It's costly to cast, but if you need to move an army, this is how you do it.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Wail of the Banshee</li> </ul>[/sblock]</blockquote>

Verification