Witch Patrons, Expanded

Patrons

• Agility
• Ancestors
• Animals
• Arts
• Aurora
• Autumn
• Boundaries
• Conspiracies
• Death
• Decadence
• Deception
• Devotion
• Dreams
• Elements
• Enchantment
• Endurance
• Entropy
• Ethereal
• Fate
• Fey
• Healing
• Insanity
• Jynx
• Light
• Mercy
• Mind
• Monsters
• Moon
• Mountain
• Nightmares
• Occult
• Peace
• Plague
• Plant
• Portents
• Protection
• Recovery
• Repose
• Revenge
• Rot
• Shadow
• Space
• Spirits
• Spring
• Stars
• Storms
• Strength
• Summer
• Thorns
• Time
• Transformation
• Trickery
• Undeath
• Water

Design Notes: Paizo gives options for some of the popular patron choices for patron familiars, and yet, many are unaddressed; while Paizo does encourage GMs to use their options as the basis to develop more of their own, that I know of no one has come up with a concise list to address the rest until a player brings it up and asks. Further the witch is one of the weaker caster classes in PF1, and assuring there is a useful, flavorful familiar is both thematic for the class, and helps with a needed boost. So in our setting, there is no cost for a patron familiar; this comes as part of choosing the patron. The spells for the patron, and the familiar abilities, come together, part and parcel.

Further, the spell list for many patrons is beyond sub-optimal. Any patron spell list that ranks below average shouldn’t be an option. And some spells just don’t make sense for the theme of the patron, at all. Also, delaying bonus spell acquisition by a level might work for the sorcerer as a spontaneous caster (nah, not really, but even less so for a prepared caster.)

So below is a list that builds on the original patron familiar options, expanding it to cover more 1p and 3pp bloodlines, and rebalances the patron spells. This should be considered as replacing entirely the core Patron feature of the witch.

The 1pp familiars are denoted with a †, and may (do) contain house alterations. The PRD patron familiars list is here. Homebrew/3pp Familiars denoted with a ††

Some patron hexes’ mechanics are adapted from abilities and hexes of Legendary Games’ Legendary Witches and Legendary Witches Expanded.

Patron

At 1st level, the witch’s familiar is a gift, or envoy, from her patron. This patron is often a vague and mysterious force, granting the witch power for reasons that the witch might not entirely understand. While these forces need not be named, she hold influence over the following heres. At 1st level, the witch chooses the patron that grants her power, and this cannot be changed thereafter. Each time a witch gains a new level of spells, the witch’s patron grants new spells to the witch’s list of spells known. These spells are automatically added to the list of spells stored by the familiar. This patron also influences the nature and ability of the familiar, as detailed below. Each patron also grants access to unique hexes, available to a witch of this patron as described below. Each patron is listed by its theme. The actual name or nature of the patron is up to the GM and the witch to decide.

Agility

†Familiar—Supernatural Speed (Su): The familiar is incredibly fast for its type. It gains an enhancement bonus of +10 feet to each of its movement speeds. This bonus increases to +20 feet at 7th level, and to +30 feet at 15th level.

Bonus Spells: 1st — jump, 2nd — animal prowess, 3rd — haste, 4th — freedom of movement, 5th — overland flight, 6th — animal prowess (mass), 7th — ethereal jaunt, 8th — animal shapes, 9th — ride the lightning.

Patron Hexes

• Borrow Speed (Su): The witch twouches willing creatures, reducing one creature’s speed by 10 feet for the next round and increasing the other’s speed by 10 feet for 1 round.
• Drain Agility (Su): The witch saps the agility from a target creature, reducing its speed to 5 feet if it fails a Fort save; while under this hex, the creature can also not take 5-foot steps. This hex can be extended with the cackle hex.
• Major Hex Swift Step (Su): The witch teleports a short distance. As a move action, the witch can teleport up to 30 feet + 5 feet for every 2 levels the witch possesses beyond 10th (to a maximum of 55 feet at 20th level). A witch can bring along a willing creature she touches by reducing her teleportation distance by half.

Ancestors

Familiar—Ancestral Speaker (Sp): The familiar is link a to the ancestral patron that empowers the witch. Once per day, the witch can contact these ancestral powers for insight through the witch’s familiar; is the equivalent of an augury spell. At 11th level, once per week the familiar can use the equivalent of a commune spell.

Bonus Spells: 1st — bless, 2nd — aid, 3rd — prayer, 4th — blessing of fervor, 5th — commune, 6th — greater heroism, 7th — refuge, 8th — frightful aspect, 9th — weird.

Patron Hexes

• Ancestral Disapproval (Su): The witch chooses a target and causes the disapproving voices of her target’s ancestors to flood its mind. A living intelligent creature within 30 feet that the witch can see becomes shaken for a number of rounds equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier. This duration can be extended with the cackle hex. A successful Will save reduces this duration to 1 round. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. At 8th level the target becomes frightened instead of shaken.
• Ancestral Knowledge (Su): The witch spends 1 minute in quiet meditation, drawing on the knowledge of those who came before her, after which she can treat a skill of choice as if she had a number of ranks equal to 1/2 her witch level + 3. This lasts for 1 minute or until it is used, and once used, the witch cannot use it again for a different skill until she next prepares her spells.
• Major Hex Secrets of the Ancients (Su): When communing with her familiar to prepare spells, the witch also spends the time to talk to the witches that came before her and learns one of their hexes. The witch gains the use of one of the hexes or major hexes from any other witch patron. She has access to this hex until the next time she communes with her familiar to regain spells.

Animals

†Familiar—Animal Speaker (Su): The familiar gains the ability to speak with animals of its kind at 1st level. If it would normally gain this ability at 7th level, the familiar gains the ability to speak with all animals (as though constantly under the effects of speak with animals) at 7th level. Further the familiar gains a bonus on Diplomacy checks against the animals with which it can speak equal to 1/2 the witch’s level, and Diplomacy becomes a class skill for the familiar.

Spellcasting: The witch loses the summon monster series of spells from the witch spell list, and gains the summon nature’s ally spells at the commensurate levels.

Bonus Spells: 1st — charm animal, 2nd — animal messenger, 3rd — greater magic fang, 4th — watchful animal, 5th — animal growth, 6th — antilife shell, 7th — swam skin, 8th — animal shapes, 9th — summon nature’s ally IX.

Patron Hexes

• Animal Essence (Su): The witch can draw upon the essence of an animal spirit to gain a measure of its prowess. This works as the shifter’s minor aspects, except that she is limted to the following aspects: bat, bear, boar, bull, crocodile, falcon, frog, lion, lizard, monkey, mouse, owl, scorpion, snake, stag, tiger, wolf or wolverine; she gains this minor aspect for one minute. The witch can use this hex a number of times per day equal to her Intelligence modifier.
• Lifesense (Su) The witch gains the ability to sense other living creatures within 10 feet as if she had blindsense for one minute. This sense is only able to detect animals, dragons, fey, humanoids, magical beasts, monstrous humanoids, and vermin. At 6th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the sense extends another 10 feet.
• Major Hex Become Familiar (Su): The witch can become the same kind of animal as her familiar. For a number of minutes per day equal to her level, the witch can become the same type of Tiny animal as her familiar, as per beast shape II. These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1-minute increments.

Arts††

Familiar—Natural Performer (Su): The witch’s familiar gains the ability to improve the morale of the witch and her allies through performance, be it a nightengale by its voice, or the graceful antics of a feline; this functions as bardic performance, except that the familiar only gains inspire courage as a performance, and it is usable for a number of rounds equal to the witch’s level + her Charisma modifier. At 15th level, the it also gains the ability to inspire heroics with its bardic performance ability, but this can only target the witch.

Spellcasting: The witch uses Charisma instead of Intelligence when determining the highest level of spells she can cast, her spell save DCs, number of spells known at 1st level, and any effects of her hexes normally determined by her Intelligence.

Bonus Spells: 1st — play instrument, 1st — minor image, 3rd — major image, 4th — majestic image, 5th — joyful rapture, 6th — irresistible dance, 7th — waves of ecstasy, 8th — scintillating pattern, 9th — resplendent mansion.

Patron Hexes

• Costume Hex (Sp): The witch can change her appearance as disguise self; this also also includes transforming the witch’s clothing into another sort of clothing to her preference to match the appearance. This lasts a number of minutes equal to her witch level.
• Magical Maestro (Su): A witch who selects this hex adds one spell of each spell level 1-3 from the bard spell list to her familiar as spells known and to the witch spell list. These must be spells that are triggered by, accompany, or modify the use of, bardic performance (such as saving finale). The witch must be of the appropriate level to prepare and cast these spells. When the witch prepares these spells, the familiar can draw them while it uses its performance ability, expending the spell as if the witch herself cast it.
• Major Hex Scintillating Burst (Su): The witch can create a burst of flickering rainbow colored light in a 15 foot radius, centered on her; all creatures that can see the burst are dazed for 1d4 rounds unless they make a Will save. This is an illusion (pattern) effect. Once a creature has been affected or saved against the scintillating pattern hex, it cannot be affected again for 24 hours.

Aurora

Familiar—Dazzling Beacon (Su): As a standard action, the familiar can glimmer with the radiance and brightness of a rainbow to dazzle creatures in a 30 foot radius centered on the familiar, unless they make a Will save equal to (10 + 1/2 the witch’s level + her Intelligence modifier); maintaining the effect for those who fail the save is a free action. The familiar can use this a number of rounds per day equal to the witch’s witch level + the witch’s Intelligence modifier; these do not have to be used consecutively, but they must be used in 1-round increments.

Bonus Spells: 1st — color spray, 2nd — hypnotic pattern, 3rd — wall of nausea, 4th — rainbow pattern, 5th — blazing rainbow, 6th — programmed image, 7th — prismatic spray, 8th — prismatic wall, 9th — prismatic sphere.

Patron Hexes

• Hypnotizing Colors (Su): The witch can beset a target creature’s vision with a flickering spectrum of hues that only the creature can see, fascinating it for a number of rounds equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier unless it makes a Will save. While it is fascinated, the target creature’s attitude is two steps more friendly to the witch and her allies, and it becomes receptive to a simple suggestion made by the witch. This functions similarly to the hypnotism spell but for a single target. This hex can be extended with the cackle hex, but only for the fascination effect; only one suggestion can be made in the duration of the effect.
• Major Hex Chamelion (Su) The witch can shift the coloration of her skin and clothing to match her surroundings, this grants her a bonus to Stealth equal to her witch level and ability to use Stealth even while being observed for one minute. When the duration expires, the witch cannot use this hex again for one minute.

Autumn

Familiar—Defoliating Aura (Su): For a number of rounds equal to the witch’s witch level as a swift action, the familiar can exude an aura of energy in a 5-foot radius that causes plant growth to shrink and wither. This has no effect on living creatures, but it does on both normal and magically manipulated plant life. Against normal plant life, the effect is permanent; against magically manipulated growth, like that of an entangle spell, it supresses the manipulated growth within the area of effect of the aura. If the duration of the manipulation effect persists after the aura is lowered, or passes from that space, the growth resumes one round thereafter. These rounds do not have to be used consecutively, but they do have to be used in one-round increments.

Bonus Spells: 1st — ray of enfeeblement, 2nd — defoliate, 3rd — fractions of heal and harm, 4th — vitriolic mist, 5th — life blast, 6th — disintegrate, 7th — waves of exhaustion, 8th — horrid wilting, 9th — energy drain.

Patron Hexes

• Cloak of Leaves (Su): The witch can surround herself in a swirling cloud of autumn colored leaves in a 5 foot radius around her, granting her 20% concealment that is not negated by see invisiblity, true seeing or the like. Anyone who is within the radius of the cloud of leaves can see and effect the witch as normal, and anyone who is outside the cloud of leaves gains the same concealment against the witch and anyone else within the cloud. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to her witch level.
• Major Hex Autumn’s Wilting (Su): The witch can touch a creature and cause its strength to wither; if it fails a Fort save it suffers one point of Strength damage, and each additional round it must make another Fort save or suffer an additional point of Strength damage. This persists until the creature either makes its Fort save, has suffered a number of points Strength damage equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier, or the creature’s Strength score reaches 0, and it falls unconscious.

Boundaries

Familiar—Hedge Corruption (Su): The familiar can sense the presence of evil, as if continually effected by detect evil. At 7th level, the familiar can radiate an aura of protection from evil in a 10-foot radius, centered on the familiar, as a standard action for 1 minute per witch level; these minutes don’t have to be used consecutively but they have to be spent in one-minute increments.

Bonus Spells: 1st — protection from evil, 2nd — see invisibility, 3rd — magic circle against evil, 4th — dimensional anchor, 5th — control summoned creature, 6th — banishment, 7th — ethereal jaunt, 8th — dimensional lock, 9th — gate.

Patron Spells

• You Shall Not Pass (Su): The witch as an immediate action can point her finger to a creature advancing upon her square and command it to stop; the creature has to make a Will save or else end its move action 5 feet from the witch, and for the remainder of its turn, it cannot make a standard action, and no other movement action except to move in a opposite direction from the witch or use the withdrawal action.
• Major Hex Counterportation (Su): If a creature uses a Conjuration (teleportation) effect to either leave a square, or to enter a square, within 30 feet of the witch, the witch may, as an immediate action, cause that creature to return to the square it left unless it makes a caster level check against the DC of the witch’s hex.

Conspiracies

Familiar—Neuralizing Touch (Su): With a touch attack, the familiar can cause a creature to forget what happened in the last number of rounds equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier. If the creature makes a Will save against a DC of (10 + 1/2 the witch’s level + the witch’s Intelligence bonus) it resists the effect. The familiar can use this ability once per day at 1st level, and an additional time per day at 7th and 15th level. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Bonus Spells: 1st — lock gaze, 2nd — disguise other, 3rd — tongues, 4th — hypercognition, 5th — dominate person, 6th — symbol of persuasion, 7th — vision, 8th — frightful aspect, 9th — overwhelming presence.

Patron Hexes

• You Didn’t See Anything (Su): The witch can cloud the mind of a creature to where it doesn’t see or hear her for one round, unless it makes a Will save. This effect can be extended by the cackle hex, however if the witch attacks or otherwise makes an action to physically harm the creature while the hex is active, it gets another Will save to break the effects before resolving the witch’s action. The witch can only affect one creature at a time with this hex; affecting a different creature while the hex is active results in the prior effect ending immediately.
• Major Hex Scrying Retribution (Su): The witch fortifies herself against unwanted eyes with a powerful curse. A creature attempting to scry upon the unwilling witch has to make an opposed caster level check against the witch. Losing the check results in the creature both failing the scrying effect, and suffering Wisdom damage equal to the amount by which the creature lost the opposed check. A successful Will save halves this Widsom damage.

Death

Familiar—Corrupting Touch (Su): The familiar’s can deal 1d6 negative energy damage with a successful touch attack. At 7th level this increases to 2d6, and at 15th it increases to 3d6. It can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + the witch’s Intelligence modifier. This touch can only be used to damage the living; it cannot be used to heal undead. It can deliver a touch spell in the same action as this touch ability, resolving the effects of the spell after those of this ability.

Bonus Spells: 1st — detect undead, 2nd — command undead, 3rd — speak with dead, 4th — rest eternal, 5th — suffocation, 6th — circle of death, 7th — finger of death, 8th — symbol of death, 9th — power word kill.

Patron Hexes

• Steal Life (Su): The witch touches a living creature and deals 1d8 points of negative energy damage + 1 per witch level (to a maximum of 10). The witch gains a number of temporary hit points equal to the amount of damage dealt. These temporary hit points last for 1 hour. A creature targeted by this hex cannot be targeted by this hex again for 24 hours.
• Fear Death (Su): The witch stares into the eyes of a creature within 30 feet and the creature sees visions of death. If the creature fails a Will save, it is shaken for a number of rounds equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier. At 5th level, a creature that fails the Will save is frightened instead. The creature and the witch must be able to see each other. Any creature that is immune to blindness is also immune to this ability. A creature affected by the fear of death hex cannot be affected by it again for 24 hours.
• Major Hex Curse of the Long Death (Su): The witch spits a curse at a creature within 30 feet and the creature begins to feel its life draining away. If the creature fails a Fortitude save, it suffers 1 temporary negative level. The creature must attempt another Fortitude save on the following round or take an additional temporary negative level. This continues until the creature succeeds 1 Fortitude save, the creature has gained a number of negative levels equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier, or the creature has a number of temporary negative levels equal to its HD (at which point the creature dies). A creature affected by this hex cannot be affected by this hex again for 24 hours.

Decadence

Familiar—Euphoric Touch (Su): the witch’s familiar’s touch can cause any creature that fails a Fortitude save to be overwhelmed with euphoric sensations. This results in the targets becoming fascinated and dazzled for 1d6 rounds. The familiar may use this ability a number of times equal to 3 + the the witch’s Intelligence modifier, and the save DC is equal to (10 + 1/2 the witch’s level + her Intelligence modifier). The familiar can use this touch in the same action as delivering a touch spell, resolving the effects of this touch after delivering the spell.

Bonus Spells: 1st — delusional pride, 2nd — demand offering, 3rd — shamefully overdressed, 4th — charm monster, 5th — dream, 6th — envious urge, 7th — waves of ecstasy, 8th — euphoric tranquility, 9th — resplendent mansion.

Patron Hexes

• Life of the Party (Su): The witch can spend 30 minutes with a creature, carousing with drinks or other indulgences, to improve the creatures’ attitude by two steps if it fails a Will save. This is a mind-affecting, languate dependent effect.
• Major Hex Seductive Mein (Su): When the witch succeeds improving the morale of a creature with the life of the party hex, she can also implant a triggered suggestion upon this creature, using her witch level as the caster level to determine its duration.

Deception

†Familiar—Distracting (Su and Sp): The familiar gains Bluff and Sense Motive as class skills, and a bonus to these skills equal to half the witch’s level. At 10th level, the familiar can throw its voice at will, as if using ventriloquism.

Bonus Spells: 1st — ventriloquism, 2nd — invisibility, 3rd — blink, 4th — confusion, 5th — passwall, 6th — programmed image, 7th — invisibility (mass), 8th — scintillating pattern, 9th — time stop.

Patron Hexes

• Fleeting Distraction (Su): The witch can cause a creature to suffer penalty to Perception and Sense Motive checks, and to Reflex saves equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the witch’s level, or until one of these checks is made, whichever comes first.

Devotion

Familiar—Self Sacrifice (Ex): Once per day, when the witch would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by an attack, the familiar can throw itself in the way of the attack as an immediate action if it is touching or adjacent to the witch. If it makes a Reflex save against a DC equal to the damage dealt by the attack, it takes all the damage dealt. If it fails the save, it takes half the damage while the witch suffers the other half. At 7th level, as part of this immediate action, it can move up to its move speed as part of the attempt to intercept the attack. At 13th level, this movement will not draw attacks of opportunity.

Bonus Spells: 1st — divine favor, 2nd — martyr’s bargain, 3rd — magic vestment, 4th — greater magic weapon, 5th — flame strike, 6th — unshakable zeal, 7th — bestow grace of the champion, 8th — holy aura, 9th — mass heal.

Patron Hexes

• Saving Grace (Su): When a willing creature within 20 feet of the witch declares an intention to invervene on behalf of the witch, the witch can swap places with this creature, as if by dimension door, as an immediate action. She cannot swap places with the same creature again for 24 hours.
• Reciprocal Devotion (Su): The witch makes a connection between herself and another living creature as an immediate action to halve the damage dealt to the creature by an effect or attack that deals hit point damage. The other half of the damage is suffered by the witch. The witch applies any resistances or reductions to this damage as normal. No other adverse affects dealt by a given attack are effected, or dealt to the witch, except for the hit point damage.

Dreams††

Familiar—Dreamspun Familiar (Su): The witch’s familiar is a being of dreamstuff; it gains the figment archetype, and it has the ability to see into sleeping creature’s thoughts. As a standard action, the familiar can connect empathically to any sleeping creature within 30-feet as a spell-like ability. The target creature can make a Will save against a DC of (10 + 1/2 the witch’s level + her Intelligence bonus) to resist. Once this dream connection is made, the familiar can relay the general emotions of the dreaming creature in place of its own empathic connection to the witch up to a mile away, for a number of rounds equal to the witch’s Wisdom bonus. The familiar can use this spell-like ability once per day, and an additional time per day at 7th and 15th levels, but once a creature has either been affected or resists the attempt, it is immune for 24 hours.

Bonus Spells: 1st – sleep, 2nd – rope trick, 3rd – oneiric horror, 4th – spiritual ally, 5th – dream, 6th – wind walk, 7th – ethereal jaunt, 8th – euphoric tranquility, 9th – microcosm

Patron Hexes

• Sleep Deprivation (Sp) The witch can cause a targeted creature to suffer from sleeplessness, tossing and turning at night rather than gaining any worthwhile rest. When the target attempts to rest within the first 24-hour period of receiving this effect, it makes a Will save; failure means the target creature is deprived of rest for the 24-hour period, suffering any ill effects (fatigue, inability to prepare spells, etc) that come with not resting. Every 24 hours thereafter, the creature makes another save with a cumulative +5 bonus, and continues to suffer the added effects of not sleeping, until a successful save ends the effects. Creatures that are immune to sleep effects, or that don’t need to sleep are unaffected by this hex.
• Major Hex Dream Shaper (Sp) A witch with this hex can shape objects of desire out of dreamstuff. Once per day, the witch can cast major creation as a spell like ability, except the resultant effect is of the illusion school rather than conjuration for the purposes of its magical aura. She can expend a 5th level or higher prepared spell to use this ability an additional time.

Elements

†Familiar—Elemental Touch (Su): Choose an energy type: acid, cold, electricity, or fire. The familiar gains resistance 5 to the selected energy type. Whenever the familiar delivers a touch spell that deals energy damage, it can change the type of energy damage dealt to the selected energy type.

Bonus Spells: 1st — shocking grasp, 2nd — flaming sphere, 3rd — fireball, 4th — wall of ice, 5th — flame strike, 6th — freezing sphere, 7th — vortex, 8th — fire storm, 9th — meteor swarm.

Enchantment

†Familiar—Charm Amplifier (Su): When delivering a touch spell of the Enchantment school, the effective caster level of the spell is 1 higher.

Bonus Spells: 1st — unnatural lust, 2nd — calm emotions, 3rd — unadulterated loathing, 4th — overwhelming grief, 5th — dominate person, 6th — geas/quest, 7th — euphoric tranquility, 8th — demand, 9th — dominate monster.

Patron Hexes

• Awe Inspiring Cackle (Su): In the same action as she uses her cackle hex to extend the effects of another hex on a creature, she can cause the affected creature to become fascinated unless it succeeds in a Will save. The creature is entitled to an additional save each round the cackling continues, and once it saves against the fascination effect, both this effect, and the persisted hex end for the creature. The creature can not be effected by the additional effects of this hex again for 24 hours. The witch must have selected the cackle hex before selecting this hex.
• Major Hex Enduring Charm (Su): When the witch’s familiar delivers a touch spell of the Enchantment school for the witch, the spell is extended, as per the feat, with no change in spell level or casting time. A spell can only be extended in this fashion once per creature so touched in a 24-hour period.

Endurance

†Familiar—Endure Afflictions (Su): The familiar is unnaturally talented at resisting bodily corruption. The familiar and any ally touching it gains a +2 resistance bonus on saving throws against nonmagical poisons and diseases. At 7th level, this bonus also applies against magical diseases and poisons. At 15th level, this bonus also applies against curses.

Bonus Spells: 1st — endure elements, 2nd — animal prowess, 3rd — protection from energy, 4th — spell immunity, 5th — spell resistance, 6th — animal prowess (mass), 7th — restoration (greater), 8th — iron body, 9th — miracle.

Patron Hexes

• Muster On (Su): When a group with this witch travels for 8 hours, treat the distance traveled as though the group had been marching for 10 hours, without the effects of making a forced march.
• Hex of Enduring (Su): The witch enables a creature to ignore the effects of fatigue for 1 round. Once the effect of this hex ends, the fatigued condition resumes. This hex can be extended with the cackle hex.
• Major Hex Enduring Resolve (Su): The witch enables a creature to temporarily ignore all effects of exhaustion, fatigue, nauseated, sickened, staggered, and ability damage for one round, after which the conditions resume, and the creature is further exhausted if it wasn’t before. This hex can be extended by the cackle hex. The witch must have selected hex of enduring before selecting this hex.

Entropy

Familiar—Void Gaze (Su): the witch’s familiar gains a gaze attack in a 15 foot cone. Those who see the gaze and fail a Will save against a DC of (10 + 1/2 the witch’s level + the familiar’s Charisma modifier) are confused, as the spell, for 1 round. Once a creature has been affected or saved against this effect, it is immune to the effect for 24 hours.

Bonus Spells: 1st — lesser confusion, 2nd — plague carrier, 3rd — babble, 4th — wandering star motes, 5th — feeblemind, 6th — antimagic field, 7th — insanity, 8th — symbol of insanity, 9th — interplanetary teleport.

Patron Hexes

• Gibber (Su) A witch with this hex can make a disturbing gibbering sound in the place of cackling, that clouds and confuses the mind of her target. In addition to the effects of the hex persisted by the witch’s cakle, the target is confused each round that the witch maintains her gibbering unless it makes a Will save against the hex. The creature gets another save against the confusion effect, and once it saves, both the confuson and the effects of the persisted hex end; it is then immune to this hex for 24 hours. The witch must have the cackle hex before selecting this hex. This is a mind-affecting effect.
• Vision of the Void (Su): The witch can grants a living creature a glimpse of the terrors and creatures of the dark alien spaces far away as a standard action. The target becomes immune to mind-affecting effects, but takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls and skill checks. If the target is under another mind-affecting effect when targeted by this hex, it is suppressed while under the effects of this hex. This hex can be extended by the cackle hex.
• [Major Hex] Aberrant Limb (Su): The witch gains an additional appendage which can be manifest as a move action for one minute per witch level, the nature of which is usually odd but determined by the witch upon taking this hex. This extra appendage cannot not aid in movement, however it can hold or use items, though for not fine manipulation or to wield weapons. It can deliver touch attacks, make somatic gestures, or make a slam attack which deals 1d4 damage for a medium witch.

Ethereal

Familiar—Ghost Form (Su): the witch’s familiar may partially phase into an ethereal state as a standard action, a number of times per day equal to 3 + the witch’s Intelligence modifier. This state is the equivalent of a Blur effect and grants a 20% miss chance when the familiar is targeted and it lasts as many rounds the witch’s Intelligence modifier.

Bonus Spells: 1st — detect undead, 2nd — see invisibility, 3rd — ectoplasmic snare, 4th — condensed ether, 5th — ethereal envelope, 6th — ethereal jaunt, 7th — ectoplasmic eruption, 8th — ethereal envelopment, 9th — etherealness.

Patron Hexes

• Prime Anchoring (Su): The witch can cause a creature that is incorporeal, ethereal or partially in the etheral plane, such as by a blink spell, to become fully corporeal for a number of rounds equal to her Intelligence bonus unless it makes a Will save. This hex can be extended by the cackle hex. The prior effect or incorporeal state resume after the hex expires.
• Ethereal Evasion (Su): As an immediate action, the witch can become etheral when an attack or targeted spell hits her, causing the attack to miss or the effect to fail on a 50% chance. This hex cannot be used for an attack or effect from the same creature more than once in a 24 hour period.

Fate

Familiar—Fated Touch (Su): The familiar gains a +1 luck bonus on attack rolls to deliver touch spells, and the DC of touch spells delivered by the familiar increases by 1. These benefits increase by 1 at 7th level and again at 15th level.

Bonus Spells: 1st — doom, 2nd — anticipate peril, 3rd — helping hand, 4th — blessing of fervor, 5th — greater forbid action, 6th — contingency, 7th — jolting portent, 8th — maze, 9th — wish.

Patron Hexes

• Nudge Fate (Su): As an immediate action, the witch can treat an attack roll, saving throw or skill check (hers or another creature’s) as if it were 1d4 points higher or lower (witch designates to add or subtract, then rolls the die). If she rolls a 4 on the die, she rolls a second time and adds that to the original die roll. She can only nudge the fate of any given creature (including herself) once in a 24-hour period.
• Major Hex Seer’s Curse (Su) The witch gains an oracle’s curse, treating her witch level as her oracle level.
• Grand Hex Self-Fulfilling Prophecy (Sp) The witch foretells a creature’s future, and impose it to pursue that determined future. This functions as geas/quest, except that as long as the target creature is obeying the portents of the geas, it receives a +4 bonus to its AC and on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks. Only the witch, or a limited wish, wish, or miracle can end a self-fulfilling prophecy before the target might, indeed, fulfill the terms of the geas. The witch can only have this effect active on one target at a time; if the witch uses this ability again before an earlier effect is removed or expires, the earlier one immediately ends.

Fey††

Familiar—Laughing Familiar (Sp): The witch’s familiar gains the fey-touched template. This familiar can cause a creature to burst out laughing for 1 round as a melee touch attack if the creature fails a Will save equal to (10 + 1/2 the witch’s level + her Intelligence modifier). A laughing creature can only take a move action and cannot attack, but can defend itself normally. The familiar can deliver this touch in the same action in which it delivers one of the witch’s touch spells, resolving the effects of this touch before the effects of the spell. Once a creature has been affected by laughing touch, it is immune to its effects for 24 hours. The familiar witch can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. This is a mind-affecting effect.

Bonus Spells: 1st – color spray, 2nd – glitterdust, 3rd – gullibility, 4th – fey form I, 5th – entice fey, lesser, 6th – fey form II, 7th – fey form III, 8th – fey gate, 9th – fey form IV.

Patron Hexes

• Fairy Dust (Su) When casting glitterdust, instead of blinding the target, the witch can grant a target the benefits of the levitate spell, or put it to sleep as per the sleep spell, but affecting up to a number of HD equal to half the witch’s level. These benefits last for the duration of the glitterdust, and the witch can choose which effect to place upon each affected creature.
• Major Hex Perplex (Su) A witch who selects this hex can place this hex on one creature within 60 feet, causing it to be disoriented. The target is confused, as the spell, for a number of rounds equal to the witch’s level. A Will save negates this effect. If the saving throw is failed, the target can attempt a new save each round to end the effect. Once a creature is affected by or saves against this hex, it cannot be the target of this hex again for 24 hours.
• Grand Hex Soul of the Fey (Su) The witch’s soul becomes one with the world of the fey. Her race type changes to Fey, and she gains the native subtype in addition to any other subtype she has. She gains immunity to poison and DR 10/cold iron. Creatures of the animal type do not attack the unless compelled to do so through magic.

Healing

†Familiar—Healing Channeler (Su): A number of times per day equal to 3 + the witch’s Charisma modifier, the witch’s familiar can grant fast healing 1 to a creature it’s touching. This effect lasts a number of rounds equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier (minimum 1) or until the familiar stops touching the creature, whichever comes first. At 10th level, the familiar grants fast healing 2 instead. At 20th level, the familiar grants fast healing 3 instead.

Bonus Spells: 1st — remove fear, 2nd — lesser restoration, 3rd — remove disease, 4th — restoration, 5th — cleanse, 6th — pillar of life, 7th — greater restoration, 8th — mass cure critical wounds, 9th — true resurrection.

Patron Hexes

• Donate Life (Su): The witch can transfer her hit points to another creature within 30 feet, up to an amount equal to her class level.
• Medicine Woman (or Man) (Ex) The witch may perform all Heal skill checks without a healer’s kit without penalty, and gains skill unlocks for the appropriate ranks in the Heal skil as if she had the Signature Skill feat.
• Major Hex Adaptive Restoration (Su): The witch’s familiar can touch a creature for a full round to cure a disease, neutralize a poison, or restore ability damage in place of granting it fast healing points. This effectively duplicates the effects of neutralize poison, remove disease, lesser restoration or restoration (pick one). Doing this requires the witch to expend a prepared spell of the same or higher level as the spell being duplicated.

Insanity

Familiar—Babbler (Su): The familiar can incoherently babble and gyre in order to fascinate creatures as the bardic performance, treating the witch’s witch level as its bard level, with a save DC equal to (10 + 1/2 the witch’s level + her Intelligence modifier).

Bonus Spells: 1st — memory lapse, 2nd — hideous laughter, 3rd — distracting cacophony, 4th — confusion, 5th — mind fog, 6th — envious urge, 7th — insanity, 8th — symbol of insanity, 9th — overwhelming presence.

Patron Hexes

Jynx

Familiar—Hexer (Su): Once per day, the familiar can deliver a curse with its touch, causing the target to take a -1 penalty on attack rolls and a -1 penalty on saving throws against fear effects for a number of rounds equal to its master’s level. The save DC is equal to (10 + 1/2 the witch’s level + her Intelligence modifier). The familiar can resolve this touch attack before delivering the witch’s touch spell in the same action. The familiar can use this ability an additional time per day at 7th and 15th levels.

Bonus Spells: 1st — ill omen, 2nd — shatter, 3rd — bestow curse, 4th — retribution, 5th — Alaznist’s Jinx, 6th — eyebite, 7th — spell turning, 8th — antipathy, 9th — energy drain.

Patron Hexes

• Grand Hex Misfortune Even in Death (Su): Once per day, the witch can touch a dying or deceased creature, inflicting a terrible curse upon it that tips the scales of fate against the creature’s return, and the more powerful the creature, the higher chance the patron of cruel fate might intervene. Any attempts to restore the touched creature to life suffer a spell failure percent chance equal to the hit dice of the creature + the witch’s level. This curse can only be removed upon a successful revival of the creature, or by casting break enchantment, miracle or wish upon the corpse before attempting to revive it.

Light

Familiar—Illuminating Beacon (Su): The familiar glows with a perpetual light equivalent to that of a torch, which it can raise and lower at will. At 7th level it can glow with the brilliance of a daylight spell once per day for a number of rounds equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier, and supress any darkness effects of 3rd or lower level in the radius of its glow. It gains additional uses per day of daylight at 11th and every 4 levels thereafter. At 11th level, the familiar can dispel darkness effects of a level equal to half its hit dice or less, a number of times per day equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier.

Bonus Spells: 1st — dancing lantern, 2nd — continual flame, 3rd — daylight, 4th — rainbow pattern, 5th — wall of light, 6th — blazing rainbow, 7th — sunbeam, 8th — sunburst, 9th — prismatic sphere.

Patron Hexes

• Inspiring Radiance (Su): When the witch casts a spell with the light descriptor, she can choose to remove fear and other negative emotion effects from a creature within the area of, or targeted by, the spell. A particular creature can only receive the benefit of this hex once in a 24-hour period.
• Accustomed to the Light (Ex): A witch with this hex is immune to the dazzled condition, and gains a bonus to saves against spells with the light descriptor equal to her Intelligence bonus.
• Major Hex Empowered Flare (Su) When the witch casts a spell with the light descriptor, she may empower the light into a blinding flash, causing creatures in the radius of that spell to be dazzled for the duration of the spell if they fail a Reflex saving throw against the spell. If the spell doesn’t normally allow a saving throw, creatures are granted one for the purpose of this effect, against the appropriate save DC of for the spell level. If a creature fails the save by 5 or more, it is also staggered for one round. Any creature who is affected by, or saves against this effect is immune to it for a 24-hour period thereafter.

Mercy

Familiar—Merciful Touch (Su): The familiar can deliver touch spells of the Conjuration (healing) subschool at 1st level; at 3rd level, when it can deliver all touch spells, spells of the Conjuration (healing) subschool are treated as if the witch’s caster level were 1 higher.

Bonus Spells: 1st — cure light wounds, 2nd — delay poison, 3rd — remove curse, 4th — restoration, 5th — cleanse, 6th — heroes’ feast, 7th — foe to friend, 8th — euphoric tranquility, 9th — true resurrection.

Patron Hexes

• Merciful Familiar (Su): The witch selects a mercy from the paladin’s list of mercies, treating her witch level as her paladin level. Her familiar can use its merciful touch ability deliver this chosen mercy at the same time it deliver’s a touch spell of the Conjuration (healing) spell for the witch. The familiar can apply these mercies a number of times per day equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier. The witch may select this hex more than once, each time selecting a different mercy, and the effects of all mercies chosen by the witch are applied by the familiar’s merciful touch.

Mind

Familiar—Telepathic Conduit (Su): the witch’s familiar can act as a telepathic channel between the witch and another creature of 3 Intelligence or greater, by coming in contact with the other creature. So long as the other creature and the familiar are in contact with each other, the witch may trade messages with the other creature in phrases of 20 words or less, similar to the Sending spell. This is a language-dependent effect.

Spellcasting: The witch chooses her spells from the psychic spell list, rather than the witch spell list, and casts her spells as psychic magic.

Bonus Spells: 1st — mindlink, 2nd — mental block, 3rd — mindscape door, 4th — create mindscape, 5th — psychic asylum, 6th — create mindscape (greater), 7th — psychic surgery, 8th — moment of prescience, 9th — microcosm.

Patron Hexes

• Bewildering Psyche (Su): The witch’s mind becomes a thwarting maze for others who dare to divine it. When another creature attempts to read the mind the witch, be it by innate telepathy or a spell such as detect thoughts, the creature has to make a Will save. If the creature fails this check, it fails at its attempt to read her thoughts, and the creature is confused for a number of rounds equal to the amount the witch beat the opposed check. A creature is immune to this hex for 24 hours once it has been affected or saved against the hex. The witch can raise or lower this hex for a given creature at will.
• Expanded Mind (Ex) The witch may add three divination or enchantment spells of 4th level or lower from among the cleric, druid, or wizard spell lists to her familiar and to her spell list. Treat the spell level of the spell as the witch spell level; if a spell appears on more than one of these spell lists, use the wizard spell level to determine the spell level for the witch.

Monsters††

Familiar—Monstrous Companion (Su): The witch’s familiar is a monstrosity that, through the magics her patron, is hidden within a more innocuous creature that appears as the witch’s familiar. This familiar gains the mauler archetype, regardless of any other archetypes it may or may not have. The familiar’s type changes from magical beast to aberration. At 3rd level, it gains an evolution from the list of 1-point evolutions available to a summoner’s eidolon; the familiar must conform to any limitations of the evolution. This evolution reveals itself whenever the familiar uses its battle form from its mauler archetype. At 7th level the familiar gains another 1-point evolution, and a third at 15th level.

Bonus Spells: 1st – magic fang, 2nd – bloody tears and jagged smile, 3rd–monstrous extremities, 4th– hunger for flesh, 5th– feast on fear, 6th– monstrous physique IV, 7th– magical beast shape, 8th – frightful aspect, 9th – shapechange.

Moon

Familiar—Glimmering Familiar (Sp): The familiar is always an animal, and always a creature with affinity for the night (bats, cats, mice, owls, etc). Once per day, the familiar can cast Faerie Fire as a druid equal to the witch’s witch level, and an additional time per day at 8th and 16 levels.

Bonus Spells: 1st — faierie fire, 2nd — darkvision, 3rd — moonrise arrow, 4th — moonstruck, 5th — aspect of the wolf, 6th — control water, 7th — lunar veil, 8th — moonbeam, 9th — polar midnight.

Mountain

Familiar—Rocky Navigator (Ex): So long as the familiar is adjacent to or touching the witch, they can both move through difficult rocky terrain (rocks, dirt, loose gravel and stones, et al) without penalty, unless it is magically manipulated. At 7th level, the witch can also move through magically manipulated rocky terrain freely, though they still suffer any harmful effects of this manipulated terrain, such as a spike stones spell. At 15th level, they ignore all effects of magically manipulated rocky terrain.

Bonus Spells: 1st — stone fist, 2nd — stone call, 3rd — stone shape, 4th — spike stones, 5th — wall of stone, 6th — flesh to stone, 7th — stone tell, 8th — repel metal or stone, 9th — clashing rocks.

Patron Hexes

• Highlander (Ex): While in mountainous terrain, the witch gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks, as well as Climb, Knowledge (geography), Perception, Stealth, Survival and Swim skill checks; she normally leaves no trail and cannot be tracked when travelling this terrain, though she may leave a trail if she chooses. Her familiar also gains this bonus, so long as they are adjacent or touching one another. This functions as the ranger’s favored terrain, but it does not count as this ability for prerequisites for feats that modify it. As a move action, she can grant these bonuses to a number of other creatures within 30 feet of her, up to her Intelligence modifier, for up to one hour. Once affected, a creature cannot be affected again for 24 hours.

Nightmares

Familiar—Fear Touch (Su): The familiar can touch a creature to give it the shaken condition for 1d6 rounds. At 8th level, the creature is also frightened for one round. If the creature makes a Will save against a DC of (10 + 1/2 the witch’s level + her Intelligence modifier), it negates these effects. The familiar can use this ability in the same action as delivering a touch spell, resolving the effects of the spell before the effects of this ability. It can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + the witch’s Intelligence modifier, but once a particular creature has been effected or saves against the ability it is immune for 24 hours.

Bonus Spells: 1st — sleep, 2nd — detect thoughts, 3rd — oneiric horror, 4th — phantasmal killer, 5th — nightmare, 6th — dream travel, 7th — symbol of weakness, 8th — demand, 9th — weird.

Occult

Familiar—Ghostsight (Su): The familiar can peer into the ethereal for a number of rounds per day equal to the witch’s witch level as a free action. This allows it to see invisible or ethereal creatures, and to negate its miss chance against incorporeal creatures or those affected by effects that mimic the blink spell. At 7th level, the familiar can confer this ability to its master so long as they are touching.

Bonus Spells:  1st — deathwatch, 2nd — spectral hand, 3rd — haunting choir, 4th — black tentacles, 5th — sessile spirit, 6th — speak with soul, 7th — waves of exhaustion, 8th — trap the soul, 9th — gate.

Peace

Familiar—Peacebonding (Sp): Once per day, the familiar can grant the effects of sanctuary as a spell-like ability to itself and a creature it touches, treating the witch’s level as its caster level for determining its effects. Should the familiar lose contact with another warded creature before the duration of the Sanctuary expires, the effect ends for that creature immediately. It can use this ability an additional time per day at 7th and 15th levels.

Bonus Spells: 1st — sanctuary, 2nd — calm emotions, 3rd — wind wall, 4th — dismissal, 5th — serenity, 6th — word of recall, 7th — forcecage, 8th — euphoric tranquility, 9th — antipathy.

Patron Hexes

• Disarming Hex (Su): The first attempt any creature makes to attack the witch while she is warded by a sanctuary spell (her own, or her familiar’s ability) causes the creature to fumble and drop its weapon, unless it makes a Will save. Creatures using natural attacks simply lose their attack action for the round and cannot make an offensive action against the witch. Once a creature saves or has been affected by this hex, it cannot be affected again for 24-hours.
• Divert Charge (Su): When a hostile creature advances within 5 feet of the witch — including advancement made by the charge action — the witch may, as an immediate action, force the creature to make a Will save or else be diverted from its path. A charging creature blinks out of existence once it reaches the square adjacent the witch, only to reappear and finish its charge 10 feet past the other side of the witch’s square (if that square is unoccupied, then advance the creature to the next farthest empty square in that same direction. A normally advancing creature suddenly finds itself shunted in empty square 10 feet away in a random direction from the witch, rather than closing on the witch’s square. The creature can make no further actions in this round, as the transportation leave it disoriented until its next turn. A creature who saves against or is affected by this hex becomes immune to the hex for 24 hours thereafter.
• Major Hex Sanctuary Sphere (Su): The witch can put up a field of nonviolence in a 10 foot radius centered on her. Any creature attempting to directly attack the witch or an ally within the warded area, even with a targeted spell, must attempt a Will save. If the save succeeds, the creature can attack normally and is immune to this hex for 24 hours thereafter. If the save fails, the creature can’t follow through with the attack, that part of its action is lost, and it can’t directly attack a creature within the area of the sphere for the duration of the hex. Any attack or hostile action made by a creature warded by the sphere (including the witch) ends the hex immediately, but creatures within the sphere can perform harmless actions as normal.

Plague

†Familiar—Diseased Touch (Ex): Once per day, the familiar can inflict filth fever with its natural attacks for 1 round. At 10th level, the familiar can inflict red ache instead. At 20th level, it can inflict demon fever instead. The familiar may be able to inflict other injury diseases instead at the GM’s discretion. Alternately, f the witch is presently carrying a disease, the familiar may instead use this ability to transfer this disease as a touch attack in the same action as delivering a touch spell, resolving the effects of the spell before resolving the effects of the transmitted disease as normal.

Bonus Spells: 1st – ray of sickening, 2 – contagion, 3rd – plague carrier, 4th – vitriolic mist, 5th – giant vermin, 6th – epidemic, 7th – creeping doom, 8th – horrid wilting, 9th – cursed earth

Patron Hexes

• Host Body (Ex) When the witch saves against a disease, she can choose to act as a host for that disease. She may show outward signs of the infection, such as boils or sores typical of the disease, but the witch takes no penalties for the disease. She can spread the disease as normal, or it can be spread by means of her familiar’s diseased touch. She can can carry a disease for a number of days equal to her Intelligence modifier, and she can only carry one such contagion at a time; if she chooses to host a disease while carrying another, the prior disease is lost. If targeted is by an effect that would cure disease while acting as a host, the witch suffers 1d6 damage as the disease is removed.
• Transfer Malady (Su): The witch can bestow a disease she is currently infected with upon a living creature, regardless of the normal means of contracting the malady, unless the creature makes the save as appropriate for the disease being confered. Once another creature has been infected by this hex, the disease leaves the witch’s body.
• Major Hex Infectious Swarm (Su): The witch may take control over a single swarm of creatures tiny or smaller for one round, unless the swarm makes a Will save. Once controlled, the swarm is also affected by a disease carried by the witch, if she is presently carrying one. Controlling the swarm is a move action for the witch. The controlled swarm can infect creatures in its area of effect with this disease. This hex can be extended by the cackle hex.

Plant

Familiar—Verdant Familiar (Ex): the witch’s familiar gains visible plant-like traits, and gains a +1 racial bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep effects, and stunning. This bonus increases by +1 every 4 levels to a maximum of +4 at 16th level. Further, the familiar is able to treat plant creatures as animals of its own kind for the purposes of speaking to these creatures.

Spellcasting: The witch loses the summon monster series of spells from the witch spell list, and gains the summon nature’s ally spells at the commensurate levels, however, she can only use these spells to summon plant creatures, as if she had the Summon Plant Ally feat.

Bonus Spells: 1st — entangle, 2nd — accelerate poison, 3rd — lily pad stride, 4th — grove of respite, 5th — tree stride, 6th — repel wood, 7th — animate plants, 8th — control plants, 9th — shambler.

Patron Hexes

• Viny Sinew (Ex) The witch’s muscles toughen like thick vines; increasing her base natural armor bonus by +1. This bonus increases by an additional +1 every 4 levels after 1st to a total of +5 at 17th level.
• Explosion of Growth (Sp) The witch may spontaneously cast plant growth by sacrificing a prepared spell of an equal or higher level. She may alternately use this ability to target a number of plant creatures equal to her Intelligence modifier, who are no more than 30 feet apart from each other, to grant her the benefits of enlarge person as if the creatures were humanoid by sacrificing a spell of 4th level or higher.
• Major Hex Verdant Companion (Su): The witch gains a vine leshy as a cohort. This is treated as having the Leadership feat, except that the witch does not gain any additional attendants.
• Grand Hex Verdant Apotheosis: At 19th level, the witch’s connection to the verdant world has deepened to the point that it is suffused into her being. She is considered both a plant creature and her original type for the purpose of spells and effects. She gains a +5 bonus to saves against mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep effects, and stunning, and she no longer needs to eat or sleep so long as she remains in sunlight at least 4 hours every day.

Portents

Familiar—Danger Sense (Ex): The familiar has a keen sense of impending danger, gaining a bonus of +1 to Perception checks to avoid being surprised; this bonus increases by +1 for every 3 witch levels to a maximum of +6 at 18th level. At 7th level, the familiar can always act in a surprize round. So long as the familiar is touching the witch, she also gain the benefits of this ability.

Bonus Spells: 1st — ill omen, 2nd — locate object, 3rd — blood biography, 4th — divination, 5th — contact other plane, 6th — legend lore, 7th — vision, 8th — moment of prescience, 9th — foresight.

Patron Hexes

• Soothsayer (Su) The witch gains Psychic Sensitivity and Psychic Maestro as bonus feats, and must select among Automatic Writing, Prognostication, Psychometry, and Read Aura as her occult skill unlocks to use more often with the Psychic Maestro feat.
• Grand Hex Inescapable Eyes (Su) The witch can thwart any ward against her divinations, given enough magical power by her patron. By increasing the casting time of a divination spell to twice the normal casting time, and sacrificing an additional prepared spell of the same effective level, the witch is allowed a caster level check opposing the caster level of the warding effect, even in the case of wards that normally have no chance of being overcome, like the mind blank spell. If the witch sacrifices a spell of a higher level than the divination spell she is casting, then she is granted a bonus to her caster level check, equal to the difference between the divination spell cast and the sacrificed spell. If the caster level of the warding effect is greater than three times the spell level of the divination spell the witch is casting (counting any heightened spell level), then this ability has no effect. Wards and conditions that negate the functioning of magic — such as an antimagic field or a dead magic zone, still prevent divination magic from functioning within as normal.

Protection

Familiar—Warding Shield (Su): As an immediate action, the familiar can project a shield-like ward that grants a shield bonus of +1. This bonus increases by +1 for every  four levels after 1st for a total of +5 at 17th level. If the familiar is touching the witch when he projects this shield, it also grants the witch this shield bonus. The familiar can use this ability for a number of rounds equal to the the witch’s Intelligence modifier; these rounds do not need to be used consecutively but must be used in one-round increments.

Bonus Spell: 1st — sanctuary, 2nd — resist energy, 3rd — wrathful mantle, 4th — stoneskin, 5th — interposing hand, 6th — forbiddance, 7th — greater spell immunity, 8th — prismatic wall, 9th — freedom.

Patron Hexes

• Deny Aggression (Su): When a creature within 30 feet of the witch would hit the witch or another creature within the same area with an attack roll, as an immediate action the witch can force the creature to make a Will save, else be unable to make the attack.
• Projected Warding (Su) When an ally within 60 feet of the would be subject to a critical hit or fail a saving throw the witch may sacrifice a spell slot of 1st level or higher as an immediate action to either force the attacker to reroll the critical confirmation roll with a penalty equal to the sacrificed spell slot’s level, or allow the ally to reroll her failed saving throw with a bonus equal to the sacrificed spell slot’s level. A given ally can only be protected in this fashion once in a 24-hour period.
• Major Hex Warded Soul (Su): When preparing spells for the day the witch may designate a single creature to protect it against death. The first time the targeted creature would drop below 0 hit points, so long as the creature is within 100 feet of the witch, it regains a number of hit points equal to twice the witch’s level plus her Intelligence modifier. If this healing leaves the creature with positive hit points, it also ignores any effects of the attack that triggered the ward.

Recovery

Familiar—Refreshing Touch (Su): The familiar can remove the effects of fatigue with a touch. At 7th level, it can also remove the effects of exhaustion. At 13th level, it can also remove the effects of hunger and thirst. At 19th level, the touch can also remove 1d4 points of energy damage from one single ability score. The familiar can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + the witch’s Intelligence modifier, but this touch can only affect the same creature once in a 24-hour period.

Bonus Spells: 1st — liberating command, 2nd — remove paralysis, 3rd — sacred bond, 4th — freedom of movement, 5th — cleanse, 6th — joyful rapture, 7th — restoration, greater, 8th — protection from spells, 9th — mass heal.

Patron Hexes

• Major Hex Contingent Restoration (Su): The witch touches a creature to grant it a powerful restorative ward, should the creature be subjected to the effects of exhaustion, fatigue, ability damage or temporary negative levels, this hex can be triggered to restore the creature as if restoration had been cast upon it. This contingent ward lasts for a number of hours equal to the witch’s level. She can use this hex a number of times per day equal to her Intelligence modifier, and a creature can only benefit from this hex once in a 24-hour period.

Repose

Familiar—Bane of Undeath (Su): The familiar’s can deal 1d6 positive energy damage to undead with a successful touch attack. At 7th level this increases to 2d6, and at 15th it increases to 3d6. It can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + the witch’s Intelligence modifier. This touch can only be used to damage undead; it cannot be used to heal the living. It can deliver a touch spell in the same action as this touch ability, resolving the effects of the spell after those of this ability.

Bonus Spells: 1st – sanctify corpse; 2nd – consecrate; 3rd – searing light; 4th – death ward; 5th – hasten judgment, 6th – undeath to death, 7th – holy word, 8th – holy aura, 9th – true resurrection

Patron Hexes

• Funeral Pyre (Su) The witch can set a non-animated corpse on fire, rendering it to ash and unable to be raised as undead after 1 round. Against an undead creature, this hex can deal a number of points of damage equal to the witch’s Intelligence bonus for one round unless the creatue makes a Fort save. This hex can be extended with the cackle hex.
• Sanction Undeath (Su) As an immediate action, if an undead creature approaches within 5 feet of the witch, the witch can force the creature to end its movement. Mindless undead do not get a saving throw, but intelligent undead are granted a Will save against this effect. Once affected, the undead creature cannot take a standard action in this same round, or another movement action except to move in an opposite direction as the witch or take the withdrawal action.
• Major Hex Suppress Death (Su): The witch can expend a prepared spell of 6th level or higher to exude a 10 foot aura of irrepressible life. This functions like a globe of invulnerability, except that it only effects spells of 6th level or lower with the death descriptor, that deal negative energy damage, or impose negative levels.

Revenge

Familiar—Vengeful Bond (Ex): Whenever the witch is attacked by a creature the familar is adjacent to, it can make an attack of opportunity against the creature as an immediate action. If the familiar is holding the charge for the witch’s touch spell, it can use this free melee attack to deliver the touch spell. At 7th level, this becomes a reciprocal ability and the witch can make an attack of opportunity against an adjacent creature that attacks the witch’s familiar.

Bonus Spells: 1st — murderous command, 2nd — burning gaze, 3rd — pain strike, 4th — shout, 5th — symbol of pain, 6th — vengeful outrage, 7th — phantasmal revenge, 8th — incendiary cloud, 9th — winds of vengeance.

Patron Hexes

• Biteback Hex (Su): As an immediate action, when a creature hits the witch with an attack action that would do damage equal to her hit dice or more, she can cause the creature to suffer an equal amount of damage of the same damage type as dealt by the creature. The effects of this hex are resolved before the results of the creature’s attack action.
• Major Hex Final Curse (Su): As an immediate action, when a creature hits the witch with an attack action that would reduce her to 0 hit points or less, the creature will suffer the effects of a single harmful spell prepared by the witch as a retributive attack. The effects of this spell are resolved after resolving the results of the attack. If the witch is incapacitated or helpless when the attack is made, but her familiar is not, then the effects of the spell can still be resolved by her familiar as proxy, using the familiar’s line of sight and line of effect. If both witch and familiar are incapacitated, or the familiar is not present, this hex has no effect.
• Grand Hex Undying Vengeance (Su): When the witch is killed by another sentient being, whether the death was accidental or deliberate, the witch arises as a revenant one minute after she is slain, and she immediately seeks out her killer. If the witch’s killer is already dead, this hex has no effect, and if the witch is revived before the minute has elapsed, this hex also has no effect. There are no ability score requirements for the witch as there are for naturally-occurring revenants, but a mostly intact corpse must remain. Treat the witch as a revenant per the creature description with the same alignment and hit dice as the witch, and with the wizard creature template, possessing the spell list and spells known of the witch. The witch-revenant can track her killer until she destroys the killer, or until 1d4+2 months pass, at which time the restless spirit leaves her body crumbles and her spirit finally rests. Once this hex takes effect, only a true resurrection, miracle or wish can restore the witch back to life.

Rot

Familiar—Corroding Touch (Su): A number of times equal to 3 + the witch’s Intelligence modifier, the familiar can touch an item as a standard action and deal 1d4 points of damage that bypasses hardness of any mundane (including masterwork) objects of animal or vegetable material or metal, except special metals such as mithral or adamantine. If the item is attended the familiar must make a melee touch attack against the holder, and if the familiar hits, the holder makes a Reflex save against a DC of (10 + the familiar’s HD + its Dexterity modifier) to avoid damage to the object.

Bonus Spells: 1st — decompose corpse, 2nd — warp wood, 3rd — fungal infestation, 4th — rusting grasp, 5th — transmute rock to mud, 6th — disintegrate, 7th — creeping doom, 4th — horrid wilting, 9th — cursed earth.

Patron Hexes

• Usher Decay (Su): The witch can use her cackle hex to extend the continuous damage dealt upon a creature by a spell of 3rd level or less if the effect was cast upon the creature by the witch. For each round beyond the original duration the spell is cackled, the creatue is entitled a Fort save to remove the continual damage effect.
• Deteriorating Hex (Su): By expending a spell slot and touching an object the witch deals 1d6 damage per spell level to the touched object. This damage ignores hardness unless it is magical. If the object is attended it is granted a save as normal for attended objects. The same object is immune for 24 hours once affected or saved against this hex.

Shadow

†Familiar—Fearsome Shadows (Sp): Once per day, the familiar can use cause fear as a spell-like ability as long as it is in an area of normal or dim light, affecting a single living creature with a number of Hit Dice up to the familiar’s Intelligence score. Thus, creatures normally immune to cause fear because they have 6 or more Hit Dice may not be immune to the familiar’s cause fear spell-like ability.

Bonus Spells: 1st — touch of blindness, 2nd — darkness, 3rd — deeper darkness, 4th — shadow conjuration, 5th — shadow evocation, 6th — shadow walk, 7th — shadow conjuration (greater), 8th — hungry darkness, 9th — shades.

Space

—Portal Jumper (Su): With a move action, the familiar can transport itself to the witch, as if using the dimension door spell, so long as can see the witch. It can use this ability for any number of jumps, up to a total distance per day of 30 feet, increasing by an additional 10 feet per day at 3rd level and every two witch levels thereafter.

Bonus Spells: 1st — mirror strike, 2nd — twisted space, 3rd — blink, 4th — dimension door, 5th — hostile juxtaposition, 6th — repulsion, 7th — walk through space, 8th — bilocation, 9th — teleportation circle.

Spirits

Familiar—Shared Spirit (Su): the witch’s familiar is, at least in part, made of spirit essence, and tied to the witch’ss and manifests from it. As a move action, the familiar can merge with the witch’s physical form as it joins its spirit with the witch’ss. While so melded, the familiar does not count as a creature separate from the witch. It continues to grant its special familiar bonus while melded, but otherwise has no abilities and can take no actions except to separate from the witch as another move action. If the familiar has a skill with more ranks than the witch, while melded, the witch can use the familiar’s ranks in that skill once per day in place of the her own; she can do this an additional time per day every 4 levels after 1st.

Bonus Spells: 1st — ghostbane dirge, 2nd — invisibility, 3rd — speak with dead, 4th — spiritual ally, 5th — mass ghostbane dirge, 6th — shadow walk, 7th — ethereal jaunt, 4th — planar ally, 9th — etherealness.

Spring

Familiar—Vibrant Growth (Sp): The familiar can cast entangle as a spell-like ability once per day. At 8th level, it can alternately cast plant growth and it gets an additional use per day of this ability. It gains a third use of this ability at 18th level.

Bonus Spells: 1st — feather fall, 2nd — sickening entanglement, 3rd — pup shape, 4th — plant growth, 5th — thirsting entanglement, 6th — chain lightning, 7th — animate plants, 8th — stormbolts, 9th — time stop.

Stars

Familiar—Natigator (Su or Sp): The familiar gains ranks in Survival equal to 1/2 the witch’s level, and this is always a class skill for the familiar. It can always tell true north and the direction of travel, as if continually under the effect of know direction. At 11th level, it can use find the path once per day as a spell-like ability.

Bonus Spells: 1st — faerie fire, 2nd — dust of twilight, 3rd — guiding star, 4th — wandering star motes, 5th — dream, 6th — cloak of dreams, 7th — circle of clarity, 8th — euphoric tranquility, 9th — astral projection.

Storms

Familiar—Stormspun (Su): Once per day, the familiar can use gust of wind as a spell-like ability. It gains another use per day at 7th and 15th levels. At 9th level, it can alternately use this ability for the effects of blast of wind.

Bonus Spells: 1st — obscuring mist, 2nd — fog cloud, 3rd — call lightning, 4th — ice storm, 5th — call lightning storm, 6th — sirocco, 7th — control weather, 8th — whirlwind, 9th — storm of vengeance.

Strength

†Familiar—Strength of Mind (Su): A number of times per day equal to its master’s Intelligence modifier (minimum once per day), the familiar can swap its Strength and Intelligence scores as a standard action. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to half the master’s caster level.

Bonus Spells: 1st — divine favor, 2nd — animal prowess, 3rd — battering blast, 4th — divine power, 5th — righteous might, 6th — animal prowess (mass), 7th — giant form I, 8th — giant form II, 9th — iron body.

Patron Hexes

• Dull Brute (Su): The witch can subject a penalty to a creature’s Intelligence score equal to her Intelligence modifier, and grant the same amount as bonus to the creature’s Strength score for a number of rounds equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier. If the penalty would reduce the creature’s Intelligence below 3, then the penalty and bonus are both reduced to the amount that reduces the Intelligence to 3. Creatures that already have an Intelligence score of 3 or lower are immune to this hex. An unwilling creature is allowed a Will save to negate its effects. This hex can be extended by the cackle hex.

Summer

Familiar—Heatstroke (Su): As a standard action, a number of times per day equal to 3 + the witch’s Intelligence modifier, the familiar’s touch can bring on the fatigue of a midsummer sun. If a creature touched fails a Fort save against a DC equal to (10 + half the witch’s level + the witch’s Intelligence modifier), it becomes fatigued; this has no affect on a creature that is already fatigued. At 7th level, a second touch on a fatigued creature can make the creature exhausted if it fails a Fort save against the same DC. Once a creature has saved against this touch, it is immune for a 24-hour period. Creatures that are resistant to extreme climate, such as being affected by endure elements, are also immune to this ability. The familiar can deliver a touch spell in the same action as this ability, deilvering the spell after resolving the effects of this ability.

Bonus Spells: 1st — goodberry, 2nd — flaming sphere, 3rd — daylight, 4th — greater flaming sphere, 5th — wall of fire, 6th — sirocco, 7th — sunbeam, 8th — sunburst, 9th — fiery body.

Thorns

Familiar—Thorny Armor (Su): As an immediate action, the familiar can surround itself in an armor of sharp thorns. This gives the familiar an armor bonus of +1, which increases by +1 for every five witch levels to a maximum of +5 at 20th level. In addition, anyone striking the familiar in melee with a natural attack or a manufactured weapon without reach suffers 1d4 of piercing damage. This ability is usable for a number of rounds per day equal to the witch’s Intelligence bonus; these do not have to be used consecutively but must be used in one-round increments.

Bonus Spells: 1st — thorn javelin, 2nd — wrath, 3rd — thorny entanglement, 4th — thorn body, 5th — wall of thorns, 6th — blade barrier (as a hedge of thorns), 7th — seige of trees, 8th — mage’s sword, 9th — wooden phalanx.

Patron Hexes

• Thorny Armor (Ex) The witch can surround her body in thorny vines as a standard action, increasing her base natural armor bonus by +1, plus an additional +1 every 4 levels after 1st to a total of +5 at 17th level. Further when a creature attacks the witch with a natural attack or a melee weapon without reach, it suffers piercing damage equal to the witch’s level. The witch can use this ability a number of rounds per day equal to her level; these rounds to not have to be used consecutively but must be spent in one-round increments.
• Major Hex Verdant Companion (Su): The witch gains a vine leshy as a cohort. This is treated as having the Leadership feat, except that the witch does not gain any additional attendants.
• Grand Hex Army of the Woodlands (Sp) Once per day, when casting wooden phalanx, the witch can double the resulting number of wood golems.

Time

Familiar—Timey-Wimey (Sp): Once per day, the familiar can deliver the effects of haste or slow upon a single touched creature as a spell-like ability, treating the witch’s witch level as the caster level for this effect. It can use this ability an additional time per day at 7th and 15th level.

Bonus Spells: 1st — anticipate peril, 1st — anticipate thoughts, 3rd — haste, 2nd — threefold aspect, 5th — teleport, 3rd — legend lore, 7th — expend, 8th — temporal stasis, 9th — time stop

Patron Hexes

Transformation

†Familiar—Shapechanging Familiar (Su): The familiar is able to transform itself as a standard action. For a number of minutes per day equal to the witch’s witch level, the familiar can alter its form to that of different creature of its type and size. The duration doubles at 7th level, and triples at 15th level. This duration need not be consecutive, but it must be used in 1 minute increments. For instance, a cat familiar could change into any Tiny animal. This effect is equivalent to the beast shape I spell with the additional limitations above.

Bonus Spells: 1st — false face, 2nd — animal prowess, 3rd — beast shape I, 4th — beast shape II, 5th — monstrous physique I, 6th — monstrous physique II, 7th — form of the dragon I, 8th — form of the dragon II, 9th — shapechange.

Patron Hexes

Trickery

†Familiar—Familiar’s Illusions (Sp): The familiar has a mischievous predilection toward simple illusions. Once per day, the familiar can use a 0-level illusion spell on its master’s spell list as a spell-like ability. At 7th level, it can also use a 1st-level illusion spell on its master’s spell list once per day. At 15th level, it can also use a 2nd-level illusion spell on its master’s spell list once per day.

Bonus Spells: 1st — animate rope, 2nd — mirror image, 3rd — instant fake, 4th — horrific doubles, 5th — false vision, 6th — mislead, 7th — reverse gravity, 8th — screen, 9th — time stop.

Patron Hexes

Undeath††

Familiar—Deathless Familiar (Su): The familiar is alive, but is treated as undead for all effects that affect undead differently from living creatures, such as cure spells and channeled energy.

Bonus Spells: 1st — detect undead, 2nd — command undead, 3rd — create soul gem, 4th — animate dead, 5th — torpid reanimation, 6th — create undead, 7th — control undead, 8th — create greater undead, 9th — energy drain.

• Death Herder (Su): The witch can enslave undead creatures within 30 feet of her a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier (minimum 1). Any undead in this area of the witch’s hit dice or less must make a Will save or else fall under the witch’s control. This control is effectively permanent, however intelligent undead are entitled to another Will save each day. Once a particular undead creature has been affected or saved against this hex, it is immune to being controlled again by the witch.
• Death Touch (Su): The witch can make a ranged touch attack upon a living creature to deal negative energy damage equal to 1d6 per 3 witch levels; a successful Fort save halves the damage dealt. Once affected, the same creature is immune to this hex for 24 hours.
• Major Hex Undead Army (Su): The number of hit dice worth of undead that the witch can create with the create undead spell is doubled to 8 HD per witch caster level for one hour. After the hour has elapsed the any additional hit dice worth of undead still remaining fall inert once more.

Vengeance

Same as Revenge

Water

†Familiar—Amphibious Familiar (Su): The familiar can breathe water for a number of hours per day equal to half its master’s witch level. These hours need not be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1-hour intervals. If the familiar can already breathe water, it can breathe air for the same duration. At 7th level, the familiar gains a swim speed of 30 feet (or a land speed of 30 feet if it already has a swim speed) while using this ability. At 15th level, the familiar can move through water as though under the effects of freedom of movement while using this ability.

Bonus Spells: 1st — bless water/curse water, 2nd — slipstream, 3rd — water breathing, 4th — control water, 5th — geyser, 6th — elemental body III (water only), 7th — elemental body IV (water only), 8th — seamantle, 9th — tsunami.

Patron hexes

• Born by the Water (Ex) The witch gains a swim speed equal to her base speed; if she can’t already breathe water, she gains the ability to do so a number of hours per day equal to her witch level + her Intelligence modifier. These hours do not have to be used consecutively but they must be expended in one-hour increments.
• Curse of Seasickness (Su): the witch may target a non-aquatic or water subtype creature and make her feel immense seasickness. For the next 24 hours, the target must make a Fort save while on a boat or in water or be sickened for up to 1 minute per witch level, or until the creature is no longer waterborne, and for 1 minute thereafter. If the sickness is removed by any means the hex ends. In all cases, once a creature has been targeted by this hex, she is immune to it for 24 hours.
• Major Hex Echolocation (Su): The witch and her familiar both gain blindsense out to 60 feet, but only while touching water and only sensing creatures also touching or in water. This effect depends on audible components, and will not work for a witch or familiar who is deafened or in an area of magical silence.
• Grand Hex Born into the Deep (Ex): The witch grows a fine sheen of scales on her skin, granting her DR 5/-. She also gains resist cold 20 and freedom of movement while immersed in water. Additionally, the witch is immune to pressure damage from deep water and her echolocation improves to effectively blindsight, with blindsense for an additional 60 feet beyond the blindsight. The witch must have the echolocation hex before selecting this one.

Winter

Familiar—Chilling Touch (Sp): the witch’s familiar has the ability to cast Chill Touch once per day at a sorcerer level equal to the witch’ss; it can use this an additional time per day at 7th and 15th levels. While the familiar is holding charges of this spell, he can not deliver other touch spells for the witch; delivering one of the witch’s touch spells effectively ends this one.

Bonus Spells: 1st — unshakable chill, 2nd — frigid touch, 3rd — ice storm, 4th — wall of ice, 5th — cone of cold, 6th — freezing sphere, 7th — ice body, 8th — polar ray, 9th — polar midnight.

Wisdom

†Familiar—Preternatural Wisdom (Su): The familiar gains a Wisdom score of 6. This score increases by 1 point at 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter (at the same rate as its Intelligence score). This may cause a familiar whose Wisdom score is typically higher than 6 to start with a lower Wisdom score than normal. It further gains Sense Motive as a class skill.

Bonus Spells: 1st — shield of faith, 2nd — embrace destiny, 3rd — magic vestment, 4th — globe of invulnerability (lesser), 5th — dream, 6th — globe of invulnerability (greater), 7th — spell turning, 8th — protection from spells, 9th — mage’s disjunction.

Woodlands

Familiar—Verdant Navigator (Ex): So long as the familiar is adjacent or touching the witch, they both gain the woodland stride ability of the druid. At 7th level, the witch can also move through magically manipulated natural terrain freely, though both still suffer any harmful effects of this manipulated terrain, such as a thorny entanglement spell. At 15th level, they ignore all effects of magically manipulated natural terrain.

Bonus Spells: 1st — entangle, 2nd — accelerate poison, 3rd — lily pad stride, 4th — grove of respite, 5th — tree stride, 6th — repel wood, 7th — animate plants, 8th — control plants, 9th — shambler.

Patron Hexes

• Greensight (Su): A witch who selects this hex gains greensight as the universal monster ability of the same name with a range of 60 feet.
• Forest Trekker (Ex): While in forested terrain, the witch gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks, as well as Climb, Knowledge (geography), Perception, Stealth, Survival and Swim skill checks; she normally leaves no trail and cannot be tracked when travelling this terrain, though she may leave a trail if she chooses. Her familiar also gains this bonus, so long as they are adjacent or touching one another. This functions as the ranger’s favored terrain, but it does not count as this ability for prerequisites for feats that modify it. As a move action, she can grant this bonus to a number of other creatures within 30 feet of her, up to her Intelligence modifier, for up to one hour. Once affected a creature cannot be affected again for 24 hours.
• Grand Hex Verdant Apotheosis: At 19th level, the witch’s connection to the verdant world has deepened to the point that it is suffused into her being. She is considered both a plant creature and her original type for the purpose of spells and effects. She gains a +5 bonus to saves against mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep effects, and stunning, and she no longer needs to eat or sleep so long as she remains in sunlight at least 4 hours every day.