witch alternatives: elementalist

Part of the OneBookShelf bundle for New Zealand is Advanced Feats: The Witches' Brew.  I remember that I'd mentioned an elementalist witch would be a good build and seeing this reminded me that perhaps I'd better show what I meant rather than just shoot the breeze.  The New Zealand bundle contains some excellent stuff and helps Red Cross work in Christchurch after the earthquake.


The Elementalist
This witch combines strong offensive magic with versatile hexes.  The character can heal, blast, craft potions, tattoos and wondrous items as well as summon increasingly powerful elementals and enchanting enemies.  Defensively they aren't much to write home about but this build leaves combat to those willing to get hurt.  At higher levels, the elementalist has hexes that compensate for a wizard's ability at higher levels.  While lacking in spell versatility, the elementalist does what they do well.

Race: Any.  Gnomes in particular enjoy the versatility to cajole elementals as well as crafting magical items.  Humans and half-humans (elves and orcs) enjoy the raw power that the elementalist wields and their ability to heal and wield offensive spells make witches considerabl.
Skills: Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Fly (Dex), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha)
Favored Class: +1 hit point
Patron Spells: Elements
Leveling Guide:
1. Magical Aptitude feat, Slumber hex
2. Flight hex
3. Improved Initiative feat
4. Cauldron hex, Cha +1
5. Master Alchemist feat
6. Healing hex
7. Discriminating Spell1 feat
8. Tongues hex, Int +1
9. Craft Magic Tattoo feat
10. Weather Control major hex
11. Create Wondrous Item feat
12. Waxen Image major hex, Cha +1
13. Linked Resistance feat
14. Major Healing major hex
15. Empower Spell feat
16. Vision major hex, Int +1
17. Heighten Spell feat
18. Natural Disaster grand hex
19. Delay Spell feat
20. Eternal Slumber grand hex, Int +1

Spells:
1st - beguiling gift, burning hands, mage armour, obscuring mist
2nd - burning gaze, glide, levitate, summon monster II
3rd - dispel magic, lightning bolt, pain strike, water walk
4th - charm monster, ice storm, solid fog, summon monster IV
5th - hold monster, mass pain strike, suffocation, summon monster V
6th - cone of cold, eyebite, flesh to stone, summon monster VI
7th - chain lightning, control weather, plane shift, summon monster VII
8th - horrid wilting, mass charm monster, stormbolts, summon monster VIII
9th - dominate monster, elemental swarm, mass hold monster, mass suffocation