Witch
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Witches are relatively new to the world, born from the fall of Animus and the struggle of the Essence itself between its twin forms: Good, in the form of Eluna, and Evil, in the form of Taara. This clash resounded throughout the world, and from this clash, witches were born.
Many witches are recluses, though not all and are a type of being the world is struggling to come to terms with. They may, though not all do, wield good and evil magic with equal abandon, a reflection of the current struggle of the Essence itself. Note, while an Evil Eye may only be seen as freaky, raising zombies will still carry normal repercussions.
Primitive societies may even view witches with distrust given their range of abilities, while wizards and sorcerers may look upon them with a sort of embarrassment or shame...or curiosity, that such could occur from Essence's clash.
Each witch possesses a patron of some type. These creatures are spirit-like forms born of the rupture, and tied in ways to the gods, themselves. Strength, for instance, draws from Angoron. This does not make all witches fervent worshipers, it merely points to the power's source. Witches who spend any time in civilization will realize where these powers come from.
Witches
Role: While many witches are recluses, living on the edge of civilization, some live within society, openly or in hiding. The blend of witches' spells makes them adept at filling a number of different roles, from seer to healer, and their hexes grant them a number of abilities that are useful in a fight. Some witches travel about, seeking greater knowledge and better understanding of the mysterious powers that guide them.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6.
Class Skills: Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
| The Witch | |||||||||||||||
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Spells per Day | |||||||||
| 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | ||||||
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Cantrips, hex, witch's familiar | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Hex | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 4th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Hex | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 6th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Hex | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 8th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Hex | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | |
| 10th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Hex, major hex | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | |
| 12th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Hex | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 13th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| 14th | +7/+2 | +4 | +4 | +9 | Hex | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 15th | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | |
| 16th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Hex | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| 18th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | Hex, grand hex | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 19th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | |
| 20th | +10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | Hex | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Witches are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor interferes with a witch's gestures, which can cause her spells with somatic components to fail.
Spells: A witch casts arcane spells drawn from the witch spell list. A witch must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time.
To learn or cast a spell, a witch must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a witch's spell is 10 + the spell level + the witch's Intelligence modifier.
A witch can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table 2–10. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Intelligence score (see Table 1–3 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook).
A witch may know any number of spells. She must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour communing with her familiar. While communing, the witch decides which spells to prepare.
Cantrips: Witches can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on Table 2–10 under “Spells per Day.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again. Cantrips prepared using other spell slots, due to metamagic feats for example, are expended normally.
Hex: Witches learn a number of magic tricks, called hexes, that grant them powers or weaken foes. At 1st level, a witch gains one hex of her choice. She gains an additional hex at 2nd level and for every 2 levels attained after 2nd level, as noted on Table 2–10. A witch cannot select an individual hex more than once.
Unless otherwise noted, using a hex is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The save to resist a hex is equal to 10 + 1/2 the witch's level + the witch's Intelligence modifier.
Witch's Familiar (Ex): At 1st level, a witch forms a close bond with a familiar, a creature that teaches her magic and helps to guide her along her path. Familiars also aid a witch by granting her skill bonuses, additional spells, and help with some types of magic. This functions like the wizard's arcane bond class feature, except as noted in the Witch's Familiar section.
A witch must commune with her familiar each day to prepare her spells. Familiars store all of the spells that a witch knows, and a witch cannot prepare a spell that is not stored by her familiar. A witch's familiar begins play storing all of the 0-level witch spells plus three 1st-level spells of the witch's choice. The witch also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to her Intelligence modifier to store in her familiar. At each new witch level, she adds two new spells of any spell level or levels that she can cast (based on her new witch level) to her familiar. A witch can also add additional spells to her familiar through a special ritual (see below).
- Spells Gained at a New Level: A witch's familiar learns a certain amount of lore and magic as the witch adventures. Whenever a witch gains a level, she may add two spells from the witch spell list to her familiar. The two free spells must be of spell levels she can cast.
- Learn from a Scroll: A witch can use a scroll to teach her familiar a new spell. This process takes 1 hour per level of the spell to be learned, during which time the scroll is burned and its ashes used to create a special brew or powder that is consumed by the familiar. This process destroys the scroll. At the end of this time, the witch must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell level). If the check fails, the process went awry in some way and the spell is not learned, although the scroll is still consumed.
Familiar
By forging strange bonds with unnameable beings, witches gain the service of a mystical advisor, a familiar to both serve her and reveal to her secrets unknown to most mortals. A familiar is an animal chosen by a witch to aid her in her spellcasting and grant her special powers. This uses the same rules as the wizard's arcane bond class feature, except as noted below. A witch uses her level as her effective wizard level when determining the abilities of her familiar. A witch can choose any of the familiars available to a wizard in addition to the new familiars presented here.
Levels of different classes that are entitled to familiars stack for the purpose of determining any familiar abilities that depend on the witch's level. If a witch possesses such levels, her familiar always uses the witch rules for familiars, not those provided by other classes, such as wizards or sorcerers with the arcane bloodline. A witch's familiar only stores witch spells. All other spells are stored normally, as noted in their class features.
If a familiar is lost or dies, it can be replaced 1 day later through a special ritual that costs 500 gp per witch level. The ritual takes 8 hours to complete. A new familiar begins knowing all of the 0-level spells plus two spells of every level the witch is able to cast. These are in addition to any bonus spells known by the familiar based on the witch's level and her patron (see patron spells).
- Store Spells: Starting at 1st level, a witch's familiar stores all of the spells that the witch knows. This does not allow the familiar to cast these spells or use spell-trigger or spell completion magic items. Starting at 2nd level, and every two levels thereafter, a witch's familiar adds new bonus spells to the witch's spell list based on her patron. These spells are automatically stored by the familiar and can be prepared as normal once they are gained.
- Deliver Touch Spells (Su): If a witch is 3rd level or higher, her familiar can deliver touch spells or hexes for her. If the witch and the familiar are in contact at the time the witch casts a touch spell, she can designate her familiar as the “toucher.” The familiar can then deliver the touch spell just as the witch would. As usual, if the witch casts another spell before the touch is delivered, the touch spell dissipates. If the witch activates a hex, her familiar can be used to make the touch. She does not have to be in contact with the familiar to use this ability.
Hexes
Aura of Purity (Su): The witch's aura purifies the air around her. Diseases, inhaled poisons, and noxious gaseous effects (such as stinking cloud) are negated in a 10-foot aura around the witch for a number of minutes equal to her level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-minute increments. Effects caused by spells whose level is more than half the witch's class level are unaffected.
Cackle (Su): A witch can cackle madly as a move action. Any creature that is within 30 feet that is under the effects of an agony hex, charm hex, evil eye hex, or misfortune hex caused by the witch has the duration of that hex extended by 1 round.
Cauldron (Ex): The witch receives Brew Potion as a bonus feat and a +4 insight bonus on Craft (alchemy) skill checks.
Charm (Su): A witch can charm an animal or humanoid creature within 30 feet by beckoning and speaking soothing words. This improves the attitude of an animal or humanoid creature by 1 step, as if the witch had successfully used the Diplomacy skill. The effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the Witch's Intelligence modifier. A Will save negates this effect. Whether or not the save is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day. At 8th level, this effect improves the attitude of the target creature by 2 steps. This is a mind-affecting charm effect.
Disguise (Su): A witch can change her appearance for a number of hours equal to her class level, as if using disguise self. These hours do not need to be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1-hour increments.
Evil Eye (Su): The witch can cause doubt to creep into the mind of a foe within 30 feet that she can see. The target takes a –2 penalty on one of the following (witch's choice): AC, ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks. This hex lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the witch's Intelligence modifier. A Will save reduces this to just 1 round. This is a mind-affecting effect. At 8th level the penalty increases to –4.
Feral Speech (Su): This hex grants the witch the ability to speak with and understand the response of any animal as if using speak with animals, though each time she uses the hex, she must decide to communicate with either amphibians, birds, fish, mammals, or reptiles, and can only speak to and understand animals of that type. The witch can make herself understood as far as her voice carries. This hex does not predispose any animal so addressed toward the witch in any way. At 12th level, the witch can use this hex to communicate with vermin.
Flight (Su): The witch grows lighter as she gains power, eventually gaining the ability to fly. At 1st level, the witch can use feather fall at will and gains a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks. At 3rd level, she can cast levitate once per day. At 5th level, she can fly, as per the spell, for a number of minutes per day equal to her level. These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1-minute increments. This hex only affects the witch.
Fortune (Su): The witch can grant a creature within 30 feet a bit of good luck for 1 round. The target can call upon this good luck once per round, allowing him to reroll any ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, taking the better result. He must decide to use this ability before the first roll is made. At 8th level and 16th level, the duration of this hex is extended by 1 round. Once a creature has benefited from the fortune hex, it cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours.
Healing (Su): A witch can soothe the wounds of those she touches. This acts as a cure light wounds spell, using the witch's caster level. Once a creature has benefited from the healing hex, it cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours. At 5th level, this hex acts like cure moderate wounds.
Misfortune (Su): The witch can cause a creature within 30 feet to suffer grave misfortune for 1 round. Anytime the creature makes an ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, it must roll twice and take the worse result. A Will save negates this hex. At 8th level and 16th level, the duration of this hex is extended by 1 round. This hex affects all rolls the target must make while it lasts. Whether or not the save is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day.
Nails (Ex): The witch's nails are long and sharp, and count as natural weapons that deal 1d3 points of damage (1d2 for a Small witch). These attacks are secondary attacks. If trimmed, the witch's nails regrow to their normal size in 1d4 days.
Prehensile Hair (Su): The witch can instantly cause her hair (or even her eyebrows) to grow up to 10 feet long or to shrink to its normal length, and can manipulate her hair as if it were a limb with a Strength score equal to her Intelligence score. Her hair has reach 10 feet, and she can use it as a secondary natural attack that deals 1d3 points of damage (1d2 for a Small witch). Her hair can manipulate objects (but not weapons) as dexterously as a human hand. The hair cannot be sundered or attacked as a separate creature. Pieces cut from the witch's elongated hair shrink away to nothing. Using her hair does not harm the witch's head or neck, even if she lifts something heavy with it. The witch can manipulate her hair a number of minutes each day equal to her level; these minutes do not need to be consecutive, but must be spent in 1-minute increments. A typical male witch with this hex can also manipulate his beard, moustache, or eyebrows.
Swamp Hag (Sp): While traveling through swamps, mires, bogs, and similar terrain, the witch leaves no trail and cannot be tracked, as the trackless step druid ability. The witch can walk through mud and even quicksand as if it were normal ground.
Swamp's Gasp (Su): The witch can cause an area to become an entangling quagmire. One 10-foot square per witch level within 90 feet becomes difficult terrain for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the witch's Intelligence modifier. If the witch uses this hex again before the duration of the previous use has expired, the effects of the previous use of this hex end immediately.
Tongues (Su): A witch with this hex can understand any spoken language for a number of minutes per day equal to her level, as comprehend languages. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-minute increments. At 5th level, a witch can use this ability to speak any language, as per tongues.
Ward (Su): A witch can use this hex to place a protective ward over one creature. The warded creature receives a +2 deflection bonus to AC and a +2 resistance bonus on saving throws. This ward lasts until the warded creature is hit or fails a saving throw. A witch knows when a warded creature is no longer protected. A witch can have only one ward active at a time. If the witch uses this ability again, the previous ward immediately ends. A witch cannot use this ability on herself. At 8th level and 16th level, the bonuses provided by this ward increase by +1.
Water Lung (Su): An air-breathing target can breathe water or an aquatic target can breathe air. This lasts 1 minute. If the witch uses this hex on herself, she can maintain it while she sleeps, allowing her to safely sleep underwater.
Major Hexes
Beast Eye (Su): The witch can project her senses into an animal within 100 feet, sensing whatever it senses. She cannot control the animal's actions. She can project her senses from that animal to another within 100 feet of it as a standard action, and can continue to make these sensory leaps, potentially viewing things very far from her actual location. She may return her senses to her own body as a free action. Normal animals get no saving throw against this ability, but animal companions, paladin mounts, and similar unusual animals may resist with a Will save; the witch may use this ability on her own familiar as if it were an animal. If the witch has the coven hex, all other witches within 10 feet of her who also have the coven hex can see through this animal at will, although the acting witch still controls the ability. The witch can use this ability for a number of minutes per day equal to her level. These minutes need not be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1-minute increments.
Delicious Fright
Hag's Eye (Su): A witch with this hex can create a magic sensor that she can see through. This functions as per the spell arcane eye. If the witch has the coven hex, all other witches within 10 feet who also have the coven hex can see through this sensor as well, although the witch that created it still controls it. The witch can use this eye for a number of minutes per day equal to her level. These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1-minute increments.
Major Healing (Su): By calling upon eerie powers, the witch's touch can mend even the most terrible wounds of those she touches. This acts as cure serious wounds, using the witch's caster level. Once a creature has benefited from the major healing hex, it cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours. At 15th level, this hex acts like cure critical wounds.
Retribution (Su): A witch can place a retribution hex on a creature within 60 feet, causing terrible wounds to open across the target's flesh whenever it deals damage to another creature in melee. Immediately after the hexed creature deals damage in melee, it takes half that damage (round down). This damage bypasses any resistances, immunities, or damage reduction the creature possesses. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the witch's Intelligence modifier. A Will save negates this effect.
Speak in Dreams (Sp): The witch can contact a creature as if using dream. The witch can use this ability on a number of creatures per day equal to her Intelligence bonus, but can dream-speak to those creatures as often as desired throughout that time period.
Waxen Image (Su): The witch can spend a full-round action to create a crude and unnerving wax duplicate of a creature she can see within 30 feet. Once the image is complete, the subject must make a Will save. If the subject fails, the witch gains a small measure of control over the creature. Whenever she exercises this control, the creature receives a new Will save to end the effect. This effect occurs on the witch's turn and does not impede the creature's actions on its turn. The witch can use the waxen image a number of times equal to her Intelligence modifier before it melts. As a standard action, the witch can cause the subject to do any one of the following things: move up to the creature's speed in any direction, attack itself once with any weapon in hand (this attack automatically hits), lay down on the ground, or drop anything held. Alternatively, she can spend one of her uses to simply torture the image, causing the creature to be both sickened and staggered on its turn. As soon as the creature has succeeded on a saving throw against this effect, it is immune to it for 24 hours. The is an enchantment (compulsion) effect.
Witch's Bounty
Witch's Brew (Ex): When the witch uses her cauldron to brew a potion, she may spend double the cost to create 2 identical potions that day instead of just 1. At 15th level, she may spend triple the cost to create 3 identical potions that day. The witch must have the cauldron hex to select this hex.
Vision
Weather Control (Su): A witch with this hex can use control weather once per day, but creating the weather takes 1 full hour of chanting, dancing, and communing with her familiar.
Grand Hexes
Curse of Nonviolence
Dire Prophecy (Su): The witch curses the target so he is doomed to die (Will negates). As long as the curse persists, the target takes a –4 penalty to his Armor Class and on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks. While the curse persists, the witch may end it by bringing its full force upon her victim all at once. Doing so gives the victim a penalty equal to the witch's caster level to his Armor Class or on any single attack roll, combat maneuver check, opposed ability or skill check, or saving throw. The witch must decide to apply this penalty before the roll to be modified is made. If the witch does not have line of sight to the target, the full force of the curse occurs when the GM considers it most appropriate, such as when the target is in mortal danger. A target can only have one dire prophecy upon him at a time. Whether or not the target's save against the hex is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex for 1 day. This is a curse effect.
Life Giver (Su): Once per day the witch can, as a full round action, touch a dead creature and bring it back to life. This functions as resurrection, but it does not require a material component.
Natural Disaster (Su): A witch using this hex calls down the forces of nature to wreak havoc on an area. This functions as a storm of vengeance combined with an earthquake that occurs on the second round of the effect (while acid is raining from the sky). A witch must concentrate for the duration of this effect. If disrupted, the effect immediately ends. A witch can only use this ability once per day.
Lay to Rest
Notice
Witches will be added to the game upon completion of recode. At this time, we will allow folks to adjust or even adapt existing characters to these new options. The recode is not due to happen immediately, though we are working on it. If you like, contact a staffer about how you can help!
Starting Kits
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