Fantastic Friday: Witch Class in D&D, Part 2

Last post looked at witches in D&D up to about 1999, the first 23 years of fantasy RPGs. In this post, I continue the overview with 3nd edition Dungeons & Dragons and its developments.

Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Addendum

D&D 3rd/3.5th Edition

In both the 3rd edition Dungeon Master's Guide (September 2001, page 26) and 3.5th edition Dungeon Master's Guide (July 2003, page 175), the witch is the example given to the DM as a guide for creating their own class by just modifying an existing class' spell list. Using the sorcerer class as a basis and with Charisma as her spellcasting stat, this witch was a pure caster class with no special powers but a spell list drawn from the cleric, druid, and wizard lists. The spell list was strong in charms and form-changing spells, and weak in anything overtly damaging or flashy.

Mystic Eye games released The Hunt: Rise of Evil in 2001, the world book for their world of Gothos setting. A Gothic Earth style setting, the book included several new base classes, including the White Witch/Warlock detailed in The Pantheon and Pagan Faiths. Based on the model of witches as priests of pagan faiths, Wisdom is the prime requisite of these witches, who are Arcane casters. The class gets 6-sided hit dice, and a number of powers: the ability to swap out prepared spells for spells of the Enchantment, Divination, Illusion, or Necromancy schools; a familiar; potion-brewing and curses; and the ability to perform cooperative spellcasting. The setting also included a type of magic spell called "mark spells" which remain dormant on their target until activated, and witches gained special skill with mark spells, extending the dormancy period. There is also a template for the witch ward, a person charged with protecting a witch coven; this is a good add-on for a martial character in a witch-heavy campaign.

Mongoose Publishing released The Quintessential Witch in 2002, as part of their Quintessential line which examined each character class in depth. This product introduced a witch class which was something of a combination of druid and wizard. The witch gained a familiar and could identify plants and animals, eventually gaining the ability to wild shape (as a druid), beguile with her voice, and magically disguise herself. The witch's spell list included many charms, transmutations, and illusions. Witch-themed prestige classes were included: the avenger (who gains a favored enemy power), caller to the veil (who gains the ability to turn outsiders), diabolist (true name users), gypsy matron (who can read cards and curse people), medium (who can communicate with spirits), occultist (who gains the Knowledge domain of a cleric), patron of the five spirits (elementalist witches), priestess of the divine (something like a Dianic witch from folklore), puppet mistress (who gains additional charm abilities), vamp (a beguiler), witch doctor (who gains the Death domain of a cleric and can make zombies), and witch hunter (who gains a smite power). The book also has sections on witch-specific feats, reading cards, herbology (with a list of herbs and their effects), new spells and magic items, a set of new rules for rituals, a set of new rules for places of power, seasonal effects on magic, and rules for covens and cooperative spellcasting.

Also in 2002, Green Ronin released The Witch's Handbook as part of their Masterclass series which examined each character class in depth. This book introduced a witch class which was something of a combination of druid and sorcerer, with a 4-sided hit die. The witch gained a familiar, and eventually gained the ability to magically disguise herself. Witch-themed prestige classes were included: infernal witch (who gains infernal powers), shaper (who transforms creatures and dominates those he transforms), witch-hag (who turns into a hag at top level and gains hag powers along the way), witch priestess/priest (who gains domains like a cleric), and witch's champion (who has some witchy powers for non-witch martial characters). The book also has sections on witch-specific feats and applications of skills, herbology (with a list of herbs and their effects), new spells and magic items, a set of new rules for rituals,a set of new rules for places of power, and seasonal/lunar effects on magic.

Also in 2002, Citizen Games released Way of the Witch. The witch class introduced in this book gets 8-sided hit dice and good skill advancement. The witch uses Wisdom to cast Divine spells, and gets a wide selection of spells. The book includes a Rule of Three for good and neutral witches, where harm they inflict comes back to them Threefold. Using directly harming spells might cause a roll on a Bad Karma table with a variety of penalties and side effects; on the other hand, using magic in a selfless manner might allow such witches to roll on a Good Karma table for minor to major benefits. One interesting mechanic is Iron Susceptibility, where iron weapons cause more damage and make witch magic difficult -- this is a call-back to fairy tales and the stories of faerie vulnerabilities. The witch gains powers: the ability to make fetishes and gain a familiar, predict the future, a few druid abiliesi, warding magic, and cooperative spellcasting. There are a number of prestige classes available, focused on different strengths: the black witch can ignore the Rule of Three and cause greater harm; the brown witch gains more druid abilities; the gray witch can suppress magic and discern lies; the vitke, a kind of warrior/witch; and, the white witch who gains more healing powers. All of the prestige classes seem overpowered.

Also in 2002, Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG) released Magic, which included a witch class. This witch was a departure from the others, as were most of the new classes in this book. The witch gains a familiar and can detect magic, but instead of spellcasting in the standard D&D way, they have a pool of spell points. While they can use the flexible casting methods introduced in this book to cast freeform spells, they are also granted access to druid and sorcerer/wizard spells of all schools except evocation and conjuration (except healing spells). A few new spells and magic items are included, and a prestige class, the witchknight, which is a warrior sworn to protect the witch, who gains some magical powers as a result.

Also in 2002, AEG released Swashbuckling Adventures, which was a way to bring Theah, the setting for their 7th Sea RPG, into the d20 market. In order to fit the Golden Age of Piracy setting it introduced a number of new base classes, which included the witch. This witch class had a 6-sided hit die, and was a Wisdom-based casting class.The witch gained a familiar, and had bard-type spell progression with a small number of "innate spells," which were a kind of spontaneous casting mechanic. Witches also gained access to a feat that allowed cooperative spellcasting. The witch's spell list focused on divination, charm, necromancy, and transmutation spells.

In 2003, Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed included a witch class. Less of a pact-magic class, this witch was based on "innate magic" and was subdivided into six types of witchery: iron witch (focused on earth), mind witch (psionic), sea witch (water), wind witch (air), winter witch (cold), and wood witch (plant). They also had to choose the way their powers manifested: blade, fire, song, storm, or word; they gained an additional manifestation every five levels. The combination of type of witchery and method of manifestation gave each witch a few powers as they increased in level. Using a 6-sided hit die, all witches gained  the ability to see auras and improved saving throws against magic.

Also in 2003, Necromancer Games published the Player's Guide to the Wilderlands. Designed to support d20 play in the Judges Guild Wilderlands of High Fantasy setting, it included a number of new classes which included a witch. Using a 6-sided hit die, the witch was essentially a variant of the sorcerer class. The witch gained a familiar, and a spell list that had few damaging spells, being heavy with illusion, enchantment/charm, and necromancy magic. The witch chose a (divine?) patron, who granted the witch domain powers like a cleric. As the witch rose in levels, she gained cooperative spellcasting, shapechanging, the "evil eye," and the power of flight. An interesting mechanic for this witch class was Ebb and Flow: the witch was supposed to define what natural cycles drove her powers; during the high point of the cycle her powers were enhanced while at the low point they were reduced.

The warlock class was introduced in the 3.5th edition supplement Complete Arcane (2004). Instead of gaining spells, they used at-will invocations and their main function in a fight was to spam eldritch blasts at targets. While the class had the name "warlock" and gained its power by making a pact with an extraplanar power, it did not really resemble the classic fairy-tale witch: the warlock did not practice summoning or charm enemies, and rather than specializing in subtle attacks they were the flashiest arcane attackers on the battlefield.

In 2005, Lion's Den Press published Classes of Legend: The Witch. Designed to be an update of the witch NPC class from Dragon #114, she became a Charisma-based full caster with a list of powers: the ability to brew potions, the services of a familiar, candle magic, a facility with poisons, and enhanced scrying. The capstone ability changed the witch from a humanoid to a celestial, fiend, or fey creature. The witch's spell list included mostly enchantment/charm, divination, necromancy, and transmutation spells. There are a few feats available. The High Secret Order became, in this interpretation, alternate class levels for 8th, 12th, and 16th level witches; it granted the witch enhanced powers of brewing, doll magic, and telepathy.

Also in 2005, Atlas Games published Northern Crown: New World Adventures. Set in a fantasy version of 17th century North America, it included a witch core class. This witch has a 4-sided hit die and uses Wisdom as their spellcasting ability to cast Arcane spells. They gain an imp familiar and a bonus to Armor Class if dressed entirely in black garb, and as they rose in level they gained a form of cooperative spellcasting and the ability to cause fear or change their appearance. The witch's spell list includes many charm, illusion, necromancy, and summoning spells.

Also in 2005, Green Ronin released the Thieves' World Player's Manual. Based on the Thieves' World books, it included a witch class as a new base class. This witch was also interpreted as a spellcaster who used her own innate power to achieve her effects. The witch may select from a list of powers: a familiar, curses, sacrificial power, or a variety of personal enhancements. This witch's spell list includes a wide variety of spells.

In 2007, Vigilance Press published Clash of History: Witch Trials. This supplement attempted to present a class that clove more closely to the Medieval European conception of a witch. This class grants a 4-sided hit die and is a Charisma-based Arcane caster. The witch gains a familiar, and the ability to brew potions and change her appearance. There are two subclasses: white witch and black witch. The white witch learns to make healing draughts and raise the dead. The black witch learns to change into the shape of her familiar, bestow curses, and brew malevolent potions. This witch's spell list is identical to the Sorcerer spell list in the 3.5E PHB.

In 2008, Radiance House published Secrets of Pact Magic. This book introduced spirit magic, and included new classes that made use of it, including one called the unbound witch. Using a 6-sided hit die, this is not a casting class -- rather, this witch is a binder of spirits, who can invite spirits to possess her body. The witch gains abilities from possessing spirits, and can infuse their granted abilities with extra magic at the risk of side effects. The witch also gains permanent abilities from the spirits she deals with, but also monstrous characteristics as the spirits mutate her flesh. Interestingly, this witch class has an ability called Dark Nature which gives a penalty to Diplomacy and Animal Handling, but a bonus to Intimidate and Dungeoneering checks. The capstone ability of this class changes the (much mutated by this point) witch into a monstrous humanoid. This book is an interesting variation on the binder class introduced in Tome of Magic (2006).

Pathfinder 1st Edition

Pathfinder represents a fork in D&D game editions, being a continuation of 3.5E using the Open Game License. After rereleasing a slight modification and total rewording of the rules in their Core Rulebook, Paizo produced the Advanced Player's Guide in 2010 with all-new classes and content. Among the new classes presented was their version of the witch class. These witches had a 6-sided hit die, and gained special powers (called "hexes") that they could choose from a list as they went up in level. Witches gained their powers through a pact with a vague extraplanar creature (a patron) who granted a set of additional spells; themes for witch patrons are agility, animals, deception, elements, endurance, plague, shadow, strength, transformation, trickery, water, and wisdom. The powers are extremely thematic, including changing her appearance, brewing potions, blighting crops or creatures, granting good or bad luck to individuals, beguiling creatures, flying, and a number of others. Familiars acted as spell books for their witches, as well as acting like the familiars of other spellcasters. At higher levels, witches gained more potent hexes, such as doll magic, the ability to foretell the future, and the ability to control the weather. At the highest levels, witches gained hexes that let them devastate the countryside or cast a death curse. 

The witch class received heavy support with additional archetypes, which replaced or modified the standard witch abilities to fit a trope. Witch class options were presented in:

• Pathfinder Society Field Guide (2011): dimensional occultist archetype.
• Ultimate Magic (2011): beast-bonded witch, gravewalker, hedge witch, sea witch archetypes; ancestors, death, enchantment, healing, insanity, light, moon, occult, portents, spirits, stars, time, vengeance, winter patron themes.
• Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Magic (2011): winter witch archetype.
• Player Companion: Dragon Empires Primer (2011): white-haired witch archetype.
• Advanced Race Guide (2012): bonded witch (half-elf only), dreamweaver (changeling only) scarred witch doctor (orc only) archetypes.
• Player Companion: Champions of Purity (2013): boundaries, devotion, peace patron themes.
• Pathfinder Adventure Path #72: The Witch Queen’s Revenge (Reign of Winter 6 of 6) (2013): fate patron theme. 
• Advanced Class Guide (2014): hex channeler, mountain witch archetypes.
• Monster Codex (2014): bouda archetype.
• The Harrow Handbook (2014): cartomancer archetype
• Player Companion: People of the River (2014): dark sister, veneficus witch archetype; aurora patron theme.
• Player Companion: Undead Slayer's Handbook (2014): medium archetype.
• Occult Adventures (2015): ley line guardian archetype; ethereal, mind patron theme.
• Player Companion: Familiar Folio (2015): synergist archetype.
• Player Companion: Heroes of the Streets (2015): alley witch archetype.
• Player Companion: Heroes of the Wild (2015): herb witch archetype; mountain, plant, storms patron themes.
• Horror Adventures (2016): gingerbread witch, tatterdemalion archetypes; conspiracies, decadence, entropy, nightmares, revenge, space patron themes.
• Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Intrigue (2016): spellspy archetype.
• Magic Tactics Toolbox (2016): havocker archetype.
• Player Companion: Arcane Anthology (2016): rhetorician archetype.
• Player Companion: Blood of the Beast (2016): jinx witch archetype.
• Player Companion: Haunted Heroes Handbook (2016): invoker archetype.
• Player Companion: Legacy of Dragons (2016): wyrmwitch archetype.
• Ultimate Wilderness (2017): flood walker, herb witch (revised), season witch archetypes; autumn, spring, summer, thorns, winter (reprinted), woodlands patron themes.
• Player Companion: Blood of the Sea (2017): coral witch archetype.
• Player Companion: Healer's Handbook (2017): recovery patron theme.
• Player Companion: Heroes of the High Court (2017): witch-watcher archetype; protection patron theme.
• Player Companion: Legacy of the First World (2017): seducer archetype.
• Player Companion: Potions & Poisons (2017): venom siphoner archetype.
• Player Companion: People of the Darklands (2017): demon-sworn archetype.
• Planar Adventures (2018): pact witch archetype.

In 2017, Paizo published Player Companion: Blood of the Coven, which provided greatly expanded rules for hags and changelings (children of hags, switched at birth with "normal" children). It also provided witch players with expanded options for patrons (jynx, mercy, rot) and archetypes (hagbound, putrefactor, vellemancer), and included rules for ritual magic, covens, and curses. 

The witch has also received support through a large number of third-party products, far too many to list here. A few notable items are:

• Azukail Games' A Baker's Dozen of Witch Hexes (2017) has 12 hexes.
• d20pfsrd.com Publishing's Blood and Broomsticks - Sorcerers & Witches (2019) has 2 archetypes (ink witch, pyre witch), 14 new hexes, 5 new magic items, and 13 new spells.
• Echelon Game Design has published a number of books in their Echelon Reference Series that covers all OGL material. Among them are a number of witch compilations, including Echelon Reference Series: Witch (3pp+PRD) (2019) that collects archetypes, patrol themes, hexes, and all other items from both the PRD and 3rd party publishers in one place. They also have done the same for witch spells, split by level among a large number of books.
• Ennead Games' Fantastic Feats Volume XXVII - Witches (2014) has 7 witch feats.
• Fat Goblin Games' Class Acts: Witches (2012) contains 18 hexes, Class Acts: Witch Archetypes (2012) adds 3 archetypes (desert witch, grisly fetishist, maleficium), and Feats of Witchcraft (2013) adds 10 witch feats.
• Flaming Crab Games' Advanced Archetypes (2014) had an additional archetype (feytouched hexer).
• Flying Pincushion Games' Into the Breach: The Witch (2014) has 11 archetypes (bailiwick hermit, bog builder, bulwark theurgist, disciple of the bloody hand, dweomer weaver, feybound crone, foul temptress, gluttonous crone, marjara bound, scorned heart, voodoo crafter), 1 alternate class (sèvitè), 2 prestige classes (heathen, scarred shaman), 11 hexes, 10 major hexes, , 5 grand hexes, 4 patron themes (karma, savage, royalty, unnatural) and 7 witch feats.
• Green Ronin Publishing's Pathfinder Short Cuts: Witch Patrons of Freeport (2016) has 4 new patrons (the King in Yellow, Yig, Rajko the Ghul, Thodomer Windgrass).
• Interjection Games' Class Expansions: Witch Hexes (2013) adds 10 witch hexes, Class Expansions: Witch Major Hexes (2013) adds 12 witch major hexes, Class Expansions: Witch Grand Hexes (2013) adds 8 witch grand hexes, and Class Expansions: The Charmbrewer Witch Archetype (2013) adds an archetype (charmbrewer), with 21 elixirs she can make.
• Knotty-Works' Advancing with Class: The Witch (2013) provides 5 new patron themes (arcane, courtly fey, nature fey, summer, whimsy fey), 7 new archetypes (eldritch witch, fey-touched witch, harrowed harlequin, madness matriarch, mystic astrologer, occult scholar, shadow mistress) and a host of hexes and feats. The free Witch Archetype Sampler for the latter product contains 3 archetypes not present in that book (abyssal bound witch, infernal bound witch, tribal witch).
• Kobold Press' Advanced Feats: The Witch's Brew (2010) has 30 witch feats and 3 archetypes (arch-witch, white witch, wicked witch).
• Legendary Games' Legendary Villains: Wicked Witches (2017) has 3 archetypes (consort of fiends, curio collector, shadow sister), 1 prestige class (hag matron), 12 familiars (lesser tripurasura, lesser cacodemon, lesser quasit, lesser imp, lesser doru, lesser shadow drake, lesser nuglub gremlin, lesser isitoq, lesser kyton, lesser oni, lesser cynthigot qlippoth, lesser raktavarna rakshasa, lesser ratling, lesser esipil sakhil), 7 hexes, 7 magic items, and introduced patron oaths, where a witch swears greater fealty for greater power.
• LPJ Design's Undefeatable 25: Witch (2016) has 25 witch feats.
• Necromancers of the Northwest's A Necromancer's Grimoire: Secrets of the Witch (2011) has new witch feats and familiar abilities, new hexes, and a green hag class. It also provides feats for other spellcasters who want to join a coven.
• Purple Duck Games had a witch class prior to the official version in their Paths of Power (2009) book. Their Witch Options (2014) updates their version to the official one with 5 hexes, 5 major hexes, 3 grand hexes, 6 patron themes (black magic, demons, possession, summoning, sun, weather), 10 feats, and 10 spells; and their Witches of Porphyra (2017) has 12 archetypes (blooded hag, brewer, impetuous dervish, insufflator, legionmaster, mentor, polytheistic witch, sanguisuge, sightless seer, warweaver, whitelighter, wood witch), 3 familiar types (conduit, kidnapper, messenger), 13 patron themes (air, beauty, chains, corrosion, desert, filth, force, glass, intellect, mercy, revelry, screams, shelter), 4 new familiars (hoop snake, matoyasite crystal, tome of teeth, winged monkey), 18 hexes, 9 witch feats, and 2 special materials (hauntwood, matoyasite crystal) that witches frequently use.
• Radiance House's Pact Magic Unbound Vol. 2 (2012) has an additional archetype (spirit drudge).
• Rite Publishing's The Secrets of Tactical Archetypes II (2012) has an additional archetype (circle warden), and 10 Witch Magic Items (2013) adds 10 witch magic items. In addition, in Pathways #72: Witches, Hexes, and Curses (November 2017), they provide the Hexen Creature template (a beast that has witch hexes), 2 spells (hag form, join coven), 5 hexes, 3 curses, a patron theme (bayou), and an archetype (fortune weaver).
• Rogue Genius Games' #1 With a Bullet Point: 13 Witch Hexes (2011) and #1 With a Bullet Point: 5 Magic Witch's Daggers (2011) are small PDFs that say what they have right in the title; Advanced Options: Witch Hexes (2013) provides 29 new hexes; and The Genius Guide to the Talented Witch (2016) and The Genius Guide to More Witch Talents (2016) provide options to use the RGG talent and edge system to witch characters.
• Rusted Iron Games' Character Options: Witches (2015) has 3 archetypes (devoted witch, green witch, storyteller), 10 patron themes (aberrant, beauty, celestial, chaotic, divine, draconic, fiendish, nature, orderly, sin), and 10 hexes.