Witcher Class

[Quickleaf]

I worked up a Witcher class for D&D Next, inspired by the fighter but staying pretty close to the books, graphic novels, and video games. So, here ya go!

Don't know if my group will end up running the Witcher setting in Next, but maybe someone on here will?

 

[Texicles]

Very nice work! I'm not a Witcher expert by a long stretch (having only played the second game), but I think this would definitely be fun to see in play, and really captures the feel (as far as my limited frame of reference) of Witchers.

 

[Raith5]

Impressive work! I liked the witcher game but I am no expert in the lore, but it captures the essence of what I remember.

I really like the way signs/spells have at at will effect that can be ramped up by powering it up with HDs. I would like to see this kind of idea in DDN - but maybe some other resource rather than HDs.

Why are there racial requirements? Wasnt there a dwarf Witcher in the second game?

I am not knowledgeable in DDN, but are the level 1 powers too powerful?

 

[Quickleaf]

Very nice work! I'm not a Witcher expert by a long stretch (having only played the second game), but I think this would definitely be fun to see in play, and really captures the feel (as far as my limited frame of reference) of Witchers.

Thanks! The second game make a few mistakes but overall does a fantastic job of capturing the setting.

Impressive work! I liked the witcher game but I am no expert in the lore, but it captures the essence of what I remember.

I really like the way signs/spells have at at will effect that can be ramped up by powering it up with HDs. I would like to see this kind of idea in DDN - but maybe some other resource rather than HDs.

Thanks! I also am not convinced that costing HD is the best idea, I just felt there should be some way to make the Witchers spellcasting equate to other casters. Maybe I could tone down the combat effects (which are modeled on 1st level spells) and remove any cost (HD or otherwise) altogether.

As for the cantrip effects - in the books those are mostly how Geralt uses the Signs. I think there's even a section where he uses Igni to boil a tea kettle.

Why are there racial requirements? Wasnt there a dwarf Witcher in the second game?

There was a dwarf NPC but he was no Witcher. It has to do with the setting lore. Humans arrived along with most monsters from another dimension after their world was destroyed, and they developed Witchers to defend themselves. The Elder Races are natives to this world and are long-lived with entirely different physiologies. While Sapkowski never says its not possible, all Witchers are human (or human with a hint of elven blood) in the book.

I am not knowledgeable in DDN, but are the level 1 powers too powerful?

The only feature that might be too powerful is immunity to disease. To compare, a paladin gets that at 7th level, not 1st! However this costs the witcher all their racial ability bonuses - a hefty price to pay.

The Signs (which begin at 2nd level) may be a bit overpowered, however. Each is based on a cantrip (Druidcraft/Read Magic) plus a 1st level spell (thunderwave/color spray, charm person, burning hands, mage armor, and entangle). At 2nd level a Witcher gets a cantrip and a 1st level spell which can be used 1/encounter. Compare that to a martial feat like Cleave and it is probably a bit more powerful.

Anyhow I do a quick balancing act at the end of the PDF, comparing my homebrew class to the D&D fighter.

 

[Spykes]

I worked up a Witcher class for D&D Next, inspired by the fighter but staying pretty close to the books, graphic novels, and video games. So, here ya go!

Don't know if my group will end up running the Witcher setting in Next, but maybe someone on here will?

This is very nice work. I have a player that has presented this class to me and requested to play it. I'm all for trying out new things so I think I'm going to allow it. However, it is based on the old play-test packet and may need some updates. Do you have plans to update this class? If so, I would like to make a few suggestions to even things out.

1. Like you, I'm not crazy about the Hit Dice idea as a cost. It's a little too powerful. I would suggest giving casting slots per long rest based on the number of Schools known. At 2nd level, you can cast your School Sign once per long rest. At 4th level, you gain another school and also gain another casting slot per long rest. This evens the power out so that he's not running around casting like a Mage, but still has a cool ability he use in a pinch.
2. You shouldn't be able to Empower a Sign unless you have an additional sign to sacrifice. Perhaps that is implied, but I just wanted to clarify. In other words, you gain your second Sign at 8th level. Until then, you are not able to Empower your 1st level Sign.
3. At 5th level there is no Deadly Strike power anymore. I believe it was replaced with Two Attacks. (There may be more of these updates in the School abilities)
4. Instead of getting two school powers at 1st level, I would prefer one at 1st and then another at 3rd level. This would even out the power at first level and also allow the player to gain something when they reach 3rd level. (currently they don't gain anything)
5. Based on the class description, I would identify Constitution as the Primary ability score and weight powers based from that ability.
6. You should remove the Spell Casting Bonus from the Level table. For purposes of casting the Sign powers, use the Constitution bonus plus Attack Bonus. It seems to me that this class is completely centered around Constitution and they draw from that ability to use their powers. If not, then just use their Wisdom mod and Attack bonus.

 

[Coalford]

I worked up a Witcher class for D&D Next, inspired by the fighter but staying pretty close to the books, graphic novels, and video games. So, here ya go!

Don't know if my group will end up running the Witcher setting in Next, but maybe someone on here will?

Any idea how this might be converted into pathfinder?

 

[Quickleaf]

Any idea how this might be converted into pathfinder?

Welcome to ENWorld!

Are you asking as a DM or a player?

As a player... I'd say play a magus with an eye toward creating the sort of witcher you envision. Pick up the Brew Potion feat. Very do-able.

As a DM... I'd say you would need to decide how to handle two major things: signs & expertise dice/witcher schools. I don't know PF very well, but I know it has a very robust spellcasting system and likewise a robust combat maneuver system. Rather than making some new from scratch, I'd save time by using those systems to model a Witcher. That would be the biggest conversion effort.

Then replace the multi-attacking with the magus' attack advancement table (as well as defenses). Keep everything else mostly the same, just tweaking the rules to PF. Good luck!

 

[sumbrosforlife]

There are several things in which you just put "As per the dnd next rules" but I couldn't find anything in the index. For example, what is "deep wound"? All of the schools seem to be able to pick it.