D&D 5E So Where my Witches at?

[cbwjm]

Where I think "witch" differs from those other names is that it was a label used in the cause of torturing and killing people, usually women, and as such it is still used today as a pejorative for a woman who, well, doesn't conform to behaviors some men prefer. Upthread I linked to an example where feminists have (somewhat humorously) tried to re-claim the word, but in my mind that just emphasizes its loaded meaning.

So it's not that "witch" has historical meaning that we might get wrong, thereby offending people who follow certain religions, but that "witch" is specifically a word used for oppression, not just in history, or even in near memory, but in the present day.

I'll leave you with this, which I find quite funny and yet it illustrates the negative connotations of the word:

Even so, popular media paints a different picture of the witch. Yes, you have the wicked witch of the west, but also the good witch of the north. There is a comic I recall a while ago called W.I.T.C.H which was about 5 teenage girls with magical powers, defenders rather than the cackling evil witch. Sabrina has good representations of witches (both series do though one is definitely darker in tone). Bewitched had good witches, diskworld has granny weatherwax and his dark materials has some incredibly awesome witches and lets not forget the witches in Harry Potter. There might very well be complaints about the term witch and if WotC were going to create a witch class/subclass it might be enough for them to use a different name but I think in general those complaints are going to to get drowned out by all the popular media which have witches in them.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Sabrina the teenage witch and Samantha from Betwiched are spellcaster-born not too different of faes and genies. Usually the wtiches are ordinary women who learn how to cast spells. The halliwell sisters from TV show "Charmed" are "sorcerers" with at-will power and special rituals to cast spells or to destroy the monster of the week.

The occultist classes from Pathfinder may show possible examples of "my PC witch is not a wizard, nor sorcerer neither a warlock".

The witch is closer to the druid than the wizards who can go to a expensive magical academy.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Even so, popular media paints a different picture of the witch. Yes, you have the wicked witch of the west, but also the good witch of the north. There is a comic I recall a while ago called W.I.T.C.H which was about 5 teenage girls with magical powers, defenders rather than the cackling evil witch. Sabrina has good representations of witches (both series do though one is definitely darker in tone). Bewitched had good witches, diskworld has granny weatherwax and his dark materials has some incredibly awesome witches and lets not forget the witches in Harry Potter. There might very well be complaints about the term witch and if WotC were going to create a witch class/subclass it might be enough for them to use a different name but I think in general those complaints are going to to get drowned out by all the popular media which have witches in them.

Oh, I don't think there's a problem at all with the various portrayals. But I can totally understand why WotC might want to avoid the use of a specific word which has so many misogynistic connotations.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Even so, popular media paints a different picture of the witch. Yes, you have the wicked witch of the west, but also the good witch of the north. There is a comic I recall a while ago called W.I.T.C.H which was about 5 teenage girls with magical powers, defenders rather than the cackling evil witch. Sabrina has good representations of witches (both series do though one is definitely darker in tone). Bewitched had good witches, diskworld has granny weatherwax and his dark materials has some incredibly awesome witches and lets not forget the witches in Harry Potter. There might very well be complaints about the term witch and if WotC were going to create a witch class/subclass it might be enough for them to use a different name but I think in general those complaints are going to to get drowned out by all the popular media which have witches in them.

why do I know almost everything you just listed? the comic also mention has an animated adaptation.

 

[cbwjm]

why do I know almost everything you just listed? the comic also mention has an animated adaptation.

I thought it did! As I was writing I was sure I'd seen an animated series but thought I was probably getting it mixed up with something else.

 

[Mind of tempest]

I am young enough to have watched it on tv, belive somewhere as the disks for it.

 

[Marandahir]

Oh, I don't think there's a problem at all with the various portrayals. But I can totally understand why WotC might want to avoid the use of a specific word which has so many misogynistic connotations.

In these last few posts, you distilled what I was trying to get across very elegantly. Thank you.

 

[Remathilis]

Oh, I don't think there's a problem at all with the various portrayals. But I can totally understand why WotC might want to avoid the use of a specific word which has so many misogynistic connotations.

So would putting a sidebar stating this subclass represents the common fictional depiction of witches rather than any historic or real world connotation (akin to what was done in Xanathar for samurai and cavalier) be sufficient?

 

[Remathilis]

I'll leave you with this, which I find quite funny and yet it illustrates the negative connotations of the word:

Knowing what I know about about Dilbert creator Scott Adams, I think you are misreading the intent of the comic and who is supposed to be the victim. Hint: it's not Alice.

But that is probably not an Enworld appropriate topic.

 

[Marandahir]

So would putting a sidebar stating this subclass represents the common fictional depiction of witches rather than any historic or real world connotation (akin to what was done in Xanathar for samurai and cavalier) be sufficient?

I don't think what Xanathar did for Samurai was sufficient. And WotC's gotten a lot of flack for it since then.