Arcane Class - Wiccan High Priestess
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HalWhitewyrm
First Post
I know I wouldn't.GMSkarka said:
Still, my original question was more based on the game mechanics of the product, not necessarily on whether it represented correctly Wiccans or not.
From a game standpoint, can anyone offer some comments about the product? It looks interesting enough for me to pick up, but I figured asking doesn't hurt.
teitan
Legend
GMSkarka said:
I actually I consider modern religions a joke for the most part. They lack spirit and focus entirely on the material over the spiritual. The flaw in Witchcraft isn't the material but the practitioners, most of whom are flakes and burn outs in my experience. Another problem I have is that when one studies the roots of Gardener's teachings one finds a singular source, Aleister Crowley and the Book of the Law... sans Chapter III, which is about war. A more balanced manifestation of Witchcraft could be extrapolated from the writings of John Whiteside Parsons, a former pupil of Crowley and a founder of Jet Propulsion Laboratories.
Wiccans tend to ignore that the the freedom that it supports is a two edged sword of personal freedom and personal responsibility. Wiccans are also heavily responsible for some of the idiotic interpretations of concepts like Karma that the world seems to continue to perpetuate like the whole 3 fold crap. I don't fault Wicca, but many, many practitioners and authors on the topic but especially Lewellyn Publishing.
Jason
HalWhitewyrm
First Post
I respect your right to your opinion but, as you can well imagine, as a practicing Orthodox Jew (of the non-black coat-wearing kind), I happen to disagree with it.
Still, this isn't the place for that discussion, and I think this thread has already veered off into a cul-de-sac.
I'll ask again, of those who have purchased the product, could you give a few comments on the game aspect of it?
Storyteller01
First Post
Ooooo....religion. This could go on for a while! 
The Master class book for Witches (my experience with Wicca is limited, but it seems accurate enough for a game) has a PrC called the Witch Priest/Priestess. They solved the problem fairly well:
This PrC's spells are both Arcane AND Devine! Thing is, anything that can block one can block the spell entirely. This PrC can use magic items designed for both types of casters though (as stated in the PrC description).
The Master class book for Witches (my experience with Wicca is limited, but it seems accurate enough for a game) has a PrC called the Witch Priest/Priestess. They solved the problem fairly well:
This PrC's spells are both Arcane AND Devine! Thing is, anything that can block one can block the spell entirely. This PrC can use magic items designed for both types of casters though (as stated in the PrC description).
Angel Tarragon
Dawn Dragon
Looks interesting enough...I just may have to get my hands on it.
HellHound
ENnies winner and NOT Scrappy Doo
Okay, a -LOT- too much talk about religion for E.N.World. Remember the rules, no talking about religion or politics. Teitan - if you want to talk about how religions are jokes or not, PLEASE do it somewhere else than here, we don't need a bunch of people pulled into a conversation that will definitely result in harsh words and hurt feelings - you KNOW that there are a lot of practicing religious persons on these boards and in this thread, so let's not go around insulting any of them, Wiccan or otherwise.
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As for the product:
1 page cover
1 page credits n stuff
5 pages background info on wicca - very Gardnerian based and appropriate reading for a player playing such a character who has no background on the religion - if anything, this material is written more from a believer's standpoint than an outsider's, without the benefit of knowing that Gardner based the material primarily on Crowley.
7.5 pages class rules
2.5 pages spell list
The class is a divine spellcaster, not arcane... which is too bad, I would have gone with arcane if I were writing it, because it is my opinion that the spells are cast without any blessing or power from the divine sponsor of the wiccan high priestess, but from the person's own skills and knowledge - but that is a discussion for another place perhaps.
The spell progression starts with 3 level 0 and 2 level 1 spells at level 1... I find this a bit much for a character who just learned how to cast these spells. I would be more comfortable with Wiccan magic being designed as a 10 level class, starting with only level 0 spells, with high priest / priestess being a 5-level prestige class. Again, design differences in our styles as game designers between Keith Taylor and myself. As with most modern 10-level spellcasters, spellcasting maxes out with level 5 spells, first gained at level 9.
They get a familiar at level 1
Scribe Scroll at level 2
Brew Potion at level 3
The interesting part is they get Spell Mastery at some levels, so they don't need to have certain spells in their spellbooks... except that as Divine casters, they don't need a spellbook traditionally, and the rules for their spellcasting doesn't imply any change from this standard. Only the presence of the Spell Mastery ability makes the implication that they must use spellbooks... In fact, in the spellcasting description, it is stated that they can preapare any spell from the spell list, thus making spell mastery all but useless...
My only other comment is that they get Combat Casting at level 7... because obviously modern wiccan priests & priestesses cast a lot of spells in 'combat'.
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As for the product:
1 page cover
1 page credits n stuff
5 pages background info on wicca - very Gardnerian based and appropriate reading for a player playing such a character who has no background on the religion - if anything, this material is written more from a believer's standpoint than an outsider's, without the benefit of knowing that Gardner based the material primarily on Crowley.
7.5 pages class rules
2.5 pages spell list
The class is a divine spellcaster, not arcane... which is too bad, I would have gone with arcane if I were writing it, because it is my opinion that the spells are cast without any blessing or power from the divine sponsor of the wiccan high priestess, but from the person's own skills and knowledge - but that is a discussion for another place perhaps.
The spell progression starts with 3 level 0 and 2 level 1 spells at level 1... I find this a bit much for a character who just learned how to cast these spells. I would be more comfortable with Wiccan magic being designed as a 10 level class, starting with only level 0 spells, with high priest / priestess being a 5-level prestige class. Again, design differences in our styles as game designers between Keith Taylor and myself. As with most modern 10-level spellcasters, spellcasting maxes out with level 5 spells, first gained at level 9.
They get a familiar at level 1
Scribe Scroll at level 2
Brew Potion at level 3
The interesting part is they get Spell Mastery at some levels, so they don't need to have certain spells in their spellbooks... except that as Divine casters, they don't need a spellbook traditionally, and the rules for their spellcasting doesn't imply any change from this standard. Only the presence of the Spell Mastery ability makes the implication that they must use spellbooks... In fact, in the spellcasting description, it is stated that they can preapare any spell from the spell list, thus making spell mastery all but useless...
My only other comment is that they get Combat Casting at level 7... because obviously modern wiccan priests & priestesses cast a lot of spells in 'combat'.
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