How do you prefer your WITCH?

[Turanil]

How do you see a witch? If a witch class was to be included in your game, which concept would you prefer?

1) Great Goddess Worshiper
I mean: the main concept behind the witches as portrayed in the Netbook of Witches / Liber Mysterium, and vaguely inspired from Wiccan priestesses and the like. That is, female magic-users that heard "The Call" from the "Great Goddess", and now serve Her as sorts of wizard-priestesses organized into covens. Such witches could be good, neutral, evil, etc., as depending on their coven and individual inclinations. Probably a specific character class where game mechanics are concerned.

2) Evil Sorceress Consorting with Fiends
Witches as they were seen in the middle-ages, except that in the game they indeed actually consort with demons, curse people, etc. Probably a specific character class where game mechanics are concerned.

3) Rural Petty Magic-user Brewing Low-Quality Potions
Poor and ignorant magic-users found in remote villages. They mostly brew low-quality magical elixirs and potions; but when it comes to spellcasting they cannot compete with true mages such as wizards and the like. Probably the Adept npc class where game mechanics are concerned.

4) Derogatory Name Given to Any Female Arcane Spellcaster
There are no witches per se. When intolerant and fanatic priests or puritans encounter a female spellcaster, whether she is a wizard, druid, etc., they call her "witch" all the same. Hence, it is but a derogatory word, by way of which they hope to defame her. Witches could be seen as evil sorceresses consorting with demons by the superstitious, but there wouldn't be any specific character class of witch. This is all about superstition and prejudice.

5) Other / Explain
Of course I expect even more "burned and roasted" responses than in the similar thread about elves... But maybe someone has a different view on the subject?

 

[Gilladian]

I voted "Evil Sorceress" but actually would have chosen "petty wizard" as well if I could, because most folk called "witches" in my world would be the latter. But the former would be the "real thing" that make everyone afraid of anyone given the title.

I don't see the need for a separate class, though. Maybe just some good curse-type spells.

 

[Yair]

It's a matter of what "witch" conveys. Since I'd like throngs with torches crying out "kill the witch!", and in a Standard Fantasy Setting as that's what I like, I think the "consorting with demons" shtick really works well. Basically, it's as evil as it gets, someone who gets her magic from malign demons.

In a more historic-flavored setting, I'd prefer the deragotary "female spellcaster" option. The Wicca interpretation could also work, perhaps, depends on the setting. But I really prefer the D&D worlds for D&D games.

The "weak brewer" I don't like at all as standing for "witch". I use "adept", as per the class, to stand for a weak spellcaster; or I'll use other deragotary names, like "hedge wizard".

 

[Thanee]

5) All of the above.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Seeker95]

5) All of the above.

Ditto. I answered Other because "All of the Above" was not offered.

In my world, 'witch' would be:
a general pejorative term used by the commonfolk to describe any woman they did not like;

a specifically pejorative term for any woman practicing magic, whether arcane or divine.

a value-less term for any woman capable of minor magical trinkets, charms, etc.

a self-applied term for a female sorcerer

a term of specific status within any number of sects of the Feminine.

 

[Aeolius]

I still prefer Bill Muhlhausen's Witch class in DRAGON #114. It begins with:

"The witch has long been a popular non-player character in the D&D and AD&D'. games, and long-time readers of DRAGON' Magazine may recall numerous incarnations of this character class and its powers over the years. The most recently published version of the witch appeared in DRAGON issue #43, in November 1980 Bill Muhlhausen's article was revised and edited by Kim Mohan and Tom Moldvay, this version has been further expanded and revised by Roger E, Moore, and edited by Karen Martin, Robin Jenkins, and (once again) Kim Mohan."


(edited to credit the proper author and DRAGON issue)

 

[sckeener]

5) All of the above.

yeah this was a multiple choice option for me and I would have selected all of them.

For my campaigns, witches depend on the culture of the area, so they could be any of them.

 

[smootrk]

I always saw the typical witch as evil druid types, dabbling in occult, alchemy, etc. The druid's spell list seems best for such, but dealt with in a more Arcane manner - learning obscure forumlae, demonic/devilish pacts, familiars, etc.

 

[Cam Banks]

I like the Arcana Evolved version, where alignment isn't part of the definition and there's a trend toward a relationship between the witch and nature/elements.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

i like either a goddess worship;er or something akin to a druid