How do you prefer your WITCH?

[pawsplay]

In anthropology, beliefs about "witches" usually involve inhuman qualities. Shapechanging and causing curses and nightmares is just the beginning; witches are often vulnerable to supernatural wards, iron nails being stuck in their footprints, bound by strange geases, and so forth. There are similar stories everywhere from ancient Greece to medieval Europe to pre-Columbian America.

I think the hag (monster) does a good job of fulfilling the achetype to a great extent, although that emphasizes the image of the crone. The warlock class (complete arcane) is very much what I would think of for a witch class, as opposed to a monster. A witche's supernatural ties should definitely transform them over time, in the manner of a warlock, favored soul, and many prestige classes (such as the alienist).

 

[Aeolius]

I think the hag (monster) does a good job of fulfilling the achetype to a great extent, although that emphasizes the image of the crone.

I used "hag magic" in my submission to WotC's world creation contest. Much as sorcerers are reportedly tied to dragons, witches used the secrets of hag magics and eventually obtained a hag "sponsor".

Today, I started working on blackwater witches. I'm not sure if they're going to be a seperate class or a PrC... I just like the sound of it. Blackwater hags will most likely be involved.

 

[Greg K]

I am also in the "all the above" camp.

 

[Klaus]

Sleepy Hollow-style hedge wizard, kinda like an arcane druid.

Hmm... Now that I think about it, probably an Archivist (HoH).

 

[Sejs]

Bubble bubble toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble.

No neo-pagan happy witch folderol, I'll take my witches the old fashioned way. Hexes, potions, the whole nine yards.

Falling out of a tight black dress optional, but definitely appreciated.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I'm another that blends options 2 and 3, but I voted number 2 because the emphasis is heavily on the evil, and nearly all their knowledge and power comes from their patron. I have a separate class that functions exclusively as option 2, kind of a potion focused druid without the animal companion and shape changing mostly for NPCs.

 

[JRRNeiklot]

Any woman that won't sleep with me. Oh, you said WITCH." Nevermind.

 

[jaerdaph]

 

[el-remmen]

Witches (males are called Warlocks) gain their magic through a closely guarded custom passed down through the generations. Traditionally, it is a magical art practiced only by women, but men may also access the forbidden knowledge of this oft-maligned and misunderstood profession.

Unlike wizards, who learn their spells from tomes, bards who focus the arcane through song and poetry, or priests who gain their spells through divine inspiration and faith, witchcraft is a much more haphazard endeavor, as their spells are gained from the aspects of extraplanar creatures which they allow to possess their body. These creatures are of various levels of scrupulousness, but all hold an interest in the realm of mortals.

The origin of witchcraft is shrouded in mystery, but is said to come from human women who were offered the blood of gods and outsiders to drink in return for power and wisdom. This “gift” has been passed down through generations (often skipping generations), being powerful in certain families, or in other cases dying out in a lineage for no discernible reason. It is the taint of the blood in combination with the exacting nature of her rituals that allows a witch to invoke the various extraplanar powers, often being possessed by more than one at a time to gain a broad access to more magics.

Witch perform rituals by which the spirits and aspects of otherworldly beings are summoned to possess her. She gains access to spell domains and other spell-like powers and supernatural powers based on the nature of that being. Often they contact these being by means of tokens attuned to the spirits, but these are not always necessary to have.

Witches also have access to ceremonial magics, which are elaborate collaborative spells that are cast with other witches and warlocks to summon spirits and powers for great tasks and mayhem.

Witchcraft is often referred to as ‘the quick path’ by wizards, for they rarely seek any deeper understanding of the nature of magic and learn their hodge-podge of groups of spells with no study, bargaining for them and matching their wills against powers, instead of spending days, if not weeks, in the study of arcane tomes and theorems, songs of legend, or in the study of theology or deep prayer and meditation.

In addition, witches are often disliked by both priest and wizards for using both arcane and divine magics.

Witches tend to supplement their arcane powers with herbal, alchemical and healing skills with which they earn a living and/or serve a community.

I prefer them to replace sorcerers.

 

[Drowbane]

Derogatory Name Given to Any Female Arcane Spellcaster