D&D 5E Let's talk about Witches

[GSHamster]

Out of curiosity, what do you expect the "default" combat action for a witch to be? The action she takes when she does not want to expend any limited resources?

I assume it's not going to be a blast-type effect, which is the norm for wizards/warlocks. Or would a zap from a wand be in flavor?

 

[Remathilis]

The problem is "witch" is surprisingly nebulous. A witch is myth, literature, culture, and religion can be.

An adherent to some "green" form of magic; tied to the natural world and akin to druids (and indeed, nearly interchangeable with) - something akin to modern Wiccans*
A wise woman, healer, herbalist, or folk-magic practitioner - Hedge wizards
A black or evil caster who sold her soul to the devil - Salem witches, Halloween witches
A fortune teller, omen-reader, and layer of curses, hexes, and such - Macbeth witches, voodoo priestesses*
A hag that lives alone and eats children - Hansel and Gretel
Another name for a female magic-user - Harry Potter

* Common conception of religious practice; not intended to generalize or make assumptions about anyone's beliefs

That is a LOT of ground to cover, and to be honest some of it is already handled by other D&D classes. Hags, druids, wizards and warlocks cover about 90% of that. I could see a new subclass or two (warlock and druid seem likely candidates) and maybe a decent background (and some new spells, of course).

 

[MessiahMushroom]

[MENTION=1772]bmcdaniel[/MENTION] 's witch class is super thorough and encompasses several different aspects of witches that y'all have been talking about. I'll be honest, I haven't read the whole thread but I felt obligated to share his work because I think it's beautifully done and makes a wonderful guide to building wickedly witchy PCs or NPCs.

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?401243-Witch-Class

 

[Green1]

This brings to mind an ancient game.

A NPC Wizard was going around calling himself an Archmage. The number crunchers and rules guardians of the table were quick to point out the dude did not have the levels for the then- "Archmage" class. I put it like this. You can call yourself anything if you want the associations with it. The NPC had a fragile ego, some students, and wanted to declare himself "archmage" of that city. He WAS the highest level MU in the city. But, he was still just a mid level wizard.

A witch would be the same thing. Any MU could call themselves a witch, even a cleric. But, it is more a lifestyle than yet another class that needs to be homebrewed. You get to live in a goth lair and dress renfair every day. You get to have familiars and play with herbs. You get to associate with other "witchy" NPCs and they like you (usually). Very appealing for those NPCs that do not like rigid acolyte power structures of say, a church of trickery. Or dealing with an already established mage guild. Just make a coven of folks that have your style and taste. Whether that taste is working together to serve the Dark Lord or being some reclusive oracle.

It's a flavor "ribbon" lifestyle. Not a game mechanic.

 

[Guest 6801328]

They're only ribbons if they're no interesting/unique mechanics backing them up.

 

[Guest 6801328]

[MENTION=1772]bmcdaniel[/MENTION] 's witch class is super thorough and encompasses several different aspects of witches that y'all have been talking about. I'll be honest, I haven't read the whole thread but I felt obligated to share his work because I think it's beautifully done and makes a wonderful guide to building wickedly witchy PCs or NPCs.

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?401243-Witch-Class

Whoah....that is a truly impressive effort.

 

[steeldragons]

Yeah. He did a really amazing job with that.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Yeah. He did a really amazing job with that.

I could imagine a campaign setting with nothing but Witches, Druids, Fighters, and Rogues (with no Eldritch Knights or Arcane Tricksters allowed).

 

[bmcdaniel]

Thanks for the mention. If you are interested in the class, I just uploaded a substantial revision of the class representing playtesting the class for several months.

Cheers,
Brian

 

[TheCosmicKid]

Wait, does this mean that the video game the witcher is using the old English pronunciation of wicca?

If you are indeed a New Zealander, or some other speaker of a non-rhotic dialect, then yes. (Roughly. The vowels are a bit off.) For me, a Midwestern American who actually pronounces his Rs, no, the name is still stupid.