Spellcasting classes for a rare-magic setting

[randomling]

My upcoming Pirates game is going to be relatively rare-magic, and I'm looking for/trying to put together some spellcasting classes together for the game. There are probably going to be two basic classes with access to some magical ability - one is the Alchemist from Swashbuckling Adventures, and the other is going to be a Witch of some kind. I quite like the flavour and spell-list of the Witch from SA, but the mechanics are crazily complicated - they essentially get prepared and spontaneous casting.

Clerics in my game will tend to be non-spellcasting. I have some vague ideas for a Priest prestige class, but nothing specific, and I've never written a class before... :\

Anybody have a slightly simpler Witch class lying around, or a Priest PrC I could have a look at? Failing that, tips on modifying and writing classes?

 

[CombatWombat51]

I don't have SA, but I'm sure anyone could whip up a pretty simple spellcaster, like a wizard or sorcerer, and just give it a few witchy abilities, and viola.

So what witchy stuff did you have in mind? What about the flavor of the SA witch class do you like?

 

[randomling]

I liked the nature-and-charm oriented spell list quite a lot. The SA Witch only has access to 6 spell levels (7, including 0-level, I guess), which is about the right magic level for me. It also gets a familiar - not too sure about that - and has weird weird metamagic abilities and spellcasting system which I think need ditching. (They prepare spells out of a grimoire (spellbook) but also get a certain number of "innate spells" that they can leave slots open for. So essentially they get prepared and spontaneous casting.)

I'd like to give the Witch a similar spell list and spontaneous casting (bard progression, I guess?) with access to some kind of ritual/coven magic, and a few flavour abilities along the way: perhaps a little nature-oriented healing and so on. I'd probably replace the familiar with an animal companion or ditch it altogether.

I'm not too sure how to work the ritual and coven magic though - essentially taking longer and/or collaborating on spells for greater effect?

 

[Stormborn]

I think the Bard spell progression is probablly a good idea. But you will need to give it something in return.
Some suggestions for class abilites:
- Detect Magic at will, much like the Paladin's Detect Evil.
- Brew Potion
-ritual and coven magic can be covered with the Incantation system of d20 Modern Urban Arcana (IIRC its SRD so you can access it if you don't have the book). Flavor wise it should work well. The Moder Player's Companion from Green Ronnin/Game Mechanics has some feats/special abilites that can reduce the number of casters. These might be good class abilites for a Witch and since the class would not have access to higher level spells, the incantation system can give them that. Let a knowledge based skill allow for research of new Incantations.
- I think keep the familiar. Familiars are really a Witch thing anyway, if you look at the literature. Although animal companion works too. Depends on your setting.
-As for the innate and spontaneous casting...maybe let the start with the ability to sub a designated spell for a prepared one, like a cleric, and then grant another at say 5th level, and so on.

As for a non spell casting Priest, unless you want your priest to have SOME supernatural abilites, just use a specialized Expert. You can add some Bonus Feats at 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th levels if you feel it needs beefing up. OTOH, Bardic Knowledge and Bardic Songs make a lot of sense for a priest, depending onthe religion, so you might think about a non-spell casting Bard.