tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7913319789564397699.post8187334023609782505..comments2024-03-28T17:48:19.196-05:00Comments on The Other Side blog: Class Struggles: The Witch HunterTimothy S. Brannanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923526503305233715noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7913319789564397699.post-60633522377848505052015-10-22T16:50:45.176-05:002015-10-22T16:50:45.176-05:00*sigh**sigh*JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7913319789564397699.post-468374343523036362015-10-22T09:25:13.735-05:002015-10-22T09:25:13.735-05:00I totally forgot about The Complete B/X Adventurer...I totally forgot about The Complete B/X Adventurer!<br /><br />Timothy S. Brannanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02923526503305233715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7913319789564397699.post-37428422320110204042015-10-22T09:02:47.624-05:002015-10-22T09:02:47.624-05:00I intend to release a Swords & Wizardry Hunter...I intend to release a Swords & Wizardry Hunter class next week for the Octhorrorfest series. I intend it to be customizable (you pic enemy type) so you could create a Witch Hunter, Vampire Hunter, Were Hunter etc. Generic bonuses to attacks and saves against the particular enemy type.<br /><br />R.J. Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17096180855518446449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7913319789564397699.post-77967581082346988652015-10-22T08:15:37.532-05:002015-10-22T08:15:37.532-05:00Um...I also had a Witch Hunter in The Complete B/X...Um...I also had a Witch Hunter in The Complete B/X Adventurer. It's one of my favorite classes in the book. <br /><br />[plus: neat level titles!]<br /><br />In answer to your question (what do they do?) I go back to the inspiration for my write-up, the Bard Games "Compleat Adventurer" book. In all honesty, it was Sechi's rather heavy (IMO) flavor text that got my mental juices flowing...his entry showed me how the archetype could be used in different ways with different motivations simply by switching alignment. I blogged about this back in 2010 when developing TCBXA:<br /><br />http://bxblackrazor.blogspot.com/2010/04/witch-hunters.html<br />http://bxblackrazor.blogspot.com/2010/04/bx-witch-hunter.html<br /><br />I would think the class would be a good one for more "late period" D&D games (thanks to the likes of Solomon Kane, I always associate witch hunters with black powder weapons). It would make a fine replacement for the cleric class (presuming you have house rules that provide alternate methods of healing PCs) in a campaign setting where magic is feared and hated. Such characters could still party with MUs providing they shared alignments (a good wizard paired with a good WH to take down evil spell-casters, or a Chaotic WH that is a hypocrite more interested in using his authority/position to prey off the fears of the populace while simultaneously partnering with dark forces that allow him to indulge in sadistic tendencies).<br /><br />In a campaign that includes multiple witch or MU player characters, witch-hunters can serve as the same type of NPC antagonists that assassin guilds serve in some campaigns (hunting the PCs). I'd also think they'd be a good archetype in campaigns that feature LESS magic and more "supernatural evil" ...settings akin to LotFP...the WH's ability to detect (and hunt) evil and magic would be boons to any party.<br /><br />Despite the term "witch" hunter, I'm fairly against focusing the class specifically on "witches." In this case, I think the archetype title is using the word witch as a pejorative term to mean "any evil spell-caster"...and even supernatural creatures (demons and the like) whose existence in the physical world is due to "witchery" or "witch-craft" (i.e. black magic or "evil" spells). It's not really a class for your typical "loot the orc/goblin" D&D campaign...unless those goblins are some sort of demonic spawn. <br /><br />But it's certainly a useful class for one in which the forces of Law struggle against the tide of Chaos and Evil (in the Warhammer-style of Chaos being dimensional rifts through which pour hellish beings). In such a setting, you'll find witch hunters...some good and righteous, others corrupt charlatans. Heck, I could see a campaign in which the witch-hunter replaces both clerics AND fighters (and probably demihumans if you're doing B/X-style "race-as-class"). A fresh new party filled with young witch-hunters (and thieves and MUs) would be pretty cool...I could think of some adventures for THAT.<br />: )JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7913319789564397699.post-87084964717268966582015-10-21T17:05:52.859-05:002015-10-21T17:05:52.859-05:00I would in the right game. For instance, I've...I would in the right game. For instance, I've brainstormed a game dealing with a Matron, Mother, and Crone as the big bads and a game where Hags were the big bads. If I had a witch in the game, before I'd allow a witch hunter, I'd develop a melodramatic hook on why there would only be conflict if it drove the story (and hopefully have an arc where the two became friends ala Gimli and Legolas).Cross Planeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258583245202567276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7913319789564397699.post-89380199348461044642015-10-21T16:23:24.154-05:002015-10-21T16:23:24.154-05:00The Freeport: The City of Adventure book for Pathf...The Freeport: The City of Adventure book for Pathfinder has a Witch Hunter archetype for inquisitors. It's tied into the setting's Hexworth Inquisition, which is focused on rooting out necromancers (and will persecute anything that smells even faintly of dark magic) but the archetype can easily be adapted to other settings. Tim Emrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03140732247799671326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7913319789564397699.post-62779442564530946262015-10-21T16:22:43.365-05:002015-10-21T16:22:43.365-05:00The Freeport: The City of Adventure book for Pathf...The Freeport: The City of Adventure book for Pathfinder has a Witch Hunter archetype for inquisitors. It's tied into the setting's Hexworth Inquisition, which is focused on rooting out necromancers (and will persecute anything that smells even faintly of dark magic) but the archetype can easily be adapted to other settings. Tim Emrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03140732247799671326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7913319789564397699.post-49383484171263012582015-10-21T16:00:19.674-05:002015-10-21T16:00:19.674-05:00Get and read the stories in "The Last Wish&qu...Get and read the stories in "The Last Wish", you will know all you need to of The Witcher. Good stuff.OrcStompRunnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16589365271539245700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7913319789564397699.post-22181078828684169352015-10-21T15:19:18.436-05:002015-10-21T15:19:18.436-05:00you know it's weird all the trailers and promo...you know it's weird all the trailers and promotions have left me with no desire to see the last witchhunter which just makes me think of the inquisition scene in mel brooks history of the world. however your comment that it's basically vin diesal acting out his geek fantasy by having a movie made of his D&D character suddenly makes me want to see it.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09033247326680910036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7913319789564397699.post-13924422543773647162015-10-21T15:08:53.384-05:002015-10-21T15:08:53.384-05:00Justin, I thought that was the case, but I know ve...Justin, I thought that was the case, but I know very, very little about The Witcher.<br /><br />Marcelo, that is what I have used in the past as well.Timothy S. Brannanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02923526503305233715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7913319789564397699.post-58684553739886587582015-10-21T15:06:34.092-05:002015-10-21T15:06:34.092-05:00My idea of Witch Hunters (like you mentioned) is R...My idea of Witch Hunters (like you mentioned) is Rangers that have Witches/Evil Spellcasters as their favored enemy. Nothing more, nothing less.Marcelo Paschoalinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05869301766211022548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7913319789564397699.post-74852347882829383642015-10-21T13:59:45.931-05:002015-10-21T13:59:45.931-05:00The 5E version definitely draws on The Witcher gam...The 5E version definitely draws on The Witcher game series as well. I believe I read the Mercer drew up it for inspiration too.Pun Isaachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09322348326050100339noreply@blogger.com