The Castles & Crusades Witch
Castles & Crusades is often called the Rosetta Stone of RPGS. Actually that is not to bad of a claim. Here is my Witch class from
The Witch, converted to C&C. I used
the S&W versions and an old d20 version of mine to help fill in some of the blanks. As usual, the PDF version is available in the Box download area to the right.
Let me know what you think!
OGL Notice: The following text is considered OPEN under the Open Gaming License.
Section 15: "The Witch for Castles & Crusades" and "Faerie Tradition" copyright © 2013 Timothy S. Brannan.
Art is not considered open and copyright is retained by the artist, Larry Elmore and is used here with permission.
WITCH (CHARISMA)
PRIME ATTRIBUTE: Charisma
HIT DICE: d4 per level up to 10th level. At 11th level, +1 hit point per level.
WEAPONS: A witch may only use a dagger, staff, flaming oil, holy water, net, thrown rock, sling, and whip as weapons.
ARMOR: Cloth, Padded or Leather only, no shields.
ABILITIES: Occult Powers; witch spells, ritual spells, herb use.
| Witch Experience Table |
Spells / Level |
Level
|
Hit Dice (d4)
|
BtH
|
EPP
|
Occult Powers
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
1d4
|
0
|
0
|
Occult Power
|
4 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2
|
2d4
|
+1
|
2,601
|
Herb Use
|
4 |
2! |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
3
|
3d4
|
+1
|
5,201
|
|
4 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
4
|
4d4
|
+1
|
10,401
|
|
4 |
2 |
2! |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
5
|
5d4
|
+1
|
20,801
|
|
5 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
6
|
6d4
|
+2
|
40,001
|
|
5 |
3 |
2 |
2! |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
7
|
7d4
|
+2
|
80,001
|
Occult Power
|
5 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
8
|
8d4
|
+2
|
160,001
|
|
5 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2! |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
9
|
9d4
|
+2
|
320,001
|
|
5 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
10
|
10d4
|
+3
|
440,001
|
|
6 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2! |
- |
- |
- |
- |
11
|
+1
|
+3
|
560,001
|
|
6 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
12
|
+1
|
+3
|
700,001
|
|
6 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2! |
- |
- |
- |
13
|
+1
|
+3
|
840,001
|
Occult Power
|
6 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
14
|
+1
|
+4
|
980,001
|
|
6 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2! |
- |
- |
15
|
+1
|
+4
|
1,120,001
|
|
6 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
- |
16
|
+1
|
+4
|
1,260,001
|
|
7 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2! |
- |
17
|
+1
|
+4
|
1,400,001
|
|
7 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
18
|
+1
|
+5
|
1,540,001
|
|
7 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2! |
19
|
+1
|
+5
|
1,680,001
|
Occult Power
|
7 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
20
|
+1
|
+5
|
1,820,001
|
|
7 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
21+
|
+1 hp/level
|
+5
|
+140,000
|
|
7 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
! A Witch may take a ritual spell at 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th and 18th levels.
Witches are humans that have heeded the call of some other-worldly patron power. This power can be an ancient and forgotten goddess, a powerful being of the Faerie Realms, an ancient elemental Primordial or even a darker power from beyond our reality. They are trained in the use of potions, herbs, and plants as well as the more powerful forms of magic. They cast spells, perform rituals and learn more as they advance in levels. Witches have only the most basic training in arms and armor, having dedicated their lives to magic and the service of their Patron. The prime requisite for witches is Charisma.
Witch Class Abilities
Spell Casting: The witch owns a book of spells called a “Book of Shadows” this is similar to the books used by magic-users, but each book is unique to each witch. A Read Magic spell will not enable another witch or magic-user to learn spells from this book.
Bonus Spells: With a high charisma score, a witch gains bonus spells. If the character has a charisma between 13-15,she can memorize an extra 1st level spell. If her charisma score is 16 or 17, the witch can memorize an extra 2nd level spell, and if 18 or 19, the witch can memorize an extra 3rd level spell. Bonus spells can only be acquired if the witch is at a high enough level to cast them. Bonus spells are cumulative.
For example, a 4th level witch with an 18 charisma receives four 0 level spells, two 1st level spells, and two 2nd level spells. No bonus 3rd level spell is acquired until the witch reaches 5th level.
Familiar: The witch gains a familiar at 1st level. This is a supernatural creature that often appears to be a normal animal such as a cat or frog.
Occult Power: At first level and every 6 levels hereafter the witch gains an Occult Power. These powers vary from Tradition to Tradition.
Ritual Magic: At 2nd level the witch may opt to choose a Ritual Magic spell. These spells have special requirements in terms of components needs and multiple participants.
Herb Use: All witches are knowledgeable in the use of herbs. A witch of 2nd level or greater can make a healing ointment, balm or poultice out of local herbs. The witch needs to make an Intelligence Ability check to find the herbs and a Wisdom Ability check to make the herbs into a useful balm. These balms heal 1d4 + half the witch’s level. So a 2nd level witch can heal 1d4 + 1 hp per use of herbal balm. A person (character, animal or even monster) can only take benefit of one such balm per day. The witch may only prepare up to 3 such doses of balms per day.
Coven: at 13th level a witch may leave her coven to form her own coven.
Faerie Tradition
The witch living in the deep of the woods is a powerful archetype; her story has been retold countless times in myth and tale. This type of witch is often a Faerie Witch. Faerie Witches appear to be living in solitude, usually in a sylvan setting. In reality, they often live in large communities of fey, serving as an ambassador to travelers moving through the area.
The Faerie Witch can appear as a beautiful Sídhe princess, a matronly faerie godmother or even as a hideous hag.
The Faerie Witch’s clothing varies from character to character. Some of them choose to dress down, while others dress with a flair for the bizarre. Their homes appear welcoming, but also very unnatural in a forest setting. The homes are typically well kept with splendid gardens outside.
NPC faerie witches are usually Even or Half-Elven, since elves are native to the same geographical locations as the Faerie tradition.
Role: Faerie witches spend much of their time conversing with the local fey. They take care of the plants and animals near their home, building large gardens of flowers and vines in the surrounding area. As witches, their chief concerns are brewing helpful potions, studying the ways of nature and using their divination magic to watch the forest area they protect.
Faerie Witches easily form alliances with rangers and druids living in the same area. They will often inform these allies of local happenings and sometimes offer their magical services to them.
Joining this Tradition: Faerie Witches join this tradition in a variety of ways. A common way is when a small child becomes lost in the wilderness and an existing Faerie Witch finding the child. Another Faerie Witch may receive a vision from her patron to teach a Neophyte Faerie Witch the traditions. Other times, a person may become divinely inspired, and attempt to seek out an existing Faerie Witch to train under.
The Faerie Witch must learn Elf or Sylvan as one of their starting languages.
On the Vernal Equinox, Faerie Witch covens gather to celebrate the beginning of spring. These celebrations vary by coven, but are usually extremely joyous gatherings. On the Autumnal Equinox, Faerie witch covens become much more serious, gathering to prepare for the oncoming winter.
Like the Seelie and Unseelie Fae, Faerie Witches divide themselves into Summer and Winter courts. These alliances often have more meaning to them than alignment.
Leaving this Tradition: A Faerie Witch who ceases to revere and respect her homeland or betray the trust of the local fey will lose her powers, until she can atone. She loses any spells or occult powers she has learned.
Occult Powers: The Faerie witch lives in the world of magic, her connection to the “real world” can seem to be only tangential to her relationship to the worlds of deep faerie magic.
Least, 1st Level: Familiar. The faerie witch gains a familiar. This familiar will be of a creature that is common to the world of the fae. It can appear as a normal animal, but there could something different or off about it. Examples of these familiars might be winged cats or talking dogs. The “specialness” of the familiar in question will never be something great, but it will set them apart from others of their kind.
Lesser, 7th Level: Speak to Plants and Animals. Three times per day, the Faerie Witch may speak to plants or animals. The conversation is limited to the intelligence of the creatures involved, but the witch might still discover a great deal about the surrounding land.
Minor, 13th Level: Fey Shape. Once per day, the faerie witch can polymorph herself into any type of faerie creature and back. The creature in question must be of comparable size. So, a human faerie witch can change herself into a dryad, sylph or even a hag, but a pixie is not possible. The witch gains the powers of the creature and retains her ability to case spells, but she also suffers from that creature’s associated weaknesses. She retains her own hit points and level.
Once the faerie witch reaches this level, she gains the fae’s intolerance of cold iron. Any iron weapon (not forged steel like most weapons) will do an additional 1d6 points of damage to the witch if touched, similar in the way Holy Water damages undead or fire damages living creatures. Unless a weapon is specifically listed as being cold-forged iron, then assume it is not.
Greater, 19th Level: Witch’s Curse. The witch can place a powerful Curse on one creature once per day. The curse can be of any sort, but will usually bestow a -4 to all to hit rolls and -2 to any saving throw rolls. Witch curses are quite powerful and require the use of two (2)
remove curse spells to be fully removed.
Special Benefits: Faerie witches often have many allies in Sylvan settings. Her ability to speak with the other fey races is often very helpful.
Special Restrictions: Faerie Witches tend to be more neutral, but no other alignment restrictions are clearly drawn.
Equipment: The tool of this tradition is the wand. The wand is often made from a branch of the oldest tree in the Faerie witch’s forest.
Preferred/Barred Covens: Faerie witches tend to be a bit xenophobic, so most covens that a faerie witch will belong to are made up of other faerie witches.
Relationship to the Goddess/Patron: The Faerie witch views the Goddess as nature itself. As a Faerie witch takes care of the plants and animals around them out of respect to the Goddess.
Source/Views of Magic: Like most witches, the Faerie Witch views her magic as a manifestation of the Goddess. The source of her magic is the great forest. This obviously puts them on good terms with druids, who view their magic in a similar light.
Archetypes: Most Faerie Witches see little use in the Law vs. Chaos axis. Nature is both and neither, so why should they choose? Most tend towards neutral if for no other reason than good or evil acts attract attention, something they dislike.
Other: Faerie Witches tend not to hoard much wealth, but their homes are well kept, and some are ornamented with works of art. The yards of the Faerie witches’ homes are usually filled with lavish gardens, which may give the appearance of wealth, but more often than not Faerie Witches will have little to no money.
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