Yesterday, I posted one of my archwitches, Feiya, based on the Pathfinder Iconic. Today, I want to compare and contrast an archwitch and a witch priestess, my two advanced classes. And who better than my favorite witch couple, Saileach and Teamhair?
Who are Saileach and Teamhair? Well they are, in a nutshell, my D&D versions of Willow and Tara, my two favorite characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Or more to the point, my two favorite WitchCraft RPG characters of the same name and general background. Saileach and Teamhair are rough Irish Gaelic versions of their names. Much as my WitchCraft RPG versions have evolved and changed from their root, so have Saileach and Teamhair evolved from my WitchCraft RPG versions.
I used these characters back in the 3e days and they were a lot of fun. They are not exactly Willow and Tara anymore than Bodhmal and Liath aren't. In my games, witches cannot be raised from the dead or resurrected. They can, and often do, get reincarnated. So Bodhmal and Liath are early Iron Age versions, Saileach and Teanhair are mediveal/D&D versions and then Willow and Tara are modern day. Yes, I also have Victorian Age ones in William and Tamara, but here they are incarnated as brother and sister, exploring a sibling bond rather than a romantic one. This often happens in lore about reincarnation.
(Note: Because there is confusion in some other places. I don't believe in reincarnation any more than I believe in dragons or pixies. This is all for a game. I am, and remain, a staunch atheist.)
So who are these two? Well, in D&D 3e, they began life as a would-be wizard sent to a convent (Saileach/Willow) and a druid wild woman (Teamhair/Tara). This is many years later now and they are proper witches, but each also pursues witchcraft from their own lens. So the path of the archwitch for Saileach and the path of the witch priestess for Teamhair.
As with Branwen and Eria they are members of the Daughters of the Flame Coven. One might even call them THE members since a lot of the Daughters of the Flame evolved because of the characters of Saileach, Teamhair, Bodhmal, and Liath. These versions of Saileach and Teamhair would be in charge of the coven with Teamhair acting as High Priestess.
Archwitch vs Witch Priestess
The archwitch and the witch priestess are both "Advanced Classes." They are like the Hierophant Druid and the Thief-Acrobat of the Unearthed Arcana and the Wizards of High Sorcery from the Dragonlance Adventures hardcover.
I am still debating the powers these classes should have. Originally, I thought the archwitch would stop gaining occult powers in favor of other powers and 9th-level spell casting. The witch priestess does not have 9th-level spell options from the cleric. I want these two advanced classes to be roughly equal in power.
I think 9th level spells should be the domain of the Witch Queen. Makes sense. Both archewitch and witch priestess should get spells from the Arcane and Divine lists, respectively.
But I am still torn on the Occult Powers question. I think I'll try these two with the spells, but no occult powers past level 7; they can take a level 7 occult power according to their tradition. Both still get cantrips and bonus spells for high charisma.
20th level Human Archwitch, Lawful Neutral
Secondary Skill: Scribe
S: 10
I: 18
W: 15
D: 11
C: 12
Ch: 18
Paralysis/Poison: 7
Petrify/Polymorph: 7
Rod, Staff, or Wand: 8
Breath Weapon: 10
Spells: 9
AC: 1 (Bracers AC 1)
HP: 42
THAC0: 14
Weapon
Dagger +2, Undead slaying 1d4/1d3
Familiar: Wolf ("Cosantóir")
Occult Powers
1st level: Familiar
Archwitch Powers: Mastery of the Veil (gained at level 7), Arcane Communion (gained at level 9), Unbound by Circles (gained at level 11).
Spells
Cantrips: Arcane Mark (Scribe), Daze, Clean, Palm, Spark
First level: Bad Luck, Blindness, Charm Person, Dowse, Far Sight, Read Languages, Light, Magic Missile*
Second level: Agony, Burning Gaze, Enthrall, Evil Eye, Identify, Levitate, Spell Missile, Produce Flame
Third level: Lightning Bolt*, Bestow Curse, Dispel Magic, Life Blood, Lethe's Curse, Toad Mind
Fourth level: Analyze Magic, Elemental Armor, Intangible Cloak of Shadows, Mirror Talk, Phantom Lacerations, Etheral Projection
Fifth level: Baleful Polymorph, Dreadful Bloodletting, Greater Command, Telekinesis
Sixth level: Anti-Magic Shell, Etheral Banishment, True Seeing, Legend Lore (Ritual)
Seventh level: Ball of Sunshine, Etheralness, Foresight
Eighth level: Astral Projection, Wail of the Banshee, Trap the Soul
Theme Song: On Your Shore
Full details below.
20th level Human Witch Priestess, Neutral Good
Secondary Skill: Intiate
S: 11
I: 16
W: 18
D: 12
C: 15
Ch: 18
Paralysis/Poison: 7
Petrify/Polymorph: 7
Rod, Staff, or Wand: 8
Breath Weapon: 10
Spells: 9
AC: 1 (Bracers AC 1)
HP: 63
THAC0: 14
Weapon
Staff +2 (Striking) 1d6 + 1d6 per charge
Familiar: Cat ("Iontach")
Occult Powers
1st level: Familiar
Witch Priestess Powers: Healing Hands (gained at level 7), Invoke the Ancients (gained at level 9), Blessing of the Grove (gained at level 11).
Spells
Cantrips: Spark, Flare, Cure Minor Wounds*, Open, Detect Poison
First level: Cure Light Wounds*, Bless Growth, Charm Person, Fey Sight, Light, Moon's Heart, Speak with Animals, Vertigo
Second level: Bewitch II, Candle of the Wise, Enthrall, Evil Eye, Hold Person, Locate Object, Magic Circle Against Spirits, Suggestion
Third level: Astral Sense, Dispel Magic, House Spirit, Magic Circle Against Undead, Speak with the Dead*
Fourth level: Cure Serious Wounds*, Cleanse, Undead Destruction, Drawing Down the Moon (Ritual), Divine Power, Spiritual Dagger
Fifth level: Flame Strike*, Calm Weather, Dream, Telekinesis
Sixth level: Heal* True Seeing, Anchoring Rite, Refuge (Ritual)
Seventh level: Fire Storm*, Breath of the Goddess, Binding Ritual (Ritual)
Eighth level: Mystic Barrier, Wail of the Banshee, Protection of the Goddess (Ritual)
Theme Song: Exile
I dropped their level 13 and above Occult Powers in favor of their new class-based powers. I like the idea of dropping the occult powers in favor of 7th-, 9th-, and 11th-level powers. Saves the occult powers to be unique to the witch class proper.
For spells, I originally opted for the Archwitch and Witch Priestess to take spells above 5th level, but now I think they should take any spells they have access to. So that is something I will change. I do need to better define which spells, Arcane and Divine, these classes have access to. So far, the spells marked with an asterisk* are the spells for their chosen advanced classes, except for the * marked cantrips, and those come from their secondary skills.
There are also some spells here that are a direct result of my original playtests of these two characters: Lethe's Curse, Ball of Sunshine, Protection of the Goddess, and Anchoring Rite.
Because Saileach and Teamhair are very much part of a coven, I gave them both Ritual spells. They also have a few spells to fight undead to honor their source material. Also, the Daughters of the Flame abhor the undead. That goes back to a time before I was "the witch guy" and was "the vampire guy."
It should also not be a surprise that their theme songs come from Enya, and from the same album, no less. Though I have not found a good way to represent the Anamchara quality for them. Well, not yet.
