Playing as a Witcher

[Slayer Lord]

I've lately been getting the urge to make a character based on the monster slaying warrior-sorcerer Geralt from Andrzef Sapkowski's "Witcher" series. What class build-ups from 3.5 would be the best for creating an effective Witcher?

[Boci]

Sorcerdin? The most effective is Paladin 2 / Sorcerer 4/ Spellsword 1/ Abjurant Champion 5 / Sacred Exorcist 8, but that requires a quite a few books.

[herrhauptmann]

Sorcerdin? The most effective is Paladin 2 / Sorcerer 4/ Spellsword 1/ Abjurant Champion 5 / Sacred Exorcist 8, but that requires a quite a few books.

That'd be most powerful certainly, but most witchers, Geralt of Rivia in particular, don't have very many spells/signs. I'd say 5 or 6, and knowledge of a couple of potions they, and only they, can drink. Like a haste potion, and a darkvision one.
Thematically, I'd say maybe a hexblade (cursed fighters who are distrusted, use charisma). Or ranger, Favored enemy: Aberrations and Magical Beasts, dragons.
With a shift into some slaying PrC. For some reason "Witchslayer" from ToM sticks in my head, but thematically, it's not related to the Witchers.


edit:
I've only read the two books translated into english. Last Wish, and Blood of Elves. I haven't played the game, so if there's something in there that isn't in the books, I won't know about it.

[IthroZada]

Ranger actually sounds rather good, with switching out the animal companion for some other class feature. A gish is the most obvious approach. Maybe a Swordsage? I can see some of their fire maneuvers being rather like the fire signs. And maneuvers actually do seem to fit, or at least stances, considering the gameplay of the Witcher.

[Boci]

Ranger actually sounds rather good, with switching out the animal companion for some other class feature.

Solitary hunter gives your favoured enemy bonus to hit as well as damage and various skill checks.

[herrhauptmann]

Ranger actually sounds rather good, with switching out the animal companion for some other class feature. A gish is the most obvious approach. Maybe a Swordsage? I can see some of their fire maneuvers being rather like the fire signs. And maneuvers actually do seem to fit, or at least stances, considering the gameplay of the Witcher.
Alternate rangers:
PHB2, UA, RoS, RoD, RotW. Dragon Mag 336, 324, 340, 347.
DR 326 has alternate combat styles.

Trying to remember what the signs did.
There was a telekinesis one that pushed (Aard?). A calming one for animals. What else?

[Elric VIII]

That'd be most powerful certainly, but most witchers, Geralt of Rivia in particular, don't have very many spells/signs. I'd say 5 or 6, and knowledge of a couple of potions they, and only they, can drink. Like a haste potion, and a darkvision one.
Thematically, I'd say maybe a hexblade (cursed fighters who are distrusted, use charisma). Or ranger, Favored enemy: Aberrations and Magical Beasts, dragons.
With a shift into some slaying PrC. For some reason "Witchslayer" from ToM sticks in my head, but thematically, it's not related to the Witchers.

Glaivelock might be a better choice. True, Warlocks tend to be more on the "tie him to the stake" side of witchery, but the flavor is nice. He only has a few invocations and UMD covers the special magic item area.

[herrhauptmann]

Geralt can fly?? :smalltongue:

[Elric VIII]

Geralt can fly?? :smalltongue:

Good point. But, if you work with that concept throughout your build, you may have some problems later on. One of the things cited about VoP Monks is the lack of ability to fly. I figure something aling the +6 Jump, Balance, Tumble and Bluff, Diplo, Intimidate invocations would be cool. There are a bunch of useful ones that aren't too blatantly magical.

[Rickshaw]

Brain your DM with the APG of pathfinder and play an alchemist, and bargain a full Bab in return for getting rid of bombs.


's what i did.

[Amphetryon]

Paladin/Binder/Knight of the Sacred Seal.

[IthroZada]

Brain your DM with the APG of pathfinder and play an alchemist, and bargain a full Bab in return for getting rid of bombs.


's what i did.

But Geralt could make bombs too, couldn't he? An Alchemist gestalted with something would actually work really well, but gestalt makes everything work well.

[herrhauptmann]

But Geralt could make bombs too, couldn't he? An Alchemist gestalted with something would actually work really well, but gestalt makes everything work well.

I don't remember any. At least not in The Last Wish and Blood of Elves.
Mind you, I never actually played the video game...

[IthroZada]

I don't remember any. At least not in The Last Wish and Blood of Elves.
Mind you, I never actually played the video game...

Right, well in the game he could make potions which enhance himself, oils that enhance his weapons, and bombs with Alchemy. He also had a group fighting style, a heavy opponent fighting style, and a quick opponent fighting style. And then switched from steel weapons to silver for humans and monsters respectively.

[herrhauptmann]

Right, well in the game he could make potions which enhance himself, oils that enhance his weapons, and bombs with Alchemy. He also had a group fighting style, a heavy opponent fighting style, and a quick opponent fighting style. And then switched from steel weapons to silver for humans and monsters respectively.

The books have the issue of steel vs silver too. And some monsters required steel as well.
Potions to enhance himself. I don't remember oils for his weapons, but maybe that's in a story I haven't read.
Fighting style, it seemed in Blood of Elves that the whole thing is the witcher style. Designed to allow a witcher to fight creatures, even wyverns alone. No real distinction between fast/light, or strong/slow.

edit: I'm pretty sure the bombs were an addition for the game...

[Gwendol]

I think Hexblade fits well with the theme, together with ranger levels for the favored enemy. Alchemy is a must. Also invest in Knowledge and obtaining the Collector of Stories skill trick (+5 to ID monster).

Geralt isn't much for ranged combat, and seem to favor two-handed fighting over dual wielding.
He uses potions to increase speed (Haste), senses, reflexes, etc. And he's mutated, which probably means his ability scores are increased (at a cost?).

[herrhauptmann]

Geralt isn't much for ranged combat, and seem to favor two-handed fighting over dual wielding.

There's an alternate weapon style in one of the Dragon Magazines which allows a 2handed weapon.

[Spiryt]

There weren't any bombs in Witchers word, that branch of "chemistry" was non existent, no powder, no explosives.

Books were also relatively devoted to verisimilitude, so people weren't running around with stuff to make bombs from.

So, in short, bombs were indeed option in the game.

[Gwendol]

There's an alternate weapon style in one of the Dragon Magazines which allows a 2handed weapon.

Care to elaborate?

[Yora]

In Pathfinder I would say definately Ranger/Alchemist. With no Alchemist available, I'd probably pick Wizard instead. Some nice low level spells to make into potions and Int 13 for Combat Expertise seems mandatory. Without high levels spells and spells that require saves, low int isn't a problem.

[herrhauptmann]

Care to elaborate?

Just what I said. Rather than being limited to two weapon fighting, or archery, a ranger can pick an alternate weapon style. Wrassling, mounted combat, two handed weapon, and one or two others. I forget the specifics, and which dragon magazine it's in, but if someone managed to download the Classes+ACFs from Crystal keep, it's listed there.

Since they were forced to remove everything, it's now safe to say their name.

[Slayer Lord]

The books have the issue of steel vs silver too. And some monsters required steel as well.
Potions to enhance himself. I don't remember oils for his weapons, but maybe that's in a story I haven't read.
Fighting style, it seemed in Blood of Elves that the whole thing is the witcher style. Designed to allow a witcher to fight creatures, even wyverns alone. No real distinction between fast/light, or strong/slow.

edit: I'm pretty sure the bombs were an addition for the game...

Yeah, the fast/light, strong/slow stuff is all just game mechanics, plus they take some liberties with story canon. For example, they say that Ostrit was the one who turned the princess (who in human form is certainly NOT ugly or dull witted) into a striga even though in the story it hints it was Foltest's mother who had it done.

Remind me again, you have to know the spell before you can make a potion out of it, right?


I think Hexblade fits well with the theme, together with ranger levels for the favored enemy. Alchemy is a must. Also invest in Knowledge and obtaining the Collector of Stories skill trick (+5 to ID monster).

Geralt isn't much for ranged combat, and seem to favor two-handed fighting over dual wielding.
He uses potions to increase speed (Haste), senses, reflexes, etc. And he's mutated, which probably means his ability scores are increased (at a cost?).

What is this Collector of Stories of which you speak?

[Greenish]

What is this Collector of Stories of which you speak?A skill trick from Complete Scoundrel. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070105a&page=5)

[Elric VIII]

There's a Ranger ACF in Complete Mage that lets you choose Favored Enemy (Arcanists). I think it's called Arcane Hunter.

[Spiryt]

Yeah, the fast/light, strong/slow stuff is all just game mechanics, plus they take some liberties with story canon. For example, they say that Ostrit was the one who turned the princess (who in human form is certainly NOT ugly or dull witted) into a striga even though in the story it hints it was Foltest's mother who had it done.


In the originial "Witcher" Ostrit talks about Adda's mother being bound and in rather.... bad situation, and even then he mentions that it was he who had spoken the curse in anger and despair.

So hint seems to be that it was indeed him.

[Slayer Lord]

In the originial "Witcher" Ostrit talks about Adda's mother being bound and in rather.... bad situation, and even then he mentions that it was he who had spoken the curse in anger and despair.

So hint seems to be that it was indeed him.

Hints, yes, but it ever explicitly says so like in the game. Actually the game tends to lead you to believe that he did it on purpose. Or at least that's what I got out of it.