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View Full Version : Old School Working on a magic system for a Witch class



Yora
2016-04-14, 11:03 AM
I decided to adapt my homebrew setting to Basic/Expert D&D rules and that means replacing the cleric and magic-user classes. Instead there will be only a witch class, which has a rather different spellcasting system and also entirely new spells.

The new Witch class has the same HD, saving throws, and so on as a magic-user, but doesn't have any spells per day or a spellbook. Instead, a 1st level Witch starts with 3 known spells and 3 spell points. With each new level, the character learns one new spell and gains one additional spell point.
When casting a spell, one spell point is lost, but returns at the end of the encounter (or whenever the situation allowed the witch to have a minute or so of rest).
Spells with an ongoing effect last until the witch ends it, sleeps, or falls unconscious. The spell point used to cast the spell only returns once the spell has ended. (If a witch runs out of spell point, any spells that have been cast before the current encounter can be dropped to regain the spell point immediately.)
Most spells also have a more powerful version that the witch can cast. When using the greater version of the spell, the spell point is lost for the rest of the day until the witch is fully rested again. (Which can be done only once per 24 hour period.)

There are no spell levels or anything like that. Every witch can learn any spell when gaining a new level. (Unless it's a special secret spell in the campaign.) There are few spells that deal damage and none that cause widespread death and destruction. There are also no buffs that add small modifiers to dice rolls. Every spell does actively do something.

Spells

This is what I got so far for spells. I am to get around 30 in total when it's complete.

Heal: A creature touched by the witch immediately makes a new saving throw against any poison or disease affecting it. Greater Heal: A creature touched by the witch is immediately cured of one poison or disease or heals 2d6 points of damage.

Charm: A creature within 10 meters of the witch must make a saving throw or obey any order while the spell is maintained. Orders that are deeply against the creature's nature or loyalties allow it to make a new saving throw to break the spell. Anything but the most basic commands requires a spoken order that the creature must hear and understand. Greater Charm: The witch gives the creature a single order which it will follow until the task is completed, even when moving out of range. A new saving throw is made once every day and any time the task requires the target to do something deeply against its nature or loyalties.

Flame: One target within 10 meters catches fire. The fire can be extinguished like any ordinary fire. / Greater Flame: The target takes 1d6 points of fire damage every round for as long as the witch concentrates. The spell automatically ends when the witch fights or casts another spell, or the target moves out of sight. After that the target keeps burning like a normal fire.

Stun: The witch gives a shouted or mental command to one creature. On a failed saving throw that creature is stunned and loses its next turn. Greater Stun: Everyone within 10 meters must make a saving throw or be stunned for 1d6 rounds. Allies of the witch get a +4 bonus to their saving throw.

Hold: One target within 10 meters must make a saving throw or be held immobile for as long as the spell is maintained. The witch can not fight or cast any other spells while the spell is active. Greater Hold: Up to 10 targets are held by the spell.

Sleep: A group of creatures with a total of up to 10 Hit Dice and within 10 meters fall asleep and keep sleeping while the spell is maintained. Any loud noise and touching will awake them. Greater Sleep: The targets of the spell can not be woken by any means until the spell ends.

Transform: The witch gains the form of any other creature of similar size. Greater Transform: The witch can take the form of a creature with up to 10 times more or down to one tenth the normal size. The witch can also take the form of a specific person. Transforming into a very large animal provides a +4 bonus to Strength, transforming into a very small animal a +4 bonus to Dexterity.

Fog: An area with 10 meter radius is covered by thick fog that blocks all vision. If the witch does not fight, cast spells, or move out of range, the fog can be maintained as long as desired. Once the spell is no longer maintained, the fog disappears within one minute or within one round when a strong wind is present. Greater Fog: The fog is made of a thick smoke that causes any living creatures inside it to suffer a -4 penalty on any rolls.

Life Drain: The witch touches a creature and deals 2d6 points of damage, 1d6 if a saving throw is made. Greater Life Drain: The witch heals half as many hit points as have been dealt to the target.

Resist Elements: The target of the spell is unaffected by heat, cold, or wind. Greater Resist Elements: Everyone within 10 meters of the witch is protected by the spell. The witch can not attack or cast spells while this effect is active. The range can be decreased or increased as desired, but never exceed 10 meters. Anyone entering within the range becomes protected, everyone leaving it loses the protection.

Other spells that I want to include, but don't have any rules for yet are a spell that ends active spells by other witches, a spell that makes plants move to grab people or block passages, a spell that makes wood, metal, and stone decay with a touch, a spell that allows a witch to get full control over an animal, a mind reading spell, and some kind of fear spell.

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Obviously, a witch has a lot more spells than any standard BECMI/AD&D characters and the class is meant to completely replace the whole D&D magic system, not to exist beside it. High level witches have a much narrower reportoir of spells than clerics or magic users, and the strength of the spells is almost entirely within the 1st and 2nd level range. A low level witch is much more effective than a low level magic-user, while at high levels a witch is much less effective.

Witches a very poor damage dealers (2d6 per round is the most they can ever do) and have no spells that replicate thief abilities. Transform is the only one that could be problematic as it gives access to flight and unlimted diving. So even with unlimited spells per day, I don't see any huge problems with a witch stealing all the spotlight. While the mind control spells are potentially very useful, higher level enemies and powerful monsters tend to have pretty good saves to resist them.

Greater spells are often comparable to 3rd level spells but consume a spell point for the entire day. Even at higher levels with 15+ spell points, a witch can't throw them around carelessly and still have enough points for longer battles.
And anything that restores hit points is always a greater spell.

All that considered, I don't see any any major balance problems that make witches outshine everyone else, even with effectively unlimited spells per day.
But I would still really like to hear any thoughts on the spells I posted and possible improvements to them, and I am also looking for another dozen or so ideas for more spells that would fit the class. The important rules of magic are that it can't create something from nothing, can't teleport, and create or control undead. (Undead exist, but witch magic is nature magic and undead are removed from nature.)