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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Input Wanted - Witch class conversion (PF to 5e)



BobMacBobson
2017-03-24, 11:02 AM
I've been DMing for a while, but this is my first proper attempt at a homebrew class. I tried to convert the Witch core class from Pathfinder into 5e.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q3ICbkZzjs42TW3pn6mE8HjDB-nG7G54pjCIt-MuP5g/edit?usp=sharing

Mainly I'm worried about some of the hexes being too weak while others are too strong; but any imput at all is greatly appreciated.

ravencroft0
2017-03-27, 08:56 AM
I have read over the witch class a few times on the Pathfinder site and I always thought it was nifty, very interesting, and in so many ways could (should) have been the warlock. But like so many things from 3.P, they are too powerful to be ported as written, even if the vocabulary is updated for 5e.

Your witch is actually a gestalt of a druid and a warlock. You have pact of the chain, circle of the land dressed as a pact patron, and invocations as hexes. The hexes are cool, but some of them (the permanent effect ones) are op. You have this as a full caster with circle of the land spells and invocations. That's a lot. I also don't understand the Intelligence spellcasting ability. "Devotion and attunement to nature" screams Wisdom to me.

Your concept is cool, but it still needs some 5e revision. There should be a division of features. Maybe hexes based on your nature patron. The hex list is long with differing themes that could be divided like that. A familiar that thematically corresponds with your patron? Or scrap the familiar concept and make a new "homunculus" feature. I would personally love to see that.
Best of luck and good gaming.

BobMacBobson
2017-03-27, 10:41 AM
The hexes are cool, but some of them (the permanent effect ones) are op. You have this as a full caster with circle of the land spells and invocations.
You think dropping it to a duration like 24h is enough? Or should I just drop it to a regular spell duration like 1 hour.


I also don't understand the Intelligence spellcasting ability. "Devotion and attunement to nature" screams Wisdom to me.
Well, mainly because it's the Witch's spellcasting modifier in Pathfinder as well. But aside from that I don't think a witch has to be extremely nature based? There's a few specific patrons like Elemental or, well, Nature; but Spirit or Vengeance doesn't necessarily have to be "druidic" in nature. I think flavour-wise Mind actually works better with Intelligence.
Also, it'd be nice to have an Int. based class aside from Wizard, specially if your skills are gonna be Arcana/Nature/Religion.


Thanks for the help, mate!

BobMacBobson
2017-03-27, 11:43 AM
You think dropping it to a duration like 24h is enough? Or should I just drop it to a regular spell duration like 1 hour.


Well, mainly because it's the Witch's spellcasting modifier in Pathfinder as well. But aside from that I don't think a witch has to be extremely nature based? There's a few specific patrons like Elemental or, well, Nature; but Spirit or Vengeance doesn't necessarily have to be "druidic" in nature. I think flavour-wise Mind actually works better with Intelligence.
Also, it'd be nice to have an Int. based class aside from Wizard, specially if your skills are gonna be Arcana/Nature/Religion.


Thanks for the help, mate!

I just saw that that was what I had written down in the actual description. That was an error on my part, since I was copying the text verbatim from the druid spellcasting description. I rectified it.

JNAProductions
2017-03-27, 03:59 PM
Okay, full caster. Standard so far.

D6 hit die, same as Wizard.

Saves, skills, all that good.

How do you know spells? Do you know your whole list? Do you know 4 base +2 per level? Do you know X amount?

Charm Person... At-Will... At level 2.

Discord is also too powerful.

Agony is REALLY DAMN POWERFUL. It needs a saving throw each round.

Beast Shape is not a feature, it's called Wild Shape.

Delicious Fright is also really damn powerful.

Ice Tomb is at-will Hold Monster. That's, what, a 5th level spell? AND it does damage, which Hold Monster doesn't? Hell no.

Retribution might be too powerful.

Witch's Bounty is unlimited out of combat healing. I don't need to explain why that's borked.

Death Curse is too powerful. It'll quickly cripple even high Con foes. For reference, if you have +11 to Con saves and DC 19, it'll take, on average... Under two minutes to kill someone.

Overall, this feels too much on the high end of power.

BobMacBobson
2017-03-27, 08:57 PM
Overall, this feels too much on the high end of power.

Yeah, that's what I was worried about. Pathfinder and 5e have very different power levels, in trying to stay close to the original it gets pretty inbalanced.

I'll scale down the hexes, thanks for the input!

Brandles
2017-03-28, 07:30 AM
god i love anything even remotely witchy. witches have always been a favorite of mine, so this is really nice.

Desteplo
2017-03-28, 12:08 PM
A favored soul with Druid instead of cleric works out too. Lvl 18 could use a rework but other than that.