 Witch
Source Advanced Player's Guide pg. 65
Some gain power through study, some through devotion, others through blood, but the witch gains power from her communion with the unknown. Generally feared and misunderstood, the witch draws her magic from a pact made with an otherworldly power. Communing with that source, using her familiar as a conduit, the witch gains not only a host of spells, but a number of strange abilities known as hexes. As a witch grows in power, she might learn about the source of her magic, but some remain blissfully unaware. Some are even afraid of that source, fearful of what it might be or where its true purposes lie.
Role: While many witches are recluses, living on the edge of civilization, some live within society, openly or in hiding. The blend of witches’ spells makes them adept at filling a number of different roles, from seer to healer, and their hexes grant them a number of abilities that are useful in a fight. Some witches travel about, seeking greater knowledge and better understanding of the mysterious powers that guide them.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6.
Starting Wealth: 3d6 x 10 gp (average 105 gp).Class SkillsThe Witch's class skills are Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at each Level: 2 + Int modifier.Class Features| | Spells Per Day | | Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | | 1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Cantrips, hex, witch’s familiar | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | 2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Hex | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | 3rd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | — | 4 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | 4th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Hex | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | 5th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | — | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | | 6th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Hex | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | | 7th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | | 8th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Hex | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | | 9th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | | 10th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Hex, major hex | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | | 11th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | | 12th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Hex | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | | 13th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | | 14th | +7/+2 | +4 | +4 | +9 | Hex | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | | 15th | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +9 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | | 16th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Hex | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | | 17th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | | 18th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | Hex, grand hex | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | | 19th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | | 20th | +10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | Hex | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Witches are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor interferes with a witch's gestures, which can cause her spells with somatic components to fail.
Spells: A witch casts arcane spells drawn from the witch spell list. A witch must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time.
To learn or cast a spell, a witch must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a witch's spell is 10 + the spell level + the witch's Intelligence modifier.
A witch can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table 2–10. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Intelligence score (see Table 1–3 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook).
A witch may know any number of spells. She must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour communing with her familiar. While communing, the witch decides which spells to prepare.
Cantrips: Witches can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on Table 2–10 under “Spells per Day.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again. Cantrips prepared using other spell slots, due to metamagic feats for example, are expended normally.
Hex: Witches learn a number of magic tricks, called hexes, that grant them powers or weaken foes. At 1st level, a witch gains one hex of her choice. She gains an additional hex at 2nd level and for every 2 levels attained after 2nd level, as noted on Table 2–10. A witch cannot select an individual hex more than once.
Unless otherwise noted, using a hex is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The save to resist a hex is equal to 10 + 1/2 the witch's level + the witch's Intelligence modifier.
The full list of hexes can be found here.
Witch's Familiar (Ex): At 1st level, a witch forms a close bond with a familiar, a creature that teaches her magic and helps to guide her along her path. Familiars also aid a witch by granting her skill bonuses, additional spells, and help with some types of magic. This functions like the wizard's arcane bond class feature, except as noted in the Witch's Familiar section.
A witch must commune with her familiar each day to prepare her spells. Familiars store all of the spells that a witch knows, and a witch cannot prepare a spell that is not stored by her familiar. A witch's familiar begins play storing all of the 0-level witch spells plus three 1st-level spells of the witch's choice. The witch also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to her Intelligence modifier to store in her familiar. At each new witch level, she adds two new spells of any spell level or levels that she can cast (based on her new witch level) to her familiar. A witch can also add additional spells to her familiar through a special ritual (see sidebar).
Patron Spells: At 1st level, when a witch gains her familiar, she must also select a patron. This patron is a vague and mysterious force, granting the witch power for reasons that she might not entirely understand. While these forces need not be named, they typically hold influence over one of the following forces. At 2nd level, and every two levels thereafter, a witch's patron adds new spells to a witch's list of spells known. These spells are also automatically added to the list of spells stored by the familiar. The spells gained depend upon the patron chosen. Each patron is listed by its theme. Its actual name is up to the GM and the witch to decide.
The full list of patrons can be found here.
Major Hex: Starting at 10th level, and every two levels thereafter, a witch can choose one of the following major hexes whenever she could select a new hex.
The full list of hexes can be found here.
Grand Hex: Starting at 18th level, and every two levels thereafter, a witch can choose one of the following grand hexes whenever she could select a new hex.
The full list of hexes can be found here.Adding Spells to a Witch’s FamiliarWitches can add new spells to their familiars through several methods. A witch can only add spells to her familiar if those spells belong to the witch’s spell list.
Spells Gained at a New Level: A witch’s familiar learns a certain amount of lore and magic as the witch adventures. Whenever a witch gains a level, she may add two spells from the witch spell list to her familiar. The two free spells must be of spell levels she can cast.
Familiar Teaching Familiar: A witch’s familiar can learn spells from another witch’s familiar. To accomplish this, the familiars must spend one hour per level of the spell being taught in communion with one another. At the end of this time, the witch whose familiar is learning a spell must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell level). If the check succeeds, the familiar has learned the spell and the witch may utilize it the next time she prepares spells. If the check fails, the familiar has failed to learn the spell and cannot try to learn that spell again until the witch has gained another rank in Spellcraft. Most witches require a spell of equal or greater level in return for this service. If a familiar belongs to a witch that has died, it only retains its knowledge of spells for 24 hours, during which time it is possible to coerce or bribe the familiar into teaching its spells to another, subject to GM discretion.
Learn from a Scroll: A witch can use a scroll to teach her familiar a new spell. This process takes 1 hour per level of the spell to be learned, during which time the scroll is burned and its ashes used to create a special brew or powder that is consumed by the familiar. This process destroys the scroll. At the end of this time, the witch must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell level). If the check fails, the process went awry in some way and the spell is not learned, although the scroll is still consumed.Alternate CapstonesSource Chronicle of Legends pg. 28
When a character reaches the 20th level of a class, she gains a powerful class feature or ability, sometimes referred to as a capstone. The following section provides new capstones for characters to select at 20th level. A character can select one of the following capstones in place of the capstone provided by her class. Some capstones are for specific classes, while others are for a range of classes that qualify for them. In some cases, a capstone specifies what ability it replaces. A character can’t select a new capstone if she has previously traded away her class capstone via an archetype. Clerics and wizards can receive a capstone at 20th level, despite not having one to begin with.
Arch-Familiar (Su)Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 30
At 20th level, the character’s familiar is smarter and savvier than plenty of adventurers—and also more dangerous! The familiar’s Intelligence increases by 5, and it gains 12 spells levels’ worth of spell-like abilities (for example, three daily castings of greater invisibility), drawn from spells its master can cast and using its master’s caster levels, DCs, and so forth. This capstone is available to any class with a familiar.
Perfect Body, Flawless Mind (Ex)Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
At 20th level, the character’s endless training and study has resulted in an unmatched mastery of the self. The character increases her ability scores by a collective total of 8. For example, she can increase one score by 8, or one score by 5 and another by 3, or four scores by 2, and so on. Characters of any class can select this ability.
The Boss (Ex)Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 30
At 20th level, the character has become more than just a lone hero—she has become one of the senior figures of her field, with powers and responsibilities to match. The character becomes one of the leading figures in some manner of group or organization, as appropriate to the campaign and the setting. A wizard might become the dean of an arcane university or mages’ guild, a fighter could command a mercenary army or a city guard, a cleric might lead a major temple or her own sect, and so forth. The player and the GM should work together to determine the specifics. The character gains the Leadership feat if she does not already have it, and the number of followers that the feat grants is multiplied by 10 (although depending on the campaign and setting, the position may grant other powers as well). If multiple characters in a party select this capstone, the GM may consider pooling them to grant the players a particularly large and powerful organization, such as a small kingdom. Characters of any class can select this ability.
Walking Library (Ex)Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
At 20th level, the character becomes a small, mobile athenaeum of occult scraps and lore. The character adds 100 spell levels’ worth of spells to his spellbook or familiar and gains a +4 insight bonus on all Knowledge skills. Characters of any class that prepares spells from a spellbook or familiar can select this ability.
Witch's DanceSource Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
Rather than gaining a capstone, a witch can select the
following grand hex.
Once per day as a standard action, the witch can proclaim a celebration, leading her friends in a riotous and bloodthirsty dance. All allies within 30 feet gain the ability to fly (as per the flight hex) and a +2 dodge bonus to AC, and when they take a 5-foot step, they can instead move up to 10 feet instead of just 5 feet. The benefits remain for 1 round but can be extended with the cackle hex.
With This Sword (Ex)Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
At 20th level, the character’s blade has become as well-known as the character herself. The character selects one item she has—preferably something iconic and significant, such as a weapon or arcane bond. The item becomes a minor artifact and gains 100,000 gp worth of new powers. The player and the GM should work together to select the new powers, with an eye towards making something memorable yet campaign-appropriate. Characters of any class can select this ability.
Won’t Stay Dead (Ex)Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
At 20th level, the character becomes a paragon of resilience. Once per week, if the character is killed, petrified, or otherwise removed from play, the character manages to survive by some dint of skill or luck and returns at the end of the combat or the scene (GM’s discretion). The player and the GM should work together to ensure that the method of the character’s survival is at least vaguely plausible, if unlikely. Characters of any class can select this ability.
Favored Class Options Aphorite (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 15): The witch gains 1/6 of a new witch hex.
Aquatic Elf (Blood of the Sea pg. 5): When casting a witch spell underwater, add 1/3 to the effective caster level of the spell for the purpose of determining the spell’s duration.
Changeling (Advanced Race Guide pg. 184): Add one spell from the witch spell list to the witch's familiar. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level she can cast. If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar knows these bonus spells.
Duskwalker (Plane-Hopper's Handbook pg. 17): Add 1/4 to the witch’s caster level when casting spells of the necromancy school.
Dwarf (Advanced Race Guide pg. 13): Add +1/4 natural armor bonus to the AC of the witch's familiar.
Elf (Advanced Race Guide pg. 23): Add one spell from the witch spell list to the witch's familiar. This spell must be at least one level lower than the highest-level spell she can cast. If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar knows these bonus spells.
Elf (Horror Adventures pg. 39): Add a +1/2 bonus on Spellcraft checks to identify cursed items and on Sense Motive checks to notice enchantment or possession.
Gathlain (Ultimate Wilderness pg. 10): Add one spell from the druid spell list to the witch’s familiar. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the witch can cast. If the familiar is ever replaced, the new familiar knows these bonus spells.
Ghoran (Ultimate Wilderness pg. 17): Add 1/4 to the witch’s caster level when attempting dispel checks using dispel magic, break enchantment, and similar effects.
Gnome (Advanced Race Guide pg. 34): The witch gains 1/6 of a new witch hex.
Goblin (Advanced Race Guide pg. 116, Goblins of Golarion pg. 31): Add +1 spell from the witch spell list to the witch’s familiar. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level she can cast. If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar knows these bonus spells.
Grippli (Blood of the Beast pg. 8): Add 1/3 to the saving throw DC to resist the poison of the witch’s familiar.
Half-Elf (Advanced Race Guide pg. 43, Advanced Player's Guide pg. 17): Add one spell from the witch spell list to the witch's familiar. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level she can cast. If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar knows these bonus spells.
Halfling (Advanced Race Guide pg. 63): Add +1/4 to the witch’s caster level when determining the effects of the spells granted to her by her patron.
Half-Orc (Advanced Race Guide pg. 53, Advanced Player's Guide pg. 19): Add +1 skill rank to the witch’s familiar. If the half-orc ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar gains these bonus skill ranks.
Human (Advanced Race Guide pg. 73, Advanced Player's Guide pg. 23): Add one spell from the witch spell list to the witch’s familiar. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level she can cast. If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar knows these bonus spells.
Kitsune (Blood of the Beast pg. 12): Gain 1/6 of a new Magical TailARG feat. Any kitsune character can choose this bonus upon gaining a level in her favored class.
Kobold (Advanced Race Guide pg. 134): Add +5 feet to the distance at which her familiar grants the Alertness feat (maximum +20 feet).
Merfolk (Blood of the Sea pg. 13): Add 1 to the witch’s caster level for one of her patron spells (to a maximum of +3 caster level to any one spell).
Orc (Advanced Race Guide pg. 139): Add one spell from the witch spell list to the witch's familiar. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level she can cast. If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar knows these bonus spells.
Ratfolk (Advanced Race Guide pg. 151): Add +5 feet to the range of one hex with a range other than "touch."
Strix (Pathfinder #101: The Kintargo Contract pg. 73): Add one spell from the witch spell list to the witch’s familiar. This spell must be at least 1 level below the highest spell level the witch can cast. If the witch ever replaces this familiar, the new familiar knows these bonus spells.
Sylph (Advanced Race Guide pg. 157): Add a +1/2 bonus on Stealth checks and Perception checks made by the witch’s familiar. If the sylph ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar gains these bonus skill ranks.
Tengu (Advanced Race Guide pg. 167): Add one spell from the witch spell list to the witch’s familiar. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level she can cast. If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar knows these bonus spells.
Tiefling (Advanced Race Guide pg. 170): The witch’s familiar gains resistance 1 against cold, electricity, or fire. Each time the witch selects this reward, increase the familiar’s resistance to one of these energy types by 1 (maximum 5 for any one type). If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar has these resistances.
Vanara (Blood of the Beast pg. 28): Add 1/4 to the witch’s caster level when determining the effects of spells granted to her by her patron (to a maximum of +2).
Wayang (Blood of Shadows pg. 11): Add one spell from the sorcerer/wizard spell list that isn’t on the witch spell list to the list of spells the witch knows. This spell must be at least 1 level below the highest spell level the witch can cast and be of the illusion (shadow) subschool or have the darkness descriptor.
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