Cool, a W. What's that supposed to stand for? Witch's brew?

[Joe the Rat]

Unless you have the matching pestle, in which case it becomes your mobility.

Ah Baba Yaga, will we ever run out of bizarre ideas from you?

[LibraryLass]

Unless you have the matching pestle, in which case it becomes your mobility.

Ah Baba Yaga, will we ever run out of bizarre ideas from you?

...Okay, point.

[Joe the Rat]

I'd say make it a useful tool, but not an essential one - there would be advantages for having one, but its a matter of weighing the cost/benefit of hauling one by cart and dragging through dungeons... or until you get a sufficiently large bag of holding or one of them poultry-footed tessaract-huts.

[LibraryLass]

Okay, throwing out my idea for a cauldron use that might be available from first level. It needs a little polishing, that's why I'm bringing it before you.

A witch with access to her cauldron can create a brew equivalent in effect to a Cure Light Wounds. If she so wishes, she has a 2-in-6 chance of instead creating a brew equivalent in effect to a Cure Disease spell, or a 1-in-6 chance of creating a brew equivalent in effect to a Neutralize Poison spell, or acts as a deadly poison. Each takes one hour to brew. A character can only benefit from the effects of each type of witch's brew once per day per witch. At fourth level, a witch's skill with her cauldron increases so that she always successfully creates a Cure Disease brew if she so chooses, and has a 2-in-6 chance of creating either a poisoned brew or a Neutralize Poison brew. At 7th level she can always successfully create any of the four types of brew.

[SmootRK]

Perhaps the Witch's brew "recipes" can take on a method similar to how I did Bard Songs. The witch gets a few "ranks/proficiencies" at 1st level, then acquires more over time. In fact, each such ability/song can be re-skinned as a brew/potion/talisman, along with others such as Neutralize, Cure X, etc. Additional ranks give increased potency/duration. Just a thought. If I get around to actually writing again sometime, I may try to give this a whorl that way (putting my own spin on it for me to use in my own games - but this is not forthcoming any time soon - just too much life distraction lately).

Otherwise, I still like the class. A witch that really captures the imagery of 'classic witches' or even contemporary witch (such as Joseph Delancy's Spook Stuff) is sorely needed for gaming. Basic MU is usable, I guess, but I think it falls short of really getting the vibe right. When I was writing the Necromancer, that was the issue as well... just saying a MU was usable did not get me to the correct vibe... it needed its own flair (achieved primarily through the spell lists). I think it could still use a few more thematic considerations, especially if it is used primarily for NPCs and not for players... beefing it up a bit. Anyway, your witch gets a lot closer to that correct vibe for me.

[chiisu81]

Edit: Two versions are now up, I'd like peoples' opinions on whether to go with the more strongly magic-user-y third draft, which has traded out brews and lucky charms for the magic user's spell progression (and XP requirements) and a larger selection of spells, or the second draft. (3/6/2013)

I'm gonna cast my vote for the 2nd draft, as I think it's an essential aspect when I personally think of "witch". Also, I just can't read "lucky charm" without thinking of cereals and leprechauns, I'd just name them charms.

[LibraryLass]

Perhaps the Witch's brew "recipes" can take on a method similar to how I did Bard Songs. The witch gets a few "ranks/proficiencies" at 1st level, then acquires more over time. In fact, each such ability/song can be re-skinned as a brew/potion/talisman, along with others such as Neutralize, Cure X, etc. Additional ranks give increased potency/duration. Just a thought. If I get around to actually writing again sometime, I may try to give this a whorl that way (putting my own spin on it for me to use in my own games - but this is not forthcoming any time soon - just too much life distraction lately).

That's... the mechanic in the Quasi-classes supplement, right?
Maybe. I remembered that system being a little fiddly but it's actually fairly simple. I might play with it a little, by your leave, and if anyone else thinks having more options is in order.

Otherwise, I still like the class. A witch that really captures the imagery of 'classic witches' or even contemporary witch (such as Joseph Delancy's Spook Stuff) is sorely needed for gaming. Basic MU is usable, I guess, but I think it falls short of really getting the vibe right. When I was writing the Necromancer, that was the issue as well... just saying a MU was usable did not get me to the correct vibe... it needed its own flair (achieved primarily through the spell lists). I think it could still use a few more thematic considerations, especially if it is used primarily for NPCs and not for players... beefing it up a bit. Anyway, your witch gets a lot closer to that correct vibe for me.

Have you seen the one from the ACKS Companion, or the B/X one Tim Brannan sells? They're both pretty solid (though I've gone in a slightly different direction from them).

[SmootRK]

By all means, if you can ways to incorporate stuff I made into your own creations, I am absolutely cool with that (even honored). When I share stuff, whether as forum posts or supplements, it is meant for all to feel free to use, incorporate, modify, or whatever. The whole open-source mentality.

Showcase has my Bard Document... the Bard Song mechanic is the same through the different versions of bard listed. Bear in mind the bard supplement is due for a rehash too (another in my long list of stuff to work on), but I do not plan any real changes to that Song Mechanic... it seems to be working well. If anything is needed there, is just looking at when the ranks are given and the max ranks (per song) at any given level. Still not sure if those pan out right across all levels yet.

When it comes to other's stuff. I like what I can get/see free... but if it is a "pay for" product, I generally won't get to look. I am a cheap bastard in that sense. Another one of those reasons I prefer the OpenSource/Freely Shared mentality of this project (and others like it (in varying degrees of free)).

[LibraryLass]

Agreed. Rachel don't pay for RPGs. But she does accept presents and favors.