The following is Open Game Content from a 3PP Source
HEDGE WITCH
While the realms of the divine, the arcane, and the earth itself are all quite different from one another, there is a small area where all three overlap. Those individuals who find themselves at home in that intersection of worlds can do wondrous things — they can cast spells normally accessible to only clerics or wizards; they can commune with the creatures and flora of the lands; they can see into the past and ahead into the future. These multi-talented — and often misunderstood — people are witches. Their magical power is divine in nature, but it has many aspects in common with arcane magic.
Witches can take their magical gifts and focus them to follow various paths, or traditions. Many witches feel most in tune with their own power when they are skyclad (nude), and perform as many as their tasks and rites as possible in this state (though it is not by any means required for their magic to work).
Many people wrongly assume there are only two types of witches: those who practice evil, or black magic, and the rare few who practice good, or white magic. In truth, while witches can be of any alignment, far more are good than are evil, and there are four distinct traditions that a witch can follow. Most witches are women, but more than a few males take the witch’s path. Male witches are called witches, not warlocks as some people mistakenly believe. Warlock is the term for a witch, male or female, who has broken the sacred oaths of the coven and has been outcast.
Role: While witches are not highly skilled in physical combat or offensive spells, the magic and abilities they do possess serve them well. The role of the witch varies depending upon which tradition she has chosen, so she may play many roles in a party, from healer to scout to defender. Regardless of their tradition, all witches are strongly connected to nature and the magical weave. Where clerics and other divine spellcasters nearly always have a single patron deity, witches always have two, a god and a goddess. A witch’s god and goddess
must have some commonalities in their dogmas. Otherwise, work with your GM and the deity list for your campaign to select an appropriate god and goddess for your witch to follow.
Alignment: A witch may be of any alignment, so long as she is within one alignment step of both her deities.
Hit Dice: d6.
Class Skills
Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Table 1-5: Witch
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | Brew Potion, broom, cantrips, cast circle, spells | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | Familiar, grimoire, tradition | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | Circle +5 ft. | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Tradition feat, tradition spell | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | Circle +5 ft., nondetection circle, tradition power | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Tradition spell | 6 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | Circle +5 ft. | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 | Tradition spell | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | Tradition feat, tradition power | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | Protection from spells circle, tradition spell | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | |
| 12th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Tradition spell | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — |
| 13th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | Tradition feat, tradition power | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — |
| 14th | +7/+2 | +4 | +4 | +9 | Tradition spell | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | — | — |
| 15th | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | |
| 16th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Tradition spell | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | — |
| 17th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | Tradition feat, tradition power | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| 18th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | Tradition spell | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| 19th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | Tradition power | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| 20th | +10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | Tradition power, tradition spell | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the witch.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The witch is proficient with the dagger, dart, sickle and quarterstaff. Witches are not proficient with any type of armor or shields. A witch who wears any type of armor or uses a shield is unable to cast spells or perform any of her rites while doing so.
Spells: A witch casts divine spells drawn from the witch spell list. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a witch must have a Wisdom score equal to 10 + the spell’s level. The Difficulty Class for saving throws against the witch’s spells is 10 + the spell’s level + the witch’s Wisdom modifier.
Like sorcerers and clerics, a witch can cast only a certain number of spells per spell level each day. Her base daily spell allotment is shown on Table 1-5. In addition, the witch receives bonus spells per days if she has a high Wisdom score.
Similar to a sorcerer, a witch knows a set number of spells per spell level. The number of spells that she knows is shown on Table 1-6. The number of spells a witch knows is not affected by her Wisdom modifier; this is a set number. As the witch gains new levels, she gains one or more new spells known each level. Knowledge of new spells comes to witch through divine
inspiration from her god and goddess. A witch does not have to prepare her spells in advance, as a cleric or wizard does. She can cast any spell she knows at any time, so long as she has spell slots of that spell level remaining for the day.
Table 1-6: Witch Spells Known
| Level | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | 7 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | 8 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 12th | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 13th | 9 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 14th | 9 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 15th | 9 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | 10 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | 10 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 18th | 10 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 19th | 10 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 20th | 10 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Brew Potion: At 1st level, a witch gains the Brew Potion feat as a bonus feat.
Broom: All witches begin their career with a broom. A witch’s broom is more than just a simple housekeeping tool, though.
- At 1st level, a witch can use her broom to cast housewifery (housewifery is the name witches use for the prestidigitation cantrip). She can do this once per
day per 2 witch levels.
- At 3rd level, a witch can use her broom to protect her dwelling from evil or good (depending on her alignment). The witch must spend 15 minutes sweeping the floor of her home, shop, tent, inn room, etc. At the end of this period up to 3 different entrances (doors, windows, fireplaces, etc) are protected as if by a protection from evil/good spell. The number of entrances a witch can protect increase by 3 every 3 witch levels (6 at 6th level, 9 at 9th level, etc). A witch must spend another 15 minutes sweeping for every 3 entrances she protects. The protection lasts for 1 hour per 3 witch levels.
- At 5th level, a witch can use her broom to fly through the air. Her broom essentially becomes a broom of flying that only works for her (or another witch). The broom cannot be used to fly by anyone but a witch of at least 5th level; anyone else attempting to do so finds the broom does not respond. Even a rogue using the Use Magic Device skill cannot make the broom fly.
- At 10th level, a witch can use her broom to “sweep away” outsiders. By making a melee touch attack against an outsider while chanting or intoning prayers and words of power, the witch can banish (as the spell banishment) an outsider of 10 HD or less. The witch can use this ability once per day.
Cantrips: Though she is a divine spellcaster, a witch refers to her 0-level spells as cantrips and not orisons. The witch learns a number of cantrips as noted on Table 1-6: Spells Known. Her cantrips can be cast like any other spell the witch knows, but they do not use up any spell slots and she can cast as many of them as she needs during a day.
Cast Circle (Sp): At 1st level, a witch can perform the rite to cast a circle. This is the basic rite that all witches learn first, regardless of their tradition. The circle acts as a protection from evil/good spell up to one full hour. The circle’s duration increases by one hour at 3rd level and every two levels after, that to a maximum of 10 hours at 19th level.
The witch uses her athame (a special knife with a blunt edge, used for ceremonial purposes only, never for actual cutting) to draw the circle, praying to her god and goddess as she draws. Casting the circle requires one full minute of time, and the witch can cast her circle a number of times per day equal to 2 + her Wisdom bonus. The witch’s circle is a 5 ft. radius circle at 1st level, increasing to 10 ft. radius at 3rd level, 15 ft. radius at 5th level and 20 ft. radius at 7th level. The circle can never be larger than 20 feet in radius. Once cast, a faint
glow — red if protecting from good, blue if protecting from evil — reveals the boundaries of the circle. The glow is visible to all, without the aid of magic.
- At 5th level, the witch’s circle also acts as a nondetection spell in addition to the protection from evil/ good. At 10th level, the circle also acts as a protection from spells spell. Both effects have duration equal to the duration of the witch’s circle. If the witch is forced out of her circle before the duration is up, the circle is broken and all effects
immediately end. Anyone within the circle with the witch must remain within the circle for its duration or until the witch breaks the circle; leaving the circle breaks it and ends all effects. Likewise, any creature outside the circle that enters it automatically breaks the circle and ends all effects. The witch can break her circle and end its effects voluntarily at any time; the
circle is not required to exist for its full duration. If the witch’s circle is broken by someone other than the witch, the spirits and powers the circle holds at bay can harm the witch. The witch must make a DC 20 Will save or suffer 1 point of temporary Wisdom and Charisma damage.
In addition to these powers, each witch also gains a special power to her circle based on the tradition she chooses to follow at 2nd level. See the Witch Tradition
descriptions for details on each.
Tradition: Beginning at 2nd level, a witch chooses the specific tradition she wishes to follow. Each tradition has different rites, grants some bonus spells, and grants bonus feats. Once a witch chooses her tradition, she cannot change it. A witch can follow only one tradition.
- Grimoire: Upon choosing her tradition, the witch is either presented with a large, leather-bound book known as a grimoire (if she belongs to a coven) or makes her own (if she is a solitary witch). The grimoire contains the fundamental teachings of her tradition, but most of the pages are blank. The witch inscribes her own take on her powers as she gains them, and must spend at least one hour each day writing in or studying her grimoire in order to be able to access her tradition powers the following day. Should the witch lose her grimoire or have it destroyed, she is unable to access her tradition powers until she recovers or replaces it. If she must replace her grimoire, the witch can create a new grimoire, costing 50 gp + 1 gp for each witch level. It takes the witch 2d4 days to create her new grimoire. The witch may also be presented with a replacement for her lost grimoire. If this is the case, the witch must spend 1d3 days reading through it and making notes of her own before she can use it. The witch can only use a replacement grimoire if it comes from a witch of the same tradition.
- Familiar: At 2nd level, a witch can call a familiar. She casts a special circle upon the ground and then calls her familiar. The type of familiar a witch can call depends upon the tradition she chooses to follow. See the tradition descriptions for a list of the familiar types available to a witch. In all other respects, this power is identical to a wizard’s ability to summon a familiar, including special familiar abilities and improvements as described in the Familiars entry of the Wizard class. Some familiar types here were described in The Book of Arcane Magic. Simple stat blocks for those familiar types have been included here.
Eagle, Golden
HD 1d8; Size Small; Speed 10 ft., fly 80 ft. (average); AC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 12; Attack 2 talons +3 (1d4), bite +2 (1d4); Ability Scores Str 10, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6; Special Qualities low-light vision; Feats Alertness, Weapon Finesse; Skills Fly +2, Intimidate +2, Perception +4.
Rabbit
HD ½ d8+1; Size Tiny; Speed 50 ft.; AC 17, touch 16, flat-footed 14; Attack bite -3 (1d2-3); Ability Scores Str 4, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 8; Special Qualities low-light vision, scent; Feats Alertness, Agile Maneuvers; Skills Perception +8, Stealth +4.
Witch Traditions
Witches can choose from four different paths, or traditions. Those who follow the seer, healer, and protector traditions are typically good (or at least neutral) in alignment and are often called white witches, while those who follow the black magic tradition are often evil and vile, and are referred to as black witches.
