Witch (3.5e Prestige Class)

Witch

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A witch studying her magic by wandlight.

[edit] Witch

Female deities tend to confer power to certain chosen ones (often females) in addition to their clerics. While clerics spread the word of the deity, witches take action on it. Goddesses choose individuals who already possess special powers of their own, and encourage them to use them for their cause; this often means entire generations chosen to be witches. Unlike clerics, witches may be of any alignment as long as they follow their deity’s dogma. Witches receive their spells and powers not only from their deity, they also bend the elements and energies of the universe (such as the four elements and the alignments), witches worship two overdeities in addition to their Goddess, these are Gaea (or the cosmic mother), and the Horned God (or the cosmic father), they represent to the witch life and death and its constant cycle; as overdeities, these Gods do not grant spells or other powers to the witch, nor are concerned about other mortal affairs.

Although witches tend to be female, gender is not a real factor, and male witches, while rare, do exist. Contrary to popular belief, warlock is not the masculine form of witch. Witches, whether male or female, are referred to as witches. Warlocks are described in Complete Arcane.

[edit] Requirements:

To become a witch, a character must fulfill the following criteria.

Spells or Powers: Ability to cast arcane spells or manifest psionic powers of at least 1st level.

Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks.

Special: The witch must worship a female deity.

[edit] Class Features:

All of the following are class features of the witch prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A witch gains no new weapon, armor or shield proficiencies.

Spells per Day/Spells Known: At every even witch level gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before she became a witch, she must decide to which class she adds each level of witch for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Book of Shadows: Beginning at first level, a witch can prepare one or more spells as a wizard does; the prepared spells take the appropriate spell slots or power points for they level. She keeps a sort of spellbook called often The Book of Shadows, which contains, in addition to her spells, the rituals and ceremonies a witch must perform to keep her powers, the witch may only prepare spells from her Book of Shadows. The witch writes spells in her Book of Shadows just as a wizard does, although these spells are always copied from The Book of Law, a tome owned by the witch’s coven which contains all arcane and divine spells and other information needed by the witch, instead of researching the spells herself. A witch begins with a Book of Shadows containing all 0-level spells from the sorcerer/wizard list and 3+the witch’s Intelligence modifier 1st level spells, at further levels she gains 2 additional spells of any level she can cast. At first level the witch may only copy arcane spells from this book though. Spells the witch prepares and casts from her Book of Shadows are arcane spells, and use the witch’s Intelligence modifier for their save DC.

Witchcraft: A witch’s effective caster level is equal to her witch level plus any caster level she might already have. However, a witch's caster level can never exceed her Hit Dice. Note that manifester level is not the same as caster level.

Divine Spells: From 2nd level on, a witch may write spells from the cleric and druid list on her Book of Shadows. She can prepare and cast these spells as arcane spells.

Extra Domain: At 3rd and 6th level, a witch chooses one of the domains assossiated with her deity. The witch gains the granted power and spell access of the chosen domain. For an explanation of how nonclerics receive domains spells, refer to the Complete Divine.

Bonus Feats: At 4th and 8th level, a witch gains a bonus feat. This feat must be a Metamagic feat, or a non-psionic Item Creation feat.

Magic Circle: At 5th level, a witch writes in her Book of Shadows, in addition to the normal spells gained, any one magic circle spell. Moreover, she can cast spontaneously any magic circle spell that she has written in her Book of Shadows in place of any prepared spell of equal or higher level.

Hexagram: At 7th level, the witch can cast special versions of the magic circle spells, which affects the fire, water, earth, and air creature subtypes instead of alignments, she may also cast magic circle spells focused against positive or negative energy. This spells work like their aligned counterparts except that if cast outward, creatures within the area gain the effects of a resist energy spell of the appropriate energy type. If focused against negative energy, creatures inside the circle gain the benefits of death ward spell; while if focused against positive energy, the creatures are subject to positive energy protection (see the Manual of the Planes).

Improved Divination: At 9th level, a witch gains a +1 bonus to the DC of all saving throws against divination spells she casts. This bonus stacks with the feats Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus.

Octogram: At 10th level, a witch gains a +4 bonus to caster level and Charisma checks when binding or keeping creatures at bay. Also, any magic circle spell cast outward by the witch confers the effects of holy aura (for magic circle against evil), unholy aura (for magic circle against good), shield of law (for magic circle against chaos), or cloak of chaos (for magic circle against law) to any creature within the circle.

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