This isn’t very revolutionary as a result of I’ve already taken a have a look at the Witch, however I needed to the touch base on the updates as a result of I’m actually on this undertaking. If my ideas aligned with among the revisions, I would even begin to take my capacity to investigate this stuff extra critically once more.
Worlds Past Quantity Witch Playtest model 3.1
Idea Design: Erika Ishii, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Brandes Stoddard, Mazey Veselak
Design: Dan Dillon, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Hannah Rose, Brandes Stoddard, Mazey Veselak
Playtester in Chief: Erika Ishii
Structure: Ruby Lavin
Illustrators: Corey Brickley, Tucker
Donovan, Jack Jones, Lorena Lammer, Taylor Moore
Web page Rely, Structure, and Format
- Pages: 20
- Structure: Two-Column
- Format: Full Coloration, Accompanying Artwork
- Content material Breakdown: Introduction and Witch Class—6 pages, Witch Spell Lists—3 pages, Covens (Subclasses)—4 pages, New Spells—6 pages
Disclaimer
Assessment Copy: No
Performed: No
Run: No
Performed Related Content material: Sure
Run Related Content material: Sure
Diving In
Quite a lot of what I’m going to be doing is trying on the changelog and discussing my earlier have a look at this class. After I contact on these, I’ll pull some ideas collectively.
Class Foundations
The witch will get upgraded from a d6 casting class to a d8 casting class. The category does really feel prefer it’s residing in an analogous house to lessons just like the druid. Most of their spells aren’t main areas of impact since their magic is extra private, so with out wider “controller” talents, it’s most likely a good suggestion for them to have the ability to take in a bit of extra injury. To associate with this, additionally they get to put on gentle armor, ought to the temper strike them.
The idea of curse spells stays however means one thing totally different, and a separate record of them is offered later within the doc.
Tier 1 Talents
There’s a fallback means of making a token for those who fail your Knowledge examine whenever you make one by spending a spell slot. Kudos for standardizing the category to undertake 2024 conventions with out adopting the concept it simply pops into existence whenever you “craft” one thing.
Final time round, I discussed that Erika instantly took an animal for a well-recognized that wasn’t on the acquainted record, so it’s type of amusing to me that the doc now features a fox, and some different animals that weren’t there earlier than, and offers examples of present animals to swap in for those who don’t have stats. The witch additionally has badgers, goats, and scorpions on the potential acquainted record. So, for those who really need, this could now be a VVitch class.
In case you comply with The Wizard, the Witch, and the Wild One precise play, I believe you’ve seen among the in-play developments that added the next acquainted talents—they’ve extra hit factors, however not a lot that they’re fight prepared, they’ll discuss now, to allow them to talk with extra than simply the witch; the acquainted can’t focus for the witch now, besides when the witch fails a focus examine, after which the acquainted “catches” the focus earlier than it drops. I don’t know that I might have thought of that, however now that I learn it, I type of like the concept by making this extra of a factor that the acquainted steps in and helps with, it makes the acquainted really feel extra like a helper than once they can simply do it. Typically, a barely much less open class characteristic might help the category categorical what it does higher.
Retributive curses don’t work together with the curse spell record any longer. Now, there’s a record of curse results the witch can select from when their capacity to make use of a Retributive Curse is triggered. I used to be a fan of Retributive Curses, not solely as a result of curses are a part of the identification they’re establishing for this class, however as a result of when the witch was squishier, it was a manner for them to doubtlessly survive one thing getting of their face in fight. Seeing the Retributive Curse as a category characteristic as a substitute of spells, I notice I like this significantly better. It makes the curses really feel extra like they “belong” to the witch, somewhat than the witch being able to make use of spells in another way in some conditions.
I discussed within the earlier model that the Tier 1 talents didn’t give a witch participant a lot to play with in additional conventional dungeon crawling or fight conditions till 3rd stage. Standardizing 3rd stage as the extent the place subclases begin bumped Retributive Curses all the way down to 2nd stage, which feels proper now that they made this modification.
Tier 2 Talents
Talismans are moved to fiveth stage, they usually have a “homing beacon” impact, which I like. I additionally like that witches can now shut down a talisman and get well their spell slot as an motion as a substitute of after 10 minutes. It does really feel extra in step with how different lessons operate. I don’t think about you’ll must yank a spell again from somebody who immediately turns into hostile, however I can see getting all the way down to your final assets and needing that little little bit of energy again at a crucial second.
Willful Sanctum is the transforming of the Willful Partitions capacity, which beforehand didn’t come into play till increased stage. As a substitute of leaping straight to the upper stage capabilities, Willful Sanctum lets the witch arrange a sanctum in the event that they spend 8 hours after they’ve taken a protracted relaxation in a location, which feels extra like an “adventuring” characteristic. If you recognize you’ll be adventuring in a location, the witch might help you arrange a “base camp.” The Willful Sanctum capacity now grants sure spells with out the witch needing to arrange these spells, and the spells improve over time. I believe the primary factor that also makes this really feel much less like an “adventuring” characteristic is that it doesn’t acquire the flexibility to grant Non-public Sanctum till it’s no less than 7 days previous. I really feel like it could be extra purposeful if the sequence was extra like this:
- Lengthy Relaxation
- 8 hours to arrange Sanctum
- Return to Sanctum
- Lengthy Relaxation
- Sanctum beneficial properties bonus talents at present reserved for 7 days
Improved Retribution offers the witch extra choices for her Retirbutive Curses, which I like. Since that is changing the flexibility to forged spells, it’s good to see higher-level decisions that may assist hold the curses as related as higher-level spells could be.
Tier 3 Talents
Hallowed Sanctum attaches Phrase of Recall to the Willful Sanctum, which is a superb spell to tie into this. Very pleased with that concept. Just like the earlier model of the witch, most of this tier is about increasing what the witch obtained at decrease ranges, together with higher-level spells for tokens and one other set of curse results for Retributive Curses.
Tier 4 Talents
Shifting Sanctum expands your sanctum to let you use Imprisonment and Demiplane. Like Phrase of Recall, I really like these as spells tied to your capacity to supernaturally make an area put aside to your use. It appears like a giant deal to have entry to those spells, but additionally, we’re speaking about 18th stage now.
Epic Boon is principally standardizing the category to 2024 requirements. There aren’t any new Epic Boons included, however I wasn’t anticipating that. I’m additionally nonetheless processing how a lot it actually grabs me to have one thing like this at 19th stage, however that’s not a difficulty with this class.
True Craft obtained reworded, nevertheless it seems like I already understood it to do what it does now, and I’m unsure I can crawl again into my mind to see why I could not have seen why it wanted to be reworded.
Covens
Many of the modifications with the Coven of the Coronary heart are comparatively minor tweaks. Curse upon the Heartless is a bit more efficient from 10th stage on. Overflowing Coronary heart obtained bumped again to (Knowledge Bonus) quite a lot of instances as a substitute of (Knowledge Bonus + Proficiency Bonus). I don’t know if the flexibility must be lowered, however I can see the place it additionally is sensible to bump one thing barely extra sophisticated than most options. If the witch is doing what I’ve seen most gamers doing, they’ll have the ability to use this 4 instances by tier 2 and 5 instances by tier 3, at least.
Coven of the Claw
The Coven of the Claw obtained extra in depth remodeling. That was the category that I felt was doing a bit of extra work for adventuring witches than the opposite subclasses. Curse of the Claw has distinctive results tied to it that additionally act as a mark. If you wish to image me cursing about how Hunter’s Mark must be a category characteristic of Ranger as a substitute of creating a core idea of the category for a number of editions right into a spell that isn’t even unique to them, you may insert that right here.
As a substitute of having access to medium armor, Coven of the Claw witches now get a characteristic that grants them a Knowledge bonus to their armor class in gentle armor. I believe it’s an fascinating side of the Coven to not make medium armor use the important thing to any Coven. They misplaced their capacity to make use of Knowledge for assault and injury rolls, which was one of many massive issues pushing this one forward of the opposite Covens, and it additionally cuts down on the temptation to have a Monk/Witch for optimization functions. However concern not, the Coven of the Claw does nonetheless get entry to claws that they’ll use their spell assault to assault with, which might be higher as a constrained capacity somewhat than a large open one.
The Fierce Acquainted, which was once a subclass characteristic, is now a spell that any witch (or Druid or Ranger) can use. The Coven of the Claw will get to have the spell at all times ready, they usually can taste it to rework their acquainted right into a battle beast. I believe that’s a enjoyable twist. It’s good that different witches can nonetheless determine to unleash a vicious beastie in the event that they aren’t Coven of the Claw. The upper stage talents aren’t as tied to organising the Coven of the Claw witch to enter a cycle of destruction with the Fierce Acquainted.
Purple Frenzy doesn’t let the witch throw a cantrip into their assault routine, which looks like a good suggestion for one thing flavored as a “frenzy,” and it reframes the Coven of the Claw as “the animal fury witch” and never the “fight witch.” Regular Will obtained reworked and rolled into On the Hunt, which feels prefer it suits a bit of extra thematically with “animal powers and searching” than “too cussed to be frightened or surprised.” It’s now a subset of different choices the Coven of the Claw can choose with this capacity. Nonetheless, as a substitute of that, they may select invisibility powers, an assault used as a response to being attacked, or elevated injury on damage-dealing spells. I like that it has the restrict of not engaged on Undead or Constructs as a result of they aren’t actually one thing one would naturally hunt as an animal.
Coven of the Inexperienced
Coven of the Inexperienced eliminated Thorn Whip from out there cantrips, and I’m a bit of unhappy. I’m wondering if that was to assist differentiate a Coven of the Inexperienced witch from a druid, despite the fact that they nonetheless get Druidcraft as a cantrip. Like the opposite curse results, their Curse of the Greedy Inexperienced is now a novel subclass characteristic. Veil of the Inexperienced takes benefit of the “new” idea of Emanations so as to add an inventory of hindering results to impose on opponents. I just like the Wild Presents characteristic, however this capacity is fascinating to have a look at in gentle of 2024 simply including a spell that pops out potions. I like Lengthy Relaxation > Put together Spells (Harvest Potions) > use earlier than 24 hours passes because the sequence for this.
Like Fierce Acquainted, the Coven of the Inexperienced Witch has its “long-term sleep” capacity transformed to a spell, and I like that because it opens it up for different witches to make use of as nicely. My evaluation final time round was that Coven of the Inexperienced was a bit of gentle on the sensible adventuring talents (okay, dungeon crawling), and this feels prefer it’s retooled options to nonetheless really feel “inexperienced,” however not fairly as passive?
Coven of the Depraved
The outline of this Coven has been reworked. Whereas there’s nonetheless some steerage on utilizing this as a Coven for “fallen” witches, it’s written extra as a Coven {that a} participant may deliberately select to play once they get their subclass. I’m wondering if that might imply Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent didn’t take her subclass but till after . . . that occasion.
Curse of Cruelty will get renamed and flavored to Curse of Spite, which I like for those who’re letting individuals choose this as their anti-hero archetype as a substitute of because the “fallen to evil” Coven. Loathsome Reward has been reworked a bit to make it much less open-ended. Curse-Token can renew on a brief or lengthy relaxation.
Quite a lot of modifications to the Coven is quantifying talents to ensure they’re clearer, however Twisted by Cruelty removes resistance to Poison and Necrotic injury. I’ll say that even if you wish to use this as your “anti-hero” class, by the point you attain this stage, you may have full-on villain coding. Not many heroic individuals stay in a location surrounded by miles of useless vegetation that your aura has triggered. It mentions the bodily modifications that overtake witches of the Coven of the Depraved, which has me questioning if “inconceivable sharp cheekbones” is a type of modifications.
Remaining Ideas
I appreciated the earlier model of the category, however I believe The Coven of the Inexperienced is a greater adventuring choice than it was earlier than. I really feel higher in regards to the Coven of the Claw. I like that lots of the talents aren’t radically modified, however they do really feel extra “D&D” due to how they describe their results, however in a manner that doesn’t really feel environment friendly to the purpose of storytelling sterility.
I actually like the brand new results for the Retributive Curse. I’m a giant fan of those talents being rolled into distinctive witch talents, and I like those they’ve launched. There aren’t any capabilities for Curse Spells within the core class, and just a few issues set off with them within the subclasses. I don’t assume I might be unhappy to see the subcategory of Curse Spells simply go away. If that’s not within the playing cards, I believe the core class must work together with them and the subclasses.
I began placing collectively a witch character for playtest functions on Roll20. Now, I believe I’ll work on organising the category development in Shard so I can supply it to gamers who could need to take it for a spin in video games the place I’m utilizing Shard Tabletop because the venue.
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