Additional Wizard College: The College of Witchcraft

Witches are a slippery lot. One person’s witch is another person’s priestess or a third person’s mage. In my game, witches are divine spellcasters, but sometimes a divine spellcaster just won’t do. Maybe a player really wants an arcane witch, or maybe a converted adventure includes both divine and arcane “witches”.

The following is an additional college for my (arcane) wizard class, inspired by an old-school Secret Order of a Great School of Magic.

College	Weapons	Special Abilities	Proficiency List
Witchcraft	dagger, dart, staff, whip	1st level: The character may select one proficiency from the Witch Proficiency List, 2nd level: change shape as a warlock, 4th level: hex as a warlock, 5th level: The character may brew potions, as if she were a mage of 5th level, 9th level: The character may scribe scrolls, as if she were a mage of 5th level, 10th level: summon fantastic creature, once per day; each use takes 1 turn, 14th level: magic jar, once per month; each use takes 1 round	Apostasy, Beast Friendship, Contemplation, Loremastery

Note that the brew potions and the scribe scrolls abilities specified above override the abilities of the same name a wizard normally receives, changing the level at which those abilities are received. When a character of the College of Witchcraft selects the Apostasy proficiency, I strongly encourage the Judge to limit the subsequent spell selections to the Witch Divine Spell List, excluding the Witch Traditions Divine Spell List.

The Tempestarii Witch Tradition

The following is a new Tradition for the Player's Companion Witch class.

Tempestarii, or weather-makers, are a tradition of witches originating from rural farming communities. Many lawful and neutral tempestarii assist their local communities by helping to mitigate the effects of extreme weather. In so doing, they become highly respected, integral members of their community. However, some tempestarii use their powers for selfish or even wantonly destructive ends. These tempestarii are feared and hated by the common folk.

Bonus Spells: 1st – Detect Water, 2nd – Obscuring Cloud, 3rd – Call Lightning, 5th – Control Winds

1st level:  Knowledge of the weather is the first defense against extreme weather. Tempestarii may predict weather once per hour. Each use takes 1 round.

3rd level:  A tempestarii may call upon the weather to protect her. She may produce an obscuring cloud once per 8 hours. Each use takes 1 round.

5th level:  The weather may also destroy. Tempestarii may call lightning once per 8 hours. Each use takes 1 turn.

7th level:  An experienced tempestarii may exert greater influence on the weather. She may summon weather once per day. Each use takes 1 turn.


New Spells

Detect Water
Arcane 2, Divine 1 (Tempestarii Witch)
Range: 240’
Duration: concentration
This spell reveals all significant sources of potable water within range. To maintain concentration, the caster must move at no more than half speed, may not engage in combat and may not cast any other spells. Frequently, the caster of this spell uses the information provided by the spell to determine the best location to dig a new water well. Some casters go so far as to make a living as water dousers using this spell alone.


New Ritual Spells

Control Weather
Divine Ritual 7
Range: 500 square miles (1 24-mile hex)
Duration: 4d12 hours
The caster can change the weather in the local domain. The caster calls forth weather appropriate to the climate and season of the area. The caster controls the general tendencies of the weather, such as the direction and intensity of the wind, but cannot control specific applications of the weather – where lightning strikes, for example, or the exact path of a tornado. Contradictory weather conditions are not possible simultaneously. Control weather can do away with atmospheric phenomena (naturally occurring or otherwise) as well as create them.

Season	Possible Weather
Spring	Tornado, thunderstorm, sleet storm, or hot weather
Summer	Torrential rain, heat wave, or hailstorm
Autumn	Hot or cold weather, fog, or sleet
Winter	Frigid cold, blizzard, or thaw
Late winter	Hurricane-force winds or early spring

A winter witch casting this ritual spell to create wintery weather doubles the duration. A tempestarii witch casting this ritual spell always doubles the duration.