Editor's Note: This seems to be a well thought out class-variant.  At the 
very least, it makes an excellent NPC or hireling/acquaintance.  For those 
DM's bold enough to try it, it provides a very viable character for ladies; be 
they sisters, girlfriends, lady gamer or others.  D&D was one of the first 
games to appeal to females, and I for one, find it a better Game, because of 
that fact.

Back in Dragon Vol. I #5, there was an article on witchcraft by
players. Witches were grouped into three classes of power for evil witches;
Low, High, and Secret, and into two classes for good; White and
Priestess. These were well thought out, and could provide a challenge to
those players encountering them. Witches are fascinating enough that
they would make a dandy player-class. Here it is.

Just as Magic-Users manipulate the other-worldly forces, whereas
Clerics worship those forces as gods, obtaining “divine aid,” so do
Witches make sure of the forces of nature worshipped by Druids. Witches
may be considered to bear the same relationship to Druids as a Magic-
User towards a Cleric of his own alignment. The Witch uses her
harmony with nature to increase her knowledge and power.

Witches are Neutral, dedicated neither to good nor evil as humans
know the terms; however, an individual Witch may be good or evil.
Witches do not have a pact with Satan, or follow dark gods, that’s bad
press they’ve been receiving since the Middle Ages. It is true that a
powerful Witch can call upon some supernatural entities, even as do
Wizards, Patriarchs, and Druids.]

Historically, practitioners of witchery were (and are) both male and
female. I limit the class to women, to balance the fact that women are less
proficient in Fighter-type professions, but that is a matter of discretion
for each DM. Witches need at least 13 in both Intelligence and Wisdom.
The idea that Witches are ugly is more bad press; working in harmony
with nature and exerting influence over people requires a Charisma of at
least 9.

At first glance, the Witch specifications will seem to be one more
overly-powerful profession to unbalance the game. However, the
inherent abilities of Witches and the power of some of their spells is
compensated for by the large amount of experience points needed to rise
in level and the need to be comparatively high level in order to learn a
given level of spell. Witches receive hit dice/level as Magic-Users, have
the same restrictions on weaponry and armour, and obtain the benefits
and disadvantages of Magic-Users (E.g. saving throws, reading certain
tomes) unless otherwise stated. Believing that game variants of D & D
should mesh as closely as possible with the rules as published, I have given
them many spells found in other classes because DM’s will be familiar
with those spells. Those spells not hitherto known, or treated differently,
are starred. Further, I have omitted the duration of the spells, since I
drastically limit effective time of spells as a matter of balance in the
relatively short games I usually DM. Those wishing to employ the Witch
can work out reasonable durations of spells by comparing them to similar
known spells.
-

Level	XP (K)	Dice for HP	Title	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Inherent Ability
1	0	-	Medium	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Brew poisons, narcotics, hallucinogens
2	3	-	Soothsayer	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	Make a Bag of Holding
3	6	-	Sibyl	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	Brew Love Potions
4	12	-	Mystic	2	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	Dance of Seduction
5	25	-	Oracle	3	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	+1 to CHA <COM?>
6	55	-	Siren	3	3	1	-	-	-	-	-	Brew Truth Drug
7	80	-	Enchantress	3	3	2	-	-	-	-	-	Read Magic, Druid, Illussion Scrolls
8	120	-	Sorceress	3	3	3	-	-	-	-	-	Candle Magic
9	200	-	Witch	4	4	3	1	-	-	-	-	Familiar
10	300	-	Amethyst Witch	4	4	4	2	-	-	-	-	Disguise
11	400	-	Topaz Witch	4	4	4	4	-	-	-	-	Manufacture Control Potions
12	525	-	Sapphire Witch	4	4	4	4	1	-	-	-	Manufacture other Potions
13	650	-	Ruby Witch	5	5	4	4	2	-	-	-	Manufacture Acids
14	800	-	Emerald Witch	5	5	5	4	3	1	-	-	Voice
15	900	-	Diamond Witch	5	5	5	5	4	2	-	-	+1 to CHA <COM?>
16	1000 (1 million)	-	Crystal Witch	6	5	5	5	5	2	1	-	Transfer HP
17	1250	-	Eternal Witch	6	6	6	5	5	3	2	-	Enchant Items
18	1500	-	Demonette	6	6	6	6	6	5	3	1	-

1st Level Spells

1	Faerie Fire
2	Give Wounds*
3	Cure Wounds
4	Control Vapor*
5	Detect Evil
6	Detect Poison*
7	Detect Disease*
8	Detect Illusion*
9	Detect Magic
10	Reflected Image*

2nd Level Spells

1	Read Languages
2	Speak in Tongues*
3	Locate Object
4	Bless
5	Pacify*
6	Detect Invisible
7	Detect Trap
8	ESP*
9	Purify Wine and Water

3rd Level Spells

1	Dissipate Vapor*
2	Clairvoyance*
3	Phantom Light*
4	Charm*
5	Phantasmal Forces
6	Wind*
7	Cure Disease*
8	Create Lycanthrope*

4th Level Spells

1	Neutralize Poison
2	Remove Curse
3	Infravision
4	Sleep*
5	Polymorph Self
6	Hallucinatory Terrain
7	Cure Serious Wound*
8	Give Serious Wound*
9	Effigy Control*
10	Shock*
11	Control Fluid*

5th Level Spells

1	Produce Flame
2	Anti-Magic Shell
3	Protection v. Evil
4	Summon Elemental
5	Charm Animal*
6	Grow Plant
7	Oracle*
8	Weakness*
9	Create Undead*
10	Immunity*

6th Level Spells

1	Animate Dead
2	Worship*
3	Control Plant
4	Hypnosis
5	Destroy Life Level*
6	Control Weather
7	Wards of Defense*
8	Evaporate Fluids*
9	Vision

7th Level

1	Firestorm
2	Earthquake
3	Polymorph Others
4	Control Dreams*
5	Poison*
6	Control Lycanthrope*
7	Control Undead*
8	Love*
9	Demonic Possession*
10	Astral Projection

8th Level

1	Curse*
2	Wither*
3	Youth*
4	Dispel Enchantment*
5	Circle of Disintegration*
6	Temporary Resurrection*
7	Summon Devil*
8	Reincarnation
9	Death*

EXPLANATION OF SPELLS
Give Wounds/Cure Wounds: The Witch must touch the other person. l-6 pt.

Control Vapor: Range of 10’/ level of Witch. Gases are moved 60’/ turn. A 
gas with Intelligence, such as an Air Elemental Saves vs. Magic.

Detect Poison/Disease: The Witch must touch the poison or diseased 
creature.

Detect Illusion: The range is whatever distance can be seen.

Reflected Image: The Witch may form a picture on any reflecting surface.

Speak in Tongues: This must be an actual language of an intelligent
entity.

Pacify: At a range of 60’ the Witch can make a hostile foe feel friendly,
although he will in no way be charmed or subject to her will.

ESP: The Witch must be touching the one whose mind she wants to read.

Dissipate Vapor: This disperses any gas. Those will Intelligence, such as
an Air Elemental, Save vs. Magic.

Clairvoyance: This automatically includes Clairaudience.

Phantom Light: A mobile Faerie Fire, following or leading up to 120’

Wind: A Stiff breeze. Missiles fired against it are at -3.

Cure Disease: The Witch must touch the victim.

Create Lycanthrope: The victim must have lost at least half his hit points.
This is not a permanent spell. The victim is not under control of the Witch
but will not attack her.

Sleep: The Witch must touch the victim, any level, Save vs. Magic.

Give/Cure Serious Wounds: Gives/ cures 1- 12 pts.

Effigy Control: Must have some part of the victim, works within eyesight
range. Save vs. Magic for victim. (Severe discretion necessary by DM)

Shock: A blast, similar to a Fireball, emanating from the Witch (her
friends had better be well away), doing 4 dice of damage.

Control Fluids: Range 2’/ level of Witch. As for Control Vapors, only the
liquid moves 30’/ turn.

Charm Animal: The Witch must touch the animal.

Oracle: As a Clerical Commune, but only 1 /week and always in obscure
words.

Weakness: Must touch the victim, halving his Strength. Not permanent.

Immunity: Must touch the beneficiary. For the duration of the spell he is
immune to diseases, poisons, and regenerates as a Vampire.

Create Undead: As the Create Lycanthrope Spell, but the victim must be
dead. For the duration of spell he will be 1 hit dice of Undead for each 4
levels of experience of the Witch.

Worship: At a range of 120’ the Witch can put a single victim into a
trance.

No Saving Throw. <?>

Destroy Life Level: The Witch must touch the victim.

Wards of Defense: A 20’ radius “forcefield” preventing magic or physical
attack. It is not moveable itself.

Evaporate Fluids: As for Dissipate Vapor.

Vision: The Witch can make any clear or reflecting object into a crystal
ball for one looking.

Control Dreams: The Witch must see the victim, including by crystal ball.

Poison: The Witch must touch the victim, who must Save vs. Poison or die.

Control Lycanthrope: Range of 120’ — No Save.

Control Undead: Range of 120’ Save. vs. Magic.

Love: This acts as a permanent Love Potion if the victim touched fails to
Save.

Demonic Possession: Anyone touched (Up to 3 dice of human-sized
figures) fights as a Berserker for the duration of the spell.

Curse: This has a range of 60’. Curses are permanent unless Removed.

Wither: Anyone or thing touched ages 100 years. Intelligent entities get a
Save vs. Magic.

Youth: Anyone or thing touched becomes 10 years younger.

Dispel Enchantment: Anyone touched has any magic spell he is under
dispelled. Any magical item touched loses its power.

Circle of Disintegration: A blast which disintegrates anyone/ thing within
a 20’ radius of the Witch. Intelligent entities Save vs. Magic.

Temporary Resurrection: A dead character can be immediately brought
back to life, with full potential; however, the effect is temporary only.

Conjure Devil: Similar to a Conjure Elemental Spell, with the same
chance of suffering attack if the Witch loses concentration. A Prot. ca,
Evil Spell or appropriate candle must be burned before Conjuring. Arch-
Devils cannot be conjured with this Spell. Furthermore, any intelligent
devil who performs for the Witch may claim a service from her at any
future time (Good opportunity to send players on quests)

Death: Similar to the Wizard’s Death Spell. It has a range of 240’,
automatically slaying 2-16 victims of less than 8 hit dice of any single
victim of 8 or greater hit dice. In the latter case, the victim may Save vs.
Magic.

EXPLANATION OF INHERENT ABILITIES

Brew poisons, narcotics, hallucinogens: These cannot be used to coat
weapons, the victim must imbibe them — perhaps mixed into his win. For
each experience level, a Witch can brew a 1 die draught/day. Poisons do
actual damage, a Save vs. Poison giving only half damage. Narcotics are
sleep drugs. If the drug ratioed over victim’s hit points is 1 or more, it acts
as the Sleep Spell. If less than 1, it is the percentage effect on Dexterity
and Movement. Save vs. Poison halves the duration and percentage
effect. Hallucinogens cause Confusion, as the Confusion Spell. The
percentage chance of Confusion each turn is the ratio of the drug over the
victim’s hit points. Save vs. Poison halves time of effect and percentage
each turn.

Bag of Holding: The Witch puts her essence into this, so there may be
only one Bag of Holding per Witch in existence at any one time. It can be
used by no other person and if lost or destroyed it takes a month to make
another. Note that this is one of the few Miscellaneous Magic Items a
Witch can ever make until she reaches 17th Level.

Love Potion: For each experience level, the Witch can brew a 1 die
draught/week. The victim is not actually Charmed, the potion acting
similar to a Rod of Beguiling. If the ratio of points of brew to hit points of
the victim is 1 or greater, the effect lasts one week with a 155 chance/day
cumulative thereafter of wearing off. Lesser percentage is the chance each
day it will wear off, never lasting more than a week in any event. Save vs.
Poison negates the potion entirely.

Dance of Seduction: By graceful, suggestive movements of her body, the
Witch can hold a victim entranced. The Dance takes a full turn to
perform, but the victim may not be aware it is taking place as the
movements are subtle and pleasant to observe. All humanoids, excepting
Undead, are vulnerable. The Witch has a 10% chance per experience level
of performing the Dance successfully, subtracting 10% for each level of
victim over 4th. Victims will stay entranced as long as the Witch is
present, barring outright attack.

Brew Truth Drug: For each level of experience the Witch can make a 1 die
draught/ week. The ratio of drug to a victim’s hit points is the percent that
a question asked will be truthfully answered. The victim is in a stupor, as
if under a narcotic, and will remain silent rather than tell a lie. The potion
compells a number of answers equal to the level of the Witch, thereafter
acting as a narcotic. Save vs. Poison halves percentage, duration, and
number of answers.

Read Scrolls: Druid scrolls may be read with no chance of failure. Magic
or Illusion scrolls have a 10% chance of backfire. Clerical scrolls cannot
be utilized, although the Witch can read them.

Candle Magic: A Witch may manufacture 1 candle per month, at the rate
of 3 days/ turn of burning duration. Each color is gained with subsequent
levels, i.e., 8th = red, 9 = Blue, etc. Candles will burn for up to 10 turns,
their magic taking effect as soon as the candle is snuffed or burnt up.
Candles have the following powers:

    Red: Burnt in presence of victim, it affects him for 1 day per turn of candle
        burnt as a fully successful Love Potion. No Save.

    Blue: One turn of Protection v. Evil for each turn of burning.

    Yellow: One turn of Telepathy for each turn of burning.

    Purple: One question may be asked of dead being for each turn of
        burning.

    Gold: Cures 1-6 pts. of damage for each turn of burning in presence of
        victim.

    Black: One curse placed upon victim for each full candle burnt in his
        presence. Some curses are: Weakness (Str. = 3); Insanity (Int. & Wis.=3);
        Clumsiness (Dex.=3); Poverty (All treasure turns to clay), Loneliness
        (Char.=-3) Exhaustion (Con=3)

Familiar: The Witch may designate a Familiar — which can be any
animal of less than 1 hit die, such as a cat or bat — to act as a Magic-User’s
Homonculous. It has unlimited range, the Witch sees and hears what it
hears, and she takes 3-24 points of damage if it is killed. It takes a month
to retrain a new one if it is killed.

Disguise: As an Assassin.

Manufacture Acid: For each experience level, the Witch can manufacture
1 die of acid per month. Types of acids — what they can and cannot
dissolve are left to the DM. One suggestion is to have the acids be essence
of Gray Ooze, Green Slime, etc.
    
Voice: The Witch may shout out a command, no longer than 7 words
(and no counting beforehand). Those failing to save vs. Magic will obey
for the next meleee round. A command to kill themselves will cause,
victims to strike themselves with their weapons, at the usual hit
probabilityir armour class, doing half damage. The Voice cannot be used
more often than once in 3 turns on the same listeners.

Transfer Hit Points: A Witch may permanently transfer her own hit
points to anyone else. If done within 1 turn of death, it will revive the
victim giving them that many hit points. A curse can be lifted for the
permanent transfer of 5 hit points with no rise in the hit points of the one
saved. Prime attributes of another may be raised at a cost of 5 hig points
up to 12, 7 hit points to raise it from 12 to 13, 8 to raise from 13 to 14, 10 to
raise from 14 to 15 and 15 to 16, 20 to raise from 16 to 17, 25 from 17 to 18.
As can be imagined, players will be wary about giving this favor to others,
and NPCs wil almost never do so. Transfer of hit points by a Witch does
not lower her level, she just stays at that level with less hit points.

Enchant Item: A Witch may permanently transfer hit points into an
object for the purpose of enchanting it, at a cost of 1 hit point per 1000
gold pieces it would have cost. This is the only way they can manufacture
magic items other than Potions.
 

1. SUBCLASS = n/a
2. SOCIAL CLASS MINIMUM =
3. ABILITY SCORE MINIMUMS
    STRENGTH =
    INTELLIGENCE =
    WISDOM =
    DEXTERITY =
    CONSTITUTION =
    CHARISMA =
    COMELINESS =
4. POSSIBLE RACES & MAX. LEVEL ATTAINABLE =
5. MULTI-CLASS POSSIBILITIES =
6. HIT DIE TYPE =
7. MAXIMUM NUMBER OF HIT DICE =
8. SPELL ABILITY =
9. ARMOR PERMITTED =
10. SHIELD PERMITTED =
11. WEAPONS PERMITTED =
12. OIL PERMITTED =
13. POISON PERMITTED =
14. ALIGNMENT =
15. STARTING MONEY =
16. WEAPON PROFICIENCIES =
17. NON-PROFICIENCY PENALTY =
18. NON-WEAPON PROFICIENCIES =
19. STARTING AGE =
20. COMBAT =
21. SAVING THROWS =
22. MAGIC ITEMS =