Pathfinder: Coven Aspirant

The Book of Beasts: Witch Codex is out of editing and is in layout. So it is time for us to start talking about it. Incase you are unaware, the Witch Codex is the third in the Character Codex Subscription. The first two are the Warpriest Codex and the Magus Codex.

Unlike the previous two classes, the witch class is a 9-level arcane caster, which means it doesn’t have to spread its ability scores nearly as far as those other two classes. But that doesn’t mean this class lacks for options. On the contrary, the witch class has two major sources of options: hexes and spells. Of the two, there is an argument to be made for hexes being more powerful. There is no limit to the number of daily uses, any DC’s use half the witch level instead of spell level, and you get a new one every other level, giving you time to be thoroughly acquired with it before obtaining a new one. The hex featured in the level 1 character is the evil eye. This is a solid low-level hex, reducing an enemy’s attack or AC by 2. That can literally be the difference between winning a battle and a TPK, especially against the big bad. Now this is the level 1 NPC; imagine what the level 20 big boss can do, specifically against the player characters. Happy gaming.

Be sure to subscribe to the Book of Beasts: Character Codex Subscription to receive the Witch Codex as soon as it is released along with the Hero Lab files. Subscribe today at the JBE Shop, DriveThruRPG, and the Open Gaming Store.

COVEN ASPIRANT CR 1/2

XP 200
Half-elf witch 1
N Medium humanoid (elf, human)
Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Perception +7

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Defense

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AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +2 deflection)
hp 6 (1d6)
Fort –1, Ref +0, Will +6; +2 vs. enchantments
Defensive Abilities dual minded ^APG; Immune sleep

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Offense

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Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +1 (1d4+1/19–20)
Ranged light crossbow +0 (1d8/19–20)
Special Attacks hex (DC 13; evil eye)
Witch Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +4)
1st—mage armor, obscuring mist
0 (at will)—dancing lights, detect magic, read magic
Patron Wisdom

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Tactics

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Before Combat The witch casts mage armor and drinks a potion of shield of faith.
During Combat The witch hexes opponents to lower their AC and targets them with the crossbow.
Base Statistics Without mage armor, shield of faith, or their familiar within reach, the witch’s statistics are AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10; CMD 11; Skills Fly +0, Perception +5, Sense Motive +2.

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Statistics

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Str 12, Dex 10, Con 8, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 13
Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 13
Feats Defiant Luck ^ARG
Skills Fly +3, Knowledge (arcana, nature) +7, Perception +7, Sense Motive +4, Spellcraft +7, Use Magic Device +5; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception
Languages Common, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Orc
SQ elf blood, witch’s familiar (bat; possesses all 0-level spells and all prepared spells plus 1st—burning hands, cure light wounds, inflict light wounds, snowball ^UW)
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, potion of shield of faith +2; Other Gear dagger, light crossbow with bolts (10), backpack, bedroll, belt pouch, candles (10), chalk (10), flint and steel, ink, inkpen, mess kit ^UE, pot, soap, spell component pouch, torches (10), trail rations (5), waterskin, 101 gp