The Path of the Witch
From FFa2Wiki
Title: Hedge Mage, Witch
Origin: Invocation
Attribute: Spiritual
School: Restoration
Effects: Arcane, Chaos, Death, Disease, Glamour, Kismet, Life, Order
Sometimes called Hedge Magic, this Path is more a series of superstitions, traditions and lore handed down over generations. Most other Paths do not take this Path seriously, calling it 'folk magic'. While this Path is not suitable to large spells, it is good for something else - knowing the weaknesses of most supernatural entities.
Witches tend to keep their secrets close to their chest, not sharing with members of the other Paths. Their knowledge was hard-earned, their charms and protections paid for in lives lost. Being looked down upon, the followers of this Path see no reason to share their wisdom with those who follow other Paths.
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Form Benefits
The Potency of all non-Restoration Spells is reduced to half, while the Potency of all Restoration Spells is doubled. The maximum Potency remains unchanged. The Potency for Spell Effects is equal to the Spell's Potency, rather than half.
The character may choose to perform an Invocation to summon a Witch's Familiar. This ritual is a Results Roll and takes a number of hours equal to the Difficulty. Summoning the Familiar requires an amount of DP equal to the desired Growth of the Familiar, up to the character's Growth. The character summons an animal from the region, which approaches the character and becomes imbued by the Invocation. The Potency becomes a Pool, which the character divides among the traits, augmenting them as follows:
- Attribute: The Familiar begins with the Attributes of the animal chosen. Each Pool grants the character one Point to increase an Attribute.
- Size: The Familiar begins at the Size of the animal chosen. Each Pool increases the Familiar's Size by +1.
- Skills: The Familiar begins with the Skills of the animal chosen. Each Pool grants the character two Skill Points to split between Skills. Even if the Familiar gains a Skill it can not use, the Familiar gains knowledge of the Skill.
- Talents: The Familiar begins with no Talents. Each Pool grants the Familiar a Talent, but the game master has final say on what Talents the Familiar may have
- Powers: The Familiar gains Vitality for free. Every two Pool grants the Familiar a single Power.
The player assigns any new Pool to the Familiar.
Familiar Bond
The Familiar, once summoned, forges a bond with the character. The character can speak telepathically with the Familiar at any range as long as they are in the same Realm as a Free Action. If needed, the character can use the Familiar's Essence in place of any the character needs to spend as a Free Action. While the Familiar is within a number of yards equal to the character's Might, they gain a bonus to all Hedge Spells and Form Benefits equal to the Familiar's Growth, without using an Action. Any Spell the character casts upon themselves, can be duplicated onto the Familiar for 1 Essence immediately. The character can gain access to any of the Familiar's senses as an Action, and can cast Spells through the Familiar when doing so as if they were in the Familiar's location. If the Familiar is destroyed, the character must call a new Familiar, but has the Difficulty and Essence Cost increased by one for each Familiar the character already had.
Charms of Good Fortune
At Growth 1, the character can spend 1 Essence to craft a Charm of Good Fortune. The character makes a Results Roll and rolls Spiritual + Craft. The character should choose a Specialty appropriate to how the Charm will look (a brooch, a necklace, forged of silver or woven wood, etc). A Charm takes a number of hours, and has a Resource Cost, equal to the Difficulty of the roll. Resources may be spent on this roll for bonus dice. Charms are equipment, worn to provide protection for the person. Anyone may use a Charm, and it can be handed to someone, stolen, or sold. When a Charm is made, the character chooses one subject which the Charm protects against. What the character chooses determines what the Charm does to protect the owner. Each time the Charm is used, the Charm's Potency is reduced by one. If the character has the Permanency Talent, the Charm can be made permanent, by paying DP equal to half the Potency. Permanent Charms do not have their Potency degrade.
- Fortune Charms (Specific Skill) grants the character Additional Successes equal to the Charm's Potency when using a specific Skill. If the Skill is used for Active Defence, the character uses either their Skill or the Charm's Potency - whichever is higher. This Charm also counts as 'proper equipment', granting an equipment bonus once the Potency has expired to anyone who has it. For every additional Resource and Essence spent, an extra Skill may be chosen for the Charm
- Lucky Charms (Specific Trait) grants the character an increase in one Trait equal to the Charm's Potency. These Charms can affect one of the following: Damage, Defence, Resistance, Resolve, Resources, or Soak. For every additional Resource and Essence spent, an extra Trait may be chosen for the Charm.
- Weapon Charms (Specific Spell Effect) are made to slide onto a weapon's blade or be wrapped around the hilt. The Charm grants the weapon the Spell Effect used with a Potency equal to the Charm's Potency. The Effect is activated each time the weapon strikes a target, including when the character parries using Active Defence. If the Charm is wrapped around someone's shield or armour, then the Effect is activated when the character is struck. For every additional Resource and Essence spent, an extra Effect may be chosen for the Charm.
Charms of Protection
At Growth 3, the character can spend 2 Essence to craft a Charm of Protection. Charms of Protection uses the same rules as crafting a Charm of Good Fortune.
- Race Charms (Dragon, Infernal, Mortal, Mythic, etc...) protect the one wearing it from members of a specific Race. The Charm reduces the Successes of all rolls made against the character by a member of the chosen Race by the Charm's Potency. Race Charms also work on Bloodlines. For every 2 additional Resources and Essence spent, an extra Race may be chosen for the Charm.
- Spell Charms (Specific Form of Sorcery) protect the one wearing it from Spells and Form Benefits. The Charm reduces the Successes of all rolls made for a Spell or Benefit which happens to have the character as a target or which includes the character in the area of effect, by the Charm's Potency. For every 2 additional Resources and Essence spent, an extra Form may be chosen for the Charm.
- Thought Charms (Specific Field of Psionics) protect the one wearing it from Psionic Gifts. The Charm reduces the Successes of all rolls made for a Gift which happens to have the character as a target or which includes the character in the area of effect, by the Charm's Potency. For every 2 additional Resources and Essence spent, an extra Field may be chosen for the Charm.
Minor Wards
At Growth 5, the character can craft a Ward by spending 3 Essence. The character makes a Results Roll, spending a number of minutes equal to the Difficulty of the roll to create the Ward. The character can make a Ward with a radius up to the character's Might in yards. The character rolls Spiritual + Occultism to create the Ward. The Ward's Potency is used to determine how long it remains effective. Each time the Ward is triggered, it loses one point of Potency at the end of that Round. If the character has the Permanency Talent, the Ward can be made permanent, by paying DP equal to half the Potency. Permanent Wards do not lose Potency.
- Race Wards (Dragon, Infernal, Mortal, Mythic, etc...) protect those inside it from a specific Race. The Ward prevents anyone with the designated Race from crossing the barrier. Any Merits or Powers used by someone with the designated Race can not cross the barrier either. Race Wards also work on Bloodlines. For every 3 additional Resources and Essence spent, an extra Race may be chosen for the Ward.
- Spell Wards (Specific Form of Sorcery) protect those inside it from all Spells and Form Benefits from the Form Chosen. Any Spell or Benefit of the chosen Form simply fails to cross the barrier. Anyone who has a Spell or Form Benefit of the appropriate type upon them when they cross the barrier has all effects negated immediately. For every 3 additional Resources and Essence spent, an extra Form may be chosen for the Ward.
- Thought Wards (Specific Field of Psionics) protect those inside it from all Gifts of the chosen Field. Any Gift of the chosen Field simply fails to cross the barrier. Anyone who has a Gift upon them of the chosen Field when they cross the barrier has all effects negated immediately. For every 3 additional Resources and Essence spent, an extra Field may be chosen for the Ward.
Banishment
At Growth 7, the character can attempt to banish an entity from another Realm. The entity must be within a number of yards equal to the character's Might x 5. The character must spend one Full Round Action to initiate the banishment. The Witch then makes a Results Roll using their Spiritual + Occultism and spends 4 Essence. The target loses an amount of Essence equal to the Potency of the roll. If the target's Essence reaches 0, any further Successes cost the target Health. Unless restrained, the target can attempt to flee or attack. The Witch can continue the banishment each Round without spending Essence, continuing the assault. When the entity reaches 0 Health, the Entity is returned to their native Realm. Once banished, the character makes a Results Roll using Spiritual + Occultism as an Action. The Potency of the roll determines how many months must pass before the Entity can attempt to return to the realm. Anyone attempting to summon the Entity early adds the Potency to the Difficulty Roll.
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