Occultist v0.8 - First Look (Shaman & Witch)

EDIT: PDF Version for folks having trouble with GMBinder:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=12Od5hX-KYwynEivCWOBp966dqDveD5u8

So the poll has voted the Oracle for the 3rd class, and it'll be coming soon, but it's not quite here yet (Oracle is aiming to join for the 1.0), but I didn't want to delay getting out a first look as I said I'd share something this week for it :)

There still might be some big changes, but the framework is mostly in place. It's a new class, there's a lot of moving parts, and it's testing is in early days. Anyone that was here for the last few classes can tell you sometimes they have big shifts in the first few versions as lots more testing starts!

The base class is a Wisdom full ritual caster; spells known, but with a particularly generous allotment, particularly when you account for most subclasses (witch & oracle at least) granting quite a lot of free spells known on top of that.

It doesn't get much in the way of weapons or armor, but can pick up more through subclasses or Occult Rites. As you may have come to expect from my classes, this has an Upgrade/Invocation like system called Occult Rites. There are subclass specific Occult Rites and general Occultist Rites, you can pick from either list when you gain one. You can swap when you level up, and unlike Upgrades (but like Invocations) they aren't level restricted when you swap (just when you can take them in the first place).

Subclasses, however, are were the meat of the class falls. In this release we see the Shaman and the Witch.

Shaman

The shaman is geared an attack oriented class, getting armor, weapons, more hit points, and even extra attack. It can spent its spell slots binding spirits that grant it powerful weapon damage buffs, or persistent area zone control/damage by manifesting its spirit onto the battle field.

While the default path is jump in and start stabbing either their spear, with the Rite "Spirit's Wrath" they can have their spirit attack for them, while they operate from a safer range if they so desire... even using their Wisdom to do so, though naturally giving some damage potential.

The three routes for Shaman are generally the "infused warrior" - a Gish that uses their spell slots to become a powerful combatant, the "spirit commander" - a ranged attack that strikes with their spirit, or a general all rounder spirit magic specialist, with a balance of support and offensive power.

Witch

Getting into our second class, the Witch draws heavily on all things that a witch might want to do; a powerful spell caster with a generous extra list of spells and cantrips, they specialize in powerful familiars and general magic.

Their three paths are a little more on the nose with the Coven Choice coming at level 1 - Black, White or Green; this choice governs the flavor of your extra spells, as well as some of the buffs you're familiar will get leveling up.

White Coven get's some protection and healing spells, included the ever coveted healing word and mass healing word spells, green specializes in inlusion and nature spells, while black delves into shadows, decay and necromancy. They aren't alignment locked or anything like that, so feel free to mix and match your character themes there.

The witching flavor comes in full force with the specific rites, with everything from witch brooms, to witch hats, to empowered familiars you can use as your mount and animated hair you can use to grapple your foes.

What's Next?

The next priorities for 1.0 are going to be the Occultist - an divine learning visionary that draws more heavily from the cleric list while mixing it up with some potent powers of divination, as well as a selection of curses (for the Oracle; unfortunately it's in their nature to be a little cursed) as well as their mysterious and revelations that empower them.

There will be a few more unique spells trickling in, though with this update we see more of the ones planned for launch.

• Of course, playtesting and balance will be the name of the game.
• With this starting to finally get out the door though, there's some other stuff coming soon...
• A crafting update - that came in 2nd on the last poll, so we'll be seeing it come soon after this.
• A new druid subclass; it's a bright and shiny one.
• I've been promising an Artificer update, particularly with the expanded toolbox. Cursesmith wants to poach some of these new darker spells, and Fleshsmith is overdo for a tweak or two.

That is at least the basic outline, though there's a dozen more things somewhere.

I hope you are all safe and sound with all that's going on out there; all D&D stuff aside I hope everyone is doing okay and staying healthy. 

Hopefully you are finding ways to play D&D in our new more hazardous world; thank you all for the support so far and as always let me know any feedback, thoughts, ideas, or rambling.