The Dark Side of History: Witchcraft Trials in Germany

Historical witchcraft trials in Germany had a significant impact on the lives of many individuals in the 16th and 17th centuries. **These trials were characterized by intense fear and paranoia surrounding witchcraft**, leading to the imprisonment, torture, and execution of thousands of alleged witches. **The belief in witchcraft was deeply rooted in the religious and social fabric of German society**, with the Catholic and Protestant Churches playing a prominent role in fueling the hysteria. **Accusations of witchcraft were often based on superstition, hearsay, and personal grievances**, portraying witches as agents of the devil working to bring harm to their communities. **Multiple elements contributed to the prevalence of witch trials in Germany**, including the dissemination of Malleus Maleficarum, a popular witch-hunting manual, and the Anfechtungen theory, which suggested that the devil had the power to possess an individual and force them to commit evil acts. **The German witch trials were marked by a lack of due process and fair trial**, with torture being used to extract confessions from accused individuals.

The psionic version never particularly bothered me, though lots of people do house rule it. Rule it either way you like, it's not broken at +1 DC/PP, nor is it useless at +1 DC/2 PP.

Oh, and it also has a secondary effect rendering someone sickened or dazed, or blinded, or entangled depending on the orb s energy type if they fail a fort-save. It s not fire missile it s You just cast resist fire, so Imma cast Cold missile Or You re a red colored dragon, so I m gonna hit you with a cold missile that even you cant save against So this seems closer to being considered untyped damage, unless there is noone in your party with appropriate knowledge checks to say Hey its a demon, they are vulnerable to XXX as a free action right before you blast him.

**The German witch trials were marked by a lack of due process and fair trial**, with torture being used to extract confessions from accused individuals. Many of the accused were elderly women who were often seen as outsiders within their communities. **The trials were often accompanied by public hysteria and a desire for scapegoats to blame for societal ills**, leading to the persecution of innocent individuals.

Energy Missile

My binder (sometimes) has the ability to "cast" energy missile. I'm far from an expect on psionics, but the augmentation seems wrong to me.

The save DC increases by 1 for every power point you put in. Shouldn't that be +1 for every two power points?

Its not in the errata.

Stratovarius

First Post

There was a change in Complete Psionic to +1 every 2 PP, as a form of paid-for errata, but I ignore that in my games and keep the original. The DC of energy missile never bothered me. the problem was being able to target multiple items for sunder shots with sonic missile, and that wasn't addressed. I just use the original DC, as most things from Complete Psionic are banned in any game I'm in.

amethal

Hero

There was a change in Complete Psionic to +1 every 2 PP, as a form of paid-for errata, but I ignore that in my games and keep the original. The DC of energy missile never bothered me. the problem was being able to target multiple items for sunder shots with sonic missile, and that wasn't addressed. I just use the original DC, as most things from Complete Psionic are banned in any game I'm in.

So its paid-for errata that you don't actually use

Thanks for the reply.

My binder is 18th level, with Int 16. It doesn't seem right, somehow, that I can force DC 30 saves without actually trying.

Albeit only twice a day, and with one heck of an opportunity cost (although that comes with being a binder in the first place).

Stratovarius

First Post

It's energy damage, which tends to be at best not the optimal choice for a situation, and the high save just ensures that the damage actually hits the creature, rather than being constantly saved against. Especially as this is only twice a day.

If it was a DC30 Dominate ability, that would be far more dangerous, but as it stands I wouldn't be worried unless it starts overshadowing everyone else when used.

avr

First Post

The errata in Complete Psionic for the two energy powers with typos in the XPH seemed sensible to me. My experience is with mid-level psions rather than near-epic binders though.

Exactly why WoTC put this errata in a separate book is another matter. I suspect it was a screwup on someone's part.

Drowbane

First Post

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure there was errata on Energy Missile before the Complete Psi was ever conceived of.

Or. maybe that was just "common sense" among those in groups I play in.

Kmart Kommando

First Post

It would be fine, if it was: Add PPs for more damage, add PPs for higher DC, separately, to a limit of your manifester level. Then it is perfectly balanced, and comparable with many of the other powers, instead of the power to have.

Nifft

Penguin Herder

My binder is 18th level, with Int 16. It doesn't seem right, somehow, that I can force DC 30 saves without actually trying.

Think about it this way: if you were a Wizard, you could cast magic missile, with no save.

The psionic version never particularly bothered me, though lots of people do house rule it. Rule it either way you like, it's not broken at +1 DC/PP, nor is it useless at +1 DC/2 PP.

Kmart Kommando

First Post

Think about it this way: if you were a Wizard, you could cast magic missile, with no save.

The psionic version never particularly bothered me, though lots of people do house rule it. Rule it either way you like, it's not broken at +1 DC/PP, nor is it useless at +1 DC/2 PP.

but your magic missile isn't doing 18d6 damage either. no one plays a psionic character that doesn't go nova if they can get away with it.

we've had an enemy wilder one-shot our healer in the surprise round, then kill another character each round, with a first level, no save power. except for the psion/wizard, who was built specifically to be a damage sponge, but probably with a little bit of rules-bending in there somewhere, he survived an assault with like 20 hit points to spare. i think 3 of us went down before we killed him, in the third round of combat. :\

Slaved

First Post

Kat'

First Post

but your magic missile isn't doing 18d6 damage either. no one plays a psionic character that doesn't go nova if they can get away with it.

we've had an enemy wilder one-shot our healer in the surprise round, then kill another character each round, with a first level, no save power. except for the psion/wizard, who was built specifically to be a damage sponge, but probably with a little bit of rules-bending in there somewhere, he survived an assault with like 20 hit points to spare. i think 3 of us went down before we killed him, in the third round of combat. :\

Energy missile.
1- . is a Kineticist-only power. Non-kineticists must spend a feat to learn it
2- . allows a save (Mettle or Evasion, anyone?)
3- . deals energy damage (Protection from Energy, resistances, immunities. meh)

Plus, an energy missile dealing 18d6 damage has been manifested using 18 PP, making it in fact the equivalent of a level 9 power. In comparison, Magic missile damage stacks without increasing the level of the spell slot used to cast it.

Kmart Kommando

First Post

no, it was an actual Healer, though I think the level is about right. The DM liked throwing amped-up combos at us all the time. The spell was crystal shard, and some metapsionic stuff and Wild Surge thrown into it. Maybe something about double actions, something like that, I don't pay much attention to psionics when I make characters. The surprise round volley did well over 200dmg. The healer was built to be nearly impossible to kill, the players knew the DM's combat style, all the characters were built to withstand punishment. the NPC won initiative, somewhere around 20 higher than the arcane casters tossing Nerve Skitter, and killed a frontline fighter-type outright. the wizard/psion had Share Pain, Vigor, and a bunch more on him and his psicrystal, and he survived just barely, but his crystal died. I think he was counting his DR twice though, once for him and once for his psicrystal.
The whole campaign was an arms race. Half of everyone's spell selection was devoted to 'how can I get away from a losing fight?'

eamon

Explorer

Energy missile.
1- . is a Kineticist-only power. Non-kineticists must spend a feat to learn it
2- . allows a save (Mettle or Evasion, anyone?)
3- . deals energy damage (Protection from Energy, resistances, immunities. meh)

Plus, an energy missile dealing 18d6 damage has been manifested using 18 PP, making it in fact the equivalent of a level 9 power. In comparison, Magic missile damage stacks without increasing the level of the spell slot used to cast it.

Perhaps a better comparison is orb of acid, which is a fourth level spell, has no save nor spell resistance vs. 15d6 damage. How exactly is energy missile a problem? Oh, and it also has a secondary effect rendering someone sickened (or dazed, or blinded, or entangled depending on the orb's energy type) if they fail a fort-save.

Plain old scorching ray does 12d6 damage with no save (but does allow SR), and it's just second level.

amethal

Hero

My binder is going to have 36 power points (21 from one vestige and 15 from another).

Going nova is most definitely my intention. Since I'm 18th level the 36 pp is just enough to do two maxed energy missiles (or astral constructs, if I think that's more appropriate in the circumstances).

Bacris

First Post

but your magic missile isn't doing 18d6 damage either. no one plays a psionic character that doesn't go nova if they can get away with it.

I never nova as a manifester - it pretty much never fits my character's personality, so it would be metagaming to nova.

akbearfoot

First Post

IMO it's counterintuitive to say energy missile is fine as originally printed. it scales twice as good as any other power printed in the book. And also. even if you didn't pay for the book with the stealth errata, the rules are still pretty clear that it's been changed. Anyone who read this thread should be well aware of the change by now.

Why is resist elements listed as a defense against this? It's not (fire missile) it's 'You just cast resist fire, so Imma cast Cold missile' Or 'You're a red colored dragon, so I'm gonna hit you with a cold missile that even you cant save against' So this seems closer to being considered untyped damage, unless there is noone in your party with appropriate knowledge checks to say 'Hey its a demon, they are vulnerable to XXX' as a free action right before you blast him.

Also, isn't comparing things to the Orb spells to test if they are broken a little funny? I mean there are hundreds of pages of online content with people saying the orb spells are broken, and if those spells were 2 levels higher than they are now people would STILL take them. How many spells are that good? Not even the other best spell in the game, magic missile! Shouldn't you compare it to something like Ice Storm? (pauses for laughter) Ok, maybe not. How about a 5th level spell instead? Lets go with Cone of Cold? (laughs some more). How about an 8th level spell like Polar Ray? (laughs even harder)

That said. if you're playing a high level psionic character and you only have a +3 primary stat then something seems strange does it not? I am not personally familiar with the binder class.

How exactly does magic missile stack with itself? 5d4 + 5 no save. mmmk

Scorching ray doesen't do 12d6 damage. It's 3 attack rolls, with 3 very possible chances to miss or rarely crit, that do 4d6 of the most commonly resisted energy type. Humongous difference. Archmage abilities set asside.

All that without taking into account things like empower power, or overchannel, or whatever other combos you can think of.

School evocation [force]; Level arcane 0-9
Casting Time standard action, full action, or minor ritual
Components V, S
Range 150 ft.
Targets up to five creatures, which must be within a 10-foot radius
Duration instant
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes

**The witch trials in Germany eventually began to decline**, with a shift in societal attitudes, increased skepticism of witchcraft, and legal reforms playing a role in bringing an end to the mass hysteria. *However, the impact of these trials on the individuals who were accused and persecuted cannot be understated, as it left a lasting mark on German history*. Today, the historical witchcraft trials in Germany serve as a stark reminder of the dangers of prejudice, ignorance, and unchecked power..

Reviews for "Showdown in Germany: Notorious Witch Trials That Shook the Nation"

1. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with this book. The author barely scratched the surface when it came to the topic of historical witchcraft trials in Germany. The book felt rushed and lacked depth. I was hoping for a more comprehensive look into this fascinating part of history, but instead, I got a shallow overview. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book if you're looking for an in-depth exploration of the subject.

2. Michael - 1/5 stars - I found "Historical witchcraft trials in Germany" to be extremely dry and uninspiring. The writing style was dull and lacked any kind of excitement or passion. It felt more like reading a textbook than an engaging historical account. Furthermore, the author seemed to jump from one trial to another without providing enough context or analysis. I was left feeling confused and disconnected from the stories being presented. Overall, I was not impressed with this book and would not recommend it to others.

3. Emily - 2/5 stars - As someone with a deep interest in history, I was really looking forward to delving into the world of historical witchcraft trials in Germany. Unfortunately, this book fell short of my expectations. The writing was dry and lacked the necessary detail to truly bring the trials to life. There was a missed opportunity to explore the societal and cultural factors that contributed to the prevalence of witchcraft trials in Germany. I was left feeling unsatisfied and wanting more from this book. If you're looking for a comprehensive and engaging look into this topic, I would suggest looking elsewhere.

Bewitching Germany: Exploring Witchcraft Trials throughout the Centuries