"Witch witch nearby" Witches have long been a subject of fascination and fear, existing within the realm of folklore and fantasy. The idea of a witch, with their supernatural abilities and their association with dark magic, has captured the imaginations of people throughout history. Yet, despite their mythical status, there are those who believe that witches still exist amongst us today. The phrase "witch witch nearby" evokes a sense of mystery and danger, suggesting that witches are lurking in the shadows, waiting to cast their spells and work their enchantments. But what does it really mean? Is it a warning to be wary of individuals who possess magical abilities? Or is it a playful reminder of the fantastical realm in which witches reside? Throughout different cultures and time periods, the concept of witches has varied. In some traditions, witches are seen as malevolent beings who seek to harm others, while in others, they are revered as wise and powerful individuals who possess knowledge of the natural world.
In some traditions, witches are seen as malevolent beings who seek to harm others, while in others, they are revered as wise and powerful individuals who possess knowledge of the natural world. Regardless of these differing interpretations, the idea of a witch nearby suggests a certain level of unease or apprehension. In modern times, the belief in witches may have waned, but the allure and fascination surrounding them remains.
Witch, Witch, You’re a Remastered Witch
It's October, and you know what that means—the leaves are falling, pumpkin spice floats on the wind, and the scourge known as candy corn is appearing on store shelves, and so I, James, am here to put on my pointy hat and talk about all things witchy coming in the Remaster!
Feiya the iconic witch and her familiar Daji. Art by Wayne Reynolds.
As we've mentioned in some of our past material, the witch was a class we were excited to put into the first book of the remaster, the Player Core. The witch is a really iconic fantasy theme with a ton of historical and cultural grounding, and a popular player archetype for many characters. Unfortunately, we were also aware that the witch class has not quite always done the best at living up to this fantasy. The Remaster sees the witch as one of the most heavily changed classes, in ways that aim both to increase the class’s overall power budget as well as to express the witch’s unique flavor in an evocative way.
In Pathfinder, the witch’s defining feature is their relationship with their familiar and their patron—the witch does not get power from study, or from inherent gifts, but as part of a bargain made with a mysterious patron entity, with a magical familiar there to both provide power and make sure the witch is advancing the patron’s agenda. To highlight the fact that the witch is the premier familiar user in the game, we’ve increased the capabilities of their familiar from its original version. Now, the witch’s familiar gains even more abilities, one of which is wholly unique to the patron. These unique familiar abilities both help to express the patron’s theme, and they generate a passive effect every time the witch Casts or Sustains one of their hex cantrips. For example, a familiar granted by the Silence in Snow patron is forever cold to the touch—it might be the color of ice or its breath might crystallize in the air—and so every time you cast your sustain one of your hex spells, frost will form next to your familiar, creating difficult terrain. Many of these abilities are strong, but have very short ranges from your familiar, so be sure to keep your little shadow cat or curséd raven safe with spells like phase familiar or patron’s puppet, which can help to shield them from damage or let them dart quickly in and out of safety.
We’ve taken advantage of the Remaster to also do some general quality of life changes to the witch and make their abilities a little easier to use. Many hex cantrips now no longer make enemies temporarily immune to their effects once cast, as we felt that having to sustain them and having the limit of 1 hex cantrip per turn (it turns out, your patron doesn't like being pestered for supernatural favors three times in a six-second window) was already enough of a limit for most abilities. We also expanded some hex cantrips that were overly narrow, like wilding word, which used to function only against animals, fungi, or plants, but now function against any creature, with animals, fungi, and plants being especially vulnerable to its effects. Between loosening these restrictions and the unique abilities from familiars that happen when you Cast or Sustain a hex cantrip, the witch should be seeing a fair bit of hexing during their turns.
But of course, as your witch grows in power, so too can your familiar, which can gain various special abilities through higher-level feats. Some of these feats let your patron themself manifest through your familiar, to spooky effect. For instance, the new Patron’s Presence feat directs your patron's baleful attention to the battlefield, partially disrupting the magic of other spellcasters.
Patron’s Presence — Feat 14
Witch
Your patron can direct its attention through your familiar, and its mere presence becomes an ominous weight on the minds of other beings to distract them and blot out their magic. Your familiar gains the following activity.
Patron’s Presence [two-actions] (aura) Frequency once per hour; Effect A palpable weight extends from your familiar in a 15-foot emanation. Enemies who enter or start their turn within the aura must succeed at a Will save against your spell DC or become stupefied 2 as long as they remain within the aura, or stupefied 3 on a critical failure. The aura lasts until the end of your next turn, but the familiar can Sustain it up to 1 minute.
Beyond some of these feats that lean on the Pathfinder side of witch mythology, we also wanted to go back to the rich folklore of witches worldwide and draw on this when we were giving witches new feats—and they’re getting quite a fair number of them! It would be remiss of me not to call out my very witchy colleagues Simone D. Sallé and Shay Snow, who drew on their deep knowledge of folk magic to suggest the seeds that grew into abilities like Ceremonial Knife, which allows a knife or dagger to direct magical energies like a magic wand; the new iron teeth Witch’s Armaments (supplementing eldritch nails and living hair); or Witch’s Broom, which lets you anoint a broom with flying ointments to transform it into a flying broomstick that you can ride through the night sky (this also works with a staff, polearm, or other broom-like object—not saying there are vacuum cleaners in Golarion, but I am saying the book gives you what you need to live your best Mary Sanderson life).
And with that, I think it's time for me to get into my Witch’s Hut and use its new Leap option to spin thrice and cast a 10 th -rank teleport away! Be careful not to get cursed out there, and keep your eyes of newt on this space for more Remaster news!
The shadow remains cast,
James Case (he / him)
Senior Designer
Contact us at [email protected].
Witches continue to be portrayed in popular culture, from books and movies to television shows and Halloween costumes. This enduring fascination demonstrates that the idea of witches still captures the imagination and curiosity of people today. Whether or not witches truly exist is a matter of personal belief. Some argue that they are merely figments of our imagination, while others claim to have had encounters with witches or possess knowledge of their existence. Regardless of one's personal beliefs, the concept of a witch nearby serves as a reminder of the power of the unknown and the enduring fascination with the supernatural..
Reviews for "The Witch's Garden: Unlocking the Secrets of Herbal Magic"
1. Emily - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Witch witch nearby". The plot felt overly predictable, and the characters were one-dimensional. I found myself bored and detached from the story, as there was no depth or complexity to engage with. Additionally, the writing style felt clunky and jarring, making it difficult to fully immerse myself in the world the author was trying to create. Overall, it did not live up to my expectations and I wouldn't recommend it to others.
2. Michael - 1 star - "Witch witch nearby" was an absolute mess. The pacing was all over the place, with some parts dragging on for far too long while others were rushed and poorly developed. The narrative was confusing, lacking clear direction, and left me feeling confused and uninterested in what was happening. The dialogue felt forced and the descriptions were lackluster, failing to create a vivid picture of the events or characters. I struggled to finish this book, and by the end, I was left feeling unsatisfied and underwhelmed.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Witch witch nearby" but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The plot was convoluted and filled with clichés, offering no originality or surprises. The characters lacked depth and remained stagnant throughout the story, failing to undergo any meaningful growth or development. The writing style was also overly simplistic, lacking the sophistication and nuance that I look for in a good book. Overall, I found "Witch witch nearby" to be a forgettable read that failed to engage or captivate me.