Looking at the Witch Class, I noticed that it defaults to the "she" when talking about the character.
This implies that the default sex would be female. Makes sense when you think about it really, witches are classically female.
But I was curious, as I often am!
Has anyone made a Male witch? Can you do it? I see nothing in the class's description preventing it.
Thoughts?
Over the years a lot of RPG stuff has bounced back and forth between using she or he exclusively. There is nothing against making male witches, just as there is nothing against making male fighters (classically speaking...)
I don't think the gender used for a particular class is a "default". I think they are just trying to spread out the equal opportunity card to be fair to both males and females-which I think is good.
as fo a male witch, there is nothing preventing that, so go for it. Semantically, of course, a male witch is usally called a "warlock", but we won't go there incase someone wants to play a 3.5E version of that class.
EDIT: Wow, type something up, expecting to be the second post, and all of a sudden when you finally post it, you're 6th.
The "she" actually refers to the fact that Paizo's iconic witch is female. If you look in all the classes, the pronoun corresponds to the gender of the iconic.
Thats what I meant to say just couldnt remember how to say it lol
My brain is a bit foggy in the mornings >.>
While he has yet to see play, I have one as one of many backups for Temple of Elemental Evil.
He insists he is a warlock, but his crow familiar calls him a man-witch.
Man-witch...sounds like a tasty sammich to me! hehe
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All the class descriptions are written in the gender of the iconic character representing them in the art, in this case, Feiya.
You'll see the same wording used for the Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Inquisitor, Oracle, Paladin, Rogue and Sorcerer.
It's something that was done in the D&D 3rd Edition books, as well.
[EDIT] Ninja'ed five times? Seriously?
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Lots of people play male witches. You are reading too much into the gender of the text. It is fairly common these days to alternate gender so everything isn't written from an assumed male perspective. In this case the gender of the class entry matches the gender of the iconic for that class.
Barbarian = she
Bard = he
Cleric = she
Druid = she
Fighter = he
Monk = he
Paladin = she
Ranger = he
Rogue = she
Sorcerer = she
Wizard = he
Alchemist = he
Cavalier = he
Inquisitor = she
Oracle = she
Summoner = he
Witch = she
EDIT: Doh. Way too slow.
I don't think the gender used for a particular class is a "default". I think they are just trying to spread out the equal opportunity card to be fair to both males and females-which I think is good.
as fo a male witch, there is nothing preventing that, so go for it. Semantically, of course, a male witch is usally called a "warlock", but we won't go there incase someone wants to play a 3.5E version of that class.
EDIT: Wow, type something up, expecting to be the second post, and all of a sudden when you finally post it, you're 6th.
actually the term warlock is applied equally to either a male or female. It was a term used to describe a witch that betrayed their coven. Both witch and warlock are gender neutral. It was not until modern times that the terms were assigned gender roles. (I blame Hollywood).
actually the term warlock is applied equally to either a male or female. It was a term used to describe a witch that betrayed their coven. Both witch and warlock are gender neutral. It was not until modern times that the terms were assigned gender roles. (I blame Hollywood).I don't think the gender used for a particular class is a "default". I think they are just trying to spread out the equal opportunity card to be fair to both males and females-which I think is good.
as fo a male witch, there is nothing preventing that, so go for it. Semantically, of course, a male witch is usally called a "warlock", but we won't go there incase someone wants to play a 3.5E version of that class.
EDIT: Wow, type something up, expecting to be the second post, and all of a sudden when you finally post it, you're 6th.
Did not know that. I guess it makes sense if you think about it.
Here is a quick question: Do witch's familiars speak a language? I was lookin em up on the SRD (thinking of making one now after reading their hexes!) and there was a footnote that reads as follows: *Speaks one language of its master's choice as a supernatural ability.
The odd part of that is that nothing in the familiars chart has an * next to it!
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I'm actually playing a male with right now. I was switched at birth with the party's changeling cleric and raised by her hag mothers. Needless to say he's somewhat twisted by his upbringing.
More in line with this topic, I haven't had any issues with playing male witches. In play it's not much different from a wizard but with a definite stylistic limit on the style of magic. In fact I think we played Riven Sky with three witches and a barbarian queen who had married all three. Sometimes things turn out unexpectedly awesome.
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actually the term warlock is applied equally to either a male or female. It was a term used to describe a witch that betrayed their coven.
Citation?
That does not fit how I have ever heard the term historically used. I am aware that warlock can be etymologically rendered oathbreaker, liar or deciever; but that can refer to the devil himself and the warlocks relationship with the same, which is how I have normally seen the word interpreted.
Edit: Reference
The raven familiar can speak one language, the rest can't. Ever. They eventually do gain the ability to speak with other animals of its type and to their master, but never "the world" in general
And not to sound like a jerk but, I am assuming you meant PRD. If you are referencing the SRD for anything, you aren't likely to find the correct answer as that isn't Pathfinder its 3.5.
-S
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actually the term warlock is applied equally to either a male or female. It was a term used to describe a witch that betrayed their coven.Citation?
That does not fit how I have ever heard the term historically used. I am aware that warlock can be etymologically rendered oathbreaker, liar or deciever; but that can refer to the devil himself and the warlocks relationship with the same, which is how I have normally seen the word interpreted.
Thanks for making my prediction re: "what is a warlock?" discussion come true. Carry on with the debate, wake me up when somebody starts the "Eldritch Blast at will is broken" thing.
I'm making a goblin male witch for the upcoming "We Be Goblins!" adventure. His name is Muk Muk. I originally made him in 2E as a witch doctor (out of the humanoids handbook) for a one shot adventure and he was so popular in the group that they wanted him back. I have to admit, I am so looking forward to playing him again.
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Thanks for making my prediction re: "what is a warlock?" discussion come true. Carry on with the debate, wake me up when somebody starts the "Eldritch Blast at will is broken" thing.actually the term warlock is applied equally to either a male or female. It was a term used to describe a witch that betrayed their coven.Citation?
That does not fit how I have ever heard the term historically used. I am aware that warlock can be etymologically rendered oathbreaker, liar or deciever; but that can refer to the devil himself and the warlocks relationship with the same, which is how I have normally seen the word interpreted.
Sure thing.
In the Wiccan Religion both male and females are called witches
While he has yet to see play, I have one as one of many backups for Temple of Elemental Evil.
He insists he is a warlock, but his crow familiar calls him a man-witch.
** spoiler omitted **
Mmmmm, Manwich. Sloppy Joe's, anyone?
actually the term warlock is applied equally to either a male or female. It was a term used to describe a witch that betrayed their coven.Citation?
That does not fit how I have ever heard the term historically used. I am aware that warlock can be etymologically rendered oathbreaker, liar or deciever; but that can refer to the devil himself and the warlocks relationship with the same, which is how I have normally seen the word interpreted.
Edit: Reference
Nice reference site...
My research into coven texts (the only easily obtainable one these days being by Crowley [not the best source I admit]) shows a consistent use of the term as reserved for those who betrayed the coven (oath breakers). Even the Catholic Church teaches that witches are both male and female and reserve the use of the term warlock for witches that betray their covens to the church (of course becoming a warlock did the traitor no good as the church would still condemn them along with the rest of the coven.)
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Witches don't have to be female.
Witches don't have to be rustic.
Witches don't have to be Diannic, or Wiccan.
Witches don't have to dwell in the woods.
But they've still got the gingerbread houses, right?
I been walking through this wood for hours; I can't go without my gingerbread.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, TELL ME I STILL GET MY GINGERBREAD!
They do grind their bones to make their bread. I read it in a Paizo book too!
Witches don't have to be female.
Witches don't have to be rustic.
Witches don't have to be Diannic, or Wiccan.
Witches don't have to dwell in the woods.
But they've still got the gingerbread houses, right?
I been walking through this wood for hours; I can't go without my gingerbread.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, TELL ME I STILL GET MY GINGERBREAD!
Gingerbread is a class feature in an upcoming Witch Prestige Class, but not a default assumption, no.
You also don't automatically get warts, but as a trade off, water won't melt you automatically.
Witches don't have to be female.
Witches don't have to be rustic.
Witches don't have to be Diannic, or Wiccan.
Witches don't have to dwell in the woods.
But they've still got the gingerbread houses, right?
I been walking through this wood for hours; I can't go without my gingerbread.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, TELL ME I STILL GET MY GINGERBREAD!
Yes, but the gingerbread houses all have chicken legs and serve Baba Yaga. Oh, and they're all actually huge mimics held aloft by mithral golems! In Soviet Irrisen, gingerbread house eats you!
Looking at the Witch Class, I noticed that it defaults to the "she" when talking about the character.
This implies that the default sex would be female. Makes sense when you think about it really, witches are classically female.
But I was curious, as I often am!
Has anyone made a Male witch? Can you do it? I see nothing in the class's description preventing it.
Thoughts?
They're sometimes called Warlocks and very occasionally they specialize in Violent Torpedoes of Truth. If you want a male Witch, role with it.
I have a male witch which I have built as a cajun voodoo master. He doesn't call himself a witch, but then again, my ranger doesn't call himself a ranger. Class names are just metagame artifacts as far as I'm concerned. My witch deliberately masquerades as a wizard, cleric, sorcerer or druid, just to throw people off and because he enjoys confusing people. Even all his party members don't yet know he's a witch.
The widespread understanding that witches are primarily female is a result of the 1487 anti-witchcraft handbook the Malleus Maleficarum, a text of influence concerning what eventually became the widespread persecution of Wiccan practitioners. Of particular emphasis in the book is that witches, in the vast majority, are female - which jives with beliefs held in religious practice even today (original sin, Eve's corruption of Adam, etc.). Ultimately, it came down to gender persecution, where females were placed in a state of fear and compliance, since unusual or unwanted activity could easily result in unfounded accusations of witchcraft, generally leading to execution.
Of course, the volume provides as little meaningful knowledge of actual Wicca as possible, pushing religiously theocentric intolerance and ignorance. This includes the misconception that witches are all women, which was merely a convenient method of maintaining patriarchal religious rule. The Latin "Maleficarum" is even a feminine gender word. Application of the word "warlock" to males, considering the 'oath breaker', 'in league with the devil' etymology, seems to be an artifact of the same religious intolerance. Since the roots of the word are negative, applying the term to those who would practice non-Christian belief systems furthers the agenda of the church.
Since Golarion lacks these histories, it can be safely assumed that within the confines of the game world there is no gender distinction for witches. Use of popular terms for game elements is a way to supply ease of understanding through recognition. There is no real gender limitation, real world or otherwise.
I have a male witch which I have built as a cajun voodoo master. He doesn't call himself a witch, but then again, my ranger doesn't call himself a ranger. Class names are just metagame artifacts as far as I'm concerned. My witch deliberately masquerades as a wizard, cleric, sorcerer or druid, just to throw people off and because he enjoys confusing people. Even all his party members don't yet know he's a witch.
You make a very good point here. Some very astute, powerful casters would perhaps know the difference between a druid and a witch, but most people would simply see the person as some kind of spellcaster.
Likewise, as you said, a ranger, fighter or barbarian would be indistinguishable to the unschooled observer. The terms exist for metagame purposes, not as pure definitions characters would usually use in-game. You don't say "you walk into the tavern and see a sorcerer, a wizard, a bard and a rogue sitting at a table near the back." Or, "A ranger 3/rogue 4 beckons you to his table."
What's in a name?
A witch in pathfinder is as much a witch in our real world history as the Pathfinder Druid is in relation to our real world druid.
Wait wait wait, we've had witches casting black testicles and druids wildshaping into T-rexes? ZOMG.
I can't decide if this was intentional or not, but it's still.... disturbing. :)
A witch in pathfinder is as much a witch in our real world history as the Pathfinder Druid is in relation to our real world druid.Wait wait wait, we've had witches casting black testicles and druids wildshaping into T-rexes? ZOMG.
Yeah...we all knew that we just all took a vote and decided not tell you. Damn the cat is out of the bag.
Seriously everybody knew what I meant right?
Wait wait wait, we've had witches casting black testicles and druids wildshaping into T-rexes? ZOMG.I can't decide if this was intentional or not, but it's still.... disturbing. :)
But it does illustrate the point, no? PF Witches and Druids have little, if anything, in common with their real-world counterparts.
The thing to remember is that in the real world, common folks are not so prone to categorization of the supernatural as we gamers are, and as some writers of particular genres have tried to be.
You really could find precedent anywhere, for the use of almost any word denoting the supernatural, out of course with what we as gamers have canonized. There have been cases of men being called witches, as opposed to warlocks, and even more misuse of terms that would seem even more egregious to the gamer mind.
For instance, Giles Corey, accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials, was alternately called a warlock and "a dreadful wizard." (Source: Wikipedia).
Gamers would cringe at the notion that a person accused of witchcraft would be called a wizard or sorcerer, or whatever terms we might relate to the arcane. But the precedent exists. It exists because, despite what even the most learned of scholars would like to think - and definitely despite what gamers think - common people simply do not care to categorize and define the supernatural to the cutting, hyper-realized detail that nerds like us do.
These voices in my head say,
"She's a witch!"
"How do you know she's a witch?"
"Because she looks like one."
"You dressed her up like that didn't you?"
"Yes, we did, a bit."
I am not saying these voices are accurate. Neither am I saying that I recall the words spoken with complete accuracy.
I believe they're called Charlie Sheen.
#WINNING
I believe they're called Charlie Sheen.OK, we can all go home now, Greg won the thread.
Hey, now, if we're talking about winning the thread, I invoked the Warlock's Violent Torpedo's of Truth about 10 posts ago. I want a review!
I believe they're called Charlie Sheen.OK, we can all go home now, Greg won the thread.
Not quite.
I just followed the logic that for Charlie Sheen to be a true warlock, he must betray his coven.
Then I realized that Two and a Half Men easily fit the structure of a coven.
And their set was formerly the set of Three's Company--another witches coven. Though instead of consorting with the devil, they consorted with Don Knotts....
Of course, the volume provides as little meaningful knowledge of actual Wicca as possible...
You do know Wicca didn't exist until the 20th century, right?
