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I've been playtesting the Witchwarper class at my local lodge for the past few weeks and allowed it to sink in before I would write anything. I think I'm good to give it an objective go at the moment, so here I go. Do realize that I will not have played above lvl 10, so the high level abilities will not be taken along (as I have no insight in it).
The Physical Chassis:
The Witchwarper gains 5 hp/stamina, 4+Int skills, 3/4 BAB, Reflex as good save, and with Charisma as key ability score.
As can be seen (and as I experienced), the chassis is physically weak compared to other classes. This is not meant as a negative point, it is a caster class after all; the HP/Stamina and BAB are to be expected.
That Reflex is the only good save is a headscratcher for me though; as a caster class I kinda expected it to be Will, but apparently the flavor demands a less coherent mind? It makes the defenses of the Witchwarper fragile though, as Wisdom and Constitution are not main stats to raise for the class, leaving it with terrible Will and Fortitude saves, but most likely stellar Reflex saves (as Dexterity is one of the main can-do-all abilities in Starfinder).
The only thing I disliked on the chassis is the 4+Int amount of skills. The only classes that gain this skill amount are Solarions, Soldiers, Technomancers and Mechanics. But the latter two are Int based (thus probably have 7 a 8 skills per level), and the former two are Full-BAB damage-dealers (who lament their lack of skills, but make up with sheer combat prowess). The Witchwarper seems to be drawing the short end of the stick here; Int is not a main stat, so they will not have a lot of bonus skills. You'll have a few good skills (most likely "talk your way outta here" skills aka face), which become completely irrelevant if there is an Envoy around. And on top of that there are not enough skill points to go around to be "decent" in other things without heightening your Int. Any other 3/4 BAB class that is not Int based has at least 6+Int, so why doesn't the Witchwarper have that?
Proficiencies
Light Armor only and Basic Melee, Small Arms and Grenades.
The usual caster fair, with the inclusion of grenades. I have no special things to mention here, it are the expected proficiencies. Having grenades is great, though. Yes, they are expensive, but the option is amazing to have against things that resist your spells/class abilities.
Spell list
A difficult one to review at the moment, as the complete spell-list has not been revealed yet. Currently it seems that the list consists of Status Removal, (Area) Control, with some damage-buffing for allies. It makes it pretty clear what kind of caster it is supposed to be: a spellcaster that controls the battlefield by tossing the enemies in a disadvantage. It also means that the Witchwarper is completely reliant on someone else to take those enemies out. A Witchwarper on its own is never going to win (well, maybe not never, but you get the idea), as it is not in the possession of a good damaging spell until level 7 (when it it can get Explosive Blast, which for some strange reason has made the cut for the spell-list). This is of course dismissing Summon Monster as a viable tactic, and I hope that Witchwarpers also get their unique summon on the list (as Mystics get First World and Technomancer Robots).
Class Features
Infinite Worlds
One of the main abilities a Witchwarper gets. I have a bit of a double feeling for this one; I like it, it is really flavorful. But at low levels (1-6) you have very few uses of this, and it is very situational. Starting level 7 this ability begins to shine brighter as you grow stronger, with lowering/raising the floor and increasing/decreasing wind, gravity and radiation (with the latter a bit less strong due to armor-interactions). It just seems useless in a lot of low level encounters (due to shootouts being the main course of action, and elemental hazards not being part of the enemies tactics).
Paradigm Shift
THE MAIN THING of a Witchwarper. It works a lot like the Hexes of the Pathfinder's Witch/Shaman: you can use each of your known shifts once per person per day. It unfortunately also suffers from the same problem as the Pathfinders Hexes: some are just better/less situational than others. And since you do not get a lot of them (and new ones keep opening up at each interval) there is no reason to take those other ones except for flavor/specific build reasons. This was the reason there were so much Slumber Witches, and I believe Evil Eye/Cackle are still the main choices when Hexes are lost due to archetypes. I rather not see that happen with the Witchwarper, but I also do not want to see all the Paradigm Shifts being lowered to a state of uselessness to prevent something like that. Maybe what I'm advocating is an extra low level (at lvl 1-3) Paradigm Shift, but then from a select list of more situational shifts then the "can-be-used-anytime" ones (like Push Grenade, which is awesome, but extremely situational). This also immediately semi-counters the "single big boss syndrome" problem that arises a lot in low-level PFS scenarios: once you use your paradigm shift at that boss, your done with this class ability. Better hope you can do other things as well, because these bosses usually last a few rounds...
Compound Sight
The standard "+x to skill every three levels" ability in a new coat: you get to choose to which skill it applies, for it is not dictated by your class. At level 9, you pick another skill the bonus applies to. The only thing I find a bit useless is the fact you can change to which skill it applies at each level up. My experience with such "can be changed" abilities, is that they do not change unless the party changes drastically. They usually stay in the same skill over and over. I could also be the only person thinking this, but as far as I'm concerned that part of the ability can be scrapped (good for the word-count, I guess)
Spell Penetration
Don't get me wrong, Spell Penetration is not a bad feat. But the Witchwarper does not get a lot of spells that interact with this feat (at the moment). This may change as the spell-list is updated, but at the moment it is a feat that might get taken starting lvl 7 or 9 when those spells start to show up on the list. Spell Focus will be taken by 90% of the Witchwarpers at lvl 3 to up those Save DC's, which seems like a feat that should be obtained through the class at lvl 3 instead of Spell Penetration.
Alternate Outcome
An amazing ability, rerolls are very powerful. I have nothing to add to that.
Starship Combat
Here is a problem, which is amplified by the lack of skill-points per level. The Witchwarper gains no class-skills to shine in starship combat except for the Captain seat, a seat usually taken by the Envoy (who is better at it) or the Mystic (because he has nothing better to do). Yes, you can get the other skills through resource uses (themes/feats/those few skills you get), but it will usually be outclassed by the other classes in the other seats. As it stands, the Witchwarper does not have a specific niche in these combats where it shines, it is just there.
TL;DR: The Witchwarper seems to be a fine class meant for battlefield control, which has the class-abilities to make it work. Although it has all the characteristics of a caster class (proficiencies/hp/stamina/BAB), it also has a couple of headscratchers (only Reflex as good save? 4+Int skills is abominable). It gains Spell Penetration instead of Spell Focus (something I would change back), and is low on class-ability uses on low levels (at higher levels the uses are more than enough, but getting there is a slog). The class-ability choices have some real pearls, which unfortunately outshine some fun abilities that would be taken if more choices where allowed to be made. The spell-list is still incomplete, but showcases the core is (area) control and support, as its class-abilities also do in a different way. It does not have a niche in Starship Combat, except that it is an excellent Captain if there is no Envoy in sight.
All in all a good caster class, that suffers from some chassis problems.
I've only looked at the playtest, not actively played with it, but I've discussed it with Mr. Bonkers and saw his Witchwarper in action. I don't know if there's a formula or "build point amount" classes stick to, but I think the class has a very poor chassis. I'll also compare this class to the core classes, not the other ones in the playtest. If Paizo wants to set a new standard with these new classes, I don't compare it to that.
First of all, HP equal to a Technomancer. I'm still not sure why the Technomancer gets 5 HP/Stamina per level, and the Mystic 6. A remainder of the Arcane/Divine divide?
Also same amount of strong saves as a Technomancer and Mystic, so there's a precedent for spellcasters having low amount of strong saves. But both the Technomancer and Mystic get strong Will saves. For the Wisdom-based Mystic, that's just gravy, but the Technomancer needs it, as it mostly runs on INT. And I'm not saying that all spellcasters should run on the same strong saves, but at least give it a save that's relevant. As Mr. Bonkers said, Dexterity is a very important stat, nearly every class will have at least some of it. This will lead to some very lopsided saves for the Witchwarper.
Also same amount of spells as Technomancer and Mystic. Seems this is the standard for casters now. Fine.
Now, this is debatable, but I think it's important. 4 skills per level is not enough. As Mr. Bonkers said, it's shared with Soldiers, Solarians, Mechanics and Technomancers. The latter two are INT-based, so they can compensate. And the first two are full-BAB, so I guess that's a tradeoff. But the Witchwarper is neither, so I don't see why they get the short end of the stick. In Pathfinder, skills usually represented background training, usually codified from D&D. Rogues were supposed to be crafty, cunning skill monkeys, and Bards dabbled in everything, so they get a lot of skill points. Fighters and Clerics are too busy with training for extra-vocational activities. But the Mystic, the Cleric 2.0, more or less, has 6 skill points per level, so I don't see that paradigm working anymore. All the current classes work on the logic that you're either good in combat, or in skills. And, weirdly enough, INT-based classes get a bit of both. Envoy is mostly busy buffing/debuffing, so making attacks isn't their priority. Hence more skill points. Mechanic gets both, as said before. Relatively few skill points, but boosted by its main stat. Mystic is probably more of a straight up caster, so more skill points for them. Operative is a skill monkey, so skill points. Soldier and Solarian are bruisers, so relatively few skill points. Technomancer is a caster, but due to INT being important, probably as many, if not more, skill points as the Mystic. I'd expect the Witchwarper to fall in the Mystic's camp, but strangely, no.
So even without looking at class abilities (which I don't know enough about to comment on), the Witchwarper is a class that doesn't have enough skill points for its supposed role, has a strange strong save, and an odd amount of HP/Stamina per level. That must mean its class abilities must be very good to compensate, right? As I said, I haven't looked into it enough to form an opinion, but Mr. Bonkers said it didn't feel that way, at least.
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As a side note: I'm absolutely baffled by the fact that the Vanguard gets Constitution as a main stat, 7 HP/Stamina per level, lots of skill points, full BAB, AND heavy armour. Seems like he got the best of everything, but most importantly, the double joy of high Constitution and lots of Stamina per level. I would've either given it a different main stat, or lower the Stamina per level to 5 or 6. Usually, people compensate for low Stamina per level with a higher Constitution, but this seems like it's double-dipping. I mean, they're meant to be unstoppable, but this is overdoing it. I've already heard stories of Vanguards with a bigger Stamina pool than a boss has HP. So if they traded blows one for one, the boss would be dead and he still would've needed to go through the Vanguard's HP.
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As a side note: I'm absolutely baffled by the fact that the Vanguard gets Constitution as a main stat, 7 HP/Stamina per level, lots of skill points, full BAB, AND heavy armour. Seems like he got the best of everything, but most importantly, the double joy of high Constitution and lots of Stamina per level. I would've either given it a different main stat, or lower the Stamina per level to 5 or 6. Usually, people compensate for low Stamina per level with a higher Constitution, but this seems like it's double-dipping. I mean, they're meant to be unstoppable, but this is overdoing it. I've already heard stories of Vanguards with a bigger Stamina pool than a boss has HP. So if they traded blows one for one, the boss would be dead and he still would've needed to go through the Vanguard's HP.
Vanguard is a fairly sweet deal, but when you start crunching to build one you notice that although you can go in several different directions at once (max AC, max stamina/Con, max damage), you cannot go in all of them at the same time. Some vanguards will focus on AC and heavy armor; others will aim to get hit just often enough to ensure a steady trickle of entropy points, so they need both the stamina to survive that and the resolve to keep going the rest of the day. And in any case, vanguards might have as much stamina as the boss has HP, but they don't have the same to-hit modifier or damage output. But yeah, it's a sweet deal.
The elephant in the room of course is that the vanguard is designed to "get hit to get entropy points", but reports indicate it's not working in practice. At higher levels monsters don't hit hard enough to give entropy points, or entropy points aren't useful enough to be worth getting hit for.
The vanguards problem isn't getting entropy points its.. i do what with these?