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A lot of people have said that the class as it stands betrays its fluff mechanically. As a "reality warper" class, the witchwarper should feel strong and versatile. However, many who have played the class, myself included, felt nothing like that. The class as it stands, according to many, feels useless in a lot of normal situations, and even further fails to capture the supremely versatile and potent skillset one expects of a reality warper. Many wonder why the class can't pull from a reality where their allies are healthy to heal their wounds, or pull a resident evil-style zombie virus from another reality saturated with it to raise undead minions. Or do any number of other things. Even further, people feel the paradigm shifts as of now are too weak, with most of them being too narrow and situational to see regular play, and the few that aren't being too resolve hungry to use regularly, thus leaving the class with nothing to do against standard "trash mobs" and forced to hold all their good shifts in reserve for the big boss fight.
After taking this all into consideration and playing, I tried to come up with a fix for it. My first effort was in my "Fixing the Spell List" thread, which I ultimately came to the decision to scrap since it was not the right direction. Thus, if there are any mods or people with deleting power here I ask that the thread please be deleted if it can. Thanks ahead of time if this request is filled. Anyway, with that out of the way, your likely asking...what is this "fix"? Use prepared casting as a model for how to fix this class and give it a unique mechanical identity that truly reflects its fluff. Sounds crazy, I know, but here me out. Prepared casting never made sense from a fluff standpoint for a lot of casters. Most casters, including Starfinder's Technomancer and Mystic, are fluffed as learning their spells; typically either through intensive study (technomancer, wizard etc..) or via being given the knowledge and power to use it by a higher being or force (mystic, cleric etc...). However, for a lot of people, it never made sense that a spellcaster would "lose" that knowledge once they cast a spell. Vance's novels on which prepared casting was based are not nearly as well known as they where when D&D was made all those years ago....and that, when combined with the fact Starfinder draws more from sci-fi than fantasy, makes it easy to see why making the technomancer and mystic spontaneous casters was the right choice.
However, in the case of the Witchwarper, I feel we now have a valid excuse to bring vancian prepared casting into starfinder. In terms of fluff, prepared casting can easily be made to make sense with the concept of what a Witchwarper is. As a Witchwarper, you don't "learn" magic like other casters. You instead pull your "spells" from other realities, meaning you in theory could fluff the class as not actually having to learn how to use their spells and abilities; instead you can have them just be a reality warper who does all their stuff by will alone. A simple change of *when* you do this pulling from other realities easily facilitates expressing this mechanically as prepared casting as well. Imagine for a second that witchwarpers don't pull from other realities on the fly in most cases, but instead do so through deep focus and concentration. Imagine that through this focus, they can "sync" themselves to other realities, and then pull the aspects of them they want to harness into their very being through sheer force of personality. Then, they can impose these aspects of other realities they pull into themselves onto the world around them, in the same way they can use their force of personality to impose their will upon others. However, when they impose an aspect of another reality onto their own, it may require pulling it out of them (in the case of their spells), hence why they "lose" or "forget" their prepared spells.
Bam, with one simple fluff change, the Witchwarper is more justifiable as a vancian prepared spellcaster than even a PF wizard.
This change to vancian prepared casting also makes sense from a mechanical standpoint, because as many have noted the class needs a mechanical buff. Many have already said it feels too weak mechanically, and even further them and others have said that the fluff betrays and poorly portrays the crunch. As a reality warper, the class should be able to do all kinds of crazy magical things. Yet the class as it stands feels far too limited and weak, with many often useless features, to really feel like somebody who can tap the infinite tapestry of realities. Swapping them to being vancian prepared casters would help to address these issues in a big way.
For one, it would really help to make the class feel like it could do everything that being a reality warper entails, but in a theoretically balanced way. When one thinks of reality warping, they imagine a very versatile and varied set of abilities that can do almost anything. The features of the class as of now, while maybe underpowered and not the best in execution, at least try to emulate this. You have a lot of class features with very, very situational effects. This has lead the witchwarper to being seen as weak and useless in average combat, with its only good features being its very limited casting and resolve-hungry paradigm shifts. By making the class a prepared spellcaster, you can get a lot of those odd situational abilities one expects from a reality warper in the spellcasting of the class, rather than having to rely on the shifts to have them. This, combind with the easy fluff justification, I feel make a solid case for the Witchwarper being the class that introduces prepared casting to Starfinder.
Likewise, the second part of this fix is also one that makes a lot of sense if we assume the prepared casting is implemented: Allow them to also prepare their known shifts when they prepare their spells, and add witch hex-like shifts to the list that are less situational and more generally useful. This allows them to still pull out things like the resistance swaps when they are useful if they can plan ahead, but also assure they are not stuck with them if they are dead and let the class meaningfully contribute in bogstandard "trash mob" fights where people feel the class is too weak as it stands. The fluff justification for this is the same as the casting, so needs little discussion.
Since all these features would make the class very strong, I feel that if implemented bringing the class down to poor BAB but otherwise leaving the already bad chassis unchanged, is not uncalled for. If this is done, I feel weapon specialization should be replaced with a custom feature I've created called "Spell Specialization" which lets the class add 1/2 its level to the many blast spells it can get, as another common "issue" people have with the class is that it has very poor dpr options. This change, combind with the prepared casting and prepared shifits, some of which can be used at-will, would firmly cement this class as THE "fullcaster" of starfinder, that does something magical every round and who focuses wholly on magic to the detriment of both their skills and talent with weapons, which is a niche' this game is sorely missing and a lot of people feel it needs. With that being said, I have posted a suggestion for a VERY rough patch of the class, with the changes I am suggesting in this thread. If their are any Devs out there, I hope you consider testing at least a little bit of this. Anyway, the patch is outlined below:
UNOFFICIAL ROUGH/PRE-ALPHA HOMEBREW WITCHWARPER PATCH.
NOTE: I have NO idea how balanced any of this is, so any thoughts and opinions on the balance of these changes is most appreciated!
I’m sure no one is upset.
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Vancian spellcasting isn't a solution to anything, if you ask me.
Soldier: "OK, we finished off those guards, 10 minute rest and let's keep going into the fortress."
Witchwarper: "I used my last WARP BOMB in that fight. We need to rest for the day."
Soldier: "...I'ts 9:00 AM, Absolom Time. We literally got to the planet an hour ago."
Witchwarper: "Well do you want to go on with more WARP BOMBS, or do you want me to shoot my pistol at the enemies?"
Soldier: "I thought we were over this."
The Starfinder devs made a clear statement that they were done with the 15 minute work day when they implemented Resolve/Stamina and made all casters spontaneous. Vancian spellcasting encourages a sort of blackmail-y gameplay where the casters aren't frugal with their casting and blow their wads way earlier than the rest of the team. No thanks.
The way to fix Witchwarpers is to give them more flexibility (especially in skills) and less reliance on save-or-suck abilities. They of course will get better when they have their own dedicated spell list, too.
Interesting idea. However, instead of going full-Vancian, why not take a page from the Pathfinder arcanist (possibly with some inspiration from the witch* class)?
Witchwarpers can prepare "spells known" each day (but only up to 4 spells per spell level) and can cast the prepared spells spontaneously using available spell slots (again, limited to a maximum of 4 spell slots per spell level before bonuses for Cha). In addition, witchwarpers can select a "warp specialty" at 1st level that provides a set list of 1st to 6th spells that are "always prepared" when the character gains access to casting for that spell level (or possibly one class level after): such as a "devolutionist" with 1st-6th baleful polymorph (replace lower level versions with 1st-life bubble, 2nd-parallel form, 3rd-slow, 4th-mass baleful polymorph/resilient sphere, and 5th-mass baleful polymorph when gaining the higher level versions), a "summoner" with 1st-6th summon creature (replace lower level versions with 1st-wisp ally, 2nd-fog cloud, 3rd-speak with dead, 4th-planar binding/dismissal, and 5th-planar binding), a "warp healer" with 1st-6th mystic cure (replace lower level versions with 1st-lesser remove condition, 2nd-remove condition, 3rd-remove affliction, 4th-remove radioactivity, and 5th-break enchantment), etc.
*- obvious, right?
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After playing both prepared and spontaneous spellcasters, the thing that felt the most flexible and versatile to me by far was the spontaneous caster. The flexibility of always having "more of the thing that's working" far outweighed the "well I've got only one of that prepared so I'm not sure if I want to use it for a suboptimal case in this encounter..."
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I agree with Dracomicron that prepared spellcasting has gone the way of the dodo in Starfinder, but at the same time I really like the flavour idea....in my head I can easily imagine a Vancian Witchwarper's 10 min a day of preparing spells being similar to Dr. Strange's use of the Time Stone, as they mystically peer into nearby realities and choose which of those they attune to for the coming day. Crazier RP-nerds could even thematically come up with backstories for alternate realities to explain their choices!
"Hmm, we're probably going up against the white dragon today, so I better make sure I am realitationally close to the fiery might of Reality 39-BetaBeta, where Serenrae turned to the dark side and ignited the Pact Worlds and most of Near Space into a giant plasma cloud eternally burning at 4 trillion Kelvin. Ah, good ol' trusty 39-BB, where the sun never sets!"
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After a bit more thought, I've refined the concept I posted earlier. Here is my take on changing the witchwarper class.
Note that the only change is to spellcasting; the other class features remain the same. Also, I've changed some of the "warp specialty" spells to more closely align to the "warp specialty's" theme and added two more "warp specialties" ("necromancer" and "shifter").
Additionally, I've reduced the number of prepared slots to balance the versatility of being able to choose the "perfect" spells for the day's encounters against other casters having more options. Basically, for most levels the witchwarper "knows" the same number of spells at a given spell level (0-level spells being the exception) other than never being able to "know" 6 spells of a given spell level. However, one spell of each spell level is determined by the witchwarper's "warp specialty" (cannot be changed) and the others require the witchwarper to spend time each day to effectively attune themself to the appropriate planar energies to be able to cast the spell later.
Table 1-4: Witchwarper
Spells per Day (by Spell Level)
Level..1st....2nd....3rd....4th....5th....6th
1st.....2......-......-......-......-......-
2nd.....2......-......-......-......-......-
3rd.....3......-......-......-......-......-
4th.....3......2......-......-......-......-
5th.....4......2......-......-......-......-
6th.....4......3......-......-......-......-
7th.....4......3......2......-......-......-
8th.....4......4......2......-......-......-
9th.....4......4......3......-......-......-
10th....4......4......3......2......-......-
11th....4......4......4......2......-......-
12th....4......4......4......3......-......-
13th....4......4......4......3......2......-
14th....4......4......4......4......2......-
15th....4......4......4......4......3......-
16th....4......4......4......4......3......2
17th....4......4......4......4......4......2
18th....4......4......4......4......4......3
19th....4......4......4......4......4......3
20th....4......4......4......4......4......4
Table 1-6: Witchwarper Spells Prepared
Spells Prepared (by Spell Level)
Level...0.....1st*...2nd*...3rd*...4th*...5th*...6th*
1st.....3......1......-......-......-......-......-
2nd.....4......2......-......-......-......-......-
3rd.....4......3......-......-......-......-......-
4th.....4......3......1......-......-......-......-
5th.....4......3......2......-......-......-......-
6th.....4......3......3......-......-......-......-
7th.....4......4......3......1......-......-......-
8th.....4......4......3......2......-......-......-
9th.....4......4......3......3......-......-......-
10th....4......4......4......3......1......-......-
11th....4......4......4......3......2......-......-
12th....4......4......4......3......3......-......-
13th....4......4......4......4......3......1......-
14th....4......4......4......4......3......2......-
15th....4......4......4......4......3......3......-
16th....4......4......4......4......4......3......1
17th....4......4......4......4......4......3......2
18th....4......4......4......4......4......3......3
19th....4......4......4......4......4......4......3
20th....4......4......4......4......4......4......4
*- Number of spells prepared do not include "warp specialty" spells
Spells
You prepare and cast spells drawn from the witchwarper spell list. To prepare or cast a spell, you must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell's level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against your spell is 10 + the spell's level + your Charisma modifier.
The number of spells you can cast per day is limited. Your number of spell slots per day is given on Table 1-4: Witchwarper. In addition, you receive bonus spells per day if you have a Charisma modifier of +1 or higher, as shown on Table 1-5: Witchwarper Bonus Spells (Starfinder Operations Manual Playtest, pg. 20). You can also cast prepared 0-level spells. These spells are cast like any other spell, but there is no limit to how many 0-level spells you can cast each day.
You can prepare any witchwarper spell of a spell level you can cast. This preparation requires access to a computer with connected to a planetary infosphere or a downloaded data set (a library chip for Mysticism from Pact Worlds counts as a downloaded data set for this purpose). Alternately, a book (see Starfinder Armory) that lists preparation techniques for specific spells also allows preparation of those spells. This preparation requires 5 minutes of dedicated activity for each spell level (10 minutes for 0-level and 1st-level spells, 15 minutes for 0-level to 2nd-level spells, 20 minutes for 0-level to 3rd-level spells, etc.). You can only prepare spells once in a 24 hour period.
In addition to prepared witchwarper spells, a witchwarper knows a specific set of spells for their "warp specialty." These spells do not need to be prepared by the witchwarper before being cast. Whenever a witchwarper can cast spells of a given spell level, they automatically learn the "warp specialty" spell of that level. A witchwarper chooses their "warp specialty" at 1st level. Once chosen, the "warp specialty" can not be changed.
You can cast any witchwarper spell you know at any time, assuming you have not yet used up your allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level. You can also cast a spell using a higher-level spell slot. For instance, if you want to cast a 1st-level spell but have used up all your 1st-level spells for the day, you can use a spell from a 2nd-level slot instead if you have one.
You can also decipher magical inscriptions that would otherwise be unintelligible or, as a full action, identify any spells encoded in a spell gem. This does not normally invoke the magic contained within, although it may do so in the case of a cursed or trapped spell gem.
"Warp Specialty" (1st level)
Each witchwarper learns to manipulate reality based on a specific magical approach, heritage, method, or mindset. This is their "warp specialty." While there are potentially an infinite number of possible "warp specialties," based on the individual quirks of the witchwarper, they still tend to fall into a limited number of patterns. The following "warp specialties" are the most commonly encountered ones. A player should work with their GM to develop a rare or unique "warp specialty."
"Devolutionist"
A witchwarper with this "warp specialty" concentrates on imposing unfavorable realities on others. "Warp specialty" spells: 1st-6th baleful polymorph; whenever the witchwarper learns the higher level version of baleful polymorph, they replace the lower level version with 1st-lesser confusion, 2nd-hold person, 3rd-betow curse, 4th-mass baleful polymorph (confusion when the 5th-level version of mass baleful polymorph is learned), 5th-mass baleful polymorph.
"Necromancer"
A witchwarper with this "warp specialty" is focused on the undead. "Warp specialty" spells: 1st-wisp ally, 2nd-command undead, 3rd-speak with dead, 4th-animate dead, 5th-reanimate (undead only), 6th-control undead.
"Shifter"
A witchwarper with this "warp specialty" is adept at causing favorable changes to themself and allies. "Warp specialty" spells: 1st-6th polymorph; whenever the witchwarper learns the higher level version of polymorph, they replace the lower level version with 1st-might of the ellicoth, 2nd-spider climb, 3rd-haste, 4th-mass polymorph (restoration when the 5th-level version of mass polymorph is learned), 5th-mass polymorph.
"Summoner"
A witchwarper with this "warp specialty" calls on creatures from other planes to do their bidding. "Warp specialty" spells: 1st-6th summon creature; whenever the witchwarper learns the higher level version of summon creature, they replace the lower level version with 1st-unseen servant, 2nd-parallel form, 3rd-handy junkbot (doesn't require 1 bulk of junk, but is considered a living extraplanar creature for spell effects), 4th-planar binding (dismissal when the 5th-level version of planar binding is learned), 5th-planar binding.
"Warp Healer"
A witchwarper with this "warp specialty" channels extraplanar energies into healing and removing afflictions. "Warp specialty" spells: 1st-6th mystic cure; whenever the witchwarper learns the higher level version of mystic cure, they replace the lower level version with 1st-lesser remove condition, 2nd-remove condition, 3rd-remove affliction, 4th-remove radioactivity, 5th-break enchantment.
EDIT: reformatted tables
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I actually never considered Arcanist casting for the Witchwarper, but you all have sold me on it. I also like the Warp Specialties....I like how two of them let you do a normally of-limits role (Necromancer and warp healer) while two reinforce things you can already do (devolutionist and summoner). One thing you may want to add though is that specality spells that use your Wis or Int instead use your cha, as Mystic Cure uses Wis mod, not spellcasting ability mod, despite what you'd normally expect. This leads to the healer warper having extra MAD from needing Wis as well as Cha unless such a clause is added.
Either way, great idea! Do you mind if I add it to the doc and credit you?
You could adjust the witchwarper's mystic cure to use Cha instead of Wis. On the other hand, the mindset of a witchwarper healer would probably display strong empathy (i.e., above average Wis); so keeping it would also be appropriate.
Go ahead and add it with a credit. I already cited it in the playtest survey for the witchwarper.
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Cool. The doc has been altered with your ideas, BTW. Also, by citing "it" what do you mean by "it"? My doc, or your own changes? Or this entire thread? Just curious, is all...
Also, why did you make them require a book or computer to prepare spells? That seems VERY un-witchwarper-y from a fluff perspective, and more like something I'd expect from a prepared variant of the technomancer? So much that in the doc I took that part out (keeping the prep times the same, however) and just required that they spend their prep time in deep focus viewing all possible realities and pulling what they want from them.
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Vancian spellcasting isn't a solution to anything, if you ask me.
Soldier: "OK, we finished off those guards, 10 minute rest and let's keep going into the fortress."
Witchwarper: "I used my last WARP BOMB in that fight. We need to rest for the day."
Soldier: "...I'ts 9:00 AM, Absolom Time. We literally got to the planet an hour ago."
Witchwarper: "Well do you want to go on with more WARP BOMBS, or do you want me to shoot my pistol at the enemies?"
Soldier: "I thought we were over this."
The Starfinder devs made a clear statement that they were done with the 15 minute work day when they implemented Resolve/Stamina and made all casters spontaneous. Vancian spellcasting encourages a sort of blackmail-y gameplay where the casters aren't frugal with their casting and blow their wads way earlier than the rest of the team. No thanks.
The way to fix Witchwarpers is to give them more flexibility (especially in skills) and less reliance on save-or-suck abilities. They of course will get better when they have their own dedicated spell list, too.
^ This. Vancian spellcasting is completely against the feel of Starfinder. It shouldn't be in it.
Cool. The doc has been altered with your ideas, BTW. Also, by citing "it" what do you mean by "it"? My doc, or your own changes? Or this entire thread? Just curious, is all...
Also, why did you make them require a book or computer to prepare spells? That seems VERY un-witchwarper-y from a fluff perspective, and more like something I'd expect from a prepared variant of the technomancer? So much that in the doc I took that part out (keeping the prep times the same, however) and just required that they spend their prep time in deep focus viewing all possible realities and pulling what they want from them.
"It" meaning my specific post.
The "spellbook" was a first stab at the idea. After thinking about it a bit more, emphasizing the "attunement" aspect makes more sense. Change the paragraph on preparation to:
"To prepare spells for the day, the witchwarper needs to attune themself to the appropriate planar energies. This is done by meditating for 5 minutes for each spell level of spells being prepared (10 minutes for 0-level and 1st-level spells, 15 minutes for 0-level to 2nd-level spells, 20 minutes for 0-level to 3rd-level spells, etc.). The witchwarper must be fully rested (8 hours of sleep) and can perform no other activity during the period they are preparing spells. A witchwarper can only prepare spells once in a 24 hour period."
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I like the flavor of 'borrows from a different reality where I learned different magic for the day'. I don't like adding a prepared spell caster or anything that breaks the standard spellcaster pattern for starfinder.
To reflect that flavor I'd rather see something like a single floating spell known, maybe something you can spend a resolve during a 10 min rest to change.
Say you typically have mind thrust in that slot, but then you start running into undead so during the next short rest you change it out for magic missile.
It's a flexible and potentially powerful ability, but spellcasting still works like normal otherwise.
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Actually, you know what would be perfect? Spell kenning as per the PF Skald. You can once a day pull any spell of a level that you could cast as if you knew it.
Hmm
Or possibly one use of infinite worlds/alternate outcome.
One last thought on having the witchwarper prepare their spells: It would actually give one character an incentive for using a ring of sustenance over a clear spindle aeon stone.