Hello everyone! I was thinking about the current implementation of witchwarper and it gave me the idea that it should be completely occult. I'll try to explain why.
The paradox of anomaly gives us the arcane spell tradition, although thematically this paradox is much closer to something occult, incomprehensible and unknown. I think it would be more appropriate if this paradox gave the occult spell tradition. This idea can be extended to the entire class. The witchwarper itself is something that will disrupt the natural order of things, something that is thematically closer to the occult than the arcane.
I think that witchwarper would look more thematically holistic if it was completely occult, or at least if the paradox of anomaly gave occult spell tradition, and for example the precog anomaly gave arcane (but it doesn't seem to greatly improve the thematic state of the class).
I decided to share my observations and thoughts about the class. I would be glad to know what you think about this. If you find my suggestion useful, then maybe we can draw Paizo's attention to this situation.
You can certainly use The First Rule and change Witchwarper at your gaming table to be Occult tradition only.
Personally, I don't have a thematic problem with Witchwarper casting Arcane tradition spells. I don't think that is a problem that needs fixed universally.
And if it was changed universally such that Witchwarper only casts from the Occult list, there wouldn't be any class in Player Core that casts Arcane spells at all.
No. Analyst (also arcane) sees the underlying code of physical reality and therefore uses that list
Anomaly pulls from alternate physical realities and therefore arcane is appropriate. It needs to be able to burn and freeze things. The bonus spells like Eldritch Wrath give off list stuff to pad it out appropriately.
Only Gap and Precog lack a physical focus and make sense for the spirit/mental focus of occult.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Witchwarper, by SF1 lore, should probably be arcane-only, pulling information, objects, energy, and creatures from other realities. However, the class also rolls in the thematically similar Precog, and that's where we get the occult elements.
The implications of making the class occult only would be a non-starter.
- Witchwarper wouldn't be able to temporarily pull in objects or energy from other realities.
- The core rulebook wouldn't have any way to use the arcane list.
And if it was changed universally such that Witchwarper only casts from the Occult list, there wouldn't be any class in Player Core that casts Arcane spells at all.
I agree. In player core in this case there will be a shortage of arcane magic. But in the future Tecnomancer will be the main contributor of arcane magic in the game
I'm kinda curious to why you're arguing for actively removing Arcane as an option, vs just something like being able to freely pick Arcane vs Occult?
Because this whole witchwarper class reminds me very much of H.P. Lovecraft vibe (maybe it's my obsession, I don't know), and, accordingly, occult themes. It seems that I'm just not satisfied with the fact that in the anomaly paradox that interests me, I can't use all sorts of eldritch and mental spells.
Your idea of freely choosing between occult and arcane spell list is more flexible and compromising than mine. I like your idea.