The Edgewitch

The Edgewitch is a first-level sample character for Champions of the Spheres, suitable for use as a PC or as an NPC. Information on its build rules, and how to adjust for different rules, is included below. This character was suggested by the community and created by the Wiki.

Unlike most sample builds, the Edgewitch uses slightly different rules - including, most notably, the use of a popular but non-core race. This is meant to serve as an example of building to an idea by using various character options, including race. (The idea, in this case, being the edgiest loner character we could make with this class at first level. The community members who suggested this concept and helped make it are not sorry for what they've done.)


The Edgewitch
Male Oni-spawn tiefling hedgewitch (martial hedgewitch) 1 (Pathfinder Player Companion: Blood of Fiends 22, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 264)
CN Medium outsider (native)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4

Defense

AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +1 Dex)
hp 11 (1d8+3)
Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +5; +2 trait bonus vs. curses
Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5
Weaknesses magical signs, mental focus, reclusive (black magic curse), strenuous, verbal casting

Offense

Speed 30 ft.
Melee armor spikes +0 (1d6+4) or
. katana 1H: +4 (1d8+4/18-20)| 2H: +4 (1d8+6/18-20)
Special Attacks blood: bleed (quicken), blood: blood control, duelist: blooded strike, duelist: debilitating injuries (bleed), duelist: draw cut

Statistics

Str 18, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 6
Base Atk +0; CMB +6 (+2 Racial); CMD 15
Feats Spell Attack
Traits born damned, reactionary
Skills Climb +7, Disguise +0, Intimidate +4, Perception +4, Sense Motive +7, Stealth +4, Survival +4; Racial Modifiers +2 Disguise, +2 Intimidate
Languages Common, Infernal
SQ blood sphere, blood: coagulate (still), blood: exsanguinating strike, casting, class skills, combat training, duelist sphere, equipment: custom training (discipline), equipment: fast draw, proficiencies, secrets, spell attack, tradition (black magic), tradition benefit (black magic), tradition power (black magic)
Other Gear armor spikes studded leather, katana[UC], 25 gp

Special Abilities

Blood Sphere (Ex) You have access to the blood sphere. You gain the following ability: Blood Control.

Blood: Bleed (quicken) (Ex) You may cause the target of your blood control to take bleed damage equal to your caster level for the duration of your blood control. This damage can be stopped prior to the end of your blood control by the coagulate ability, a DC 15 heal check, or any amount of magical healing.

Blood: Blood Control (Ex) As a standard action, you may establish a link to the blood of a target within close range. Unwilling targets are permitted a Fortitude save. Targets with less than half their maximum hit points or taking bleed damage take a -4 penalty on this save. This link lasts for as long as you concentrate, though you may spend a spell point for it to last 1 round per caster level without concentration. Targets that gain immunity to bleed damage from their creature type, subtype, or a template are immune to blood control. Creatures that gain immunity to bleed damage from other sources are susceptible to blood control, but still benefit from their immunity against bleed damage.

If a second creature attempts to establish blood control on a creature that is already controlled, it must pass a magic skill check. A creature may always attempt to end the blood control on themself by making a new Fortitude save as a mental-only standard action that may be taken even when normally unable to take standard actions, such as when dazed or nauseated. You may apply one (quicken) or (still) ability as part of casting blood control. Once blood control has been established, you may spend a standard action (unless otherwise noted) to apply additional (quicken) or (still) abilities. Spending at least a standard action to do so counts as concentrating on the ongoing blood control for that instance of blood control (if able to concentrate on an effect as a move action, applying additional {quicken) or (still) abilities as a move action, such as via the Quicken metamagic feat, would also count as concentrating for that round).

Some Blood talents are marked (quicken) or (still). These talents grant you additional blood control abilities. A creature may not be affected by both a (quicken) and a (still) ability at the same time. If a caster attempts to use a (quicken) talent on a creature currently under the effects of a (still) talent or vise versa, the previous effect ends.

Some creatures that are normally immune to bleed damage but that frequently feed on blood may be susceptible the blood control. Any creature that has used the blood drain universal monster ability in the previous hour or any creature composed largely of blood (such as a blood golem) may be affected by blood control. Other appropriate creatures may also be affected, at the GM’s discretion.

When you gain the blood sphere, you learn the following abilities: Bleed (quicken) and Coagulate (still)

Blood: Coagulate (still) (Ex) You may end any bleed damage affecting the target of your blood control. For the duration of the blood control, the target reduces any bleed damage taken by 1 + 1 per 3 caster levels and any creature using an effect that would inflict bleed damage must pass a magic skill check or have the bleed damage negated. Creatures imposing bleed damage via non-magical abilities (such as the blooded strike ability of the Duelist sphere) may substitute their base attack bonus for their magic skill bonus on this check.

Blood: Exsanguinating Strike (Ex) As a standard action, you may make a single weapon attack. If a creature is damaged by this attack, you may initiate blood control on that creature (including a (quicken) or (still) effect) if it is not under the effects of your blood control. If it is under the effects of your blood control, you may apply a (quicken) or (still) effect to it. This talent may be used with the Spell Attack feat. Applying any (quicken) ability as part of this talent counts as dealing bleed damage with the weapon for the purposes of the Bloodmonger feat.

Born Damned The inherent sacrilege that taints your soul sometimes crowds out lesser banes. You gain a +2 trait bonus on saving throws against curses and magical effects that produce curses.

Casting (CL 1, MSB +1, MSD 12, Concentration +4, DC 13) You can cast sphere effects.

Class Skills (Ex) The martial hedgewitch gains Acrobatics, Climb, and Swim as class skills.

Combat Training (Ex) A martial hedgewitch may combine combat spheres and talents to create powerful martial techniques. Martial hedgewitches gain a combat talent at 1st level and every 2 levels thereafter and use their casting ability modifier as their practitioner modifier.

Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).

Duelist Sphere (Ex) Training in the Duelist combat sphere teaches a practitioner techniques for prevailing in single combat, disarming a foe or taking control of their weapon while whittling away at them one knick at a time.

Duelist: Blooded Strike (Ex) Whenever you use the attack action or an attack of opportunity to attack or disarm a creature, you deal an additional 1 point of bleed damage to the target on a successful attempt, +1 for every 4 points of base attack bonus you possess; this stacks with any other bleed damage you are capable of dealing. Practitioners of the Duelist sphere never provoke attacks of opportunity when attempting combat maneuvers against a target currently taking bleed damage.

Bleed: Some talents have the (bleed) descriptor; these talents are triggered when you deal bleed damage to a creature. You may only apply the effects of a single (bleed) talent to a given attack. A target that is immune to bleed damage is also immune to all other effects of talents with this descriptor.

Disarm: Some talents have the (disarm) descriptor; these talents trigger whenever you succeed at a disarm attempt against a creature. You may only apply the effects of a single (disarm) talent to a given disarm attempt. (Disarm) talents cannot be applied to maneuvers performed as a free action.

Duelist: Debilitating Injuries (bleed) (Ex) Whenever you deal bleed damage to a creature, you may cause them to take a penalty on all weapon attack rolls equal to the amount of bonus bleed damage granted to you by blooded strike for as long as the bleed is in effect. Any healing or other ability that ends the bleed also ends this penalty.

Duelist: Draw Cut (Ex) You may ready an attack action to attack a creature with a sheathed weapon, drawing the weapon as part of the triggered action. If the attack is successful, in addition to its normal effects you may perform a single disarm, sunder, or feint attempt against the target as an attack of opportunity.

Energy Resistance, Cold (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Cold attacks.

Energy Resistance, Electricity (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Electricity attacks.

Energy Resistance, Fire (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Fire attacks.

Equipment: Custom Training (discipline) (Ex) The Edgewitch is proficient with the katana, with armor spikes, and with the whip.

Equipment: Fast Draw (Ex) You can draw a weapon as part of the action used to make an attack with it. This can be used with splash weapons, but not with other items such as potions, scrolls, or wands. You can draw a hidden weapon (see the Sleight of Hand skill) as a move action. Associated Feat: Quick Draw.

Magical Signs Your use of magic is obvious to all observers

Mental Focus (DC 20) You can lose mental focus, making it more difficult to use magic

Proficiencies (Ex) Martial hedgewitches are proficient with simple weapons, as well as light armor and bucklers. In addition, if this is this character’s first level in any class, they may select a martial tradition of their choice. This modifies proficiencies.

Reactionary You gain a +2 trait bonus on initiative checks.

Reclusive (Black Magic Curse) (Ex) You are reclusive and paranoid to the point that your allies cannot easily help you in times of stress or unease.

Whenever you are in combat, your allies must succeed at a melee touch attack to affect you with touch spells, and you must attempt saving throws to resist all spells cast by anyone other than yourself, even those cast by allies.

Instantaneous spells you cast only on yourself affect you as though your caster level were 1 higher.

At 5th level, any spells you cast only on yourself affect you as if they were modified by the Extend Spell feat. This does not increase their level or casting time.

At 10th level, you are immune to charm spells and spell-like abilities.

At 15th level, you gain spell resistance equal to 10 + your oracle level.

Secrets (Ex) A martial hedgewitch may take the Extra Combat Talent feat or any feat which requires possessing combat talents in place of a secret. She must meet all the prerequisites for these feats as normal. This modifies secrets.

Spell Attack (Ex) Prerequisites: Casting class feature, and the Energy Blade from the Destruction sphere or Cryptic Strike from the Death sphere or Time Strike from the Time sphere or Exsanguinating Strike from the Blood Sphere.

When using Energy Blade, Cryptic Strike, Time Strike, or Exsanguinating Strike as a standard action, the attack is treated as a special attack action. This attack may benefit from Vital Strike, as well as combat spheres that augment attack actions (but not other special attack actions).

Strenuous You can spend only 1 SP per round, and never as part of an immediate action

Tradition Benefit (Black Magic) Gain an oracle curse and its associated benefits

Tradition Power (Black Magic) Curse a target

Verbal Casting You must be able to speak aloud to use magic, and may be susceptible to ASF


Build Rules

20 point buy, 150 starting GP. If higher, raise Dex or Con. If lower, drop Intelligence.

Suggested Growth

For martial talents, take Whirlwind Draw (disarm) and Iai Slash (bleed) from the Duelist sphere. Once you have these, you an regularly disarm enemies, then re-draw your weapon on the next turn to hit with an Iai slash for more bleed damage.

For magic talents, take Hemorrhage and Eye Bleed. Since you have Exsanguinating Strike and Spell Attack, you'll be able to apply even more bleed damage to foes, as well as further blind and limit them. Combined with your disarms, this will significantly weaken many enemies you might face. In campaigns heavy on non-bleeding enemies, consider other talents.

Consider taking the Life Sphere and the Revitalize talent for self-healing, since your defense is a bit on the low side.

Playing The Edgewitch

The Edgewitch focuses on dealing bleed damage to enemies. Your main attack is Exsanguinating Strike, which you can use your Spell Attack feat to perform as a special attack action. Combine this with the Duelist sphere to disarm and attack foes. Early in the game, you may want to let enemies come to you so you can use your Draw Cut against them and both attack and disarm. At higher levels, you can rapidly sheathe and draw your weapon when attacking to inflict more damage and use your Blood powers to further augment the bleeding you do.

You can (and should) spend your spell points freely to keep the magical bleeding going, especially on any enemy likely to live more than a round or two. The Edgewitch has several drawbacks that will quickly increase their spell points per day, and this is your only main use of spell points anyway, so don't be shy about using them on stronger foes.

You should two-hand your katana when wielding it. However, if you want to improve your defense, you can take the Duelist's Grip and Balanced Defense talents from the Equipment sphere.

This character is also heavily built around its theme, and we encourage roleplaying to that.


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