Last night my players asked if we could do an evil campaign. I told them I don’t have a problem playing an evil campaign, but I don’t like the idea of making a bunch of “normal” characters and slapping the evil alignment on them.
So I asked what they thought about playing a coven of hags, and they replied with a resounding “YES”.
Does anyone know of any good Witch or Hag playbooks out there?
I don’t know of any DW specific ones, but Timmothy S. Brannan’s The Witch is a nice OSR supplement with lots of usable stuff.
drivethrurpg.com – The Witch: A sourcebook for Basic Edition fantasy games
Thanks Max Vanderheyden, I’ll check it out
There is this:
http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/167319/The-Witch-Doctor–A-Dungeon-World-Playbook?term=witch&manufacturers_id=9017&test_epoch=0
And also this:
drivethrurpg.com – The Witch – A Dungeon World Playbook
Thanks Yochai Gal!
I smell a new Session Zero theme.
I’m also working on a playbook called “The Binder” that might be in the same theme:
(WIP):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LCNmV1HunHymmPELUf9H_HtZCUqt9rBhQzANA96aBZ0/
docs.google.com – The Binder
Ray Otus, a future issue will be based on the Resident Evil franchise, with movies and video games to draw from. I’m prepping some of that with the “Undead Watch” in SZ4 as one of the 6 possibilities for the prison guards. But the Coven thing will, at most, just be research, and more likely just a fun game.
We haven’t played since my accident so they’re itching to get in a game LOL
That looks interesting Yochai Gal. I’ll take a closer look when I get a chance!
I would think if everyone were hags you would want different playbooks still or one that has wide options, such as the mage.
Yeah I definitely need variety. This game will have 3 players in it. I’ve toyed with the idea of making a Hag Compendium Class for the “core” and then pre-selecting a bunch of additional Compendium Classes from Class Warfare that they can add onto it.
Not sure what I’ll do yet, but I want to have a few different options for them when we meet this weekend.
I like the idea! I’d suggest considering either “Hag” racial moves for other playbooks, or create a Hag compendium class, and let each PC start at level 2, with the second level being dedicated to taking the compendium class.
Playbooks are generally written open-ended enough that by simply adding an appropriate racial move/compendium class and interpreting existing Playbook moves through the lens of “Your a Hag, what do you do?” should lead to interesting places.
And most importantly, playing separate playbooks helps encourage/promote the niche protection that gives each PC a strong chance to shine.
I’ve only seen the free edition of this one: drivethrurpg.com – DriveThruRPG.com
It doesn’t quite feel dark enough for me, too much flying brooms and potions, not enough sympathetic magic and dark hecate. But it looks fun to play. Who doesn’t love flying about on a broom?
Different moves for the mother, the maiden and the crone? One “coven magic” move that only triggers when they weave a spell together?
Yeah! Could be cool to modify various playbooks. Some kind of shape changing druidesque witch, a witch priestess/necromancer etc. Sounds like fun: i suck at evil though.
Asbjørn H Flø yeah I like the Green Hag’s entry in the 5e Monster manual. It specifically says “They can also do this if there are three or more hags together”(paraphrased obviously) and that’s how I’m going to do Coven Magic. I want Disguise Self to be a racial move. Just lots of fun stuff to think about!
I’m hoping their enemies turn out to be former characters they’ve played (and knowing my group, that’s likely to happen). If they don’t make it happen, I’m strongly considering making an end-of-session cliffhanger with one of their former characters busting in…
In AD&D at least, Hags reproduce by many with male of humans & demihumans. The result is a female of the same species that usually grows up among their apparent kind as a changeling until The Change, which is brutal and frightening, turning the young hag vicious and evil. Playing someone going through this change could be fun, or at least establishing how that experience changed them during session 0.
I remember I used to love Van Richten’s Monster Hunter compendium for AD&D Ravenloft. Volume 3 contains a lot of info on witches and Hags that’s informative and usable for any game. Available illegally on the net probably.
I’ll check DriveThru… I’m seeing a bunch of older stuff going up. Thanks!
That was quick:
drivethrurpg.com – Van Richten’s Monster Hunter’s Compendium, Vol 3 (2e)
$9.99… I’ll probably get it!
I’ll check ebay too… I prefer a physical copy
Dang Asbjørn H Flø… after reading the table of contents I want all 3 of those volumes!
I know Brian Holland! All three of them are chock full of inspiration for classic gothic monsters, and the physical books are quite nice – about the same size as the DW book and really good art.
Sooo…. I’ve been reading Van Richten’s Monster Hunter’s Compendium, Vol 3 (as per Asbjørn H Flø’s suggestion) and there is SO much good information in here that you just don’t get from reading a “normal” monster manual. I highly recommend reading these books, even if you aren’t playing gothic horror! I have already purchased Volumes 1 and 2 as well! Side note: They are NOT the best scans in the world, but the information is readable and fantastic!