The following are the hexes which are available to player character witches in the Worlds of Adventure campaign.
The following major hexes are available.
The following grand hexes are available.
Beast of ill-omen (Su)
The witch imbues her familiar with strange magic, putting a minor curse upon the next enemy to see it. The enemy must make a Will save or be affected by bane (caster level equal to the witch’s level). The witch can use this hex on her familiar at a range of up to 60 feet. The affected enemy must be no more than 60 feet from the familiar to trigger the effect; seeing the familiar from a greater distance has no effect (though if the enemy and familiar approach to within 60 feet of each other, the hex takes effect). The bane affects the closest creature to the familiar (ties affect the creature with the highest initiative score). Whether or not the target’s save is successful, the creature cannot be the target of the bane effect for 1 day (later uses of this hex within the same day ignore that creature when determining who is affected).
Blight (Su)
The witch can curse an animal, plant creature, or plot of land, causing it to wither and die. Blighting an area takes 1 round, during which time the witch and her familiar must be in contact with the target. If it’s used on a plot of land, the land begins to wither the following day, and over the next week all plants in the area die. Nothing will grow in that area so long as the curse persists. A witch can affect an area with a radius equal to her class level × 10 feet. Blighting a creature is a standard action that requires a melee touch attack. If used on an animal or a plant creature, the creature gains a curse that inflicts 1 point of Constitution damage per day unless the creature succeeds on a Will save (which also ends the curse). Both types of curse can be removed with a remove curse or similar magic, using the save DC as the DC to remove the curse. A witch can only have one blight in effect at a time. If another blight hex is made, the first immediately ends.
Cackle (Su)
A witch can cackle madly as a move action. Any creature that is within 30 feet that is under the effects of an agony major hex, discord hex, evil eye hex, or misfortune hex caused by the witch has the duration of that hex extended by 1 round. A witch can cackle continuously for a number of rounds equal to her Constitution score; cackling for longer than that causes fatigue and loss of voice (which both prevents further cackling and makes the witch unable to cast spells with verbal components).
Cauldron (Ex)
The witch acquires a specially made and enchanted cauldron, usually of iron. When using this cauldron, the witch receives a +4 insight bonus on Alchemy skill checks.
Charm (Su)
A witch can charm an animal or humanoid creature within 30 feet by beckoning and speaking soothing words. This improves the attitude of an animal or humanoid creature by 1 step, as if the witch had successfully used the Diplomacy? skill. The effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier. A Will save negates this effect. Whether or not the save is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day. At 8th level, this effect improves the attitude of the target creature by 2 steps. This is a mind-affecting charm effect.
Child-Scent (Ex)
The witch gains the scent ability, but only with respect to humanoid children and immature animals. Thus, she could sniff out a child’s hiding place or a den of wolf pups, but not the child’s parents or the den mother.
Coven (Ex)
The witch counts as a hag for the purpose of joining a hag’s coven. The coven must contain at least one hag. In addition, whenever the witch with this hex is within 30 feet of another witch with this hex, she can aid the other witch's spellcasting, granting +1 bonus to the other witch’s caster level for 1 round. This bonus applies to the witch’s spells and all of her hexes.
Cursed Wound (Su)
The witch can curse a living creature, preventing it from healing completely. For a number of days equal to 3 + the witch's Intelligence modifier (minimum 1), whenever the victim is the target of a healing spell or magical healing effect, the caster of the healing effect must succeed at a caster level check (DC = 11 + the witch's level) to end the hex. If the check fails, the healing effect functions as normal, except it cannot remove the last 10 points of damage the victim suffered. Similarly, natural healing, fast healing, and regeneration fail to cure the victim's last 10 points of damage. Thus, the victim's effective maximum number of hit points is 10 fewer than normal. A successful Will save reduces the duration of this hex to 1 round. At 5th level, the victim of this hex also takes a –2 penalty on Fortitude saving throws to avoid contracting a disease or poison from an injury. This is a curse effect and can be removed by remove curse.
Discord (Su)
The witch can make an animal or humanoid within 30 feet distrust another creature within line of sight. The target's attitude toward the other creature decreases by one step. A successful Will save negates this effect. The effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the witch's Intelligence modifier. (The duration can be extended with the cackle hex.) Whether or not the save is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day. At 8th level, this effect decreases the attitude of the target creature by two steps. This is a mind-affecting charm effect.
Disguise (Su)
A witch can change her appearance for a number of hours per day equal to her class level, as if using disguise self. These hours do not need to be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1-hour increments.
Evil Eye (Su)
The witch can cause doubt to creep into the mind of a foe within 30 feet that she can see. The target takes a –2 penalty on one of the following (witch’s choice): AC, ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, or skill checks. This hex lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the witch’s Intelligence modifier. (The duration can be extended with the cackle hex.) A Will save reduces this to just 1 round. At 8th level the penalty increases to –4. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Feral Speech (Su)
This hex grants the witch the ability to speak with and understand the response of any animal as if using speak with animals, though each time she uses the hex, she must decide to communicate with either amphibians, birds, fish, mammals, or reptiles, and can only speak to and understand animals of that type. The witch can make herself understood as far as her voice carries. This hex does not predispose any animal so addressed toward the witch in any way. At 12th level, the witch can use this hex to communicate with vermin.
Flight (Su)
The witch grows lighter as she gains power, eventually gaining the ability to fly. At 1st level, the witch can use feather fall at will and gains a +4 racial bonus on swim checks. At 3rd level, she can cast levitate once per day. At 5th level, she can fly, as per the spell, by riding in or on a specially prepared broomstick, mortar, cauldron, or similar object. The witch's maneuverability, and other aspects of her flight capabilities, depends on the specific object used; for example, broomsticks are more maneuverable than mortars, but the latter provide the witch with cover from surface-to-air attacks, and so forth. This hex only affects the witch.
Fortune (Su)
The witch can grant a creature within 30 feet a bit of good luck for 1 round. The target can call upon this good luck once per round, allowing him to reroll any ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, taking the better result. He must decide to use this ability before the first roll is made. At 8th level and 16th level, the duration of this hex is extended by 1 round. Once a creature has benefited from the fortune hex, it cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours.
Healing (Su)
A witch can soothe the wounds of those she touches. This acts as a cure light wounds spell?, using the witch’s caster level. Once a creature has benefited from the healing hex, it cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours. At 5th level, this hex acts like cure moderate wounds.
Misfortune (Su)
The witch can cause a creature within 30 feet to suffer grave misfortune for 1 round. (The duration can be extended with the cackle hex.) Anytime the creature makes an ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, it must roll twice and take the worse result. A Will save negates this hex. At 8th level and 16th level, the duration of this hex is extended by 1 round. This hex affects all rolls the target must make while it lasts. Whether or not the save is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day.
Nails (Ex)
The witch’s nails are long and sharp, and count as natural weapons that deal 1d3 points of damage (1d2 for a Small witch). These attacks are secondary attacks. If trimmed, the witch’s nails regrow to their normal size in 1d4 days.
Poison Steep (Sp)
The witch can use her cauldron to brew a foul toxin in which she can steep fruits and other delicious edibles, transforming them so that when eaten, they have the same effect as a poison spell. Brewing the toxin and then steeping the food takes 1 hour in total; steeping can affect up to 1 pound of food. The food is poisoned for 24 hours, and the poison cannot be transferred to other objects. The food tastes normal, but magic detects it as poisonous. The witch must have the cauldron hex to select this hex.
Scar (Su)
This hex curses a single target touched with horrible scars of the witch’s choosing, whether something as simple as a single letter on the target’s forehead or blotchy, burn-like scars on his body. The target may make a Will save to resist this hex. These scars do not interfere with the target’s senses or prevent it from using abilities, but may affect social interactions (applying a penalty to Love reaction rolls, and possibly a bonus to Fear reaction rolls, in most humanoid communities). The witch can use her hexes on the scarred target at a range of up to 1 mile, and she is considered to have a body part from the target for the purpose of scrying and similar divination spells. The scars persist through disguises and shapechanging. The witch can withdraw this hex from a target as a move action at any range. The number of supernatural scars the witch can maintain at once is equal to her Intelligence bonus; once she reaches this limit, she must remove the scar from a current victim in order to mark another. Effects that remove curses can remove the scar.
Slumber (Su)
A witch can cause a creature within 30 feet to fall into a deep, magical sleep, as per the spell sleep. The creature receives a Will save to negate the effect. If the save fails, the creature falls asleep for a number of rounds equal to the witch’s level. This hex can affect a creature of any HD. The creature will not wake due to noise or light, but others can rouse it with a standard action. This hex ends immediately if the creature takes damage. Whether or not the save is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day.
Soothsayer (Su)
The witch's predictions become self-fulfilling prophecies. When the witch uses the evil eye hex, fortune hex, misfortune hex, or retribution major hex, she can choose to delay the effect. If she does so, the hex takes effect the next time the target makes a roll that could be affected by the hex (such as an ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check) or is affected by an action that could be modified by the hex (such as being attacked when the hex would affect the target's AC), whichever comes first (ignoring actions that are not in combat and actions that have no penalty for failure). The duration of the hex begins on the same round as the action that causes it to take effect. The hex is wasted if it is not triggered within 24 hours.
Swamp Hag (Sp)
While traveling through swamps, mires, bogs, and similar terrain, the witch leaves no trail and cannot be tracked, as the trackless step druid ability. The witch can walk through mud and even quicksand as if it were normal ground.
Swamp's Grasp (Su)
The witch can cause an area to become an entangling quagmire. One 10-foot square per witch level within 90 feet becomes difficult terrain for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the witch's Intelligence modifier. If the witch uses this hex again before the duration of the previous use has expired, the effects of the previous use of this hex end immediately.
Tongues (Su)
A witch with this hex gains greater understanding of spoken language for a number of minutes per day equal to her level, as comprehend languages. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-minute increments. At 5th level, this ability works as the tongues spell.
Unnerve Beasts (Su)
The target becomes offensive to animals (Will negates). Animals become distraught and aggressive in the victim’s presence—horses buck, dogs snap and bark, bulls charge, and so on. The hex lasts a number of hours equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier. A creature that saves against the hex cannot be affected by the hex for 1 day. The reaction of the animals is a mind-affecting charm effect, but the hex on the target is not.
Ward (Su)
A witch can use this hex to place a protective ward over one creature. The warded creature receives a +2 deflection bonus to AC and to Reflex saves against weapon-like attacks, and a +2 resistance bonus on saving throws. This ward lasts until the warded creature is hit or fails a saving throw. A witch knows when a warded creature is no longer protected. A witch can have only one ward active at a time. If the witch uses this ability again, the previous ward immediately ends. A witch cannot use this ability on herself. At 8th level and 16th level, the bonuses provided by this ward increase by +1.
Water Lung (Su)
An air-breathing target can breathe water or an aquatic target can breathe air. This lasts 1 minute. If the witch uses this hex on herself, she can maintain it while she sleeps, allowing her to safely sleep underwater.
Witch's Bottle (Su)
Once per day, the witch can perform a 10-minute ritual to create a potion imbued with the power of one of her hexes. Any creature that consumes this potion is affected by the hex as if cast by its creator. The witch can't use that hex until the potion is consumed or rendered inert. Only hexes that can target a creature other than the witch can be distilled in this way. The potion remains potent until consumed or rendered inert by the witch as a free action. A witch must have the cauldron hex to select this hex.
Agony (Su)
With a quick incantation, a witch can place this hex on one creature within 60 feet, causing them to suffer intense pain. The target is nauseated for a number of rounds equal to the witch’s level. A Fortitude save negates this effect. If the saving throw is failed, the target can attempt a new save on each round, starting with the round after the first. The first such successful save reduces the condition to sickened; the second ends the effect. Whether or not the initial save is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day.
Animal Skin (Su)
The witch can become any animal of a size from Tiny to Large whose skin she wears. This ability is similar to beast shape II, except she takes on the appearance of the specific individual from which the skin came.
Beast Eye (Su)
The witch can project her senses into an animal within 100 feet, sensing whatever it senses. She cannot control the animal’s actions. She can project her senses from that animal to another within 100 feet of it as a standard action, and can continue to make these sensory leaps, potentially viewing things very far from her actual location. She may return her senses to her own body as a free action. Normal animals get no saving throw against this ability, but animal companions, special mounts, and similar unusual animals may resist with a Will save; the witch may use this ability on her own familiar as well. If the witch has the coven hex, all other witches within 10 feet of her who also have the coven hex can see through this animal at will, although the acting witch still controls the ability. The witch can use this ability for a number of minutes per day equal to her level. These minutes need not be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1-minute increments.
Cook People (Su)
The witch can create fabulous spells by cooking an intelligent humanoid creature in her cauldron, either alive or dead. Using this hex creates one meal or serving of food of the witch’s choice, typically a delicious stew or a dough suitable for cookies, pastries, or other desserts. Cooking the victim takes 1 hour. Eating the food provides one of the following benefits for 1 hour: bull's strength, cat's grace, neutralize poison (instantaneous), remove disease (instantaneous). Alternatively, the witch can shape the dough into a Small, human-like creature, animating it as a homunculus for 1 hour. The witch must have the cauldron hex to select this hex. Using this hex or knowingly eating its food is an evil act.
Delicious Fright (Su)
The witch can feed on the fear of her victim. The target of this hex becomes shaken for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the witch's Intelligence modifier. As long as the witch remains within 30 feet of her target, she gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and a +1 morale bonus on saving throws as long as this effect persists. A successful Will save reduces the duration of this hex to 1 round. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Hag’s Eye (Su)
A witch with this hex can create a magic sensor that she can see through. This functions as per the spell arcane eye. If the witch has the coven hex, all other witches within 10 feet who also have the coven hex can see through this sensor as well, although the witch that created it still controls it. The witch can use this eye for a number of minutes per day equal to her level. These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1-minute increments.
Hidden Home (Sp)
The witch can conceal or disguise her home and the area around it as if using mirage arcana. Before using the hex, she must spend 1 day pacing out the border of an area that measures roughly 40,000 square feet (approximately 200 feet by 200 feet) to define her home territory. Thereafter, she can use the hex to change the appearance of that area as a standard action as long as she is within the area. The illusion persists until the witch changes or dismisses it. For the purpose of this ability, a witch can only have one “home” at a time.
Hoarfrost (Su)
The target is rimed with a shell of frost needles that slowly work their way into its flesh (Fortitude negates). The target turns pale and blue, and takes 1 point of Constitution damage per minute until it dies, saves (once per minute), or is cured. Break enchantment, dispel magic, remove curse, and similar spells end the effect. If the target saves, it is immune to this hex for 1 day. This is a cold effect.
Ice Tomb (Su)
A storm of ice and freezing wind envelops the target, which takes 3d8 points of cold damage (Fortitude half). If the target fails its save, it is paralyzed and unconscious but does not need to eat or breathe while the ice lasts. The ice has 20 hit points; destroying the ice frees the creature, which is staggered for 1d4 rounds after being released. Whether or not the target’s saving throw is successful, it cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day. Under temperate conditions, the ice lasts 1 minute per witch level. In tropical environments it might only last half as long. In cold environments where ice and snow persist without melting, it might last indefinitely.
Infected Wounds (Su)
The target’s wounds become infected (Fortitude negates). The target takes 1 point of Constitution damage per day. After the first day, the target may save once per day to cure the infection. This is a disease effect.
Major Healing (Su)
By calling upon eerie powers, the witch’s touch can mend even the most terrible wounds of those she touches. This hex acts as cure serious wounds, using the witch’s caster level. Once a creature has benefited from the major healing hex, it cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours. At 15th level, this hex acts like cure critical wounds.
Nightmares (Su)
Calling upon fell powers, a witch can place a hex on a creature within 60 feet that causes its sleep to be tormented by terrible nightmares. This functions as the spell nightmare each time the affected creature attempts to rest. A Will save negates this effect. If the save is failed, the target must make a new save each night or be unable to rest.
Retribution (Su)
A witch can place a retribution hex on a creature within 60 feet, causing terrible wounds to open across the target’s flesh whenever it deals damage to another creature in melee. Immediately after the hexed creature deals damage in melee, it takes half that damage (round down). This damage bypasses any resistances, immunities, or damage reduction the creature possesses. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier. A Will save negates this effect.
Speak in Dreams (Sp)
The witch can contact a creature as if using dream. The witch can use this ability on a number of creatures per day equal to her Intelligence bonus, but can dream-speak to those creatures as often as desired throughout that time period.
Vision (Su)
A witch with the vision hex can grant a glimpse of the future to a creature touched. Granting a vision takes 1 minute, during which time the witch and the target must remain in contact with one another. At the end of this time, the subject receives a brief image of the future, usually no more than 1 year from the time of the vision, subject to GM discretion. This is only one possible version of the future, making such visions unreliable at best. Most visions are slanted toward the alignment of the witch that granted them. For example, the visions granted by a chaotic evil witch often show scenes of death and destruction, while those of a neutral good witch tend to be of joyous events or occasions. A creature cannot be subject to another vision until the current vision has either come to pass or been prevented. A witch cannot use this ability on herself. Unwilling creatures receive a Will save to negate the vision.
Waxen Image (Su)
The witch can spend a full-round action to create a crude and unnerving wax duplicate of a creature she can see within 30 feet. Once the image is complete, the subject must make a Will save. If the subject fails, the witch gains a small measure of control over the creature. Whenever she exercises this control, the creature receives a new Will save to end the effect. This effect occurs on the witch’s turn and does not impede the creature’s actions on its turn. The witch can use the waxen image a number of times equal to her Intelligence modifier before it melts. As a standard action, the witch can cause the subject to do any one of the following things: move up to the creature’s speed in any direction, attack itself once with any weapon in hand (this attack automatically hits), lay down on the ground, or drop anything held. Alternatively, she can spend one of her uses to simply torture the image, causing the creature to be both sickened and staggered on its turn. As soon as the creature has succeeded on a saving throw against this effect, it is immune to it for 24 hours. The is an enchantment (compulsion) effect.
Weather Control (Su)
A witch with this hex can use control weather once per day, but creating the weather takes 1 full hour of chanting, dancing, and communing with her familiar.
Witch's Bounty (Su)
The witch may bless a bush, plant, or tree that is planted in the ground, so that it creates a plentiful harvest. Each day at dawn, this blessed bush grows a number of goodberries equal to twice her witch level. Berries on the tree remain until they are picked, but the tree can never manifest a number of berries greater than twice her level at one time. The witch may only have one witch's bounty active at a time, but can shift her blessing to a new plant with a ritual requiring 1 hour.
Witch's Charge (Su)
Once per day when preparing spells, a witch can designate a willing creature as her charge. She gains a constant status effect on this creature and can target it with beneficial touch spells from a range of 30 feet. The creature remains her charge until she designates a new one.
Death Curse (Su)
This powerful hex seizes a creature’s heart, causing death within just a few moments. This hex has a range of 30 feet. The hexed creature receives a Will save to negate the effect. If this save is failed, the creature becomes fatigued the first round of the hex. On the second round of the hex, the creature becomes exhausted. On the third round, the creature dies unless it succeeds at a Fortitude save. Creatures that fail the first save but succeed at the second remain exhausted and take 4d6 points of damage + 1 point of damage per level of the witch. Slaying the witch that hexed the creature ends the effect, but any fatigue or exhaustion remains. Whether or not the saves are successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day.
Dire Prophecy (Su)
The witch curses the target so he is doomed to die (Will negates). As long as the curse persists, the target takes a –4 penalty to his armor class and on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks. While the curse persists, the witch may end it by bringing its full force upon her victim all at once. Doing so gives the victim a penalty equal to the witch’s caster level to his armor class or on any single attack roll, combat maneuver check, opposed ability or skill check, or saving throw.
The witch must decide to apply this penalty before the roll to be modified is made. If the witch does not have line of sight to the target, the full force of the curse occurs when the DM considers it most appropriate, such as when the target is in mortal danger. A target can only have one dire prophecy upon him at a time. Whether or not the target’s save against the hex is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex for 1 day. This is a curse effect.
Eternal Slumber (Su)
The witch can touch a creature, causing it to drift off into a permanent slumber. The creature receives a Will save to negate this effect. If the save fails, the creature falls asleep and cannot be woken. The effect can only be removed with a wish or similar magic, although slaying the witch ends the effect. The witch can use this ability to poison food or drink, causing those who ingest it to make a save or fall into an eternal slumber. She can only have one such dose of poison at any one time, and it loses its potency after 1 day if not consumed. Whether or not the save is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day.
Forced Reincarnation (Su)
The witch causes a creature within 30 feet to die and be immediately reincarnated into a new body. A Will save negates this effect. Those that fail are slain and immediately brought back to life with the spell reincarnate. Whether or not the save is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day.
Life Giver (Su)
Once per day the witch can, as a full round action, touch a dead creature and bring it back to life. This functions as resurrection, but it does not require a material component.
Natural Disaster (Su)
A witch using this hex calls down the forces of nature to wreak havoc on an area. This functions as a storm of vengeance combined with an earthquake that occurs on the second round of the effect (while acid is raining from the sky). A witch must concentrate for the duration of this effect. If disrupted, the effect immediately ends. A witch can only use this ability once per day.
Summon Spirit (Sp)
The witch calls forth the ghost of a humanoid creature with no more than 18 Hit Dice. The ghost has its own personality and desires, but is willing to bargain with the witch, as if she had cast greater planar ally. To seal an agreement with the witch, the ghost requires life force equal to 1 temporary negative level (this is in addition to the standard payment for the ghost’s service). This negative level persists as long as the ghost remains in the service of the witch; the witch can end the agreement as a standard action, immediately removing the negative level.
Witch’s Hut (Su)
The witch can animate a hut, small house, covered wagon, tent, or similar construction as an animated object. The hut can be of up to Huge size (approximately 15 feet by 15 feet). The animated hut’s hardness increases to 8 and its hit points double. The witch can give the hut the following commands: guard (the hut watches for trespassers within 120 feet using the witch’s Spot modifier and screams if it spots any), hide (all entrances are hidden by illusory wall spells and locked with arcane lock), and move (moves at speed 60 on giant bird or bone legs as directed by the witch, even obeying commands such as “follow me from 100 feet away”). The hut remains animate for 24 hours, until she dismisses it or she animates another, at which time the hut stops where it is and reverts to its nonmagical state.