Parent Class: Medic
The witch doctor utilizes the tools of clerics and wizards in their efforts to heal their allies. Instead of patching them up with bandages and poultices, the witch doctor calls on magical training to heal others.
Class Skills: A witch doctor gains Spellcraft and Use Magic Device as class skills. She uses her Wisdom modifier instead of her Intelligence modifier when making Spellcraft checks, and instead of her Charisma modifier when making Use Magic Device checks.
Magical Assistance (Ex): A 1st level witch doctor begins play with a caster level 1 wand of cure light wounds in addition to her normal equipment. The wand is of an unusual design and only the witch doctor knows how to use it properly. This starting wand can only be sold for scrap (it’s worth 4d10 gp when sold). Up to three times per encounter, the witch doctor may move up to her speed as a swift action, ending her movement adjacent to an ally. If she does so, she may use a spell completion or spell trigger item (such as a wand, scroll, or staff) of a spell with the healing descriptor or from her list of witch doctor spells on the ally she ends her movement adjacent to. The witch doctor may use this ability on herself, if she does so she does not move, only heals. She may use her magical assistance ability one additional time per encounter at 4th level and every three levels thereafter. This ability replaces triage.
Magical Understanding (Su): The witch doctor gains Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat at 1st level, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. At 5th level she gains Craft Wand as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. In addition, the witch doctor can use her initiator level in place of her caster level to meet the prerequisites of item creation feats. This ability replaces both of the medic’s expertises gained at 1st level.
Thaumaturgic Medicine (Su): Although the witch doctor lacks any true innate magical talent, her understanding of magical principles is such that she is able to utilize a number of magical devices with such skill that she may as well be casting spells herself. The witch doctor is considered to have a spell list that contains all spells with the healing descriptor, along with the following additional spells for purposes of determining whether or not she can cast a spell from any spell trigger or spell completion item without having to make a Use Magical Device check. This list also allows the witch doctor to craft such items, should she possess the appropriate feats. For all purposes related to caster level for these spells, the witch doctor treats her caster level as being equal to her initiator level and uses the lowest level available of the spell for determining the minimum level spell her items are crafted at, and she learns these spells at the same time that she learns maneuvers of the same level. The spells are as follows:
- 1st—Air bubble, detect undead, diagnose disease, endure elements, moment of greatness, protection from chaos/evil/good/law, remove fear, shield, shield of faith.
- 2nd—Abeyance, aid, bear’s endurance, blood of the martyr, bull’s strength, calm emotions, cat’s grace, death knell, delay pain, eagle’s splendor, fox’s cunning, ironskin, owl’s wisdom, path of glory, protection from chaos (communal), protection from evil (communal), protection from good (communal), protection from law (communal), protection from outsiders, resist energy, shield other, status.
- 3rd— Archon’s aura, dispel magic, protection from energy, remove curse, resist energy (communal), sacred bond, water breathing.
- 4th—Anti-incorporeal shell, death ward, healing warmth, path of glory (greater), protection from energy (communal), rest eternal, restoration.
- 5th—Cleanse, life bubble, spell resistance, undeath ward.
- 6th—Antilife shell, bear’s endurance (mass), bull’s strength (mass), cat’s grace (mass), fox’s cunning (mass), eagle’s splendor (mass), owl’s wisdom (mass), stone to flesh.
- 7th—Circle of clarity, spell turning.
- 8th—Mind blank, protection from spells.
- 9th—Freedom, mind blank (communal).
This ability replaces the medic’s expertise gained at 2nd, 4th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th and 20th levels, as well as resuscitation, improved resuscitation, and greater resuscitation.
Magical Device Expertise (Su): Starting at 6th level, whenever the witch doctor casts a spell from her list of Thaumaturgic Medicine spells through a wand, scroll or other spell completion item, she treats the caster level of the spell as being equal to her initiator level, regardless of the spell’s actual caster level. In addition, spells she casts through such items that heal hit point damage gain the benefits of the Empower Spell metamagic feat, if they are not already empowered. This does not increase the level of the spell. This ability replaces the medic’s expertise gained at 6th level.
Thaumaturgic Mastery (Su): At 20th level, any spell the witch doctor casts as part of her magical assistance ability gains the benefits of the Maximize Spell metamagic feat. This does not increase the level of the spell. This ability replaces master medic.