Witch Doctor comic is a popular comic book series created by writer Brandon Seifert and illustrator Lukas Ketner. The series was first published in 2011 by Image Comics and has since gained a significant following. The story follows Dr. Vincent Morrow, a charismatic and eccentric doctor who specializes in supernatural medicine. He combines traditional medical practices with mystical rituals and voodoo to treat his patients. Throughout the series, Dr.
Throughout the series, Dr. Morrow encounters various supernatural beings, ranging from demons to zombies, and navigates a world filled with dark magic and mythical creatures. The comic is known for its unique blend of horror, humor, and adventure.
Magic Items: What do you think of them?
My players think PF2 magic items are uninteresting other than weapons and an occasional item here and there like a Greater Cloak of Elvenkind. What do you think of magic items? Are they unappealing and mostly unnecessary?
My players don't use many talismans or temporary magic items and have little trouble still winning. The only magic item that has an noticeable effect on combat is magic weapons and at very high level a stat enhancing item.
I would say casters using wands or spell items are more useful. But even those often get overlooked for using innate powers and abilities.
If your players don't find them very interesting, have you done anything to make them more interesting?
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Overall, I really like and appreciate the way Paizo handled this 2e for what concerns items, for several reasons:
1) There's not powercreep behind them ( meaning that a character won't have huge advantages by purchasing items. It can either go with them or not ).
2) More valude to consumable items ( given the fact items are not powerful, expending resources into scrolls, potions and elixirs, for example, is a good alternative ).
3) Because of alternatives, they are not mandatory.
This means that a character can achieve bonus items in different ways:
- Different Items ( alternatives between items giving the same bonus ).
- Feats ( skill/class ).
- Elixirs.
- Spells.
4) DC based effects ( this one can vary from player to player ).
At first I was skeptic about items with a flat DC, because it seemd low and because a character would have find themselves unable to use them from lvl 1 to lvl 20 ( at some point, they'll have to drop them for better DC ).
The more I played, the more I somehow realized that even if the enemies you are against require just a 5+ ( it's an example ) to succeed, doesn't mean they succeed all the time.
Plus, that a critical failure is always round the corner.
As mentioned before, point 4 is not something which everybody can enjoy ( as for slow progression, and because so the urge to play with FA ), but, whether it was intended or not, I can say that now I feel more comfortable with flat DC items.
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The flat dc items are a signpost that this treasure I received is just a gold amount when I get back to town. Planned obsolescence turns these treasures into thinly veiled, very expensive consumables. I'd much prefer having neutered effects that function as intended 1-20. Just don't blur the line between magic item and consumable. The thaumaturge feat that sets item dcs to class dcs salvages these items. for one class late game
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My players think PF2 magic items are uninteresting other than weapons and an occasional item here and there like a Greater Cloak of Elvenkind. What do you think of magic items? Are they unappealing and mostly unnecessary?
My players don't use many talismans or temporary magic items and have little trouble still winning. The only magic item that has an noticeable effect on combat is magic weapons and at very high level a stat enhancing item.
I would say casters using wands or spell items are more useful. But even those often get overlooked for using innate powers and abilities.
If your players don't find them very interesting, have you done anything to make them more interesting?
It depends. Some items offer utility in a way that spells or other features simply can't compare. The Cloak of Elvenkind is one solid example of that. Even when you add its uninteresting counterpart, the Boots of Elvenkind, it makes the Cloak more powerful by having multiple uses of Invisibility, which is definitely helpful and removes some of the need for combat decision paralysis that often plagues one-time-use consumables, and festers its way into once-per-day options.
I do agree that a lot of consumables and other magic items are quite lackluster or don't do a whole lot for players unless you specifically build/plan for it, short of scrolls or wands, they aren't very practical. Even a basic potion is difficult to use when you absolutely need it, both due to AoOs making it not really do anything besides waste actions, and because of horrible action economy and free-handedness needed regardless of AoOs being present, and is really only band-aided when you throw Gloves of Storing into the mix, only usable once per fight.
Even with magic items that are good, they largely serve as means to make the math work, which continues to make them uninteresting. Characters without Potency/Striking/Resiliency runes are characters the math does not match. Characters without an Apex item are going to be lackluster or too weak compared to one that isn't based on the monster values. While a lot of the Apex items do include some other useful factors (such as skill increases and some specialty use abilities), they're still mostly math-fixer items, and aren't anything extremely versatile or interesting except in the most niche of circumstances.
Lower levels are also super weaksauce with magic items, since you don't really see anything beyond maybe a couple basic consumables or other items, that it's basically cliche or easily known what the consumable/item is before you even loot it. "Oh, that weapon is magical, it's a +1 [weapon they used]." "Oh, it's a bottled liquid that radiates magic, it's a minor healing potion." That's not very interesting, imaginative, or different from any other game or table. I'm not saying that we can't have these things, I'm saying that we should be able to have more than these things, and that wonder and awe should be restored back to the lower levels in regards to magic items. Where's my Minor Flaming rune, which adds +1 Fire Damage to my attacks with a 1D4 persistent fire critical specialization, able to trigger weaknesses? Where's my Potion of Mana, which restores a spell slot (of your choice) to your character, based on the level/grade of the Potion? Where's a Minor Resistance rune, which reduces the damage I take from a given element by 1? There is plenty of space for Paizo to explore here, and they have with other published options, which I think are cool. The problem I have is that they aren't options simply available to the player base, or aren't categorized to exist.
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Set DC or atk items suck so I just let PCs upgrade them and use the GMG tables to balance cost, DC and level. Much happier with it as a result (I used to use an excel sheet to make it exact cost translation but now I just get a rough cost estimation and it takes seconds)
Other magic items are fine imo and tend to make a pretty big difference to the players who use them. The gap between a spellcaster who has a bunch of scrolls and a couple of wands and one who doesn't at upper low and mid levels is pretty big.
Other consumables are also big power boosts and let casters do other things, mid level mutagens, potions of greater flight, dust of disappearance; all are fantastic and cheap.
Talismans and other trinkets are situational but often benefit from free action activations. Some are awful, some are not useful to specific parties, many are cheap and just nice to have when you need it.
As for static items that aren't static boosts like backfire mantle, I find the best ones are things that expand your options to other areas rather than what the character already specialises in or enable a different style of play. But I can't give many specific examples other than the standard wand/staff/rune examples because they are very campaign, character and party dependent.
But yeah wrapping it up, I strongly believe non atk/dc magic items are great, and atk/dc magic items are super easy to scale. either with crafting as I do, or simply scaling the stats with level (although I would only do this with permanent items).
Deriven Firelion wrote:I would say casters using wands or spell items are more useful. But even those often get overlooked for using innate powers and abilities.
A caster not buying or crafting niche scrolls either:
- has a GM that never challenges them
- has made suboptimal choices to prepare niche spells or add them to their repertoire and have less generalist options
- is not contributing solutions that spellcasters normally can
All of the above is fine ofc, different styles of play and preferences.
But yeah wrapping it up, I strongly believe non atk/dc magic items are great, and atk/dc magic items are super easy to scale. either with crafting as I do, or simply scaling the stats with level (although I would only do this with permanent items).
It incorporates elements of classic horror comics and pulp fiction, creating a distinct and engaging storytelling style. The artwork by Lukas Ketner complements the narrative, with detailed illustrations that capture the eerie atmosphere and grotesque creatures of the witch doctor's world. One of the strengths of the series is its well-developed characters. Dr. Morrow is a complex protagonist, with a mysterious past and a sharp wit. He is accompanied by his assistant, Penny Dreadful, who is skilled in the occult and provides valuable support in their supernatural investigations. The supporting cast includes a variety of unique and vibrant characters, each with their own quirks and abilities. The Witch Doctor comic has been praised for its innovative take on the horror genre. It not only introduces readers to a captivating world of magic and monsters but also explores deeper themes of morality, responsibility, and the consequences of dabbling in the supernatural. The series has gained a loyal fanbase and has been well-received by critics, with its clever writing, compelling storyline, and stunning artwork being frequently highlighted. In conclusion, the Witch Doctor comic is a thrilling and imaginative series that offers a fresh and entertaining take on the horror genre. With its charismatic characters, inventive storytelling, and captivating artwork, it has become a beloved addition to the comic book world. Whether you are a fan of horror, fantasy, or simply enjoy a good adventure, the Witch Doctor comic is definitely worth checking out..
Reviews for "The Power of Magic: Witch Doctor Comics and the Mystical Realm"
1. Jane - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with the "Witch Doctor Comic". The story felt rushed and poorly developed, leaving me confused and uninterested. The artwork was also lackluster, with inconsistent styles throughout. Overall, I found it to be a forgettable and underwhelming read.
2. Mark - 1 star - I couldn't even finish reading the "Witch Doctor Comic". The plot was all over the place and hard to follow, with too many unnecessary subplots that only added to the confusion. The characters were poorly developed and lacked depth, making it difficult to engage with the story. The artwork was also a letdown, with muddy colors and unimpressive illustrations. I wouldn't recommend this comic to anyone.
3. Sarah - 2.5 stars - While the concept of the "Witch Doctor Comic" intrigued me, the execution fell flat. The pacing was off, with too much exposition in some parts and sudden shifts in the story without proper buildup. The characters lacked depth and their motivations were unclear. Additionally, the artwork, although detailed, had a messy composition that made it difficult to focus on the important elements. Overall, I found it to be a mediocre read that failed to live up to its potential.
4. Mike - 1 star - I found the "Witch Doctor Comic" to be a complete waste of time. The story was boring and predictable, following cliché tropes that offered nothing new or exciting. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked any depth, making it hard to care about their fates. The artwork was also underwhelming, with uninspired illustrations and a lack of attention to detail. I would not recommend this comic to anyone looking for a thrilling or unique read.
5. Emily - 2 stars - Unfortunately, the "Witch Doctor Comic" didn't live up to my expectations. The plot was convoluted and confusing, with too many unanswered questions and unresolved storylines. The characters felt generic and lacked originality, making it hard to connect with them. The artwork, although decent, didn't do enough to salvage the weak storytelling. Overall, I found this comic to be forgettable and unsatisfying.