Buy me a coffeeEclectic Witch
Description: Eclectic witches are either a new Tradition or not a Tradition at all. They take elements from various Traditions, classes and even other religions to form their own path. The members of this Tradition are often looked down upon by other Traditions as being amateurs, pretenders or not even being witches. They have even been accused of simply being kids playing at witchcraft. The Eclectics react to these accusations with the same amount of indifference that often pushed them away from their area’s mainstream religion and towards one another.
Liber Mysterium
The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks
By Timothy S. Brannan and The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks Team
Full netbook can be found on the followng website
Eclectics tend to be Solitaries, but this is not always so. In fact, it is generally dangerous to assume anything about this Tradition. They can be like or unlike nearly every other type of witch, but yet retain the one thing that makes them the most honest of all the witch
Traditions: they follow their own path to their Patrons. Eclectic covens tend to have a hodge-podge of ideas, myths and ceremonies; They tend to resemble a group of Solitaries that have agreed or compromised on some practices, though it is immediately obvious there is more to the coven than that. A full coven of Eclectics can be as few as three or four, or as many as twenty witches. Generally there is no recognized leader and all have a say in duties.
Nearly all Eclectic witches are human. The other races tend to gravitate towards one of their own racial Traditions of magic and witchcraft. Nearly all Eclectics (80-90%) are female, though why this is has not been explained, and the Eclectics themselves are not giving up any of their secrets (if they even know). In general, and usually on a one-to-one basis, the Eclectic witch gets along well enough with most other types of witches.
Role: Eclectics are nearly unique in that they serve no unique role. Many members of the Craft of the Wise speculate that the Eclectics are here to serve those who feel outside of everything, even the comfort of a supportive coven.
Eclectic can be found in other Tradition based covens, but most tend to be solitaries.
Joining this Tradition: To become an Eclectic witch, one merely needs to start practicing and make claims to be an “Eclectic witch”. There are no formal ceremonies, no initiations into family secrets. Usually a witch knows she is an eclectic witch when she hears the Call. Often they may have been practicing as a witch before that.
The Eclectic witch will celebrate any of the other holidays and sabbats the other traditions do. Only within individual covens or as Solitaries will an Eclectic witch determine if one holiday has more importance than another.
Leaving this Tradition: Of all the witch Traditions, leaving the Eclectic is the easiest. One simply has to stop considering herself an Eclectic witch. Often times an Eclectic witch will be accepted in another coven with a more formal Tradition. The Eclectic can alter her own beliefs to fit this new coven as she wishes.
In other ways, this Tradition is also the hardest to leave. When one is known to be a former Eclectic witch and attempts to join a more mainstream Tradition (or even another religion), their former status may continue to haunt them. If this is the case, the former Eclectic will always be treated as having a penalty on Charisma checks of -1 when dealing with her new Tradition, coven or religion. This penalty can persist for up to a year.
Skills & Feats: Eclectic Witches come from such unique background, they may choose a single crossclass skill as a class skill upon creation.
Occult Powers: The Eclectic witch is free to choose any Occult Power for the appropriate power level from another Tradition. The occult power needs to be consistent with the witch’s background.
Special Benefits: None
Restrictions: None.
Equipment: Eclectics are fond of ritual tools and will normally have two or three different ones on them at a time. The preferred ritual tools are totally based on decisions of the player, though they are not limited to common ritual tools. Even so, the Athame tends to be the most popular.
Coven Domains: Any
Preferred/Barred Covens: None. Eclectics tend to be solitaries more so than other tradition.
Relationship to the Goddess/Patron: Eclectics believe they have the closest relationship possible with their patrons. Whether or not this is true is unknown, but it is rare that an eclectic will go against her patron’s wishes.
Source/Views of Magic: Eclectics view magic as a very personal thing. They can do magic because they will it and because of who they are.
White/Black Magic: As with most other witches, this distinction is not made. Eclectics though are most likely to use this distinction because their normal surroundings include more mundane people and cowans (non witches) than witches.
Wealth: Standard
Other: Any Eclectic witch is free to multiclass as she sees fit. Because of their mostly solitary nature, this class is attracted to other classes of a solitary nature such as the bard and sorcerer. A sorcerer/Eclectic is a common combination. Eclectics have little to no time or patience with clerics, monks, wizards or anyone that seems too regimented.
Naturally the alignment of preference for many Eclectics is chaotic.