The Basic Witch: The Pumpkin Spice Tradition is the latest in a long (and amazing) line of OSR witch books by Tim over at The Other Side Blog. Like all of these books, there's some familiar elements and other content that's totally unique.
The pdf is 66 pages. The interior is black and white and the art is a mix of modern rpg and classic public domain. This really fits well with the theme of the book.
The book starts with a short introduction that discusses what exactly a witch is and how it compares to clerics and wizards in game terms. This section is very similar to other witch releases Tim has, but it only takes up a few pages, so no biggie if you've got the others.
The second part of the book details the witch class for Basic versions of D&D. The overall class itself is the same as the version presented in The Witch: A Sourcebook for Basic Edition Fantasy Games. The major difference is this book includes the titular Pumpkin Spice tradition. Witches that follow the Pumpkin Spice tradition are more self aware and urban, that witches of other traditions. They are also a much newer tradition. While these aspects can cause some traditional witches to sneer and judge, Pumpkin Spice witches really don't give a damn.
A vast majority of the book is taken up by spells and rituals for the tradition (and other witches). These are very flavorful and while there is a bit of crossover with previous witch books, there's plenty of new content here. There are many that play on modern "basic bitch" stereotypes and Tim does an amazing job of turning these into usable content. Here are some of the more comical sounding spells:
Oh My God, Becky!
Witch Slap
You Can't Sit With Us
Live, Laugh, Love
Cougar's Kiss
The next section includes a plethora of new monsters associated with witches and Halloween. Of note, one of my favorites is the Children of Twilight Vampire... which yes was inspired by Twilight. It's just such a perfect fit for this book and I'm glad Tim added it.
This section is followed by several new magic items associated with Pumpkin Spice witches. My favorite has to be ugly boots, an obvious reference to Uggs.
The book ends with three unique witches of the Pumpkin Spice tradition. They represent the Maiden, the Mother, and Crone. First you have young Becky, who likes to pretend she's not as smart as she actually is so others underestimate her. She is trying to find herself. Next you have the no-nonsense Karen. She's blunt, she tells you what she thinks, and if you don't take her seriously she will want to talk to whoever is in charge. Finally you have the cougar, Carol. Carol's husband ran off with a younger woman and now the witch is living her best life, growing in power, and taking younger lovers.
This books is a wonderful collection of modern witchy goodness. If you want something a little different from you witches (or just really love Fall and Halloween like me), you definitely need to check this out.
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