Witch

Witches are Gatekeeper-class mystic mercenaries trained through the Gate Cascade Synaptic Labs to operate beyond ordinary human limits. They function as both seers and soldiers: practitioners of arcane arts who combine battlefield mobility with ranged firepower and limited defensive magics. Witches appear in Gatekeeper patrols and outposts and act as hostile combatants to anything that is not a Gatekeeper, Defense Robot, or Corrupted Robot; they will alert nearby Gatekeepers when able.

Visually, a Witch wears light armor with leather strappings in a distinct Gatekeeper aesthetic and carries numerous pouches and arcane trinkets such as an Embellished Censer and a Purported Grimoire. Their tall, beaded hat conceals a skull-faced mask. In the field they are encountered alone, standing guard, on patrol, or grouped with other Witches engaged in exuberant displays.

In behavior and combat, Witches rely on extreme aerial mobility and scattershot attacks. They use jump packs to repeatedly leap over and around targets while firing, often creating the impression of attackers descending from every angle. Their primary ranged attack is a high-powered scattershot "Shotgun Blast" that can be fired while airborne; they also possess a close-range "Shotgun Bash" melee strike. On entering combat, a Witch activates a Hardlight shield that protects their body and must be destroyed before conventional damage is applied; however, a Witch can be damaged or killed without the shield if caught completely off guard by a successful stealth approach.

Witches present particular tactical challenges: their jump packs make them difficult to pin down in mid-air but force occasional landings, creating windows to retaliate. Their erratic, fast repositioning lets them cover large distances quickly and can draw the attention of nearby Gatekeepers, turning a single encounter into a multi-hostile engagement. Because they often appear among other Gatekeepers, neutralizing a Witch promptly reduces the risk of escalation.

• Combat considerations:

  • Prioritize breaking the Witch’s Hardlight shield before attempting sustained damage, unless a stealth flank permits an immediate kill.
  • Focus fire during their landing windows; their jump pattern gives predictable pauses.
  • Treat Witch encounters as potential alarms: suppressing or eliminating a Witch quickly limits reinforcement by other Gatekeepers.
  • Witches perform both ranged and melee attacks; maintain spacing but be prepared for close-range shotgun bashes when they close.

• Drops and harvestables:

  • Arcane Scrap — 100%
  • Embellished Censer — 100%
  • 12g Buckshot — listed with drop quantities (table indicates both a guaranteed pack and a chance for additional rounds)
  • Lodestone Fragment — 25%
  • GATE Defense Rune — 10%
  • Witch Skull (harvestable) — 100%

Witches occupy a specialized niche as mobile, shielded skirmishers within Gatekeeper forces: they demand rapid, decisive responses and careful positioning to prevent fights from escalating into larger, more dangerous skirmishes.