Witches

**Witches** are humans born with the natural ability to use magic. The three basic powers of a witch are the ability to cast spells, to create potions and to scry for beings using a crystal, allowing them to locate them anywhere in the world. Powerful witches can also develop active powers.

The power of a witch lies in his/her blood, and as such, is a hereditary gift passed down from parent to child. Magical genes are often dominant, meaning that a child born from a witch and a human will be a full blooded witch. However, this is not always the case, as witches can give birth to mortal children. Becoming a witch is a part of Destiny, explaining why some are not meant to become one.

Contrary to popular belief, witches can be male or female, though female witches are more common. Witches can be either good or evil, as they are given the choice of free will. Witches make this decision in the so-called Window of Opportunity, which typically lasts 48 hours. However, all witches are still bound to the Wiccan Rede, and a witch that betrays this Rede by killing another witch and taking their powers, becomes a warlock.

Warlocks are sometimes considered the evil counterpart to witches and are closely related, being described as two sides of the same coin.

## Good Witches

Good witches follow the Wiccan Rede and are loyal to the greater good. It is their destiny to fight evil and protect the innocent. Good Witches cannot use their powers for personal gain, risking their magic backfiring if they try. Due to their good nature, good witches have the right to receive guidance from a Whitelighter.

In most families of witches, the firstborn child is the most powerful in terms of magic. This is the case in the Halliwell family, where both Prue and Wyatt Halliwell were considered the strongest of their generation.

## Evil Witches

Evil witches have abandoned the Wiccan Rede and use their powers for evil and personal gain. Witches that turn evil are often driven by strong emotions such as pain, anger and vengeance. However, unlike Warlocks, they do still possess a soul and can return to good if they desire. Evil witches give their up right to guidance from a Whitelighter.

## Gypsies

**Gypsies** are humans who practice Gypsy magic, which is considered a sister tradition to witchcraft. Gypsies and witches possess many of the same abilities, though their practice and traditions are different. Gypsies are born with a natural talent of fortune telling and often develop precognitive abilities. Some gypsies are born to become *Shuvani*, which is similar to a high priestess and is more powerful than others.

Whereas witches divide in covens, Gypsies are born and live in tribes. Each tribe has it's own symbol. Gypsies are also skilled in the use of curses and talismans.

## Witch Practitioners

**Witch Practitioners** are mortals who practice witchcraft and use Wicca as a religion. However, they are not able to practice true magic, but are sometimes able to use basic abilities like scrying and can use natural objects to channel natural magic. Witch practitioners are often members of covens.

## Notes and Trivia

* Children conceived by a warlock and a witch will be born as witches. However, if they commit a true act of evil, they will lose their souls and become pure warlocks.
* Hybrid witches who kill another witch and steal the victim's powers will lose their hybrid side and become pure Warlocks. It is not known whether they retain their hybrid powers after transformation.
* Witch DNA seems to somehow limit the influence of the DNA of evil beings: unlike half-demons and half-warlocks, demon-witches and witches with warlock DNA do not have demonic forms or warlock forms. Ironically this ensures that they cannot lose their demon side, or their warlock side.
* It is very rare for witches to possess teleportation powers if they are not hybrids.
* While Whitelighters are allowed to see their past lives, Whitelighter-Witches who also work as Whitelighters do not have this privilege.