Angry Hamster Publishing has officially launched the second edition of its flagship dark fantasy roleplaying game, Witch: Fated Souls.
The new edition, which is now live on DriveThruRPG, represents a significant evolution of the indie title that first successfully crowdfunded in 2016. In Witch, players take on the role of the Fated – individuals who have bartered their immortal souls to demons in exchange for power, money, or the safety of loved ones.
The game leans heavily into the “modern dark fantasy” aesthetic, citing television series such as The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Supernatural, and American Horror Story: Coven as primary touchstones. Unlike many urban fantasy settings that lean into high-gloss action, Witch focuses on the grim reality of the demonic bargain and the desperate, often tragic quest for redemption.
A Pedigree of Horror
The development team for the second edition includes a notable roster of industry veterans. Elizabeth Chaipraditkul, owner of Angry Hamster Publishing and a designer with credits at Magpie Games and Onyx Path, leads a team that includes Danielle Lauzon (Vampire: The Masquerade), Steffie de Vaan (World of Darkness), and Khaldoun Khelil (Sabbat: The Black Hand).
This 236-page core rulebook uses a unique system tailored to the setting. One of the standout features remains its approach to magic: there is no hard limit on how often a character can cast spells, but every use carries a potential price, reflecting the volatile nature of dealing with the supernatural.
Elizabeth Chaipraditkul, Owner at Angry Hamster Publishing, previously discussed the game’s mechanics:
One thing I personally struggled with between creating 1e and 2e is being truthful to the game I created vs the ideal of the game in my head. When designing the mechanics for 2e, which are based around Angry Hamster Publishing’s Award-winning game Afterlife: Wandering Souls, I had to come to terms with the mechanics of 1e were actually doing, rather than what my brain implied they were doing. Then I had to fix that… which was sometimes a huge pain in the ass. “
The second edition arrives several years after the original release, bringing updated mechanics designed to further drive the personal drama and narrative tension between the Fated and their demonic patrons.
Witch: Fated Souls Second Edition is available now as a PDF on DriveThruRPG.
