Version 1.2
The Witch
Bending low over an iron
cauldron, a Human dressed
in dark robes mutters an incantation.
As the final act, she draws a cruel black-iron dagger across her own palm, and lets fall the blood into the steaming maw of the cauldron. She draws in her breath sharply as a spirit billows forth from the depths, and envelopes the witch, granting her powers beyond reckoning.
Withered and gaunt, an old Halfling peeks out of his hut deep in the woods. He extends his hand, and a familiar raven with intelligent, fiendish yellow eyes alights on his arm, cawing quietly. He understands, and smiles.
A young Half-Orc woman strides into the midst of a battle, drawing forth from her soul the tendrils of spiritual magic. She whispers a forgotten name, and releases a spirit from its enslavement, sending its wrath to haunt her enemies on the field. She smiles as she hears a soldier's terrified screams.
Witches understand the power inherent in a creature's spirit, and draw their magic from the enchantment, or entrapment, of powerful spirits. Some witches tend toward goodness, forming an affectionate bond with the spirits they bind, but many witches tend toward chaos, and sometimes evil, forcing souls to do their bidding, and drawing strength from the spirit's bond.
The Commune
The common thought that all witches are female is not in the least bit true, though many women do seek the comfort of a witch's coven to abandon the world, so often dominated by cruel and selfish men.
As opposed to wizardry, in which the student often finds him- or herself alone with a book in the study of magic, witchcraft is by its very nature communal --- rituals are passed down from generation to generation, often only by word-of-mouth, and each coven tends to adopt its own traditions of plucking at the weave, the magic words of one coven often being alien to another.
The Covenant
The power of a witch is drawn from their coven, and from the covenant that each witch undergoes to join. Though some covens are drawn together solely for their thirst for power, other covens are bonded by a genuine love for one another, a magic that may equal their eldritch pursuits.
A witch has made a pact, a covenant, with the other members of the coven, and it is from this pact that their magic flows. A witch's covenant ritual often involves fire, blood, and sacrifices, and fundamentally changes the witch's soul, binding it to their coven and its members.
Signs of
a Covenant
Oftentimes, the covenant
also works slight physical changes
in a witch, and the discerning eye may catch
a witch by subtle signs: a strangely shaded eye,
a curious tattoo, a vivid lock of hair, or perhaps
even feathers growing like hair, as if it were always that way...
Signs of a Covenant
| d6 | Sign |
|---|---|
| 1 | The iris of one or both of your eyes is a strange color, like violet or ochre |
| 2 | You have a small tattoo of an animal or fey creature, and in firelight it seems to move |
| 3 | You have a lock of stark white hair, and nothing you do can change it or disguise it, even illusory spells |
| 4 | The feather of a bird of prey is entangled in your hair, or perhaps it grows from your scalp |
| 5 | You have nine fingers |
| 6 | An ancient rune is set in your skin, made either by a knife or a brand |
Creating a Witch
As you make your witch character, spend some time thinking about the coven to which you belong. Did you actively seek out a coven, or were you born in the coven and brought up in its rituals and traditions? Do you feel conflict regarding your coven's binding rituals, or do you revel in the promises of the knowledge and power that your coven seeks?
Perhaps most importantly: why have you left the safety of your coven? Do you seek further power that your coven could not promise? Do you adventure on behalf of your coven, or have you been exiled?
Reflect on the relationship that you may have with your coven, and work with your DM to determine to what degree witchcraft will play in your adventure.
The Witch
— Spell Slots per Spell Level —
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Bound Spirits |
Features | Cantrips Known |
Spells Known |
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | — | Coven, Spellcasting | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | 1 | Binding Rites | 3 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | 1 | Witch's Familiar | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | 1 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | 2 | — | 4 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | 2 | Coven feature | 4 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | 3 | — | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | 3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | 4 | — | 4 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | 4 | Spiritual Spellcasting, Familiar Magic | 5 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | 5 | — | 5 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | 5 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | 5 | — | 5 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th | +5 | 5 | Coven feature | 5 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 15th | +5 | 6 | — | 5 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 16th | +5 | 6 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 17th | +6 | 6 | Familiar Spirit | 5 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | 7 | Coven feature | 5 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | 7 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20th | +6 | 7 | Spirit Step | 5 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Quick Build
You can make a witch quickly by following these
suggestions. First, choose your spellcasting ability determined by your chosen Coven , followed by Constitution. Second, choose the hermit background. Third, choose the chill touch, infestation, and thaumaturgy cantrips, along with the 1st-level spells false life, hex, and witch bolt.
Class Features
As a witch, you have the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your
Constitution modifier per witch level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: none
Weapons: Clubs, daggers, javelins, quarterstaffs, sickles,
spears, darts, slings, short bows
Tools: Herbalism kit
Saving Throws: Intelligence or Charisma, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two from Animal Handling, Arcana,
Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Nature,
Perception, Persuasion, and Survival
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- a component pouch, herbalism kit, and a dagger
- (a) a sling or (b) a short bow and 20 arrows
- (a) a priest's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
- (a) an arcane focus or (b) a druidic focus
Coven
At 1st level, you have joined one of the Covens of Blood, Pain, Peace, Secrets, or Shadows, each of which is detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice determines your spellcasting ability modifier, and grants you features at 1st level, and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th level.
Spellcasting
Your contact with the spirit world, and your other eldritch rituals within your coven have granted you the ability to cast spells. See chapter 10 of the PHB for the general rules of spellcasting, and p.11 of this document for the witch spell list.
Cantrips
You know three cantrips of your choice from the witch spell list. You learn additional witch cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Witch table.
Spell Slots
The Witch table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these witch spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all spell slots when you finish a long rest.
For example, if you know the 1st-level spell witch bolt and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast witch bolt using either slot.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
You know three 1st-level spells of your choice from the witch spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Witch table shows when you learn more witch spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the witch spells you know and replace it with another spell from the witch spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability
Your spellcasting ability for your witch spells is determined by the Coven that you belong to, since you draw your magic from your coven's traditions and binding rites. You use this ability whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use this ability's modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a witch spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
your
spellcasting ability modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +
your spellcasting ability modifier
Ritual Casting
You can cast any witch spell you know as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag.
Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus or a druidic focus (chapter 5 of the PHB) as a spellcasting focus for your witch spells.
Binding Rites
At 2nd level, you can bind spirits to your service. You can bind a spirit in one of two ways, and both methods require the use of a small, special dagger, called an athame, and you add this dagger to your inventory at 2nd level. You are considered proficient with this weapon, and attack and damage rolls made with this weapon use your spellcasting ability modifier. Furthermore, you can use your athame as an spellcasting focus for your witch spells.
When you bind a spirit to your service, choose a spell slot which the spirit fills. That spell slot is no longer avilable for casting spells, and it remains unavailable for as long as that spirit remains bound to you. If you later release the spirit, the spell slot is expended, and can be recovered at the end of a long rest. The spirit's power equals the level of the spell slot filled. For example, a spirit of Hate occupying a 3rd level spell slot is a 3rd level spirit.
You can't have more than one spirit with the same disposition bound at one time, and you can have a number of spirits bound equal to the number in the Bound Spirits column of the Witch table.
Ritual. Binding a spirit using a ritual takes 1 hour, can be completed during a short rest or at the end of a long rest, and requires a component pouch and a source of flame, like a brazier or a bonfire. As the final act of the ritual, you must use the athame on yourself — you lose current hit points equal to the athame's damage roll, and your Max Hit Points are reduced by the same amount. Your Max Hit Points recover after you take a long rest. When you finish the ritual, you bind to any Spirit for which you meet the prerequisite.
Violence. You can make an attack against a single creature with an Intelligence score of at least 6 with your athame. If the creature dies within 1 minute, you entrap the creature's spirit. Roll a d8, and consult the table below. The result of the roll determines the type of spirit that you bind to your service, even if you do not meet its prerequisite. If the type of spirit is the same as a type that you already have, the binding fails.
Violent Binding
| d8 | Bound Spirit | d8 | Bound Spirit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Desire | 5 | Hate |
| 2 | Envy | 6 | Hunger |
| 3 | Fear | 7 | Serenity |
| 4 | Generosity | 8 | Wonder |
Witch's Familiar
At 3rd level, you learn how to cast the spell find familiar as a ritual without expending material components, and you can cast it as a ritual even if it is not one of your known spells.
When you cast find familiar for the first time, you must choose whether the creature is a celestial, fey, or fiend. This choice is permanent, and whenever you cast this spell in the future, you conjure the same spirit. In addition, the familiar gains an Intelligence score of 6 if it is not already 6 or higher.
You and your familiar benefit from a special bond. Your abilities to telepathically communicate with your familiar, as well as your ability to see and hear through it, are unaffected by distance, so long as you both are on the same plane. In addition, when you conjure your familiar, and whenever you finish a long rest, your familiar gains temporary hit points equal to your witch level + your spellcasting ability modifier.
Finally, your bond grants you both a boon:
Celestial. Your familiar knows the light cantrip. It also knows either the guidance or resistance cantrip (you choose, and this choice can't be changed).
In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against being frightened while you are within 30 feet of your familiar.
Fey. Your familiar knows the cause fear spell, and can cast it once at 1st level. It uses your spellcasting ability modifier. It regains the use of this ability when you finish a rest.
In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and you can't be put to sleep by magical means, while you are within 30 feet of your familiar.
Fiend. Your familiar knows the produce flame cantrip, and can cast it as an action. It uses your spellcasting ability modifier for attack rolls. The cantrip increases in damage by 1d8 at 5th level, and again at 11th level and 17th level.
In addition, you have advantage on Charisma (Deception) and Charisma (Intimidation) checks while you are within 30 feet of your familiar.
Abiliy Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Spiritual Spellcasting
At 10th level, you may dismiss a spirit as a bonus action to recover a spell slot of a level equal to that of the spirit’s. The release effect of the spirit you dismissed is not activated.
In addition, as an action, you can move a spirit from one spell slot to another. Moving a spirit expends the former spell slot, and fills the new one.
Familiar Magic
At 10th level, the bond you have formed with your familiar grows stronger. If your familiar is subject to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds, and only half damage if it fails.
Finally, your familiar gains the following feature.
Celestial. As an action, the familiar can heal a willing creature it touches. This power restores 1d4 hit points multiplied by your spellcasting ability modifier. It regains the use of this ability when you finish a short or long rest.
Fey. The familiar adds your spellcasting ability modifier to its AC and bonus to initiative rolls.
Fiend. The familiar adds your spellcasting ability modifier to the damage rolls of its produce flame cantrip, and casts this cantrip as a bonus action.
Familiar Spirit
At 17th level, you have learned how to extend your binding powers to your familiar. You can use your Binding Rites feature to bind a single spirit to your familiar, and the level of the spirit is equal to your spellcasting modifier. This spirit does not count against your total number of Bound Spirits.
Your familiar benefits from the spirit’s passive effect, and you do as well as long as your familiar is within 100 feet of you, and on the same plane of existence. If you permanently dismiss your familiar or cast find familiar again to change the creature's form, the bound spirit is dismissed without produc-ing its release effect. If the familiar dies, the spirit that was bound to your familiar produces its release effect instantly.
Spirit Step
At 20th level, you gain the ability to project part of yourself into the Ethereal Plane. You and your belongings become invisible and incorporeal for up 1 minute. You gain immunity to all non-magical damage, resistance to magical damage, and are immune to being grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, and restrained. You can't attack or cast spells while in this state. You maintain concentration on this effect as if it were a spell.
During this time, you may move your normal speed and may pass through solid objects. As a bonus action, you can rematerialize and end the effect. If you are in a location occupied by a creature or solid object when this effect ends, you are shunted to the nearest occupied space and take force damage equal to twice the number of feet you are moved as a result. You may use this ability once, after which you must complete a long rest to use it again.
If you are already on the Ethereal Plane when you use this ability, nothing happens and the action is wasted.
Covens
Almost all witches belong to a coven, a loosely bound gathering of like-minded practitioners that share traditions and philosophies regarding their magic and binding rites.
Each coven grants its adherents unique magic, and as a witch delves deeper into its coven's traditions, they gain even more powerful abilities. Your choice grants you features at 1st level, and again at 6th, 14th, and 18th levels. The coven a witch belongs to also determines their spellcasting ability.
Coven of Blood
Witches of the Coven of Blood, known as red witches or blood witches, use sacrificial offerings in their rituals to bind spirits to serve the realm they formerly inhabited. These witches know the power of a soul's past, and of the tokens they left behind. The spellcasting ability for a witch of the Coven of Blood is Wisdom.
Expanded Spell List
The Coven of Blood lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a witch spell. The following spells are added to the witch spell list for you.
Blooded Spells
| Witch Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | bane, cure wounds |
| 3rd | hold person, locate object |
| 5th | life transference, vampiric touch |
| 7th | locate creature, hold monster |
| 9th | geas, mass cure wounds |
Blood Ties
At 1st level, you can cast a spell against a single creature over great distances. If you have a token belonging to another creature (blood, hair, clothing), you can cast a single-target spell on the token, and the spell affects the creature as long as the creature is within 1 mile. When you cast a spell using this feature, the token is consumed as a material component.
At 5th level, the range of this feature increases to 10 miles, and at 10th level, you can use this feature as long as the target is on the same plane of existence as you.
Blood Binding
At 6th level, if a living creature dies within 30 feet of you, you may use your reaction to bind its soul to one of your unexpended spell slots. Roll a d8 and consult the Violent Binding table to determine the type of spirit you have bound, or the DM may decide a spirit for you, depending on the behavior of the target creature. You can't use this feature to exceed your total number of Bound Spirits.
The spirit is dismissed after you finish a long rest, or when you use a bonus action to dismiss the spirit, and the spell slot in which the spirit was bound is restored. You may also release the spirit normally and cause its release effect. The creature who provided the soul cannot be resurrected during the time that its spirit is bound. You may use this ability once, after which you must complete a long rest to use it again.
Bloody Dominion
At 14th level, you learn to gain control of the blood within a living being. Once per long rest, you can cast a unique version of dominate person that has the following changes: the target creature must make a Constitution saving throw, instead of a Wisdom saving throw, to avoid the effects of the spell, and if you or creatures that are friendly to you are fighting it, it doesn't have advantage on the saving throw. Humanoid creatures considered undead or incorporeal, as well as constructs, are unaffected by this feature.
Call Forth the Flesh
At 18th level, you can use your bonus action to release a spirit to bind any creature to the mortal realm. The creature must succeed at a Constitution saving throw, or lose any immun-ities and restistances it has to being grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, and restrained by you, and this effect lasts for 1 minute. The creature makes another saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
If the CR of the creature is lower than the spirit's level, the creature automatically fails its initial saving throw.
You may use this ability once, after which you must complete a long rest to use it again.
Coven of Pain
Witches of the Coven of Pain, known as grey witches, use coercion, pain, and psychological torture to subjgate spirits into service. Witches of this coven often have a natural inclination to use their force of will to bind spirits and extract power, with little regard to a spirit's well-being. The spell-casting ability for a witch of the Coven of Pain is Charisma.
Expanded Spell List
The Coven of Pain lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a witch spell. The following spells are added to the witch spell list for you.
Painful Spells
| Witch Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | entangle, inflict wounds |
| 3rd | cloud of daggers, mind spike |
| 5th | call lightning, elemental weapon |
| 7th | evard's black tentacles, vitriolic sphere |
| 9th | contagion, negative energy flood |
Ruin
At 1st level, whenever you score a critical hit with a weapon or spell, the target creature has disadvantage on its next attack roll, ability check, and saving throw that it attempts within the next minute.
Doom
At 6th level, you have learned to coerce your bound spirits to grant you more power. When you bind a spirit to your service, that spirit may be considered 1 level higher than the spell slot in which it resides. A spirit can't be a higher level than the highest level for which you can cast spells, and a spirit can't be higher than 9th level. You can only have one spirit bound in this way.
Vengeance
At 14th level, you can force your bound spirits to fight on your behalf. When you release a spirit of 6th level or higher as an action, you can cast the spell conjure fey instead of activating the spirit's release effect. The creature that you conjure is the released spirit embodied in the form of a beast-type creature, and the creature's type is undead.
Sound of Silence
You have learned to harness the pain of your bound spirits. Starting at 18th level, whenever you cast a spell that targets a single creature and deals fire, cold, lightning, thunder, radiant, or necrotic damage, the spell can deal psychic damage instead. In addition, if you are attuned to any magic weapon that has a bonus to attack and damage rolls, the bonus to damage rolls made by that weapon can deal psychic damage, instead of the weapon's normal damage type.
Coven of Peace
Witches of the Coven of Peace, known as white witches or good witches, offer safe haven and respite to spirits, and request power in return. Though not always true, witches of this coven tend to foster friendlier bonds with their spirits than other witches. The spellcasting ability for a witch of the Coven of Peace is Wisdom.
Expanded Spell List
The Coven of Peace lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a witch spell. The following spells are added to the witch spell list for you.
Peaceful Spells
| Witch Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | protection from evil and good, sanctuary |
| 3rd | lesser restoration, calm emotions |
| 5th | remove curse, spirit guardians |
| 7th | death ward, freedom of movement |
| 9th | antilife shell, greater restoration |
Soothing Presence
At 1st level, you learn the friends cantrip, and a creature affected by this magic doesn't become hostile to you when the spell ends, although it still realizes it was charmed.
Spirit Ward
At 6th level, you learn a rite that shields you from spiritual harm. As an action, you create a stationary 15-foot-radius sphere centered on yourself. The ward lasts 1 minute, and you must maintain concentration as if concentrating on a spell. A thin, glowing line of magical energy appears wherever the sphere intersects with another surface. All creatures inside the ward gain the following benefits:
- You cannot be charmed, frightened, incapacitated, or possessed by undead creatures
- You have resistance to all damage from undead creatures
- If you drop to 0 hit points but are not killed, you stabilize
In addition, any undead or incorporeal creature that attempts to enter the ward must succeed on a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC, or have their movement reduced to 0.
Once you use this ability, you must finish a short or long rest to use this ability again.
Safe Haven
At 14th level, you can retain control over a spirit after you release it. After a spirit expends its release effect, it remains bound in the same spell slot, and you can release it again. You must finish a long rest in order to use this feature again.
Possession
At 18th level, if you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, your body is possessed by a bound spirit of your choice, and you continue to act for as many rounds as the level of the spirit. During this time, your hit points remain at 0 and you continue to make death saving throws. Dying does not end the possession.
When the possession is over, the spirit is dismissed, and your body collapses to the ground. If, however, your body is destroyed or transported to another plane, the spirit is instantly dismissed and the possession ends. This possession also ends early if you regain any hit points, and the spirit is still dismissed without activating its release effect. You must finish a long rest before using this feature again.
Coven of Secrets
Witches of the Coven of Secrets, known as green witches or fey witches, offer trinkets or bits of information to entice spirits into service. Witches belonging to this coven believe in the power of knowledge, and use their magic to distract and enthrall their enemies. The most powerful witches of this coven can even peer into the future, and use their magic to change another's fate. The spellcasting ability for a witch of the Coven of Secrets is Intelligence.
Expanded Spell List
The Coven of Secrets lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a witch spell. The following spells are added to the witch spell list for you.
Secretive Spells
| Witch Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | comprehend languages, faerie fire |
| 3rd | augury, Nystul's magic aura |
| 5th | clairvoyance, hypnotic pattern |
| 7th | Leomund's secret chest, scrying |
| 9th | awaken, legend lore |
Quickening
At 1st level, you can use an action to enter a special trance, allowing you to see into the Ethereal Plane up to 30 feet. You are also able to speak to any creature that you can see on this plane. This trance requires concentration up to a minute, as if it were a spell. You can use this ability once, and must finish a short or long rest to use this ability again.
Spiritual Gift
At 6th level, you may conduct a special ritual to temporarily bind one of your existing spirits to a willing creature of your choice. This ritual takes 1 hour, and can be conducted as part of a short or long rest. You lose the passive effect of the spirit, and the creature that receives this gift gains the passive effect of that bound spirit until the creature finishes a long rest, or until you release or dismiss the spirit.
All Secrets
At 14th level, you learn the spell true seeing and add it to your list of known spells. It does not count against your number of known spells. In addition, you can cast it once without expending a spell slot or requiring material components. You must finish a long rest to cast the spell in this way again.
This spell ends early if you use your Quickening ability, and casting true seeing ends your Quickening ability if it is active.
Thread of Fate
At 18th level, you can use an action to peer into the life of one humanoid creature that you can see within 30 feet. You instantly know the creature's current hit points, as well as any magical conditions currently affecting the creature. You may also force the creature to make a Wisdom saving throw, and if it fails, you learn any actions or plans the creature intends to commit in the next 24 hours.
When you take this action, you can also release a spirit of 7th level or higher and concentrate on this connection for 1 hour, as if concentrating on a spell. The creature must remain within range and your line of sight for the duration. At the end of this hour, you can force the target to make another Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature is instantly affected by one of the fates listed below.
You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier, and only once per long rest. Attempts to use this ability afterward have a 33 percent chance of failing. If the attempt fails, you suffer 10d10 psychic damage.
The Past. You know the creature's upbringing, and change its background to any other background listed in chapter 4 of the PHB, or another background of your choice. A creature with no background (i.e. an animal) is unaffected by this fate.
The Present. You know the creature's recent history, and change their memory of it. The creature is affected as if you cast the modify memory spell, and you can modify the creature's memory from the last 24 hours however you wish.
The Future. You can determine how the creature may die. Roll 1d12, and subtract that total from the creature's average lifespan (lifespans are indicated in the PHB). The resulting number determines the creature's maximum life expectancy. If the resulting number is lower than the creature's current age, the creature instantly dies. Creatures that have no average lifespan (i.e. undead, constructs, dieties, etc.) cannot be affected by this fate.
Coven of Shadows
Witches of the Coven of Shadows, known as dark witches or wisp witches, understand the dangerous power of spirits, and treat them with respect. Witches belonging to this coven entreat with powerful spirits and ask for greater power in return. The spellcasting ability for a witch of the Coven of Shadows is Charisma.
Expanded Spell List
The Coven of Shadows lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a witch spell. The following spells are added to the witch spell list for you.
Shrouded Spells
| Witch Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | dissonant whispers, fog cloud |
| 3rd | darkness, shadow blade |
| 5th | fear, phantom steed |
| 7th | dimension door, shadow of moil |
| 9th | far step, mislead |
Eye's Shadow
At 1st level, your coven grants you power over the shadows. You gain darkvision up to 60 feet, and you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) checks while you are in natural dim light or darkness.
In addition, if you make an attack while in dim light or darkness, you can choose to gain advantage with that attack. You must finish a short or long rest to use this ability again.
See No Evil, Speak No Evil
Starting at 6th level, as long as you have at least one spirit bound, you may call upon nearby shadows to perform either the verbal or the somatic component of any spell that you cast. Another creature must succeed on a Wisdom (Perception) check against your spellcasting DC to perceive that spell component.
Shadow Step
At 14th level, when you are in darkness, and have a bound spirit of at least 4th level, you gain the following:
- You have advantage on all Dexterity checks.
- As an action, you can magically teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in darkness.
Haunting Shades
At 18th level, the shadows obey your will. When you release a spirit of 6th level or higher, instead of its release effect, you can summon a wraith in an unoccupied space within 10 feet of you. The wraith disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or after 1 hour. The DM has the wraith's statistics.
The wraith is an ally to you and your companions. In combat, the creature shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It obeys your verbal commands (no action required by you). If you don't issue any, it takes the Dodge action and uses its move to avoid danger.
You must maintain concentration, as if for a spell, to control the wraith. If you lose concentration, you lose control of of the wraith, and it becomes hostile to all creatures it can see.
Bound Spirits
If a bound spirit has prerequisites, you must meet them in order to bind the spirit. Unless the description of the spirit indicates otherwise, you can release a spirit as an action.
Agony
Prerequisite: 9th level
Bound. While in the presence of a spirit of Agony, the wounds of your enemies continue to bleed. While you are bound to Agony, any creature that you have damaged using a weapon or spell takes additional necrotic or psychic damage (your choice) equal to the spirit's level on its next turn.
Release. You release Agony as a part of any attack or spell which inflicts damage, after determining whether the attack or spell hits. The target creature must succeed a Constitution saving throw or be stunned with pain for a number of rounds equal to the spirit's level. The creature can make additional saving throws at the end of each of its turns, and the stunned effect is lifted on a successful save. Undead, constructs, and incorporeal creatures are unaffected by this effect.
Desire
Bound. This spirit impresses your will onto others and enhances existing desires. Friendly and charmed creatures within 30 feet have disadvantage on Wisdom and Charisma saving throws against your spells.
Release. As you release this spirit, you can cast the command spell on a creature within range. The creature doesn't need to understand you to be affected.
Despair
Prerequisite: 7th level
Bound. While you are bound to this spirit, any creature within 30 feet of you that fails a saving throw against one of your spells of 1st level or higher is dealt additional psychic damage equal to the spirit's level, and this damage does not disrupt the spell's effect, as with sleep or hold person.
Release. When this spirit is released, it is sent to haunt another creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or suffer disadvantage on all ability checks and saving throws. This curse lasts for a number of rounds equal to the spirit's level. On a successful save, the creature is unaffected.
Ego
Prerequisite: 15th level
Bound. You have a commanding presence while this spirit is bound to you. You can cast command as a 1st-level spell without expending a spell slot. Due to the power of this spirit, it can only be bound to a spell slot of 6th level or higher.
Release. When this spirit is released, you can command obedience from all creatures of your choice that you can see within 60 feet of you. All targets must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for a number of hours equal to the spirit's level. While charmed in this way, the creature regards you as its trusted leader. If harmed by you or your companions, or commanded to do something contrary to its nature, a target ceases to be charmed in this way. You can only release a Spirit of Ego once per long rest.
Empathy
Prerequisite: 5th level
Bound. This spirit forces your enemies to share in your pain. While Empathy is bound, whenever you are dealt damage by a creature, you may use your reaction to cause the creature psychic damage equal to the spirit's level. The creature must succeed on a Charisma saving throw to avoid damage. Undead and constructs are immune to this effect.
Release. You can release Empathy as a reaction when you or an adjacent ally takes damage from a creature. The attacking creature must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or take the same amount of damage you or the ally received. On a successful save, the damage is halved. The save DC for this effect equals 10 + the spirit's level.
Envy
Bound. Spirits of Envy take from others what they covet for themselves --- life. While this spirit is bound to you, whenever you deal damage to a creature with a spell of 1st-level or higher, you can use your bonus action to regain hit points equal to the spirit's level. You may only regain hit points in this way once per turn.
Release. When you release this spirit, you grant an ally within 30 feet of you temporary hit points equal to three times the spirit's level.
Fear
Prerequisite: fey familiar
Bound. This spirit reminds those it affects of its night-mares. While this spirit is bound, you add your proficiency bonus to Charisma (Intimidation) checks, or double it if you are already proficient with this check.
Release. When you release a spirit of Fear, a number of creatures equal to the spirit's level within 30 feet make a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you for 1 minute. When a fightened creature loses line of sight of you, it can make an additional saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a success, the creature is no longer frightened.
Generosity
Prerequisite: celestial familiar
Bound. You are able to share your inherent gifts with others while this spirit is bound. You know the guidance cantrip, and can cast it upon any creature within 10 feet.
Release. When this spirit is released, you can gift it to an ally within 30 feet. The spirit grants the creature an additional d4 on all ability checks and saving throws for the duration of this gift. At 1st level, this gift lasts for 1 minute. At 4th level, the gift lasts for 1 hour. At 7th level or higher, the gift lasts for 8 hours. The creature that receives this gift must concentrate on it as if on a spell, and the creature can end its concentration early (no action required).
Guilt
Prerequisite: 11th level
Bound. While this spirit is bound to you, enemies become hesitant to harm you. You may use your reaction to impose disadvantage on an attack made against you once per turn, and you may use your reaction in this way a number of times equal to the spirit's level. You can regain all uses of this feature when you finish a long rest.
Release. When this spirit is released, it is sent to haunt another creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on all attack rolls with weapons and spells made against you or a friendly creature of your choice. This curse lasts for a number of rounds equal to the spirit's level. On a successful save, the creature is affected for 1 round.
Hate
Prerequisite: fiendish familiar
Bound. Anger and hatred come easily
to you while this spirit is bound. When-
ever you are damaged by a creature, you gain
advantage on the next attack roll you make
against that creature on your next turn.
Release. When you are hit by an attack
or spell, you can use your reaction to release
this spirit and use its raging energy to
make an attack or cast a spell with an attack
roll against the creature who struck you. The
creature is dealt additional necrotic damage
equal to 1d6 per spirit level on a hit, or 1d6
necrotic damage if the attack misses.
Hunger
Bound. While you have a spirit of Hunger bound to your service, you require no food nor water to survive. If the spirit is 4th level or higher, you also cannot become exhausted for any reason other than lack of sleep, and a short rest reduces your exhaustion by one level.
Release. When a spirit of Hunger is released, a number of creatures up to the spirit's level within 30 feet of you must make a Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion. If the spirit is 4th level or higher, creatures that succeed their saving throw suffer one level of exhaustion, or two levels if they fail. A creature can't be killed by the release of this spirit.
Passion
Prerequisite: 5th level
Bound. When this spirit is bound, you gain a set of special dice called passionate dice. These dice are d6s, and you have a number of passionate dice equal to the spirit's level. When you or a friendly creature within 5 feet of you makes an ability check, saving throw, or attack roll, you can use your reaction to roll a passionate die and add the result to the total. You regain all passionate dice after you finish a long rest, and you lose all passionate dice when this spirit is released.
Release. You may release this spirit as a part of an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, and you take this action with advantage. In addition, a number of creatures equal to the spirit's level within 10 feet of you gain advantage on their next ability check, saving throw, or attack roll attempted on their next turn.
Serenity
Bound. When this spirit is bound, you always have a sense of peace and clarity of thought. You only need to sleep for half of a long rest in order to benefit from the long rest, though the remaining time must still be spent engaging in light activity. In addition, you gain a bonus to your passive Wisdom (Perception) score equal to the spirit's level.
Release. When you release this spirit, you or a creature within 10 feet of you is released from one of the following conditions: charmed, frightened, or stunned. The number of conditions is equal to the spirit's level, therefore multiple creatures can benefit from this effect.
Sloth
Prerequisite: 7th level
Bound. While you have a spirit of Sloth bound to your service, the area in a 10 foot radius around you is considered difficult terrain. In addition, creatures provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they take the Disengage action.
Release. When you release this spirit, all creatures within 30 feet of you lose their reaction for a number of rounds equal to the spirit's level.
Valor
Prerequisite: 7th level
Bound. While this spirit is bound, you and your allies within 10 feet of you have advantage on saves against being frightened. If this spirit is 6th level or higher, you and all allies within 10 feet of you can't be frightened. You must be conscious for the spirit to grant this bonus.
Release. You cast the spell heroism as this spirit's release, and you cast the spell at the spirit's level. You have advantage on concentration checks to maintain the effects of this spell.
Wonder
Bound. While this spirit is bound to you, you radiate an aura of awe. When any creature within 10 feet of you attempts a Wisdom (Insight) check, it takes a penalty to its roll equal to the level of this spirit. The creature must be aware of your presence, and you must be conscious for the spirit to grant this effect.
Release. When this spell is released, it emits a flash of dazzling light, and you cast enthrall on all creatures within a 10-foot radius of you. Creatures that are blinded or can't be charmed succeed this save automatically. Instead of the spell's normal duration, this effect lasts
for a number of rounds equal to twice
the spirit's level. If the spirit is
4th-level or higher, and a creature
fails its save by 5 or more,
it is stunned instead
of being affected
as if by the
enthrall spell.
Witch Spell List
All other spells can be found in Part 3, Chapter 11 of the Player's Handbook.
Cantrips (0 Level)
- Blade Ward
- Chill Touch
- Dancing Lights
- Druidcraft
- Frostbite x
- Infestation x
- Light
- Mage Hand
- Magic Stone x
- Mending
- Minor Illusion
- Poison Spray
- Primal Savagery x
- Produce Flame
- Ray of Frost
- Thaumaturgy
- Toll the Dead x
1st Level
- Absorb Elements x
- Animal Friendship
- Armor of Agathys
- Cause Fear x
- Charm Person
- Detect Magic
- Detect Poison & Disease
- Disguise Self
- Faerie Fire
- False Life
- Find Familiar
- Healing Word
- Hellish Rebuke
- Hex
- Mage Armor
- Purify Food & Drink
- Ray of Sickness
- Silent Image
- Sleep
- Speak with Animals
- Witch Bolt
2nd Level
- Alter Self
- Animal Messenger
- Blindness/Deafness
- Blur
- Continual Flame
- Crown of Madness
- Darkvision
- Detect Thoughts
- Enthrall
- Healing Spirit x
- Invisibility
- Levitate
- Locate Animals or Plants
- Melf's Acid Arrow
- Misty Step
- Moonbeam
- Phantasmal Force
- Protection from Poison
- Ray of Enfeeblement
- See Invisibility
- Silence
- Spider Climb
- Spike Growth
- Suggestion
3rd Level
- Animate Dead
- Bestow Curse
- Blink
- Catnap x
- Counterspell
- Daylight
- Dispel Magic
- Enemies Abound x
- Feign Death
- Fly
- Glyph of Warding
- Magic Circle
- Major Image
- Sending
- Slow
- Speak with Dead
- Tongues
- Water Walk
4th Level
- Arcane Eye
- Banishment
- Blight
- Charm Monster
- Confusion
- Dominate Beast
- Elemental Bane x
- Freedom of Movement
- Giant Insect
- Greater Invisibility
- Guardian of Nature x
- Hallucinatory Terrain
- Phantasmal Killer
- Polymorph
- Sickening Radiance x
- Stoneskin
5th Level
- Animate Objects
- Cloudkill
- Commune with Nature
- Contact Other Plane
- Creation
- Danse Macabre x
- Dominate Person
- Dream
- Enervation x
- Insect Plague
- Planar Binding
- Raise Dead
- Rary's Telepathic Bond
- Scrying
- Seeming
- Telekinesis
6th Level
- Circle of Death
- Contingency
- Create Homunculus x
- Create Undead
- Disintegrate
- Eyebite
- Flesh to Stone
- Investiture of Fire x
- Investiture of Ice x
- Investiture of Stone x
- Investiture of Wind x
- Magic Jar
- Mass Suggestion
- Mental Prison x
- Soul Cage x
- True Seeing
- Wall of Thorns
7th Level
- Etherealness
- Finger of Death
- Mirage Arcane
- Plane Shift
- Power Word Pain x
- Project Image
- Regenerate
- Sequester
- Symbol
8th Level
- Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting x
- Animal Shapes
- Antimagic Field
- Antipathy/Sympathy
- Demiplane
- Dominate Monster
- Feeblemind
- Glibness
- Maddening Darkness x
- Maze
- Mind Blank
- Power Word Stun
- Telepathy
9th Level
- Astral Projection
- Foresight
- Imprisonment
- Mass Polymorph x
- Psychic Scream x
- Power Word Kill
- Shapechange
- True Polymorph
- Weird
Appendix
Multiclassing
When you advance in level, and at your DM's discretion, you may take the option to multiclass into a Witch. You must meet the following prerequisites to qualify for a Witch.
Multiclassing Prerequisites
| Ability Score Mimimum |
|---|
| Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma 13 |
Proficiences
When you first multiclass into Witch, you gain only some of the class's starting proficiences as shown below.
Multiclassing Proficiencies
| Proficiences Gained |
|---|
| Short bows, herbalism kit |
Spellcasting
Spell Slots. You determine your available spell slots by adding all of your witch levels to the levels of your other classes (PHB p.164). Use this total to determine your spell slots by consulting the Multiclass Spellcaster table
(PHB p.165).
Alternate Starting Equipment
When you create a witch, you receive equipment based on a combination of your class and background. Alternatively, you can start with a number of gold pieces and spend them on items (Chapter 5 of the PHB).
Starting Wealth for Witches
| Funds |
|---|
| 4d4 x 10 gp |
Changelog
Version 1.2
- Added Signs of a Covenant quirks table
- Added weapon proficiencies
- Familiar Magic : added Evasion rules, removed Attack
- Coven of Shadows : 1st-lvl ability change
- Changes to several Spirits
- General rule clarifications, proofreading
Version 1.1
- Witch's Familiar : familiar gains temp HP, celestial and fey abilities simplified
- Familiar Magic : change to celestial healing ability
Credits
This version of The Witch D&D 5e class was created by Reddit user JPGenn. This homebrew class takes its inspiration and basic concept design from this excellent & inspired Witch class build by Zarieth.
Artistic Credits
The Druid King : Dusan Markovic (deviantArt)
the Forest church 2 : weiweihua (deviantArt)
"The Crow's Dagger" : Elsa Kroese
"Forest Shaman" : Paulos Varrus (flickriver)
raven
wraith
fantasy forest wallpaper
witches
[Homebrew Stains] : DraceExe
