Witchcraft
Witches are learned practitioners of the earliest of magics, from a time when the arcane and the natural were studied as one. Eschewing the more esoteric magics studied by some of their peers, witches prefer practical magic with a variety of potential uses.
Witches are always deeply individualistic, and in the present era have been divided by coven and practice. Though all witches learn from the writings of and words spoken by their elders, some study the ancient ways as an evolving historical and scholastic pursuit, while others practice their magics wild and with full communion of the old beings who laid path of natural arcana before them. An endlessly diverse group of practitioners, witches rarely agree how best to use their magic, even within the same coven.
Brewcraft
Natural magic and arcane magic are not separate entities to a witch. Because of this, witches are masters of unlocking the arcane potential hidden in common herbs and plants. At 2nd level you gain proficiency with the herbalism kit and the poisoner’s kit.
Occult Familiar
Since time immemorial, witches have formed bonds with familiar spirits, which stand as symbols and sources of their magical power. Historically, familiars have acted as messengers between witches and the unknowable entities that taught them the ways of the arcane, but in modern times familiars mostly serve as companions and foils to their chosen witch.
At 2nd level, you learn the find familiar spell and can only cast it as a ritual, unless you learn it from another source. You can also choose only between a black cat or a raven. The spell doesn’t count against your number of spells known, and when cast as a ritual you ignore any material components.
Familiars you conjure with this spell gain a number of additional benefits:
- The familiar is proficient in one additional skill out of Arcana, Deception, Nature, Persuasion, or Survival (choose when it is first summoned).
- The familiar’s movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.
- If the familiar succeeds on a saving throw and would take half damage, it instead takes no damage.
Witchcraft and Gender
In many worlds, witchcraft as an arcane tradition is closely aligned with female identification. For whatever reason, the magics that the witches of these worlds practice are primarily (or exclusively) the domain of a single gender.
However, the witch as presented historically in D&D does not by default align with one gender or another. Members of any gender may be a witch, though cultural and social mores around gender and witchcraft likely vary dramatically from setting to setting.
Other Familiars
You can always replace black cat and raven with other familiars (for exmple a snake or a spider). In that case the familiar’s Charisma and Intelligence scores become 12, unless they are already higher. The familiar learns how to speak, read, and understand all languages you know and you add you level in Wizard to it's maximum Hit Points.
Cackle
Witches are known for their nerve recking laughter. Starting at 2nd level, you can as a bonus action elicit a wicked cackle, unnerving to those nearby. Creatures within 15 feet of you cannot target you with opportunity attacks until the beginning of your next turn. You can use this ability Intelligence modifier times per long rest.
You also learn an additional spell called Tasha's hideous laughter. This spell counts as wizard spell for you, is always prepared, and does not count against the total spells you can prepare or learn each level.
Fine Fettle
At 6th level, you are perpetually healthy and resistant to conditions that could be the death of others. You have resistance to poison damage and are immune to disease and the poisoned condition.
Additionally, you age only 1 year for every 5 years you grow older, are immune to the negative effects of aging, and cannot unwillingly die from old age.
Fly Kettle, Fly
At 10th level, you’ve learned the secret ritual required to make a witch’s flying kettle, mortar or a bucket, the flying conveyance of any true witch. You can undertake an hour-long ritual that prepares one kettle, mortar or a bucket to become your twisted flying device. You enlarge one of them and infuse it with your dark and mystical magic.
After this ritual is complete, this device counts as a broom of flying ( Dungeon Master’s Guide, page 156), and you choose the command word needed to activate it. This device responds only to your use of its command word, and will refuse to move if anyone else tries to ride it or when there is someone other than you or your familiar in it or on it. If you perform this ritual on a second kettle, mortar or a bucket while you already have one of them benefiting from this feature, the first kettle, mortar or a bucket returns to its initial mundane state, and the new one becomes your preferred method of flying.
Animate Hut
At 14th level, once per 7 days you can undertake an hour-long ritual in order to animate a hovel, hut, or a small house, causing it to grow two to eight legs that can be organic or inorganic in appearance. This animated hut is a construct that is immune to disease, poison damage, and being frightened, poisoned, or charmed, and has an AC of 16, 100 hit points, a speed of 50 feet, 26 Strength, 12 Dexterity, 18 Constitution, a 4 in all other statistics, and is considered to be Gargantuan in size. If the owner of this hut does not consent to the ritual taking place, the ritual will be done with no effect. If the hut is reduced to 0 hit points, it returns to its inanimate state, but may suffer some structural damage in doing so.
While you are within this hut, you can expend an action to cause the hut to move in a direction of your choice. As a part of this action, you can cause the hut to take either the Dash or Dodge action. If you are not within the hut but on the same plane as it, you can call it to move to you (taking the Dash action) as a continuous ritual that lasts until the hut arrives, which requires you to stay within the same location for the ritual’s duration.
In either case, the hut is semi-intelligent and will avoid obvious pitfalls and hazardous terrain. If the hut cannot find a way forward (if it is too large for a path, for example), you instinctively know that something is blocking it. The hut is unable to attack, and will actively avoid harming creatures or destroying terrain in the course of its movement.
If you undertake this ritual while you already have an animated hut, the first hut returns to its inanimate state, and the new hut becomes your animated hut.
Customizing Fly Kettle, Fly
You can always replace kettle, mortar or a bucket with a broom or a carpet. In that case they would follow same rules as flying kettle, mortar or a bucket would. Only difference is that during your ritual you do not enlarge them and flying with them would not be as cool. Even cooler option would be to use a floor board or a door.
Raven
Tiny beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 12
- Hit Points (1d4-1) + your level in Wizard
- Speed 10 ft., fly 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 2 (-4) 14 (+2) 8 (-1) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 12 (+1)
- Skills Perception +3
- Senses passive Perception 13
- Languages Speaks, reads, and understands all languages you know.
- Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Mimicry. The raven can mimic simple sounds it has heard, such as a person whispering, a baby crying, or an animal chittering. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check.
Actions
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: (1d1) piercing damage.
Black Cat
Tiny beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 12
- Hit Points (1d4) + your level in Wizard
- Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 3 (-4) 15 (+2) 10 (0) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 12 (+1)
- Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4
- Senses passive Perception 13
- Languages Speaks, reads, and understands all languages you know.
- Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Keen Smell. The cat has advantage on
Wisdom (Perception) checks that
rely on smell.Actions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +0
to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
1 slashing damage.
Roleplaying a Witch's Familiar
Familiars gifted with the power of speech often carry their own force of personality, and, like witches, have very strong opinions on what goes on around them. A familiar can be roleplayed a number of ways, such as being a foil to the witch they are paired with, a steadfast support, or an inquisitive trickster that always seems to find trouble.õ
Whether the witch’s player or the DM roleplays a familiar is left intentionally vague, and should be discussed with your group, though the player is expected to control the familiar in combat. As a further option, many familiars are content to be passive observers, only commenting if necessary, should roleplaying a familiar prove too disruptive to the flow of gameplay
Should you wish to further define your familiar’s identity, however, you can roll on the tables included here for your familiar’s personality, ideal, and flaw. A familiar’s bond is always, “I must protect my master and ensure their success.”.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I’m endlessly optimistic, and determined to find the best in everything! |
| 2 | I’m polite, refined, and distinguished at all times. |
| 3 | I show my love through relentless sarcasm. |
| 4 | Magic fascinates me. My master must learn more of it! |
| 5 | I’m very shy. Strangers must first earn my trust. |
| 6 | I have a voracious appetite, and am always looking for new snacks. |
| 7 | I worry that my master isn’t good enough, so I constantly nudge them towards greatness. |
| 8 | I’m frustrated with my lack of thumbs and often try new techniques to compensate for this. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Knowledge. We must know everything there is to know! (Neutral) |
| 2 | Secrets. The more hidden something is, the greater its worth. (Neutral) |
| 3 | Obedience. Like it or not, my master makes the rules here. (Lawful) |
| 4 | Freedom. I do what I want, and I may or may not apologise later. (Chaotic) |
| 5 | Greed. When I find something I want, I have to have it! (Neutral) |
| 6 | Respect. All should respect my master’s ability, and by extension myself. (Neutral) |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I always watch my master to see what they are doing wrong. I voice my disapproval in little, subtle ways. |
| 2 | My curiosity is completely out of check. |
| 3 | I feel as if I’m four sizes greater than I am, and am bold to a fault. |
| 4 | I’m an unrepentant coward. Let my master fight for me, I’m staying out of it! |
| 5 | I hoard shiny objects in all my master’s pockets when they’re asleep. |
| 6 | Everyone except my master is expendable to me, and I make sure they know. |
Credits
This subclass is mostly based on a Witch class that was made by Walrock Homebrew
Art Credits
Katze made by Verena Biskup
Old Gypsy Hag made by Fantasy Pics Inc
Cinderella - The Long Road made by ancientking (from deviantart)
