Occultist
A halfling, draws forth an ancient sword and calls on the memories of a previous wielder, then turns, and smoothly moves into a fighting stance with a mastery she didn’t have a moment before.
In the back of a dusty library, a dragonborn finds the last piece of script he needs to unlock the path to an ancient vault.
Pulling out a tooth of a red dragon, the dwarf calls on the power that once flowed past it, drew in his breath and let loose a torrent of flames.
Seekers of secrets, occultists hunt for hidden arts and lost knowledge, and find power in the things no one else knows. You can find occultists delving into forgotten ruins for ancient relics, or in the dusty tomes of a library reading scripts that haven’t been remembered for years. They gain understanding and learn how to draw power and magic out of a word or out of an item. Always on the lookout for another lost art or esoteric secret or hidden memory, they wander the world.
While warlocks find great powers to make pacts with, occultists might find the words and find the ways but don’t take that deal. Instead they rely on themselves and their own minds to draw forth power from items and implements, and the secret techniques they learned from
ancient books or worked out themselves. While wizards are often more regimented in their study, the occultists are often more experimental. Willing to seek out and try spell formulas that have lain untouched for decades or more. Always looking for something that no one else knows, occultists form societies that help each other in their searches, and sometimes even share secrets. Often brought together in a similar study or a similar cause these secret societies can be found throughout the world if one knows where to looks.
Creating an Occultist
To create an occultist, consult the following subsections, which give you hit points, proficiencies, and starting equipment. Then look at the Occultist table to see which features you get at each level. The descriptions of those features appear in the "Occultist Features" section.
Quick Build
You can make an occultist quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in Intelligence, followed by Constitution or Dexterity. Second, choose the archeologist background.
Occultist
| Level | Proficiency | Features | Cantrips | Active Implements | Spell Slots | Slot Level | Invocations Known |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Implement Magic, Psychometry | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2nd | +2 | Focus, Secret Society | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| 3rd | +2 | Invocations | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 4th | +2 | ASI | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 5th | +3 | Secret Society Feature | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 6th | +3 | Runelore | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 7th | +3 | Insightful Secrets | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 8th | +3 | ASI | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 9th | +4 | - | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 10th | +4 | Secret Society Feature | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 11th | +4 | Implement Adept | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 12th | +4 | ASI | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 13th | +5 | - | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 14th | +5 | Magic Item Savant | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| 15th | +5 | Secret Society Feature | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| 16th | +5 | ASI | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| 17th | +6 | - | 4 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| 18th | +6 | Implement Master | 4 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 6 |
| 19th | +6 | ASI | 4 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 6 |
| 20th | +6 | Collector of the Strange | 4 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 6 |
Hit Points
Hit Dice: ld8 per occultist level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: ld8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per occultist level after 1 st
Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, Medium armor, Shields
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Intelligence
Skills: Choose three from Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, and Religion
Starting Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- any two simple weapons of your choice
- a light crossbow and 20 bolts
- your choice of studded leather armor or scale mail
- a dungeoneer's pack or a scholar's pack
If you forgo this starting equipment, as well as the items offered by your background, you start with 5d4 x 10 gp to buy your equipment.
Optional Rule: Multiclassing
If your group uses the optional rule on multiclassing in the Player’s Handbook [p. 163], here’s what you need to know if you choose occultist as one of your classes.
Ability Score Minimum. As a multiclass character, you must have at least an Intelligence score of 13 to take a level in this class, or to take a level in another class if you are already an occultist.
Proficiencies Gained. If occultist isn’t your initial class, here are the proficiencies you gain when you take your first level as an occultist: light armor, medium armor, one skill of your choice from the occultist skill list.
Spell Slots. Add half your levels (rounded up) in the occultist class to the appropriate levels from the warlock class to determine your available spell slots.
Implement Magic
1st level occultist feature
Through your arcane research you have discovered the hidden power in objects and have learned how to tap into those echoes and connections objects can have.
Cantrips
You know two cantrips of your choice from the occultist spell list. You learn additional occultist cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the occultist table.
Implements
You have two active implements. Each implement is associated with a specific school of magic and a specific class spell list that you choose when you activate the implement. Each implement holds up to three spells from the school and spell list they are associated with. You choose these spells the first time you activate the implement. These spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
You can switch one implement for another over a long rest or switch out a spell on an implement for another of the same school. At higher levels you get more active implements as shown on the Active Implement table. You can have an unlimited number of inactive implements.
Magic items often have deeper powers or histories that an occultist can draw out. An occultist can use a magic item as an implement. If the item needs to be attuned, then it cannot be used as an implement until it is attuned.
Spell Slots
The occultist table shows how many spell slots you have. The table also shows what the level of those slots is; all of your spell slots are the same level. To cast one of your occultist spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short or long rest.
For example, when you are 5th level, you have two 3rd-level spell slots. To cast the 1st-level spell Witch Bolt, you must spend one of those slots, and you cast it as a 3rd-level spell.
Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your occultist spells, since you learn your spells through dedicated study and lost tomes and obscure arts. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for an occultist spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Ritual Casting
You can cast an occultist spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell in your spellbook. You don't need to have the spell prepared.
Spellcasting Focus
You can use your implements as a spellcasting focus for your occultist spells.
Psychometry
1st level occultist feature
Significant actions and strong emotions imprint on objects and as an occultist you’ve trained your mind to pick up on those subtle impressions. As an action, you can touch an object and open your awareness, getting glimpses of events that transpired near the object you are touching. You immediately gain knowledge of up to three facts about the following subjects: the last creature who touched it, an image of a previous location where the item has been, the last significant event that happened near it, the most significant emotion of a person who was touching it recently. Generally the more significant the event or the more powerful the emotion, the longer the imprints last on an object.
For example, you could determine that a bloody knife had recently been held by a tall, pale elf, or that the strange treasure chest had been hidden in a tower room at some point, or even that the last person who touched this door knob was terrified.
Also you learn the Identify spell.
Focus
2nd level occultist feature
You have a pool of d6s Focus Dice. The number of dice in the pool equals your Intelligence modifier + half your occultist level. You can use these dice to fuel a number of features.
Deductive Reasoning: When you make a skill check you can expend a Focus Dice and add the roll to your skill check.
Your pool regains all expended dice when you finish a long rest.
Secret Society
2nd level occultist feature
As your skills advance you find yourself in the world of secret societies. You choose (or are sometimes invited into) the Society of the Arcanists, the Society of Witch Hunters.
Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 5th, 10th and 15th level.
Eldritch Invocations
3rd level occultist feature
In your study of occult lore, you have unearthed Eldritch Invocations, fragments of forbidden knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability.
At 3rd level, you gain two eldritch invocations of your choice from the warlock class or the list of occultist Eldritch Invocations below. When you gain certain occultist levels, you gain additional invocations of your choice, as shown in the Invocations Known column of the Occultist table. A level prerequisite refers to your level
in this class.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the invocations you know and replace it with another invocation that you could learn at that level.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, 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.
Runelore
6th level occultist feature
You can treat any spell scroll as if the spell is on your class list when using the scroll.
Insightful Secrets
7th level occultist feature
At 7th level, you've gained the ability to quickly apply the secrets you’ve learned. When you or another creature you can see within 30 feet of you makes an ability check or a saving throw, you can use your reaction and expend a focus die to add it to the roll.
Implement Adept
11th level occultist feature
Whenever you finish a short or long rest you can activate a temporary implement. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can touch an object and you store a spell in it, choosing a 1st- or 2nd-level spell from the occultist spell list that requires 1 action to cast (you needn't have it prepared).
While holding the object, a creature can take an action to produce the spell's effect from it, using your spellcasting ability modifier. If the spell requires concentration, the creature must concentrate. The spell stays in the object until it's been used a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of once) or until you use this feature again to activate a temporary implement.
Implement Savant
14th level occultist feature
Your skill with implements deepens more:
- You ignore all class, race, spell and level requirements on attuning to or using a magic item that you have made into an implement.
Implement Master
18th level occultist feature
You can attune two extra magic items as long as they are also Implements.
Collector of the Strange
20th level occultist feature
In your travels you’ve come across all manner of strange and potent curios and can draw power from even the smallest of traces. You have a number of minor implements equal to your intelligence modifier that each hold a first or second level spell from any spell list. Each can be used to cast the spell they hold once a day.
Secret Societies
Arcanist Society
Arcanists look for the tricks, the secrets, the sometimes experimental and sometimes dangerous ways to use magic. Their power may not be as reliable as the wizard's or as strong as the warlock, but they find ways to manipulate the power in ways that leave other casters baffled.
Intense Study
2nd level Arcanist Society feature
When you are initiated into this society at 2nd level, you gain proficiency with the arcana skill and your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check with it. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other skill of your choice.
You gain two cantrips from the Wizard spell list.
Arcane Manipulations
2nd level Arcanist Society feature
Your understanding of magic allows you to bend it in unexpected ways. Before you cast a spell you can use a bonus action to modify it. You know a number of manipulations equal to your proficiency bonus.
- Careful Manipulation. When you cast a spell that forces other creatures to make a saving throw, you can protect some of those creatures from the spell's full force. To do so, you spend 1 focus dice and choose a number of creatures up to the roll on the focus dice. A chosen creature automatically succeeds on its saving throw against the spell.
- Distant Manipulation. When you cast a spell that has a range of 5 feet or greater, you can spend 1 focus dice and add 30 ft to the spell.
- Empowered Manipulation. When you roll damage for a spell, you can use your bonus action and roll your focus dice. You add the focus dice roll + your Intelligence modifier to the damage of the spell.
- Heightened Manipulation. When you cast a spell that forces a creature to make a saving throw to resist its effects, you can use your bonus action to spend one focus dice and subtract it from their saving throw.
- Precise Manipulation. If you make an attack roll for a spell and miss, you can use your bonus action to spend one focus dice and add it to the attack roll.
- Subdued Manipulation. When a spell or magical effect targets a creature within 30 ft of you, you can use your reaction and spend a number of focus dice up to half your proficiency to reduce the damage the target takes by the number rolled + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage).
Cantrip Echos
5th level Arcanist Society feature
You can harness the lingering power after casting the simplest spells. When you cast a cantrip that doesn't make two or more attack rolls, you can use your bonus action to cast it again.
At 15th level, when you cast a spell you can cast a cantrip as a bonus action.
Empowered Focus
10th level Arcanist Society feature
When you spend focus dice on your Arcane Manipulations you can roll the dice twice and add both results to the spell you are manipulating.
Lesser Magic Resistance
15th level Arcanist Society feature
You have advantage on saving throws against spells.
Witch Hunter Society
The Witch Hunters
Intense Study
2nd level Witch Hunter Society feature
When you are initiated into this society at 2nd level, you gain proficiency with the arcana or survival skill and your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check with it. If you already have this proficiency, you gain proficiency with one other skill of your choice.
You also gain proficiency with heavy armor.
Witch Hunter Sigils
2nd level Witch Hunter Society feature
You can spend a focus dice to prepare an item. It might be tracing a particular sigil, anointing it with special oils or writing a script or a creature’s true name on an item. A single object can only bear one sigil at a time. The maximum number of objects you can affect with this feature at one time is equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one object). If you try to exceed your maximum, the oldest property immediately ends, and then the new property applies.
- Anointed Ammunition. As a bonus action you prepare up to 20 pieces of ammunition. If you use them within the next hour they count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
- Black Sigil. As a bonus action you mark a weapon and spend a focus dice and the weapon's damage changes to necrotic for the next hour.
- Burning Sigil. As a bonus action you mark a weapon and spend a focus dice and the weapons damage changes to fire for the next hour.
- Protective Sigil. As an action you spend a focus dice and choose an Ability. The creature who holds the item adds 1d6 to any saving throws of that ability.
- Sigil of Resistance. As an action you can prepare an item to give it’s wearer or weilder resistance to one damage type of your choice for as long as the sigil is active.
- Silver Sigil. s a bonus action you prepare a melee weapon. That weapon counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Also, when you use a weapon or ammunition treated in this way you can use your Intelligence for your attack and damage rolls in place of Strength or Dexterity.
Extra Attack
5th level Witch Hunter Society feature
Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, rather than once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Empowered Sigils
10th level Witch Hunter Society feature
The first creature to pick up an item with your sigil they gain temporary hit points equal to half your level + your Intelligence Modifier. These temporary hit points last until the sigil fades.
Flaring Sigil
15th level Witch Hunter Society feature
As a bonus action you can flare your sigil adding 1d10 of the weapons damage type to all your attacks until the end of your turn.
As a reaction when another creature attacks with a weapon marked with one of your sigils you can spend a focus dice and add it to the damage.
Occultist Invocations
Arra's Theorum
When you make a spell attack against a creature behind cover you can bend the spell letting you ignore cover.
When you cast a spell that is a line you can redirect it. At any point along it's line you can change it's direction, as if you had cast it from that location. The line's total length must still be the same.
You can do this a number of times a day equal to your Intelligence modifier.
Arcane Lock Master
You understand the secrets of sigils and sealing objects. You learn the spells arcane lock and knock and you can cast them as a ritual by spending a focus dice.
Black Mark
You touch a creature leaving them with a visible black mark where you touched them. For the next 8 hours you can use your action to sense the direction to the creature's location, as long as that creature is within 1,000 feet of you and on the same plane. If the creature is moving, you know the direction of its Movement. You can do this once a day and regain all uses after a long rest.
Frozen Heart
You accept the secrets of the frozen lands into your heart. You have resistance to cold damage and advantage on saves against being Charmed or Frightened, but you have disadvantage on Charisma (Deception) and Charisma (Persuasion) checks.
Magical Secrets
You have plundered magical knowledge from a wide spectrum of disciplines. Choose two spells from any class' spell list. A spell you choose must be of a level you can cast, as shown on the occultist table, or a cantrip. Each of these spells counts as an occultist spell for you, but it doesn't count against the number of occultist spells you know.
Minor Pact
Through a minor pact you have a helpful spirit. You know the find familiar spell and can cast it once a day without material components.
Plauge Touched
Prerequisite: 5th level
Though research and exposure you find yourself immune to disease and resistant to poison.
Secret Keeper
You have learned a secret art that lets you lock secrets within your own mind. You can choose a number of secrets equal to your Intelligence modifier + half your proficiency bonus. You automatically succeed on Deception checks or saving throws to prevent their discovery.
Secret Maneuver
You have delved into the teachings of martial masters. You learn one maneuver of your choice from among those available to the Battle Master archetype. If a maneuver you use requires your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver's effects, it uses your occultist spellcasting DC. In place of superiority dice you use your focus dice to power these maneuvers.
Subtle Magics
You have learned a trick to casting spells that lets you ignore some of the casting components. When you cast a spell you can choose to cast it without any somatic or verbal components. You can do this a number of times a day equal to your Intelligence modifier.
Unquenchable Flame of Kossuth
When you deal fire damage, you can spend a focus dice to add the roll + your Intelligence Modifier to the damage. This damage ignores resistance and treats immunity as resistance.
Veiled Mind
Prerequisite: 10th level
You can cast nondetection once a day without using a spell slot.
Wielder of the Secret Fire
You can change any fire damage you do to radiant damage.
Once a day you can use your bonus action to heal a creature of your choice that you can see within 60 ft. Roll a number of focus dice up to your proficiency bonus that creature regains hit points equal to the number rolled + your intelligence modifier. This ability has no effect on constructs and deals damage to undead instead of healing them.
Art References
Cover Art by GRAYBOXX ESSENNOIR
Maddening Compulsion by Tomasz Chistowski © Paizo Publishing
Arcanist by Fu Chenqi
Steadfast Witch Hunter by Le Vuong © 2017 Fantasy Flight Games
Stains from D&D Watercolor Stains Gallery © Jared Ondricek