Witch
A young human woman, bound to a large stake and standing atop a pile of kindling, is surrounded by scared villagers and angry guardsmen. One of the guards, approaching with a torch ready to set the pile ablaze, stops in his tracks as the woman mutters an incantation under her breath. Head now muddled by the hex, he looks upon the poor, helpless girl and slashes her bindings with his blade. With a smile, the woman uses her now freed hands to whisk herself away with a spell.
A group of warriors fight a large beast with terrible horns and an impenetrable hide. The fight appears to be lost as the creature continues to effortlessly slam the combatants around the battlefield. However, standing behind the warriors, an elf completes his spell causing dark bands of magical energy to restrain the great beast. Rendered almost defenseless, the beast is quickly felled.
Two hill giants loom over a elderly gnomish woman. As they debate whether the small woman is even worth it as a snack, the gnome conjures a wave of psychic energy rattling their weak minds. Thoroughly disoriented, the two giants begin brawling each other as the woman continues on her way.
Witches are powerful casters who glean power from ancient, mysterious sources, such as natural forces or obscure concepts. Through their connection to these sources, they gain their ability to create spells. Expert in controlling the weak-minded, witches tend to use their magic to subtly manipulate their way through obstacles and curse any who dare stand in their way.
Strange Devotion
Some gain power through study, some through worship, others through blood, but the witch gains power through communion with the strange and unknown. Dedicating themselves to a force of nature, a vaguely understood power, or even an intangible concept, witches draw their magic from the target of their devotion. Depending on the witch, these powers may be granted by an unknown being, or simply fueled by the forces of nature and magic around them. Witches learn to use their powers to curse those who oppress them, often giving them a reputation of both mystery and terror.
Feared Hexers
Due to their oft feared nature, witches sometimes hide their magic and strange devotion to coexist in society or live on the edge of civilization to more freely explore their power. Some may even choose to move from place to place in an effort to gain a greater understanding of their abilities.
For their own mysterious purposes, witches sometimes choose to seek out adventure, using their magical powers to curse and debilitate those who get in the way of them and their allies. While many are disinclined to trust witches, their spells and hexes will prove to be a great boon to any adventuring party as their enemies falter and break before them.
Creating a Witch
The first question to consider when creating your witch is what is the target of your devotion? For witches, these are typically forces of nature, such as weather or sickness, or intangible concepts, such as fate or finality. Look ahead at covens for ideas. For example, a witch dedicated to the powers of decay and rot, could thematically fit into the coven of the spreading plague. In addition, consider why you initially dedicated yourself to this particular force?
How did the onset of your powers affect your place in society? Were you ostracized or attacked or did you keep your powers hidden to not draw unneeded attention? On the other hand, maybe people viewed your magic with some wariness but otherwise appreciated its benefits?
Lastly, consider what caused you to set off on adventure. For instance, many witches move place to place to avoid persecution from suspicious villages and groups. Some witches simply seek out greater understanding of the target of their devotion through experience. Whatever the case, determine why you have decided to travel with an adventuring group.
Quick Build
You can make a witch quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Wisdom your highest ability score, followed by Constitution or Dexterity. Second, choose the hermit background. Third choose the toll the dead, minor illusion, and dancing lights
cantrips.
The Witch Table
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features | Cantrips Known |
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Hex (1/short), Spellcasting | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Witch's Familiar | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Coven, Witchcraft | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | ─ | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Coven Feature | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Hex Option | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | ─ | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Coven Feature, Hex (2/short) | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | ─ | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | ─ | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th | +5 | Coven Feature | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 15th | +5 | Hex Option | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 17th | +6 | ─ | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Coven Feature | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20th | +6 | Curse of the Occult | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Class Features
As a Witch, you gain the following class features:
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d6 per witch level
- 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: Simple weapons
- Tools: Herbalism kit or a set of Artisan's tools, likely connected to or used in your witch magic and rituals.
- Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
- Skills: Choose two skills from Animal Handling, Arcana, Deception, Intimidation, Insight, Nature, Perception and Religion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- Any simple weapon and two daggers
- (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus
- (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- (a) An herbalism kit or (b) the set of artisan's tools you chose proficiency in
Spellcasting
Beginning at 1st level, your strong devotion to some force grants you the ability to cast spells.
Cantrips
At 1st level, 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.
Preparing and Casting Spells
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 expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of witch spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the witch spell list. When you do so, choose a number of witch spells equal to your Wisdom modifier + your witch level (minimum of 1 spell). The spells must be a level for which you have spell slots.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of witch spells requires some time in contemplation of the forces that fuel your magic: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your witch spells. You use your wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a witch spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +
Ritual Casting
You can cast a witch spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you know the spell.
Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for
your witch spells.
Hex
Beginning at 1st level, you use your magical ability to manipulate your foes. You gain two hexes of your choice from the following list. You may choose another hex from the list at levels 7 and 15.
As a bonus action, you may target a creature that you can see and afflict them with a hex. When you do so, you choose one of your available hexes and the target suffers the effects. Maintaining a hex on a creature requires your concentration and lasts up to 24 hours, during which time you cannot concentrate on any other spell.
If a hexed creature drops to 0 hit points within the first minute of your hex's duration, you may use your bonus action on a subsequent turn within that minute to transfer the hex to another creature you can see for the remaining hex duration.
You may use hex once before completing a long or short rest. Beginning at 10th level, you may use two hexes before completing a short or long rest.
Hex List
- Hex of Agony. You curse your target with intense suffering and pain. When the target creature takes damage, you may use your reaction to deal additional necrotic damage equal to your witch level plus your wisdom modifier.
- Hex of Desire. You make yourself appear enticing and attractive to your target. The target creature must make a wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, they are charmed by you until the hex ends or you harm them. On a success, they are immune to this hex for 24 hours and your use of hex is not expended.
- Hex of Envy. You conjure intense feelings of jealousy in your target, causing them to deeply desire everything you have and everything you experience. When you take damage, you may use your reaction to deal necrotic damage equal to half of the triggering damage (rounded down) to the target creature.
- Hex of Fear. Your target sees you as a horrific being made of their worst nightmares. The target creature must make a wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, they are frightened. On a success, they are
immune to this hex for 24 hours and your
use of hex is not expended.
- Hex of Guilt. You make yourself appear pitiful and harmless to your target, causing them severe guilt when they attack you. The target creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against you.
- Hex of Hatred. An immense feeling of hatred towards you wells up in your target, making it difficult for them to focus on anything else. The target creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against any creature other than you, but gains advantage on attack rolls targeting you.
- Hex of Indolence. You bog down your enemies mind and body with fatigue. The target creature's movement speed is reduced by half.
- Hex of Pride. You instill a sense of overconfidence in your target causing them to lower their defenses. The target creature suffers a reduction to their AC equal to half of your wisdom modifier (rounded up).
- Hex of Sorrow. Your target becomes weighed down with feelings of despair. The target creature suffers a penalty to attack rolls equal to half of your wisdom modifier (rounded up).
- Hex of Wrath. Your target's mind is flooded with staggering rage. Choose intelligence, wisdom, or charisma. The target creature has disadvantage on saving throws of the chosen type.
Witch's Familiar
Witches develop a close relationship with a familiar spirit and use it to bestow their hexes on unfortunate individuals. Beginning at level 2, you gain the service of a familiar that is born from the force that you have devoted yourself to. Your familiar is a spirit that takes the form of a small creature of your choice. The creature type of your familiar is either celestial, fey, or fiend (your choice).
You summon your familiar in a ritual that takes one minute to perform causing it to appear in a spot within 30 feet of you. As in the find familiar spell, you can communicate with it telepathically within 100 feet, you can use your action to see and hear through its senses until the start of your next turn, and you can dismiss and resummon your familiar to and from a pocket dimension as an action. Your familiar has an AC of 10, 1 hit point, and a walking and flying speed of 30 feet, regardless of its chosen appearance. Your familiar acts on your initiative count, but cannot attack. Your familiar is automatically dismissed when it drops to 0 hit points or when you choose to dismiss it as a bonus action.
Your familiar may use its action to perform a hex in your place on a creature it can see, allowing you to concentrate on other spells. This expends one of your uses of hex and requires your familiar to maintain concentration. If your familiar is dismissed while maintaining concentration on a hex, the hex immediately ends.
Coven
At 3rd level, you begin to acquire distinct magical powers from the chosen focus of your dedication. Witches that dedicate themselves to similar forces are grouped into "covens". Some witches form loose connections with others in their coven, but many choose to remain fully independent instead. The coven you choose grants you features at levels 3, 6, 10, 14, and 18.
In addition, you gain spells according to your chosen coven at the appropriate witch levels. Each of these spells counts as a witch spell for you. These spells are always prepared and do not count against the number of spells you can prepare.
Witchcraft
Beginning at 3rd level, you imbue otherwise ordinary objects of your creation with your magical power. Using an object that you have created (using your artisan's tools, herbalism kit, etc.) you may select a witch spell and perform a ritual that takes 1 minute per spell level for the chosen spell. The ritual requires any material components the selected spell has and expends a spell slot of the spell's level or higher.
Upon completion of the ritual, the object is imbued with the magic of the chosen spell and is considered a magical item. You choose what triggers the magic to be cast; the object casts the spell either upon being touched or when a creature passes within a certain distance of it (maximum range of 30 feet). Other triggers are possible at your DM's discretion. You can exempt creatures of your choice from triggering the object when you perform the ritual. Alternatively, you (or friendly creatures of your choice) can choose to cast the spell from the object at any time as an action. Once an imbued object casts its spell, it cannot be triggered again until at least 24 hours have passed.
Spells that require concentration, when triggered from an imbued object, still require concentration as the object draws from your magical connection. If you are concentrating on another spell when your object is triggered, its effects still occur but last only until the following round on the initiative count it was activated.
You may have one object imbued with a witch spell at a time. Imbuing another object causes the original to lose its magic. You can also remove the magic from your imbued object through a ritual that takes 1 minute to perform.
Ability 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.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Curse of the Occult
Beginning at 20th level, your hexes become exceptionally powerful and impairing. When you use your bonus action to target a creature with a hex, choose two of your hexes instead of one. Both hexes affect the target creature.
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing with the Witch class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Wisdom.
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Witch class, you gain the following proficiencies: Simple weapons.
Spell Slots. You add all your witch levels for the purposes of determining multiclass spell slots.
Witch Covens
A coven represents a group of witches that devote themselves to similar ideals and forces. Some witches form loose connections with others in their coven, but many choose to remain fully independent instead. The members of a coven collectively dedicate themselves to the same force and gain peculiar powers through their devotion.
Coven of the
Flickering Flame
While this coven may have a somewhat unassuming name, it is unwise to underestimate the destructive power of witches that revere the flame. In many lands, reviled witches had been put to the pyre out of fear and hate. Witches of the flickering flame reverse this devastating power of fire and harness it against those who would seek their destruction.
The moniker "flickering flame" is a reminder of how easily life can be snuffed, like a candle's wick.
Flame Coven Spells
| Witch Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Burning Hands, Hellish Rebuke, Scorching Ray, Continual Flame |
| 5th | Fireball, Melf's Minute Meteors |
| 7th | Fire Shield, Wall of Fire |
| 9th | Flame Strike, Immolation |
Charred Flesh
Seeking justice for the burned
witches of old, you turn the powers of
flame against your enemies. Beginning at
3rd level, you learn the fire bolt cantrip
which does not count against your number
of cantrips known.
Flame's Embrace
At 6th level, you learn to embrace the
warmth of flame. You gain resistance to
fire damage.
In addition, you may choose to ignore a
creature's resistance to fire damage
when casting a spell or using a witch
feature.
Burning Stake
Beginning at 10th level, the stake is no
longer a tool for burning witches, but instead
your foes. Once per long rest, when you hex a
creature, you may cause a pillar of fiery energy
to engulf them and confine them with magical
bands as part of the same bonus action. The
target must make a strength saving throw against
your spell save DC. On a failure, the target is
restrained and takes 1d6 fire damage for every witch level
you have. On a success, the target is not restrained and takes only half damage. A restrained creature may use its action to make a strength check against your spell save DC. On a success, the creature is no longer restrained.
Regardless of the result of the saving throw, the target creature's initial location burns with terrible flame for the next minute. A creature that ends its turn on a burning space takes 4d6 fire damage.
Vengeful Flame
Beginning at 14th level, flames of revenge grow bright within you, granting you the following benefits:
- As a reaction to taking damage from a creature, you
can deal fire damage equal to your witch level plus
double your wisdom modifier to the triggering
creature. - While you are hexing a creature, you treat their fire immunity as resistance that cannot be bypassed
further.
Witch's Pyre
Beginning at 18th level, none can escape the terrifying wrath of your flame. When you use the "burning stake" feature, all creatures of your choice within 10 feet of the targeted creature take 8d6 fire damage and must make a wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, that creature is stunned until the end of your next turn and frightened of you for one minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the frightened condition early on a success.
Coven of the
Spreading Plague
Fascinated with the powers of sickness and poison,
witches of the plague coven are amongst the most
reviled and feared. Like the flame coven, plague
witches can be vengeful but prefer to enact their plans
in more subtle ways. A witch seeking revenge on a village might seed infestation or plague amongst the villagers and allow the virulent diseases that result to run their course.
Of course, not every plague witch has such dark intents. Many with power over sickness choose instead to purify
and cure those afflicted with disease.
Plague Coven Spells
| Witch Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Detect Poison and Disease, Ray of Sickness Blindness/Deafness, Ray of Enfeeblement |
| 5th | Protection from Poison, Stinking Cloud |
| 7th | Aura of Purity, Blight |
| 9th | Cloudkill, Contagion |
Infection Vector
At 3rd level, you learn to summon small parasites as a means to seed infection and disease. You learn the infestation cantrip which does not count against your number of cantrips known.
Infectious Flow
Beginning at 6th level, your understanding of plague allows you to protect yourself against poisons and disease as well as make them more potent to your enemies. You gain resistance to poison damage and immunity to being diseased.
In addition, you may choose to ignore resistance to poison damage when you cast a spell or use a witch feature.
Sickening Magic
Beginning at 10th level, you infuse your spells with particularly virulent magical poison. This grants you the following benefits:
- Whenever you hit a creature with a spell that deals poison or necrotic damage, they must make a constitution saving throw against your spell save DC (creatures you are hexing automatically fail). On a failure, they are poisoned until the end of your next turn.
- If a creature fails a saving throw against one of your spells that deals poison or necrotic damage, they are poisoned until the end of your next turn.
Plagued Soul
Beginning at 14th level, your plagues and poisons have ascended beyond afflicting flesh alone. Your poison magic can wear away at anything from inorganic material to a creature's very soul, allowing you to poison creatures such as constructs or undead who would typically be unaffected. You gain the following benefits:
- While you are hexing a creature, you
treat their poison immunity as resistance that
cannot be bypassed further, and you can poison them even if they are immune to the poisoned condition. - You are immune to disease, poison damage, and the poisoned condition.
Virulence
At 18th level, you learn to magically spread plague from one creature to the next. You may use your bonus action to attempt to spread the poisoned condition or a disease that currently afflicts one creature to another.
To do so, choose two creatures that you can see within 60 feet. One of the creatures must be poisoned or afflicted by a disease. The other creature must make a constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature is now poisoned or diseased by the same effect that afflicted the original creature.
Coven of the
Encroaching Storm
Witches belonging to the coven of the encroaching storm have developed an intimate connection with weather itself, learning to create and direct storms. As storm witches grow in power, they can exert control over the weather in a wide area. Particularly strong members of the coven have been known to prevent the movement of armies with heavy storms and to lock down ships with freezing sleet. On the other hand, towns and villages on the good side of storm witches can expect pleasant days and just enough rainfall for their crops.
Mimicking storms' volatile natures, these witches often have tempestuous personalities. Those that interact with them learn to stay on their good side or keep their distance.
Storm Coven Spells
| Witch Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Fog Cloud, Thunderwave, Dust Devil, Gust of Wind |
| 5th | Call Lightning, Sleet Storm |
| 7th | Ice Storm, Storm Sphere |
| 9th | Control Winds, Freedom of the Winds |
Stormclap
At 3rd level, your fledgling abilities over weather allow you to rapidly alter air pressure in a small area, creating a thunderous clap. You learn the Thunderclap cantrip which does not count against your number of cantrips known.
Direct the Storm
Beginning at 6th level, you learn to direct the weather in the surrounding area. Once per long rest, you can cause the effects of the spell Control Weather. As long as you maintain concentration on this effect, you can sustain these effects indefinitely, during which time you cannot concentrate on spells. The range and effects depend on your witch level:
- Levels 6-10. 100 foot range,
change current temperature/wind/
precipitation by one stage. - Levels 11-16. 1000 foot range, change current temperature/wind/precipitation by up to two stages.
- Levels 17-20. 5 mile range, choose any temperature/wind/precipitation stage.
If you use this feature to alter weather that has been created by magic, you must make a wisdom check with a DC equal to the spellcasting ability score of the creature that created the weather. On a success, you alter the weather as intended. On a failure, the magical weather remains as before.
In addition, you can choose to be unaffected by storm coven spells (including thunderclap) that you cast.
Stormy Presence
Beginning at level 10, storms permeate your being causing lightning to crackle from your body especially in tense situations. When you are hit by an attack within 5 feet, the attacking creature must make a dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC (creatures you are hexing automatically fail). On a failure, the creature takes lightning damage equal to 1d6 times half your witch level (rounded down). On a success, the creature takes no damage.
Windborne
Beginning at 14th level, your control over the winds becomes so precise you can lift yourself or others as if you were flying. You gain a flying speed equal to 30 feet. In addition, you can choose to temporarily lose your flying speed to grant it to another creature of your choice that you can see.
Thunderous Strike
Beginning at level 18, your inner lightning crackles with extreme force. When a foe is damaged by your stormy presence feature, they are knocked back 20 feet from you and become prone.
Coven of the
Verdant Woodlands
The coven of verdant woodlands has a mixed reputation. More so than the other covens, woodlands witches tend to be more peaceful or at least reclusive when it comes to outsiders. Most often, these witches focus their efforts and powers towards maintaining their corner of nature. However, those that dare harm the land or beasts under the protection of a witch will face their unbridled wrath.
Woodlands Coven Spells
| Witch Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Entangle, Speak with Animals, Locate Animals or Plants, Spike Growth |
| 5th | Plant Growth, Speak with Plants |
| 7th | Conjure Woodland Beings, Guardian of Nature |
| 9th | Commune with Nature, Wrath of Nature |
Forest Guardian
Beginning at 3rd level, you harness the power of the wilds to empower your witch's familiar, which becomes a forest guardian. This creature takes the general appearance of a beast that inhabits the land around your home, but also has features that clearly mark it as a creature made from magic, such as shadowy tendrils that emanate from its body or similar unnatural qualities. It's friendly to you and your companions and it obeys your commands. The game statistics of your familiar are replaced by the Forest Guardian stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. You summon, dismiss, communicate with, and share the senses of your guardian in the same way as a witch's familiar.
In combat, the guardian shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the dodge action or a hex as described in the "witch's familiar" feature, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action.
Land's Stride
Beginning at 6th level, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement. You can also pass through nonmagical plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard.
In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against plants that are magically created or manipulated to impede movement, such as those created by the entangle spell.
Chilling Beast
Beginning at 10th level, your forest guardian emanates an aura of fear and doubt in its attacks. When a creature is hit by your guardian's wicked claws attack, it has disadvantage on attack rolls until the beginning of its next turn.
Forest Guardian
Medium, Chaotic Neutral
- Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 2 + your Wisdom modifier + 5 times your witch level (the guardian has a number of hit dice [d8s] equal to your witch level)
- Speed 40 ft., fly 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 4 (-3) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)
- Saving Throws Dex +2 plus PB, Con +2 plus PB
- Skills Athletics +1 plus PB, Acrobatics +2 plus PB, Perception +0 plus PB
- Damage Resistances necrotic
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 10 + PB
- Languages understands the languages you speak
- Proficiency Bonus (PB) equals your bonus
Actions
Wicked Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target you can see. Hit: 1d8 + 2 + PB necrotic damage.
Hex. Your forest guardian can perform a hex on a creature it can see, expending one of your uses of hex and requiring its concentration to maintain.
Reactions
Guardian's Retaliation. When a creature within 5 feet makes an attack roll or casts a spell, the guardian can use its reaction to make a wicked claws attack against that creature.
Wild Blood
Beginning at 14th level, your form becomes infused with the pure and chaotic energies of the wild. You gain immunity to poison and disease.
In addition, once per short rest, as a bonus action, you can choose to draw the ambient energies of the land into yourself to recover hp equal to your witch level plus double your wisdom modifier.
Horrid Beast
Beginning at level 18, the mere presence of your forest guardian empowers your magic and chills even the most fearless foes of the wild. You gain the following benefits:
- Creatures within 5 feet of your forest guardian are considered frightened by it, even if they are immune to the frightened condition.
- You have advantage on attack rolls against creatures frightened by your guardian. Similarly, those creatures have disadvantage on saving throws to resist spells
you cast.
Coven of
Uncertain Destiny
Many diviners hold fate in the highest regard and see struggling against destiny as fruitless and unwise. However, witches of the destiny coven view fate as a tool to be manipulated and controlled. This coven seeks understanding of what is to come through their magic and divination, because they believe that gaining a deeper understanding of a creature's destiny grants the power to change it.
Often these witches offer their fortune reading services with the tantalizing promise that everyone's destiny is malleable; only fools would ignore the opportunity to tweak it in their favor.
Destiny Coven Spells
| Witch Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Bless, Gift of Alacrity, Augury, Fortune's Favor |
| 5th | Clairvoyance, Dispel Magic |
| 7th | Death Ward, Divination |
| 9th | Commune, Contact Other Plane |
Tweak Fate
Beginning at 3rd level, you gain the ability to subtly alter the consequences of a creature's actions. You learn the guidance cantrip which does not count against your number of cantrips known.
Twisted Portent
At 6th level, you learn to glimpse the future and then twist it to your liking. When you finish a long rest, roll one d20 and record the number rolled. You can replace any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by you or a creature that you can see with one of these reshaped fate rolls. You may
do so immediately after the roll has been made,
demonstrating your ability to twist fate that
would have otherwise occurred.
If you replace the roll of a creature you are
hexing, you may reroll the twisted portent die
and use either the original or new result.
Each reshaped fate roll can be used
only once. When you finish a long
rest, you lose any unused
fate rolls.
Fated Death
At 10th level, your powers over fate have grown to the point you can cheat death. Once per long rest, when you or a creature of your choice that you can see within 30 feet would die as a result of failing a death saving throw (including due to taking damage while at 0 hit points), you may allow that creature to roll an additional death saving throw and take the new result. If the new result is a success, the creature regains one hit point.
Altering one's fated death has its consequences, however, and you gain one level of exhaustion. This exhaustion can only be removed through the greater restoration spell or by making a wisdom saving throw (DC 20) whenever you complete a long rest. On a success, you remove one level of exhaustion gained from this feature.
Visions
Beginning at 14th level, dabbling with future and fate has granted you dreams of what is to come. When you complete a long rest, you may ask one question about a goal, event, or activity to occur within 7 days and the DM offers a truthful reply in the form of a short description of the anticipated event.
For example, if you ask about an upcoming confrontation with an enemy, you may receive a glimpse of the fight giving you hints about the enemy's abilities and tactics as well as where you might encounter them.
Weaver of Fate's Strings
At 18th level, you learn to see, pull, cut, and weave the strings of fate that pull everyone towards their uncertain destinies. You roll two d20s for your twisted portent feature, rather than one, when you take a long rest.
In addition, you roll one d20 when you finish a short
rest and add it to your current pool of reshaped fate
rolls. You may have up to three reshaped
fate rolls stored
at any time.
Coven of the
Looming End
Death is the ultimate end, a destiny to be accepted and embraced. Respect for death is a core principle for witches of the coven of the looming end. These witches believe that one's death is a sacred event, one that should not be delayed beyond its natural time nor hurried along. Their great cognizance of death grants witches of the coven the ability to wield the powers of life and death to harm foes and heal allies. However, beseeching the powers of death to delay or reverse one's death is something that must be undertaken with only the utmost solemnity, and only when you firmly believe it was not their time to pass on.
This does not mean that this coven will not slay their enemies. In fact, many of these witches see death as the natural and unavoidable consequence for crossing them.
If someone gets in their way, it must have been their
foreordained time to
perish.
Looming End Coven Spells
| Witch Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Cause Fear, False Life, Gentle Repose, Wither and Bloom |
| 5th | Animate Dead, Revivify |
| 7th | Blight, Aura of Life |
| 9th | Danse Macabre, Enervation |
Touch of Death
At 3rd level, you begin to grasp the magic of necromancy and death. You learn the chill touch cantrip which does not count against your number of cantrips known.
Reap Life
Beginning at 6th level, your attunement to death allows you to draw lifeforce from those who meet their end. As a reaction, whenever a hostile creature within 30 feet of you dies, you may choose to gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your witch level or the creature's hit point maximum (whichever is lower). You gain double the temporary hit points if you were hexing the creature when it died.
You cannot use this feature to gain temporary hit points
from constructs or undead.
Deathly Visions
At 10th level, you learn to conjure omens of death to
assault the minds of your opponents. When you hex a
creature, you can choose to force that creature to make
a wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a
failed save, the creature is stunned and frightened as
they suffer visions of their own death. A creature may
repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns,
ending the effect on a success.
Spirit Walk
Beginning at 14th level, you can magically manipulate
bodies and souls. Once per long rest, as an action, you
can shed your mortal form to become incorporeal and
invisible. While in this form, you can move in any direction,
pass through solid objects, and are resistant to nonmagical
damage, but you cannot perform actions, bonus actions, or
reactions. You remain in this form for up to one minute or
until you use your action to end the effect.
In addition, while you are hexing a creature, your spells
and features can frighten them even if they are immune
to the frightened condition.
Harbinger of the End
Beginning at 18th level, your magic brings the fear of death
and mortality to your foes, granting you the following
benefits:
- When you use your deathly visions feature, a creature is paralyzed instead of stunned.
- Once per round, when you deal necrotic damage to a hostile creature, you regain a number of hit points equal to half the damage dealt and the creature is frightened of you until the
end of your next turn.
Witch Spell List
Cantrips
- Blade Ward
- Chill Touch
- Create Bonfire
- Dancing Lights
- Druidcraft
- Eldritch Blast
- Friends
- Frostbite
- Guidance
- Infestation
- Mage Hand
- Magic Stone
- Mending
- Message
- Mind Sliver
- Minor Illusion
- Poison Spray
- Prestidigitation
- Spare the Dying
- Thaumaturgy
- Toll the Dead
1st Level
- Animal Friendship
- Bane
- Cause Fear
- Charm Person
- Command
- Comprehend Languages
- Cure Wounds
- Detect Evil and Good
- Detect Magic
- Disguise Self
- Dissonant Whispers
- Distort Value
- Goodberry
- Healing Word
- Hellish Rebuke
- Hex
- Identify
- Inflict Wounds
- Illusory Script
- Mage Armor
- Protection from Evil and Good
- Ray of Sickness
- Shield
- Silent Image
- Silvery Barbs
- Sleep
- Tasha's Caustic Brew
- Tasha's Hideous Laughter
- Witch Bolt
2nd Level
- Augury
- Blindness/Deafness
- Calm Emotions
- Crown of Madness
- Darkness
- Enthrall
- Flock of Familiars
- Gentle Repose
- Hold Person
- Invisibility
- Lesser Restoration
- Levitate
- Mind Spike
- Mirror Image
- Misty Step
- Pass without Trace
- Ray of Enfeeblement
- Spider Climb
- Suggestion
- Tasha's Mind Whip
- Wither and Bloom
3rd Level
- Animate Dead
- Bestow Curse
- Clairvoyance
- Counterspell
- Dispel Magic
- Enemies Abound
- Fear
- Feign Death
- Fly
- Gaseous Form
- Hypnotic Pattern
- Incite Greed
- Life Transference
- Magic Circle
- Major Image
- Mass Healing Word
- Nondetection
- Remove Curse
- Revivify
- Sending
- Speak with Dead
- Spirit Shroud
- Summon Fey
- Summon Lesser Demon
- Summon Shadowspawn
- Summon Undead
- Tiny Hut
- Tongues
- Vampiric Touch
4th Level
- Banishment
- Blight
- Charm Monster
- Confusion
- Conjure Minor Elemental
- Conjure Woodland Beings
- Death Ward
- Dimension Door
- Elemental Bane
- Greater Invisibility
- Hallucinatory Terrain
- Locate Creature
- Polymorph
- Raulothim's Psychic Lance
- Shadow of Moil
- Summon Aberration
- Summon Elemental
- Summon Greater Demon
5th Level
- Animate Objects
- Awaken
- Cloudkill
- Commune with Nature
- Contact Other Plane
- Contagion
- Danse Macabre
- Dispel Evil and Good
- Dominate Person
- Dream
- Enervation
- Far Step
- Geas
- Greater Restoration
- Hold Monster
- Insect Plague
- Legend Lore
- Mass Cure Wounds
- Mislead
- Modify Memory
- Negative Energy Flood
- Raise Dead
- Scrying
- Seeming
- Synaptic Static
- Teleportation Circle
6th Level
- Arcane Gate
- Circle of Death
- Conjure Fey
- Create Undead
- Eyebite
- Flesh to Stone
- Forbiddance
- Harm
- Heal
- Magic Jar
- Mass Suggestion
- Mental Prison
- Otto's Irresistible Dance
- Soul Cage
- Summon Fiend
- Tasha's Otherworldly Guise
- True Seeing
- Wind Walk
7th Level
- Dream of the Blue Veil
- Etherealness
- Finger of Death
- Magnificent Mansion
- Mirage Arcane
- Plane Shift
- Power Word Pain
- Project Image
- Regenerate
- Resurrection
- Simulacrum
- Teleport
- Tether Essence
8th Level
- Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting
- Antimagic Field
- Antipathy/Sympathy
- Clone
- Control Weather
- Demiplane
- Dominate Monster
- Feeblemind
- Glibness
- Maddening Darkness
- Power Word Stun
9th Level
- Astral Projection
- Foresight
- Gate
- Imprisonment
- Power Word Kill
- Psychic Scream
- True Polymorph
- True Resurrection
- Weird
The Witch
A fullcaster class for those who just wish they could curse someone from time to time. Draw from ancient powers and hex your foes with six witch covens: the Flickering Flame, Spreading Plague, Encroaching Storm, Verdant Woodlands, Uncertain Destiny, and Looming End.
Art Credits:
Page 2: Ember by Pathfinder - WotR
Page 4: Witch Wallpaper - Unattributed
Page 6: Witch by Francisco Perianez
Page 7: Plague by Tira-Owl
Page 8: Lightning Witch by Celine Vu
Page 10: Augur of Autumn by Billy Christian
Page 11: Kjelle the Night Mother by IreEthereal
Page 13: Enchantress by Julia Kovalyova
See Dragonshard's GM Binder profile for more homebrew classes inspired by Pathfinder.