Mages of Curse and Charm

Harnessing the hidden power that lies within everything from living creatures to mundane objects, witches embrace magic through the study of hexes, curses, remedies, and enchantments.

While wizards approach magic in a more conventionally academic manner, witches work to perfect their craft through practical experience. Knowledge of witchcraft is rarely documented in tomes, but rather shared among small communities through rituals, lessons, and stories.

Witches draw their power from things and places that are especially revolting or macabre, allowing them to trespass taboo territories of magic unknown to other mages. Key to the practice of a witch is the ability to determine the correct set of ingredients for a spell or magical brew, as well as the hidden alcoves and dark pits where they might be found.

Forbidden Magic

In the public eye, witches are generally viewed as conniving and dastardly due to their association with the darker magics. In some places where it is viewed as unholy or unvirtuous, witchcraft is outlawed, and those accused of witchery may even be sentenced to death. As such, many witches are forced to carry out their practice in secret - either in the confines of an underground dungeon or the heart of the wilderness. Those who are privy to the ways of the witch acknowledge that witchcraft is not inherently evil, but rather that it is a time-honored practice requiring knowledge and skill.

While some witches live a life of solitude, most find themselves involved with a group of witches known as a coven. These groups are often bound by blood and tradition, with knowledge of potion recipes and esoteric incantations being passed down through generations. A witch's coven behaves much like a tight-knit village, with each member working to protect one another and better their community.

Creating a Witch

When creating a witch, first consider your character's relationship to society. Were they forced to live a secret life, hiding their magical practices from the judgment of commonfolk? Perhaps they live a life of seclusion in the wilderness, far away from society's expectations and rules. Also consider whether your character was raised in a coven, if they are seeking to join one, or if they are content with keeping their witchcraft to themselves.

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 Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows
• Tools: Brewer's Supplies
• Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
• Skills: Choose three from Arcana, Deception, Medicine, Nature, Persuasion, Survival

Starting Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a quarterstaff or (b) a dagger
• (a) a component pouch (b) an arcane focus
• (a) a scholar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• brewer's supplies

If you forgo this starting equipment and background items, you start with 2d4 x 10 gp to buy your equipment.

Cantrips (0-Level Spells)

At 1st level, you know two 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 witch spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these 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 Intelligence modifier + your Witch level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

For example, if you're a 3rd-level witch, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence of 16, your list of prepared spells can include six spells of 1st or 2nd level, in any combination. If you prepare the 1st-level spell, hex, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn't remove it from your list of prepared spells.

You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of witch spells requires time spent memorizing which ingredients are needed and which utterances must be said to cast the spell: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.

Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your witch spells, since witchcraft requires knowledge of recipes and diligent execution. You can 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 a witch spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Coven of the Apothecary

Witches of the Coven of the Apothecary have perfected the art of brewing potions. While often for medicinal purposes, this practice has evolved to create tinctures of all kinds, such as love potions and potions of wisdom. Some of these witches have made a living from this practice, selling the potions they brew in magic shops.

These witches are often curious magical scholars, testing ingredients in different combinations in hopes of discovering a novel or powerful potion. Some of these witches have made it their life's mission to craft the ultimate potion - a mythical elixir that has the power to bestow godlike power or immortality.

Touch of Madness

Starting when you choose this coven at 3rd level, if you spend time with a creature that you touch, you may attempt to inflict madness upon them. Refer to page 258 of the Dungeon Master's Guide general rules on madness. The amount of time you must spend with the creature depends on the type of madness you wish to inflict: an action for short-term madness, 10 minutes for long-term madness, or 1 hour for indefinite madness. At the end of the duration, the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or suffer one of the effects below depending on the type of madness you chose:

Short-Term Madness: The creature becomes afflicted by a random kind of short-term madness. This effect lasts for 1 minute or until the creature takes any damage.

Long-Term Madness: The creature becomes afflicted by a random kind of long-term madness. This effect lasts for 1 hour.

Indefinite Madness: The creature becomes afflicted by a random kind of indefinite madness. This effect lasts until the madness is cured.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Dread Malison

At 6th level, you always have the bestow curse spell prepared, and it doesn't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. For you, it has a range of 30 feet and you gain additional options for the spell's effect:

• While cursed, the target's movement speed is reduced to 10 feet.
• While cursed, the target cannot regain hit points other than through short or long rests.
• While cursed, the target has vulnerability to one damage type of your choice, except for bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing.

Odious Torment

By 10th level, you have become a beacon of horror and unyielding spite. Each time you deal damage to a creature that is cursed by you or afflicted by madness that you inflicted upon it, you deal extra necrotic damage equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1). Any effect that would be alleviated by the remove curse spell is considered a curse for the purposes of this feature.

Wicked Magistrate

At 14th level, when you use your Touch of Madness feature to inflict madness onto a creature, you may choose the madness effect rather than rolling on the appropriate table.

Spirit Weaver

When you choose this coven at 3rd level, you gain the ability to thrust a strand of your life force into another creature. If you have at least 1 temporary hit point, you can use a bonus action to lose all of your temporary hit points and heal or harm a creature you choose within 30 feet. If you choose to heal, the creature regains a number of hit points equal to the number of temporary hit points you lost. If you choose to harm, make a ranged spell attack against the creature. On a hit, the target takes necrotic damage equal to the number of temporary hit points you lost.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1) and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Quiet the Soul

By 6th level, you gain the ability to hush the chaos stirring within belligerent creatures. You always have the calm emotions spell prepared, and it doesn't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. For you, the spell can affect any creature (not just humanoids). Additionally, if you use the spell to make a hostile creature indifferent and remain concentrating on the spell for its entire duration, the creature remains indifferent after the spell ends.

Blessing of the Mother Goddess

At 10th level, you can release a pulse of curative magic from your body as an action. Choose between the blinded, deafened, paralyzed, and poisoned conditions. All creatures of your choice within 30 feet are cured of the chosen condition.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Awakened Shaman

By 14th level, you have become a conduit for spiritual energy. Whenever you gain temporary hit points, instead gain double the normal amount.

Chant of the Coven

8th-level enchantment (ritual)

• Casting Time: 1 minute
• Range: Self (30-foot radius)
• Components: V, S, M (a small cauldron filled with water and a handful of rare herbs worth at least 1,000 gp)
• Duration: 24 hours

You join hands with up to 12 willing creatures, surround the cauldron used in the casting of this spell, and begin an ancient chant in unison. Creatures with Intelligence scores of 2 or less and creatures who do not share at least one language with you cannot participate in the chant.

Once the chant is complete, all creatures that participated become bonded by witch magic and gain the following benefits for the duration of the spell:

• Bonded creatures are telepathically linked as if by the Rary's Telepathic Bond spell
• Bonded creatures gain a flying speed of 30 feet. When the spell ends, a creature falls if it is still aloft, unless it can stop the fall.
• When a creature attacks or casts a harmful spell that targets one bonded creature, one other bonded creature may use its reaction to make an attack or cast a cantrip against the attacker.

Affected creatures must remain within 100 feet of you to maintain these benefits, and the spell ends early if any affected creature is incapacitated or killed.

Curse Object

3rd-level transmutation

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Touch
• Components: V, S
• Duration: 24 hours

You touch an object of size Medium or smaller that isn't being worn or carried. The chosen object becomes cursed for the duration. When you cast this spell, choose the nature of the curse from the following options:

• The object becomes impossibly heavy, and no creature is able to lift it.
• Any creature that touches it becomes magically stuck to it and cannot be separated from it.
• (Weapons only) Creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls made using this weapon.
• (Armor only) Choose a damage type. Whenever a creature wearing this armor takes damage of the chosen type, they take an extra 1d8 damage.

A remove curse spell ends this effect. At the DM’s option, you may choose an alternative curse effect, but it should be no more powerful than those described above. The DM has final say on such a curse’s effect.

At Higher Levels: If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the object you target can be worn or carried by a creature. If you use a 9th level spell slot, the spell lasts until dispelled.

Harrow

2nd-level necromancy

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 30 feet
• Components: V, M (a spider's leg)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A creature that you can see within range becomes cursed for the duration as you begin to torment its mind. While cursed, the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw each time it takes damage (from a source other than this spell) or take an extra 1d4 psychic damage. A remove curse spell ends this effect.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d4 for each slot above 2nd.

Kajamiri's Mortal Haze

2nd-level necromancy

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 30 feet
• Components: S, V, M (a petrified skull)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You unleash a deathly gray mist that taints the air around a creature of your choice that you can see within range. Until the spell ends, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw at the start of each of its turns. On a failure, the creature takes 1d12 necrotic damage for each turn it failed a saving throw from this casting of the spell (starting at 1d12 necrotic damage for the first failed saving throw). If a creature ever succeeds on the saving throw, the spell ends on them.

Additionally, any necrotic damage a creature takes while under the effects of this spell reduces its maximum hit points by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken. A creature affected in this way has its maximum number of hit points restored once it finishes a long rest.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the number of creatures you can target increases by one for every spell slot above 2nd.

Leaping Ill

3rd-level necromancy

• Casting Time: 1 bonus action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: 1 minute

Choose one of the following conditions currently affecting a creature you can see within range: blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, or stunned. You magically cause the ailment to spread to another creature within 30 feet of the first creature. The new creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be afflicted by the same condition for the duration. If the condition is charmed or frightened, the source of the charm or fear is the same for the new creature.

The condition ends on that creature early if it also ends on the original creature.

Aberration

The target's mind becomes gripped by a strange psychic energy. It must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or take psychic damage equal to your proficiency bonus and be stunned until the end of your next turn or until it takes damage.

Beast

The target becomes filled with a primal rage. It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (which it can choose to fail) or immediately use its reaction to make one melee weapon attack against a creature of your choice that you can see. On a hit, this attack deals extra damage equal to your proficiency bonus.

Celestial

The target becomes swathed in a burning light. It must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take radiant damage equal to twice your proficiency bonus and become blinded until the end of your next turn.

Construct

The target's motions become sluggish as it begins to transform into an inanimate object. It must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (which it can choose to fail) or become petrified until the end of your next turn. Its body turns to a solid material of your choice, such as stone, wood, or porcelain.

Dragon

The target becomes consumed by material desire. It must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or become fixated on an object of your choice that you can see. On its next turn, the target must use its movement to approach the object by the shortest and most direct route, ending its movement if it moves within 5 feet of the object. The target can use its other actions as normal.

Elemental

The target becomes enveloped in an elemental energy. Choose one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder. Each time the target takes damage of the chosen type until the end of your next turn, the damage is either reduced or increased (your choice) by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus.

Fey

The target becomes deeply infatuated with a creature. It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become charmed by a creature of your choice that you can see until the end of your next turn.

Fiend

The target begins burning with a sinister fire. It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take fire damage equal to three times your proficiency bonus.

Giant

The target begins to feel weak and small compared to the world around it. It must succeed on a Strength saving throw or become light and feeble. Each time the target takes damage from an attack until the end of your next turn, you may move it up to 5 feet in any direction.

Humanoid

You attempt to magically foil the target's next moves. The next time the target makes an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, they suffer a penalty to the roll equal to your proficiency bonus.

Monstrosity

The target is magically rent by an unknown, monstrous force. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or take bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage (your choice) equal to twice your proficiency bonus and be knocked prone.

Ooze

The target begins oozing acid that corrodes its body. It must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take acid damage equal to your proficiency bonus and suffer a penalty to its AC equal to your proficiency bonus. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the penalty to its AC on a success.

Plant

Tangled vines and grasping weeds writhe around the target. It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or have its speed halved. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the penalty to its movement on a success.

Undead

The target becomes filled with an overwhelming sense of dread. It must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or take necrotic damage equal to twice your proficiency bonus and become frightened of a creature of your choice that you can see until the end of your next turn.