5e - Occultist (KibblesTasty)

by KibblesTasty

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Occultist

Wisps of purple smoke and
dancing shadows rise from
the ritual as the young
human woman with strange
magical markings tattooed
across her hands whispers
words in a language long
forgotten, calling forth ancient powers.

The woods creak and bend, black wings
beating as raven alights on the outstretch
hand of an ancient elf, her eyes as black as
the raven's. Soft words are spoken, and the elf
nods in agreement.

A young orc lets out a bellowing roar and
flames, forming into a form taller than an
ogre causing her enemies to flee. She holds
up her spear and the flames poor from the
roaring fire spirit to it, swirling about it,
causing it to spring alight with searing
magical flame.

The mysterious halfling girl gives
a knowing smile, her unseeing eyes
focused on you. She knows what
you've come for, and tosses a handful
of incense into the fire; what it is she
sees in there? Your fate? Your destiny?
As she speaks, it is only in riddle.

Occultists those that follow the old
ways, a path of ritual and wisdom long
known yet oft forgotten. Rather than force
magic to obey, they bind, twist, manipulate,
and compromise with it. They follow ancient
agreements and techniques to produce
results that few fully understand, even
those that use them, but they know it
will work, for it always has.

Ancient Traditions

Occultists are spell casters following legacies that go far back. While they may or may not be directly tutored or influence by another member of their tradition, their path to magic involves unearthing ancient secrets, old ways, and knowledge gleaned from spirits, ghosts, and elementals.

The often personify aspects of their magic in ways that other casters find odd, coaxing and manipulating magic forces by ancient laws and bargains. Occultists tread between the arcane and the divine, not necessarily worshiping any god, but treating gods and spirits alike with cautious respect for their domains, asking for the what they take, and carefully giving thought to their actions.

Each tradition that appears in the Occultist is an ancient legacy of magic, found deep within folklore and story. Every villager could tell you stories of Occultists and their traditions, and they are often seen in this context. Though villagers and the superstitous might fear them and their magic, they may be more likely to turn to them than a Wizard, for at least an Occultist makes sense to them, even if they are scared by their powers.

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Spiritual Magic

A common thread of the magic wilded by the Occultist is the spiritual connection of it; the demi-divine nature of magic that taps into the weave of magic oft through the intermederies of the power of gods, spirits, elementals, and more. An Occultist is fundamentally tied into the greater magical world, being neither a source of magic nor an academic researcher of it, but wielding it through intuition, cunning, and tradition.

Frequently an Occultist may call upon their magic through the mediums of spirits quite directly, even having names for the spirits it calls about to bring about certain magical effects; the verbal component of an Occultist spell might be the spirit they call upon to work the effect they wish, an invocation of their ancient bargain, or words in a language that binds or persuades.

Occultist
Level Proficiency Bonus Features Occult Rites Cantrips Known Spells Known 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
1st +2 Spell Casting, Occult Tradition 3 4 2
2nd +2 Occult Rites 2 3 5 3
3rd +2 Occult Tradition Feature 2 3 6 4 2
4th +2 Ability Score Improvement 2 3 7 4 3
5th +3 3 4 8 4 3 2
6th +3 Occult Tradition Feature 3 4 9 4 3 3
7th +3 4 4 10 4 3 3 1
8th +3 Ability Score Improvement 4 4 11 4 3 3 2
9th +4 5 4 12 4 3 3 2 1
10th +4 Traditional Expertise 5 5 13 4 3 3 3 2
11th +4 5 5 14 4 3 3 3 2 1
12th +4 Ability Score Improvement 6 5 15 4 3 3 3 2 1
13th +5 6 5 16 4 3 3 3 2 1 1
14th +5 Occult Tradition Feature 6 5 17 4 3 3 3 2 1 1
15th +5 7 5 18 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1
16th +5 Ability Score Improvement 7 5 19 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1
17th +6 7 5 20 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 1
18th +6 8 5 21 4 3 3 3 3 1 1 1 1
19th +6 Ability Score Improvement 8 5 22 4 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 1
20th +6 The Old Ways 8 5 22 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1

Creating an Occultist

When creating an Occultist, the most important decision will be what Tradition you follow. Each Tradition of an Occultist is distinct with divergent flavor and calling upon a different aspect of folklore. Do you embody the associations or defy them? What led you to this path? Did you uncover your tradition on your own or were you taught by another?

Quick Build

You can make an Occultist quickly by following these suggestions. First, Wisdom should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution or Dexterity. Second, choose the hermit background. Third, choose the poison spray and produce flame cantrips, along with the 1st-level spells burning hands, cause fear, cure wounds, and tasha's hideous laughter.

Class Features

As an Occultist, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

  • Hit Dice: 1d6 per Occultist level
  • Hit Points at 1st: Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
  • Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per occultist level after 1st

Proficiencies


  • Armor: None
  • Weapons: Daggers, quarterstaffs, light crossbows
  • Tools: Herbalism Kit
  • Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
  • Skills: Choose two from Animal Handling, Arcana, Deception, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Religion, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Survival

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 or (b) an arcane focus
  • (a) a scholar’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
  • A herbalism kit.

Spellcasting

As a practioner of occult magic, you have inherited and developed techniques to manipulate reality through mediums of rituals, spirits, elements, and more. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the Occultist spell list.

Cantrips

At 1st level, you know three 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.

Spell Slots

The Occultist table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your Occultist 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.

For example, if you know the 1st-level spell witchbolt and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast witchbolt using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know four 1st-level spells of your choice from the Occultist spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Occultist table shows when you learn more Occultist spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the table. For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Occultist spells you know and replace it with another spell from the Occultist spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your Occultist spells. Your magic comes from a practitioners knowledge of traditional, ritual, and the way things work learned through experience, care and cunning. 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 Occultist spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.

Ritual Casting

You can cast any Occultist spell you know as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag.

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an occult fetish as a spellcasting focus for your Occultist spells.

Occult Fetish

Similar to a Holy Symbol or an Arcane Focus, an Occult Fetish is a magical focus, but one that functions for the Occultist.

It can be almost anything, though usually has a somewhat macabre bent, such as a skull decorated with feathers or pendant decorated with teeth and runes.

You can buy or make one for 10 gp, and it typically weights about 1lb.

Occult Tradition

Choose an occult tradition, shaping your the techniques, features, and rites available to you from the following: Oracle, Shaman, or Witch.

Your choice grants you features when you choose it at 1st level, 3rd level, 6th level, and 14th level.

Occult Rites

In as you delve your Tradition of occult magic, you find deviations and branches to explore that help you specialize and perfect your craft in the way that best suits you.

At 2nd Level, you gain two Occult Rites of your choice. Your Occult Rites options are detailed at the end of the subclass description for subclass specific Rites, and at the end of the class description for general Rites, you can select from either you subclass or class list.. When you gain certain Occultist levels, you gain additional Occult Rites of your choice.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Occult Rites you know and replace it with another Occult Rites that you could learn at that level. A level prerequisite in a Occult Rite refers to Occultist level, not character level.

Class & Subclass Rites

Each subclass has specific rites that only they can select, and for each subclass, these are added to the pool of rites with the class rites you can selects. You can select from either list when you are selecting a new rite.

Traditional Expertise

Starting at 10th level, your passed down knowledge of tradition gives you expertise in a skill of your tradition; pick one from Animal Handling, Arcana, Medicine, Nature, Survival. Your Proficiency Bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that use of the chosen Proficiency.

Additionally, when you make a Wisdom ability check, you can draw upon your Tradition and expend a 1st level spell slot to gain advantage on the check.

The Old Ways

At 20th level, your master of ritual and tradition is extensive an unparalled, you've unlocked ancient secrets and perfected techniques to master rituals completely. When you cast a spell as a ritual, the spell only takes 1 minute longer than normal, and you can cast it at higher levels, by spending 10 additional minutes per additional spell level you wish to cast it at (for example, to cast animal messenger as a 3rd level spell using a ritual, it would require 11 minutes to complete).

Additionally, when you gain this feature, any Occultist spell that you know of 3rd level or below gains the ritual tag for you, but costs 10 gold per spell level in material components to cast as a ritual.

Tradition of the Oracle

An oracle is an occultists whose power comes to them from their connection to fate; bound and empowered oracles carry some piece of divine mystery within them, tied to an aspect of destiny and fate. As their power grows they begin to understand this mystery with revelations, unlocking its secrets and the power they contain.

An oracle typically does not directly serve a god, rather they often are people who's fate has entangled them in the affairs of the gods. Oracles have great power, but their powers are not ones that mortals were meant to have, and consequently they are frequently burdened by their powers.

Fate Reading

Starting at 1st level, your connection to the flow of fate gives you the ability to read from it, tracing outcomes and glimpsing the unknowable future. You learn the spell augury and can cast it at will without expending spell slot.

Winding Paths of Fate

It should be noted that this does not negate the normal drawback of casting augury multiple times. As you delve fate further for more information, it becomes harder to read as the flow becomes more turbulent for your changes to it.

Divine Touch

Additionally at 1st level, the touch of the divine revelation you contain left upon you opens new pathways of magic. When your Spellcasting feature lets you learn a occultist cantrip or a occultist spell of 1st level or higher, you can choose the new spell from the cleric spell list or the occultist spell list. You must otherwise obey all the restrictions for selecting the spell, and it becomes a occultist spell for you.

For some, this burden marks them more heavily. At the discrection of your DM, you can optionally select to a curse and corresponding boon from the Cursed Burden section.

Cursed Burden

Frequently, the burden of the divine mysteries an oracle touches are too great for their mortal body to bear, and they suffer backlash in the form of curses. These take the form of optional character flaws.

As these are a part of your power, they can only be removed by the Wish spell, by Remove Curse cast at the 9th level, or a divine being.

You and your DM may opt to mix and match or to use a custom curse and boon as appropriate, these are just a template for ones that pair well.

Curse Table
Curse              Boon             
Blind. You are permanently blinded. You gain the Oracle's Sight rite.
Burned. You are scarred by burns. The first die of any fire damage you take from a hostile creature is maximized. You gain the Mystery of Fire rite.
Silent. You cannot speak above a whisper, creatures further than 10 feet from you cannot hear you. You gain the Mystery of Death rite
Frail. You are physical frail, reducing your Constitution and Strength ability score by 1 You gain the Mystery of Life rite.
Ill Omened. You are marked by strife. You make all Persuasion checks at disadvantage. You gain the Mystery of Battle rite.
Foresworn. You cannot reveal the nature of your divinations to others directly. You gain the Divine Fate rite.

Master of Mysteries

Starting at 6th level, you've come to unravel the mysteries that lay at the heart of your power, understanding their secrets and potential.

When you cast a spell that would invoke a mystery, if that Mystery has a duration, you choose to extend it for an additional round when you invoke it, and whenever you would lose hit points or take damage as result of mystery's effect, you gain temporary hit points equal to half (rounded down) of the damage you would take that mystery.

Prophecy

Starting at 14th level, you can cast augury a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier before per day before it starts having a chance to return random answers.

Additionally, when you divine the future with augury, you can issue a cryptic prophecy, with three specific points for rolls that may occur within the next 30 minutes. For each specific point you prophesize, if you specify only the type of roll (for example, an attack, a Strength (Athletics) check, or an initiative roll, etc), a d4 is reserved (example "someone will be particularly quick when rolling initiative").

If you specify a specific action and a specific person, a d6 is reserved (for example, "when the wizard Caius rolls for initiative, he will be unusually quick". If you give it a specific unlikely condition, a d8 can be reserved at the discretion of the DM.

A specific action or person can only have one prophesized event. If that prophesized event takes place (at the discretion of the DM it has occurred), the oracle can spend the reserved die and add it to the roll; if multiple events trigger the prophecy, the oracle can select which of them is effected by the reserved die.

Oracle Specific Rites

Divine Fate

You expand your expertise of reading fate to a be able to more specifically divine information from your readings, learning additional more specific spells. These are occultist spells for you.

Occultist Level Spells Learned
1st identify
3rd locate object
5th clairvoyance
7th locate creature
9th legend lore

Oracle's Sight

You gain a blindsight with a range of 15 feet. If you are effected by the Blinded condition for more than a minute, the range of this sight is doubled while you are effected by the Blinded condition.


Divine Sight

Prerequisite: 15th level Occultist

If you have blindsight, you gain truesight with a range equal to your blindsight.


Mystery of Life

Your powers are tied to the nature of life and its ever shifting balance. Whenever you cast a spell of first level or higher, you can heal a creature within 30 feet for a number of hit points equal to your occultist level.

You lose hit points equal to number healed; this damage cannot be mitigated or resisted in anyway, and comes directly from hit points even if you have temporary hit points.

You can only use this ability on creatures that have vibrant life pulsing within them, it does not work on undead, constructs, or creatures at zero hit points. You can only invoke one mystery per cast of a spell.


Revelation of Life

Prerequisite: Mystery of Life

Your understanding of the nature of life unlocks its secrets for you. You learn the following spells at the following levels. These are occultist spells for you.

Occultist Level Spells Learned
1st cure wounds
3rd warding bond
5th beacon of hope
7th aura of life
9th mass cure wounds

All Living Things

Prerequisite: Revelation of Life

When you expend a spell slot to cast a spell that restores hit points a creature, you regain hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier. If you kill a creature or are within 10 feet of a creature as it dies, you take necrotic damage equal to its CR or character level if it has no CR (minimum 1). This is not triggered if the creature an undead or construct.


Mystery of Death

You delve the depths of the mystery that lies at the end of life. Whenever you cast a spell of first level or higher that deals damage, you can force a creature within 30 feet to make a Charisma save. On failure, they both you and the target creature take necrotic damage equal to your Oracle level. On success, both you and the target creature take necrotic damage equal to half your Oracle level (rounded down).

You cannot resist or negate damage taken from this rite. You can only invoke one mystery per cast of a spell.


Revelation of Death

Prerequisite: Mystery of Death

Your understanding of the nature of death unlocks its secrets for you. You learn the following spells at the following levels. These are occultist spells for you.

Occultist Level Spells Learned
1st false life
3rd gentle repose
5th wither*
7th blight
9th killing curse*

Mystery of Fire

Within flames you have seen yourself, and you know them as they know you. Whenever you cast a spell of first level or higher, you can shroud yourself in flames until the start of your next turn, giving you partial cover.

While these flames wreath you, you can add fire damage equal to your Wisdom modifier to damage rolls for melee weapon attacks or to spells that deal fire damage (including the spell that invoked this mystery of applicable). Additionally, any creature that is grappling or restraining you within 5 feet takes fire damage equal to your Wisdom modifier at the start of its turn.

You take damage equal to your Wisdom modifier at the end of your turn while shrouded in flames. You cannot resist or negate damage taken from this rite. You can only invoke one mystery per cast of a spell.


As I Burn

Prerequisite: Mystery of Fire

The flames that wreath when you invoke the Mystery of Fire you burn more voraciously. Once per turn, if a creature strikes you with a melee weapon attack or ends their turn within 5 feet of you, you can deal fire damage to them equal to your Wisdom modifier.


Revelation of Fire

Prerequisite: Mystery of Fire

Your understanding of the nature of fire unlocks its secrets for you. You learn the following spells at the following levels. These are occultist spells for you.

Occultist Level Spells Learned
1st burning hands
3rd continual flame
5th fireball
7th fire shield
9th immolation*

Mystery of Battle

Within war and conflict you see the true essence of perfect conflict. Whenever you cast a spell a spell of first level or higher, you channel the mastery of battle until the start of the next turn. While you are channeling this mystery, you can make a single melee weapon attack as a bonus action on your turn, however the DC of spells does not include your Wisdom modifier until it fades. You can only invoke one mystery per cast of a spell.


Revelation of Battle

Prerequisite: Mystery of Battle, 5th level Occultist

Your understanding of warfare reveals to you that it comes easily. You can trigger the Mystery of Battle even when casting cantrips.


Twin Mystery

Prerequisite: Cannot have Enduring Mystery; 11th level occultist

When you cast a spell that invokes a mystery, you can invoke two different mysteries at the same time.


In the Flames of War

Prerequisite: Mystery of Fire, Mystery of Battle

You learn the greenflame blade cantrip. It is an occultist spell for you.


Mystery of Thought

You feel a link to concept of cognition itself, a connection to all thinking creatures, and a nagging sense that within minds lay mysteries to unravel. Whenever you cast a spell of first level or higher, you can start to see to thoughts and motivations of others, seeing their thoughts and plans in tangible form spiraling out into the cosmos.

Note: This is unfinished. This will be finished in the future.


Relevation of Thought

Prerequisite: Mystery of Thought

Your understanding of the inner workings of minds lays bare before you the tools to manipulate them with magic. You learn the following spells at the following levels. These are occultist spells for you.

Occultist Level Spells Learned
1st cause fear
3rd mind spike
5th hypnotic pattern
7th confusion
9th modify memory*

Tradition of the Shaman

A shaman is an occultist that walks the paths of the spirits, binding them to their cause to empower themselves or bring havoc to their foes. Tough and powerful, they are most often found in the thick of the fight, wreathed in their primal power.

A shaman may view themselves as in service to their spirits or as served by the spirits; the what and the how of their contract can vary wildly, as can the source of their spirits, be it pulling from an ancestral or primal powers.

Spiritual Warrior

When you select this subclass, you gain proficiency in simple weapons, light armor, medium armor and shields. Additionally, your hit point maximum increases by 1 and increases by 1 again whenever you gain a level in this class.

Call Spirit

Starting at 1st level, as a bonus action you can call a spirit to your side. This can be a primal spirit of fire, cold, or lightning, or an ancestral spirit with radiant or necrotic power. This bond lasts for 10 minutes once formed, or until you dismiss the spirit as an action. If you bond another spirit while you have an active bond, the first bond is immediately ended and the spirit is released and disappears.

While a spirit is bonded to you and not manifested, it strengthens you granting some of its power and increasing the damage dealt by your melee weapon attacks (including unarmed attacks and natural weapons) by 1d4 damage of the spirit's type.

As an action or as part of the attack action while it is bonded, you can manifest the spirit within 60 feet of you. The spirit is medium sized but spectral in nature while manifested. While the spirit is manifested, whenever you take the attack action you may replace any number of attacks with melee spell attacks from your spirit. Melee spell attacks done by the spirit deal 1d4 + your Wisdom modifier damage of the same spirit's type on a hit. As a bonus action you can move it up to 30 feet or recall it to yourself, ending its manifestation. A manifested spirit cannot move more than 60 feet from you, and is recalled to you if you move more than 60 feet from it.

You can call spirits to your side a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, regaining all uses when you complete a long rest.

Empowered Spirits

Starting at 3rd level, you expand a spell slot of 1st level or higher to empowered your spirits. When you use a spell slot to call a spirit, it does not count against the number if spirits you can call. While an empowered spirit is not manifested, you gain temporary hit points equal to the level of the spell slot spent on to empower the spirit at the start of your turn that last until the start of your next turn.

Spell
Slot
Weapon
Damage
Manifested
Damage
Temporary
Hit Points
1st 1d6 2d4 1
2nd 1d8 2d6 2
3rd 1d10 2d8 3
4th 1d12 2d10 4
5th 1d12 2d10 5

Extra Attack

Beginning at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

If you have a manifested spirit, you can replace one or both attacks with the special attack with it.

Spiritual Aura

Starting at 14th level, your spirits mere presence damages nearby foes. When you summon a spirit empowered by a spell slot, their power surrounds you in a 5 foot radius while you are empowered by it. Creatures of your choice that enter the area for the first time on a turn or start their turn there, must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, they take damage equal to the Manifested Damage dice of the spirit (not including any modifiers).

While your spirit is manifested, the area of effect is instead the space in which your spirit occupies. The size of your spirit's manifestation depends on the level of the spell slot spent; 1st and 2nd level spell slots manifest a medium spirit, 3rd and 4th level spell slots manifest a large spirit, and 5th level or higher spell slots manifest a huge spirit.

Shaman Specific Rites

Avatar of the Elements

Prerequisite: 11th level Shaman

You learn the investiture of fire, investiture of ice, and investiture of stone spells. These are Occultist spells for you. When you cast one of these spells, you can choose to shorten the duration of the spell to a number of rounds equal to 1 minute. When you do so, these spells to no require concentration for you.


Detonate Spirit

As an action or as part of the action of manifesting a spirit, you can cause it to erupt in a massive burst of power. All creatures within 10 feet of it must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, they take damage equal to twice it's manifested damage. If the spirit was empowered with a spell slot, they take half as much damage on even on a successful saving throw.

The spirit is immediately released and disappears.


Dance of the Spirits

Prerequisite: 5th-level Occultist

When you cast spirit guardians, you can choose what damage type it does from any Fire, Cold, Lightning, Radiant or Necrotic, regardless of your alignment.

Additionally, you have advantage on Constitution saves to maintain concentration on spirit guardians and healing spirit.


Fury of the Flames

You learn the fists of fire spell. When you cast this spell, the damage of your fists as natural weapons becomes 1d8 instead of 1d6.


Piercing Cold

You learn the ice weapon spell. When you cast this spell, the size of the damage die of any weapon it creates is increased by d2 (for example, from a d6 to a d8).


Mistwalker

You can see through heavy obscurement when the obscurement is caused by fog, mist, or smoke, natural or otherwise. While you are shrouded by fog, mist, or smoke, you have partial cover.


Primal Earth

You harness the primal elemental powers of the earth and stone to your call, you learn the following spells at the following list. This are Occultist spells for you.

Occultist Level Spells Learned
1st earth tremor
3rd earthbind
5th erupting earth
7th orbital stones
9th wall of stone

Primal Ice

You harness the primal elemental powers of the earth and stone to your call, you learn the following spells at the following list. This are Occultist spells for you.

Occultist Level Spells Learned
1st ice knife
3rd snowball storm
5th sleet storm
7th ice storm
9th cone of cold

Primal Fire

You harness the primal elemental powers of the earth and stone to your call, you learn the following spells at the following list. This are Occultist spells for you.

Occultist Level Spells Learned
1st burning hands
3rd pyrotechnics
5th fireball
7th wall of fire
9th immolation

Primal Storms

You harness the primal elemental powers of the earth and stone to your call, you learn the following spells at the following list. This are Occultist spells for you.

Occultist Level Spells Learned
1st thunderwave
3rd gust of wind
5th lightning bolt
7th storm sphere
9th control winds

Warding Power

You learn the spell shield, and it becomes an Occultist spell for you.


Guidance of the Spirits

When you expend a spell slot to empower a spirit with your Call Spirit feature, you can select a number of skills equal to the spell slot expended that the spirit is proficient in. While it is not manifested, you gain proficiency with these skills. If you expend a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can exchange three of the skills the spirit gaining expertise in one skill.

Tradition of the Witch

A Witch can be many things, and most often refers to someone that villagers find scary and weird, but at the heart of every crazed story there's a sliver of truth, and that truth is that witches do indeed exist.

Some may live openly as what they are, while others may be the last person the superstitious villagers might expect. Varied in their powers, designs, and traditions based on their Coven, generalizing about a Witch is challenging, but they are most often defined by the varied utilitarian magic, hexes that make crossing them unwise, and powerful intelligent familiars.

Witch's Magic

When you select this Tradition at first level you learn the spell find familiar, and when you summon a familiar with this spell, it acts on your initiative. Additionally, can select 2 additional cantrips of your choice from the Occultist spell list.

Witches & Gender

While the term Witch is generally thought of to refer to a female spell caster, the typical male counterpart would be Warlock, a class that is certainly open to any gender, and the same would generally be true for Witch.

Various lore and mythos in and out of a setting may make assumptions, but by their vary nature PCs tend to be the exception to rules, and this subclass is not limited to any particular gender.

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Coven

Starting at 1st level, you select the Coven you belong to, selecting from Black Coven, White Coven, or Green Coven. Based on which Coven you select, you gain access to additional spells and manifest different special powers. Spells gained from this feature added to your spells known and are Occultist spells for you, but do not count against the number of spells you can know.

While the Covens are often associated with Evil, Good, and Neutral respectively, you do not have to of a particular alignment to join a particular coven - it is merely your area of expertise and what traditions you know.

A Witch of the Black Coven specializes in inflicting pain, curses, and eventual agonizing death to those that cross her, a Witch of the White Coven focuses on binding and healing, and Witch of the Green Coven focuses is the closest to the Witches roots in Hag-like fey magic, drawing power from nature to baffle her foes and control her surroundings.

Black Coven
Witch Level Bonus Spells
1st rotting curseO, arms of hadar
3rd blindness/deafness, darkness
5th animate shadowO, witherO
7th blight, evard's black tentacles
9th killing curseO, contagion
White Coven
Witch Level Bonus Spells
1st binding curseO, healing word
3rd calm emotions, hold person
5th revivify, mass healing word
7th banishment, otilue's resilient sphere
9th curse of impotenceO, hold monster
Green Coven
Witch Level Bonus Spells
1st befuddling curseO, entangle
3rd alter self, enlarge/reduce
5th gaseous form, major image
7th greater invisibility, polymorph
9th swapping curseO, wrath of nature

Familiar Bond

At 3rd level, when you cast find familiar, your familiar gains an Intelligence and Wisdom of 10, and the ability to speak any languages you speak.

Black Coven

As a reaction to a creature within 30 feet of it making an attack, your familiar can subtract 1d4 + half your Occultist level (rounded down) from their next attack. It can do this a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, regaining all uses after you complete a long rest.

White Coven

When you complete a long rest, your familiar gains temporary hit points equal to your twice Occultist level + you Wisdom modifier. As a reaction to a creature within 30 feet of it being attacked, it can teleport to that creature and give it temporary hit points up to the number of temporary hit points it currently has (minimum one). If the familiar has no temporary hit points remaining, it cannot use this reaction.

Green Coven

When you complete a long rest, your familiar gains illusory duplicates equal to your Wisdom modifier. These persist until destroyed by taking damage or you complete a long rest. The illusory duplicates cannot take any actions, but move and act like your familiar, staying within 60 feet of it. As an action or as a reaction to taking damage, your familiar can swap places with any of this duplicates. If it swaps places as a reaction, it takes no damage, but the illusory copy is destroyed. The illusory duplicates cannot be harmed while they are within 5 feet of you.

Occult Touch

Starting at 6th level, whenever you cast a spell of 1st level or higher with a range of touch, you can add one of the following modifiers to the spell:

  • It grants one effected target temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier. Only one creature can have these temporary hit points at a time.
  • It deals additional damage equal to your Wisdom modifier to one effected creature.
  • It adds or subtracts 1d4 from their next attack roll or saving throw before the start if your next turn.

You can also confer these effects to another spell with a range longer than touch by making it's range touch, or confer these effects as an action without casting a spell by touching a target (making a melee spell attack to do if the target is an unwilling creature)

Master of Curses

Starting at 14th level, when you cast a curse spell that requires a material component which is consumed by the spell, you no longer need the material component and can use your spell casting focus to cast the spell.

Additionally, any time you cast a curse with a duration that is not Instantaneous or hex, the duration of the effect is doubled, and you have advantage on concentration saving throws to maintain their effects.

Rules Tip: Consumed components

Note that while normally a material component can be replaced with a spell casting focus, if the material is consumed or has a cost, it cannot be replaced by a spell casting focus.

Witch Specific Rites

Animate Broom

Prerequisite: 12th level Witch

You infuse an object - traditionally a broom, but can be any vaguely broom-shaped object (like a spear, staff, or similar) - with flying magic, turning it into a Broom of Flying (basic rules, pg. 156). If your broom is lost or destroyed, you can create a new one during 8 hours of work. If a previous broom still exists when you make a new one, it loses its magic upon the completion of the new one.


Animate Hair

As a bonus action, you can expend a 1st level spell slot to cause your hair to lengthen, strengthen, and spring to life for 1 minute. While it is animated, as an action you can attempt to use it to restrain a Large or smaller creature within 10 feet; a target creature must make a Strength saving throw or become restrained. While restrained, it can repeat the saving throw at the end of it's turns, escaping on a successful check. A creature is freed if you move more than 10 feet from it.

A creature attack the hair; it has an AC of 12 and dealing 10 slashing damage to the hair holding a particularly creature frees it. You do not take damage from attacks targeting the hair, but you take 1 damage if a creature is freed this way.


Companion Coven

As a ritual that takes 1 hour, you can form a coven bound with one willing creature that has spell slots. While both of your are conscious and within 120 feet of each other, you gain the ability to share spell slots up to a spell slot level of your Witch level divided by four (rounded down), minimum of 1st level slots. While this bond is active, you can use your Spellcasting feature to cast using their spell slots (consuming them as normal), and they can use their Spellcasting feature (if they have one) to cast using your qualifying spell slots (consuming them as normal).

Additionally, you know their location at all times while they are part of your coven and within 120 feet of you. You can only be bonded to one creature with this bond at a time. You can end this coven at any time.


Evil Eye

You gain the ability to lay the most unsettling of gaze upon a creature. As a reaction to a creature hitting you with a melee attack, you can unleash a terrifying glare at them. The target creature must make a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn. Once a creature has passed a save against this ability, they are immune to it for 24 hours.

Additionally, you gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill.


Familiar Escape

If your familiar is within 60 feet of you, as an action, you can swap places with your familiar. If you cannot fit into the space your familiar is, the spell fails and you take 1d6 force damage. Once you do this, you cannot do so again until you complete a short or long rest.


Cult of the Moon

You learn the ancient ways and occult traditions of the moon and the magic it grants, granting you special magice. You learn the spells dancing lights, faerie fire, and moonbeam. While concentrating on any of these spells, you have Darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have Darkvision, its range increased by 60 feet while concentrating on any of these spells.


Skulking Familiar

Any familiar summoned by you gains proficiency in the Stealth skill, and doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when it moves out of an enemy's reach.


Form of the Familiar

You learn the form of the familiar spell, and gain the ability to cast it once without expending a spell slot as an action. You regain the ability to cast it in this way again after completing a short or long rest.


Riding Familiar

If you have a familiar without a flying speed, as an action you can make them become a creature one size larger than you for up to 8 hours. At 12th level, you can use this ability on familiar with flying speed. Once you do this, you cannot do so again until you complete a short or long rest.


Witch's Concoction

During a short or long rest, you can infuse a spell into a concoction, taking effect and expending the spell slot after the rest completes.

This spell can subsequently be cast by anyone carrying the potion by drinking the potion, with the drinker as the target, acting as the caster of the spell, but using the Witch's spell casting ability modifier.

The potion remains potent until you complete a long rest and recharge the spell slot expended to create the potion.

Alchemist Rules

If your group uses the KibbleTasty Artificer, you can use the rules for Alchemical Infusions (Artificer, pg 17) for this feature, but can only make 1 potion during a short or long rest with it, and using the your Spells Known as the valid selection options.


Witch's Hat

You invest some of your magic, turning a hat (traditionally a floppy wide brimmed black witch's hat) into a hat of disguise. If your hat is lost or destroyed, you can create a new one during 2 hours of work. If a previous hat still exists when you make a new one, it loses its magic upon the completion of the new one.

Primal Earth

You harness the primal elemental powers of the earth and stone to your call, you learn the following spells at the following list. This are Occultist spells for you.

Occultist Level Spells Learned
1st faerie fire
3rd moonbeam
5th tidal wave
7th control water
9th wall of stone

Occultist Rites

The following are Occult Rites that can be selected by any Occultist, regardless of subclass.


Alchemical Rites

You gain proficiency with alchemy tools. During a long rest, you can use them to concoct an improvised potion of healing spending 1 hour of the long rest to tend to it's simmering. Due to it's improvised nature, it expires in 24 hours, and has no value in gold pieces.

During this process, you can expend a 5th level spell to make it a greater healing potion if you have one available. The expended spell slot is regained when the long rest is completed as normal.


Blood Rituals

Prerequisite: 5th level Occultist

Whenever you cast a ritual spell that requires a material component, you can instead use blood.

Willing living creatures within 10 feet can expend hit dice, rolling them and taking necrotic damage equal to the value rolled to fuel the ritual instead of a material component, with each 10 hit point sacrificed in this manner able to replace up to 100 gp of material components (for example, to replace a diamond worth 500 gold, 50 hit points would have to be expended in this manner).

Creatures that lose hit points in this way cannot regain those hit points until they complete a long rest.


Blood Magic

Prerequisite: Blood Rituals

You can sacrifice the blood of willing living creatures to power spells. When you cast a spell, you can sacrifice blood to power the spell, sacrificing one hit die per level of spell you cast, rolling them and taking damage equal to the number rolled. Willing creatures within 10 feet can use their reaction contribute blood to the spell, sacrificing hit dice by rolling them and taking necrotic damage equal to the number rolled. All sacrificed hit dice are added together to the level of the spell you can cast.

You can cast a total number of spells in this manner equal to your Occultist level. You regain all levels of usage of this rite when you complete a long rest. Some spells (marked as blood magic) can only be cast via blood magic using this rite.


Commune Beyond Death

You gain lean the speak with dead spell, and it's a Witch spell for you. You can cast it without expending a spell slot. Once you cast it this way, you must finish a long rest before you can cast it this way again.


Emblazed Fetish

You emblazon a mystical mark on yourself, via a tattoo, scar, or similar permanent mark. You can use this as your spell casting focus for casting spells. While using this mark to cast spells, you do not need your hands free to cast spells that have a Material component that uses your Occult Fetish.


Lost Ritual

You learn of a ritual lost to time. Select on occultist spell you know of 5th level or lower. This spell becomes a ritual spell for you. You can cast this spell as a ritual once, and must complete a short or long rest before casting it as a ritual again.


Occult Haste

Prerequisite: 5th level Occultist

You learn the spell haste. It is an occultist spell for you.


Markings of Protections

You mark yourself with magical symbols and patterns, protecting you from harm. You are under the effect of the mage armor spell.


Rite of Immortality

Prerequisite: 15th-level Occultist

You continue to age, but you will no longer die of old age.


Rite of Youth

Prerequisite: 15-level Occultist

You cease to visually age, and can even choose to become more youthful in appearance, though the natural life span of your race remains your natural lifespan.


Root of Magic

Prerequisite: 15th-level Occultist

You learn 10 cantrips from any class list of your choice. They are Occultist spells for you.


Specialized Poisons

When you deal poison damage with an Occultist spell or create poison, the poison damage from that spell or poison bypasses any natural resistance to poison damage a creature has. If the creature has immunity, it instead turns the immunity into resistance.


Soulburn

You can make your powers sear the very soul of the creature they strike. When you deal fire or lightning damage with a spell, you can choose to make it deal necrotic damage instead.


Vestaments of War

You gain proficiency in light armor. If you already have proficiency in light armor, you gain proficiency in medium armor and shields.

You can take this rite twice.


Occultist Spell List

Cantrips (0 Level)
  • Acid Splash
  • Burn
  • Chill Touch
  • Create Bonfire
  • Dancing Lightings
  • Druidcraft
  • Freeze
  • Frostbite
  • Guidance
  • Gust
  • Ice Weapon O
  • Infestation
  • Light
  • Lightning Lure
  • Magic Stone
  • Minding
  • Message
  • Minor Illusion
  • Mold Earth
  • Poison Spray
  • Primal Savagery
  • Produce Flame
  • Shape Water
  • Thorn Whip
1st Level
  • Absorb Elements
  • Animal Friendship
  • Bane
  • Beast Bond
  • Burning Hands
  • Cause Fear
  • Ceremony
  • Comprehend Languages
  • Cure Wounds
  • Crippling AgonyO
  • Detect Magic
  • Detect Poison and Disease
  • Disguise Self
  • Dissonant Whispers
  • ElectrifyO
  • Entangle
  • Feather Fall
  • Fists of FireO
  • Fog Cloud
  • Grip of the DeadO
  • Hail of Thorns
  • Ice Knife
  • Identify
  • Illusory Script
  • Inflict Wounds
  • Induce HeadacheO
  • Nauseating PoisonO
  • Ray of Sickness
  • Speak with Animals
  • Spiritual ConsultationO
  • Tasha's Hideous Laughter
  • Unseen Servant
  • Witch Bolt
2nd Level
  • Alter Self
  • AlacrityO
  • Animal Messanger
  • Animate Object
  • Augury
  • Barkskin
  • Blindness/Deafness
  • Boil BloodO
  • Calm Emotions
  • Darkness
  • Darkvision
  • Detect Thoughts
  • Form of FamiliarO
  • Enhance Ability
  • Enlarge/Reduce
  • Gentle Repose
  • Healing Spirit
  • Heat Metal
  • Hold Person
  • Invisibility
  • Lesser Restoration
  • Locate Object
  • Melf's Acid Arrow
  • Mirror Image
  • Misty Step
  • Protection from Poison
  • Scorching Ray
  • See Invisibility
  • Shadow Blade
  • Silence
  • Spider Climb
  • Spike Growth
  • Suggestion
  • Web
3rd Level
  • Animate Dead
  • Animate ShadowO
  • Bestow Curse
  • Blink
  • Catnap
  • Clairvoyance
  • Counterspell
  • Cruel PuppetryO
  • Dispel Magic
  • Fear
  • Fly
  • Gaseous Form
  • Hypnotic Pattern
  • Life Transference
  • Magic Circle
  • Nondetection
  • Plant Growth
  • Rain of SpidersO
  • Remove Curse
  • Sending
  • Sleet Storm
  • Slow
  • Spirit Guardians
  • Vampiric Touch
  • Wall of Water
  • Water Breathing
  • Water Walk
  • Wind Wall
  • WitherO
4th Level
  • Arcane Eye
  • Banishment
  • Blight
  • Charm Monster
  • Compulsion
  • Confusion
  • Conjure Minor Elementals
  • Conjure Woodland Beings
  • Control Water
  • Divination
  • Elemental Bane
  • Evard's Black Tentacles
  • Giant Insect
  • Greater Invisibility
  • Hallucinatory Terrain
  • Ice Storm
  • Lemund's Secret Chest
  • Locate Creature
  • Polymorph
  • Shadow of Moil
  • Vitriolic Sphere
  • Wall of Fire
  • Watery Sphere
5th Level
  • Animate Objects
  • Awaken
  • Cloudkill
  • Commune with Nature
  • Conjure Elemental
  • Contact Other Plane
  • Contagion
  • Danse Macabre
  • Deglove CreatureO
  • Dominate Person
  • Dream
  • Envervation
  • Geas
  • Greater Restoration
  • Hold Monster
  • Insect Plague
  • Mass Cure Wounds
  • Mislead
  • Modify Memory
  • Negative Energy Flood
  • Reincarnate
  • Scrying
  • Seeming
  • Skill Empowerment
  • Transmute Rock
  • Wall of Stone
6th Level
  • Baba's Walking HutO
  • Bones of the Earth
  • Conjure Fey
  • Contingency
  • Create Homunculus
  • Eyebite
  • Find the Path
  • Flesh to stone
  • Forbiddance
  • Harm
  • Heal
  • Magic Jar
  • Mass Suggestion
  • Mental Prison
  • Move Earth
  • Otiluke's Freezing Sphere
  • Primordial Ward
  • Soul Cage
  • Sunbeam
  • True Seeing
  • Wall of Ice
  • Wall of Thorns
  • Wind Walk
7th Level
  • Finger of Death
  • Fire Storm
  • Mirage Arcane
  • Plane Shift
  • Power Word Pain
  • Prismatic Spray
  • Project Image
  • Regenerate
  • Resurrection
  • Sequester
  • Teleport
  • Twisting EruptionO
  • Whirlwind
8th Level
  • Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting
  • Animal Shapes
  • Antipathy/Sympathy
  • Clone
  • Control Weather
  • Demiplane
  • Dominate Monster
  • Earthquake
  • Feeblemind
  • Incendiary Cloud
  • Maddening Darkness
  • Maze
  • Mind Blank
  • Power Word Stun
  • Tsunami
9th Level
  • Astral Projection
  • Foresight
  • Imprisonment
  • Invulnerability
  • Manipulate FateO
  • Power Word Heal
  • Power Word Kill
  • Psychic Scream
  • True Polymorph
  • True Resurrection
  • Shapechange
  • Weird

Alacrity

2nd-level transmutation


  • Classes: Bard, Occultist, Sorcerer, Wizard
  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S, M (the hand of a broken clock)
  • Duration: 1 Round.

Until the spell ends, your speed is doubled, you gain a +2 bonus to AC, you have advantage on Dexterity saving throws, and you gain an additional action. That action can be used only to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action.


Animate Object

2nd-level transmutation


  • Classes: Bard, Occultist, Sorcerer, Wizard
  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Concentration, Up to 1 minute.

You bring a small or smaller object to life. Its Constitution is 10 and its Intelligence and Wisdom are 3, and its Charisma is 1. Its speed is 30 feet; if the object lacks legs or other appendages it can use for locomotion, it instead has a flying speed of 30 feet and can hover. The object has the following stats: HP: 20, AC: 18, Str: 4, Dex: 18. If the object is a weapon, it has an attack modifier equal spell attack modifier to hit, and deals damage equal to weapon's damage die + your spell casting modifier. Otherwise, it has an attack modifier equal to your spell casting modifier and deals 1d4 + your spell casting modifier damage on hit.

As a bonus action, you can mentally command any creature you made with this spell if the creature is within 500 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can command any or all of them at the same time, issuing the same command to each one). You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete.

If the object is securely attached to a surface or a larger object, such as a chain bolted to a wall, its speed is 0. It has blindsight with a radius of 30 feet and is blind beyond that distance. When the animated object drops to 0 hit points, it reverts to its original object form, and any remaining damage carries over to its original object form.

If the object is a weapon, you can command it to attack, it can make a single melee attack against a creature within 5 feet of it. It makes a slam attack with an attack bonus and bludgeoning damage determined by its size. The GM might rule that a specific object inflicts slashing or piercing damage based on its form.

Animate Shadow

3rd-level illusion


  • Classes: Occultist
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a smoke stained mirror)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour.

Targeting a creature you can see within range, you bring it's shadow to life under your control. If the creature has a CR of more than 3 or the creature has no shadow (either from the nature of the creature or from the lack of a light source to cast one) the spell fails.

Otherwise a copy of the creature is created using its game statistics is created adjacent to the creature (on the side away from the brightest light near it). The shadow has no legendary actions, legendary resistance, and cannot cast spells. The shadow creature has hit points equal to half the target's hit point, and looks like mirrored version of the creature it was summoned from formed from inky black smoke. The creature is resistant to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from non-magical sources while in darkness. The creature is vulnerable to all damage while in bright light, and always vulnerable to fire, lightning, and radiant damage. If the shadow is killed, the target creature it was summoned from casts no shadows for the next 8 hours.

The shadow acts immediately after the creature's turn, and without further direction it attempts to follow and takes the attack action against it was summoned from. As a reaction to the shadow starting it's turn, the caster can exert control over it and cause it to move and take its action as the caster directs.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a 5th- or 6th-level spell slot, the maximum CR of the target increases to CR 4. When you cast it using a 7th- or 8th-level spell slot, the maximum CR of the target increases to CR 5. When you cast it using a spell slot of 9th level or higher, the maximum CR of the target increases to CR 6.


Baba's Walking Hut

6th-level transmutation


  • Classes: Occultist
  • Casting Time: 10 minutes.
  • Range: Touch.
  • Components: V, S, M (a chicken leg)
  • Duration: 24 hours.

You touch a hut, cabin, or other building no more than 15 feet by 15 feet by 10 feet. On completion of the spell, the building grows legs large enough to support it, as well as the structural integrity needed stand and move, and becomes a gargantuan creature. It has 250 hit points, an AC of 12, and a walking speed of 20 feet. If it drops to 0 hit points, the spell ends.

On your turn, you can direct it to move (no action required) and it will continue to move as directed until you direct it to stop or reaches its destination. It can take no actions, but if it walks over a large or smaller creature, you can direct it to attempt to step on that creature, and that creature must succeed a Dexterity saving throw, or take 2d10 bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.

If you cast this spell on the same building every day for a year, the spell lasts until dispelled.


Befuddling Curse

1st-level enchantment


  • Classes: Occultist
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (something from the target creature (such as blood, hair, or scales) which the spell consumes)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You befuddle a creature's mind, swapping the position of two things it can see that are of the same size and category (for example, two medium creatures or two gargantuan buildings). The target creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. On failure, it is unaware the two things have been swapped.

Each time the creature interacts with, attacks, or is attacked by a swapped targets, it can repeat its saving throw against the effect.



Binding Curse

1st-level enchantment


  • Classes: Occultist
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (something from the target creature (such as blood, hair, or scales) which the spell consumes)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You bind a creature to a point within 5 feet of them, causing a glowing chains of light to connect them to that point. For the duration of the spell, if the creature attempts to move away from that point, the must make a Wisdom saving throw, or be unable to move more than 5 feet away from from that point until the start of their next turn.

If a creature starts its turn more than 10 feet from the binding point, they must make a Strength saving throw are dragged 5 feet toward the binding point.

Boil Blood

2nd-level transmutation


  • Classes: Occultist
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Targeting a creature that has taken slashing or piercing damage in the last minute, make it's blood heat and boil. The target creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On failure, it's blood begins to heat. At the start of it's turn while effected, it takes 4d4 fire damage and is crippled with agony, all terrain is difficult terrain for it.

At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Constitution saving throw. On a success, the spell ends on the target.

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


Burn

transmutation cantrip


  • Classes: Druid, Occultist, Sorcerer
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: V, S, M (a pair of singed gloves)
  • Duration: Instantaneous.

You ignite a brilliant flame around your hand that sears anything you touch. Make a melee spell attack against the target. You have advantage if the target creature type is plant, or if it has a vulnerability to fire damage. On hit, the target takes 1d12 fire damage.

The spell's damage increases by 1d12 when you reach 5th level (2d12), 11th level (3d12), and 17th level (4d12).


Curse of Impotence

5th-level enchantment


  • Classes: Occultist
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (something from the target creature (such as blood, hair, or scales) which the spell consumes)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.

You curse a target creature, causing an overwhelming sense of powerlessness to wash over them. Any time the target creature attempts to attack, cast a spell that deals damage, or use an action that deals damage, it must make a Wisdom saving throw. On failure, they complete their action, but their action does no damage to any target.

Crippling Agony

1st-level necromancy


  • Classes: Occultist
  • Casting Time: 1 action.
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a joint bone)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You can inflicted crippling agony on a foe. Choose one creature that you can see within range to make a Constitution saving throw. If the target fails, it becomes crippled with horrific pain. Whenever the creation moves more than half of it's movement speed or takes an action, the crippling pain causes it to take 1d6 necrotic damage.

It can repeat the saving throw at the end At the end of each of its turns, the target can make a Constitution saving throw. On a success, the spell ends.


Cruel Puppetry

3rd-level necrotic (ritual)



  • Classes: Occultist
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 120 feet.
  • Components: V, S, M (a small humanoid doll worth at least 5 gp and something from the target creature (such as blood, hair, or scales) both of which the spell consumes)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You attempt to bind a creatures soul to a doll, binding the creature to the doll in a sympathetic link. The target must make a Charisma saving throw. On failure, the creature becomes bound to the doll. On a successful save, the creature is not bound and the spell ends.

As part of casting the spell when the creature fails the save, and on subsequent turns using your action until the spell ends, you can perform one of the following actions:

  • Hold the doll still, causing the creature to be Restrained until start of your next turn.
  • Force the doll to move, causing the creature to move 15 feet in a direction of your choice that it can move.
  • Smash the doll, causing it take 4d6 bludgeoning damage.
  • Rip the doll in half, ending the spell, destroying the doll, and dealing 4d12 necrotic damage.

Each time after the first you use an action to manipulate the doll, after the effect takes place, the creature can repeat the Charisma with disadvantage, ending the effect on a successful save.

Once a creature has been effected by this spell, they cannot be effected again for 24 hours.

At Higher Levels: When cast with a 5th level spell slot or above, the range of the spell becomes unlimited, as long as the target is on the same plane as the caster.


Decaying Touch

transmutation cantrip


  • Classes: Druid, Occultist, Sorcerer
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: V, S, M (powdered remains of a dead animal)
  • Duration: Instantaneous.

You wreath your hand in necrotic decay that causes anything you touch to wither and die. Make a melee spell attack against the target. On hit, the targets takes 1d6 necrotic damage is starts to flake and decay. The first time they take damage from another source before the start of your next turn, they take an additional 1d6 necrotic damage. Targets immune to diseases are immune to this effect.

The both the initial and secondary damage of the spell increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).


Deglove Creature

5th-level necromancy


  • Classes: Occultist
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a finger bone)
  • Duration: Instantaneous

You point at a creature within range, and attempt to make it's skeleton rip free of it's body. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. The target takes 7d12 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

If this damage kills the target creature, it's flesh sloughs of it's skeleton, collapsing a pile, and the skeleton becomes a Skeleton, hostile to all living creatures attacking the closest target.

Electrify

1st-level evocation


  • Classes: Occultist, Sorcerer, Wizard
  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S, M (a pair of singed gloves)
  • Duration: 1 Round.

You channel lightning into your hands. After casting this spell, if you make a successful melee spell attack, unarmed strike or a melee weapon attack with a weapon made of a conductive material (such as metal), the target takes 1d6 lightning damage and must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target becomes stunned until the start of their next turn. The spell ends after dealing damage, or at the start of your next turn, whichever occurs first.

For the duration of the spell, you can cast the spell shocking grasp.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.

Earth Ripple

2nd-level transmutation


  • Classes: Druid, Occultist, Sorcerer, Wizard
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Instantaneous.

You cause the earth to deform and ripple, a target creature must make a Dexterity saving throw or suffer one of the following effects (your choice):

  • They pulled into the earth, taking 1d8 damage and having the movement speed dropped to zero until a creature spends an action to dig them free.
  • They are slammed in a direction of your chase, taking 2d8 bludgeoning damage, being moved 5 feet, and knocked prone.
  • They are impaled by a spike of earth, taking 4d8 piercing damage.

Form of Familiar

2nd-level transmutation


  • Classes: Occultist, Wizard
  • Casting Time: 1 minute
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a piece of fur, feather, or scale from your familiar, which the spell consumes)
  • Duration: 1 hour.

You assume the form of the familiar that provided the material component to the spell. The transformation lasts for the duration, or until you drop to 0 hit points or die. Your game Statistics are replaced by the Statistics of the chosen creature, though you retain your Alignment and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores.

You assume the Hit Points and Hit Dice of the new form. When you revert to your normal, you return to the number of Hit Points you had before you transformed. If you revert as a result of Dropping to 0 Hit Points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. As long as the excess damage doesn't reduce your normal form to 0 Hit Points, you aren't knocked Unconscious. You can use an action to revert to your normal form at any time.

You are limited in the actions you can perform by the nature of your new form, and you can't speak, cast spells, or take any other action that requires hands or speech. Your gear melds into the new form. You cannot activate, use, wield, or otherwise benefit from any of your equipment.


Fists of Fire

transmutation cantrip


  • Classes: Druid, Occultist, Sorcerer
  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: 1 minute.

You cause your fists to erupt in flames. For the duration, your fists become a set of simple natural weapons that deal 1d6 fire damage. You are proficient in these weapons, and they have the Light property.

For the duration, any flammable object you attempt to hold catches fire. If you end your turn grappling another creature with your hands, it takes 1d4 fire damage.

You can end the spell early (no action required).


Freeze

transmutation cantrip


  • Classes: Druid, Occultist, Sorcerer
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Instantaneous.

You instill a deadly chill into your hand. Make a melee spell attack against the target. On hit, the target takes 1d8 cold damage, and the target's movement speed is reduced by 10 feet.

The spell's damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).


Grip of the Dead

1st-level necromancy


  • Classes: Occultist
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You channel unholy strength into you hand, and reach out to grab a creature. The creature must make a Strength saving throw or become restrained by you iron deathly grasp. As an action on it's turn, the creature can attempt to escape using a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against your Spell Save DC.

At the start of the creatures turns while you maintain the grip and the spell, it takes 1d8 necrotic damage as you drain the life from it, and regain hit points equal to half the damage dealt.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.


Ice Weapon

transmutation cantrip


  • Classes: Druid, Occultist
  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S, M (a drop of water that was once snow)
  • Duration: 1 minute.

You conjure a weapon formed from magical ice from the air. You have proficiency with this weapon. When you form it and as a bonus action while wielding it, you can morph the weapon into different forms that take on the following properties. If you lose or discard the weapon, you can reform it in your hand as a bonus action.

Weapon Damage Properties
Ice Spear 1d6 Thrown (30/90)
Ice Sword 1d6 Versatile (1d8)
Ice Lance 1d8 Two-Handed, Reach
Ice Hammer 1d10 Two-Handed, Heavy
Ice Dagger 1d4 Finesse, Thrown (30/90)

Regardless of it's form, the weapon deals cold damage. You can end the spell early, letting the weapon melt to a harmless splash of water (no action required). You can have up to three ice weapons formed from this spell at a time. After forming a fourth, the first created one melts away.


Induce Headache

1st-level evocation


  • Classes: Bard, Occultist, Wizard
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a bad pun written on a scrap of parchment)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Targeting a creature with 6 or more intelligence, you inflict an instantaneous headache on them. The target takes 1 psychic damage at the start of their turns, and has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws to maintain Concentration or Intelligence ability checks.


Killing Curse

5th-level enchantment


  • Classes: Druid, Occultist, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (something from the target creature (such as blood, hair, or scales) which the spell consumes)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You curse a target to die. The targets current and maximum hit points is reduced by 3d10 + 10. If this causes a creatures to have zero hit points, the creature dies.

For the duration of the spell, the target cannot regain hit points unless from a magical effect cast by a spell slot of higher level than this spell slot this curse was cast with, and any death saving throw they roll is automatically considered a 1.

At the start of a creatures turn while they are under the effect of this spell, they make a Charsima saving throw. On failure, their current and maximum hit points is reduced by 1d10 + 10. On a successful save, the spell ends.


Nauseating Poison

1st-level necromancy


  • Classes: Druid, Occultist, Warlock
  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S, M (a piece of rotten meat)
  • Duration: 1 round.

You shroud your hand, a weapon you are holding, or a natural weapon in dark ichorous miasma. After casting this spell, if you make a successful melee spell attack, unarmed strike or a melee weapon attack with a weapon made of a conductive material (such as metal), the target takes 1d8 poison damage and must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target becomes poisoned until the end of your next turn.

The spell ends after dealing damage, or at the start of your next turn, whichever occurs first.


Rain of Spiders

3rd-level conjuration


  • Classes: Druid, Occultist, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a spider leg)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.

A vertical column of spiders begins to rain down in 20 foot radius, 40 foot high cylinder, centered on a location you specify. A Swarm of Spiders (Monster Manual, pg 334) descends onto each creature within the cylinder.

This swarm is considered to be climbing on the target creature and moves with them, even if they leave the affected area, and takes its turn immediately after that creature's turn. A creature can make use its action to attempt to get them off, making a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against the spell save DC of the caster.

The swarm will attack the creature it fell on if it can, or move to chase them if it has been knocked off of them. Any spiders that remain when the spell ends disappear.



Rotting Curse

1st-level necromancy


  • Classes: Occultist
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (something from the target creature (such as blood, hair, or scales) which the spell consumes)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You inflicting a rotting decay on a creature, causing it to to begin to rot. For the duration of the spell, every time the creature takes damage, it takes an additional 1d4 necrotic damage, and the effect of all healing on the creature is reduced by half.

The target creature has disadvantage on any Charisma checks for social interaction during the effect of the spell.

Spiritual Consultation

1st-level necromancy


  • Classes: Occultist
  • Casting Time: 1 minute.
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S, M (1 gp worth of incense, which the spell consumes)
  • Duration: 10 minutes.

You call forth a spirit that is proficient in a skill from Arcana, Animal Handling, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Religion, or Survival. The spirit is ethereal and ephemeral and cannot interact with physical objects, but can provide guidance on matters relating to the skill selected when you summon it.

You can treat any check you make in the skill as if you have proficiency with it so long as the spirit can communicate with you. Alternatively, if the ability check is an Intelligence or Wisdom check you can have the spirit make the check, and it has a +8 modifier for the skill was summoned for.

The spirit will follow you and cannot stray more than 5 feet from you. You can choose to release it early, dismissing it back from whence it came.


Swapping Curse

5th-level enchanment


  • Classes: Occultist
  • Casting Time: 1 action.
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (something from each creature (such blood, hair, or scales) the spell is targeting, which the spell consumes.)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.

You cast a curse targeting two individuals. Both targets must make a Charisma saving throw (which they can choose to fail). If both targets fail their saving throws, for the duration of the spell their souls swapped. A soul controls the body it inhabits. It gains any ability score or action the body had (besides legendary actions or legendary resistance), but retains it's own spell casting (if it has the spellcasting, innate or otherwise), and has disadvantage on all attack rolls and strength, dexterity, and constitution saving throws for 1d4 turns after swapping bodies.

At the end of a swapped creatures turn, it can choose to repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a successful save. It its CR (or character level if it has no CR) is higher than the body of the creature it is, it has advantage on the save.

If a creature dies while while it's soul is swapped, the souls return to their original bodies. If a soul was in a dying creature that returns to a living body, that creature takes 5d10 necrotic damage.


Twisting Eruption

7th-level conjuration


  • Classes: Occultist
  • Casting Time: 1 action.
  • Range: 120 feet.
  • Components: V, S, M (a handful of dead plants)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to a 1 minute.

You target a point and call forth tendrils twisted vines and gnarled roots of dark eneregy to erupt from the ground in a 60 foot radius. All creatures of your choice must make a Dexterity saving throw or be restrained as the shadowy plant tendrils grasp and drain the life from them.

At start of a creature's turn, if it is restrained by the spell, it takes 2d10 bludgeoning damage, and 2d10 necrotic damage. Each time a creature takes necrotic damage from this spell, the caster regains 1d4 hit points.

A creature restrained by the tendrils can use its action to make a Strength or Dexterity check (its choice) against your spell save DC. On a success, it frees itself. A tendril can be destroyed freeing a creature by dealing 20 damage to it, but they are immune to all damage besides radiant and fire.

Creatures that end their turn within the radius while not restrained must make a Dexterity saving throw or become restrained by the tendrils.

Wither

3rd-level necromancy


  • Classes: Occultist
  • Casting Time: 1 action.
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (a pinch of powdered bone and sand)
  • Duration: 1 round

Dark energy tears the moisture from a body, sapping of life and vitality. The target must make a Constituion saving throw. The target takes 4d10 necrotic damage on a failed save and becomes withered until the start of your next turn, or half as much on a successful one and does not become withered. A withered creature gains vulnerability to fire damage if they are not resistance to fire damage, or loses their resistance to fire if they were resistant to fire.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 for each slot level above 5th.

Manipulate Fate

9th-level divination


  • Classes: Occultist
  • Casting Time: 1 action.
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S, M (a spool of silk thread).
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.

You reach out and grasp the imperceptible threads of fate, subtly manipulating them. Whenever a creature within 60 feet of you makes an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check, you can use your reaction to tweak their fate, altering the value of the roll. You can choose to manipulate fate after the die is rolled, but before the outcome is determined.

You can alter the roll of the die to an adjacent number to the number rolled (outcomes listed on the table below).

d20 Tweaked Fates
1 7, 13, or 19
2 12, 18, or 20
3 17, 16, or 19
4 11, 14, or 18
5 13, 15, or 18
6 9, 14, or 16
7 1, 15, or 17
8 10, 16, or 20
9 6, 11, or 19
10 8, 12, or 17
11 4, 9, or 13
12 2, 10, or 15
13 1, 5, or 11
14 4, 6, or 20
15 5, 7, 12
16 3, 6, or 8
17 3, 7, or 10
18 2, 4, or 5
19 1, 3, or 9
20 2, 8, or 14

When you alter a roll, you can choose to cast aside subtlty and yank the thread of fate, and select any value of the d20 as the outcome of the result, but the backlash causes you to take 1d6 necrotic damage * the difference in the value selected from the value rolled, and the spell immediately ends after the result is changed.

Editor's Note

The numbers you can pick are the adjacent sides of a d20 to the number rolled. This represents literally nudging the die of fate.

Multiclassing

Should you want to multiclass into Occultist, the prerequisites and proficiencies are as follows:

  • Prerequisite: 13 Wisdom
  • Proficiencies gained: Medicine, Herbalism Kit

For the purpose of multiclassing and spell slots, add your Occultist levels when calculating your Spell Slots on the multiclassing spells slots table.

Feats

Coming Soon

Loot

Coming Soon

Art Credits

  • Class Image - Art by adrytia45 - Copyright KibblesTasty
  • Cursesmith - Arty by shinji2602 - Copyright KibblesTasty
  • Shaman - Art by shinji2602 - Copyright KibblesTasty
  • Witches - Art by shinji2602 - Copyright KibblesTasty
  • Raven - Wizards of the Coast

Change Log 0.9

Oracle
  • Clarified Prophecy
  • Changed Revelation of Battle.
  • Added Rite: In Flames of War
  • Added Rite: As I Burn
  • Added Rite: All Living Things
  • Added Rite: Mystery of Thought
  • Added Rite: Revelation of Thought
Shaman
  • Manifested Spirits can now be recalled.
  • Clarified Call Spirit and Empowered Spirits wording.
  • Added Rite: Avatar of Elements
  • Added Rite: Primal Storms
  • Updated Fury of the Flames
  • Updated Piercing Cold
Witch
  • Added Rite: Cult of of the Moon
  • Added Rite: Evil Eye
General Rites
  • Added Rite: Blood Magic
  • Added Rite: Lost Ritual
Spells
  • Changed many spells (previous update to spells)
  • Nerfed Walking Hut considerably.
  • Nerfed Befuddling Curse considerably.
  • Buffed Binding Curse
  • Ice weapon, Fist of Fire are now cantrips.
  • Added Burn, Freeze, Decaying Touch, and Impact cantrips.
  • Added Nauseating Poison
  • Added Earth Ripple

Supported By

Creation is made possible by generous patrons:

  • Andrew Hoertt
  • Angel Gomez
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  • GMBinder
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  • Ihileath
  • Issac Dyne
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  • Jack
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  • Larry Eger
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...and many more!

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