Occultist

Tradition of the Possessed

Occultist of this path draw on the power of spirits directly, allowing the spirits to share their body in exchange for a portion of their spirit's power.

This relation is typically one of mutual benefit, but the benefits the spirits gain from it are often esoteric and hard to understand--simply gaining a mortal shell to anchor them to the world or experience the world of the living may be enough for them.

Mastery of this path rests in managing and balancing the chaotic mix of powers and personalities inherent to the nature of it, and almost all that walk it up end up eccentric if not outright mad.

Spirit Host

At 1st level when you select this subclass, you can bind a spirit to your body. The nature of the spirit varies. Select its archetype and mechanical properties from the list at the end of this feature. You can optionally use the roll table at the end the class to determine the rest of its nature and more thematic properties.

Spirit's Influence and Behavior. The spirits are usually at least quasi-sentient, but only the Occultist that binds them can see or here them normally, though a creature that can see into the ethereal plane can see them circling their host. A spirits consciousness and knowledge is often quite fragmented and esoteric in nature, and they don't typically possess useful knowledge beyond the proficiencies granted by features, though a DM may determine otherwise in rare cases.

Passive Powers. Each spirit grants a passive benefit while bound to the host that depends on the type of spirit.

Active Powers. In addition, you can spend a bonus action to channel the spirit, allowing it to partially possess and guide you for 10 minutes, or until you end the effect with an action, causing the spirit to fall dormant once more.

When you do so, you remain in control of your actions though your appearence and dispotion may be influenced by the spirit. While being possessed by it, you gain an additional power that depends on the type of spirit being channeled.

Types of Spirits

The following are the broad archetypes of spirits that a Possessed Occultist can serve as a host to.

Spirit Type	Passive Power	Channeled Power
Arcane	You gain proficiency in the Arcana skill.	Arcane Cantrips. You gain the ability to cast two Wizard cantrips (selected at the time of binding the spirit)
Deathly	You gain darkvision. If you already possess darkvision, your darkvision range increases by 30 feet.	Life Drain. When you start to channel it and as a bonus action on subsequent turns for the duration, you can deal 1d4 necrotic damage to a creature within 20 feet of you. You gain a temporary hit points equal to half the damage dealt. The damage increases by 1d4 (to 2d4) at 5th level, and again 11th (to 3d4), and 17th level (to 4d4).
Martial	You gain proficieny with Medium armor.	Martial Weapons. You gain proficiency with martial weapons. You can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for weapon attacks.
Occult	You learn one language from Abyssal, Celestial, Deep Speach, Infernal, Primordial, or Sylvan.	Eldritch Power. You gain the ability to cast eldritch blast.
Savage	Your movement speed increases by 5 feet.	Natural Weapons. You gain a pair of natural melee weapons of an etheral nature on your hands (typically in the shape of claws) that deal 1d8 force damage on hit. You can use your Wisdom modifier in place of Strength modifier for attack and damage rolls made with these weapons.

Uses. Each time after the first you channel each spirit, you make a Wisdom saving throw with a DC of additional times you've channeled that spirit (starting at 5, then 10, 15, etc). On success, you remain in control normally. On failure, you act erratically as the spirit unduly influences you and interfers with your ability to act, rolling on the possession table below immediately and then again at the start of each of your turns until the possession ends and you stop channeling that spirit. This resets for all spirits when you complete a short or long rest (allowing to use it without making a save once before scaling up from 5 again).

d6	Effect
1	You are stunned as you wrestle for control with the spirit.
2	Roll a d2. On a 1 you spend your movement moving toward the closest hostile creature. On a 2 you spend your movement moving away from the closest hostile creature.
3	You must convince the spirit to act the way you want, passing a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check. On failure, you become incapicated until the end of your turn.
4	You struggle to control your limbs. If you attempt to move, you must pass a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall prone.
5	You control your actions, but not your mouth. You cannot cast spells with verbal components, and the spirit can speak for the turn.
6	You act normally.

Binding Spirits. You can bond with one spirit when you gain this feature, and another at 5th (two spirits), 11th (three spirits), and 17th level (four spirits). Once a spirit is selected, the bond is permenant, but a spirit can be exchanged for a different spirit on leveling up. Some Occult Rites grant additional spirits, these do not count against your maximum number of bound spirits.

If a spirit grants the ability to cast a spell, it is an Occultist spell for you.

Poltergeist's Presence

Additionally at 1st level, while you have at least one spirit you are bound to but aren't currently channeling, you can cast the thamaturgy and mage hand spells without any components.

Spirit Powers

Starting at 3rd level, each spirit gives you an additional power while you are actively channeling it.

Spirit Type	Empowered Effect
Arcane	Arcane Apprentice. You gain the arcane missiles and shield spells added to your spell list for the duration of the channeling.
Deathly	Deathly Conduit. When you use the Life Drain effect, you can target an additional creature, but your current and maximum hit points are reduced by 1 for each additional creature you target. This effect lasts until you take a short or long rest.

Spirit Type	Empowered Effect
Martial	Martial Prowess. You gain one Fighting Style from the Fighter class while channeling the spirit.
Occult	Mysterious Force. When you deal damage with a cantrip, you can push or pull the target 5 feet away from you or toward.
Savage	Violent Instinct. As a bonus action, you can move up to half your speed toward a hostile creature and gain advantage on your next melee weapon attack roll.

Embodied Spirits

At 6th level, you gain a benefit for each spirit you are bonded to. You gain this benefit while bonded, even if you are not channeling the spirit.

Arcane Spirit: You can cast arcane missiles without expending a spell slot. The level at which it is cast increases at 11th (to 2nd level) and again at 17th level (to 3rd level).
Martial Spirit: You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Occult Spirit: You can add your spellcasting modifier to damage dealt by your Occultist cantrips.
Savage Spirit: When you use Viuolent Instinct, if the movement takes you within range of a target, you can attack them with your natural weapon as part of the same Bonus Action.

Spirit Sentinel

At 14th level, pick one of the following features:

Spirit Sentinel: You can project a spirit into a temporary ethereal form that takes shape in an empty space within 30 feet of you. It has hit points equal to your Occultist level, and resistance to all damage other than Force and Radiant damage. When you summon it, you can pick if it makes melee or ranged attacks with a range of 30 feet. Melee attacks deal 1d8 + your Wisdom modifier force damage, and ranged attacks deal 1d4 + your Wisdom modifier force damage. Projecting the spirit counts as one use of a spirit (of your choice). It cannot move and lasts for 1 minute or until it loses all of its hit points, at which it returns to you.
Spirit Chimera: When you channel a spirit, you can pick a second spirit to channel, gaining the effects of both. This counts as a use of both spirits.

You gain the selected feature. When you gain a level, you can change your selected feature.

Possessed Occultist Rites

Additional Spirit

You can bind an additional spirit if your choice, increasing the maximum number of spirits you have bound by 1.

Arcane Inguinity (Prerequisite: Bound Arcane Spirit)

You gain expertise in Arcana, and can pick one additional 1st level Wizard spell you gain the ability to cast while channeling that spirit.

Divine Spirit

You can bind a Divine Spirit. This does not count toward your maximum number of bound spirits, but cannot be switched out and is lost if you switch out this Rite.

Spirit Type	Passive Power	Channeled Power
Divine	You gain proficiency in the Religion skill.	Divine Grace. You learn two 1st level Cleric or Paladin spells of your choice (selected when the spirit is bound).

When you gain Embodied Spirit at 6th level, channeling the spirit, when you cast a spell granted by the spirit that targets a creature, you can target a second creature with the same effect.

Guardian Spirits (Prerequisite: able to cast spirit guardians)

When you cast spirit guardians you have your spirits maintain the spell, making the spell no longer require concentration, but the damage is changed to being a number of a d8 equal to the spirits you have bonded, and you cannot embody any spirits for the duration of the spell.

Martial Embodiment (Prerequiiste: Bound Martial Spirit)

You gain 1 additional hit point per Occultist level, and whenever you channel your Martial spirit, you regain 1d8 hit points.

Spirit Hydra (Prerequisite: 5th level Occultist)

The spirits within your body can reach out to strike nearby foes. While you are channeling a spirit, as a bonus action you can make a melee weapon attack against a creature within 10 feet of you. On hit, this attack deals 1d4 + your Wisdom modifier necrotic damage. The damage of this attack increases by 1d4 for each additional spirit you have that are not currently channeling (for example, having two unchanneled spirits would deal 1d4 + your Wisdom modifier damage)

Spirit Revival

If you are unconscious, you use a charge of Spirit Host to channel a spirit, regaining conciousness channeling that spirit. If you were unconscious due to being at 0 hit points, you regain 1 hit point.

Unbridled Wrath (Prerequisite: 5th Level Occultist)

When you take damage from a creature while channeling a Savage spirit, you can use your reaction to make one melee weapon attack against that creature using the natural weapon granted to by channeling the spirit.

Spirit Roll Tables

The following are roll tables with some examples of for Disposition and Nature of spirits. You can optionally roll on the tables, or select one that makes sense. The disposition of a spirit may be inherited as a quirk for a character, may manifest while they are channeling them, or may not effect them at all.

Spirit Disposition

d8	Disposition	Example Influence
1	Wrathful	Urges violence and punishes hesitation.
2	Joyous	Laughs often, lifts spirits, distracts in tense moments.
3	Melancholic	Speaks in sorrow, dampens mood, heightens empathy.
4	Protective	Fiercely guards the host and their companions.
5	Cunning	Whispers tricks, lies, and clever shortcuts.
6	Restless	Easily bored, impatient, pushes for constant action.
7	Stern	Demands discipline, order, and respect.
8	Curious	Asks endless questions, drives exploration and risk.

Spirit Nature

d10	Spirit Type	Origin Example
1	Ancestral Spirit	A forebear guiding or judging from beyond.
2	Fey Spirit	A capricious echo of the Feywild.
3	Ghostly Shade	A wandering soul with unfinished business.
4	Elemental Wisp	A fragment of fire, water, stone, or storm.
5	Celestial Remnant	A sliver of divine light or fallen angel.
6	Infernal Echo	A whisper of a devil or hellbound soul.
7	Primordial Beast-Spirit	The essence of an ancient animal predator.
8	Forgotten Godling	The last flicker of worship for a dead deity.
9	Dreamborn Spirit	A being formed of nightmare or fantasy.
10	Cosmic Wanderer	A strange intelligence from beyond the stars.

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