Studying Dark Magic

At a surface glance, the occult has many similarities with the arcane or divine. It can conjure fire, summon extraplanar entities, glimpse the future; as an occultist, you can wield magic. However, the true gifts of the dark arts exist outside the bounds of normal mysticism, and involve invoking powers as ancient as they are unknowable.

Many are willing to engage in pacts with otherworldly beings. However, these strict bargains are rigid and inflexible, and, once signed, are often immutable, sometimes literally set in stone. An occultist opens the door and leaves it open, allowing what may to enter. The power they receive rivals even the most powerful warlocks and wizards, but often comes steeped in a heavy price.

The Allure Of The Otherworldly

To an occultist, the magic of wizards, sorcerers and warlocks is deceptively rigid. It's often too fixated on the self and personal power. In intimate contrast, an occultist treats the denizens of other planes as allies and conspirators to draw on, reaching out for those willing to answer. This does come with unwanted attention, but also lends the power of potentially entire planes should the occultist make their offer enticing enough.

The power of the dark arts exist outside the limitations of normal magic, but often takes a heavy toll on the bearer. Even the most accomplished occultists accept some sort of risk as part of the deal, other parties intending such or not. Dabbling in the otherworldly means breaking the taboo of parting the veil, and this taboo is often what drives many to pursue more orthodox means of power.

To answer the question of why one would risk so much, the answer is decidedly simple. They want something that cannot be attained elsewhere, and are willing to sacrifice to attain it. To ingratiate oneself with the occult is to gain tremendous power at the cost of life, limb or sanity. For many, however, that is a price they are willing to pay.

When creating an occultist, think about what drew your character to the dark arts. Were they enchanted by the possibility of immortality? Did they desire to bind mortal men like a fiend or fey? Or did they want power not meant for regular mortals?

Regardless of what drew your character in, once they had a taste, that was all it took. Hours spent pouring over grimoires and taboo tomes, and what began as a simple investure became a lifelong obsession.

Cantrips

You know four 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 section of the occultist class table.

Spell Slots

The occultist table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level or 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 arms of hadar and you have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast arms of hadar with 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 must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your occultist spells. Your magic comes from pacts struck with fiends and fey, as well as bargains with land and lemur that you have learned to invoke. You use Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for an occultist spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

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

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

Ritual Casting

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

Spellcasting Focus

You can use a grimoire, talisman, staff or your own blood as a spellcasting focus.

Tradition Spell List

Starting at 1st level, you learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Tradition Spells table. Each of these spells counts as an occultist spell for you, but it doesn't count against the number of occultist spells you know.

Undying Novice

Beginning at 1st level, your dabbling in death has bore fruit, and you excel at aiding creatures to meet their end more swiftly. You learn the chill touch and toll the dead cantrips. They are occultist cantrips for you but do not count against your cantrips known. Whenever you cast either of these on a living, mortal enemy, you may treat them as an undead below its maximum hitpoints for the purposes of those spells.

Additionally, mindless undead have difficulty harming you, seeing you as one of their own. If an undead targets you directly with an attack or a harmful spell, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC (an undead needn't make the save when it includes you in an area effect, such as the explosion of Fireball). On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or forfeit targeting someone instead of you, potentially wasting the attack or spell. On a successful save, the creature is immune to this effect for 24 hours. An undead is also immune to this effect for 24 hours if you target it with an attack or a harmful spell.

Finally, you are resistant to necrotic damage. This does not apply to necrotic damage from your dark boons class feature.

Advanced Occultism

Beginning at 6th level, your study of your tradition has bore fruit. Whenever you cast a spell from your tradition spell list, you can choose to lower your Occult Die Size by one. When you do so, that spell does not consume a spell slot.

Corpse Walk

Beginning at 14th level, your ability to function while within death's grasp shocks even seasoned occultists. You may move, act and function normally at 0 hitpoints. You still retain all of your senses, and are not knocked prone when you are reduced to 0 hitpoints. You must still make death saving throws as normal, but can otherwise do all the things you can normally do.

Additionally, you are now immune to necrotic damage and effects that would lower your maximum hitpoints, except when it is caused by your dark boons class feature.

True Undeath

Beginning at 18th level, you have achieved true immortality in a way few other creatures have. What it may have taken to achieve this is something to be worked out with your DM, but the fruits of such efforts are abundantly clear. Whenever you are reduced to 0 hitpoints, you may lower your occultist die size by one. Should you do so, you immediately regain hitpoints equal to twice your Occultist level and are not knocked prone. You may do this as many times as your dark boon feature allows.

Additionally, when you get this feature, you become functionally immortal. Should you be killed, but your body not be destroyed outright, you are returned to life in 1d4 hours after being killed. Should your body be destroyed, you instead return in the body of a creature you have recently slain (your DM may decide who it is). Only if your body is destroyed, and a creature has not perished by your hands in the last month do you truly die.

Tradition Spell List

Starting at 1st level, you learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Tradition Spells table. Each of these spells counts as an occultist spell for you, but it doesn't count against the number of occultist spells you know.

Acolyte Of The Far Realms

Beginning at 1st level, the influence of the extraplanar has taught you how to navigate the defenses of other creatures. Whenever a creature makes a saving throw against an occultist spell you cast, if you accepted a dark boon or lowered your Occult Die Size as part of the casting of that spell, that creature has disadvantage on the saving throw.

Additionally, you know the detect thoughts spell. It is an occultist spell for you but does not count against your occultist spells known. You can cast it without spending a spell slot, but can do so only once, and regain the ability to do so whenever you complete a long rest.

Advanced Occultism

Beginning at 6th level, your study of your tradition has bore fruit. Whenever you cast a spell from your tradition spell list, you can choose to lower your Occult Die Size by one. When you do so, that spell does not consume a spell slot.

Alien Anatomy

Beginning at 14th level, your body has become something not mortal. Teeming tendrils writhe beneath your skin, your eyes become pale and murky, or some other abnormality affects you. As a bonus action, gain one of the following benefits for one minute. Once you do so, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest, or you choose to lower your Occult Die Size by one.

• You have darkvision out to 60 feet, as well as blindsight out to 15 feet.
• You gain the benefits of the freedom of movement spell.
• Your unarmed attacks gain the Reach trait and you can use your Intelligence score in place of your Strength score for attacks with them. Additionally, you can Grapple and Shove creatures up to 10 feet away, using your Intelligence score and adding your proficiency bonus instead of rolling Athletics.

The Far Shore

Beginning at 18th level, your ability to draw on the outer planes has reached new heights. You have learned to bring the material plane closer to the shoreline of the far realms, narrowing the gap between two places that would otherwise never meet. As an action, you create a rift in an unoccupied space within 30 feet that you can see. The rift is a medium aberration, is immune to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage as well as psychic damage, has an AC of 18, and hitpoints equal to three times your occultist level. The rift automatially passes Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws, and automatically fails Strength, Dexterity and Constitution saving throws.

While the rift is active, any creatures within 60 feet of it suffers the following effects. You may select a number of creatures equal to your Proficiency bonus to exclude from these effects.

• Mental saving throws are made with disadvantage.
• Any time a creature starts its turn within 60 feet of the rift, it must make an Intelligence saving throw, taking both Psychic damage and Cold damage equal to your occultist level on a failed save, and taking half on a successful save.
• Any time a creature moves, it treats the area within 60 feet of the rift as difficult terrain.
• Whenever you cast a Conjuration, Enchantment or Illusion spell, you can cast from the space of any creature caught in the rift, even those you designated to be excluded.

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.

Tradition Spell List

Starting at 1st level, you learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Tradition Spells table. Each of these spells counts as an occultist spell for you, but it doesn't count against the number of occultist spells you know.

Pact Initiate

Beginning at 1st level, you have learned to invoke pacts and bargains that are employed by fiends and devils. Whenever you cast an occultist enchantment spell, or an occultist spell that deals fire damage, you can choose to lower your Occult Die Size by one. When you do so, any creature that makes a saving throw against that casting of that spell does so with disadvantage. If the spell requires an attack roll, you instead gain advantage on the attack roll.

Advanced Occultism

Beginning at 6th level, your study of your tradition has bore fruit. Whenever you cast a spell from your tradition spell list, you can choose to lower your Occult Die Size by one. When you do so, that spell does not consume a spell slot.

On Devil's Wings

Beginning at 14th level, you have taken on aspects of the fiends you consort with. You gain the following benefits:

• You are resistant to fire damage.
• As a bonus action, you can sprout leathery, devilish wings. While your wings are out, you have a Flying speed equal to your walking speed.

Crown Of The Fallen

Beginning at 18th level, you have bartered, haggled and dealt with fiends, and now you have gained the ability to don their primordial power. As a bonus action, you can don a fiery crown above your head. You may choose whether a creature is able to see the crown, although senses such as true sight reveal your fiendish adornment. For one hour after donning the crown, you gain the following benefits:

• Creatures have disadvantage on saving throws against spells you cast.
• Creatures you speak to are under the effects of the zone of truth spell. A creature is immune to this effect if you willingly tell it a lie.
• You can offer a creature a pact. To do so, you must provide a service, which must be fulfilled within one day of stating the terms. Should a creature agree, they are treated as having automatically failed a saving throw against an enchantment spell of your choice that you know. The duration of the enchantment is one week, or the duration of the spell, whichever is longer. Failure to uphold your end of the pact ends the enchantment, renders you unable to don the crown again for one month, and deals fire damage to you equal to twice your Occultist level, which may not be reduced in any way.

Once you don this infernal crown, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.