Witch

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Overview & Creation

The Witch Table

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Hexes Known	Features	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	+2	3	Aspect, Witch's Sight	2	2	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2nd	+2	3		2	3	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3rd	+2	3	Witch's Covenant	2	4	4	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4th	+2	3	Ability Score Improvement	3	5	4	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5th	+3	5	-	3	6	4	3	2	-	-	-	-	-	-
6th	+3	5	Witch's Covenant Feature	3	7	4	3	3	-	-	-	-	-	-
7th	+3	5	-	3	8	4	3	3	1	-	-	-	-	-
8th	+3	5	Ability Score Improvement	3	9	4	3	3	2	-	-	-	-	-
9th	+4	5	-	3	10	4	3	3	3	1	-	-	-	-
10th	+4	7	Magical Connection	4	11	4	3	3	3	2	-	-	-	-
11th	+4	7	-	4	12	4	3	3	3	2	1	-	-	-
12th	+4	7	Ability Score Improvement	4	12	4	3	3	3	2	1	-	-	-
13th	+5	7	-	4	13	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	-	-
14th	+5	7	Witch's Covenant Feature	4	13	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	-	-
15th	+5	7	-	4	14	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	-
16th	+5	7	Ability Score Improvement	4	14	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	-
17th	+6	9	-	4	15	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	1
18th	+6	9	Ethereal Bound	4	15	4	3	3	3	3	1	1	1	1
19th	+6	9	Ability Score Improvement	4	15	4	3	3	3	3	2	1	1	1
20th	+6	9	Truesight	4	15	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	1	1

  Book of Shadows Every witch has a Book of Shadows called a Grimoire. This magical book reflects the notes and practical study of your spellwork. A witch's Grimoire is as personal to them as a diary, filled with the nature of their arcane power, often used to store formula and prepare spells they may not otherwise know. As you grow you may find other spells in the world, such as those lost in an ancient library or inscribed within a healer's notes.   Your connection to the ethereal plane allows you to study more diverse magics. Choose another classes spell list and you gain two additional 1st level spells that are held within your Grimoire. Spells in your Grimoire can not be cantrips and must only be of a level for which you have spell slots. You prepare additional spells to the your innate knowledge from your Grimoire. To do so choose a number of spells in your Grimoire equal to your intelligence modifier.   You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of witch spells requires time spent studying your Grimoire and practicing the incantations and gestures you must make to cast the spell: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell you are preparing.   Ritual Casting You can cast a witch spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell in your Grimoire. You don’t need to have the spell prepared.   Copying a Spell into the Book. When you find a spell of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your grimoire if it is of a spell level you can prepare and if you can spare the time to decipher and copy it.
Copying that spell into your grimoire involves reproducing the basic form of the spell, then practicing the runes and magic needed to understand it. You must practice the spell until you understand the sounds or gestures required, then transcribe it into your grimoire using your own formula.
For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 100 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other grimoire spells.
 

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Class Features

Witch's Aspect

When a witch first discovers their magical connection they often find themselves drawn to a particular aspect of the craft. This aspect helps shape their magical endeavors. Choose an aspect of the craft, this choice will reflect which ability score you use as your spellcasting ability modifier.    

Book of Shadows

The spells that you learn as you gain levels reflect the arcane practice you conduct on your own, as well as metaphysical breakthroughs you have had about the nature of the multiverse. However some witches find interest in studying other spells discovered during their lifetime. You could find a spell recorded on a scroll in an evil wizard’s chest, for example, or in a dusty tome in an ancient library. When you do you can copy these spell's into your grimoire.   You start with a magical spell book called a grimoire, and proficiency with calligraphy supplies. Your grimoire starts with one 1st level spell of your choice. You can prepare a list of spells that are available for you to cast from your grimoire. To do so, choose a number of spells from your grimoire equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one spell). You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of grimoire spells requires time spent studying your Book of Shadows and memorizing the incantations and gestures you must make to cast the spell: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.   Copying a Spell into the Book. When you find a spell of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your grimoire if it is of a spell level you can prepare and if you can spare the time to decipher and copy it. Copying that spell into your grimoire involves reproducing the basic form of the spell, then practicing the runes and magic needed to understand it. You must practice the spell until you understand the sounds or gestures required, then transcribe it into your grimoire using your own runic circles. For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other grimoire spells.    

Witches Brew

Some witches take to guiding their magical prowess towards creating potions and salves using a brewing kit. You learn these potions through time and experience with the different ingredients of the natural world.   You start with a witch's brewing kit, and are proficient with it. You can spend a short rest to create a potion or salve you know in an empty flask. As an action, a creature can drink/apply the brew or administer it to an incapacitated creature. You can have a number of brew's created at once equal to your wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). Creating a brew requires you to have witches brewing kit on your person, and any brew you create with this feature must be used or it will expire after 24 hours.    

Hex Casting

A witch may choose to use their force of will to enhance their magical effects on others using hexes. Hexes are not inherently bad or good, it is on how you use them. Some are boons, helping you or an ally through a difficult time. Other's are curses, hurting those that have wronged you or enforcing vengeance. Other's still may just transmute something changing a situation. Regardless of what a hex does, it's perceived morality is dependent on you.   You can cast a hex a number of times equal to your charisma modifier (minimum of 1). Each hex has it's own rules for casting.   You gain three hexes of your choice, your hex options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain witch levels, you gain additional hexes of your choice, five at 5th level, seven at 10th level, and nine at 18th level. Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the hexes you know and replace it with another hex that you could learn at that level. If a hex has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the hex at the same time that you meet its prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.    

Witches Eyes

A witch's eyes have ethereal sight beyond normal mortals. This ethereal binding leaves a mystical mark over their eyes that becomes visible whenever they enhance their sight. As a bonus action you can peer into the unseen. For 10 minutes you can see into the Ethereal Plane for 30 ft, you can also sense any spiritual creatures within 60 ft of you. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, you regain uses of this feature after a long rest.    

Witch's Covenant

Choose a covenant, which describes the focus of your connection to the ethereal, detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features when you choose it at 3rd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.    

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.   Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.      

Magical Connection

At 10th level you become more attuned to the ethereal plane, which connects to all sources of magic, allowing you to utilize magical items normal meant for other casters. You now ignore caster restrictions on magic items. As well your witches eyes allow you to cast Detect Magic at will, and read any written language.      

Ethereal bound

At 18th level your connection to the ethereal plane has bound a part of your spirit always there. You can cast the Etherealness and Blink spells without expending a spell slot. You can cast each spell using this feature once, you regain the ability to do so after a long rest.    

Capstone yo

  Truesight. Enough said.

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Starting Equipment

• (a) a quarterstaff or (b) a dagger
• (a) a component pouch or (b) a witches focus
• (a) a scholar’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
• A Grimoire

Ideas:   Blood Witch Dance. The witch can use a bonus action to control the movement of one creature cursed by its [spell]hex[/spell] spell that it can see within 30 feet of it. The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or use its reaction to move up to 30 feet in a direction of the witch’s choice.   Innate caster and slot caster somehow?

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Spellcasting

Whether you were born bound to the Ethereal Plane, or became infused to it later. This source of creation, no matter it's origin, fuels your spellcasting. See Witch's Spell Listing for the spell list you can choose from.  

Cantrips

At 1st level, you know two cantrips of your choice from the witch spell list. You learn additional witch cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Witch table.  

Spell Slots

The Witch table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your witch spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these witch spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.   For example, if you know the 1st-level spell witch bolt and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast witch bolt using either slot.  

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the witch spell list.   The Spells Known column of the Witch table shows when you learn more witch spells of your choice. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. 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 witch spells you know and replace it with another spell from the witch spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.  

Spellcasting Ability

  Your spellcasting ability for your witch spells is determined by your Witch's Aspect, since the power of your magic relies on your personal connection to ethereal energy and how you express that power. You use your Aspect's stat whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Aspect's stat modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a witch spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.   Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Aspect stat modifier   Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Aspect stat modifier  

Ritual Casting

You can cast a spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell in your grimoire. You don't need to have the spell prepared, however you can not cast a "Known Spell" as a ritual even if it has the ritual tag.  

Spellcasting Focus

You can use a witch's focus (see sidebar for more information) as a spellcasting focus for your witch spells.  

Spell Versatility

1st-level witch feature (enhances Spellcasting) Whenever you finish a long rest, you can replace one spell you learned from this Spellcasting feature with another from the witch spell list. The new spell must be the same level as the spell you replace.      

Hexes

 

Alluring Charm

As a bonus action, you can make yourself or a target you can see within 30 feet briefly irresistible. You or your target gains advantage on the next Charisma check they make.  

Muddled Mind

Using an action, you can attempt disrupt a creature's mind so they're unable to process complex ideas. Choose a creature you can see within 30 feet to make an Intelligence saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the targets mind becomes unable to process complex ideas, and the target can't gain advantage from any source for 1 minute. The creature may make a new Intelligence saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a success, the effect ends.  

Cheerful

As an action, you may weave an aura of happiness and confidence towards a creature you can see within 60 feet. That creature gains advantage of saving throws against charm and fear effects for 1 hour.  

Invigorating

As an action or reaction, you may Charm an ally with invigorating magic. That ally gains advantage on the next attack roll, saving throw or ability check it makes.  

Madness

As an action, you can cause a creature's mind to be briefly flooded with madness. Choose a creature you can see within 60 feet to make a wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is afflicted by one random short-tern madness effect.  

Revitalizing

A creature hexed by this charm will absorb healing magic easier for 1 minute. Whenever the hexed creature has it's hit points restored by a healing spell they heal an extra die of that spells type.  

Toughness

As a reaction when an ally within 60 feet is hit with a damaging attack or spell, you can weave a charm into that creature, toughening its skin. The creature gains resistance to the triggering damage until the end of it's next turn  

Agony

As an action, you may curse a creature you can see within 60 feet with unspeakable pain. The target must make a constitution saving throw or take 2d6 psychic damage. The damage increases by 1d6 at 5th (3d6), 11th (4d6), and 17th (5d6) level.  

Debilitating Curse

As an action, you may choose one creature within 60 feet that you can see and force it to make a constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is affected by debilitating thoughts causing it to gain one level of exhaustion.    

Hives

As an action, you may curse an enemy with hives. It must make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute.    

Lethargy

When you cast a spell requiring a single enemy to make a saving throw, you may Curse it with lethargy, giving it disadvantage on the saving throw.  

Pain

When you cast a spell that deals damage to a single target, you may weave a curse into the casting. Treat one damage die rolled as max.  

Tongues

As an action, you may weave a complicated curse towards a creature you can see within 60 feet. That creature must make a wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature speaks in tongues and cannot cast spells with verbal components until the end of its next turn.    

Vulnerability

When a creature you can see within 60 feet is damaged you can weave a curse of vulnerability towards it. The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become vulnerable to the triggering damage until the end of your next turn. If it has resistance to the triggering damage it loses this resistance instead. If it is immune to the damage instead it has resistance.  

Weakness

As an action, you may choose a creature you can see within 60 feet, and weave a curse of weakness towards it. The creature must succeed on a constitution saving throw. On a failed save it suffer's disadvantage on strength saving throws and ability checks for 1 minute. Additionally, while affected, it's strength based attacks, and weapon attacks, deal half damage. At the end of each of it's turns the affected creature makes another saving throw. On a success, the effect ends.  

Ethereal Hex

Prerequisite: 13th level You may cast the Etherealness spell as a 7th level spell once without expending a spell slot. You can't do so again until you finish a long rest.   Touch of Fire (Transmutation) As an action, you may point your finger at an object not being worn or carried within 60 feet, and magical flames shoot towards the object, setting it on fire. The fire fills a space no larger than 5 feet, and can spread normally. Non-flammable objects take no damage and cannot spread the flames, but otherwise burn for up to 1 hour. You may use an action to extinguish flames within 60 feet caused by this Craft in a 5 foot area.

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Subclass Options

Covenant of the Soul

Bind spirits to you to aid in your casting.   3rd level Gain the ability to bind souls to you through a ritual. Different types of spirits will have different effects. Maybe empower Protection from good and evil? Also have some benefit when fighting spirits/ghosts. Enhance eyes for ghostly reasons.   6th level Allow bound spirits to manifest, giving a beneficial or harmful aura like a totem of some kind. Maybe bind two spirits at a time. Maybe this? When a life ends in your presence, you’re able to snatch a token from the departing soul, a sliver of its life essence that takes physical form: as a reaction when a creature you can see dies within 30 feet of you, you open your free hand and a Tiny trinket appears there, a soul trinket. The DM chooses the trinket’s form or has you roll on the Trinkets table in the Player’s Handbook to determine it. While the soul trinket is on your person, you have advantage on death saving throws and Constitution saving throws, as your vitality is enhanced by the life essence within the object. You can have a maximum number of soul trinkets equal to your proficiency bonus, and you can’t create one while at your maximum.   As an action, you can destroy one of your soul trinkets, no matter where it’s located. When you do so, you can ask the spirit associated with the trinket one question. The spirit appears to you and answers in a language it knew in life. It’s under no obligation to be truthful, and it answers as concisely as possible, eager to be free.   14th level Allow manifested spirits be released, giving some kind of immediate and powerful effect. Maybe bind three spirits at a time. Maybe this? You can now phase partially into the realm of the dead, becoming like a ghost. As a bonus action, you assume a spectral form. While in this form, you have a flying speed of 10 feet, you can hover, and attack rolls have disadvantage against you. You can also move through creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain, but you take 1d10 force damage if you end your turn inside a creature or an object. You stay in this form for 10 minutes or until you end it as a bonus action. To use this feature again, you must finish a long rest or destroy one of your soul trinkets as part of the bonus action you use to activate Ghost Walk.  

Covenant of Blood

Completely rework. Focus on use of blood to enhance spellwork.   3rd level Use your arcane focus as a weapon, making it an Arcane Weapon, using your wisdom for attack rolls instead of strength or dex. Can make any magical staff or dagger into a quarter staff or athame for you. Empower Mage Armor spell for you maybe? Enhance eyes for bloody reasons, maybe see the health of creatures within range?   6th level Can apply hexes through weapon attacks with your focus, so long as they have a   14th level When you have the blood of a creature you deal more damage to them and they have disadvantage for saving throws against your hexes.  

Covenant of Nature

Bonding more with your familiar.   3rd level Change find familiar to a stronger familiar spell, giving better stats that scale with level. You can cast spells as though you were in the familiars space, you must use your own sense's unless using your witches sight to see through your familiar. You can't weave hexes into spells cast from your familiar. Enhance eyes for natures sake, possibly be able to see through your familiars senses without going blind/deaf yourself and regardless of familiars range?   6th level As a bonus action you can teleport, magically swapping places with your familiar, expending 15 feet of your movement, so long as you are within 60 feet of each other. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your wisdom modifier, you regain all expended uses of this after a long rest.   14th level Something about the natural world protecting you. Your familiar takes a fetal wound for you to survive hitting 0 hit points one time per long rest, forcing you to have to summon them back.   Needs more nature? Maybe flavor nature into the hexes and spell choices.    

Covenant of the Mind

Bard Witch, basically. A stronger focus on the manipulation of ones mind. Focus more on manipulating people to get what you want.   3rd level Gain advantage against being charmed or frightened, and proficiency with one charisma skill of your choice. Empower Silent Image, make Minor illusion a bonus action? .. Enhance the minds eyes, likely being able to know the emotional state of someone and have advantage on insight checks against them.   6th level (Change this ability, maybe make it so your enchantment and illusions spells can be undetected.) At 6th level, you learn to infuse innocent-seeming words with mind-altering magic. If you speak to a humanoid alone for at least 1 minute, you can attempt to seed your will into it's mind. At the end of the conversation, the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or charmed or frightened of you or another creature of your choice. The target is affected in this way for 1 hour, until it is attacked or damaged, or until it witnesses its allies being attacked or damaged. While it is charmed or frightened in this way you can give the creature suggestions, similar to the effect of the suggestion spell.   If the target succeeds on its saving throw, the target has no hint that you tried to affect it.   Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.   Or   At 6th level, you learn to manipulate the minds of those you enchant or trick with illusions. You can use your bonus action to make it so anyone who becomes affected by an enchantment or illusion spell cast by you forgets they were affected by a spell. Their mind rationalizes any illogical outcomes from the effect of this feature.   14th level   You gain a bonus action that you can use to force a creature you can see within 60 feet of you to make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save you can choose to either Conceal or Enthrall.   Conceal - You can magically remove yourself from one creature’s perception: the target can’t see or hear you for 24 hours. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of any turn during which you hit it with an attack roll, forced it to make a saving throw, or dealt damage to it. The effect ends early if you use this bonus action again. On a successful save, the target is immune to this feature for 7 days.   Enthrall - You can magically force one creature's perception to focus on only you: the target can only focus on you for 24 hours, whether that be positive or negative is dependent on the target's feelings towards you. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of any turn during which your allies hit it with an attack roll, forced it to make a saving throw, or dealt damage to it. The effect ends early if you use this bonus action again. On a successful save, the target is immune to this feature for 7 days.     Or   At 14th level you gain the ability to project yourself from your body. You can become an illusory copy of yourself that can take over other peoples minds temporarily.   Once you’ve used this bonus action, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.   or   At 14th level, your appearance permanently gains an otherworldly aspect that makes you look more lovely and fierce.   In addition, as a bonus action, you can assume a magically majestic presence for 1 minute or until you are incapacitated. For the duration, whenever any creature tries to attack you for the first time on a turn, the attacker must make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, it can’t attack you on this turn, and it must choose a new target for its attack or the attack is wasted. On a successful save, it can attack you on this turn, but it has disadvantage on any saving throw it makes against your spells on your next turn.   Once you assume this majestic presence, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.