Witch

Witch

By Zarieth

A tattooed elf, veiled and cloaked, draws his obsidian dagger across the sand, calling forth from the lines a ghostly apparition to help him and his allies find their way. A trio of halfling hermits gather among candles and incense, chanting words of power to bait spirits from the shadows. The bejeweled human, dressed in exotic garb and golden chains bellows a spell which echoes with the voices of an army of lost souls, a fiendish glint in his eyes as blood drips from his palm.

  Unlike shamans who pray to the spirits of nature, witches trap the tormented souls of those lost betwixt the realm of the living and the beyond. As a witch, you learn to summon these souls and bind them to your will, gaining protection from them and power over them. As you attain higher levels, the covenant you choose to live by grants you further abilities which extend the utility and power of these bonds in different ways.

The Power of Spirit

Witches may or may not have a level of respect for the spirits they bind, though one could say they should. Some witches tap into the residual energies of long-departed souls, while others use extant spiritual beings as conduits for their spellcasting. Either way and whether or not they wish, witches bind part of their own soul to those that surround them.

Witch spells mostly deal with manipulation of spiritual energies (both living and dead) and protections against the beings who supply those energies. As part of their connection to the spiritual world, they are also privy to information and secrets normally not meant for mortal minds. As such, witches are powerful enchanters, abjurers, and diviners.

Bonds of the Soul

Witches acknowledge that there is a spiritual connection between all things – forces that inexplicably and randomly bind beings and happenings together in a kind of mass, shared fate. They see other witches as brothers and sisters, and other classes as close cousins. As a consequence, witches are often fond of forming alliances. The covenant that a witch subscribes to is one such alliance.

Covenants are the manifestation of a philosophy regarding the nature of spirits. Some, like the Covenant of Unity, believe in a supreme energy that extends beyond the physical world, weaving together magic and the collective conscience of all living things. Others, from the Covenant of Blood for example, believe in a more intimate connection between the physical world and the other side. In this philosophy, each soul is tied to something close to it in the physical world – a body, an object, or location that was important to it when it was alive.

Creating A Witch

When deciding to play a witch, think about what led your character to tap into the spirit world. Maybe witchcraft is a tradition in the area, or your character comes from an area rife with a ghostly past. Superstition is also a good trigger for a fascination with spirits. What is your relationship with spirits? Is there a measure of mutual respect? Perhaps your character feels more like a servant to the spirit than the other way around, or maybe they possess the entitlement to dominate and extort spiritual beings.

How did your character come to be an adventurer? It could be that he or she was a pariah in their community due to contact with the other side, cast out and forced to fend for him or herself. Perhaps your character is even haunted by a particular spirit, and seeks away to control or be rid of it.

Quick Build

You can make a witch quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, select the Hermit background. Third, select the chill touch, guidance, and light cantrips.

Class Features

As a witch, you gain the following class features

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d6 per witch level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per witch level after 1st


Proficiencies

Armor: None

Weapons: Clubs, daggers, darts, quarterstaffs, scimitars, sickles, slings

Tools: Herbalism kit


Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma

Skills: Choose 2 from Arcana, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, and Stealth.


Equipment

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

Spell Slots

The Witch table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and above. To cast one of these witch spells, you must expend a spell 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 cure wounds and you have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast cure wounds using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher

You know three 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, 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 on 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

Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your witch spells, since your magic comes from bargaining with spirits. You use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma 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 Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +

your Charisma modifier

Ritual Casting

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

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus or druidic focus as a spellcasting focus for your witch spells.

Spell Versatility

Whenever you finish a long rest, you can replace one spell you learned from this Spellcasting feature with another spell from the Witch spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

Quickening

At 1st level, you gain the ability to enter a trance known as the witch’s quickening, letting you see beyond the borders of the material world. As an action you can enter this trance to see into the Ethereal Plane up to 60 feet.

Additionally you also gain insight into the emotional energy surrounding you, you know if and what spirits are bound within 60 feet, and you gain advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks.

The trance lasts for 1 minute, or until you end it as an action. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Witch Covenant

At 2nd level you commit yourself to a spiritual philosophy known as a witch's covenant: the Covenant of Blood, the Covenant of Charm, the Covenant of Shadows, Covenant of Steel, or the Covenant of Unity, detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.

Covenant Spells

Each covenant has a list of spells that you gain at the witch levels noted in the covenant description. Once you gain a covenant spell, you know it, and it doesn't count against the number of spells you know.

If you have a covenant spell that doesn't appear on the witch spell list, the spell is nonetheless a witch spell for you.

Binding Rites

At 2nd level you can bind spirits to your service. Binding a spirit requires 10 minutes of uninterrupted meditation. During this time, the witch speaks the invocations required to summon the spirit forth and enacts the rite of binding depending on which philosophy the witch subscribes to. A blood witch might utilize a bone fragment to bind the spirit, while a shadow witch might bargain with the summoned spirit, exchanging a secret for the spirit’s service. A witch may perform this ritual at any time to swap a bound spirit for a new one, losing the old passive benefit and gaining the new (or simply to change the spell slot level the same spirit is occupying).

You choose a spirit to bind from the list at the end of this class description, and you fill one of your available spell slots with the spirit. The spell slot must be of a level you know witch spells for. The spell slot used is no longer available for casting spells, and it remains unavailable for as long as the spirit filling it remains bound to you. The spirit is said to be of a level equal to the spell slot used to bind it. Thus, a Spirit of Passion occupying a 6th level spell slot is a level 6 spirit. You cannot have more than one spirit with the same name bound at once.

Depending on the type of spirit, you gain certain benefits while the spirit remains bound and an additional effect when you release the spirit, as detailed in the Binding Rites section. Releasing a spirit is a bonus action, although some spirits allow release as a reaction. Once a spirit has been released, it no longer provides its passive effect and the spell slot it occupied is expended.

You can bind a number of spirits up to the number shown for your witch level in the Bonds column of the witch table.

Spirit Ward

At 3rd level, you learn a rite that offers protection against spirits who wish you or your allies harm. As an action, you can create a spirit ward with a radius of 15 feet, centered on a point you touch. The ward lasts 1 minute. While inside the ward, creatures you choose who you can see cannot be charmed, frightened, or possessed by undead and have resistance to all damage from incorporeal undead. Additionally, if an affected creature is reduced to 0 hit points within the ward but is not killed outright, the creature becomes stable at the beginning on their first turn inside the ward.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest to use it again. Beginning at 9th level, you can use your Spirit Ward twice between rests, and beginning at 18th level you can use it three times between rests.

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.

Spiritual Spellcasting

At 7th level you call upon the spirits you have bound to help you cast your spells. You can dismiss a spirit as a bonus action to regain access to the spell slot it was bound to. The release effect of the spirit you dismissed is not activated.

Channel Spell

Beginning at 11th level, damage from spells you cast on undead and creatures on a different plane of existence ignores resistance to that damage.

Strength of Spirit

At 15th level, you learn to sap additional fortitude from the spirits you bind. When you finish a long rest, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the combined level of all the spirits you have bound.

Familiar Spirit

At 18th level, you learn the find familiar spell.

Additionally, when you cast find familiar or if you already have a familiar, you can awaken spiritual energy within the animal as part of an additional ritual that takes 10 minutes. Once complete, you choose one spirit from the list at the end of the class description. Your familiar provides you with the spirit’s passive effect as long as your familiar is within 100 feet of you. Its level is equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). If the familiar dies, the spirit produces its release effect if there is a valid target within range of the familiar.

Ghostly Step

At 20th level you gain the ability to enter the spirit realm as a bonus action by projecting part of yourself beyond the material plane. This projection lasts for 10 minutes or until you rematerialize as a bonus action. You and all your belongings become invisible. You have resistance to all non-magical damage, and cannot be grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, or restrained.

For the duration, you can pass through solid objects as if they were difficult terrain. If you end your turn in an object, you take 1d10 force damage. If you rematerialize in a location occupied by a creature or solid object, you are shunted to the nearest unoccupied space and take damage equal to twice the number of feet you are moved as a result.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

Covenants

The covenant that a witch swears by at 2nd level exemplifies the witch's personal philosophy on spirits. When entering a covenant, the witch gains abilities which align with these core philosophies. Though witches of different covenants can hold similar opinions of spirits, it is important to think on how each covenant's teachings shape your character's attitudes towards the binding and utilization of spirits.

Covenant of Blood

Witches of the Covenant of Blood believe in strong connections between the physical world and the spiritual one. Spirits are connected to the physical world through objects that were important to them while they were alive. This knowledge allows a witch to bind spirits more easily — as long as they know something of the spirit's life.

 Though not always, witches from the Covenant of Blood tend to dominate the spirits under their control. They generally take care to leave spirits intact and in a state no worse than before they were bound, but nevertheless are capable of using a spirit's weaknesses against them, taking advantage of their connections to the physical world in order to gain great control of them.

Covenant of Blood Spells

Spells Witch Level

Hold Person, Levitate 3rd

Slow, Vampiric Touch 5th

Locate Creature, Sickening Radiance 7th

Skill Empowerment, Greater Restoration 9th

Awaken the Blood

Beginning at 2nd level, when you release a spirit from your power, you can use the energy from those broken spiritual bonds to repair corporeal bodies. When you release a spirit, a creature you touch regains hit points equal to three times the spirit's level.

Sympathetic Magic

At 6th level, you gain the power to cast spells on targets over vast distances beyond what the spell may ordinarily allow. Provided you have an article (blood, hair, clothing, or favored object) from the target, your spells of 5th level or lower which have a single target may affect the creature if it is on the same plane of existence as you.

When you cast a spell that targets a creature in this way, the article you have from the target is consumed.

Blood Binding

At 10th level, when a hostile creature dies within 30 feet of you, you can bind its soul as a reaction. You bind a spirit type of your choice to a spell slot of your choice. This binding expires after 24 hours or whenever you use this ability again. The target cannot be resurrected so long as its spirit remains bound in this way.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Call Forth the Flesh

At 14th level, you gain the ability to force an ethereal or incorporeal creature that you can see within 60 feet into the material plane as an action. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or lose their incorporeal movement trait and immunities to grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, and restrained for 1 minute. Alternatively, you can use this feature to to cast revivify once without expending a spell slot or material components.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

Covenant of Charm

Witches of the Covenant of Charm tap deep into the emotions which govern lingering spirits’ behaviours. They use these emotions as signposts and guides to manipulate the desires and shape the aspirations of the living. They believe that although lingering spirits are echoes of the past, they hold the key to individual futures. By harnessing the raw emotional energy of the beyond, one can gain absolute control over the hearts and minds of those around them.

Witches of this philosophy vary in their treatment of spirits. Some befriend and learn from the spirits they bind, using that knowledge to further their own ends. Others take only cursory notice of the spirits they enslave – an attitude that often carries over into their living interactions, manipulating and charming those they will, without any true regard for the desires of those they meet.

Covenant of Charm Spells

Spells Witch Level

Detect Thoughts, Suggestion 3rd

Hypnotic Pattern, Tongues 5th

 Hallucinatory Terrain, Phantasmal Killer   7th

Dream, Modify Memory 9th


In Perfect Trust

At 2nd level, you have grown attuned to the hearts and minds of those around you. While in your quickening, you can add your proficiency bonus to Charisma (Deception) and Charisma (Persuasion) checks, or twice your proficiency bonus if you are already proficient.

Additionally, during your quickening, you gain the ability peer into the heart of a creature within 60 feet of you as an action. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or you gain insight into its emotional state and something that is currently influencing this state such as something it worries over, desires, loves, or hates. Constructs and creatures immune to being charmed automatically succeed on this saving throw. On a failed save the target is not aware of this intrusion, but is alerted that someone attempted to probe its mind if it succeeds on its saving throw.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

Spirit Token

At 6th level you can tie one of your spirits you already have bound to a small object. As an action, you bind the spirit to an object that is significant to a creature you choose, the spirit still counts towards your maximum bonds while attached to the object. As long as the creature is in possession of the token, the spirit provides its passive effect as though the spirit were bound by the target (even if they are not a witch). In either case, the magic holding the spirit to the object expires after 24 hours when it returns to your control. If the token is returned to you, you can break this magic sooner as a bonus action, regaining use of the spirit.

Of One Heart

At 10th level, creatures charmed by you are also considered charmed by your allies.

Additionally, when you trigger a spirit's release effect, until the start of your next turn allies within 60 feet of you can damage charmed creatures without affecting the charm.

Crux of Desire

At 14th level, you can't be charmed or frightened, and your spells and spirits ignore immunity to the charmed condition.

Covenant of Shadows

The Covenant of Shadows subscribes to the belief that everything that exists, both physically and metaphysically, is a shadow cast by that which came before it. Shadows are windows into worlds beyond the material plane — as one world becomes dimmer, others become brighter and easier to see by comparison.

 There is reason to be wary of the dark. Witches from this covenant are more cautious dealing with spirits. They know that dangers lurk in the shadows, and they are careful with their dealings lest the spirits they bind show their dark side.

Covenant of Shadows Spells

Spells Witch Level

Darkness, Pass Without Trace 3rd

Feign Death, Nondetection 5th

Dimension Door, Greater Invisibility 7th

Mislead, Seeming 9th

The Shadows Have Eyes

You can use the spirits which dwell in the darkness to see. Beginning at 2nd level, you can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet as long as you have at least one spirit bound, and you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks in dim light or darkness.

Blinding Shackles

At 6th level, hostile creatures that are affected by any of your spirits’ release effects must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or be blinded for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, a target can make a Constitution saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. This ability has no effect on creatures who do not use light to see.

Dark Mimicry

At 10th level, as long as you have at least one spirit bound, you can call upon the movements of nearby shadows to replace the somatic components of your spells.

 Alternatively, the ghostly whispers of your bound spirit may replace the verbal components of your spells. You can therefore cast spells with these components even if you yourself cannot motion or vocalize. Additionally, when you are hidden from a creature and cast a spell, casting the spell doesn't reveal your position to it. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Haunting Shades

Beginning at 14th level, after you release a spirit that targets a hostile creature, you can choose for the spirit to also haunt that creature for up to 1 minute, requiring your concentration as if on a spell. The passive effect of the spirit continues but uses the haunted creature as the origin. The passive effect otherwise treats you as the owner. After 1 minute or when you lose concentration, the spirit’s release effect activates again.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

Covenant of Steel

Witches who tie themselves to the Covenant of Steel are a select few who combine their spiritual connection with a grounding in eldritch combat. These witches traditionally devote themselves to the grim task of binding or banishing malign spirits, and then bending such spirits to their cause.

 Those of the Covenant of Steel often cannot afford to dwell on the wellbeing of their spirits, having often bound them to keep them from endangering the living. They know better than most the danger and power of these rogue entities, and lesser minds have been driven mad by their ethereal influence. For witches of this coven, any interaction with spirits is often kept to a necessary minimum, and even then with great suspicion.

Covenant of Steel Spells

Spells Witch Level

Branding Smite, Spiritual Weapon 3rd

Crusader's Mantle, Phantom Steed 5th

Banishment, Staggering Smite 7th

Banishing Smite, Dispel Good and Evil 9th

Bonus Proficiencies

Beginning at 2nd level, you gain proficiency with light and medium armor, simple weapons and the longsword.

If you're proficient with a simple or martial melee weapon, you can use it as a spellcasting focus for your witch spells.

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if something in the game lets you choose again.

Blind Fighting. Being unable to see a creature doesn’t impose disadvantage on your attack rolls against it, provided the creature isn’t hidden from you.

Dueling. When you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

 Eerie. While you have a spirit bound, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

Imbue Weapon

At 2nd level, you can channel the power of your bound spirits through a weapon. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can touch one nonmagical weapon that you are proficient with and choose one spirit you have bound. The spirit is infused into the weapon until you finish a long rest, and it cannot be released while it is infused in this way.

When you attack with the nonmagic weapon, it gains a bonus to attack and damage rolls equal to the spirit's level divided by three. Whenever you hit a creature with this weapon, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).

Extra Attack

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

Reflexes of Steel

At 10th level, your physical and spiritual reflexes are razor sharp. You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to the number of spirits you have bound.

Additionally, when you make a saving throw you can use your reaction to gain a bonus to the roll equal to the number of spirits you have bound.

Steel Rain

At 14th level, your body and soul have been forged and tempered by your training. As an action, you can release a spirit to unleash a flurry of spiritually fueled strikes. You make a number of weapon attacks equal to half your proficiency bonus (rounded up), and the damage from these attacks ignores resistance and treats immunity as though it was resistance. The spirit's release effect does not trigger.

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

Covenant of Unity

The Covenant of Unity subscribes to a philosophy that all spiritual entities are connected by a collective consciousness. They use this knowledge to surmount power over the spiritual realm itself. In other words, these witches gain their abilities by harnessing the secrets which govern the very basis of spiritual existence, rather than focusing on the relationships between the metaphysical and the material world.

The Covenant of Unity is perhaps more sympathetic to the spirits such witches bind. Witches of this covenant tend to see spirits as allies instead of tools. They trust the spirits they bind enough to allow their power to grow under their command with the purpose of sharing this power.

Covenant of Unity Spells

Spells Witch Level

Augury, Blur 3rd

Phantom Steed, Spirit Guardians 5th

Death Ward, Conjure Woodland Beings 7th

Legend Lore, Telepathic Bond 9th

Spirit Link

Beginning at 2nd level, you can effortlessly link yourself to the souls around you. While in your quickening you can use your action to discern whether a creature you can see has greater or fewer hit points than yourself and any conditions it currently suffers from.

Forceful Presence

At 6th level, after you release a spirit you can choose to retain control over it, so that the spirit remains bound and ready to be released again.

You can use this ability once per long rest.

Powerful Bonds

At 10th level, your body and soul develop the ability to contain more powerful spirits. The passive and release effects of spirits you bind are considered one level higher than the spell slot you use to bind them.

Pale Host

At 14th level, if you are reduced to 0 hit points, but not killed outright, you are not knocked unconscious and your body becomes possessed by a spirit you control while you have 0 hit points. You remain conscious and possessed in this way for 1 round per level of the highest level spirit you have bound. While in this state you still must make death saving throws, and you suffer the normal effects of taking damage. If you regain HP while in this state you may remain in this state for half (rounded down) of the rounds that would have been remaining. 

Onlookers notice a strangeness in your movements, eyes, and voice while you remain possessed. While possessed, you can use your action on your turn to activate the release effect of one of the spirits you have bound and have it remain bound. This does not expend any uses of the Forceful Presence ability.

Binding Rites

The following is a list of different spirits a witch may bind.

Agony

In the presence of a spirit of Agony, foes’ wounds continue to bleed and fires continue to burn. While Agony is bound, when you roll damage for an attack or spell you cast, for each 1 on a damage die, you can add the level of the spirit to the damage total.

Release. You can release Agony as a reaction when you roll the highest possible number on a damage die. Roll a number of d6s equal to the spirit's level and add the total to the triggering damage as that same damage type.

Desire

Spirits of Desire impress your will onto others and enhance existing desires. Friendly and charmed creatures within 30 feet of you have disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws against your spells. Once a creature succeeds on a Wisdom saving throw against one of your spells, that creature is immune to this spirit’s passive effect for 24 hours.

Release. When you release this spirit as a bonus action, you attempt to charm a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be charmed by you for 1 minute or until it takes damage. The spirit's level determines what kind of creature can be charmed. At 3rd level and below, only humanoids and beasts are affected. At 4th level and above, all creatures can be affected.

Empathy

Spirits of Empathy force your enemies to share your pain. While Empathy is bound, whenever a creature deals damage to you, you can use your reaction to retaliate. The creature takes psychic damage equal to the spirit's level.

Release. You can release Empathy as a reaction whenever a creature deals damage to you or an ally within 30 feet of you. The creature takes psychic damage equal to the triggering damage + the spirit’s level.

Envy

Spirits of Envy take from others what they covet for themselves – life. Once on each of your turns, when you damage a creature with an attack or spell while Envy is bound, you regain a number of temporary hit points equal to the level of the spirit.

Release. When you deal damage to a creature with an attack or spell you can release Envy as a reaction. When you do so, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the triggering damage.

Fear

Spirits of Fear bring nightmares to life. While Fear is bound, you can add your proficiency bonus to Charisma (Intimidation) checks, or double it if you already do. Additionally, creatures provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they take the Disengage action before leaving your reach.

Release. When Fear is released from its bonds as a bonus action, a number of creatures equal to the spirit's level within 30 feet of you must succeed on Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be frightened of you for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Generosity

Spirits of Generosity are always willing to make sacrifices for those who bind them with good intentions. Your spells that restore hit points restore additional hit points equal to the spirit's level.

Release. You can release Generosity as a bonus action and gift the spirit to an ally within 30 feet of you. The spirit protects the ally, granting them a number of temporary hit points equal to 5 times the spirit's level. These temporary hit points last 10 minutes.

Guilt

Spirits of Guilt cause your enemies hesitation in acts that would wrong you. While Guilt is bound, when you are attacked you can use your reaction to gain a bonus to AC against that attack equal to the level of the spirit.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to the spirit's level. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Release. When you release Guilt from your power as a bonus action, one creature you can see within 60 feet has disadvantage on attack rolls against you for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turn the target can make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Hate

Spirits of Hate inspire a ferocity in you. When you are damaged by a creature, you can choose to channel Hate and gain advantage on attack rolls against that creature until the end of your next turn.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to the spirit's level. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Release. When you damage a creature with a spell or attack you can release Hate as a reaction. Roll a number of d6s equal to the spirit's level and add the total to the triggering damage as necrotic damage.

Humility

When you make an ability check with which you are not proficient at disadvantage, the result can not be lower than 8 + the level of this spirit.

Release. As a reaction when a creature you can see makes a saving throw or ability check, you can release Humility from your power to bestow it upon the creature. Add the spirit’s level to the roll. You can do so after the roll, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails.

Hunger

Spirits of Hunger sustain their binder and deprive their enemies of energy. While Hunger is bound you require no food or water.

Release. You can release Hunger as a bonus action to exhaust a number of creatures within 30 feet of you equal to the spirit’s level. A target gains one level of exhaustion (as described in appendix A of the Player's Handbook), and cannot be affected by a Spirit of Hunger for 24 hours.

Passion

Spirits of Passion give those who bind them the power to push themselves and others to greater heights of success. While this spirit is bound you can channel Passion when you make an attack roll, ability check or saving throw, or when an ally within 30 feet of you does, you roll a d6 and add the number rolled to the total.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to the spirit's level. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. You lose all remaining dice when you release Passion.

Release. You can release Passion as a reaction when you make an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw. You gain advantage on the roll.

Additionally, you and each friendly creature within 30 feet of you gain a d6 that lasts until the end of your next turn. A creature can expend and roll the d6 when they make an attack roll or ability check, adding it to the total.

Pride

Creatures in your presence are more easily filled with a dangerous sense of pride, oversight, and overconfidence. When you make an ability check that is contested by a creature you can see, you gain a bonus to the ability check equal to the spirit's level.

Release. When a creature you can see succeeds on an attack roll or ability check, you can release Pride as a reaction to curse that creature to a disgraceful fall. The next time the target makes an attack roll or ability check, it does so with disadvantage, and subtracts the spirit’s level from the total.

Serenity

Spirits of Serenity bring peace and clarity of thought to those who bind them. You don't need to sleep. Instead, you can meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.

Additionally, if you or any friendly creatures who can see you regain hit points at the end of a short rest by spending one or more Hit Dice, each of those creatures regains a number of additional hit points equal to the level of the spirit.

Release. When you release Serenity from your power at the start of your turn (no action required), you are no longer blinded, deafened, frightened, paralysed, poisoned, or stunned.

Sloth

Spirits of Sloth inspire sluggishness and laziness of thought and action around you. While Sloth is bound, the ground within 15 feet of you is difficult terrain for your enemies.

Release. When you release Sloth as a bonus action, you can slow a number of creatures up to the spirit's level that you can see. A target must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save a target is slowed until the end of their next turn, and can take either an action or bonus action on their turn, not both.

Sorrow

The failures of your enemies continue to haunt them in the presence of a spirit of Sorrow. While Sorrow is bound to you, when a creature fails a saving throw against one of your spells of 1st level or higher, it takes psychic damage equal to the spirit's level.

Release. When Sorrow is released as a bonus action, choose a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target has disadvantage on the next attack roll or ability check it makes before the end of its next turn. If it misses that attack roll or fails the ability check, roll a number of d6s equal to the spirit's level. The target takes psychic damage equal to the total.

Valor

Spirits of Valor give those who bind them the power to pull through with confidence against poor odds. While Valor is bound, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you have advantage on saves against being frightened.

Release. When you release this spirit as a bonus action, you and a number of creatures equal to the spirit's level that you can see within 30 feet of you are no longer frightened.

Wonder

You radiate an aura of awe when a spirit of Wonder is bound to you. While Wonder is bound, creatures of your choice within 30 feet of you have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to perceive any creature other than you.

Release. You can release Wonder from your power as an action to inspire awe in a number of creatures equal to the spirit's level that you can see within 30 feet of you. A target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or be incapacitated and have a speed of 0 until the end of your next turn.

Spell List

Cantrips (0 Level)

1st Level

2nd Level

3rd Level

4th Level

5th Level

6th Level

7th Level

8th Level

9th Level

Homebrew Item

Spirit Charm

Wondrous item, uncommon (+1), rare (+2), very rare (+3) (requires attunement by a Witch)

A tiny trinket that can be used to trap or enhance spirits. You can use the Charm as a spellcasting focus for your spells while wearing or holding it, and you gain a bonus to spell attack rolls and to the saving throw DCs of your Witch spells. The bonus is determined by the Charm's rarity.

In addition, when you release a bound spirit you can choose to not expend the binding of the spirit. This property of the Charm can't be used again until the next dawn.

Appendix

Multiclassing

Prerequisites: Charisma 13

Attunement/Spells

Witches may attune to/utilize items and custom spells sorcerers can.

Changelog

Comprehensive wording adjustments across the board.

Spirit Ward has received a scaling uses-per-day based on level. The ability should feel strategically rare and valuable.

Familiar spells are now covenant spells.

Covenants are still named covenants, and will not be renamed to covens. We're aware that sometimes a class has their subclass type named after an institution or collection of that class, that is not the case here. (We're also very aware of the unfortunate phonetic crossover between covenant and coven)

Spells Known per level has been adjusted.

Spiritual Spellcasting is no longer inherently broken.

Spellcasting focus was tweaked.

Spell list updated.

Covenants

Newly forged Covenants of Steel.

Spirits

Newly summoned spirits of Humility and Pride

Credits and Thanks

The Witch was summoned from the void by the dizzying mind of u/Zarieth, and bound to this reality by perilously sober u/WriteOftenPlayNever

Thank you all who have contributed their feedback, ideas, and questions.

Special thanks to those above who offered substantial feedback on the class as a whole, those above who offered playtesting feedback.

And many thanks to the Adventuring Guild team who have done a playtest podcast including the witch class (albeit the previous beta version). Check out their stuff at www.theadventuringguild.com.

Finally, thank you to all you playtesters who didn't necessarily have a lot to put in, but who got in contact to say how interesting the class was or how much fun you or your dm/player/friend/partner was having with it!

Art Credits