An old halfling wise woman in a remote village provides herbal remedies to the village folk, while also blessing their crops, helping to ensure good weather, and overseeing rites of coming of age and marriage.
A secretive order of mystics among a human nation's nobility gather monthly to study and practice near forgotten rituals, away from the prying eyes of polite society. The practice continues as it has for generations, and so the sacred magic remains alive in the world.
An elf gathers with the brother and sister of their coven to practice old and deep magic. They mutter incantations praising the hidden goddess, seeking blessings for themselves and their people, and curses for their enemies.
Witches are the keepers of the old magic. They consider themselves to be the original magical tradition from which all others are descended, be they arcane, divine, natural, or otherwise. They dedicate their lives to this pursuit, and indeed for them it is a religious calling. To witches, magic itself is sacred, the secret underpinning of the world and the cosmos, and they worship it either as a force unto itself or personified as deity, pantheon, or other entity. Some follow particular gods or beings not as ends unto themselves, but regarding them as a form of witch themselves, teachers whose experience is to be valued and paths emulated in the service of something even greater.
Witchcraft is not a singular organized religion like most of those served by clerics, or even some druidic circles, but rather a loosely interconnected series of mystery cults ranging from lone individuals to large orders united by a few core beliefs. They consider magic itself to be holy and sacred, that it is not just a natural force like time or gravity but a living entity, and one deserving of reverence even as it serves as a source of great power. Along with this is the fundamental belief that all magic is magic, and that the divisions imposed by other practitioners between things like the divine and arcane are ultimately illusions.
Witches are also united by their embrace of the mysterious. If magic is the sacred underpinning force behind reality and existence, and magic is mysterious and eludes total understanding, then mysteries are themselves sacred, and the truth is the truth precisely because it is hidden. To this end, each witch or group of witches approaches their practice in a unique way, and while many of them have wildly different practices and beliefs they are united in acknowledging all of these, even those that appear contradictory, to be a part or piece of the greater truth. The truth can never be fully revealed, but by reverently pursuing it through magical study and ritual practice you may discover your own truth.
Whether or not their assertions that witchcraft is the original magical practice is true, it is true that many traditions of witchcraft are ancient. Their rites and rituals have been passed down through the ages and generations, at times shifting and evolving but never fully fading away.
Witches therefore carry with them the responsibility of this legacy, a responsibility not all have been up to the task of fulfilling. Even if witches exaggerate their links to some magical traditions it is almost certain that warlocks exist as an off-shoot of witchcraft. Indeed, witches are responsible for giving them the title of warlock, a word that means oathbreaker and supposedly dates back to an ancient original schism wherein power hungry warlocks sold themselves out to capricious beings who promised them shortcuts to power without wisdom, dicipline, or experience, debasing the very magic they practiced in the process.
One of the few true sticking points on which different groups of witches disagree is that some hardliners therefore consider all non-witch spellcasters to be warlocks. Most, however, acknowledge that they have since developed into something else entirely even if initially born out of betrayal. Some even suggest that there is something to learn, new mysteries to discover, new facets of magic to understand, by studying these new traditions.
The most important questions you must answer for your witch are: what are their personal beliefs regarding magic, and why do they believe so. All witches revere magic - what specifically does your character believe? And how do they approach this practice? Do they seek to use rigorous study to gain knowledge about the mystic powers around them and spread their learning to others; do they seek to learn from magic itself or other witches as an acolyte, developing understanding and discernment; or do they seek to throw themselves into the currents mind, body, and soul and wrestle away its secrets as they fight to sink or swim? And what motivates them to do so? Which path do they walk, that of white magic, black magic, or the gray paths between, each a necessary part of the greater whole?
While these questions are important, there are other more practical concerns as well. Where and how were they inducted into the mysteries of witchcraft? Were they raised in these practices, or come upon them later in life, and if the latter was it an intentional choice or something they stumbled into on accident? Do they seek to walk their path alone or as part of a small group or even a large order? Is their practice open and accepted by their neighbors, or is it secret and forbidden? All these and more are viable paths for a witch to have walked.
Table: The Witch
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features | Magical Mysteries Known |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Witch's Familiar, Spellcasting | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Witch Archetype, Witch Magic | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Magical Mysteries, Otherworldly Defense | 2 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 |
| 5th | +3 | A Blessing or a Curse, Witch's Brew | 3 |
| 6th | +3 | Archetype Feature | 3 |
| 7th | +3 | — | 4 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 |
| 9th | +4 | Ritual Mastery | 5 |
| 10th | +4 | Archetype Feature | 5 |
| 11th | +4 | Bewitching Personality | 6 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 |
| 13th | +5 | — | 7 |
| 14th | +5 | Archetype Feature | 7 |
| 15th | +5 | Third Eye | 8 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 8 |
| 17th | +6 | — | 9 |
| 18th | +6 | Ritual Mastery | 9 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement, Scholar's Studies | 10 |
| 20th | +6 | High Priest of Magic | 10 |
A witch gains the following class features.
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 first
Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Daggers, darts, sickles, slings, and quarterstaffs
Tools: Choose one from an artisan's tool, a musical instrument, an herbalism kit, or a poisoner's kit
Saving Throws: Wisdom and either Intelligence or Charisma
Skills: Choose two from Animal Handling, Arcana, Deception, History, Insight, intimidation, Medicine, Nature, Persuasion, or Religion
You begin the game with 100gp which you can spend on your character’s starting weapons, armor, and adventuring gear. You can select your own gear or choose one of the following equipment packages. Also consult the Suggested Equipment section of your chosen background.
Arcane Student's Set (Cost 89gp): Quarterstaff, abacus, clothes (fine), ink (1-ounce bottle), ink pen, orb arcane focus, 10 sheets of parchment, sack, spellbook
Magical Acolyte's Set (77gp): Quarterstaff, dagger 2 flasks of holy water, healer’s satchel, amulet divine focus, priest’s pack
Wandering Witch's Set (38 gold): Quarterstaff, sling and 20 sling bullets, clothe's (traveler's) component pouch, explorer’s pack
Wild Witch's Set (88 gold): Quarterstaff, clothes (common), herbalism kit, priest’s pack, focus tattoo (nature focus), tent (one person), tinder box, healer’s satchel
At 1st level you are given a magical gift in the form of a guide, tutor, and aide. You know the Find Familiar spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn't count against your number of prepared spells. In addition, your familiar is blessed with various additional benefits as you level up.
At 1st level, over the course of a short or long rest, you may choose to feed and empower your familiar. This could be purely magical by meditating to return a portion of the magic and spiritual energies you drew through it, or it could be more literal by feeding it some of your blood. Regardless of the exact means, doing so grants your familiar temporary hit points equal to 2 x your witch level.
When you reach 7th level, after using an action to perceive through their familiar's senses, you may continue doing so without need for further action until you use an action to end it. Once per short or long rest, while perceiving through your familiar's senses you may cast a spell through them as if it had originated from them and using their line of sight.
When you reach 13th level, your familiar gains advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects, and they share this bonus with you as long as you are both within 10 feet of each other. At 17th level the range of this ability increases to 30 feet.
Table: Witch Spells
| Level | Cantrips Known |
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
| 1st | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 12th | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 13th | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 14th | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 15th | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 16th | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 17th | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18th | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19th | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20th | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
In tune with the very essence of magic itself, you are capable of performing great wonders. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the witch spell list.
At 1st level, you know three 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.
The Witch Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your 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.
You prepare the list of witch spells that are available for you to cast, choosing from the witch spell list. When you do so, choose a number of witch spells equal to your spellcasting ability modifier + your witch level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. Casting spells doesn’t remove them from your list of prepared spells.
You can change your list of prepared spells whenever you finish a long rest by meditating for at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list. You can only do so if your familiar is present.
Choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma to be your spellcasting ability. Once you make this choice, you cannot change it. You use the chosen ability whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use that ability modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a witch spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
You can cast a witch spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.
A witch can make use of any arcane, divine, or nature spellcasting focus for spellcasting.
At 2nd level, you choose one of three broad magical paths you will walk: White Magic, Gray Magic, or Black Magic. The chosen path expands your witch spell list, adding additional spells to it. You can choose spells from this ability when preparing your spell list. If you would choose a spell that is not on the witch spell list, it is considered a witch spell for you.
A Note on Witch Magic
While there are definitely moral associations with these paths, it is more complicated than simply Black Magic as evil and White Magic as good. Black Magic tends to represent forces of both evil and chaos, while White Magic represents both good and law, and there is overlap between the two. For a witch, both are two sides of the same coin, both necessary parts of magic as a whole, with Gray Magic being the balanced path between the two.
Witches, more than anything else, plumb the secret depths of magic, uncovering small portions of secrets that defy mortal, and possibly even immortal, comprehension. At 3rd level, you learn a magical mystery.
At 3rd, 11th, and 17th level, you may instead choose a warlock eldritch invocation or secret of arcana instead. You must meet the requirements of any invocation or secret you choose. For this purpose, you count as having the Pact of the Chain. You may not choose the deep patronage, sixth arcanum, seventh arcanum, eight arcanum, or penultimate arcanum invocation. If an option allows you to spend spell points to cast a spell one or more times you may instead do so by expending an appropriate spell slot.
Each mystery may only be chosen once unless otherwise specified.
Otherworldly Defense
At 3rd level you may choose one of the following protective blessings:
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.
At 5th level, you gain the ability to manipulate the strands of fortune and fate. You may do so a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining expended uses on a long rest. Choose one of the following:
Witches have a unique mastery of magical potions and drawing out the eldritch properties of consumable draughts. At 5th level you gain proficiency with alchemist supplies, or an expertise die if already proficient. When crafting potions using alchemist supplies, you reduce the time and gold worth of basic materials required to do so by half.
In addition, if you have access to a cauldron or alchemist supplies and basic ingredients of negligible cost, over the course of a short rest you can brew a number of potions of healing (basic), potions of climbing, or vials of beauty equal to your proficiency bonus. All potions brewed in this way must be the same type and they are unstable, losing their potency if unused when you complete a long rest or after 24 hours. Once you have done so, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest. Starting at level 13, you may instead brew potions of healing (greater), potions of animal friendship, potions of water breathing, or philters of love, and each potion you brew with this ability may be a different type. At level 17, you may instead brew potions of healing (superior), potions of growth, potions of diminution, oil of slipperiness, potions of hill giant strength, or potions of heroism.
Witches have an unparalleled mastery of ritual magic. At 9th level, you can cast any witch spell with the ritual tag, even if you do not have it prepared. In addition, you may choose one of the following abilities:
At 11th level you have learned how to magically enhance your interactions with others, as well as leveraging your natural interpersonal skills to enhance your magic. Choose one of the following:
At 15th level you open your third eye. You gain 60 feet of darkvision if you do not already have it. If you already have darkvision, the range of your darkvision increases by 30 feet. You can see through magical darkness with this darkvision. In addition, you may choose one of the following spells: detect magic, detect evil and good, detect poison and disease, or see invisibility. You gain the benefits of this spell, no spell slot or concentration required, unlimited duration, and the effect cannot be dispelled, though it is supressed by an antimagic field.
At 20th level you become a herald an avatar of all things magical. Choose one spell each of levels 1-5 that are not on the witch spell list for you. These now count as witch spells for you.
You also gain an alignment trait based on the type of witch magic you chose. If you chose white magic, you gain your choice of the Lawful, Good, Lawful and Good, Chaotic and Good, or Lawful and Evil alignment traits; if you chose Black magic you gain your choice of Chaotic, Evil, Chaotic and Evil, Chaotic and Good, or Lawful and Evil alignment traits; if you chose gray magic you gain your choice of Good, Evil, Lawful, Chaotic, Lawful and Evil, or Chaotic and Good alignment traits.
Lastly, you gainthe benefit of a second spell from the Third Eye ability.
When you gain access to a new magical mystery, choose one of the following.
You can select a cantrip from any spell list. You learn it, it does not count against your number of cantrips known, and it counts as a witch spell for you.
Choose Arcana, Nature, or Religion. You gain an expertise die on checks made with the given skill. You may choose this mystery more than once, but must choose a different skill each time. You may also always choose to apply your spellcasting ability modifier to checks with the chosen skill.
Prerequisite: 5th level, Witch's Curse feature
When using a blessing or a curse to curse a target, the penalty increases to d8+spellcasting ability modifier. If a blessing and a curse causes a creature to fail on the roll, they are rattled until the end of their next turn.
Prerequisite: 5th level, Witch's Blessing feature
When using a blessing or a curse to bless a target, the bonus increases to d8+spellcasting ability modifier. If a blessing causes a creature to succeed on the roll, they gain inspiration. A creature who gains inspiration in this way cannot do so again until they finish a long rest.
You gain a pool of points equal to your witch level. As an action you may touch a creature and spend any number of these points to heal them for that many hit points. You may instead spend 5 points from this pool to end a disease or poison affecting a creature. You may end multiple diseases and poisons with a single use, expending hit points separately for each one. This ability has no effect on undead or constructs.
You gain a pool of points equal to your witch level. As an action you may make a melee spell attack against a creature. On a hit, they take necrotic damage equal to the number of expended points and the target cannot regain hit points until the start of your next turn. You must decide how many points you are spending before the attack roll is made.
Prerequisite: 7th level
You may choose a wizard's elective study. You may choose this mystery a second time starting at 13th level.
Innovative Witchery
Prerequisite: 7th level
You may choose a sorcerer's arcane innovation. You may choose this mystery a second time starting at 13th level.
Witch's Faith
Prerequisite: 7th level
You may choose a cleric's sign of faith. You may choose this mystery a second time starting at 13th level.
Witch's Lessons
Prerequisite: 7th level
You may choose a herald's divine lesson. You may choose this mystery a second time starting at 13th level.
Natural Witchery
Prerequisite: 7th level
You may choose a druid's secret of nature. You may choose this mystery a second time starting at 13th level.