Witch | Base Class

Witch

Three old crones stoop over a boiling cauldron filled with all manner of bizarre filth, churning and bubbling with a noxious fume. In the smoke and vapor above the pot, the trio can make out shapes and figures of great import, and one cackles loudly at what she sees.

Witches are stricken by magic so dark it imprints a lasting shadow upon their essence. Through force of personality alone, they can spin this darkness outward, hexing creatures, casting manipulative spells, and even commanding a familiar with their thoughts.

Cursed

While others are blessed with magic, witches are cursed by it. Afflicted by some hateful arcana, whether accidentally or intentionally, witches are twisted inside and out by its daily tortures. With grueling effort, they can warp this power into spells to wrack others with the same torture that plagues them.

Pariahs and Outcasts

Almost without exception, Witches are feared and hated. They are victim to a number of misconceptions, usually relating them to hags and other evil creatures of the night. As a result, known Witches are in great personal danger and can usually be found dwelling on the outskirts of civilization where townsfolk seldom tread. This does little to stop Witch hunting and burnings, but provides some measure of safety from them.

In reality, very few choose to become Witches, and many of them can hide adeptly in society, using their magic to fill a number of roles, from seer, to healer, to apothecary. Being accused as a Witch carries grave consequences, no matter the validity of the claim, so wise Witches relocate frequently, never residing in one place for too long.

Familiar Masters

It is rare to find a witch without his or her constant companion, the familiar. Though familiars might be conjured by other spellcasters as well, a Witch’s familiar is ubiquitous to common folk for good reason. Witches command intuitive magic, and have a deep link to their familiars. As a result, they can conjure more exotic familiars, and command them more swiftly than other spellcasters.

Core Witch Traits

Primary Ability	Charisma
Hit Point Die	D8 per Witch Level
Saving Throw Proficiencies	Wisdom and Charisma
Skill Proficiencies	Choose 2: Arcana, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Nature, Persuasion, Religion, Survival
Weapon Proficiencies	Simple weapons
Tool Proficiencies	Herbalism Kit
Armor Training	Light armor
Starting Equipment	Choose A or B: (A) Leather Armor, Sickle, 2 Daggers, Arcane Focus (orb), Explorer’s Pack, and 5 GP; or (B) 50 GP

Becoming a Witch…

As a Level 1 Character

• Gain all of the traits in the Core Witch Traits table.
• Gain the Witch’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Witch Features table.

As a Multiclass Character

• Gain the following traits from the Core Witch Traits table: Hit Point Die, proficiency with the Herbalism Kit, and training with Light armor.
• Gain the Witch’s level 1 features, which are listed in the Witch Features table. See the multiclassing rules to determine your available spell slots.

Level	Prof. Bonus	Features	Hexes	Cantrips	Prepared Spells	Spell Slots per Spell Level
						1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1	+2	Spellcasting, Hexes, Witch’s Curse	2	2	2	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2	+2	Cackle, Familiar	3	2	4	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3	+2	Witch Subclass	3	2	6	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4	+2	Ability Score Improvement	3	3	7	4	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5	+3	Insidious Spell	4	3	9	4	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
6	+3	Subclass feature	4	3	10	4	3	3	—	—	—	—	—	—
7	+3	Improved Familiar	4	3	11	4	3	3	1	—	—	—	—	—
8	+3	Ability Score Improvement	4	3	12	4	3	3	2	—	—	—	—	—
9	+4	Hastened Hex	5	3	14	4	3	3	3	1	—	—	—	—
10	+4	Subclass feature	5	4	15	4	3	3	3	2	—	—	—	—
11	+4	Grand Hex	5	4	16	4	3	3	3	2	1	—	—	—
12	+4	Ability Score Improvement	5	4	16	4	3	3	3	2	1	—	—	—
13	+5	Grand Hex	6	4	17	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	—	—
14	+5	Subclass feature	6	4	17	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	—	—
15	+5	Grand Hex	6	4	18	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	—
16	+5	Ability Score Improvement	6	4	18	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	—
17	+6	Grand Hex	7	4	19	4	3	3	3	2	1	1	1	1
18	+6	Vengeful Curse	7	4	20	4	3	3	3	3	1	1	1	1
19	+6	Epic Boon	7	4	21	4	3	3	3	3	2	1	1	1
20	+6	Hexmaster	7	4	22	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	1	1

Witch Class Features

As a Witch, you gain the following class features when you reach the specified Witch levels. These features are listed in the Witch Features table

Level 1: Spellcasting

You have learned to mold and reshape the magic that curses you into spells. The information below details how you use those rules with Witch spells, which appear in the Witch spell list later in the class’s description.

Cantrips. You know two cantrips of your choice from the Witch spell list. Chill Touch and Minor Illusion are recommended.

Whenever you gain a Witch level, you can replace one of your cantrips with another cantrip of your choice from the Witch spell list.

When you reach Witch levels 4 and 10, you learn another cantrip of your choice from the Witch spell list, as shown in the Cantrips column of the Witch Features table

Spell Slots. The Witch Features table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your level 1+ spells. You regain all expended slots when you finish a Long Rest

Prepared Spells of Level 1+. You prepare the list of level 1+ spells that are available for you to cast with this feature. To start, choose two level 1 spells from the Witch spell list. Hideous Laughter and Thunderwave are recommended.

The number of spells on your list increases as you gain Witch levels, as shown in the Prepared Spells column of the Witch Features table. Whenever that number increases, choose additional spells from the Witch spell list until the number of spells on your list matches the number on the table. The chosen spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.

If another Witch feature gives you spells that you always have prepared, those spells don’t count against the number of spells you can prepare with this feature, but those spells otherwise count as Witch spells for you.

Changing Your Prepared Spells. Whenever you gain a Witch level, you can replace one spell on your list with another Witch spell for which you have spell slots.

Spellcasting Ability. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your Witch spells.

Spellcasting Focus. You can use an Arcane Focus as a Spellcasting Focus for your Witch spells.

Level 1: Witch’s Curse

You are wracked by a terrible curse, which infects your body and soul. Choose the form that this curse takes from the following options.

Burned. Your body has been scorched by arcane flames, leaving you with striking black scars and embers of magic burning under your skin. You have Resistance to Fire damage, and you know the Produce Flame cantrip, which doesn’t count against your number of cantrips known.

Drowned. Water fills your lungs, and yet you live. You can breathe underwater and gain a Swim Speed equal to your Speed.

Feral. Through your curse, you have forgotten the manners and customs of civilization. You have proficiency in the Survival skill. Additionally, while you aren’t wearing armor, your base Armor Class equals 13 plus your Dexterity modifier.

Hideous. Your appearance is ghastly to behold. You have proficiency in the Intimidation skill. When you roll Initiative, you can choose one Humanoid you can see to scare. That creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC or have the Frightened condition until the end the first round of combat.

Hollow. Your soul has been divorced from your body, trapping you in a limbo between life and death. When you or your familiar reduces an enemy to 0 Hit Points, you drain some of its life force, gaining Temporary Hit Points equal to your Charisma modifier + your Witch level (minimum of 1).

Infested. You are constantly followed by vermin, like insects and rats, which crawl on your skin and swarm in your wake. Beasts have Disadvantage on attacks against you. Additionally, you can command these pests as your own. At Witch level 2, you can choose the form of a Swarm of Insects or a Swarm of Rats for your familiar.

Loveless. You are cursed to never find true love. You have Immunity to the Charmed condition.

Possessed. Your soul is occupied by a foreign spirit that sometimes tries to wrest away your consciousness. However, while you sleep, the spirit whispers magical secrets to you. You can prepare an additional Witch spell.

You can prepare another extra Witch spell at level 3 (2 spells) and 5 (3 spells).

Starving. No matter how much you eat, food turns to ash in your mouth. Your curse nourishes you, but only at the edge of starvation, and you are constantly wracked by pangs of hunger. Forgoing food and drink doesn’t give you levels of Exhaustion. Additionally, you have Resistance to Poison damage. You also have Advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the Poisoned condition.

Visions. You are cursed to have terrible visions of the future, presaging the death of your friends, family, and yourself. Though many of these visions are cruel deceptions, they are sometimes grimly accurate. You gain a bonus to Initiative rolls equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum bonus of +1).

Whispers. Unseen voices murmur in your ears at all times. You can speak telepathically to any creature you can see within 60 feet of yourself. Your telepathic utterances are in a language you know, and the creature understands you only if it knows that language. Your communication doesn’t give the creature the ability to respond to you telepathically.

Level 1: Hexes

You learn a number of powerful cantrips, known as Hexes, derived from the same insidious magic that cursed you.

You know two Hexes of your choice from the Witch spell list, which don’t count against your number of cantrips known. Hex: Misfortune and Hex: Ruin are recommended. Whenever you gain a Witch level, you can replace one of your Hexes with another Hex of your choice from the Witch spell list. When you gain certain Witch levels, you gain more Hexes of your choice, as shown in the Hexes column of the Witch Features table.

Level 2: Cackle

You can take a Bonus Action to cackle. When you do so, you extend the duration of one of Hexes by 1 round, provided the Hex has a duration of 1 round or longer and the target of the Hex is within the spell’s range. Not all witches laugh maniacally when they cackle, but all cackles require a Verbal component, as if casting a spell. These range from mundane curses and insults, to the murmuring of dead languages and speaking backwards.

Level 2: Familiar

You always have the Find Familiar spell prepared, and you can cast it as a Ritual in 10 minutes without spell components. The spell is improved in the following ways when you cast it.

Expanded Options. You can choose one of the normal forms for your familiar or one of the following special forms: Death Snail,* Flying Book,* Homunculus, Mock,* Moon Jelly,* Pet Rock,* Pseudodragon (can’t take its Sting action), Rag Doll,* Tin Soldier,* and Winter Wolf Pup.* The statistics for creatures marked with an asterisk can be found in the Familiars section. 

Witch Familiar. The familiar’s stat block is improved, as detailed in the Witch Familiar sidebar.

Synchronized Turns. Your familiar takes its turn immediately before or after your turn each round (your choice).

Quick Attack. Once per turn as an action or Bonus Action, you can command your familiar to take the Attack action (one attack only) or take another action in its stat block on its turn.

Spell Channeling. When you cast a spell with a range other than Self on your turn, you can cast it as if you were in your familiar’s space. The familiar must be within 100 feet of you, and it must take a Reaction to deliver the spell when you cast the spell as normal.

Witch Familiar As a witch, familiars you summon are imbued with your insidious magic, granting them the following benefits:

Hit Points. You add twice your Witch level to your familiar’s Hit Point maximum.
Your Spell Attack Modifier. Your familiar can use your spell attack modifier for its attack rolls.
Your Saving Throw. If your familiar forces a creature to make a saving throw, it uses your spell save DC.
Your Proficiency Bonus. Your familiar adds your Proficiency Bonus to its AC, saving throws, and damage rolls

Level 3: Witch Subclass

You gain a Witch subclass of your choice. A subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Witch levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass’s features that are of your Witch level or lower.

Level 4: Ability Score Improvement

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify. You gain this feature again at Witch levels 8, 12, and 16.

Level 5: Insidious Spell

When you cast a Witch spell that affects a creature that is under the effect of your Hex, that creature has Disadvantage on its first saving throw against the spell.

This feature only applies to an enemy that is the sole target of your Hex.

Level 7: Improved Familiar

Your Find Familiar spell improves in the following ways.

Force Damage. Whenever your familiar deals damage with an attack, it can deal your choice of Force or its normal damage type.

Expanded Options. You can choose one of the following forms for your familiar: Fright,* Grep,* Imp, Quasit, Sprite, or Yarn Golem.* The statistics for creatures marked with an asterisk can be found in the Familiars section.

Level 9: Hastened Hex

Once per turn when you cast a Hex using your action, you can cast a Witch cantrip that isn’t a Hex and has a casting time of an action as a part of that casting.

Level 11: Grand Hex

You have perfected deeply malevolent forms of magic. You learn one Grand Hex, and you learn another at Witch Level 13, 15, and 17. Grand Hexes are described in the “Grand Hexes” section later on in the class’s description.

Level 18: Vengeful Curse

When an enemy you can see within 60 feet of you deals damage that causes you or an ally you can see within 60 feet to become Bloodied, you can take a Reaction to curse the enemy. Until the end of your next turn, the creature has Disadvantage on D20 Tests.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest.

Level 19: Epic Boon

You gain an Epic Boon feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

Level 20: Hexmaster

You have mastered your foul magic. When you cast a Hex that requires a saving throw, you can cause one target to automatically fail. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest. You can also restore one use of it by expending a spell slot (no action required).

Male and Female Witches
Witches are commonly considered to be only female, but in reality, male and female Witches exist in equal numbers. This misconception is due to the fact that male Witches are often called Hexers or incorrectly deemed Warlocks by common folk.

Grand Hexes

Grand Hex options appear in alphabetical order.

Abominable Familiar

As a Magic action, you can suffuse your familiar with insidious magic, transforming it into an abominable monster. This transformation lasts for 1 hour or until you lose your Concentration (as if you were concentrating on a spell). Your familiar uses the Abominable Familiar stat block and retains none of the benefits of the Familiar feature, except for Spell Channeling and Synchronized Turns. On its turn, the familiar can use Multiattack.

Once you use this Grand Hex, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest. You can also restore your use of it by expending a level 5+ spell slot (no action required).

Abominable Familiar Large Monstrosity, Unaligned
AC 13 plus your Charisma modifier HP 5 plus five times your Witch level (the companion has a number of Hit Dice [d8s] equal to your Witch level) Speed 40 ft., Climb 40 ft.
		MOD	SAVE			MOD	SAVE			MOD	SAVE
STR	19	+4	+4	DEX	17	+3	+3	CON	18	+4	+4
INT	10	+0	+0	WIS	11	+0	+0	CHA	13	+1	+1
Immunities Charmed, Frightened Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10 Languages Understands the languages you know CR None (XP 0; PB equals your Proficiency Bonus) Actions Multiattack. The familiar makes a number of Rend attacks equal to half your Proficiency Bonus (round down). Rend. Melee Attack Roll: Bonus equals your spell attack modifier, reach 5 ft. Hit: 1d8 + 4 plus your Charisma modifier Force damage. Bonus Actions Rampage. When the familiar reduces a creature to 0 Hit Points on its turn, the familiar can move up to half its Speed and make a Rend attack.

Cauldron

You can brew potions in a bubbling cauldron using raw ingredients scavenged from nature.

Alchemy Points. You have a pool of alchemy points equal to your Witch level which you use to brew potions. You regain all expended alchemy points when you finish a Long Rest.

Brewing Potions. You can spend 10 minutes and expend any number of alchemy points to brew potions, which can be done during a Short Rest. You can have a total number of potions at one time up to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). These potions retain potency until you finish a Long Rest, after which they become inert.

The potions available for you to brew are given on the Cauldron Potions table.

Potion	Alchemy Points
Elixir of Health	2
Philter of Love	1
Potion of Animal Friendship	1
Potion of Clairvoyance	2
Potion of Diminution	2
Potion of Gaseous Form	2
Potion of Greater Healing	2
Potion of Growth	2
Potion of Healing	1
Potion of Heroism	2
Potion of Invisibility	2
Potion of Resistance	1

Coven

You can induct others into your insidious coven.

Forming a Coven. By performing a special ritual over the course of 8 hours, which can be done during a Long Rest, you can intermingle your cursed magic with a willing creature which then enters into your coven. Your coven can have up to three members, including yourself.

Coven Range. Members of your coven only gain access to the coven’s benefits if they are within 30 feet of another coven member.

Prepared Coven Spells. Coven members temporarily prepare the spells of the Coven Spells table, which doesn’t count against their number of spells prepared. These spells must be a level for which a coven member has spell slots. A coven member that lacks the Spellcasting and Pact Magic features only prepares level 1 spells.

Shared Spell Slots. Coven members gain access to a shared pool of five spell slots—one of each level, from 1 to 5—which they can use to cast spells as normal. Expended spell slots are regained when all members of the coven finish a Long Rest.

Spellcasting Ability. Coven members use their own spellcasting ability for their Coven Spells. A coven member that lacks the Spellcasting and Pact Magic features chooses Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma for its spellcasting ability when it enters the coven.

Spell Level	Spells
1	Bane, Hideous Laughter
2	Invisibility, Ray of Enfeeblement
3	Bestow Curse, Counterspell
4	Banishment, Polymorph
5	Contagion, Scrying

Dual Hex

When you cast a Hex using your action, you can cast a second Hex or cast the original Hex a second time targeting a different creature as a part of the same action. Both Hexes must have a casting time of an action. Your Cackle feature extends the duration of both Hexes.

Each target affected by your Hexes counts as being the sole target of your Hex for Insidious Spell and other Witch features.

Forceful Personality

Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your maximum for this score increases to 22.

Hybrid

While your familiar is within 5 feet of yourself, you can meld with it as a Bonus Action, transforming into a magical hybrid. You remain transformed for 1 minute or until you dismiss the transformation (no action required). When your transformation ends, your familiar reappears within 5 feet of you or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. While transformed, you gain the following benefits.

Once you use this Grand Hex, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest. You can also restore your use of it by expending a level 5+ spell slot (no action required).

Temporary Hit Points. You gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your familiar’s Hit Points.

Armor Class. Your AC equals 10 plus your Dexterity and Charisma modifiers.

Natural Weapons. You gain natural Melee weapons corresponding to your familiar’s attacks. When you use your Unarmed Strike to deal damage with that weapon, it deals 1d10 Force damage instead of the normal damage for your Unarmed Strike, and you use your Charisma for the attack and damage rolls rather than using Strength.

Extra Attack. You can attack twice, instead of once, when you take the Attack action on your turn.

Movement. You can use any Speed your familiar possesses.

Poison Apple

As a Magic action, you can produce a magical apple out of thin air. This apple can possess whatever appearance you wish, be that a ruby red coloration, a golden skin, or the appearance of crystal. The apple shrivels and becomes nonmagical if it isn’t eaten within 24 hours. Once you produce an apple, you can’t produce another one until you finish a Long Rest.

Eating the Apple. You can use a Bonus Action to eat the apple, granting the following benefits.

Hit Points. You regain Hit Points equal to twice your Witch level plus your Charisma modifier.
Regain a Spell Slot. You regain an expended spell slot of level 5 or lower.
End Condition. You can remove one of the following conditions from yourself: Blinded, Deafened, Paralyzed (if the apple is fed to you as an action), or Poisoned.

Another Creature Eating the Apple. If a creature other than yourself eats the apple, it doesn’t gain any benefits. Instead, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC with Disadvantage or suffer the following effects.

Poisoned. The creature has the Poisoned condition for up to 24 hours.
Hit Point Loss. At the end of each hour while the creature has the Poisoned condition, it takes 4d8 Necrotic damage and its Hit Point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the Necrotic damage it took. This damage ignores Resistance and Immunity. If this reduction causes the creature to drop to 0 Hit Points, the creature instead drops to 1 Hit Point and has the Unconscious condition, falling into a catatonic sleep for up to 7 days. A Remove Curse spell or similar magic can awaken this creature early.

Possession

As a Magic action, your body becomes immaterial, and your spirit attempts to possess a Large or smaller creature you can see within 10 feet of you. A creature warded by a Protection from Evil and Good or Magic Circle spell, or that has a Challenge Rating greater than your Witch level can’t be possessed. The target must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, you disappear and the target becomes possessed.

You control the possessed target, using its statistics, though you retain your Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma and personality. You don’t gain access to the target’s knowledge, class features, or proficiencies.

For the purposes of spells and effects which can end possession, such as the spell Dispel Evil and Good, you are treated as an Undead spirit and can be banished from the target, returning to your own body, which rematerializes within 5 feet of the target.

This possession lasts for 1 hour, or until the body drops to 0 Hit Points or you are forced out by a spell or effect that ends possession.

Once you use this Grand Hex, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest. You can also restore your use of it by expending a level 6+ spell slot (no action required).

Witch’s Broom

You can use a Magic action to enchant a mundane object—such as a broom, cauldron, or rug—with the power of flight. While holding this item, you have a Fly Speed equal to 60 feet, as long as you aren’t wearing Medium or Heavy armor. This object remains enchanted until you use this Grand Hex to enchant a different object.

Witch’s Hut

You can perform a 24-hour ritual to enchant a structure that can fit within a 15-foot cube, animating it as a Huge object, as per the Animate Objects spell. The structure rises up on a pair of magical legs and follows your commands.

The entrance to the structure is linked to an extradimensional dwelling, as per the Magnificent Mansion spell. You can command the structure from inside this dwelling. If the structure is destroyed, the extradimensional dwelling is unharmed, but any creatures inside it are expelled into the unoccupied spaces nearest to the entrance.

As a Magic action, you can teleport the structure to an unoccupied space you can see within 60 feet of you. Once you teleport the structure, you can’t do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

You can repeat the 24-hour ritual to end the enchantment on your previous structure and enchant a new one

Witch Subclasses

A Witch subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Witch levels, as specified in the subclass.

Name	Description
Black	Practices the necromantic arts and wields dark spells of suffering
Green	Practices magic associated with plants, animals, and the natural world
Red	A destructive spellcaster wielding magic that ruins and burns
White	A natural healer and practitioner of restorative magic

Get all 14 Witch’s crafts in the Complete Witch!

Witch’s Familiars

The idea of a Witch is inseparable from that of their familiar. The fluidity and ease by which they command a summoned companion makes it almost an extension of the Witch’s self; a second set of eyes and a willing set of claws for any dangerous situation. And while many Witches opt to summon inconspicuous familiars, like Cats, Frogs, and Owls, many more conjure creatures from the furthest reaches of the multiverse or to bestow sentience upon inanimate objects.

Witch Familiar stat blocks

Witch Spell List

A witch’s magic is dark, rooted in the agony of a sinister curse. But darkness begets darkness, and a witch’s curse begets even greater curses.

Click here for the Witch spell list