Brews and Curses: Creating Unique Witchbane Potions in D&D 5e

The Witch is a character class in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition that possesses magical abilities and specializes in manipulating magical energy to cast spells and perform arcane rituals. Witches tap into the arcane forces of the world to control the elements, summon magical beings, and perform feats of enchantment and divination. Witches are known for their deep connection to nature and often draw their magical powers from the natural world. They are masters of herbalism and potion-making, using plants and natural ingredients to brew potions and concoctions with various effects. Their spells often involve nature-based elements such as fire, water, earth, and wind. In addition to their spellcasting abilities, witches are also skilled in curses and hexes.

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 spellcasters as close cousins. As a consequence, witches are often fond of forming alliances. One kind of alliance is the circle that a witch belongs to.

Additionally, as an action, you may allow your familiar to use its reaction to deliver a spell with any range, instead of only those spells with a range of touch. Were they to try and introduce Druid as a new class today it d get shot down for both this reason and that it s too tied to one specific culture and thus could be seen as non-inclusive.

In addition to their spellcasting abilities, witches are also skilled in curses and hexes. They can use their magic to inflict a variety of negative effects on their enemies, such as causing illness, bad luck, or even physical harm. Witches are also adept at placing protective spells on themselves and their allies, shielding them from harm or negating the effects of enemy spells.

D&D 5E So Where my Witches at?

Tasha's Cauldron got me thinking, where (or what) is the Witch in D&D (5e)?

Tasha is stated to be a witch. Commonly, "witches" are represented by the warlock class. There are "witch" invocations (such as witch sight) that back up the theme, and their spells are witch-y with things like hex and witch bolt. However, Tasha comes off sounding much more like a traditional wizard from her commentary, speaking of spell research and wizard academies. Seems to me WotC missed an excellent opportunity to have a "witch" wizard subclass (with all the potion-brewing, hexing, and toad-making that comes with it) but then again, isn't that the warlock's domain? And that mostly just covers the classic Halloween witch, which is to say nothing about the more traditional "nature mage" that the Pathfinder witch and 4e Witch classes filled. Again, you might argue a fey warlock kindasorta fills that niche, but there is probably some design space here (especially as a subclass for druids or sorcerers) that could have been used.

I guess I kinda feel that if you are going to make a product that features an important D&D witch, you ought to, ya know, put some witch-stuff in the book?

Lanefan

Victoria Rules

Witch classes have been tried for ages - I remember one or two going by in early Dragon magazines - and have for whatever reason never caught on.

Further, using Witch as a class name risks offending parts of the sometimes-quick-to-take-offense neo-Pagan movement if there's anything the least bit negative about the class; and I very much suspect WotC are well aware of this.

Retreater

Legend

That, and all the hubbub about Harry Potter amongst some communities due to their use of "witch" to describe a female wizard. The term has a history that would alienate gamers in many walks of life, whether they feel this is anti-Christian, anti-Pagan, or something else.
I say, just leave it as a warlock and it works fine.

Remathilis

Legend

Witch classes have been tried for ages - I remember one or two going by in early Dragon magazines - and have for whatever reason never caught on.

Further, using Witch as a class name risks offending parts of the sometimes-quick-to-take-offense neo-Pagan movement if there's anything the least bit negative about the class; and I very much suspect WotC are well aware of this.

I'm not sure about the latter; neo-paganism hasn't bothered them enough to remove the Druid.

But yes, there hasn't been a true "witch" class that truly took off. There was an NPC class (1e), a wizard kit (2e), and a 4e wizard subclass, (I don't think there was ever a proper 3e witch, though PF made one) but I think its a strong enough archetype that it could at least warrant a subclass with the "samurai and knight" treatment.

Faolyn

(she/her)

Remathilis

Legend

You could make the same argument about paladin, ranger, or druid, not to mention necromancer, assassin, or cavalier.

Lanefan

Victoria Rules

Only due to timing: Druid was in as a class before the neo-Pagan movement really got up any steam and thus had/has precedent on its side.

Were they to try and introduce 'Druid' as a new class today it'd get shot down for both this reason and that it's too tied to one specific culture and thus could be seen as non-inclusive.

But yes, there hasn't been a true "witch" class that truly took off. There was an NPC class (1e), a wizard kit (2e), and a 4e wizard subclass, (I don't think there was ever a proper 3e witch, though PF made one) but I think its a strong enough archetype that it could at least warrant a subclass with the "samurai and knight" treatment.

Pretty sure there was more than one proposed Witch class in Dragon during the 1980s. Maybe one was the NPC class and another was a trial balloon for a PC class?

Enevhar Aldarion

Hero

Witch classes have been tried for ages - I remember one or two going by in early Dragon magazines - and have for whatever reason never caught on.

Further, using Witch as a class name risks offending parts of the sometimes-quick-to-take-offense neo-Pagan movement if there's anything the least bit negative about the class; and I very much suspect WotC are well aware of this.

No, males in the real world who consider themselves witches are much more offended by being called a warlock, and it's negative meaning, whether the modern meaning was once historically not accurate. Don't ever label someone who takes this seriously as an oath breaker. As for Witch, you have to deal with the stereotype that only females can be witches, so in the early days of D&D, when the vast majority of players were male, of course a Witch class failed.

Alzrius

The EN World kitten

As others have noted, official D&D has always had a hard time getting a witch character role off the ground; it's not that there haven't been attempts (there've been many), it's just that none have really caught on. Conceptually, the niche remains unfulfilled, which is why the community keeps trying with everything ranging from new classes to warlock patrons to wizard traditions.

Please note my use of affiliate links in this post.

Weiley31

Legend

Witch as a class is more a Pathfinder type deal since its in it.(On the other side of the coin, the Pathfinder 2E Witch is more like the Warlock in the fact that both the Warlock/Witch has/deal with a Patron.)

Plus the Witch brings up the image of the Hag. Which is its own buckets of apples in DND.

Blue Orange

Gone to Texas

There was a semi-official version in the 3e DMG that consisted of just a spell list as I recall, in addition to the 2e kit, Pathfinder, and the 4e wizard subclass and the various Dragon magazine, third-party, and homebrew versions produced throughout the various editions. (Where was the 1e NPC class? There was a witch-doctor for goblinoids that had some cleric and mage spells. )

The warlock in D&D is a little different, though--it's much more offense-oriented, and is actually closer to the older idea of the witch as someone who made a pact with the devil. The idea of "potion-brewing, hexing, and toad-making" rural spellcaster, which could be good or evil, is more of a 'hedge mage', someone who lives in the country and doesn't have access to the complicated scholastic training of the wizard but does minor magics for (or against) their local community, has become somewhat separate. Somewhere between wizard and druid.

I also suspect that it's usually seen as more of a minor character and people aren't as familiar with what the epic endgame would look like--we have a pretty good idea of the legendary warrior, high priest, or archmage, but nobody's really sure what a 20th-level witch would look like.

You could clarify that it's open to any gender and have art examples. And there's no reason it has to be evil-only. Even warlocks can be any alignment, and they've sold their souls to something.

Your familiar obeys your commands to the best of its abilities. It takes its turn on your initiative, though it doesn't take an action unless you command it to. On your turn, you can verbally command your familiar to where you want it to go. You can use a bonus action to verbally command it to take the attack, dash, disengage, dodge or help action.

Witches are often depicted as mysterious and solitary individuals, lurking on the outskirts of society and practicing their craft in secret. They are often misunderstood and feared by the common folk, who regard them with suspicion and superstition. Despite this, many witches use their powers for good, using their magic to heal the sick, protect the weak, and dispel evil forces. In combat, witches are versatile spellcasters, able to adapt their spell selection to suit the situation. They can deal damage from range with spells like Fireball or Lightning Bolt, or support their allies with healing spells and buffs. Witches also have access to powerful utility spells, such as teleportation and scrying, which allow them to gather information and navigate through dangerous environments. Overall, the witch is a fascinating character class in D&D 5e, combining elements of nature, mysticism, and spellcasting. They offer a unique and versatile playstyle, allowing players to harness the power of magic and manipulate the forces of nature to their advantage. Whether they are using their magic for good or ill, witches are sure to leave a lasting impression on any D&D campaign..

Reviews for "Dealing with the Devil: Pact Magic for Witches in D&D 5e"

1. John - 2 stars

I was really excited to try out the "Dbd 5e witch" game, but I was pretty disappointed with it. The concept seemed interesting at first, but the execution was lacking. The rules were confusing and poorly explained, making it difficult to fully understand how to play the game. Additionally, the gameplay itself felt repetitive and monotonous after a while. Overall, I think there are much better role-playing games out there that provide a more engaging and enjoyable experience.

2. Sarah - 3 stars

I had high hopes for "Dbd 5e witch" after hearing positive reviews, but it just didn't live up to the hype for me. The character customization options were limited, and the overall game mechanics felt clunky and unrefined. The combat system also lacked depth and strategy, making battles feel uninspiring. In terms of story, it was lackluster and didn't grab my attention. While it may appeal to some players, it didn't capture my interest enough to continue playing.

3. Mark - 2 stars

I found "Dbd 5e witch" to be quite underwhelming. The game seemed rushed, with numerous bugs and glitches that negatively impacted the overall experience. The user interface was cluttered and difficult to navigate, making it frustrating to perform even the simplest tasks. Additionally, the game lacked a compelling storyline or meaningful character development, which left me feeling detached from the world and characters. Overall, it felt like a half-baked attempt at a role-playing game, and I wouldn't recommend it.

4. Emily - 2.5 stars

"Dbd 5e witch" had a lot of potential, but it fell short in several areas. The game's graphics were lackluster, and the environments often felt empty and lifeless. The controls were also clunky and unintuitive, making it difficult to perform basic actions. The quests and objectives lacked variety and seemed repetitive. While the game did have some interesting concepts, the execution didn't live up to my expectations. I would recommend looking for other role-playing games that offer a more polished and immersive experience.

Secrets of the Coven: Forming and Leading a Witch Coven in D&D 5e