Occultist
Occultists dabble in a bit of everything, becoming highly dangerous or benign individuals. They draw power from sources other than themselves to gain power. An Occultist’s knowledge is their greatest weapon as they delve into secrets, pacts, and artifacts to gain more influence. While the term occultist has a negative connotation, each Occultist walks their own path and uses their power for good or ill.
The path of an Occultist is a winding one. They take various paths to channel arcane tools or powers that shape their abilities. Each Occultist takes a path unique to them. As they gain experience and collect occult objects, they build powerful talismans that protect them. They uncover grand rites that they perform to channel otherworldly power to fulfill their objectives.
The average Occultist loves adventure and the connection to the unknown. They seek out knowledge, fragments of power, and otherworldly connections. The possibility of new paths to walk and new power to channel is thrilling. Occultists are driven by knowledge to go above and beyond their limits to reach greater heights of power and enlightenment.
Quick Build
You can make an Occultist quickly by following these suggestions. First, put your highest ability score in WIS, followed by INT if you desire to learn more about the occult or CON if you fear combat. Second, choose the Cultist Background.
Class Features
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1D8 per Occultist level
At 1st level: 8 + Your CON Modifier
At higher levels: 1D8 or 5 if lower than 5, + CON Modifier
Proficiencies
- Armor
- None
- Weapons
- Daggers, Maces, Quarterstaffs, Sickles, Scythes, Light Crossbows
- Tools
- Glassblowers Tools, Herbalism Kit
- Saving Throws
- INT, WIS
- Skills
- Choose two from: Arcana, Deception, History, Insight, Intimidation, Investigation, Medicine, Perception, and Religion
- Spellcasting
- WIS
Starting Equipment
- 1. (a) quarterstaff or (b) a scythe
- 2. (a) two daggers or (b) a light crossbow and 20 bolts
- 3. (a) glassblowers Tools or (b) an herbalism kit
- 4. Scholar’s pack
Occultist Table
| Level | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | — | |||
| 2nd | 3 | — | |||
| 3rd | 4 | 2 | — | ||
| 4th | 4 | 3 | — | ||
| 5th | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | |
| 6th | 4 | 3 | — | ||
| 7th | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | |
| 8th | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | |
| 9th | 4 | 3 | 1 | ||
| 10th | 4 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 11th | 4 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 12th | 4 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 13th | 4 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 14th | 4 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 15th | 4 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 16th | 4 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 17th | 4 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 18th | 4 | 3 | |||
| 19th | 4 | 3 | |||
| 20th | 4 | 3 |
| Ability Check | Creature Type |
|---|---|
| Arcana | Elemental, Aberration |
| History | Dragon, Fey |
| Religion | Undead, Celestial, or Fiend |
| Path | Feature |
|---|---|
| Ceremony | You use ceremonies to great effect. You can use this feature to give two spells as long as they do not deal damage and are of a level less than half your WIS modifier (Minimum 1) rounded down the ability to cast them as a Ritual. You can change one spell during the course of a long rest. |
| Curses | You know the spell Bestow Curse and can imbue an object with the spell. A creature must make an Arcana check DC equal to your spell save DC to detect the curse. As long as the target you choose comes in contact with the cursed object it has the effect you chose from Bestow Curse. You can only have one cursed object at a time. If you create a new cursed object the first one becomes a normal one. |
| Crystal | You can use a Crystal as your Spellcasting Focus. The crystal's arcane power can be used to substitute for spell components with a total value of 25 GPs once per long rest. |
| Dreams | You can use dreams to communicate with creatures you have met. During a long rest you can have a conversation up to minutes equal to your WIS modifier (Minimum 1) with a creature that you have touched as long as they are on the same plane of existence. |
| Herbs | You also have proficiency with the Poisoner’s Kit. You can craft a Potion of Healing or Poison that is Common at Occult levels 2-4, Uncommon at levels 5-8, and Rare at levels 9-11 during the course of a long rest with 1D4 days of preparation and half the value of the Poison or Potion of Healing. |
| Kitchen | You have proficiency with Cooking Utensils. You can use uncommon ingredients and your talent to bake spells into food. You can add the following spells to food you make during the course of a long rest. Animal Friendship, Charm Person, Comprehend Languages, Cure Wounds or Hex. |
| Old Ways | You foster a primal connection to the land. You have proficiency with an exotic language and Animal Handling, Nature, or Survival. You can cast the spell Augury once per long rest without expending a spell slot. |
| Oracle | You crafted a Crystal Ball. You have access to the cantrip Guidance and can cast the spells Detect Evil and Good, Detect Magic, or Detect Poison and Disease once a long rest each without expending a spell slot. |
| Researcher | You have traveled throughout the land and have gathered many skills. You can learn any one language and proficiency with any two skills, or any tool. You learn one Druid cantrip. |
| Soothsayer | You have proficiency with the Tarokka Deck. For creatures up to your WIS modifier (Minimum 1) per long rest you can tell their fortune. If the card is face up the future looks good and the opposite for upside down. The suit determines the area. The high deck for all D20 tests, swords for combat, coins for transactions, stars for ability checks, and glyphs for saving throws. A good fortune gives a 1D4 bonus to the corresponding D20 test and an ill fortune gives a 1D4 penalty. The bonuses and penalties last until the creature completes a long rest. |
| Voodoo | If you have a piece of a target such as a strand of hair or fingernail you can craft it into a voodoo doll over the course of a long rest. As long as you have the doll on you, the creature has a penalty to your spell saves equal to your WIS modifier (Minimum 1). You can have one voodoo doll at a time, if you create a new one the previous one turns to ash. |
| Material | Protection |
|---|---|
| Aberration | Psychic |
| Celestial | Radiant |
| Construct | Thunder |
| Dragon | Force |
| Elemental | Lightning |
| Fey | Poison |
| Fiend | Fire |
| Giant | Cold |
| Oozes | Acid |
| Undead | Necrotic |
| Path | Feature |
|---|---|
| Ceremony | You can add another spell that you can cast as a ritual. |
| Curses | You can have two objects at a time that are cursed. |
| Crystal | You can store a spell in your crystal as long as the spell’s level is no greater than your WIS modifier (Minimum 1). The spell still consumes material components if they are greater than 50 GPs. |
| Dreams | You can cast the spell Dream without expending a spell slot once every 1D4 long rests. |
| Herbs | You can craft Very Rare Potions of Healing and Poisons. |
| Kitchen | You can add the following spells to food you make during the course of a long rest. Alter Self, Detect Thoughts, Enhance Ability, Invisibility, or Lesser Restoration. |
| Old Ways | You can cast the spell Commune with Nature without expending a spell slot once every 1D4 long rests. |
| Oracle | You crafted a new Crystal Ball. You can cast the spells Detect Thoughts, Locate Plants or Animals, or Locate Object once a long rest each without expending a spell slot. |
| Researcher | You gain a Feat. |
| Soothsayer | The bonus and penalty of your soothsaying is now 1D6. |
| Voodoo | While the voodoo doll is on your person the target has a penalty to attack you equal to your WIS modifier (Minimum 1). |
| Witch Medium | Statistics |
|---|---|
| Aberrant | Chull, Otyugh |
| Ancestral | Mage |
| Angelic | Couatl, Unicorn |
| Cosmic | Adult Oblex |
| Demonic | Babau, Shadow Demon |
| Dragon | Young Brass, Crystal, or White Dragon |
| Elemental | Air, Earth, Fire, or Water Elemental |
| Fey | Annis Hag, Yeth Hound |
| Hereditary | Revenant, Wraith |
| Lunar | Dust Hulk (Moondust Hulk) |
| Nature | Shambling Mound, Wood Woad |
Class Features
Spellcasting
WIS is your spellcasting ability for your Occult spells. Your magic comes from your connection to the Occult by channeling the power of arcane objects and locations. You use your WIS whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your WIS modifier when setting the saving throw DC for an Occultist spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your Proficiency Bonus + your WIS modifier
Spell attack modifier = your Proficiency Bonus + your WIS modifier
Choose a number of Occultist spells equal to your WIS modifier (Minimum 1) + half your Occultist level, rounded down (Minimum 1). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of Occultist spells requires time spent performing rituals and intense study: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Ritual Casting
You can cast a Druid spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell prepared.
Spellcasting Focus
You have a small charm on your person that acts as your Spellcasting Focus for Druid spells. It can be a lucky rabbit foot, eye of a newt, or a similar occult object.
Expert of the Occult
You have Expertise in Arcana, History, or Religion as long as you have proficiency with the skill. The Expertise you gain gives you great insight into the corresponding creature types. If you succeed a skill check that correlates with the creature, you learn of a spell it can cast, Immunity, Resistance, Vulnerability, or piece of lore connected to the creature (Your choice).
Path of the Occultist
Occultists do not have power of their own, they are always borrowing power from Occult sources through rituals and potent ingredients. Choose a path from which to channel power as it shapes your Occultist journey. Choose one of the following
Path
Medium
Your focus on a specific medium that grants you great power as you deepen your studies and channel power through your medium. Your medium grants you feature at levels 3, 5, 9, and 15.
Aberrant
Ancestral
Angel
Cosmic
Demon
→ Choose your subclass belowTalisman
You fashion a Talisman that protects you. Once per long rest when you fail a saving throw and your Talisman is on you, you can reroll the saving throw and take the new result. The material you use to create your Talisman determines the protective benefits. You gain Resistance to the corresponding damage type.
Ability Score Increase
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.
Greater Talisman
You pull forth otherworldly matter to integrate into your Talisman. You can incorporate one additional material into your Talisman.
Rite of Rest
You can spend one hour doing a soothing ritual to gain one of the following effects
You gain two level one spell slots or one level two spell slot.
You regain hit points equal to half your Occultist level rounded up.
You gain temporary hit points equal to your WIS modifier (Minimum 1) + your Proficiency Bonus until you finish a long or short rest.
You can use this feature once per long rest.
Tap Into Forces Natural and Otherworldly
You study the tools of Druids and Warlocks to expand your ability to tap into the esoteric. You can attune to items that are restricted to Druids and Warlocks.
Ability Score Increase
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.
Superior Talisman
You pull additional components into reality to incorporate into your Talisman. You can incorporate one additional material into your Talisman.
Rite of Violence
You can spend one hour doing a blood boiling ritual to gain one of the following effects
You have a bonus to attack rolls equal to your WIS modifier (Minimum 1) for the first minute during combat, or until you finish a long or short rest.
You have a bonus to damage equal to your WIS modifier (Minimum 1) for the first minute during combat, or until you finish a long or short rest.
You can use this feature once per long rest.
Greater Path of the Occultist
Your dedication to your Path reveals new ways to use your path and develop your skills as an Occultist. You gain an additional feature correlating to your Path.
Path
Ability Score Increase
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.
Superior Talisman
More otherworldly matter is drawn into your Talisman. You can incorporate one additional material into your Talisman.
Rite of Protection
You can spend one hour doing a ritual to shore up your body and mind, you gain one of the following effects
The first time you would fail a saving throw you can reroll the save and take the new result. This effect lasts until you finish a long or short rest.
You increase your AC by half of your WIS modifier (Minimum 1) rounded up for the first minute of battle or until you finish a long or short rest.
You can use this feature once per long rest.
Ability Score Increase
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.
Quickend Rite
You have prayer and somatic symbols memorized that can allow you to make an abbreviated ritual. You can use one of your Rites as an action without expending the use of the Rite. You can use this feature once per long rest.
Reinvigorate Rite
You infuse your spellcasting into your rituals and enhance them. You can expend a second level spell slot or higher to regain a use of a Rite. A Rite regained this way can be completed in ten minutes.
Epic Boon
You gain an Epic Boon feat for which you qualify.
Supreme Talisman
You incorporate one final material to complete your Talisman. You can use your Talisman’s effect twice per long rest.
Invoke the Occult
Your journey has culminated in the height of occult powers. You channel a piece of your Witch Medium in a grand ritual. Your Witch Medium becomes a living familiar to aid you. It follows the same rules as a familiar from the Find Familiar spell but can attack as part of its turn. It takes on the statistics of the corresponding creature but cannot use any Legendary Resistances or Legendary Actions. If the familiar is reduced to zero hit points it can be summoned again after completing a long rest as an action.
Occult Familiar
Medium
Occultist Subclasses (11)
Choose your subclass at the level indicated in the class table above.