The Witchguard

v1.2.3

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Cover - Summoning Circle by Stygian Emperor
ToC - Praetorians by Nino Is.
1 - Black Knight by aldegid
1 - Witchguard Class Symbol by Stygian Emperor
2 - Maw of Hunger by Finnian McManus
7 - Egil Styrbjorn by Adrian Smith
8 - Chaos Warrior by JB Casacop
10 - Black Knight and Companion by Sandara
11 - Blood Demon by albino-Z
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16 - Tubby Demon by emortal982
17 - Nurgle Army by JohanGrenier
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23 - Champion of Tzeentch by MorkarDFC
26 - Impressions of the Waning Void by Julian Fayona
Full Page Watercolor Stains by /u/flamableconcrete

Witchguard

A black knight's raised sword casts out a dozen screaming skulls wreathed in hellfire to crash and explode on a line of templars, sending those that aren't in pieces fleeing for their lives. Behind his horned barbute, he smiles and mutters thanks to a dark benefactor outcast by greater society.

Madly clutching his helmeted head, an elf with blazing fire for eyes mentally struggles against the fell whispers from within his own armor, his other hand reflexively grasping for the black book chained to his back. Retrieving the grimoire, he opens it to a blood-scrawled page and begins drawing a chalk circle upon the ground from which he will call forth abyssal creatures onto this plane.

Her flesh still horrifically marred by burns inflicted by a self-righteous hunter, a forsaken woman returns to her childhood village now armed with the very curses of which she was falsely accused so long ago. Those few that survive this night only do so by her will, and they shall remember how the temple held no sanctuary for their guilty priesthood.

Almost universally scorned, witchguards are united only by their willingness to embrace the forbidden and the taboo. Whether by means of a pact with an ostracized deity, or through simple research into illicit secrets of the arcane, they combine ruinous spells and skill with martial combat to serve their own ungodly ends.

The Power of Sin

Witchguards' flagrant disregard of societal norms and religious precepts lead them down rarely-trekked paths, and though they may not intend it or ever even realize it, most end up adopting a particular sin that shapes and directs their abilities. Not necessarily vices or flaws in their ethics, sins nonetheless are frowned upon by the general public
whether deserved or not. For is he who angrily rails
against injustice truly wrathful, or could he be
righteously indignant? Regardless, most
witchguards find their sin a deeply personal
(or at the least very useful) weapon
with which they combat their
foes, whether they
take the form of
overzealous
inquisitors or
simple bandits.

Drawn to the Forbidden

A witchguard has no use for the sacred or the traditional, so they are natural outcasts and often make for able adventurers. While a few do find themselves literally guarding witch covens - often just women exiled from society for seeking alternative means for their own betterment - most do not settle for such a dormant life.

Instead, most witchguards seek to ever improve their arts, either by pursuing more forbidden texts in forgotten tombs or testing their mettle in combat against the sanctimonious servants of the celestial megalomaniacs that call themselves gods. Adventuring is usually just a means to gain more power for their sort, though no two witchguards are alike and some genuinely enjoy the allure of exploration and the thrill of danger.

Creating a Witchguard

While you create your witchguard, try to relate his or her personality traits to one of the sins described at the end of the class. Are they ill-tempered, or very impassioned, as many are who embrace the sin of Wrath? Or are they the opposite - apathetic or just generally laid-back, as would befit the sin of Sloth? Or they could be arrogant, or perhaps justly self-satisfied, as would describe one delighting in the sin of Pride?

What drove them away from societal norms and expectations? Were they wronged by an authority figure or system, religious or otherwise? Or did they simply see through the facade that authority put on, and were driven to put that lie to its rightful demise? Or maybe they were even raised by outcasts, exiles that taught them the value of autonomy and discouraged blind faith.

Being natural rebels, witchguards are seldom of lawful alignment. Most see only arbitrary rules that are made to be shattered, but if a doctrine is ever found that truly measures up to their ideal of justice, a witchguard could become its staunchest defender. Matters of good and evil are subjective at best, and witchguards should rarely fall neatly into anyone's concept of either - though the temptation to make an evil witchguard may be strong.

Quick Build

You can make a witchguard quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength should be your highest ability score, followed by Intelligence. Second, choose the hermit background.

Multiclassing

The prerequisites for multiclassing into or from a witchguard are a Strength and Intelligence score of 13. When you multiclass into witchguard, you gain proficiency in light armor, medium armor, shields, simple weapons, and martial weapons. Add half your levels (rounded up) in the witchguard class to the appropriate levels from other classes to determine your available spell slots.

Class Features

As a witchguard, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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• Hit Dice: 1d10 per witchguard level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per witchguard level after 1st

Proficiencies

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• Armor: All armor, shields
• Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
• Tools: None

---

• Saving Throws: Constitution, Intelligence
• Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, and Persuasion

Equipment

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

• (a) a martial weapon and a shield or (b) two martial weapons
• (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus
• (a) a scholar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• Chain mail

Devil's Tongue

Your ability to coerce others into doing what you want is like that of an insidious fiend. You gain proficiency in either Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion. If you are already proficient in this skill, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses this skill. You also learn your choice of Abyssal or Infernal.

Doom Bolt

You can summon screaming lost souls from the lower planes to crash into your enemies and explode. You have a pool of summoning power that replenishes when you take a long rest. With that pool, you can cause a total number of psychic damage equal to your witchguard level x 5.

As an action, you send lost souls flying out towards a creature or group of creatures within a 20-foot-radius sphere, centered up to 120 feet away from you, splitting the damage between them, up to the maximum amount remaining in your pool. Each creature targeted must make a Wisdom saving throw equal to your spell saving throw DC. A target takes full damage on a failed save, or half damage on a successful one. Even if the target takes half damage, the full amount is spent.

Instead of causing damage, you can spend 5 points from your pool to cause a target who failed their Wisdom save to become frightened of you for one minute. The frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect early on a success. You may affect more than one creature at a time with this ability, spending 5 points from your pool to affect each target. You cannot frighten undead or constructs with Doom Bolt, unless they are under the effects of Aura of Cowardice.

However, using too much of this power at once can be dangerous to the wielder. After 1st level, if you use more than 3 times your witchguard level in damage points from your pool in one casting of Doom Bolt, roll a d4. A roll of 1 causes some of the lost souls to disobey you, turning the damage in excess of 3 times your witchguard level against you instead of an intended target. This self-damage does not allow for a saving throw, but it can be reduced by psychic damage reduction as normal.

Fighting Style

At 2nd level, you adopt a style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't choose the same Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

Archery

You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.

Defense

While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.

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.

Great Weapon Fighting

When you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack you make with a melee weapon that you are wielding with two hands, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for you to gain this benefit.

Protection

When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. You must be wielding a shield.

Two-Weapon Fighting

When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack.

Spellcasting

By 2nd level, you begin to gain an understanding of the malevolent texts you carry in your grimoire, and can cast spells much as a wizard does. You have a grimoire containing three 1st-level witchguard spells of your choice.

Preparing and Casting Spells

The Witchguard table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your witchguard 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 witchguard spells that are available for you to cast. To do so, choose a number of witchguard spells from your grimoire equal to your Intelligence modifier + half your witchguard level, rounded down (minimum of one spell). 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.

Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your witchguard spells. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a witchguard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
your Intelligence modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +
your Intelligence modifier

Spellcasting Focus

You can use your Possessed Artifact (below) or an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your witchguard spells.

Learning Spells of 1st Level and Higher

Each time you gain a witchguard level, you can add one witchguard spell of your choice to your grimoire. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. as shown on the Witchguard table. On your adventures. you might find other spells that you can add to your grimoire.

Possessed Artifact

Starting at 2nd level, astral fiends begin to inhabit an item of your choice. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch up to two weapons, one shield, or one suit of armor with which you are proficient. Alternately, you can grasp a miscellaneous talisman, such as a piece of jewelry or another small token of some significance. While wielding the weapons or shield, wearing the armor, or carrying the talisman, you gain a benefit depending on its type:

Weapon. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one spell slot to deal psychic damage to the target, in addition to the weapon's damage. The extra damage is 2d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell-level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d8. The damage increases by 1d8 if the target is a celestial or a fiend, to a maximum of 6d8. These dice become d6s when using a ranged weapon.

Armor or Shield. When a creature misses you with an attack, you can expend one spell slot to deal psychic damage to the creature. The damage is 2d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell-level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d8. The damage increases by 1d8 if the target is a celestial or a fiend, to a maximum of 6d8. These dice become d6s if the triggering attack is ranged.

Talisman. When you make a saving throw or an opposed ability check, you can expend one spell slot to add to the total of your result. The bonus is 1d4 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d4 for each spell-level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 4d4. This die increases by 1d4 if the triggering creature is a celestial or a fiend, to a maximum of 5d4. You can wait until after you roll the d20 before deciding to use the spell slot, but you must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails.

Additionally, this item becomes sentient, being able to communicate telepathically with its wielder or wearer, and has hearing and normal vision out to 30 feet. The player and the DM should work together to determine the item's personality and any other characteristics it may have.

Corruption

At 3rd level, your exposure to dark forces grants you resistance to psychic damage and advantage on saves against being possessed.

Mortal Sin

When you reach 3rd level, your darkest traits are teased out into the light by the fiends you work with so closely, setting you on a particular path to damnation. Choose the Sin of Wrath, Pride, Sloth, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Pestilence, or Discord, each of which are detailed at the end of the class description.

Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 5th, 7th, 15th, and 20th level.

Sin Spells

Each sin has a list of associated spells. You gain access to these spells at the levels specified in the sin description. Once you gain access to a sin spell, you always have it prepared. Sin spells don't count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.

If you gain a sin spell that doesn't appear on the witchguard spell list, the spell is nonetheless a witchguard spell for you.

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.

Aura of Aggression

Starting at 6th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you gain a bonus to the first weapon damage rolls you make each round equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1). You must be conscious to grant this bonus.

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Aura of Cowardice

Starting at 10th level, all hostile creatures within 10 feet of you have disadvantage on saving throws made to resist being frightened, as well as on Wisdom saving throws against your Doom Bolt ability while you are conscious. Creatures that are normally immune to being frightened, such as undead and constructs, lose that immunity while within your aura and until the end of their next turn after leaving it, but do not suffer disadvantage.

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Improved Artifact

By 11th level, the fiendish spirits taking up residence in your equipment are so attuned to you that some of their effect no longer requires effort on your part.

Weapon. Whenever you hit a creature with a possessed weapon, the creature takes an additional 1d8 psychic damage. If you choose to expend a spell slot with an attack, you add this damage to the extra damage added with the spell slot. This die becomes a d6 when using a ranged weapon.

Armor or Shield. The creatures that miss you the first two times in a round take 1d8 psychic damage each time. If you choose to expend a spell slot with your reaction, you add this damage to the extra damage added with the spell slot. These dice become d6s if the triggering attacks are ranged.

Talisman. Choose an ability score. You have advantage on all saving throws and opposed checks using this ability score.

Lay Curse

Beginning at 14th level, you can cast the spell bestow curse as a 4th level spell without using a spell slot and without requiring concentration. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once). You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Alternatively, you can spend multiple uses of this feature to raise the spell level of bestow curse, one use per spell level above 4th, up to a maximum of 5 uses to cast it as a 9th-level spell.

Optional Class Features

This section offers additional features that you can gain as a witchguard, and are meant to balance against the optional features found for other classes in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. Unlike those found in other sections of this class document, you don't gain the features here automatically. Along with your DM, you may decide whether to gain a feature in this section if you meet the level requirement noted in the feature's description. These features can be taken or not taken on a case-per-case basis.

Additional Witchguard Spells

2nd-level witchguard feature

Fighting Style Options

2nd-level witchguard feature

Cursed Warrior

You learn two cantrips of your choice from the list of cantrips available to Sin of Discord witchguards found on page 23. They count as witchguard spells for you, and Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for them. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of these cantrips with another cantrip from the same list.

Blind Fighting

You have blindsight with a range of 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.

Interception

When a creature you can see hits a target, other than you, within the reach of a melee weapon you are wielding or 5 feet of you, whichever is longer, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage the target takes by 1d10 + your proficiency bonus (to a minimum of 0 damage). You must be wielding a shield or a simple or martial melee weapon to use this reaction.

Thrown Weapon Fighting

You can draw a weapon that has the thrown property as part of the attack you make with the weapon.

In addition, when you hit with a ranged attack using a thrown weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.

Unarmed Fighting

Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier on a hit, and as a bonus action you may use an empty hand or another available body part such as a foot or knee to make an unarmed strike as well. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative, or if you aren't wielding any weapons or a shield when the attack roll is made.

At the start of each of your turns, you can deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to one creature grappled by you.

Harness Chaotic Energies

3rd-level witchguard feature

Martial Versatility

4th-level witchguard feature

Mortal Sins

Various faiths across the realm conclude that certain character traits should be suppressed if one is to be good to others, or even to attain salvation and reward in the afterlife. Witchguards dispense with this common wisdom, realizing that to deny the mortal self is to damn one in an entirely different way, and so embrace their darker attributes gaining new and fitting powers in the process. The following Sins come with certain values, though as a witchguard should be beholden to no master save themselves, unlike a paladin's tenets, they should be seen more as descriptive, rather than prescriptive.

Sin of Wrath (Under Revision)

The Sin of Wrath is perhaps the most obvious, and most destructive. Devotees of Wrath are often simply called Furies after the fabled women of myth whose desire for vengeance was never slaked. Amongst witchguards, none are more terrifying in martial combat.

Values of Wrath

Wrath is quite simple at its core. It is an inversion of the idea that one must remain satisfied with events no matter how unjust.

Impatience. Do not wait your turn. Take matters into your own hands or you will be left behind.

Anger. Anger is a wonderful motivator. To be otherwise is to remain passive.

Vengeance. Never allow wrongs to go unpunished, lest they repeat themselves.

Hatred. Know who your enemies are, and keep their misdeeds fresh in your mind.

Sin Spells

You gain Sin spells at the witchguard levels listed.

Sin of Wrath Spells

Witchguard Level	Spells
3rd	burning hands, earth tremor
5th	scorching ray, shatter
9th	erupting earth, fireball
13th	fire shield, freedom of movement
17th	destructive wave, flame strike

Fury

When you exhibit this Sin at 3rd level, your anger is always bubbling just below the surface. As a bonus action, you can let it loose, gaining the following features.

• You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
• When you make a melee weapon attack using Strength, your attacks deal an extra 2 acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder damage, chosen at the beginning of your fury. This bonus damage increases to 3 at 9th level, and 4 at 16th level.

You can cast spells while infuriated as long as the spell's casting time is no more than 1 action and the spell does not require concentration.

Your fury lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious. You can also end your fury on your turn as a bonus action.

Once your fury ends, you must finish a long rest before you can enter your fury again.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Impatience

At 7th level, you gain advantage on initiative rolls.

Additionally, as a reaction, you may choose to take an action at any time during the round. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again. Starting at 17th level, you can use it twice before a rest, but only once during the same round.

Hated Enemy

At 15th level, you can designate a foe to be your hated enemy. When you attack a creature, you can choose the target of the attack as your hated enemy. You can use this ability once during your turn. The target remains your hated enemy until you use this ability again.

You gain a bonus to your attack rolls against your hated enemy equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1). Additionally, your hated enemy has disadvantage against your spells, abilities, and effects.

Ascension

At 20th level, you reach the epitome of Wrath, transforming into a fiend yourself.

Your creature type changes to fiend for the purposes of game effects, and as an action you may choose to become one size category larger or return to your regular size. You become permanently under the effects of Fury, though you can cast spells as normal. You can change the damage type dealt by the bonus damage from your fury at the end of a long rest.

Additionally, you can take two traits from the list below.

• Elemental Infusion. You gain resistance to the damage type chosen for your fury. Additionally, once per short or long rest, as an action, you may vomit up this elemental energy. When you use your breath weapon, each creature in a 15-foot cone or a 5 by 30-foot line (your choice when the breath weapon is used) must make a saving throw - Dexterity for acid, fire, and lightning; or Constitution for cold, poison, or thunder. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 6d6 damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one.

• Extra Grasping Limbs. You have more than two arms (or tentacles, pedipalps, etc.). You can only gain the benefit of items held by two of your grasping limbs at any given time, and at the beginning of your turn you can switch which arms you are benefiting from (no action required). When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack on your turn, you can use a bonus action to attempt to grapple the target. While you have at least 3 arms free, you have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed.

• Extra Walking Limbs. You have more than two legs, or instead you have a slithering, snakelike tail. Your walking speed increases by 10 feet and you can add 10 feet to your long jump distance and 5 feet to your high jump distance. You also have advantage on all saving throws to resist being knocked prone or restrained.

• Wings. You sprout leathery wings large enough to fly. You gain a 40-foot fly speed.

Sin of Pride

The Sin of Pride is considered one of the oldest and most serious of sins, for the danger proud mortals pose to the gods' precarious positions on their heavenly thrones is greater than many would like to admit. Known as Contemptors, disciples of Pride are untouchable to most, both in terms of status and also in combat.

Values of Pride

Pride is about self-esteem more than anything, whether earned or not.

Confidence. Your prowess is such that you can face any challenge. Let the others run in fear; all the more glory for you when the dragon falls.

Disdain. Other people are only there to give you the praise you deserve. Do not dignify them as anything better.

Bravado. Others need to know of your accomplishments. Recount them at every opportunity.

Perfection. Your weaknesses and insecurities cannot be known. If they are discovered, all is lost.

Sin Spells

You gain Sin spells at the witchguard levels listed.

Sin of Pride Spells

Witchguard Level	Spells
3rd	heroism, shield
5th	blur, mirror image
9th	magic circle, protection from energy
13th	death ward, stoneskin
17th	dispel evil and good, wall of force

Untouchable

When you expose this Sin at 3rd level, the damage you take from bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing is reduced by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Arrogance

At 7th level, you can no longer be frightened.

Additionally, as a bonus action you can challenge a number of creatures equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of 1) that can see or hear you to engage you at the same time. Each creature so challenged must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, they have disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures other than you, and must make Wisdom saving throws each time they attempt to move to a space that is more than 30 feet away from you; if they succeed on this saving throw, this ability doesn't restrict the target's movement for that turn.

The ability ends after one minute, or if you move more than 30 feet away from any of the targets. After using this ability, you must complete a long rest before you can use it again.

Contempt

At 15th level, when a creature attacks you, casts a spell, or uses an ability targeting you, you may use your reaction to hold them in contempt. The target remains held in contempt until you use this ability again.

You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of +1) against the attacks of a creature held in contempt, and you have advantage on all your saving throws against their spells, abilites and effects. This bonus to AC and saving throws includes the triggering attack, spell, ability, or effect.

Unstoppable

At 20th level, all damage you take other than that from bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing is reduced by 6. Additionally, any critical hit against you becomes a normal hit.

Sin of Sloth

The Sin of Sloth asks "Why should I do something difficult when someone or something else can do it for me?" Sometimes called Diabolists, wallowers in the Sin of Sloth summon fiends from the lower planes to fight on their behalf, always searching for more and more potent demons and devils to fulfill their own ever-multiplying obligations.

Values of Sloth

Though the very nature of Sloth is to ignore conviction and duty, these values tend to define witchguards who partake the most of this Sin.

Apathy. Caring too much is only likely to make you upset. Let things be as they will be; you will be that much happier for it.

Idleness. "Idle hands are a devil's playthings," or so the saying goes. Make plenty of free time for yourself, that you might become inadvertently invested in something others might think you shouldn't.

Avoidance. Don't do anything too difficult; if someone else doesn't eventually do it for you, it must not be that important.

Ease. If something must be done by you yourself, the simplest solution is best. A job half-done is better than none at all, supposedly.

Sin Spells

You gain Sin spells at the witchguard levels listed.

Sin of Sloth Spells

Witchguard Level	Spells
3rd	sleep, unseen servant
5th	calm emotions, find steed
9th	catnap, summon lesser demons
13th	find greater steed, summon greater demon
17th	dream, infernal calling

Fiendish Servant

When you exemplify this Sin at 3rd level, you learn a ritual to summon a minor entity from the lower planes to serve you. With 8 hours of preparation and the expenditure of 50 gp worth of rare blood and fine candles, you call forth a fiend that is magically bound to follow your every command. Choose a fiendish archetype, which is detailed at the end of this Sin. At the end of 8 hours, your fiendish servant appears and gains all the abilities of your Servant's Binding ability. You can only have one fiendish servant at a time.

If your fiendish servant is ever slain in or banished from any plane other than its native one, you can resummon it. With 8 hours of work and the expenditure of 25 gp worth of rare blood and fine candles, you call forth your servant as if it had never left your service. If, however, it is slain in its native plane, its soul must form a new body from the stuff of the lower planes over the course of 1d4 weeks, during which time you will need to summon a different entity or make do without.

If you use this ability to return a former fiendish servant to life while you have a current fiendish servant, your current servant is no longer bound to your will and you lose control of it. Unless you've managed to form an improbable bond of trust with it, it will most likely attack you or anyone nearby, causing as much havoc as it can before it can be banished once more.

Servant's Binding

Your fiendish servant gains a variety of benefits while it is bound to your will.

• The servant obeys your commands as best it can. It acts on your turn, and you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on. If you are incapacitated or absent, your servant acts on its own. It cannot attack you during this time, but it may otherwise attempt to work against your better interests, unless you manage to form a bond of trust with it.

• Your servant's level equals your witchguard level, and for each witchguard level you gain after 3rd, it gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly.

• Your servant has the proficiency bonus of a player character of the same level.

• Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your servant's abilities also improve. Your servant can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your servant can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise.

  • Alternatively, whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, you can wreathe new spells into your servant to force them to evolve new features that improve its potency instead of having the servant gain the regular Ability Score Improvement. You can choose one of these traits from the Fiendish Evolutions list below.

• You may use the Possessed Artifact feature through your servant as if they were wielding or wearing your artifact, and your Improved Artifact feature through your servant when you gain that feature at 11th level, using your spell slots for those features.

Fiendish Evolutions

Below is a list of traits your fiendish servant can develop in place of an Ability Score Improvement.

Elemental Infusion. Choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder. Your servant gains resistance to the chosen damage type. Additionally, once per short or long rest, as an action, your servant may vomit up this elemental energy. When it uses its breath weapon, each creature in a 15-foot cone or a 5 by 30-foot line (your choice when the breath weapon is used) must make a saving throw - Dexterity for acid, fire, and lightning; or Constitution for cold, poison, or thunder. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your servant's Constitution modifier + its proficiency bonus. A creature takes 3d6 damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. The damage increases to 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level.

Extra Grasping Limbs. Your servant has more than two arms (or tentacles, pedipalps, etc.). Your servant can only gain the benefit of items held by two of its arms at any given time, and at the beginning of its turn your servant can switch which arms it is benefiting from (no action required). When your servant hits a creature with a melee weapon attack on its turn, it can use a bonus action to attempt to grapple the target. While your servant has at least 3 arms free, it has a climbing speed equal to its walking speed.

Extra Walking Limbs. Your servant has more than two legs, or instead it has a slithering, snakelike tail. Its walking speed increases by 10 feet, it can add 10 feet to its long jump distance and 5 feet to its high jump distance. It also has advantage on all saving throws to resist being knocked prone.

Wings. Your servant sprouts leathery wings large enough for it to fly. It gains a 30-foot fly speed.

Coordinated Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you and your fiendish servant form a more potent fighting team. When you use the Attack action on your turn, if your servant can see you, it can use its reaction to make a weapon attack or cast a cantrip that requires a spell attack check or a saving throw.

Fiend's Defense

At 7th level, while your servant can see you, it has advantage on all saving throws.

Superior Fiend's Defense

At 15th level, whenever an attacker that your servant can see hits it with an attack, it can use its reaction to halve the attack's damage against it.

Consume

At 20th level, you learn how to consume the essence of your fiendish servant when the need is great. As long as your fiendish servant is within 30 feet of you, you can consume it as an action, killing it and gaining the following benefits until you take a long rest:

• You gain temporary hit points equal to its remaining hit points.
• You regain any spent spell slots that the fiendish servant had unspent.
• When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can make one additional attack as part of that action.
• Your attacks and damaging spells deal an additional 1d8 psychic damage.
• You have advantage on all saving throws.
• Whenever an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack's damage against you.

Generating Your Fiend

Choosing your fiendish servant should not be taken lightly. While a brute may be an easily-manipulated wall of demon-flesh between you and your foes, a stalker makes for a much more subtle killer, and a dominator can outwit most foes with ease.

Fiendish Servant Features

All fiendish servants share the following features.

Natural Weapons. A fiendish servant's claws, teeth, and/or horns are natural weapons which they can use to make unarmed strikes. If they hit with them, they deal piercing or slashing damage equal to 1d6 + their Strength or Dexterity modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Psychic Resistance. A fiendish servant is resistant to psychic damage.

Senses. A fiendish servant can see in dim light within 60 feet of themselves as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. They can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Speed. A fiendish servant's base walking speed is 30 feet.

Languages. A fiendish servant can speak, read, and write Common and the language you chose for your Devil's Tongue feature.

Type. A fiendish servant is considered a fiend for the purposes of game effects.

Brute

Towering slabs of muscle, brutes are equally good at taking damage as they are dishing it out.

Hit Points

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• Hit Dice: 1d10 per level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + servant's Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + servant's Constitution modifier per level after 1st

Proficiencies

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• Armor: All armor, shields
• Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
• Tools: None

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• Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
• Skills: Two of your choice

Ability Scores

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• Strength: 16
• Dexterity: 10
• Constitution: 16
• Intelligence: 8
• Wisdom: 12
• Charisma: 10

Features

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• Fighting Style. Brutes gain the Fighting Style feature of fighters.

Dominator

Among the more darkly attractive of fiends, dominators' softer features belie a malevolent intellect.

Hit Points

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• Hit Dice: 1d6 per level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + servant's Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + servant's Constitution modifier per level after 1st

Proficiencies

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• Armor: None
• Weapons: Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows
• Tools: None

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• Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
• Skills: Two of your choice

Ability Scores

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• Strength: 8
• Dexterity: 12
• Constitution: 10
• Intelligence: 16
• Wisdom: 12
• Charisma: 16

Features

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• Spellcasting. Dominators are capable of casting spells. They learn spells and cantrips at the same rate as Eldritch Knights, using the Wizard Spell List. Intelligence or Charisma is their spellcasting ability (player's choice when the servant is created).

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Stalker

These fiends tend to be difficult to describe; always darting around, translucent and shadowy as they are.

Hit Points

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• Hit Dice: 1d8 per level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + servant's Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + servant's Constitution modifier per level after 1st

Proficiencies

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• Armor: Light armor
• Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
• Tools: None

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• Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
• Skills: Three of your choice

Ability Scores

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• Strength: 10
• Dexterity: 16
• Constitution: 14
• Intelligence: 12
• Wisdom: 14
• Charisma: 8

Features

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• Sneak Attack. Stalkers gain the Sneak Attack feature of rogues, starting at 1d6 damage at level 3, and increasing to 2d6 at level 6, 3d6 at level 9, 4d6 at level 12, 5d6 at level 15, and 6d6 at level 18.

Sin of Greed

The Sin of Greed embodies desire for things temporal, most often wealth or power, rather than those supposed eternal things pious folk believe should be striven for. However, for the witchguard adherents to Greed, known as Death Knights, life itself is their object of desire, and life everlasting their ultimate aspiration. They wield necromantic power to grow closer to this ambitious objective, raising the dead to serve them as they weaken the living who stand in their way.

Values of Greed

Greed is wanting more than you have, either material or intangible.

Want. Never allow your ambitions to end or you will grow stagnant and die.

Worldliness. This current existence is what matters; embrace it.

Possessions. The things you have define you as much as the things you do.

Selfishness. Life is a zero-sum game. To give something is to lose something.

Sin Spells

You gain Sin spells at the witchguard levels listed.

Sin of Greed Spells

Witchguard Level	Spells
3rd	false life, inflict wounds
5th	blindness/deafness, ray of enfeeblement
9th	animate dead, speak with dead
13th	blight, death ward
17th	danse macabre, negative energy flood

Command Undead

When you subsume this Sin at 3rd level, you learn to steal control over undead creatures. Once per short or long rest, as an action, you target one undead creature you can see within 30 feet. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw against your witchguard spell save DC. On a failed saving throw, the creature must obey your commands for the next 24 hours, or until you use this feature again. An undead whose challenge rating is equal to or greater than your witchguard level is immune to this effect.

Mortiferous Magics

Also at 3rd level, you gain resistance to necrotic damage. Additionally, you may choose to change the damage type of your Doom Bolt and Possessed Artifact features from psychic to necrotic whenever you use them, and your Possessed Artifact feature deals an additional die of damage against undead creatures.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Exploit Bone

At 7th level, you have learned several innovative magical uses for a creature's skeleton. A pile of bones, a corpse of a Small or larger creature, or an undead creature under your control within 30 feet of you are all viable targets for the following effects.

Bone Armor. As an action, you may call the bones from the target to cling to you in a protective manner, reinforcing your armor. For one hour, you gain temporary hit points equal to your witchguard level + your Intelligence modifier.

Bone Shield. As a reaction, you can summon the bones from the target to fuse together and form a shield on your arm to block an incoming blow. Until the beginning of your next turn, your AC increases by an amount equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of 1), ranged attacks (including spell attacks) have disadvantage against you, and you have advantage on Dexterity saving throws. If you have a weapon already in this hand, you are forced to put it away as part of this reaction.

Bone Spear. As an action, you can form the bones of the target into a long spike, which you can throw in an attempt to impale several foes in a line. All creatures in a line 100 feet long and 5 feet wide starting from you in a direction you choose must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, a creature takes 3d6 piercing and 3d6 necrotic damage, or half as much on a success. The damage dice increase to d8s at 11th level, d10s at 15th level, and d12s at 19th level.

Bone Wall. As an action, you can turn the bones of the target into a barricade, blocking both movement and potentially the attacks of your enemies. You designate a line on a solid surface that is 5 feet thick and 10 feet high that begins and ends within 60 feet of you to become a bone wall. The corpse of a Small creature can make a wall 25-feet long; and for each size category above Small the wall can be an additional 10 feet long.

When the wall appears, each hostile creature within its area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC as they are shoved to a side of the wall that you designate. On a failed save, a creature takes 1d6 piercing and 1d6 necrotic damage, or half as much damage on a successful save. The wall parts to allow you, your attacks, and any creature you designate, as well as their attacks through, closing together again as they pass.

The wall is an object made of bone that can be damaged and thus breached. The wall has an AC of 15 and hit points equal to your witchguard level x 3. Reducing the wall to 0 hit points destroys it. The damage dice increase to d8s at 11th level, d10s at 15th level, and d12s at 19th level.

You may use Exploit Bone a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you complete a long rest.

Augment Undead

At 15th level, when you cast animate dead, you can target one additional corpse or pile of bones, creating another zombie or skeleton. Similarly, when you use your Command Undead feature, you may target up to two undead creatures within 30 feet of you.

Whenever you create an undead using a necromancy spell or take control of an undead using your Command Undead feature, it has additional benefits:

• The creature's hit point maximum is increased by an amount equal to your witchguard level.
• The creature adds your proficiency bonus to its weapon damage rolls.

Immortality

By 20th level, you have learned a ritual to attain immortality in undeath. The next time you die, you can choose to rise again, regaining all hit points. When you do this, your creature type changes to undead, and two of your Strength, Constitution, or Intelligence scores (your choice) increase by 2. Your maximum for those scores increases by 2.

Additionally, you become immune to necrotic and poison damage, the frightened and poisoned conditions, and exhaustion. You gain darkvision out to 120 feet, and unless you are incapacitated, you and undead creatures under your control within 60 feet of you have advantage on saving throws against features that turn undead.

This effect is permanent. Once you have used this ability, you cannot use it again.

Sin of Lust

The Sin of Lust is desire unchecked for those things carnal and giving in to passion rather than resisting temptation. Some prudish gods-botherers believe this to be a great evil, but what is Lust other than unfiltered love? Apostles of Lust, also known as Tempters and Temptresses, are usually thought to be the least threatening of all witchguards, but that would be a grave mistake: Using their natural charm backed by powerful enchantments, they almost always get their way.

Values of Lust

Lust is excessive craving for the senses to be gratified, and sharing that desire with those around you.

Desire. Crave others and make them crave you in turn.

Satisfaction. Indulge your longings as they arise; to do otherwise leads to repression.

Shamelessness. Care not what others may think. Yours is the true path.

Passion. Do not supress your emotions. Passion is not a weakness, but your greatest strength.

Sin Spells

You gain Sin spells at the witchguard levels listed.

Sin of Lust Spells

Witchguard Level	Spells
3rd	charm person, disguise self
5th	enthrall, suggestion
9th	hypnotic pattern, major image
13th	charm monster, compulsion
17th	dominate person, modify memory

Sharp Wit

When you personify this Sin at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in either the Deception or Persuasion skills.

Additionally, whenever you make a Charisma check or saving throw, you gain a bonus to the check equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Savvy Defense

Also at 3rd level, while you are not wearing any armor, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Intelligence modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit. You may also gain the benefits of the Defense Fighting Style while wearing no armor.

Bewitching Bolt

Finally at 3rd level, whenever a target fails its Wisdom save against your Doom Bolt feature, you can spend 5 points from your pool to cause the creature to become charmed by you for one minute. The charmed target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect early on a success. When the effect ends, the creature knows it was charmed by you.

You cannot charm a creature this way if it also took damage or became frightened of you from Doom Bolt this round.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Heartbreaker

At 7th level, creatures charmed by you will attack their own allies if you so desire. As a bonus action on your turn, you can force a creature charmed by you to make a Wisdom save against your Spell Save DC. On a failure, you may command it to spend its turn moving up to its speed and making one attack against any target that it can see. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Aura of Yearning

At 15th level, your appearance permanently gains a fiendish aspect that makes you darkly alluring.

In addition, all hostile creatures within 10 feet of you have disadvantage on saving throws made to resist being charmed while you are conscious. Creatures that are normally immune to being charmed lose that immunity while within your aura and until the end of their next turn after leaving it, but do not suffer disadvantage.

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Object of Desire

At 20th level, you can change your form to that of any humanoid within sight's interpersonal ideal. Using your action, you undergo the transformation. Until you choose to dismiss this effect as another action, you gain the following benefits:

• You have resistance to all damage dealt by the creature (their attacks, spells, and other effects).
• Whenever the creature hits you with an attack, it takes psychic damage equal to half the damage you take from the attack.
• You have advantage on any ability check to interact socially with the creature.
• If the creature is charmed by you, you automatically succeed on any ability check to interact socially with it.

You can do this a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all uses of this feature when you finish a long rest.

Sin of Envy

The sadness or resentment one feels when confronted with the prosperity or qualities of another, the Sin of Envy is said to drive a man against his neighbors as he tries to outdo them at every turn. In truth, however, Envy is one of the greatest motivators to better oneself, as wanting more than you have is the only way to avoid listlessness and stagnation. So it is that proponents of Envy, known as Despoilers, are amongst the most decorated of witchguards; if not by their own deeds, than at least by the failings and decrepitude of those that once rivaled them.

Values of Envy

Wanting that which belongs to another is the core of Envy.

Discontent. It is never enough. Continue to achieve; if you lose your inertia, others shall pass you by.

Covetousness. No matter how high you have risen, someone, somewhere has something you do not.

Resentment. Do not just desire another's success; hate them for having it.

Schadenfreude. When another fails, you have succeeded by comparison.

Sin Spells

You gain Sin spells at the witchguard levels listed.

Sin of Envy Spells

Witchguard Level	Spells
3rd	bane, hex
5th	earthbind, heat metal
9th	bestow curse, slow
13th	elemental bane, sickening radiance
17th	contagion, synaptic static

Malediction

When you exhibit this Sin at 3rd level, you gain the ability to place accumulating adversities on your enemies, multiplying their misfortunes. You gain a die called a Malediction die, which begins as a d4 but increases in size by one step (d6, d8, d10, up to d12) with each application of Malediction upon the same target.

As a bonus action on your turn, you can glare at a visible creature within 60 feet of you. Afterward, once per round when an attack roll is made against the target, you may roll your Malediction die, adding the number rolled to that attack roll. You can do this before or after the roll is made, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails.

This effect lasts until and is reset upon you being incapacitated, you or the target being killed, or you taking a short or long rest. A remove curse spell also ends and resets this effect. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.

At 7th level, you regain any expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Aura of Resentment

Starting at 7th level, hostile creatures within 10 feet of you have a penalty to the first damage rolls they make each round equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1) while you are conscious.

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Spiteful Revelry

At 15th level, the failure of others incites you to greater heights of prowess. If a hostile creature you can see is reduced to 0 hitpoints within 60 feet of you, at the beginning of your next turn your weapon attacks deal an additional 1d4 psychic damage for one minute.

For every subsequent hostile creature that is reduced to 0 hitpoints within 60 feet of you, at the beginning of your next turn the size of the psychic damage die increases by one step (d6, d8, d10, up to d12). This effect cannot trigger more than twice per turn.

Bring Low the Mighty

At 20th level, you have learned a curse so heinous that the gods themselves dare not speak it.

As an action, you utter the words and designate a creature you can see. The target and all hostile creatures within 30 feet of it lose resistance and reduction to psychic damage if they have it, and become vulnerable to psychic damage. If a target is immune to psychic damage, it instead merely loses that immunity. If a target is already vulnerable to psychic damage, it instead takes 5d8 psychic damage.

This effect lasts for one minute. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Sin of Gluttony

One of the greatest instincts we have is that of hunger. But of course, to the pious, taking pleasure in consuming sustenance is yet another sin. The self-righteous would deny one the simple joy of overindulgence, whether from food, drink, or other substances. Because, as they say, the greatest pleasures are in the life yet to come. Devourers, however, as practitioners of Gluttony are known, pay them no heed. They know that great euphoria and power can come from feasting on whatever nourishment is at hand - even if it is the very life force of others.

Values of Gluttony

Gluttony is, put simply, taking into one's body more than one needs.

Hunger. Be grateful for every morsel; after all, there are children starving in the slums.

Consumption. Waste not, want not.

Extravagance. Why have beef when you could have venison?

Overindulgence. Satisfaction is a lie. There is always room for more.

Sin Spells

You gain Sin spells at the witchguard levels listed.

Sin of Gluttony Spells

Witchguard Level	Spells
3rd	goodberry, purify food and drink
5th	aid, lesser restoration
9th	create food and water, vampiric touch
13th	aura of life, aura of purity
17th	enervation, greater restoration

Well-Fed

When you express this Sin at 3rd level, your hit point maximum increases by 3, and increases by 1 every time you gain a level in this class afterward.

Additionally, any hit dice you gain from levels in witchguard become d12s.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Feasting Blades

Starting at 7th level, your attacks steal a portion of your opponents' life force.

Whenever you deal weapon damage to a creature on your turn, you may regain a number of hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier (a minimum of 1). You can surpass your maximum hit points this way; if you are already at full hit points, you instead gain the same number of temporary hit points. These temporary hit points can add to each other up to your witchguard level, but they can not add to temporary hit points gained outside this Sin's features.

You can do this a number of times per long rest equal to your proficiency bonus minus 1. Temporary hit points gained in this manner expire after one hour.

Voracious Artifact

At 15th level, the fiends within your artifact cry out in hunger. Whenever you expend a spell slot to deal damage with your Possessed Artifact, you regain a number of hit points equal to three times the level of the spell slot expended. This healing can surpass your maximum hit points and add to temporary hit points the same as with your Feasting Blades feature.

Additionally, the maximum temporary hit points you can have at once from these features increases to twice your witchguard level.

Devourer

By 20th level, you have become a walking black hole. Your Constitution score increases by 4, and your maximum for that score increases by 4.

Additionally, as an action, you can force a creature your size or smaller to make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, you swallow the creature whole. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, has total cover from attacks and effects from outside of you, and takes 6d6 acid damage at the beginning of each of your turns. This damage counts as damage dealt by you for the purposes of your Feasting Blades feature.

If you take 30 damage or more on a single turn from the creature inside you, you must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or regurgitate the creature, which falls prone in a space within 5 feet of you. If you die, the swallowed creature is no longer restrained and can escape from your corpse by using 5 feet of movement, exiting prone.

Once a creature has failed the initial Dexterity saving throw to this feature, you must take a long rest before you may use it again.

Sin of Pestilence (Under Revision)

While not a traditional “Sin,” Pestilence finds aversion equally if not more so than the classics, among both mortals and the gods alike. For while the other Sins embody natural mortal inclinations toward pleasure and ambition, Pestilence is the desire to see everything fester and rot. Witchguards drawn down this odious path are known as Plaguebearers, and though some see the decay of the old as a necessary prelude to the creation of the new, there are few who would harness such foul methods to see it through.

Values of Pestilence

The process of decay is the heart of Pestilence more than the resulting ruin.

Affliction. Delight in your maladies yourself so you can appreciate their effects on others.

Fellowship. What are you without comrades with whom you can share your blessings?

Generosity. Contagions are truly the gifts which keep on giving.

Inevitability. All good things must come to an end.

Sin Spells

You gain Sin spells at the witchguard levels listed.

Sin of Pestilence Spells

Witchguard Level	Spells
3rd	detect poison and disease, ray of sickness
5th	ray of enfeeblement, web
9th	conjure animals, stinking cloud
13th	blight, giant insect
17th	contagion, insect plague

Plaguebearer

When you embody this Sin at 3rd level, you become the perfect host for disease. You become immune to the harmful effects of disease and you have advantage on saving throws against poison. However, you carry one disease of your choice within your body; the options are detailed at the end of the Sin description.

You contract one additional disease of your choice at 8th and 13th level.

At the end of a long rest, you may choose whether you display any symptoms of the diseases you carry and whether they can be transmitted from you via their natural vectors.

Virulence

Also at 3rd level, you may choose to change the damage type of your Doom Bolt and Possessed Artifact features from psychic to poison, and the saving throw of Doom Bolt from Wisdom to Constitution whenever you use them.

Instead of causing damage, you can spend 5 points from your pool to cause a target who failed their Constitution saving throw against Doom Bolt to contract one disease you carry and instantly manifest its stage 1 symptoms. If the creature that failed their Constitution saving throw is already afflicted by stage 1 of one of your diseases, you may instead spend 5 points from your pool to cause that disease to immediately advance to stage 2.

The diseased target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, reducing the stage of their disease by 1 on a success. Reducing the stage below 1 ends the disease on that creature.

Beginning at 11th level, if a creature that failed their Constitution saving throw is already afflicted by stage 2 of one of your diseases, you may instead spend 5 points from your pool to cause that disease to immediately advance to stage 3, at which point it becomes permanent, only curable through spells such as lesser restoration or heal.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Feel No Pain

By 7th level, you can shrug off wounds that would fell those with nerves not deadened by illness. The damage you take from bludgeoning, piercing, slashing, and poison is reduced by an amount based on your level in this class, as shown on the Pestilence Damage Reduction table.

This damage cannot be reduced below 6. This reduction is calculated after any other forms of damage reduction you have.

Pestilence Damage Reduction

Witchguard Level	Damage Reduction
7th	3 (min 6)
9th	4 (min 6)
11th	5 (min 6)
13th	6 (min 6)
15th	7 (min 6)
17th	8 (min 6)
19th	9 (min 6)

Miasmal Aura

At 15th level, all hostile creatures within 10 feet of you have disadvantage on saving throws to resist disease, as well as on Constitution saving throws against your Doom Bolt ability while you are conscious. All hostile creatures, other than undead and constructs, that have immunity or resistance to poison or disease from any source lose that immunity or resistance while within your aura and until the end of their next turn after leaving it, but do not suffer disadvantage.

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Malignancy

Also at 15th level, diseases you inflict with any of your Sin features are considered curses and can no longer be cured by spells such as lesser restoration or a paladin's Lay on Hands feature, but only through remove curse or similar magic.

Unclean

At 20th level, you gain immunity to poison damage and the poisoned condition. Additionally, at the end of a long rest, you may choose one of the diseases you carry and replace it with another that you don't already carry.

Furthermore, if you are reduced to 0 hitpoints or killed outright, you may choose to explode, killing you if you weren't already dead, and coating the area within 10 feet of you with infected blood and rotting viscera. Creatures in the area take 5d8 bludgeoning damage, 5d8 poison damage, automatically

contract one of your diseases chosen by you, and instantly manifest its stage 1 symptoms. Creatures in the area already afflicted by one of your diseases instead have that disease immediately advance in stage.

Epidemic

Also at 20th level, you can cause your disease to spread extremely rapidly. As a bonus action on your turn, you can choose one of your diseases to become an Epidemic for 1 minute. Any unafflicted creature that moves within 10 feet of a creature (including yourself) that is afflicted by that disease or starts its turn there must make a Constitution saving throw against your witchguard spell save DC, contracting the disease and instantly manifesting its stage 1 symptoms on a failure. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw is immune from contracting your disease through your Epidemic feature until you complete a long rest.

When you use this feature, you can designate any creatures you choose, and the Epidemic ignores them. Once you have used this feature, you must complete a long rest before you may use it again.

Diseases

The diseases available to you each have three advancing stages, with worsening penalties for those infected. Successfully infecting a creature with one of these diseases through your Sin features immediately inflicts the symptoms and penalties of the first stage of the disease upon them, and through some of your Sin features you can cause the stage of the disease to instantly progress to the next.

Though effective in the heat of combat, diseases transmitted this way can be overcome just as quickly, and you may wish for your afflictions to be more lasting.

Spreading Disease Naturally

You may attempt to spread your maladies through their natural vectors, such as fluid discharge, insects, or fungal spores, depending on the disease. While this method takes much longer, its effects also take longer to shrug off.

When a creature is exposed to one of your diseases through its natural vectors, it must make a Constitution saving throw against your witchguard spell save DC. On a success, the target is immune to your diseases for 24 hours. On a success by 5 or more, it is immune to your diseases for a week or until you gain another witchguard level, whichever comes first. On a failure, it contracts the disease, and an incubation period follows where no symptoms are displayed. This period varies depending on the disease, detailed in their individual descriptions below.

At the end of the incubation period, stage 1 of the disease begins and symptoms manifest, as well as their accompanying penalties. At the end of each long rest following the beginning of stage 1, the creature must repeat the Constitution saving throw. After three successes, the creature recovers from the disease and becomes immune to it for one month or until you gain another witchguard level, whichever comes first. However, if the creature suffers three failures before it recovers, the disease progresses to stage 2, where symptoms and penalties worsen, and the successes and failures are reset.

This process is repeated once stage 2 begins: After three successful saving throws, the creature restarts from the beginning of stage 1 but has advantage on all following Constitution saving throws made against this disease until it recovers. However, three failed saving throws advances the disease to stage 3, where it becomes permanent, only curable through spells such as lesser restoration or heal.

Fungal Atrophy

Fungal atrophy is carried on spores released by mushrooms growing from its victims' withered bodies. It is characterized by muscular weakness, and eventual inability to move as the mycelium gradually replaces its hosts' tissues.

Infection Cause: Spores repeatedly breathed in or allowed to settle in areas of the body that are often dark, warm, and wet such as the armpits, between the toes, or even beneath the tongue.

Incubation Period: 2 weeks.

Stage 1: The creature experiences weakness and fatigues more easily. Fuzzy white mold grows across its body, primarily in the areas described above.

The creature makes attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws using Strength at a -2 penalty.

Stage 2: The creature is lethargic as it becomes a strain for it to move. Mycelium invades and replaces muscle, and the fruiting bodies of the fungus begin to painfully pierce the creature's flesh and erupt across the body. The creature becomes fond of warm, moist, and dark places.

In addition to the previous stage's penalty, the creature has disadvantage on attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks using Strength, and its speed is reduced by 10 feet.

Stage 3: The creature loses its motility entirely as mycelium continues to supplant nonessential tissues. It becomes unrecognizable as a member of its race; such is the fungal growth across its external body. It dies after a number of days equal to 1d4 + its Constitution modifier and releases spores, starting the cycle anew.

The creature is paralyzed.

Green Blight

The green blight is named for its transmission method - the green gas released when the glowing polyps that form on an infected creature burst open.

Infection Cause: Inhalation of vapors released from burst polyps on the infected.

Incubation Period: 1 day to 1 week, depending on amount inhaled.

Stage 1: Chills and mild fever. Small polyps begin to form on the creature's skin, though they do not yet bear the signature green glow. Exertion causes the creature to feel nauseous.

Once per round, if the creature makes an attack roll, ability check, or casts a spell, it must make a Constitution saving throw against your witchguard spell save DC, taking 1d8 poison damage on a failure.

Stage 2: Chills and fever worsen. Polyps grow in size and number, and faintly glow green. They may burst if disturbed, releasing small amounts of disease-ridden gas. Exertion grows increasingly difficult without vomiting.

In addition to the previous stage's penalty, the creature is poisoned.

Stage 3: The creature's body becomes grotesquely bloated, and its polyps produce significant light, able to shine through thin layers of clothing. It dies after a number of days equal to 1d4 + its Constitution modifier; at which time all polyps burst and expel a significant amount of toxic gas.

In addition to the previous stage's penalty, the creature emits dim light in a 5-foot radius, is vulnerable to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, and upon being reduced to 0 hit points it explodes, killing it and leaving a cloud of green gas in a 10-foot radius around it.

The cloud spreads around corners, and its area is lightly obscured. It lasts for 1 minute or until a wind of at least 10 miles per hour disperses it. When a creature enters the cloud's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, that creature must make a Constitution saving throw equal to your witchguard spell save DC. The creature takes 1d8 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Additionally, on a failed save, the creature is poisoned while it is in the cloud.

Phantasm Fever

An affliction of the brain, phantasm fever is obtained from eating the tainted meat of animals suffering from the disease. Symptoms include hallucinations of shadowy figures and general paranoia.

Infection Cause: Most commonly from consuming the meat of livestock infected through tainted feed, though the meat of deer and other commonly hunted animals has been known to spread it as well.

Incubation Period: 1 month. May be much longer for animals.

Stage 1: The creature develops a mild fever and begins to see dark hallucinatory shapes in its peripheral vision.

The creature makes concentration checks, spell attack rolls, and ability checks and saving throws using Wisdom at a -2 penalty.

Stage 2: The fever becomes moderate, and the creature hallucinates shadowy figures in the distance that appear to be watching them or interacting with people they know. They generally exhibit paranoid symptoms if they were not already.

In addition to the previous stage's penalty, concentration checks, spell attack rolls, and ability checks and saving throws using Wisdom are made at disadvantage, and targets have advantage on saving throws made against spells cast by the creature.

Stage 3: The fever grows severe. The creature sees shadowy figures everywhere, and believes these hallucinations are actively trying to kill them. The creature dies after a number of days equal to 1d8 + its Constitution modifier.

In addition to the previous stage's penalty, the creature is now hostile to all other creatures.

Skin Mites

Skin mites are actually the larval form of a rare beetle known as the flesh borer. The primary symptom is painful lesions on the skin that continue to grow wider as the mites eat their fill.

Infection Cause: Flesh borer beetles are a winged insect that tend to live in hot, dry climates, and congregate in large numbers in the darkness of caves and abandoned or rarely used structures. The larger mandibles and forelegs of the females allow them to quickly dig narrow but deep holes into their victims (mostly-hairless humanoids being their favorite) where they deposit several hundred of their eggs before flying away.

Incubation Period: 1 day.

Stage 1: The creature develops painful lesions around the holes where the eggs were deposited in its skin which fail to heal closed, though they stop bleeding.

Whenever the creature takes bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, it additionally suffers 2 necrotic damage.

Stage 2: Significant portions of the creature's skin are nibbled away, revealing raw red flesh beneath. Besides the constant burning sensation, these sites invite further infection. Dark, wriggling mites may become visible through the skin.

Whenever the creature takes bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, it additionally suffers 3 necrotic damage. Furthermore, it has disadvantage on Constitution checks and saving throws except those made to resist this disease.

Stage 3: Conspicuous lumps constantly move beneath the creature's remaining skin. Vast patches of bare meat are revealed across the creature, which cause incapacitating pain and are usually badly infected. It dies after a number of days equal to 1d4 + its Constitution modifier, usually before the adult beetles emerge from its body and fly off.

In addition to the previous stage's penalty, the creature is incapacitated.

Twitching Cyst

Primarily transmitted to humanoids via rodents, twitching cyst begins as small lumps on the arms and legs that cause involuntary spasms but can progress to eventually engulf the body in convulsing tumorous growths.

Infection Cause: Bites from rats and mice, or contact with their excretions, whether ingested in tainted food or inhaled as an aerosol.

Incubation Period: 3 weeks.

Stage 1: Tumorous growths appear on the creature's arms and legs, especially around the hands and feet. Though not painful in themselves, the nearby muscles may contract without warning and can cramp, particularly during stress or exercise.

The creature makes attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws using Dexterity at a -2 penalty.

Stage 2: The tumors continue to grow in size and number, spreading across the body and comprising 10-15% of the creature's weight. Involuntary spasms become more common and severe. The creature's hands are such that tasks involving fine manipulation are exceedingly difficult.

In addition to the previous stage's penalty, the creature has disadvantage on attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks using Dexterity, and attack rolls made against it have a +2 bonus.

Stage 3: The creature's body is taken over by the growths which now compose around 50% of its body weight. It is misshapen such that it bears no resemblance to its former self. It convulses ceaselessly and uncontrollably. It is no longer able to eat and dies after a number of days equal to 1d4 + its Constitution modifier.

In addition to the previous stage's penalty, the creature is restrained.

Winking Drip

Spread by gnats and contact with the discharge produced from the tear ducts, winking drip causes irritation of the eyes that provokes its signature “winking” and can eventually lead to blindness.

Infection Cause: When a creature with eyes comes into contact with the discharge of another creature infected with winking drip, whether through proximity, tainted food or water, used washcloths, or gnats attracted to bodily fluids.

Incubation Period: 1 week.

Stage 1: The creature begins to produce a watery discharge from the tear ducts that irritates the eyes, forcing the creature to blink repeatedly.

The creature makes attack rolls and ability checks that rely on sight at a -2 penalty.

Stage 2: The discharge turns to a sickly yellow-green, and the eyes are bloodshot and in constant pain, particularly when open.

In addition to the previous stage's penalty, the creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks that rely on sight. Stage 3: The corneas turn to an opaque yellow-green, and the pain subsides.

The creature is blinded.

Sin of Discord

Flying in the face of the self-serving rule of law that tyrants, both mortal and godly, would impose, the Sin of Discord exists in all who are dynamic, inquisitive, and free. Its essence is rebellion as well as Chaos: that which came before all else and to which all will return. Those that adopt Discord as their Sin are known as Malefactors and are considered the purest of all witchguards. Through their turbulent study, they glean glimpses of the everchanging way of things and are changed by it in kind. To say they wield great magic would imply that they control the uncontrollable; thus, it is more accurate to describe them as rifts in a stagnant world that channel the revolution of pandemonium.

Values of Discord

While suggesting Discord has dogma is paradoxical at best, there are nevertheless certain patterns that these witchguards follow.

Rebellion. Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.

Evolution. That which does not bend will break.

Skepticism. That which can be destroyed by truth should never be spared its demise.

Capriciousness. The only constant in life is change.

Sin Spells

You gain Sin spells at the witchguard levels listed.

Sin of Discord Spells

Witchguard Level	Spells
3rd	chaos bolt, dissonant whispers
5th	alter self, shatter
9th	counterspell, dispel magic
13th	confusion, polymorph
17th	far step, synaptic static

Improved Spellcasting

Beginning when you embrace this Sin at 3rd level, you gain greater insights into the esoteric depths of primordial Chaos and learn to cast more varied and powerful spells. You learn 2 cantrips of your choice from the Discord Cantrips list at the end of the Sin description. You can also add 1 bonus spell from any of the warlock, witchguard, or wizard spell lists to your grimoire. A spell you choose must be of a level you can cast. The chosen spell counts as a witchguard spell for you.

Furthermore, you can prepare a number of additional witchguard spells when you finish a long rest equal to half the number of bonus spells you know, rounded down.

You gain additional cantrips, spells known from the warlock, witchguard, or wizard spell lists, and bonus spell slots as you level, as shown in the Discord Spellcasting table. The spell slots in the table are your new total spell slots, not additional.

You can also now cast a witchguard spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell in your grimiore. You don't need to have the spell prepared.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Discord Spellcasting

Level	Cantrips Known	Bonus Spells Known	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th
3rd	2	1	4	2	—	—	—	—	—
4th	2	1	4	3	—	—	—	—	—
5th	2	2	4	3	—	—	—	—	—
6th	3	2	4	3	2	—	—	—	—
7th	3	3	4	3	3	—	—	—	—
8th	3	3	4	3	3	—	—	—	—
9th	3	4	4	3	3	1	—	—	—
10th	3	4	4	3	3	2	—	—	—
11th	3	5	4	3	3	2	—	—	—
12th	3	5	4	3	3	3	1	—	—
13th	4	6	4	3	3	3	2	—	—
14th	4	6	4	3	3	3	2	—	—
15th	4	7	4	3	3	3	2	1	—
16th	4	8	4	3	3	3	2	1	—
17th	4	8	4	3	3	3	2	1	—
18th	4	9	4	3	3	3	2	1	1
19th	4	10	4	3	3	3	2	1	1
20th	4	10	4	3	3	3	2	1	1

Protean

At 7th level, your being becomes mercurial, fluctuating randomly or perhaps with the whims of some insane puppeteer. At the end of every long rest, roll once on the Mutations table to determine your new trait. This trait lasts until you finish a long rest.

Calamitous Arcana

Also at 7th level, when you use your action to cast a cantrip, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.

You cannot expend spell slots to enhance this weapon attack through your Possessed Artifact feature.

Improved Calamitous Arcana

At 15th level, when you use your action to cast a witchguard spell, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.

You cannot expend spell slots to enhance this weapon attack through your Possessed Artifact feature.

Changer of Ways

At 20th level, you believe you understand the ebbs and flows of Chaos itself. Your Intelligence score increases by 4, and the maximum for that score increases by 4.

Additionally, at the end of a long rest, you have the option of either rolling on the Mutations table as normal, or choosing one or two traits from the table you desire, to replace the trait or traits you currently bear. You may now also do this at the end of a short rest if you wish.

If chosen deliberately, neither of these traits can be the same as the ones you had before the rest.

Discord Cantrips

Sin of Cabal (Unfinished)

Conspiring with demons is a sin that has historically shaken those who lack the conviction of their own self-professed superiority. It is he who fears the different, the foreign, the downright alien who will be the first swept away by the strength of diversity. Witchguards engaged in the Sin of Cabal are they who most closely consort with the beings from the so-called "lower" planes; whereas a Diabolist may thoughtlessly tear fiends from the underworld to serve him in, at best, the volatile capacity as a lessor of power, or at worst as a slave, a Cabalist values true loyalty. Rather than through intimidation or groveling, these witchguards entreat with their dark allies towards mutual benefit, without the usual unspoken agreement that the better schemer will eventually betray or abandon the other. Their connection grows such that the witchguard may willingly invite possession, uniting their own material form with the metaphysical might of their extraplanar accomplice.

Values of Cabal

To gather in Cabal is to fraternize with those who have been intentionally excluded from the social order, whether that be banishment from a tribe, excommunication from a religion, or villification by an entire culture.

Common ground. The enemy of our enemy is our friend.

Gestalt. We are many; you are but one.

Empathy. No one is the villain of their own story.

Synergy. Where one's capabilities end, another's begins. Together we can topple gods.

Sin Spells

You gain Sin spells at the witchguard levels listed.

Sin of Cabal Spells

Witchguard Level	Spells
3rd	absorb elements, jump
5th	enhance ability, spider climb
9th	gaseous form, haste
13th	freedom of movement, stoneskin
17th	contact other plane, skill empowerment

Symbiosis

Beginning when you brook this Sin at 3rd level, you learn a ritual to invite a spirit originating from the lower planes into your corporeal body. This may be the astral fiend or fiends already inhabiting your Possessed Artifact, or it may be another lost soul from amongst the damned who yet remain in the underworld. With 8 hours of preparation and the expenditure of 5 gp worth of blood and candles or other suitable materials, you beckon a fiendish, though non-hostile shade (with whom you may first discuss the terms of your future partnership if you have not already), and may make the decision of whether or not to grant it shared residence within your mortal form. Until it begins to travel with you, this fiend is unaware of any useful information outside the scope of its plane of residence, and once made, this decision cannot be reversed without extraordinary effort such as an exorcism - the rules for which would be up to your DM.

Should your goals align and your conditions be found agreeable, the fiendish spirit enters your body and makes several subtle-yet-permanent changes to better accomodate itself:

• You gain the Fiend creature type, in addition to the type you already had. If an effect works on at least one of your creature types, that effect can work on you.
• You gain immunity to being possessed (unwillingly).
• You gain darkvision out to 60 feet. If you already have darkvision from another source, its range instead increases by 30 feet.
• Your body can quickly regenerate from wounds and even re-attach severed limbs. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to expend a hit die, regaining hit points equal to the hit die + your Intelligence modifier + your witchguard level. Holding an appendage severed within the last 24 hours to its stump during this time will reattach it - otherwise it will regrow at a gradual rate deemed appropriate by your DM. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Lesser Manifestation

Also at 3rd level, your ethereal cotenant imbues within you a manifestation of its otherworldly might. Choose between the Haunted Artifact or Ravaging Appendage manifestations.

Haunted Artifact

Your Possessed Artifact grows in versitility as you allow its spirit more freedom, gaining additional benefits.

• It gains darkvision and hearing equal to your own.
• If destroyed or irretrievably lost, it reforms itself in your inventory in an hour.
• You cannot be disarmed of it unwillingly unless you are incapacitated.
• If it is within 60 feet of you, you can summon it to you as an action on your turn, causing it to fly to you and equip itself in an empty hand or on your body, as needed. If it is a weapon or shield, you may summon it as a bonus action, instead.

Additionally, it gains another ability based on what type of artifact it is.

Stirring Bloodlust. Possessed weapons seem to lunge for your enemies of their own accord. While drawn, you do not suffer disadvantage on attacks with possessed weapons while frightened, nor against creatures within range that you cannot see, as long as the weapon can see them. Additionally, once per turn, when you take the Attack action to make an attack with a possessed weapon and the attack misses, you can immediately make another weapon attack against the same target.

Warding Maw. Possessed shields produce a mouth full of large, sharp teeth that hungrily clench upon anything that enters. When an adjacent creature misses you with an attack, as a reaction you may attempt to disarm them (Dungeon Master's Guide, p. 271). Alternately, as a reaction you may try to grapple them as though you had a free hand, with advantage on the check. If either attempt succeeds, the creature takes piercing damage equal to 1d4 + your Intelligence modifier, and while grappled, it takes this damage again at the beginning of each of your turns. However, you may only grapple one creature at a time in this manner, and you lose the AC bonus of your shield while it is engaged in grappling. You may still release a creature from this grapple whenever you like (no action required).

Lurching Carapace. Possessed armor takes on a sinister sheen; its wearer often finds themself inadvertently wandering off, sometimes waking up in a different place from where they fell asleep. While you are restrained by an effect resulting from a failed Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw, or are frightened, paralyzed, incapacitated, stunned, or unconscious, you may at any time roll for initiative and have your armor temporarily enter the initiative order. You may act normally, including ignoring all of the listed conditions, until the end of the new turn, after which your armor leaves the initiative order and the conditions resume (if applicable). After using this feature, you must complete a short rest before you can use it again.

Witchguard Spells

The following is a list of spells available to the witchguard. The list is organized by spell level, not character level. Each spell is in the Player's Handbook, unless it has an asterisk, in which case it may be found in Xanathar's Guide to Everything or Tasha's Cauldron of Everything.

Additional Witchguard Spells

The spells listed here may also be considered part of the witchguard spell list if the character uses the Additional Witchguard Spells optional class feature, as described on page 5.

Changelog

v1.2.3 (6/21/2022)

I looked at this again because I wanted to share it and I figured I should check how the formatting was doing across updates to Homebrewery; as it turned out, not so well. So this is just an update to make the thing readable, more or less, and restore some of the art that mysteriously went missing.

I don't really get much interest in this homebrew, which is mostly my fault since I don't post it anywhere very public, which is itself due to my anxiety about the parts that I'd like to change or are unfinished, which I don't do because I don't get feedback on it. Fun little circle I have going here.

Meta

• Formatting updated to work (better) with the new version of Homebrewery. STILL NOT FINALIZED.
• Missing art restored. Egil Styrbjorn, Spiky Knightess, and Bödvarr Ribspreader weren't there anymore for whatever reason. Now they're back.

v1.2.2 (11/25/2021)

Some cool guy called Durf 123 emailed to inform me of a grammar issue in the Possessed Artifact options that made the rules for it unclear, and I needed to go through and change some things after having shown the class to a friend who knows balance much better than I anyways; thus the new version.

Moral of the story: If you want to see work done on this homebrew, let me know you're even looking at it.

Base Class

• Grammar error fixed for Possessed Artifact. Should be more clear now.

Sin of Pestilence

• Cloud of Flies feature removed, Feel No Pain moved from 3rd to 7th level to replace it. It was between one or the other, and Cloud of Flies was the more complicated and exclusive, concept-wise. FNP was also edited to reduce damage less early on, but improve more steadily.
• More changes are forthcoming. I was finally made aware that the diseases are far too powerful, so expect more severe nerfs in the future, to this and other Sins.

Meta

• Formatting updated to work (better) with the new version of Homebrewery. NOT FINALIZED.

v1.2.1 (5/31/2021)

Never totally finalized this version before losing interest again, so I'll just call it v1.2.3 since I'd like to keep it distinct from later versions.

Sin of Cabal

• Work has begun.

Base Class

• Talisman added to Possessed Artifact options. Not sure if it matches the power of weapons or armor though.

Meta

• "Finalized" artwork for the table of contents page and added art to the spells page.
• Added new tentative artwork for the Sin of Wrath. It will most likely need to be altered when I rework Wrath though.

v1.2.0 (5/23/2021)

Don't Get Your Hopes Up

This update is smaller than I'd like it to be, but it does at least bring witchguard in-line with paladin in terms of number of class features, given the new ones added in Tasha's Guide to Everything.

The update that adds the next subclass, the Sin of Cabal, will either come within a few days or like, a few decades I guess, depending on my depression/ADHD. Essentially, don't expect anything significant to follow in a reasonable time-frame if nothing happens by the 26th or so.

If anyone ever reads this and would like to motivate me to work faster, you basically only have to send me anything remotely positive about this homebrew, or hell, just engage me in any conversation regarding sci-fi or fantasy in an email or a PM elsewhere - contact info below. I need to get a blog.

Base Class

• Added optional class features to mirror the paladin's from Tasha's Cauldron of everything, with the exception of Harness Divine Power, as witchguards do not gain a Channel Divinity feature. The new similar optional Harness Chaotic Energies feature takes its place at 3rd level, instead.
• Added 5 spells to the witchguard spell list and moved some existing spells to a new section immediately below the rest of the spells. Both changes are due to the optional class features change, above; the latter of which is just in case you need to know which spells a witchguard would have were they limited to only the pre-Tasha's rules for some weird reason.

Sins of Greed & Pestilence

• Changed Death Bolt to Mortiferous Magics and Pestilent Bolt to Virulence: like with Doom Bolt, Greed and Pestilence witchguards may now also change the damage type of their Possessed Artifact feature from psychic to necrotic or poison, respectively, when they want to.

Meta

• Added tentative artwork to the table of contents page. Will probably add something to the spells page (the page preceding this one) next.
• Removed Sin of Wrath's artwork. This was only partly intentional; due to space limitations caused by my haphazard formatting there is currently no room for Wrath to have artwork without adding an otherwise-empty page that would cause unnecessary headache. When (if) I get around to overhauling the Sin of Wrath, I hope to have a different piece take its place that I don't eventually realize just looks like Warcraft fanart.
  The old art can still be found here:
  Dragon Demon Advance by DeadManAwake

v1.1.3 (5/3/2021)

Disappointment

Remember when I said I would release optional class features and a 10th Sin next? I lied.

I'm still hoping to do those, and also a major overhaul of the Sin of Wrath, but it may be a few months yet depending on my interest - who knows? Who cares?

Meta

• Made page numbers and version/creator footnotes more visible. The default color was way too similar to the aged paper color, and was even less visible over certain images. The default text size was also way too small.
• Beautified table of contents and relocated art credits to there. I need to add a picture there too at some point.
• Updated contact info. I barely use Reddit these days. It's an on-and-off thing.

Sin of Envy

• Changed Spiteful Revelry to be able to activate twice per round, rather than only once. It seemed kind of crappy limited to one. Mostly I just don't want it to be cheesed by releasing a bunch of goblins or something from pocket-dimension-stasis mid-battle and nuking them to hit the max stacks right away. Not sure if that's actually a legitimate concern.

v1.1.2 (2/2/2021)

Upcoming

With the release of the Tasha sourcebook, I realize I need to at least bring the witchguard up to parity with the paladin insofar as having optional class features goes. Also, I have a 10th Sin about 50% planned out, so there's a high probability I will be releasing a Version 1.2.0 soon. (Whenever the 10th Sin is "released" - I swear I had the idea for it well in advance of listening to this).

Though, if that's not out by around 2/9/2021 or so, please stop holding your breath as I have undoubtedly become severely… distracted. And to blatantly beg for encouragement; if anyone (who doesn't already know me personally) reads this whatsoever, knowing that fact will definitely spur the next update along - my contact info can be found on the next page.

Hopefully I'll remember to delete this desperate note come v1.2.3.

Edit: I didn't forget, I'm just leaving it up because it's still true.

Meta

• Added linked page numbers to the art credits to help figure out which image goes with which credit.

• Changed the images for the Sins of Greed and Envy to more interesting and appropriate ones. The old ones weren't bad by any means, but I didn't like the look of having the only two female characters depicted wearing barely anything while nearly all the (nine-or-so) males had awesome plate armor. The next generation of aspiring champions shouldn't all be boys, after all.

  But fear not, any weirdos that might have upset; the Sin of Lust image is unlikely to change so long as its creator does not ask for that (or I do not decide to try to legitimize this through monetization which would require unique art) - though Sloth may yet change when I find something cooler. The old images can be found below:
  

  • Greed - Grave Guard by Ralph Horsley
  • Envy - Dark Knight by Johannes Holm

v1.1.1 (10/15/2020)

Sin of Pestilence

• Added "(min 6)" to the Pestilence Damage Reduction table numbers. Trying to improve the noticeability of an important caveat to the Feel No Pain feature.

Meta

• Added a changelog. Will try to keep this log and the version number updated for anything other than insignificant spelling/grammar/formatting errata.
  • If you notice a change not mentioned here (from here on), or something that appears unfinished, it's quite possible I'm currently in the process of editing this page, so check again in a few hours.
• Added Other Creations and Contact Info sections. Because I'm a narcissist and realized I could do that. Check the page after this.
• Changed version number to 1.1.1. "1.0.2" didn't reflect how big of a difference there is between this version and the version actually numbered "1.0.1" that I ported to Imgur a while back, which had fewer subclasses.

Other Creations

All of the following is also created by Stygian Emperor, except the assets used from The Homebrewery or those otherwise credited within.

Please let me know if you find any links have broken.

Classes

• The Bloodrager (WIP - playable) - a hybrid of the barbarian and sorcerer inspired by the Pathfinder class of the same name
• The Witchguard (WIP - playable) - a fiendish inversion of the paladin that embraces sin rather than taking oaths
• The Ninja (WIP - not yet playable) - a hybrid of the monk and rogue inspired by Mortal Kombat.

Subclasses

Barbarian

• Path of the Berserker (Revised) - a tweak of what I feel is an otherwise-lackluster subclass; includes improvements for dual-wielders among other things

Fighter

• Blade Dancer - a Dex-based, highly mobile archetype
• Champion (Revised) - a redesign of what I feel is an otherwise-lackluster subclass; includes a rage-like Battle Trance mechanic and crappy original artwork
• Prismbrand - an archetype that manifests weapons out of the elements

Sorcerer

• Frost Sorcery - a subclass intended to fill in the cold elemental gap

Conversions

Note: Some of the following is not yet on The Homebrewery; some links will take you to Dropbox files instead, but you shouldn't need to download anything to view their content in your browser.

• Vampirism (WIP) - a VtM-flavored partial-conversion mod for 5e allowing players to make diverse vampire characters with various strengths and weaknesses dependent upon the vampiric bloodline they choose, complete with original (if familiar) fantasy lore and bloodline symbols.
  • Intended for fully-committed adventuring parties only; in other words, either every PC should be a vampire, or none of them should be.

• Stygian Technologies (very WIP) - a post-cyberpunk conversion for 5e based on another such conversion, the excellent SW5e. Includes rules for bionics, powered armor, firearms (both modern and futuristic), and equipment upgrade options, as well as a decent amount of original setting lore. Currently in a playable state, though you may have to improvise or borrow things from the aforementioned SW5e to fill in some gaps.
  
  

Miscellaneous

• Default Token Marker Expansion for 5e - If you use Roll20 to play D&D, you can buy my token marker pack that's intended to be used alongside the default ones. As there is no means in place by which you can donate financially to me, if you really want a way to monetarily support me this is mostly it. I do love compliments just about as much though (see Contact Info).

Contact Info

Please send any non-anxiety-provoking comments, suggestions, or gameplay tales involving any of my homebrew (I know, it's a longshot), as well as all pledges of eternal servitude to any of the following (in order of best to worst):

Email - stygianemperor@gmail.com

• Preferably with the name of the homebrew (or your most notable qualification as a servant) in the subject line. I tend to check this several times per day.

Direct Message

• Discord: Stygian Emperor#1500
  • I'm usually available here.
  • You may have to add me as a friend or join the official D&D Discord server first before you can DM me here.
• Steam: Stygian Emperor
  • Should get my attention most of the time.
• Reddit: u/stygianemperor
  • I check this inconsistently, but I'll eventually notice

Find Me

• DeviantArt: StygianEmperor
  • Look at my crappy art! Better yet, look at other peoples' good art that I've favorited!
• YouTube: Stygian Emperor
  • This is mostly just dumb stuff like obscure game sound effects or voices I had at one point wished someone else had uploaded for me, or else demonstrations of my game mods.