Artificer Speciality - Hexcrafter
Artificers who follow the path of the hexcrafter are commonly referred to as 'Witches' (regardless of gender). Often misunderstood and maligned as practicioners of evil magic, this isn't necessarily the case. Where many Artificers focus on using their magic to imbue items and objects with special powers, Hexcrafters instead tease at the weave itself, sewing the strands of magic into bespoke hexes that offer both weal and woe to those who face them.
Tool Proficiency
When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with alchemist supplies or woodcarver's tools. If you already have these proficiencies, you gain proficiency with one other type of artisan's tools of your choice.
Hexcrafter Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the hexcrafter spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don't count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
Hexcrafter Spells
| Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Find Familiar, Hex |
| 5th | Animal Messenger, Suggestion |
| 9th | Fear, Tongues |
| 13th | Banishment, Bestow Curse |
| 17th | Commune with Nature, Dream |
Witch's Cloak
When you take up this speciality at 3rd level you learn how to wrap yourself in magical defense. While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Intelligence modifier. You can use a Shield and still gain this benefit.
Hexer
At 3rd level you learn two Hexes from the list included below, and gain an additional Hex known for every two artificer levels thereafter. Unless otherwise specified each Hex can be used as an action and can be used without limitation, however each Hex can only be used on a specific creature once before requiring a long rest to use again on them, regardless of whether they succeed or fail on a saving throw.
Whenever you learn a new Hex, you may also choose to exchange one of your already known Hexes for another one that you qualify for. Unless noted in their description hexes have no notable visual, auditory or somatic effects connected to either their initial use or persistent effects.
(Un)fortunate Spells
From 5th level, whenever you cast a spell that heals or deals damage on a target with one of your Hexes active (not including any Permanent hexes that you have on yourself), you heal or deal an additional 1d6 damage.
Witch's Brew
Common witch lore is that they are adept potion brewers...and this is true for hexcrafters. From 9th level whenever you craft a potion, you create twice the amount of potions you would normally have made. The time for brewing potions for you is also halved.
Enchant Broom
From 9th level at the end of a long rest you can choose to enchant a broom with the power of flight, turning it into a Broom of Flying. However, its flight time only lasts a number of hours equal to your proficiency bonus (which you can split up into 1 hour increments), refreshing on a long rest, and only you can use your Broom to fly on - it doesn't respond to others, no matter how much you might beg or plead for it to do so.
Greater Hex
Once you've reached 11th level in this class Greater Hexes can be chosen instead of a normal Hex at each odd numbered level. Your Greater Hexes can be used a combined number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, refreshing on a long rest, unless otherwise specified.
Grand Hex
At 15th level you learn one Grand Hex in addition to your normal Hex. At 18th and 20th level you learn an additional Grand Hex of your choice. Each Grand Hex you learn can only be used once, before requiring a Long Rest, unlike normal Hexes.
Hexes
Animal Skin - When you first learn this hex, choose one beast of CR1/2 or less that doesn't have a flying speed. You can use your action to Polymorph (as the spell, but without requiring Concentration) into this beastform for 1 hour per Artificer level, using your Action to change back. Whenever you gain a level in this class you may change the beast you've chosen, and at 11th level you may choose a beast of up to CR1/2 with a flying speed.
Aura of Purity - As an action you can project an aura of pure air around yourself, making the area clean and clear. For 1 minute any creatures within 10' of you automatically succeed on any saving throws against diseases or inhaled poisons, and any noxious (magical or mundane) gases in the area have no effect. This aura moves with you when you move.
Beast of Ill-Omen - As an action choose a friendly familiar (either yours or another creature's) or homunculus servant that is within 30'. You imbue it with ill magic, a shadowy cloak that heralds doom for your enemies. For 1 minute any hostile creature adjacent to the imbued creature subtracts 1d4 from any attack roll or saving throw that they make. While imbued with this magic, the familiar or homunculus cannot be Invisible.
Deathcall - Your very presence heralds people to the grave. Hostile creatures within 60' of you die on two failed death saving throws, instead of three. At 11th level, this becomes one failed death saving throw. They still require 3 successes to stabilise. This effect is permanent so long as you know this hex.
Evil Eye - One of your eyes gleams with magic. Choose one creature within 30' that can see you and that you can see. They must make a Wisdom saving throw. Choose one of: AC, Attack Rolls, Ability Checks. For the next 1d4+1 rounds on a failed save, or 1 round on a successful save, the chosen feature is reduced by 2.
Feral Speech - You gain the ability to Speak with Animals, as the spell. This effect is permanent so long as you know this Hex.
Fortune - Rather than cursing someone's luck, you can enhance it. Choose a creature within 30' that you can see. They have advantage on the next attack roll, ability check or saving throw that they make for 1 minute.
Healing - Your hands are those of a healer. You can use your action to touch 1 creature to heal them for 1d8 + your Intelligence modifier hit points.
Iceskin - Your skin crackles over with patches that appear as glass or ice. While you are not wearing armour or a shield, you gain +2 to your AC. This effect is permanent so long as you know this Hex. At 11th level, this increases to +3.
Minor Prophecy - By spending 1 hour incanting a ritual chant, you may cast the Augury spell without requiring a material component. You must complete a long rest before being able to use Minor Prophecy again.
Misfortune - You befuddle a creature's chance. Choose a creature within 60'. They must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw. If they fail, they have disadvantage on the next attack saving throw they make within the next minute.
Murksight - As a bonus action you can grant yourself the ability to see through natural or magical fog, mist, and rain without penalty, as if it were clear air. This lasts for 1 hour.
Nails - Your nails lengthen and thicken, granting you a 1d4 claw natural weapon. Owing to their magical origins, you may add your Intelligence modifier to attack and damage rolls, instead of strength. This effect is permanent so long as you know this hex.
Peacebond - Your hex seeks to lock a creature's weapons from their hands. Choose a creature you can see within 60'. They must succeed on a strength check against your spell save DC in order to draw a weapon or ammunition. This lasts for 1 hour, or until they successfully use their Object Interaction or Action on their turn to draw a weapon or piece of ammunition.
Protective Luck - You hex reality itself, bending chance to keep them from harm. Choose a creature within 30' that you can see. The next time they are attacked within the next minute, the attacker has disadvantage on the attack roll.
Normalvision - Your hex befuddles an enemy's sight. Choose a creature within 60'. They must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or temporarily have any Darkvision, See Invisibility, or Truesight suppressed for 1 minute. They may make a new saving throw at the end of each turn to end the effect early.
Scar - You use your cursed magic to mark someone. Choose one creature within 30' and incant a curse. They must succeed on a constitution saving throw or have a brand-like mark imprinted on their skin. The size, shape and location of the mark is up to you, but the mark persists through magical disguises or changing shape. This effect is permanent unless dispelled via Dispel Magic or similar effects.
Slumber - Your hex brings the sweet rapture of sleep upon a foew of your choice. Choose a creature within 60' that you can see. They must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or fall unconscious for 1 minute. They may make a new saving throw at the end of each turn to end this effect early. They instantly awaken if they take any damage or if another creature uses their action to shake them awake.
Summer's Heat - You call down the summer's heat upon a creature within 60', even in the dead of winter. They must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 1d6 fire damage and gain one level of exhaustion. On a successful save, they are not exhausted and the fire damage is halved.
Vulnerability - Even a creature's most potent defences are stripped of their power in the face of your magic. By touching one creature you make them roll a Constitution saving throw. Their Damage Resistances are removed, and their Damage Immunities are turned into Damage Resistances. This lasts for 1d4+1 rounds. On a successful save, it lasts for 1 round.
Ward - This hex helps to shore up your ally's defences, but has no effect on the Hexcrafter themself. You may touch one creature other than yourself to grant them the effects of this hex. They gain +1 to any saving throws they are proficient in. From 11th level, this increases to +2, and they have +1 to their non-proficient saving throws. This effect lasts for 1 hour, and you may only Ward one creature at a time.
Greater Hexes
Agony - Your hex wracks the target with pain so great they can barely stand. A creature you choose within 30' must make a Constitution saving throw. If they fail, they take 3d8 poison damage and for 1 minute their movement speeds drop by half, and whenever they want to take an action, bonus action or reaction they must roll a d20. On a 1-10, they lose that action. On a 11-20, they may take it as normal. They may make an additional saving throw at the end of each of their turns to end the effect early. On a successful save the damage is halved and they have no penalty to their movement or actions.
Ameliorating - As a master of hexes you also learn how to defend others from their effects. You may touch a creature as an action. For the duration, they add your Intelligence modifier to any saving throws against curses, diseases, and the following conditions: blinded, paralyzed, deafened, poisoned, and petrified. This effect lasts for 1 hour, and you can only have it active on one creature at a time, with the effect instantly ending on the first creature if you use it a second time.
Animal Servant - You learn to turn even the most powerful enemies into your animal allies. As an action choose a creature within 60'. On a failed Wisdom saving throw they are polymorphed (as the spell) into a Mastiff. While under this polymorph effect you may command the creature verbally on your turn (at not action cost) and the creature is forced to obey. This effect lasts for 1 hour, ending either when their polymorph form drops to 0 hit points or if they make a successful save against the effect. They may make a new save at the end of each turn to end the effect early.
Beast Eye - As an action you can choose a beast or monstrosity type creature within 100' of you and peer through their senses with unlimited duration. You can use this hex on another creature using the first creature as the 'origin' point, allowing you to chain between them, though you can still affect an individual beast only once per long rest. While your senses are connected to a creature's you are blinded and deafened. If the creature chosen has a CR which is greater than half your artificer level (rounded up) they may make a Wisdom saving throw to resist the effect.
Bestial Gift - Your touch can knit together a creature's form to become more beastial. When you touch a creature with this hex, they gain either a bite or a claw attack (their choice) that deals 1d6 + Str damage. This natural weapon can be used as a bonus action. Bestial Gift lasts for 8 hours, and you can only grant it to one creature at a time, with the effect instantly ending on the first creature if you use it a second time.
Delicious Fright - You revel in the fear of another creature. Choose a target within 30' who can see you. You appearance morphs in their eyes to that of their deepest fears. They must make a wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you for 1 minute. They may make a new saving throw at the end of each turn to end the effect early. While they are Frightened of you, you feed off their fears, gaining a +1d4 to attack rolls and saving throws.
Discord - Your hex seeks to sow discord among the enemy. Choose one creature you can see within 30' of you and incant a short curse. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or regard everyone around them, former friends included, as foes, for 1 minute. They may make a new saving throw at the end of each turn to end this effect, and if they take damage then they may also make an additional saving throw to end the effect.
Distracting Buzz - Your hex buzzes in the ears and mind of your foe. Choose one creature within 60' who can hear you. They must make a Wisdom saving throw or be affected by your hex for 1 minute. While under its effects, they must make a Concentration check against your spell save DC whenever they try to cast a spell. Should they fail, they lose the spell slot and the spell fizzles with no effect. In addition at the end of each of their turns they must make an automatic concentration check if they're concentrating on a spell. They can make additional Wisdom saving throws at the end of each of their turns (after the extra concentration check) to end the effect of this hex early.
Major Healing - Your healer's hands are now even more potent. You can use your action to touch 1 creature to heal them for 4d8 + your Intelligence modifier hit points.
Prophecy - Your prophetic skills gain even further power. By spending 1 hour incanting, you may cast the Divination spell without any material components. You must complete a long rest before being able to use Prophecy again.
Regenerative Sinew - By touching a creature you enhance their ability to regenerate. For a number of minutes equal to your half artificer level (rounded up), they regain a number of hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier each minute. If the creature takes any damage during its duration, this effect ends immediately.
Restless Slumber - While forced into sleep, the victim is assailed by malicious nightmares. This hex functions as Slumber, except that at the start of each turn they are unconscious from it they take 3d8 psychic damage. This damage does not wake the creature, though other damage sources still do.
Steal Voice - Your hex grasps at a character's voice, stealing it right from their throat. Choose a creature within 60'. They must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be unable to speak for 1 minute, preventing them from casting any spells with verbal components. While this hex is active, the Hexcrafter can perfectly imitate the hexed creature's voice. The hexed creature can make additional saving throws at the end of each of their turns to end the effect early.
Swine - Your hex twists an enemy's form, making them more piglike. Choose a creature within range. They must succeed on a constitution saving throw or their hands/paws become hooves, incapable of holding weapons or performing somatic components, for 1d4+1 rounds. On a successful save this hex only affects the target for 1 round. The hexed creature can make additional saving throws at the end of each of their turns to end the effect early.
Vicious Retribution - Your hex twists an enemy's attack to harm them. When a creature successfully strikes another with a melee attack, you may use your reaction to wrack them with pain. The take damage equal to the damage they caused, or half as much on a successful constitution saving throw.
Grand Hexes
Curse of Nonviolence - With a word of peace you seek to bring an end to conflict. Choose a creature within 60' that you can see. They must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be unable to take any violent or destructive actions against another creature. If another creature takes hostile action against the cursed creature, then the cursed creature can react normally against the offending creature only. This effect has unlimited duration, and can be removed only with Remove Curse or Dispel Magic cast from a 7th or higher level spellslot, Wish, or Divine Intervention.
Death Curse - The ultimate in a hexcrafter's lethality, you call upon the spirits of the dead to drag a foe to the grave. Choose one creature within 60' that you can see. They must succeed on a Constitution saving throw. On a success, they take 4d8 necrotic damage and the hex's effect ends immediately. On a failed save, they still take the damage and gain one level of exhaustion. At the end of their next turn, they gain a second level of exhaustion. At the end of their following turn they must make a new Constitution saving throw, and if they fail they die. If they succeed on this saving throw they instead take 8d8 necrotic damage which bypasses resistance and immunities.
False Hospitality - A hex oft used to allow a hexcrafter to live among others safely. As an action you grant the touched creature the effect of the Glibness spell for 1 hour.
Forced Reincarnation - The apex of a hexcrafter's magic to reform another's form. As an action touch one living humanoid creature. They must succeed on a wisdom saving throw (at disadvantage) or instantly be killed, and then affected by the Reincarnate spell. Such a sudden death and return ends any concentration the creature has, ends their attunement to any magic items, and removes any ongoing magic effects on the creature. Their current hit point total is set to the amount they had before being affected by this hex. A creature can willingly choose to fail this saving throw.
Lay to Rest - Many hexcrafters seek to put down the undead - if only to keep witchhunters happy. Choose one Undead type creature within 100' that you can see. If they are below 100 hit points, they are killed. Otherwise, they must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or have their current and maximum hit points reduced by half. On a successful save, they take 5d8 psychic damage, which bypasses resistances and immunities.
Lifegiver - Your healing skills reach their pinnacle. As an action touch one dead creature that has been dead for no more than a century. They are affected by the Resurrection spell, without needing to provide a material component.
Witch's Hut - A hexcrafter may need to be on the move a lot, and sometimes they want to travel in comfort. You can touch one building that is Huge in size to animate it, as the Animate Objects spell. Instead of gaining a fly speed the building grows legs. The legs can change their length from anywhere between 5 and 50' on your turn, as you wish. The hut has an AC equal to your spell save DC and hit points equal to 10 times your artificer level. This effect is permanent and does not require Concentration, but you may only have one Witch's Hut active at a time. You can use this hex on an existing hut to restore it to full hit points. If the hut's hit points are reduced to 0, the magic ends and the building collapses, unable to be used again.