Gunwitch, Variant (5e Class)

Gunwitch

"The Witch's Forest"

The forest was silent, save for the crunch of boots on brittle leaves. Five men moved in a loose formation, sword and shield raised, eyes flicking from shadow to shadow. The air was thick—damp with the weight of old magic. It clung to the bark, to the moss, to the very breath in their lungs. They shouldn't be here.

A whisper of wind. Then—a shot.

The first man dropped, a single bullet between his brows before his brain even registered the sound. The others spun, nerves firing faster than they could even raise their shields.

"Where?!" one hissed, scanning the dark.

Nothing answered but the creak of branches.

Then, a voice—soft, lilting, touched with something ancient.

"You bleed so easily."

Another shot. A second soldier jerked backward, throat torn open. He gargled his last breath as the others scrambled for cover, adrenaline screaming through their veins.

A shape moved between the trees; tattered black robes swaying like smoke, a wide-brimmed hat shadowing all but a glint of eyes. In one hand, a revolver gleamed in the moonlight, its barrel wreathed in curling sigils that burned like embers. The other hand traced something into the air—symbols that hung for a moment, then vanished with a hiss.

The third soldier, crouched behind a fallen log, felt something move beneath his skin. His veins darkened, his breath hitched, and then—his heart burst.

The gunwitch stepped forward, her voice a whisper threaded with laughter.

"Three down."

The last two turned to run. Another shot cracked through the night. The fourth soldier’s knee exploded, sending him screaming to the dirt. The last man froze, trembling, staring into the dark.

The witch reloaded, slow, deliberate. Each bullet pressed into the chamber with reverence, her lips moving in quiet incantation.

"You walked into my woods." Click.

"You came with steel and fire." Click.

"You knew the stories." The final bullet slid home.

"And yet, here you are." She raised the gun.

The last soldier whispered a prayer.

The witch smiled.

A single gunshot echoed through the trees.

A Tradition Born of Steel

"Tradition? It only goes so far."

Witchcraft is a practice as old as the bones of the earth, woven from whispers of forgotten gods and the slow turning of the stars. It is a discipline of blood and fire, of salt and soil, of symbols etched in hidden places where the world is still wild. But a Gunwitch is something more: a witch who has bound tradition to steel, carving the old ways into the precision of a modern weapon. They inscribe runes upon their bullets, marking each shot with intent, be it death, decay, or dominion. Their firearms are not mere tools, but conduits of will, imbued with sigils that bend reality in the instant between the hammer’s fall and the bullet’s flight. A Gunwitch does not simply pull a trigger; they cast a spell with every shot, threading the unseen forces of the world into the cold mechanics of a gun. To them, magic is not confined to ancient tomes and whispered incantations; it is the sharp crack of gunfire in the night, a spoken hex carried on the wind, a single bullet inscribed with a name. They are both the past and the future, bound together in smoke and lead.

Creating a Gunwitch

For one to become a Gunwitch, they must have given up the most ancient traditions of witchcraft and instead dedicated a large amount of effort to learning how to wield modern weapons. In some covens, this could be seen as a betrayal to the very art of Witchcraft. What circumstances caused your Gunwitch to make this decision? Were they particularly skilled or knowledgeable about the modern world outside their coven? Was their coven slain, leaving them to turn to technology in order to get revenge or protect the last of what remains? Were they a hunter who stumbled upon a coven, and was taught the secretive ways of Witchcraft in exchange for a blood pact? Determine how you obtained your knowledge in the ancient and forgotten ways of Witchcraft.

Quick Build

You can make a Gunwitch quickly by following these suggestions. First, Dexterity should be your highest ability score, followed by Intelligence. Second, choose the Hermit or Rune Carver background.

Class Features

As a Gunwitch you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

Armor: Light Armor
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Firearms
Tools: Tinker's Tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival

Equipment

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

• (a) A Musket or (b) Two Pistols
• 30 Bullets and a Gunpowder Horn
• (a) Tinker’s Tools or (b) Component Pouch
• (a) Priest's Pack or (b) Explorer's Pack
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 5d4 x 10 gp in funds.

Table: The Gunwitch

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Witchcraft Slots	Rites Known	Cursed Bullet
1st	+2	Fighting Style, Witch's Charms	-	-	-
2nd	+2	Witchcraft, Cursed Bullet	1	2	1
3rd	+2	Coven, Swift Hands	1	3	1
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	1	3	2
5th	+3	Extra Attack, Rite List	2	4	2
6th	+3	Ancient Armaments	2	4	2
7th	+3	Coven feature	2	5	2
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	2	5	3
9th	+4	Greater Charms, Rite List	3	6	3
10th	+4	Witch's Gaze	3	6	3
11th	+4	Coven feature	3	7	3
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	3	7	4
13th	+5	Rite List	4	8	4
14th	+5	Ancient Secrets	4	8	4
15th	+5	Coven feature	4	9	4
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	4	9	5
17th	+6	Rite List	5	10	5
18th	+6	Dark Etchings	5	10	5
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	5	11	6
20th	+6	Witchsight	5	11	6

Fighting Style

At 1st level, you adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one of the following options. You can't take a 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.

Close Quarters Shooter. When making a ranged attack while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll. Your ranged attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover against targets within 30 feet of you. You have a +1 bonus to attack rolls with ranged attacks.

Druidic Warrior. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the Druid spell list. They count as gunwitch 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 Druid spell list.

Marksman. When making a ranged attack with a two-handed firearm, consider the short range 20ft further, and the long range 60ft further. You have a +1 bonus to attack rolls with ranged weapons.

Pistoleer. When you use the Attack action and attack with a one-handed weapon, you can use a bonus action to attack with a one-handed firearm you are holding, with a -2 penalty to the attack roll.

Witch's Charms

At 1st level, you are able to imbue a very small amount of Witchcraft into ordinary objects. To use this ability, you must have Tinker's Tools or a Component Pouch in your hand. As a 10 minute ritual, you can turn a non-magical object weighing no more than 30 pounds into one of your Witch's Charms.

While an object is a Witch's Charm:

• You know the exact location of the object so long as it is within 30 feet of you.

• If the object is within 30 feet of you, you can use an action to cause the object's size to become Tiny and reduce its weight to 1 pound.

• If the object is within 30 feet of you, you can use a bonus action to cause the object to revert to its regular size and weight.

These properties last indefinitely. When you finish a long rest, you can end this property on one or more charms across any distance. An object also stops being a charm if it is destroyed.

You can turn multiple objects into Witch's Charms, but you must perform the ritual separately for each one. The maximum number of objects that you can affect with this feature is equal to your Intelligence modifier, plus half your Gunwitch level (rounded up). You cannot perform the ritual if you already have the maximum number of charms.

Witchcraft

At 2nd level, through your study of the ancient arcane, you are able to perform ancient rites to generate magical phenomenon.

Witchcraft Slots

The Gunwitch table shows how many 1st level spell slots you have to perform Rites. To cast a rite, you must expend a 1st level spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short or long rest.

Rites Known

At 2nd level, you know two rites of your choice from the Rites list .

The Rites Known column of the Gunwitch table shows when you learn more gunwitch rites of your choice. Some rites have level requirements which must be met in order to learn the rite.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the rites you know and replace it with another rites from the rites list, which also must be of a level you can select. The rites list is at the bottom of the class sheet.

Spellcasting Ability

Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your gunwitch rites, so you use your Intelligence if a rite refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a gunwitch rite.

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

Cursed Bullet

At 2nd level, you can imbue your bullets with the ancient magic you practice. Once per turn, when you make an attack with a Firearm, you can choose to fire a cursed bullet as part of the attack. You have the following options:

Briar. If the attack hits a creature, vines sprout from the bullet and grasp at the creature. The attack deals an additional 1d6 piercing damage, and the creature must succeed a Strength saving throw against your Witchcraft DC. On a failure, the creature becomes restrained until the start of your next turn, as it is wrapped in vines. On a success, the creature's speed is reduced by 10ft until the end of its next turn.

Nightmare. If the attack hits a creature, it warps its mind with horrifying visages and sounds. The attack deals an additional 1d10 psychic damage, and the creature must succeed a Wisdom saving throw against your Witchcraft DC. On a failure, the creature becomes frightened of you until the start of your next turn. On a success, the creature suffers no additional effects.

Attacks that are made with cursed bullets are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances and immunities.

You can use this feature a number of times as displayed in the class table, and all uses are restored when you finish a long rest.

Coven

At 3rd level, you chose to further the specialization of your Witchcraft, honed by your gunwitch coven. Choose between the Coven of Stars, Coven of Blood, and the Coven of Steel detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 11th, and 15th level.

Swift Hands

Also at 3rd level, you ignore the loading property of firearms you are proficient with.

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.

Extra Attack

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

Ancient Armaments

At 6th level, you are able to carve glyphs into your firearms to bask them in the old magic. As part of a short rest you can turn a firearm into an ancient armament, which gains the following properties:

• The weapon counts as a +1 magical weapon when you use it.
• Cursed Bullets fired with the firearm deal an additional die of damage.
• You can have up to 2 active rites upon the weapon. Active rites of the same type do not stack.

You can have a maximum of three ancient armaments at one time. As an action, you can touch the weapon to end this property. The Remove curse spell also ends this effect.

Greater Charms

Beginning at 9th level, your Witch's Charm feature can be used on Magical Items, and the range of its abilities increases to 120 feet, from 30 feet.

Witch's Gaze

At 10th level, the ancient magic you wield has manifested in your eyes, which sparkle and shift with the supernatural. As an action, you can look upon a creature within 30 feet, and force it to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the creature is unaffected. On a failure, you can choose one of the following:

Friend. The creature becomes charmed by you until this feature ends or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it. The charmed creature is friendly to you. When the feature ends, the creature knows it was charmed by you.

Foe. The creature becomes frightened by you until this feature ends.

This feature requires concentration and ends if you make an attack, cast a spell or rite, or after 1 minute has passed. It does not end if you activate a rite.

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

Ancient Secrets

At 14th level, you can unlock the true strength in your ancient armaments.

• The weapon counts as a +2 magical weapon when you use it.
• Cursed Bullets fired with the firearm deal two additional die of damage.
• Dormant rites upon the weapon last up to 2 hours, instead of only 10 minutes.

Dark Etchings

At 18th level, your ancient magic become even more potent through learning the forbidden teachings of dead gods. Your Witchcraft DC increases by 1.

Additionally, the Remove Curse spell only succeeds against your gunwitch effects if the caster makes a religion check against your Witchcraft DC as part of the casting. Otherwise the spell fails.

Witchsight

At 20th level your eyes have become a conduit for the ancient arcane, granting you the vision of a deadly hunter. You gain the following benefits:

• You can add half your intelligence modifier (rounded up) to perception checks you make and to your passive perception.
• You can add half your intelligence modifier (rounded up) to your ranged attack rolls and damage.

Coven of Stars

"Scholar of the Constellations"

The Coven of Stars is an ancient sisterhood of witches who draw power from the celestial dance of the heavens, weaving the light of distant suns into their sigils and spells. Masters of harmony and balance, they inscribe their magic into the earth, the wind, and the flowing rivers, channeling the natural world’s energy to guide fate, heal the land, and call forth cosmic fire when threatened. Ever watchful beneath the night sky, they are scholars of the constellations and guardians of forgotten wisdom, their rituals aligning with the great celestial cycles that shape the world itself.

Coven Bullet

When you select this subclass, you gain the following Cursed Bullet option: Cosmic Fire. If the attack hits a creature, the bullet bursts with light. The attack deals an additional 1d8 fire damage, and astral markings light up the creature until the start of your next turn. While affected, the creature sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius and any attack roll against the affected creature has advantage if the attacker can see it. Additionally, the affected creature can’t benefit from being invisible.

Star Sigils

The specialty of the Coven of Stars is their ancient sigils. At 3rd level, you are able to draw cosmic sigils in the air to pull power directly from the heavens. When you would place a rite as an action, you can instead use a Star Sigil to conjure the activation effect immediately as if it were a spell.

• The activation range becomes the range of the spell, requiring line of sight.

• Hexes target creatures, Enchantments target objects, and Fields target a location or area.

• If the rite is a Hex, the target creature must be willing, or make a Charisma saving throw against your Witchcraft DC, being subjected to the effect only on a failure.

Cosmic Revelation

Also at 3rd level, you can cast the spells detect magic, identify, and augury without requiring material components. You can cast these spells this way a number of times equal to your intelligence modifier (minimum once), regaining your uses after finishing a long rest.

You can also cast these spells as by expending a Witchcraft slot, however this requires material components.

Dance of Heaven and Earth

Starting at 7th level, through the balance of the cosmos and what lies below, you can access more primal magic than what would normally be possible.

You gain two additional Witchcraft slots beyond what is displayed in the class table.

Wisdom of the Stars

Also at 7th level, you learn two additional Witchcraft rites. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can choose to replace one or both with a different rite from the rite list, which must also be of a level you can select.

Celestial Sigils

At 11th level, your Star Sigils can harness the pure power of the heavens. When you use a Star Sigil to cast a rite effect with concentration, the Sigil can maintain concentration instead of you for the duration of the effect.

The Star Sigil appears directly above you, does not move, has a number of hit points equal to your gunwitch level plus your intelligence modifier, and an AC of 18. If the Star Sigil is destroyed or if the affected target moves more than 150ft away from the sigil, concentration is broken.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Child of the Stars

At 15th level, your ability to draw out cosmic powers reaches its pinnacle. You can use Star Sigils as a bonus action, and the activation range for all rites when used with a Star Sigil becomes increases by 30 feet, to a maximum of 150 feet.

Exception: Field Recall will have its range reduced to 90 feet when used with a Star Sigil.

Coven of Blood

"The Oath in Blood"

Shrouded in secrecy and bound by oath, the Coven of Blood walks the path of unseen magic, where rituals are whispered in the dark and power is drawn from sacrifice, suffering, and shadow. Their sigils are etched in lifeblood, their bullets marked with curses that fester long after they strike. Masters of concealment, they weave illusions and bend perception, ensuring that none witness their work unless it is too late. To the Coven of Blood, tradition is a hidden blade, a whispered hex, a sickness that lingers in the soul; feared, forgotten, and all the more dangerous because of it.

Coven Bullet

When you select this subclass, you gain the following Cursed Bullet option: Hex. The attack deals an additional 1d4 necrotic damage, and the creature must succeed a Charisma saving throw against your Witchcraft DC. On a failure, you can immediately place a dormant Hex rite you know upon the creature. On a success, the creature suffers no additional effects.

Blood Magic

Beginning at 3rd level, you are able to perform Blood magic, the secret tradition of the Coven of Blood. This grants the following features:

• Your dormant Hex rites last up to 2 hours, instead of only 10 minutes.
• You can place a Hex rite on a willing or unconscious creature without expending a spell slot, but this takes 1 minute, and the creature loses 4 maximum hit points when the casting finishes.
• You can activate a dormant hex rite from any range if you have the fresh blood or hair of the affected creature. 'Fresh' means obtained within 24 hours.
• When learning rites, every 2 hex rites only counts as 1 rite known.

Maximum hitpoints lost through Blood Magic are regained after a Long rest.

The Unseen Hand

Also at 3rd level, to uphold the secrecy bound in blood, you can practice the unseen ways. If you make a firearm attack while hidden, you can use your reaction to immediately attempt a stealth check to remain hidden.

You can use this feature once, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.

Blood-Iron Rounds

Beginning at 7th level, you are able to extract trace iron from fresh blood to create cursed ammunition. As an action, you can touch a creature or corpse to siphon its blood. If it is an unwilling creature, you must make a dexterity attack roll against the creature; considering yourself proficient. A living creature or corpse takes 3d6 necrotic damage, and if it takes at least 3 necrotic damage this way, you regain 1 cursed bullet.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your intelligence modifier (minimum 1), and all uses are restored when you finish a long rest.

Smoke and Ash

Also at 7th level, when you place a Field rite, you can throw in bones and teeth to make a cursed smoke column. The activation range for a rite cast this way becomes Touch.

When the rite is activated, the area becomes heavily obscured until the end of your next turn, and ghastly smoke apparitions swirl through it.

While inside this cursed smoke:

• You can take the Hide action as a bonus action.

• You have blindsight out to 30 feet.

• Creatures subtract 1d4 from their saving throws against your gunwitch effects.

You can use this feature once, and usage is restored after you finish a short or long rest.

Marked for Death

At 11th level, your curses are not just a bane upon the enemy, but the promise of death.

While a creature is afflicted by one of your active or dormant Hex rites, it cannot benefit from cover against your weapon attacks, and takes an additional 1d6 weapon damage from them.

Blood Tide

At 15th level, you can perform a cursed ritual to animate the residual life in blood itself. As an action, you can perform the Rite of the Forbidden Flow, siphoning the purest lifeblood from the battlefield to summon two Blood Slimes, using the statistics of Ochre Jellies with the following changes:

• Their damage type is necrotic instead of acid.

• They are considered undead, and are immune to necrotic damage.

• They are sentient, and can understand and carry out complex commands you issue telepathically (no verbal commands needed).

These Blood Slimes remain for 10 minutes, or until they are slain. Additionally, whenever you deal piercing damage to a creature within 5 feet of a Blood Slime, it gains that many temporary hit points.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend five Witchcraft slots to activate it again.

Coven of Steel

"Progress is Power"

To the Coven of Steel, a Gunwitch is only as powerful as the weapon in their hands. While others cling to the old ways, binding themselves to nature, blood, or fate, these witches have severed those ties, dedicating themselves wholly to the forge and the firing chamber. They do not simply wield enchanted firearms; they create them, perfect them, and push them beyond the limits of both magic and technology. Spells are built into the mechanisms of their guns, their carvings etched into ammunition designed to pierce not just flesh, but reality itself. To other covens, they are heretics, abandoning tradition in favor of cold industry. But to the Coven of Steel, progress is power, and there is no greater magic than the perfect shot fired from the perfect weapon.

Coven Bullet

When you select this subclass, you gain the following Cursed Bullet option: Full Metal Jacket. If the attack hits a creature, it deals an additional 1d12 piercing damage. Additionally, if there is another creature within 20ft, in a line directly behind the target, you can roll an additional attack at that creature with disadvantage, as the bullet passes through. Do not add cursed bullet damage to the second attack's damage.

Forge and Frontier

At 3rd level, by accepting the path of the Coven of Steel, you bind yourself to the perfect maintenance and upkeep of your weapons. You gain proficiency with Smith's tools and Investigation.

Weaponsmith

Also at 3rd level, you are able to create the tools of progress and authority that you will use to exert your will: Firearms. You can craft any firearm from the Dungeon Master’s Guide (Renaissance, Modern, or Futuristic weapons) given enough time, materials, and gold. Crafting requires:

• Smith’s tools & Tinker’s tools.
• A dedicated workspace (such as a forge, workshop, or makeshift crafting area in the field).
• Rare materials (magical alloys, clockwork components, or angel's blood).

Crafting Times & Costs.

Each firearm requires a number of downtime days to craft, with each day requiring at least 8 hours of focused work.

Weapon Type	Crafting Time	Gold Cost	Notable Materials
Renaissance Firearms	3 days	200 gp	Metal, Ancient Wood, Gunpowder
Modern Firearms	10 days	1,000 gp	Magical Alloy, Specialized Components, Gunpowder
Futuristic Firearms	40 days	6,000 gp	Determined by DM. May be impossible.
Grenade	3 days	175 gp	Magical Alloy, Gunpowder
Bullets (20)	1 day	4 gp	Metal
Energy Cell	4 days	400 gp	A magical power source such as the heart of an elemental

When you obtain this feature, you can choose to gain a Modern Firearm of your choice that is 60% completed.

Bullet Time

At 7th level, you can enter a state of heightened reflexes and precision, allowing you to act faster than the eye can follow. As a bonus action, you can enter Bullet Time until the start of your next turn. While in Bullet Time, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain the benefits of the haste spell, without requiring concentration. (There is no lethargy when it ends.)
• Your ranged weapon attacks are made with advantage.
• Saving throws against your burst fire attacks are made with disadvantage.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest, unless you expend four Witchcraft slots to activate it again.

Progressiveness

At 11th level, your proficiency bonus is now doubled for any ability check you make that uses your proficiency with Smith's Tools or Tinker's Tools.

Master Weaponsmith

Also at 11th level, you can enhance your firearms with tactical customization and optimization.

Applying customizations requires work upon the firearm, as seen in the table below.

Weapon Upgrade	Effect	Compatible Weapons	Cost & Time
Extended Barrel	Increases the weapon's short range by 10 feet, and long range by 40 feet.	Musket, Rifles & Shotgun	100 gp, 2 days
Magic Engravings	The weapon can deal force damage, in place of any other damage type.	All	100 gp, 3 days
Ritualistic Chamber	You can place one permanent dormant Enchantment rite upon the weapon. After being activated, you must wait 4 hours to activate it again.	All	500 gp, 5 days
Tactical Scope	You have a +1 bonus to ranged attack rolls with the weapon.	Musket & Rifles	200 gp, 3 days
Suppressor	The weapon's attacks are silent beyond 60 feet.	Pistols, Musket, Rifles	400 gp, 4 days
Lucky Grip	As a reaction, you can reroll a missed attack once per short rest.	All	200 gp, 2 days
Blood Trigger	The weapon can only be fired by you, or a creature of your choice.	All	100 gp, 2 days
Hailfire	The weapon gains the burst fire property (if it doesn't have it), and uses your Witchcraft DC instead of DC 15.	Automatic Pistol/Rifle	450 gp, 5 days

You can apply multiple different modifications to the same firearm. Modifications can be removed over a long rest.

Condemnation

At 15th level, your lethality has reached its full potential. You score a critical hit on a 19 or 20 with firearms.

Additionally, if you score a critical hit with a cursed bullet and the creature has 55 or fewer hit points remaining, it instantly dies.

Coven of Fortune (bonus)

"Let's Play."

The Coven of Fortune is a chaotic and stylish offshoot of Gunwitches who treat combat like a game of chance: and they’re always holding the winning hand. They weave magic through playing cards, dice, and loaded bullets, bending probability and fate in their favor. Known for their charm, unpredictability, and occasional recklessness, Fortune Gunwitches draw power from the tension of risk and reward, turning every pull of the trigger into a gamble with destiny.

This subclass is a bonus option added purely for fun. It is still balanced in line with the other options, but is not considered a main subclass option for thematic reasons.

Coven Bullet

When you select this subclass, you gain the following Cursed Bullet option: Bad Luck Bullet. If the attack hits a creature, it must succeed a Charisma saving throw against your Witchcraft DC. On a failure, the creature is cursed with 'Bad Luck'. Whenever a creature with 'Bad Luck' makes a successful attack roll, saving throw, or ability check that isn't a d20 roll of 20, and you can see them, you can use your reaction to force it to reroll. Bad Luck lasts for 1 minute, or until the creature rolls a 20 on a d20 for an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check.

The World is a Show

Starting at 3rd level, you believe that destiny will guide you as you see fit. Whenever you make a saving throw or ability check, you can choose to add a 1d6 destiny die to the result. You can wait until after you roll the d20 before deciding to use the destiny die, but you must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails.

You have two (2) destiny die, and whenever you finish a long rest you regain all expended destiny die.

Pick a Card

Also at 3rd level, you can imbue witchcraft into playing cards to manifest chaotic phenomenon. You can activate the following cards as a bonus action on your turn:

• Clubs. A cloud of smoke appears around you. Until end of turn, your movement speed increases by 10 feet and you do not provoke attacks of opportunity.

• Diamonds. A bullet hardens into crystal. Your next firearm attack, before the end of your next turn, deals an additional 2d6 piercing damage if it hits.

• Hearts. You momentarily weigh down the soul of a nearby creature. A creature of your choice within 20 feet must succeed a Charisma Saving throw against your Witchcraft DC or have their movement speed reduced to 0 feet until the end of their next turn.

• Spades. A thin veil of dark magic surrounds you. You have resistance to the next instance of damage before the end of your next turn.

You can use each card suit once, and all uses are restored when you finish a long rest. You can also activate any card by expending a Witchcraft slot.

Badder Luck Bullet

At 6th level, while a creature is afflicted with ‘Bad Luck’ your Ancient Armament attack rolls against them score a critical hit on a d20 roll of 19 or 20.

This increases to 18-20 at 14th level.

Loaded Chamber

At 7th level, the firing chamber of your Ancient Armaments are imbued with the chaotic influence of fate magic. After you make a successful attack roll with an Ancient Armament, roll a d6. If you roll a 6, the attack deals its normal damage, plus an additional half of that amount (rounded up).

After you roll for Loaded chamber, if you did not roll a 6, you can choose to expend and roll one destiny die as another d6 for this feature, possibly triggering its effect.

Gambler's Fallacy

Also at 7th level, when you finish a short rest, you can regain one destiny die.

Misdirection

At 11th level, all of your ancient magic carries trickery and deception. Your rituals & cards have additional effects:

• Hex. When you activate a Hex rite, you can also choose to add or subtract (your choice) 1d6 from the creature's next attack roll, saving throw or ability check within 1 minute.

• Enchantment. After you activate an Enchantment rite on a weapon, the next attack roll with that weapon within 1 minute has advantage.

• Field. When you activate a dormant Field rite, if you are within 30 feet of it, you can exchange positions with it first. This movement does not dispel the ritual.

• Card. When you activate a card, you gain temporary hit points equal to half your gunwitch level (rounded up).

Don't tell me the Odds

At 15th level, you are willing to bet it all to get what you want. You now have three (3) destiny dice, instead of only two. When you roll a Destiny Die, you can choose to declare a Gamble: call high (4–6) or low (1–3) before rolling. If you’re correct, you can immediately activate one card from your Pick a Card feature without expending its use.

Multiclassing

Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the gunwitch class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Dexterity, 13 Intelligence

Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the gunwitch class, you gain the following proficiencies: Firearms

Rite List

Witch rites are an ancient form of spellcasting, and do not function as normal spells. They are placed down carefully, and remain dormant for later activation. They have a casting range of Touch.

As an action, you can expend a 1st level spell slot to set down a dormant rite upon a surface you touch. A dormant rite remains upon the surface for up to 10 minutes, after which it harmlessly dissipates. A dormant rite can be activated as a bonus action if it is within activation range. This does not require line of sight.

There are three main types of Rites: Hexes (that are placed on a creature), Enchantments (That are placed on an object) and Fields (that are are placed on unmoving surfaces). The type of rite determines what surface it can be cast upon.

A dormant rite can be destroyed if a creature uses its action to succeed an Arcana check against your Witchcraft DC. An active rite can be dispelled with a Remove Curse spell.

The Rite description details the level requirement to learn the rite (Level Requirement), how far it can be activated from (Activation Range), how long it lasts after it is activated (duration) and whether or not it requires concentration after it is activated.

Hex Rites

Hexes are made upon living creatures. If the creature is willing or unconscious, you may place a dormant rite. If the creature is unwilling, you must succeed a spellcasting ability check against the creature's AC to place the rite, else the casting fails and the spell slot is lost. These rites also cannot affect constructs.

Hex: Rejuvenation. Level Requirement: 2. Activation Range: 120 feet. Duration: Instantaneous. Concentration: No.

When this rite is activated, the creature affected will have their vitality gradually stabilized. At the start of the creature's next turn, they will regain a number of hit points equal to 2d6 + your Spellcasting ability.

Hex: Witchmark. Level Requirement: 2. Activation Range: 120 feet. Duration: 24 hours. Concentration: No.

While this rite is active, the creature is cursed with a distinct Witch's magic. While affected by the curse, you can sense the direction of the creature, so long as it is within 1000 feet of you. If the creature is in motion, you know the direction of its movement. Additionally, it has disadvantage on attack rolls against you.

Hex: Seal. Level Requirement: 5. Activation Range: 30 feet. Duration: 1 hour. Concentration: Yes.

When you activate this rite, you are able to seal a creature’s magic. While this rite is active, if the affected creatures attempts to cast a spell or activate a magical ability, it must first make a Charisma saving throw against your Witchcraft DC. On a failure, the spell or ability fails and has no effect.

Hex: Transfusion. Level Requirement: 5. Activation Range: 90 feet. Duration: 1 minute. Concentration: No.

While this rite is active, the creature’s own blood boils and protects them. The affected creature takes 2d4 necrotic damage at the end of each of their turns. This damage bypasses temporary hit points. If the creature takes this necrotic damage, they then gain temporary hit points equal to 1d12 plus your gunwitch level.

This rite ends early if the creature drops to 0 hit points, or if you end it as a bonus action from up to 90 feet away.

Hex: Agony. Level Requirement: 9. Activation Range: 30 feet. Duration: 10 minutes. Concentration: Yes.

While this rite is active, the creature is assaulted by a high degree of debilitating pain. The creature has disadvantage on all attack rolls and ability checks, as well as strength and dexterity saving throws. Its movement speed is also halved. At the end of each of the affected creature’s turns, the target can make a Constitution saving throw against your Witchcraft DC to end the effect. If the target fails three of these saves, the effect will last the full duration and concentration is no longer required.

Hex: Ancient Charm. Level Requirement: 9. Activation Range: 60 feet. Duration: 2 hours. Concentration: No.

While this rite is active, the affected creature is protected from external influence. If the creature would fail an Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma saving throw, it can choose to reroll the saving throw. After re-rolling a saving throw in this way, this effect ends.

Hex: Binding. Level Requirement: 13. Activation Range: 30 feet. Duration: 8 hours. Concentration: Yes.

While this rite is activate, you always know the direction of the creature that is bound. While a creature is bound and can either hear or see you, you can use a bonus action to force it to attempt a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, you can give it a one word command that it must follow on its next turn, like the command spell. On a success, the creature takes 1d6 psychic damage, but does not have to follow your command.

Hex: Shroud. Level Requirement: 13. Activation Range: 30 feet. Duration: 1 minute. Concentration: Yes.

While this rite is active, the affected creature is surrounded by swirling magic. The creature becomes heavily obscured to others. The shroud also turns dim light within 10 feet of the creature into darkness, and bright light in the same area to dim light.

Hex: Witchcraft. Level Requirement: 17. Activation Range: 60 feet. Duration: Until Dispelled. Concentration: No.

When you activate this rite, the creature becomes affected by the spell bestow curse. Use the rules of the spell for determining how the curse manifests. The creature can attempt a Wisdom saving throw after it completes a long rest to end the effect. If the creature fails three of these saves, this hex lasts until it is dispelled by a Remove curse spell.

Enchantment Rites

Enchantments are placed upon objects. Certain enchantments can only affect certain types of objects. A single object can have no more than 1 active rite upon it.

Enchantment: Veil. Level Requirement: 2. Object: Any, up to medium size. Activation Range: Touch. Duration: 10 minutes. Concentration: No.

While this rite is active, the object will appear like a different object of your choosing, of a similar size. A creature with Truesight can see through this effect.

Enchantment: Flame/Frost. Level Requirement: 2. Object: Weapon. Activation Range: 60 feet. Duration: 10 minutes. Concentration: Yes.

While this rite is active, attacks with the enchanted weapon deal an additional 1d4 fire/cold damage (depending on Flame or Frost).

Enchantment: Vampirism. Level Requirement: 5. Object: Weapon. Activation Range: 30 feet. Duration: 1 minute. Concentration: No.

While this rite is active, attacks with the enchanted weapon deal an additional 1d6 necrotic damage, but the wearer takes 1d4 necrotic damage every time they make an attack with the weapon.

Enchantment: Shift. Level Requirement: 5. Object: Any, weighing no more than 20 pounds. Activation Range: 90 feet. Duration: Instantaneous. Concentration: No.

When you activate this rite, the object immediate flies up to 30 feet in the direction of your choice, stopping if it encounters an obstacle. If a creature is in the way, it must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Witchcraft DC. On a failed save, the object strikes the target and stops moving. When the object strikes something, the object and what it strikes each take 2d6 bludgeoning damage (or slashing damage depending on the object).

If the object is a melee or thrown weapon and it strikes something, you can choose to deal damage equal to the weapon's damage plus your spellcasting ability.

Enchantment: Vile. Level Requirement: 9. Object: Weapon. Activation Range: Touch. Duration: 1 minute. Concentration: Yes.

While this rite is active, the weapon tingles with potent dark magic. After a creature is hit by the enchanted weapon and takes damage, it must attempt a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it becomes affected by the black curse. On a success, the creature takes 1d6 acid damage. After forcing a creature to make this saving throw, the enchantment on the weapon ends.

While afflicted by The Black Curse, a creature's veins turn black and their blood begins to burn. An afflicted creature takes 2d6 acid damage at the start of each of their turns and has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws.

This effect ends if your concentration is broken, or if the creature becomes affected by the Remove Curse spell.

Enchantment: Poison. Level Requirement: 9 Object: Weapon. Activation Range: 30 feet. Duration: 1 minute. Concentration: No.

While this rite is active, the weapon begins to ooze witch’s poison. If an attack with the weapon hits a creature, it must succeed a Constitution saving throw against your Witchcraft DC, taking 3d6 poison damage and becoming poisoned until the end of its next turn on a failure, and half as much damage and not being poisoned on a success. This enchantment ends after an attack is made with the weapon.

Enchantment: Anguish. Level Requirement: 13. Object: Any. Activation Range: 90 feet. Duration: Instantaneous. Concentration: No.

When this rite is activated, the object will release a burst of ancient corrupted magic toward one creature you can see within 15 feet of it. That creature must succeed a Constitution saving throw against your Witchcraft DC, taking 3d10 necrotic damage on a failure, and half as much on a success. If a creature fails its saving throw, it also cannot regain hit points until the end of your next turn.

Enchantment: Flight. Level Requirement: 13. Object: Any, weighing no more than 100 pounds. Activation Range: 30 feet. Duration: 1 hour. Concentration: Yes.

While this rite is active, the object gains a 60 feet fly speed. You can cause it to move up to its movement on each of your turns. The object can carry up to 500 pounds.

Enchantment: Life. Level Requirement: 17. Object: Any. Activation Range: 60 feet. Duration: 1 minute. Concentration: No.

While this rite is active, the object becomes horrifying as it grows eyes, becomes fleshy, and starts to whisper. At the start of each of your turns, a horrifying object can gaze upon one creature within 30 feet of it and whisper ancient words towards it. That creature must succeed a Wisdom saving throw against your Witchcraft DC, taking 2d6 psychic damage on a failed save, and half as much on a successful save. If multiple horrifying objects gaze upon the same creature, it makes a single save for all the objects and each object beyond the first adds 1d6 psychic damage instead of 2d6.

Field Rites

Field Rites can be placed upon anything static, and are dispelled if they are moved more than 5ft from where they were placed, active or dormant.

Field: Illusions. Level Requirement: 2. Activation Range: 60 feet. Duration: 10 minutes. Concentration: Yes.

While this rite is active, a 40 foot radius around the rite becomes a sea of illusions and deception. While inside, you are veiled as illusory images, voices and sounds hide your position. You can take the hide (Stealth) action as a bonus action inside this area, and even if only lightly obscured.

Field: Distortion. Level Requirement: 5. Activation Range: 60 feet. Duration: 1 minute. Concentration: Yes.

While this rite is active, the surrounding natural world seems to shake violently and warp. A 30 foot radius around the rite becomes distorted. Whenever a creature starts its turn within this radius or enters for the first time in a turn, you can force it to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it takes 2d4 psychic damage and falls prone. On a success, it takes half as much damage and doesn't fall prone.

Field: Darkness. Level Requirement: 5. Activation Range: 90 feet. Duration: 1 minute. Concentration: No.

When you activate this rite, all non-magical lights and magical lights of 2nd level or lower within 30 feet of the rite's location are snuffed out. All creatures of your choice within 30 feet of the rite must succeed on a Charisma saving throw against your Witchcraft DC, becoming magically blinded on a failure. A creature blinded this way can repeat the saving throw at the start of each of their turns to end the effect. This effect also ends if a creature moves more than 30 feet away from the rite's location or its duration expires.

Field: Wrath. Level Requirement: 9. Activation Range: 30 feet. Duration: 1 minute. Concentration: Yes.

When you activate this rite, a 40 feet radius around the rite's location comes to life, with the spirits of nature. This area is considered difficult terrain for your enemies. On each of your turns, you can use your bonus action to cause nature to attack all your enemies within the area. Creatures you choose in the area must succeed a Strength saving throw against your Witchcraft DC or take 3d6 bludgeoning and fall prone, or half as much and not fall prone on a success.

Field: Maze. Level Requirement: 9. Activation Range: 90 feet. Duration: 1 hour. Concentration: Yes.

While this rite is active, the nature of space and distance shifts impossibly in a 60 feet radius around the rite's location, making navigation difficult. When a creature starts its turn inside the area, or enters for the first time in a turn, you can force it to make a Wisdom saving throw against your Witchcraft DC. On a failure, the creature’s movement speed is reduced to 0ft until its next turn, as it moves without actually changing position. On a success, the area is considered difficult terrain for the creature until its next turn.

A creature with Truesight is immune to this Field.

Field: Grotto. Level Requirement: 13. Activation Range: Touch. Duration: Until Dispelled. Concentration: No.

When you activate this rite, the nearby area begins to shift over a period of 24 hours. During this time, if the rite's surface is damaged, the process will be stopped. This shift around the rite will gradually expand outwards to a 100 feet radius, as noticeable dark magic lingers in the air.

Once 24 hours have passed, a 100 feet radius around the rite will have become a Grotto. A Grotto has the following effects:

• You always know the number of living creatures within the Grotto, and you know whenever a creature enters of leaves the area.
• Creatures within the Grotto feel uneasy, and have disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws and ability checks. (You can make chosen creatures immune to this effect)
• You have blindsight out to 60 feet while inside the Grotto.

You can only have one Grotto at a time. You can remove a Grotto by performing a 10 minute ritual at its center, or any creature can remove it by using the spell Remove Curse at its center.

Field: Terror. Level Requirement: 13. Activation Range: 90 feet. Duration: 1 minute. Concentration: No.

When you activate this rite, the world in a 40 feet radius around the rite's location begins to reshape and form disturbing visages and sounds. Every creature you choose within this radius must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Witchcraft DC. On a failure, they become frightened of the entire area. While frightened this way, they must take the dash action on their turn and exit the Field through the shortest possible route. If a creature ends its turn outside the field or the field's duration expires, they are no longer frightened.

Field: Recall. Level Requirement: 17. Activation Range: 1000 feet. Duration: Instantaneous. Concentration: No.

When you activate this rite, you immediate teleport to the location of the rite. If something is blocking the spot you would return to, you are shunted to the nearest available space and take 2d10 force damage.

Field: Golem. Level Requirement: 17. Activation Range: 30 feet. Duration: 1 hour. Concentration: Yes.

When you activate this rite, a 10 feet radius of terrain around the rite's location forms into an earth elemental, surrounding it.

The elemental is friendly to you and your companions for the duration. Roll initiative for the elemental, which has its own turns. It obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you). If you don't issue any commands to the elemental, it defends itself from hostile creatures but otherwise takes no actions.

Field: Golem can move after being activated without being dispelled.

If your concentration is broken, the elemental crumbles into regular terrain.

Afterword (Witch-Knight)

As a final commentary on this class, technically, it could be played without a firearm as a witch-knight. If you like the abilities of this class, but do not like the theme of using a firearm in your high fantasy, you could replace the fighting styles listed with Ranger’s options. You could substitute Cursed Bullet for Cursed Strike, and allow Ancient Armaments to be used on any weapon. Witchsight can be rebalanced to simply provide 120 feet truesight. Remove firearm proficiency and grant martial weapon proficiency.

Coven of Steel would have to be disregarded if not using Firearms.

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