the Occultist

freeing the monster within

H
owling at the high moon
and reveling in her bestial form,
the werewolf leaps out of the
darkness and snatches one of her former
pursuers, dragging the screaming man into
the shadows and depriving him of his innards
with her sharp fangs and claws.

B
acking out of the tavern
with the merchant lord’s gaze locked
onto his, the vampire slips into an
alleyway nearby, baring his fangs to better
slake his thirst on the blood of the foolish
human trundling toward him.

P
owered by unnatural
chemicals, the once-living flesh of
an abomination stands unyielding
against the hail of arrows pelting her form
and she charges forward unheeded, slamming
into and through a barred door to shatter it
into pieces.

Occultists are people who have become

the dark things that stalk in the night.
Empowered by mystical rituals,
unnatural science, or otherworldly
forces, occultists are thought by most
to be monsters, shunned and feared
by society. Some seek this power out writing Mike Myler
for themselves, but not all of these color art Ellis Goodson
individuals are beholden to their base editing James J. Haeck
desires and many turn their frightful layout Eric Life-Putnam
power into a force of good.

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Monstrous Origins New Toolkit
Occultists are the stuff of dark secrecy and fell Ceremonial Relics (15 gp): These toolkits frequent-
power, things of legend and forbidden lore. ly include candles, votives, reagents, mystic dust,
Becoming one of these otherworldly creatures is and all manner of occult ephemera. While none
sometimes the ultimate goal of a cultist, drinking are themselves enchanted with power, by utilizing
the blood of an existing occultist or engaging the correct invocations they can help unlock dark
in strange rituals to fully realize their power. secrets of the otherworldly and supernatural.
To others it is a curse bestowed by bloodline or
destiny, a burden that strengthens itself through unnatural inherited talents in a moment of panic.
hardship. Did you try to hide from society and remain
beneath its notice or choose instead to live far
Agents of the Beyond from civilized life, surviving in the wilderness?
While there is certainly a predilection for Who—if anyone—knows your truths or helped
occultists to fall towards evil, not all of them aid you keep them secret? Perhaps most
give in to unnatural compulsions and darker importantly, does your character feel scorned by
desires—most are driven there by the angry and society’s treatment of them for their monstrous
misunderstanding societies around them. Many nature or driven to prove that they are more than
of the fell adventurers that resist their inner their otherworldly appearance suggests?
natures are raised far from civilization or hidden
away from the world in utter secrecy, tainted by
otherworldly power inherited from their reclusive Class Features
parents or bestowed upon them by fate and the As an occultist, you gain the following class
workings of cults. features.

Hit Points
Creating an Occultist ▶ Hit Dice: 1d8 per occultist level

The first thing to decide when making an occultist ▶ Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution

is the source of your character’s abilities: did you modifier

seek out your dark path or was it forced upon ▶ Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) +

you by destiny? You might have discovered your Constitution modifier per occultist level
a dark object or accidentally happened into a after 1st
nexus of otherworldly energies, stumbling into a
ritual or coming upon the decaying essence of a Proficiencies
dying monstrous entity looking for a new soul to ▶ Armor: Light armor

tether to itself. Perhaps your character has always ▶ Weapons: Simple weapons

sought out power regardless of its source, seeking ▶ Tools: Ceremonial relics

it out with others in a cult and only to be the one ▶ Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma

to unlock the secrets of the order. Perhaps your ▶ Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Arcana,

parents were occultists and you realized your Insight, Perception, and Religion

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The Occultist
Proficiency Supernatural
Level Bonus Dark Strike Movement Features
1st +2 1d4 — Dark Strike, Occult Path feature, Supernatural Save
2nd +2 1d4 — Devotee of Darkness
3rd +2 1d4 — Darkvision
4th +2 1d4 — Devotee of Darkness, Occult Path feature
5th +3 1d6 — Dauntless
6th +3 1d6 — Supernatural Save
7th +3 1d6 — Occult Path feature
8th +3 1d6 — Extra Attack
9th +4 1d8 20 ft. Supernatural Movement
10th +4 1d8 20 ft. Dauntless, Toughened Hide
11th +4 1d8 20 ft. Occult Path feature
12th +4 1d8 30 ft. Darkvision
13th +5 1d10 30 ft. Supernatural Movement
14th +5 1d10 30 ft. Toughened Hide
15th +5 1d10 40 ft. Occult Path feature
16th +5 1d10 40 ft. Otherworldly Shadow
17th +6 1d12 40 ft. Darkened Soul
18th +6 1d12 50 ft. Supernatural Save, Toughened Hide
19th +6 1d12 50 ft. Supernatural Movement
20th +6 1d12 50 ft. Otherworldly Shadow, Occult Path feature

Equipment werecreatures, it is emblematic of sharpening fang

You start with the following equipment, in or claw.
addition to any gear acquired through your You gain the following benefits:
background. ▶ You can add your Dexterity or Strength

▶ (a) a dagger or (b) a sickle modifier to the attack and damage rolls of
▶ (a) a shortbow with 10 arrows or (b) a sling your unarmed strikes.
with 15 bullets ▶ You can roll 1d4 in place of the normal

▶ (a) a hooded robe and leather armor or (b) damage of your unarmed strike. This die
studded leather armor changes as you gain occultist levels, as
▶ Ceremonial relics shown in the Dark Strike column of the
▶ (a) an explorer’s pack or (b) scholar’s pack Occultist table.
▶ When you use the Attack action with an

Dark Strike unarmed strike on your turn, you can spend

Beginning at 1st level, your strikes are imbued a bonus action to deal necrotic damage
with a darkness that allows you to deal more instead of your unarmed strike’s usual
damage with every blow. For abominations, damage type. You add your Constitution
this is a reflection of the chemistry or fell modifier to attack and damage rolls of
power that drives you onward. For vampires or your unarmed strike when dealing necrotic
damage.

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Occultist
Occult Path Supernatural Movement
At 1st level, your supernatural abilities begin to Starting at 9th level, your walking speed either
manifest themselves as an abomination, vampire, increases by 20 feet or you gain a new form of
or werecreature, all detailed at the end of the class movement (a climb speed, swim speed, or fly
description. Your occult path grants you features speed) equal to the speed increase. This bonus to
at 1st level and again at 4th, 7th, 11th, 15th, and your movement speed or new movement speed
20th level. increases when you reach certain occultist levels,
as shown in the Occultist table.
Supernatural Save   At 13th and 19th level, you gain one of the
At 1st level, you gain proficiency in a saving benefits of this ability that you have not already
throw of your choice. You may change which chosen.
type of saving throw you gain proficiency in by
performing an hour long ritual that requires the Toughened Hide
use of ceremonial relics. At the end of the ritual, At 10th level, your AC increases by 1 and you
make a DC 15 Charisma check. On a success, you gain resistance to one of the following types
may change one type of saving throw proficiency of damage: bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing.
granted by this ability. On a failed check, you At 14th level and again at 18th level, you gain
cannot change the type of saving throw again for resistance to another type of weapon damage.
one week. Magical attacks and silvered weapons ignore this
  You gain proficiency with an additional type of resistance.
saving throw at 6th level and again at 18th level.   If you are a werecreature, you gain immunity to
one of these damage types instead.
Devotee of Darkness
At 2nd level, you gain advantage on your Otherworldly Shadow
choice of Dexterity (Stealth) checks or Wisdom At 16th level, you gain resistance to necrotic and
(Perception) checks made in total darkness. At 4th psychic damage so long as you consume a specific
level you gain advantage in the skill you have not substance (abomination: a flask of alchemical
chosen yet. substances worth 20 gp, vampire: humanoid
blood, werewolf: humanoid flesh) each time you
Darkvision take a long rest. At 20th level, this improves to
At 3rd level, you gain darkvision out to 60 feet, or immunity to necrotic damage.
the range of your darkvision increases by 60 feet.
At 12th level, you gain the ability to see through Darkened Soul
magical darkness. At 17th level, you gain the ability to cast darkness
as a bonus action, requiring no components. This
Dauntless effect cannot be dispelled, and maintaining it does
At 5th level, you gain immunity to the frightened not require your concentration. The darkness you
condition. At 10th level, you gain immunity to the create lasts for a number of rounds equal to your
charmed condition. proficiency bonus. After using this ability, you
must complete a long rest before it can be used
Extra Attack again.
Beginning at 8th level, you can attack twice,
instead of once, whenever you take the Attack
action on your turn.

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Occult Paths Unstoppable Abomination
When you reach 20th level, you gain immunity to
Abomination the paralyzed, petrified, and stunned conditions,
You are a creature of occult science or mystery, and you gain a number of hit points equal to your
possibly even a terrifying homunculus of stitched- level.
together bodies, driven to monstrous form by
forbidden alchemical secrets. Vampire
Infused with unholy energies and driven by a
Abominable Nature thirst for blood, you are becoming a master of the
Starting at 1st level, you gain resistance to night, one of the most powerful types of undead.
poison damage and immunity to the poisoned
condition. You do not need to breathe, eat food, Bloodsucker
or drink water, though you still require periods Starting at 1st level, you can climb difficult
of rest similar to sleep. You have disadvantage on surfaces, including upside down on ceilings,
Charisma ability checks made against humanoids without needing to make an ability check. You
unsettled by your disturbing appearance and gain vulnerability to radiant damage; at the
rotting stench. GM’s discretion, you may choose instead to take
an amount of damage equal to your proficiency
Unnatural Threshold bonus each turn you are in sunlight. You are no
Beginning at 4th level, choose from bludgeoning, longer considered a humanoid, instead gaining
piercing, or slashing damage. You ignore an the Undead type.
amount of damage equal to your proficiency   Once you gain this feature, you grow two sharp
bonus whenever you are hit with an attack fangs. You regain 1d4 hit points whenever you use
that deals this type of damage. If you possess your fangs to deliver a Dark Strike.
resistance to this damage type, this reduction is
applied before that resistance. Darkness Form
Beginning at 4th level, if you aren’t in sunlight
Rampaging Brute or running water, you can use an action to
At 7th level, you gain advantage on attack rolls polymorph into a Tiny bat or a Medium cloud of
made against objects and deal double damage mist. Anything you are wearing transforms with
when using your Strength to damage an object. you, but nothing you are carrying does. You can
stay in bat or mist form for a number of hours
Strange Resistance equal to half your occultist level (rounded down),
Starting at 11th level, choose one type of energy after which you revert to your normal form. You
that is not necrotic, poison, or psychic. You gain also revert if you fall unconscious, die, or spend
resistance to this type of energy. Alternatively, a bonus action to end your transformation early.
you may choose to gain immunity to this type You can use this feature twice between short or
of energy but you also gain vulnerability to a long rests.
different energy type of the GM’s choice. This   While in bat form, you can’t speak, your
vulnerability may not be a damage type you are walking speed is 5 feet, and you have a flying
already resistant, vulnerable, or immune to. speed of 30 feet. Your statistics, other than size
and speed, are unchanged.
Unbreakable Senses   While in mist form, you can’t take any actions,
Beginning at 15th, you gain immunity to the speak, or manipulate objects. You are weightless,
blinded, deafened, and exhaustion conditions. have a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover, and can

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enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. than the target, or take a bonus action to end
In addition, if air can pass through a space, you the effect. You can use this feature a number of
can do so without squeezing; however, you can’t times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain
pass through water at all. You have advantage expended uses when you finish a long rest.
on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving Once you gain this feature, you can’t enter a
throws, and you are immune to all nonmagical private residence without an invitation from one
damage. When in sunlight, you take 10 radiant of the occupants. You can enter inns, stores, and
damage at the start of each of your turns. other public places without an invitation.
  Once you gain this feature, you take 20 acid
damage whenever you enter running water for Children of the Night
the first time on your turn or begin your turn Beginning at 11th level, you can spend an action
immersed or partly immersed in running water. to magically call 1d4 swarms of bats or rats,
provided that the sun isn’t up. Outdoors, you
Charm can call 2d6 wolves instead. The called creatures
Starting at 7th level, you can spend an action to arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as your allies and
target one humanoid you can see within 30 feet. If obeying your spoken commands. The beasts
the target can see you, the target must succeed on remain for 1 hour, until you die, or until you
a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency dismiss them as a bonus action. You cannot use
bonus + your Charisma bonus) or be charmed by this ability again until you complete a long rest.
you. The charmed target regards you as a trusted   When you reach 16th level, you can call 2d4
friend to be heeded and protected. Although the swarms when indoors or 3d6 wolves outdoors.
target isn’t under your control, it interprets your
requests or actions in the most favorable way it Escaping Mist
can, and it is a willing target for your Dark Strike Starting at 15th level you establish a resting place
attack. and imbue a coffin with unholy power. When
  Each time you or your companions do anything you drop to 0 hit points outside your resting
harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving place, you transform into a cloud of mist (as in
throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. the Darkness Forms feature) instead of falling
Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until you unconscious, provided that you aren’t in sunlight
are destroyed, are on a different plane of existence or running water. If you can’t transform, you
are destroyed. While you have 0 hit points in
mist form, you can’t revert to your normal form,
and you must reach your resting place within 2
hours or be destroyed. Once in your resting place,
you revert to your normal form. You are then
paralyzed until you regain at least 1 hit point.
After spending 1 hour in your resting place with 0
hit points, you regain 1 hit point.
  Once you gain this feature, you take 2d6
psychic damage whenever you look upon a holy
symbol.

Master of the Night

When you reach 20th level, you regain 20 hit
points at the start of your turn if you have at least

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1 hit point and aren’t in sunlight or running water. Corrupting Fangs
If you take radiant damage or damage from holy Beginning at 15th level, you may force a
water, this feature doesn’t function at the start of humanoid damaged by your Dark Strike (if
your next turn. performed as a bite) to make a Constitution
saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus
Werecreature + your Charisma bonus) or be poisoned for
You are filled with animalistic fury and cursed 1 minute. The target may make a new saving
with a strange form of lycanthropy that changes throw at the end of each of their turns. If the
you into a beast when the full moon hangs high in target is poisoned in this way for a full minute,
the sky. it falls unconscious for 24 hours. The target only
awakens early if its spreading lycanthropy is
Lycanthropic Forms purged by a remove curse or greater restoration spell.
Beginning at 1st level, you can use an action to Otherwise, after 24 hours, the target awakens as
polymorph into a beast-humanoid hybrid or into a lycanthrope of the same type as you (werebear,
a beast (bear, boar, tiger, rat, or wolf; this is chosen wereboar, weretiger, wererat, or werewolf) under
when you take this Occult Path and cannot be the GM’s control.
changed), or back into your true form. While in   Once you have used this ability, you can’t use it
hybrid or beast form your AC increases by an again until you complete a short or long rest.
amount equal to half your proficiency bonus.
Your statistics, other than your AC, are the same Master Werecreature
in each form. Any equipment you aren’t wearing When you reach 20th level, your Strength and
or carrying isn’t transformed. You revert to your Constitution scores increase by 4. Your maximum
true form if you die. When the moon is full, you for those scores is now 24.
cannot assume human form.   Additionally, your Keen Senses and Improved
  You can only use your Dark Strike while in Lycanthropic Hide features can all be used in
hybrid or beast form. Your Dark Strike takes the human form. E
form of a bite or a claw attack.

Keen Senses
Starting at 4th level, you gain advantage on
Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing
or smell.

Lycanthropic Hide
Beginning at 7th level, while in hybrid or beast
form you gain resistance to any bludgeoning,
piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
not made with silvered weapons.

Powerful Leaps
Starting at 11th level, while in hybrid or beast
form you quadruple the distance of any jumps
you make.

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