Witch Hunter (5e Background)

Witch Hunter

All your life you have found Necromancers, Hags, Fiendish Warlocks and all other practitioners of evil magic abhorrent. You seek to root out and slay these monstrosities wherever they may hide. Witch hunters all have different reasons for taking up their profession. Were you hired by a king or other noble to protect their city from an evil deity or cult? Or maybe you are a cleric or paladin dedicated to seeking out all those who endorse the abomination of arcane magic? Perhaps you are a ranger seeking to further your knowledge about your favored enemies. Think about what led you to develop such a hatred. Perhaps your younger sister was abducted by a hag, and replaced with a changeling that you were then forced to kill, or your mother and father were sacrificed then raised again by a wicked mage. What are your methods? Do you imprison those you capture in pits? Burn them? Or even drag them back to your lordly master for a public execution?

Skill Proficiencies: Choose any two: Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Religion, or Survival

Tool Proficiencies: Choose one: Herbalism Kit or Poisoner's Kit

Languages: A language related to your specialization. (see table below)

Equipment: A set of dark traveler's clothes, a pointed wizards hat, a hooded cloak or cape, a longsword, a healer's kit, 3 flasks of holy water, a holy symbol, a silvered or cold-iron weapon you are proficient with, a belt pouch containing 20 gp, and a book of lore that contains all the information about the creatures of your chosen specialization: descriptions, skills, resistances, immunities, weaknesses, vulnerabilities, special abilities, etc.

Witch Hunter Type

What type of Witch Hunter are you? Choose a specialty or roll on the table below.

d4	Specialization	Language	Creature Types
1	Fey Hunter	Sylvan	Fey: Blink Dog, Boggle, Darkling, Darkling Elder, Dryad, Hags: (Annis, Bheur, Green, Sea), Korred, Meenlock, Pixie, Quickling, Redcap, Satyr, Sprite, Yeth Hound Plants: Awakened Shrub, Awakened Tree, Blights: (Needle, Twig, Vine), Corpse Flower, Fungi: (Gas Spore, Shrieker, Violet Fungus), Myconids: (Adult, Quaggoth Spore Servant, Sprout, Sovereign), Shambling Mound, Treant, Vegepygmies: (Vegepygmy, Chief, Thorny), Wood Woad
2	Fiend Hunter	Abyssal or Infernal	Daemons (Yugoloths): Arcanaloth, Canoloth, Dhergoloth, Hydroloth, Merrenoloth, Mezzoloth, Nycaloth, Oinoloth, Ultroloth, Yagnoloth Demons (Tanar'ri): Alkilith, Armanite, Babau, Balor, Barlgura, Bulezau, Cambion, Chasme, Draegloth, Dretch, Dybbuk, Glabrezu, Goristro, Hezrou, Manes, Marilith, Maurezhi, Maw Demon, Molydeus, Nabassu, Nalfeshnee, Rutterkin (Abyssal Wretch), Shoosuva, Sibriex, Tanarukk, Wastrilith - Demon Lords: Baphomet, Demogorgon, Fraz-Urb'luu, Graz'zt, Juiblex, Orcus, Yeenoghu, Zuggtmoy Devils (Baatezu): Abishai: (Black Abishai, Blue Abishai, Green Abishai, Red Abishai, White Abishai), Amnizu, Merregon, Narzugon, Nupperibo, Orthon, Quasit, Shadow Demon, Vrock, Yochlol, Barbed Devil, Bearded Devil, Bone Devil, Chain Devil, Erinyes, Horned Devil, Ice Devil, Imp, Lemure, Pit Fiend, Spined Devil - Archdevils: Bael, Geryon, Hutijin, Moloch, Titivilus, Zariel Fiends: Barghest, Devourer, Hag: Night Hag, Hell Hound, Howler, Nightmare, Rakshasa, Succubus/Incubus, Vargouille
3	Humanoid Hunter	Any Standard Language	Humanoids: Aarakocra, Bugbear, Bugbear Chief, Bullywug, Deep Scion, Dwarf: (Derro Dwarf: Savant; Duergar Dwarf: Despot, Hammerer, Kavalrachni, Mind Master, Screamer, Soulblade, Stone Guard, Warlord, Xarrorn; Hill Dwarf; Mountain Dwarf; Shield Dwarf), Elf: (Drow Elf: Arachnomancer, Elite Warrior, Favored Consort, House Captain, Inquisitor, Mage, Matron Mother, Priestess of Lolth, Shadowblade; Eladrin: Autumn, Spring, Summer, Winter; Half-Elf; High Elf; Sea Elf; Shadar-Kai Elf: Gloom Weaver, Shadow Dancer, Soul Monger; Wood Elf), Firenewt: (Firenewt, Warlock of Imix), Githyanki: (Gish, Kith'rak, Knight, Supreme Commander, Warrior), Githzerai: (Anarch, Enlightened, Monk, Zerth), Gnoll: (Gnoll, Fang of Yeenoghu, Flesh Gnawer, Flind, Hunter, Pack Lord), Gnome: (Deep Gnome - Svirfneblin Gnome, Forest Gnome, Rock Gnome), Goblin: (Goblin, Boss), Grimlock, Grung: (Elite Warrior, Wildling), Half-Dragon, Hobgoblin: (Captain, Devastator, Iron Shadow, Warlord), Human, Jackalwere, Kenku, Kobold: (Dragonshield, Inventor, Scale Sorcerer, Winged), Kuo-toa: (Archpriest, Whip), Lizardfolk: (Shaman, King/Queen), Lycanthropes: (Werebear, Wereboar, Wererat, Weretiger, Werewolf), Meazel, Merfolk, Nagpa, Nilbog, Oni, Orc: (Half-Orc, Blade of Ilneval, Claw of Luthic, Eye of Gruumsh, Hand of Yurtrus, Nurtured One of Yurtrus, Orog, Red Fang of Shargaas, Warchief), Quaggoth, Sahuagi: (Baron, Malenti, Priestess), Sea Spawn, Skulk, Thri-kreen, Tortle: (Druid), Trogolodyte, Xvart, Xvart Warlock of Raxivort, Yuan-ti: (Broodguard, Pureblood) Humanoid Archetypes (NPC): Abjurer, Acolyte, Apprentice Wizard, Archdruid, Archer, Archmage, Assassin, Bandit, Bandit Captain, Bard, Berserker, Blackguard, Champion, Commoner, Conjurer, Cultist, Cult Fanatic, Diviner, Druid, Enchanter, Evoker, Gladiator, Guard, Illusionist, Knight, Kraken Priest, Mage, Martial Arts Adept, Master Thief, Necromancer, Noble, Priest, Scout, Spy, Swashbuckler, Thug, Transmuter, Tribal Warrior, Veteran, War Priest, Warlock of the Archfey, Warlock of the Fiend, Warlock of the Great Old One, Warlord,
4	Undead Hunter	Any Exotic or Standard Language	Undead: Alhoon (Mind Flayer), Allip, Banshee, Beholder: Death Tyrant, Bodak, Boneclaw, Crawling Claw, Death Knight, Deathlock: (Deathlock, Mastermind, Wight), Demi-Lich, Dracolich, Eidolon, Flameskull, Ghost, Ghoul: (Ghast, Ghoul), Gnoll Witherling, Lich, Mummy, Mummy Lord, Naga: Bone Naga, Nightwalker, Revenant, Shadow, Skeleton: (Skeleton, Minotaur, Warhorse), Skull Lord, Spawn of Kyuss, Specter, Sword Wraith: (Commander, Warrior), Vampire, Vampire Spawn, Vampiric Mist, Wight, Will-o'-Wisp, Wraith, Zombie: (Zombie, Ogre, Beholder)

Feature: Evil Recognition

You are well versed in the lore surrounding creatures of your chosen type. When hunting these creatures you often know the best places to look, and you are able to more easily spot evidence of their presence. Also you can roll on intelligence (History) checks to recall information about them. The information given is left to the discretion of your DM and might include descriptions, abilities, resistances, vulnerabilities, etc.

Suggested Characteristics

d8	Personality Trait
1	I travel from place to place a lot - evil must be fought everywhere.
2	I constantly guide my allies away from the Dark Ways - I would hate to have to kill them.
3	I barely ever sleep or rest, so intent am I upon seeking out evil.
4	My wise words have often convinced another to step back into the light.
5	I do not work for money - rich and poor alike can succumb to the temptations of Black Magic
6	I look carefully over everything I see - the Dark is cunning, and but one lapse could doom the world.
7	I prefer to hunt my foes alone - there are many pitfalls for those less skilled than me to fall foul of.
8	I am suspicious of everyone, especially those who dislike me.

d6	Ideal
1	Redemption: If my foe wishes to repent, I am willing to help them return to the light.(Good)
2	Freedom: I do not knuckle under authority - that would only slow me down.(Chaotic)
3	Law: The law is all that keeps evil at bay. (Lawful)
4	Skill: I fight the darkness to prove I can, and I constantly challenge myself to get better at it. (Neutral)
5	Mercilessness: once you have turned to the dark, there is no turning back - not in my eyes. (Neutral)
6	Pain: I take a perverse pleasure in inflicting pain on my captives. (Evil)

d6	Bond
1	Civilization is a beacon in the night that must remain burning.
2	I once showed mercy to a young warlock, whom I fell deeply in love with. I still wonder if I did the right thing.
3	My family and friends are always there to fall back on when all seems lost, to rekindle the light in me.
4	My only bond is to the silver in my sword.
5	Pursuing this dangerous path has forced me to leave behind those I love, if only to protect them.
6	My only kin are those of my Witch Hunting brotherhood.

d6	Flaw
1	Once I start killing, I cannot stop.
2	I am overly aggressive/prejudiced toward all magic wielders, excluding myself.
3	I will pursue a target no matter the cost.
4	My lust for revenge/avarice spurs me to be brash and reckless.
5	I will kill any monster, good or evil.
6	I will risk the lives of innocents to catch my target.

2.00

(one vote)

---

Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Backgrounds