Play Your Next 5E D&D Game as a Witch Doctor

Over at Nerdarchy the YouTube channel Nerdarchists Dave and Ted conjure the magic words to create a fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons Witch Doctor character. It might have been a comment from another Character Build Guide video, a Patreon request or a suggestion from our Facebook page but wherever the source they told us it would be cool if we created a 5E D&D witch doctor character. They were right. Let’s get into it.

Behind the CBG — Witch Doctor

Every CBG we create considers the journey as much as the final outcome. We aim to present a guide suitable for any level of 5E D&D play whether you’re pursuing an epic campaign from start to finish, starting beyond 1st level or choosing a character for a one shot. Then we take those concepts and develop an NPC or creature version of the character build for DMs to incorporate into their games. All of this gets packaged up and laid out in a PDF you can find over at Dungeon Master’s Guild. We’ve got dozens of pay what you want products at DMG, many of them best sellers so if you want to check those out start with the Witch Doctor here.

All about the character story

Each CBG starts with a character concept sticking to a particular schtick, from the Mind Breaker’s psyche crushing smites to the Witch Doctor’s mixture of of fear and awe from even their own people. Sometimes puns and pop culture references instigate the creation of a CBG too. This one came about through a community request. As always we find a narrative thread to follow through the level progression. The character version for the Witch Doctor occupies a very important part of their culture and society, with knowledge and skills beyond the natural. Curatives, guidance and, in dire circumstances, deadly power emerge as this character gains experience.

For us it’s important to consider who these characters are as individuals and why they follow these particular paths. One special thing to note with this CBG is while we always aim to make the journey to 20th level as practical as possible — none of these characters “come online” after an awkward slog through many levels — the Witch Doctor hits their stride around 7th level and from there acquires features to enhance the strong mix of natural power as a 5E D&D adventurer.

Witch Doctor NPC for 5E D&D

Full disclosure — the NPCs and creatures we make in CBGs are some of my favorite bits of 5E D&D content to create. We step back and look at the character build to find the standout features that feel like signature abilities. The juice! From there we consider what sort of person or people would possess or gain these abilities and build a stat block around them. More often than not the section of a CBG For Dungeon Masters presents a generic creature.

It was important to our design for the Witch Doctor to represent a very powerful figure in their culture and demonstrate a deep connection to their natural surroundings. The features and traits we used to construct our Witch Doctor provide lots of ways to spotlight a command of natural forces. They can tend to their peoples’ health and wellness, gain valuable insight about the natural world and of course bring this power to bear against threats to their way of life.

Keepers of the Path. The pacts a witch doctor makes with supernatural forces carries a responsibility to watch over the pathways to their Patron’s realm. Many witch doctors guard portals to other planes and act as lorekeepers. Traveling beyond these portals requires the witch doctor’s permission, but they will ask for favors to prove one’s worth.

“Fear and Awe (1/Day). The witch doctor invokes a supernatural presence of unease and reverence. As a bonus action, it can cause each creature in a 10-foot cube originating from it to make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw. The creatures that fail their saving throws are all restrained or frightened by the witch doctor (their choice) until the end of your next turn.”

If your next 5E D&D game needs a character who forms a deep symbiotic relationship to the natural world for protection and knowledge — whether you’re the DM or a player — check out the Witch Doctor Character Build Guide here.

*Featured image — A group of lizardfolk and their chief ambush heroes deep in the oppressive jungle and demand a price be paid for intrusion in Deep Breaths. Beware — the lizardfolk Voice of the Depths and their Drowned One’s Curse isn’t as apt to be beneficial to an adventuring party as a Witch Doctor.