Strega (5e Class)
Strega
Come in, come in!
The kindly woman welcomes the weary travelers and sits them down. The interior of the home is cozy and warm, with a bit of a mess strewn about. There's herbs and roots from the ceiling, overturned mortars, musty brooms and tomes, and an unused cauldron next to a recliner for sleeping. They show the greatest surprise when she magically washes their clothes clean and warms them up a plate of food and mead. She seems like a truly down to earth woman, despite bearing the title of the strongest witch from the great war.
Pray tell, why have you sought me out at this trying hour?
We want to learn your stregoneria.
Kindly Witches
The strega are essentially witches. They have ways of magic that toe the line between wizardry, sorcery and druidry. Not all their means are wholly magical. Many strega are knowledgeable in the stars and their movements, as well as the usage of technical things and magic formulas. They are known to craft tinctures and potions with their extensive knowledge of herbal and alternative remedies. Many choose to live closer to where they can gather magical ingredients, eschewing busy city lives. Living alone means learning ways of defense, and strega are known for being excellent trap-setters as well as surprisingly good combatants when it comes to a pinch. That, and their abilities outside battle, making them an all around good addition to any adventuring party.
Creating a Strega
| From Daily Life of Sorceress Nina by Ringo Takanashi |
A strega is not bound to casting magic via a musty old book like a wizard, nor are they imbued with it by blood like a sorcerer. This talent and affinity for the arcane is also not wholly drawn from nature like it is for a druid. Stregoneria is similar to that of a mage in that it enforces a will onto the world. But it is a paradox of whimsy and tradition. Is your character the lackadaisical type that doesn't fit into other magical categories? Did they display an early talent for magic? Have they ever felt constrained by lives led by other magic users that made them consider stregoneria? Strega are known for being accessible only via apprenticeships, as their craft depends on inheritance of knowledge and skills. Who taught your strega?
- Quick Build
You can make a Strega quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom. Second, choose the Hermit background.
Class Features
As a Strega you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per Strega level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + Constitution modifier per Strega level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: light, hide armor
Weapons: Simple
Tools: Cook's utensils
Saving Throws: Wisdom and Charisma
Skills: Choose 3 from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Survival, and Acrobatics.
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) dagger or (b) club or (c) quarterstaff
- (a) hide armor or (b) studded armor
- (a) Dungeoneer's Pack or (b) Explorer's Pack
- (a) arcane focus or (b) druidic focus
- If you are using starting wealth, you have 5d6 gp in funds.
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Cantrips Known | —Spell Slots per Spell Level— | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | ||||
| 1st | +2 | Initiate, Spellcasting | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | — | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Modo Di Strega | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | — | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Apothecary | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Modo Di Strega feature | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | — | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Fattucchiere | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Maghus | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | — | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 14th | +5 | Modo Di Strega feature | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 15th | +5 | Corpo Di Maga | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 17th | +6 | — | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Modo Di Strega feature | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 20th | +6 | Master Strega | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Initiate
You are a budding apprentice in the arts of stregoneria, learning all there is to the ways of the strega. Your first tasks may seem menial, but that's how it goes. Starting at 1st level, you learn first to be able to sense around you and recall information about it. You can cast the detect magic spell without using a spell slot or components. Wisdom is your casting ability for this spell. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, regaining use when your finish a long rest.
Additionally, you gain proficiency in the Arcana skill. If you are already proficient in this skill, you instead gain expertise.
Spellcasting
You know your ways around the quaint magics that have all their uses grounded within traditions of your society. While you are yet a fledgling, you still your way around bits and pieces that make life easier. This skill will only grow from here.
- Cantrips
At 1st level, you know three cantrips which you may choose from the Strega Spell List. You learn additional cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the strega table.
- Casting Spells
The strega table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher, starting at 2nd level. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a spell slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
- Learning Spells of 1st Level and Higher
Each time you gain access to a new level of spell, you learn a all the spells of that level from the Strega Spell List, detailed at the bottom of the class page.
- Spellcasting Ability
You use Wisdom as your spellcasting ability for your strega spells, since the power of your spells relies on the old wisdoms of past strega and their methods that have passed into your hands. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell calls for your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a mage spell cast and for setting an attack roll for one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
- Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane or druidic focus as a spellcasting focus (See PH page 150) for your mage spells.
Modo Di Strega
At 3rd level, you chose a way of stregoneria. Choose between Aradia and Benedicaria, both detailed at the end of the class description. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level and again at 7th, 14th and 18th level.
Ability Score Increase
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.
Apothecary
You know how to best utilize concoctions for a variety of purposes, be it poison or healing potion. Starting 6th level, when you administer a poison or healing potion, you can have the healing or damage automatically deal their maximum die.
Additionally, you gain proficiency in brewer's supplies.
Fattucchiere
The strega carry with them age-old traditions of centuries past. Most of these entail being "fixers" of commonplace problems that plague people. Starting 10th level, you gain the eyes to "see" curses and afflictions on people. This can appear as a mark or an aura, as the DM can describe, but the color of this signature tells you what afflicts the creature either way. You can see this mark or aura even if the creature itself is not visible to you, so long as it is on the same plane of existence as you.
| Color | Affliction |
|---|---|
| Black | curse, undeath |
| Magenta | charmed |
| Lime Green | poisoned |
| Red | diseases |
| White | divination magic |
Maghus
Through the arts of tradition, new tricks are formed that keep the old spells interesting and fresh. Starting 11th level, you can augment the strength of spells you use as part of your strega tradition. When you roll a 1 or 2 on a spell attack roll, you may reroll it and you must take the new result, even if it is another 1 or 2. Additionally, if you roll a 20 on a spell attack, you can change the damage type of the spell's damage, if you wish, and have it deal double its maximum damage.
Corpo Di Maga
The proof of magic is in the pudding. Or your body. Trained up in the arcane arts, you ascend normal understandings and reach new heights of elusiveness against those who wish ill upon you. You can positively feel the warps of magic in the air. Starting at 15th level, you become aware of any divination magic that targets you or any other creature within 30 feet of you. As a reaction, you can end that spell by interrupting the caster's concentration with your own manipulation of magic. The caster does not receive any information if you do so. If you wish, you may let the spell continue, but you may use your reaction to give the caster false informations if it is an information gleaning spell like detect thoughts or locate creature. If it is a targeting spell like guidance, you may have the die be rolled again to get a new result, or, in the case of a spell like true strike, you can change the caster's target. Additionally, you have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Master Strega
As a master of the traditions of ancient magic, you are not only bound to defense against ills, but you also can go on the offense against others. Your spells can be changed to fit your whim, as your understanding of tradition allows you to branch out in new ways that define your unique stregoneria. When you cast a spell, you can have one of the following effects occur with no additional action necessary:
If it is a damage-dealing spell that requires a spell attack roll:
- You can increase its power to deal double its damage die on a hit.
- You can have it hit an extra target in addition to the amount of targets the spell allows.
- You can roll the attack with advantage
If it is a spell requiring a saving throw:
- You can force the target to roll with disadvantage. If there are multiple targets, you can force a number of targets equal to your Wisdom modifier to roll with disadvantage.
If it is a spell that restores hit points:
- You can reroll the result of the amount of hit points restored.
- You can have the targets gain temporary hit points equal to half the amount of hit points they regain.
- You can heal the targets over their maximum hit points.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus, regaining use upon finishing a long rest.
Aradia
The aradia strega are practitioners of old folk stregoneria, utilizing tried-and-true magics to fulfill desires of customers, be it love potions, or curses on their worst enemies.
- Aradia Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you learn some special spells meant only for your path of stregoneria, as shown in the Aradia Spells table.
| Strega Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | hex, charm person |
| 5th | invisibility, detect thoughts |
| 9th | counterspell, bestow curse |
| 13th | blight, hallucinatory terrain |
| 17th | contagion, destructive wave |
- Charmer
You are the charmer, not the other way around. Starting 7th level, you gain immunity to being charmed, and you have advantage in all ability checks to see through illusions.
- Accursed Critical
Your other magics overflow with the power of curses that afflict others without you needing to bestow it directly. Starting 14th level, when you roll a 20 on a spell attack roll, you can cast bestow curse on the same target immediately, with no further action required. This does not use up a spell slot.
- Fortuna
Starting 18th level, you can give those who try to fiddle magically with you a dose of ill tidings. Or you can direct any benevolence towards something else. When you use your Corpo Di Maga feature, you may also alter either the target or caster's psychosomatic state, granting one of them advantage or disadvantage on all saving throws and ability checks for the next minute. This does not cost any additional action from you.
Benedicaria
The benedicaria stregoneria is similar to a cleric, save for that it is not grounded in belief in a deity. They mainly provide relief to victims of ill-happenings, cures for diseases, protection from evil eyes, and general welfare, sometimes without the aid of faith.
- Benedicaria Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you learn some special spells meant only for your path of stregoneria, as shown in the Benedicaria Spells table.
| Strega Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 3rd | heroism, purify food and drink |
| 5th | find traps, protection from poison |
| 9th | remove curse, protection from energy |
| 13th | death ward, guardian of nature |
| 17th | mass cure wounds, dawn |
- Masterful Encouragement
Starting 7th level, you know the way to a person sometimes is through their heart and soul. They can be persuaded of their own might and then the placebo effect would actually allow them to accomplish it. You may use the Help action as a bonus action. Additionally, if you would grant a creature temporary hit points, the target regains hit points equal to your proficiency bonus.
- Word Weaver
Starting 14th level, your powers of benediction not only empower others, but have allowed you to learn the ways of other hearts in earnest. You gain proficiency in the Insight and Persuasion skills. If you already have proficiency in either of those skills, you instead gain expertise in that skill. Additionally, you are now permanently veiled with an aura allowing you to tell of deceit. Anytime a creature within 15 feet of you tells a lie, you will know it is a lie. The creature within range is not aware of the effects of this veil, but you do not know the truth nor compel it from them.
- Bountiful Fortune
Starting 18th level, tradition sways your way more often, allowing you more use of your augmenting powers. Your Maghus feature now allows you to reroll spell attack rolls of 1, 2, or 3, and you must take the new roll. Additionally, your spell attack rolls are criticals on a roll of 19-20.
Strega Spell List
You know all of the spells on the basic strega spell list and additional spells based on your subclass.
- Cantrips
produce flame, infestation, thorn whip, green-flame blade, lightning lure, acid splash, message, vicious mockery, dancing lights, gust, mending, prestidigitation
- 1st Level
witch bolt, create or destroy water, entangle, find familiar, hunter's mark, goodberry
- 2nd Level
alter self, calm emotions, knock, suggestion, moonbeam
- 3rd Level
conjure animals, hypnotic pattern, speak with dead, water walk
- 4th Level
fabricate, divination, wall of fire
- 5th Level
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the strega class, you must meet these prerequisites: 15 Charisma, 15 Wisdom
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the strega class, you gain the following proficiencies: simple weapons
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