Witch Doctor

Adventurers League Build Guide

A 1st-20th level build guide
suitable for Adventurers League play

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. WITCH DOCTOR
1
 Witch Doctor
Adventurers League Build Guide

A 1st-20th level build guide suitable for Adventurers League play

Writing: Ted Adams and Doug Vehovec

Editing: Doug Vehovec
Layout and Design: Doug Vehovec

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2 WITCH DOCTOR Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.

Called it
It might have been a comment on another Adventur-
ers League Character Build Guide video, a Patreon
request or a suggestion from our Facebook page.
Wherever the source, they told us it would be cool if
we created a witch doctor character. They were right.
— Nerdarchy
of fear and awe from even their own people. They
occupy a very important part of culture and society,
with knowledge and skills beyond the natural. Cu-
ratives, guidance and, in dire circumstances, deadly
power are vitally important to lizardfolk society.
Proficiencies
Armor: Light Armor

PHB +1 Weapons: Simple weapons

We're choosing Volo's Guide to Monsters as our +1 Tools: None

resource in addition to the Player's Handbook. We Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
considered a wide variety of approaches to creating Skills: Arcana, History
a witch doctor character. Lizardfolk won our hearts
with a chance to imagine their culture and society, Languages: None
and all the things this sort of character represents.
Slightly kooky, with a dash of spooky topped with
ooky, a lizardfolk makes the perfect treat for all the Step 3 — Ability Scores
witch doctor tricks. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
8 (+0) 13 (+2) 12 (+2) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 14 (+0)

Step-by-step character build guide Step 4 — Background

Each step of the way, this guide will show you the Hermit
choices made that are significant to this character Skills: Medicine, Religion
build. Choice options that are of particular impor-
tance to this character’s effectiveness are in bold. Tools: Herbalism kit
Languages: Sylvan

Step 1 — Race The power of the witch doctor comes with a price
— they are a generally offputting character, iso-
LIzardfolk lated from yet deeply woven into the fabric of
Lizardfolk are survivors, with stamina and cun- lizardfolk life in the swamp. Fey swamp spirits aid
ning to prove it. Their ability score increases of +2 in their responsibilities as healer and lorekeeper,
Constitution and +1 Wisdom mean whatever path a presence only the witch doctor seems capable of
they follow they'll be tougher and more aware and interacting with.
intuitive. Bite, Cunning Artisan, Hungry Jaws and
Natural Armor mean they'll never be completely
defenseless (far from it!) and a swim speed plus 15 Step 5 — Class and Level Progression
minutes of Hold Breath give just about any sort of Level Class Gains
lizardfolk character huge benefits right off the bat.
And they speak Draconic too! 1 Warlock Otherworldly Patron — Archfey,
Fey Presence, Spellcasting
2 Sorcerer Sorcerous Origin — Wild
Proficiencies Magic, Tides of Chaos,
Armor: None Spellcasting
Weapons: None 3 Sorcerer Font of Magic
Tools: None
4 Sorcerer Metamagic — Extend, Twinned
Skills: Nature, Survival
5 Sorcerer Ability Score Improvement —
Languages: Common, Draconic Charisma +2
6 Druid Druidic, Spellcasting
Step 2 — Class 7 Druid Druid Circle — Circle of the
Land (Swamp), Natural Recovery,
1st level
Wild Shape
Start with Warlock 8 Sorcerer
The witch doctor of the lizardfolk inspires a mixture 9 Sorcerer Bend Luck
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. WITCH DOCTOR
3
 10 Druid
11 Druid Wild Shape Improvement,
Further Resources
Ability Score Improvement — Character creation, build, roleplaying tips and
Wisdom +2 backstory elements are discussed in a video on
the Nerdarchy YouTube channel here. In the video
12 Druid description, you can find a link to this character
13 Druid Land's Stride build on D&D Beyond.
14 Druid
15 Druid Wild Shape Improvement,
D&D Encounters
Ability Score Improvement — • The Roper Wrangler Monster BFF Series
Charisma +2 • Kobold Cavalry Encounter
16 Druid • The Hag's Apprentice Encounter
17 Druid Nature's Ward • Druid Circle from the Beyond
18 Druid
19 Druid Ability Score Improvement — Other Character Guides
Wisdom +2 • Mind Breaker Paladin Character Build Guide
20 Druid • Zen Archery Master Character Build Guide

Conclusion • Sewer Ninja Tortle Character Build Guide

Before we'd even chosen their 1st level class this
character had a variety of useful skills and abili-
ties along with a high degree of survivability. It
only got better from there as new and unusual
abilities create a unique repertoire for the lizard-
folk witch doctor all throughout their adventuring
career.
Final Ability Scores
• Nature Possessed Warforged Character Build Guide
• Scaled Skald Character Build Guide
• Quick Strike Character Build Guide
• Night Parade Character Build Guid
• Combat Medic Character Build Guide
• Ultimate Duelist Character Build Guide
• Justicar: Path of Justice Barbarian Character
Build Guide

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

• Ultimate Spell Duelist Character Build Guide

8 (+0) 13 (+5) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 20 (+4) 18 (+0) • Extreme Adventurer Character Build Guide
• Whirling Devish
Proficiencies
• Library Agent Character Build Guide
Armor: Light armor
• Shadow-Haunted Rogue
Weapons: Simple weapons
• Flesh Render Character Build Guide
Tools: Herbalism kit
• Stealer of Souls (Hexadin) Character Build Guide
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
• Spell Savant Character Build Guide
Skills: Arcana, History, Medicine, Nature, Religion,
Survival • Master of Undeath Character Build Guide

Languages: Common, Draconic, Druidic, Sylvan
• Champion of the Wild Characters Build Guide
• Adopted Trash Panda Character Build Guide
• Illusion Warrior Character Build Guide
• Storm Herald Character Build Guide
• Hell's Enemy Character Build Guide
• Purveyor of Peace Character Build Guide
• Beast Binder Character Build Guide
• Ultimate Gladiator Character Build Guide
• Slayer of Evil Character Build Guide

4 WITCH DOCTOR Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
For Dungeon Masters
Fear and Awe. A witch doctor is an integral part of
their culture and society viewed with a mixture of
unease and reverence. Witch doctors practice their
arts apart from the rest of their people, in secluded
places deep in the wilderness. A witch doctor's odd
personality ranges anywhere from off-center and
quirky to spooky to downright terrifying. But the
wisdom and power they possess is undeniable.
Attuned to the Land. Witch doctors share a deep
connection with their natural surroundings, seeing
and hearing things others cannot. This connection
only deepens the more time they spend in the form
of beasts. This can make finding a witch doctor
even more difficult. They are as likely a lizard, fox
or other native fauna, appearing from seemingly no
where when they shed their wild shape.
Keepers of the Path. The pacts a witch doctor
makes with supernatural forces carries a responsi-
bility 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.
Witch Doctor
Medium humanoid (any race), chaotic neutral
Armor Class 12 (leather armor)
Hit Points 117 (18d8 + 36)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS
8 (-1) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 19 (+4)
Saving Throws WIS +8, CHR +7
Skills Arcana +4, Medicine +8, Nature +4, Religion +4,
Survival +8
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Druidic, plus any one language
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
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 sav-
ing 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.
Spellcasting. The witch doctor is a 9th-level spellcast-
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er. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 16,
+7 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following druid
spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): druidcraft, guidance, produce
flame, thornwhip
1st level (4 slots): animal friendship, cure wounds,
detect magic, fog cloud, speak with animals
2nd level (3 slots): animal messenger, beast sense,
enhance ability, locate animals or plants, spike
growth
3rd level (3 slots): call lightning, dispel magic, protec-
tion from energy, wall of water, water walk
4th level (3 slots): conjure woodland beings, locate
creature, polymorph
5th level (1 slot): greater restoration, insect plague,
scrying
Actions
Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach
5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d6 -1) bludgeoning damage,
3 (1d8 -1) bludgeoning damage if wielded with two
hands.
Change Shape (2/Day). The witch doctor magically
polymorphs into a beast with a challenge rating of 6
or less, and can remain in this form for up to 9 hours.
The witch doctor can choose whether its equipment
falls to the ground, melds with its new form, or is
worn by the new form. The witch doctor reverts to
its true form if it dies or falls unconscious. The witch
doctor can revert to its true form using a bonus ac-
tion on its turn.
While in a new form, the witch doctor retains its game
statistics and ability to speak, but its AC, movement
CHA modes, Strength, and Dexterity are replaced by those
17 (+3) of the new form, and it gains any special senses, pro-
ficiencies, traits, actions, and reactions (except class
features, legendary actions, and lair actions) that the
new form has but that it lacks. It can cast its spells
with verbal or somatic components in its new form.
The new form’s attacks count as magical for the
purpose of overcoming resistances and immunity to
nonmagical attacks.
Reactions
Supernatural Obtrusion. When another creature the
witch doctor can see makes an attack roll, an abil-
ity check, or a saving throw, it can use its reaction to
roll 1d4 and apply the number rolled as a bonus or
penalty (witch doctor's choice) to the creature’s roll.
It can do so after the creature rolls but before any
effects of the roll occur.
WITCH DOCTOR
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