Dungeons & Dragons Is Still Missing Out on the Best Pathfinder Class (& This Is the Year to Fix It)

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I started my TTRPG life as a druid in both Pathfinder and Dungeons & Dragons. But when listening to The Glass Cannon Podcast introduced me to the Witch in Pathfinder First Edition, I slightly regretted the choice. While D&D has its fair share of spellcasting classes, it has yet to give us a true Witch class. And you might think that a Warlock, Sorcerer, or Wizard will get the job done. But having played a Witch in Pathfinder, I have to disagree. And with the Season of Horror leading into the Season of Magic for Dungeons & Dragons this year, the time for a playable Witch class in D&D has arrived.

No, A Warlock or Wizard Is No Substitute for a True Witch Class in Dungeons & Dragons

Image courtesy of Wizards of the Coast

Throughout its 50+ year history, Dungeons & Dragons has given players many iterations on spellcasters. But it has yet to deliver a true, official playable Witch class. This is particularly odd given that witches and hags do canonically exist within the world of Dungeons and Dragons. Tasha is known as the Witch Queen, and I’ve fought my fair share of Hags in campaigns like Curse of Strahd. But actually playing one? That requires leaning into 3rd party materials or using your imagination with existing caster classes.

Many players argue that a Witch class isn’t necessary because classes like Wizard or Warlock can fit the bill if you lean into the right subclasses. But even if you call a Warlock a Witch, the mechanics aren’t quite it compared with what Pathfinder offers, or even how Hags and similar creatures function in D&D itself. The Warlock gets its power from a patron, while Wizards rely on their spellbooks. As for Sorcerers, their magic is innate, which you might argue could be considered a Witch.

To be fair, Pathfinder‘s rendition of a Witch does function fairly similarly to D&D‘s Warlock on a surface level. She gets her power from a mysterious and powerful patron, which is pretty much how the Warlock works. But her casting is largely focused on hexes, and she keeps a familiar by her side. These bits of flavor could be pulled into a Warlock in D&D, but in Pathfinder, they’re inherent in the class makeup. And I want to see D&D offer something similar, at the very least as a Warlock subclass.

Given the lore surrounding hags in Dungeons & Dragons and the recent introduction of Circle Casting, I think Wizards is missing a great opportunity. Even if she arrives only as a dedicated Warlock subclass, letting us officially play as a hex-casting Witch with a crow familiar by her side is well overdue. And if it doesn’t happen this year, I don’t think it ever will.

The Season of Horror Leading Into the Season of Magic Means D&D‘s Witching Hour Is Now

Image courtesy of Wizards of the Coast

I’ve said before that I’m more excited for the 2026 Dungeons & Dragons roadmap than I have been in a long time. The new Seasons approach could be interesting if done well. And I’m not just saying that because Ravenloft and spellcasters are two of my favorite parts of D&D. Having several themed products launch at the same time is an exciting opportunity for Wizards to really run with a theme. And I’m hoping that a playable Witch class or subclass could be part of it.

2026 is kicking off with a new Ravenloft source book in June. And Barovia may be home to D&D‘s most famous vampire, Strahd. But it’s also home to Barovian Witches. And therein lies an opportunity to bring these casters out of the Monsters Handbook and into the ranks of playable official classes in D&D 5e at last. We’ve already had some hints about what the Season of Horror is cooking, thanks to past Unearthed Arcana. And so far, none of those playtest classes look anything like a Witch. But I’m holding out hope.

After all, having a Season of Horror lead right into a Season of Magic is perfect timing for Wizards to introduce some new caster options. If she doesn’t make her debut in June, I’d love to see a caster that plays a bit more like Pathfinder‘s hex-wielding witch make her way to Dungeons & Dragons at long last. After all, wouldn’t that just go perfectly with that Tarokka Deck they’re releasing?

What class or subclass do you most want to see added to Dungeons & Dragons? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!