Athame

## Athame (Current)

Athame are ceremonial blades used in numerous magical rituals, but so too are they the name of witches who take up arms in pursuit of their witchcraft. Some athame are skilled assassins, while others are monster hunters. Some seek resources for elaborate rituals, while others simply serve a calling that demands warfare. Whatever the case, athame are talented warriors.

**Athame Covenant Spells**:

**Bonus Proficiency**:

When you choose this covenant at 1st level, you gain proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons. You also gain one additional skill proficiency of your choice.

**Combat Stance**:

Starting at 3rd level, you can assume one of three stances: sliding stance, striking stance, or swift stance. You can change which stance you're using as a bonus action. Once you select a stance, it remains active until you change it again or you become unconscious.

* **Sliding Stance**: When a creature within melee range of you makes an attack against you and misses, you can use your reaction to move up to half your speed. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.
* **Striking Stance**: Your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
* **Swift Stance**: Your movement speed increases by 10 feet, and opportunity attacks against you are made with disadvantage.

**Extra Attack**:

Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

**Cursed Blade**:

At 6th level, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action whenever you use your action to activate a hex.

**Combat Stance Mastery**:

At 10th level, you gain additional stances you can use with your Combat Stance ability: snapping stance, soaring stance, and storming stance.

* **Snapping Stance**: When a creature within melee range of you makes an attack against you and misses, you can use your reaction to make a Grapple attempt against the attacking creature.
* **Soaring Stance**: You gain a magical fly speed equal to your normal walking speed.
* **Storming Stance**: If you move at least 20 feet straight toward a creature right before hitting it with a melee attack, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your witch spell save DC or be knocked prone.

## Athame (Revised)

Athame are ceremonial blades used in numerous magical rituals, representing the element of fire. Witches who share this name use these unique blades in their magic, but also to aid them in combat. Some athame are skilled assassins, while others are monster hunters or ritualists. Whatever the case, athame are talented warriors, and they wield a unique connection to fire that other witches lack.

**Athame Covenant Spells**:

**Bonus Proficiency**:

When you choose this covenant at 1st level, you gain proficiency with medium armor and martial weapons. You also learn the *fire bolt* cantrip. For you, *fire bolt* counts as a witch cantrip.

**Blade of Ceremony**:

You can use any melee weapon that deals piercing or slashing damage as an arcane focus for your witch spells.

**Etheric Fire**:
At 3rd level, you gain the ability to channel power from your witch spells. Whenever you cast a witch spell of 1st level or higher, any weapons you're wielding that qualify for Blade of Ceremony burst into violet flames. Until the end of your next turn, your next weapon attack deals an additional 1d6 fire damage. This damage increases to 2d6 if the spell you cast deals fire damage. You can deal this additional damage only once per turn.

**Extra Attack**:

Starting at 6th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

**Cursed Blade**:

At 6th level, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action whenever you use your action to activate a hex.

**Tenth Level Feature**:

At 10th level, you SUCK AN EVEN BIGGER BUTT.