🔮 Warlock → Purple Teamer / Security Consultant
“I’ve made pacts with both sides. I know how attackers think and how defenders fail.”
Your Role in the Party
You exist in the space between red and blue—understanding both offensive tradecraft and defensive capabilities. While pentesters focus on breaking in and SOC analysts focus on detection, you bridge the gap. You attack to improve defenses. You defend with attacker knowledge.
Purple Teamers run adversary simulations and work directly with blue teams to validate detections, identify gaps, and improve security posture. Security Consultants take this further—advising organizations on their overall security strategy, often switching between offensive assessments and defensive recommendations within the same engagement.
This role rewards versatility. You’re never bored because you’re constantly context-switching between attack and defense perspectives. The best purple teamers and consultants are the ones who can think like an adversary in the morning and build detection rules in the afternoon.
📊 Your Stat Spread
| Stat | Score | What It Means for You |
|---|---|---|
| DEX | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Context-switching is your core skill. Red perspective, blue perspective, client perspective—you pivot constantly. |
| STR | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | You execute on both sides. Run the attack, then help build the detection. Hands-on is essential. |
| INT | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Deep knowledge of both offensive techniques and defensive technologies. Double the domain expertise. |
| WIS | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | See the complete picture—how attacks chain together AND where defenses break down. |
| CON | ⭐⭐⭐ | Engagements vary in length. Consulting sprints can be intense but usually have defined endpoints. |
| CHA | ⭐⭐⭐ | Translate between red and blue teams. Explain findings to executives. Build client relationships. |
🎭 Neurodivergent Advantages
Your traits are class features, not bugs:
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Rapid Context-Switching (DEX): ADHD’s ability to shift focus quickly is a feature here, not a bug. You switch between attacker and defender mindsets multiple times per day—and your brain is wired for it.
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Dual Special Interests: Many neurodivergent folks have multiple deep interests. Purple teaming lets you pursue BOTH offensive hacking AND defensive security without choosing.
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Pattern Recognition Across Domains (WIS): Autistic pattern recognition shines when you’re mapping attack techniques to detection opportunities. You see connections others miss.
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Novelty Through Variety: ADHD brains crave novelty. Consulting and purple teaming offer constant variety—new clients, new environments, new challenges. The boredom that kills SOC work doesn’t exist here.
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Direct Communication: Neurodivergent directness is valuable in consulting. Clients want someone who tells them their security is broken, not someone who dances around findings.
🗺️ Career Path
SOC Analyst → Pentester → Purple Teamer → Senior Consultant → Principal/Partner
↓ ↓ ↓
(Blue Base) (Red Skills) (Bridge Both → Advisory)Alternative Entry Points:
- Detection Engineer → Purple Teamer (strong blue foundation)
- Red Team Operator → Purple Teamer (strong red foundation)
- Security Engineer → Consultant (technical breadth)
Common Warlock Multiclasses:
- Warlock/Rogue: Purple Teamer with deep offensive specialization
- Warlock/Ranger: Purple Teamer focused on detection validation and threat hunting
- Warlock/Artificer: Security Consultant who builds tools and automation
📜 Certification Pathway
Level 1-5: Foundation (0-2 years)
| Certification | Org | Type | Cost | Why It Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CompTIA Security+ | CompTIA | Multiple Choice | ~$425 | Baseline. You need fundamentals before bridging domains. |
| CompTIA CySA+ | CompTIA | Multiple Choice | ~$404 | Blue team foundation. Understand what you’re trying to improve. |
| CompTIA PenTest+ | CompTIA | Multiple Choice + Performance | ~$404 | Red team basics. Lightweight entry into offensive skills. |
Neurodivergent Note: Build foundation on BOTH sides early. Don’t specialize too fast—your value is breadth. PenTest+ and CySA+ together give you the dual perspective you need.
Level 6-10: Specialization (2-5 years)
| Certification | Org | Type | Cost | Why It Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PNPT (Practical Network Penetration Tester) | TCM Security | Practical (5-day) | ~$399 | Hands-on pentesting with real report writing. Affordable red team validation. |
| BTL1 (Blue Team Level 1) | Security Blue Team | Practical (24-hr) | Hands-on blue team. Pairs perfectly with PNPT for purple foundation. | |
| OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional) | OffSec | Practical (24-hr) | ~$1,749 | Industry-standard offensive cert. Proves you can execute attacks. |
| GPEN (Penetration Tester) | SANS/GIAC | Practical | ~$999 (exam) + ~$8,500 (SEC560) | SANS offensive validation. Strong methodology and reporting. |
Neurodivergent Note: PNPT + BTL1 is an excellent affordable combo that validates both sides. OSCP is harder but more recognized. Choose based on budget and hyperfocus capacity—OSCP requires intense sustained effort.
Level 11-15: Advanced (5-8 years)
| Certification | Org | Type | Cost | Why It Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OSEP (Experienced Penetration Tester) | OffSec | Practical (48-hr) | ~$1,749 | Advanced evasion and custom tooling. Serious red team validation. |
| CRTO (Certified Red Team Operator) | Zero-Point Security | Practical | ~$499 | Cobalt Strike and adversary simulation. Perfect purple team skills. |
| GCFA (Forensic Analyst) | SANS/GIAC | Practical | ~$999 (exam) + course | Advanced IR and hunting. Understand what defenders see. |
| GDAT (Defending Advanced Threats) | SANS/GIAC | Practical | ~$999 (exam) + ~$8,500 (SEC599) | Purple team course. Attack and defend APT techniques. |
Neurodivergent Note: SEC599/GDAT is literally a purple team course—attacking AND defending in the same training. CRTO teaches you to run adversary simulations professionally.
Level 16-20: Mastery (8+ years)
| Certification | Org | Type | Cost | Why It Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OSEE (Exploitation Expert) | OffSec | Practical | ~$2,499 | Elite-level exploitation. Top 1% offensive validation. |
| GXPN (Exploit Researcher) | SANS/GIAC | Practical | ~$999 (exam) + course | Advanced exploit development. Deep offensive mastery. |
| CISSP | ISC² | Multiple Choice | ~$749 | Management/consulting credential. Opens advisory doors. |
Neurodivergent Note: At this level, you’re choosing: stay technical (OSEE/GXPN) or move toward advisory (CISSP). Both paths are valid. CISSP is useful for consulting credibility even if the exam format isn’t ideal.
🛠️ Your Toolkit
Primary Weapons
| Tool | Type | What It Does | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cobalt Strike | C2 Framework | Industry-standard adversary simulation. What APTs use, what you simulate. | cobaltstrike.com |
| Atomic Red Team | Attack Library | Execute ATT&CK techniques for detection validation. Essential purple tool. | GitHub |
| MITRE Caldera | Adversary Emulation | Automated adversary simulation platform. Free and powerful. | GitHub |
Offensive Tools
| Tool | Purpose | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Sliver | Open-source C2 alternative to Cobalt Strike | GitHub |
| Mythic | Cross-platform C2 framework with modular agents | GitHub |
| Havoc | Modern C2 framework with evasion capabilities | GitHub |
| Impacket | Python library for protocol attacks | GitHub |
| BloodHound | Active Directory attack path analysis | GitHub |
| Rubeus | Kerberos abuse toolkit | GitHub |
Defensive/Detection Tools
| Tool | Purpose | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Sigma | Generic detection rule format | GitHub |
| Elastic Security | SIEM with detection rules mapped to ATT&CK | elastic.co |
| Velociraptor | Endpoint visibility and hunting | velociraptor.app |
| HELK | Hunting ELK stack with Jupyter notebooks | GitHub |
Fun Tools from Awesome Lists
Source: awesome-mitre-attack
| Tool | What It Does |
|---|---|
| ATT&CK Navigator | Visualize coverage across the ATT&CK matrix |
| DeTTECT | Score detection coverage against ATT&CK |
| Invoke-AtomicRedTeam | PowerShell execution of Atomic tests |
| VECTR | Track red/blue team exercises and improvement |
| PurpleSharp | C# adversary simulation for detection testing |
| Prelude Operator | Free adversary emulation platform |
📚 Learning Resources
Free Resources
YouTube Channels:
- SANS Offensive Operations - Red team techniques and methodology
- Black Hills Information Security - Active defense, purple team, webcasts
- John Hammond - Offensive techniques with clear explanations
- MITRE ATT&CK - Official technique breakdowns
Practice Platforms:
- TryHackMe - Both offensive and defensive paths
- HackTheBox - Offensive skills with Pro Labs for enterprise simulation
- CyberDefenders - Blue team CTFs to understand defender perspective
- Attack-Defense Labs - Hands-on purple team exercises
- PentesterLab - Web application security progressions
Essential Reading:
- MITRE ATT&CK - The framework that defines your work
- Atomic Red Team - Test library documentation
- Red Canary Blog - Threat intelligence and detection research
- SpecterOps Blog - Advanced adversary tradecraft
Books for Warlocks
| Book | Author | Why Read It |
|---|---|---|
| The Hacker Playbook 3 | Peter Kim | Red team methodology from initial access to persistence. Practical and hands-on. |
| Red Team Development and Operations | Joe Vest & James Tubberville | How to build and run red team programs. Essential for purple teamers. |
| Operator Handbook | netmux | Red/Blue/OSINT reference. Quick lookup for both sides. |
| Crafting the InfoSec Playbook | Jeff Bollinger et al. | Building detection and response. Understand what you’re improving. |
| Adversarial Tradecraft in Cybersecurity | Dan Borges | Offense and defense techniques with ATT&CK mapping. |
Podcasts
| Podcast | Why Listen |
|---|---|
| Darknet Diaries | Real attack stories. Understand adversary mindset and operations. |
| Risky Business | Weekly security news with technical depth. |
| Paul’s Security Weekly | Technical interviews with red and blue team practitioners. |
| SANS Internet Storm Center | Daily security updates and threat intelligence. |
🎓 SANS Courses for Warlocks
| Course | Cert | Focus | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEC560: Enterprise Penetration Testing | GPEN | Network pentesting methodology | Offensive foundation |
| SEC599: Defeating Advanced Adversaries | GDAT | Purple team attack/defense | Core purple skills |
| SEC565: Red Team Operations | GRTP | Adversary emulation and C2 | Advanced red team |
| SEC699: Purple Team Tactics | GPTC | Detection engineering + adversary simulation | Peak purple team |
| SEC504: Hacker Tools & Incident Handling | GCIH | Offense-informed defense | Understanding both sides |
🏆 Building Your Magic Items
Early Career Achievements:
- Complete TryHackMe “Jr Penetration Tester” path
- Complete TryHackMe “SOC Level 1” path
- Set up a home lab with Atomic Red Team
- Run 10 Atomic tests and verify detection (or lack thereof)
- Write your first Sigma detection rule
Mid-Career Achievements:
- Conduct a purple team exercise at your organization
- Map your organization’s detection coverage to ATT&CK
- Earn PNPT or OSCP (offensive validation)
- Earn BTL1 or CySA+ (defensive validation)
- Present purple team findings to leadership
Senior Achievements:
- Build or lead a purple team program
- Earn CRTO or complete SEC599/GDAT
- Speak at a security conference about purple team methodology
- Develop custom adversary emulation for your environment
- Mentor junior pentesters AND analysts
🧭 Multiclassing Guide
Adding Rogue Levels (Deeper Offensive)
Specialize in advanced offensive techniques:
- OSCP → OSEP progression for evasion and custom tooling
- Cobalt Strike training for professional adversary simulation
- Study malware development and EDR evasion
“I don’t just run tools—I develop custom tradecraft that mirrors real adversaries.”
Adding Ranger Levels (Threat Hunting)
Combine purple teaming with proactive hunting:
- SANS FOR508 for hunt methodology
- Master your SIEM’s query language (SPL, KQL)
- Use purple team exercises to generate hunt hypotheses
“After I simulate the attack, I hunt for the artifacts defenders should have caught.”
Adding Artificer Levels (Tool Development)
Build the purple team infrastructure:
- Learn Python for custom tooling and automation
- Contribute to open-source purple team tools
- Build detection-as-code pipelines
“I don’t just use Atomic Red Team—I write new tests and detection rules.”
💡 Neurodivergent Learning Strategies
For ADHD:
- Purple teaming’s variety is perfect for novelty-seeking brains
- Switch between offensive and defensive learning when one gets stale
- Use the “attack → detect → improve” loop as natural task switching
- Consulting’s client variety prevents the monotony that kills engagement
For Autism:
- ATT&CK framework provides systematic structure across both domains
- Build comprehensive playbooks for adversary simulations
- Deep-dive on specific technique chains as special interests
- The logical mapping of “attack X should trigger detection Y” is satisfying
For Both:
- Your ability to hold both perspectives simultaneously is rare and valuable
- Direct communication style is an asset in consulting
- Hyperfocus on an engagement, then context-switch to the next client
- The “why doesn’t this detection work?” puzzle leverages pattern recognition
🎯 Not Sure If You’re a Warlock?
Take the Character Creation Quiz to discover your cybersecurity class and get personalized recommendations!
📖 Continue Your Journey
- View All Classes
- Red Team: Rogue - If pure offense calls to you
- Blue Team: Ranger - If threat hunting is your focus
- Purple: Artificer - If you want to build security tools
“The best defense is built by those who truly understand the offense.”