laserllama
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Alternate Warlock v1.0.0 - Patron Post!
🕑 Added 2023-10-31 15:23:00 +0000 UTCHappy Halloween all! I’m here today with the highly-anticipated “Alternate version” of the fan-favorite Warlock class! As the latest in (what has become) a series of Alternate Classes, I do my best to rebalance the Warlock with all of the other options in 5e, so that each way you can “build/play” a Warlock is equally viable!
As always, your constructive criticism and feedback is welcome!
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THE ALTERNATE WARLOCK
Intelligence-based // Returning to the traditional (and my personal favorite) take on the Warlock, the class has shifted to be a seeker of forbidden knowledge!
Invocation-focused // Pact Magic and your Otherworldly Patron choice have been moved back, and there is a greater focus on your Eldritch Invocations. Gather minor fragments of lore before you move on to the "big leagues" with a Patron.
Eldritch Blast // Now a class feature! It is (optionally) modified by your Patron.
Otherworldly Patrons // I've included four reworked/new Patrons here. The classic three: Archfey, Fiend, and Great Old One, along with my own Ancient Wyrm (dragon) Patron for Warlocks that just want to blow stuff up.
Patron Spells // You now automatically learn your Patron Spells, but to compensate your Spells Known has dropped (you still have more spells in total).
Pact Focus // Rebranded and reworked versions of everyone's favorite Pact Boons! Hexblade and Agonizing Blast have been cannibalized, and familiars can cast Warlock spells (with your help of course).
Empowered Blast // Eldritch Blast now scales with your Warlock level!
Elder Arcanum // Replacing the Mystic Arcanums of old, this new feature allows you to choose features other than high-level spellcasting. Included here are options that buff Blade-Warlocks and Familiar-Warlocks. Tome is focused on spellcasting, so I thought the traditional Mystic Arcanums would be fine here.
Pact Master // Regain your Pact Magic spell slots as an action!
Spells // The Warlock spell list has been updated (See Below), I've added a few of my own original spells (otherworldly grasp, ghastly flight, flaming whip, spiritual sundering), and reworked some of the underwhelming Warlock spells (witch bolt, hunger of hadar, eldritch tentacles).
Eldritch Familiars // I've included four Eldritch Familiars with the base class (that happen to match up with the subclasses, this will not be happening for every subclass). These scale with your Warlock level so they remain useful!
Patron Exclusive // I’ve also included an updated version of the Legendary Hero Otherworldly Patron for those who really want to lean into the Eldritch Blade Focus!
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Happy Halloween!
~laserllama
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CHANGES FROM PHB WARLOCK
- General // The Warlock is now Intelligence-based (to match the lore).
- Multiclassing // Replaced Charisma prerequisite with Intelligence.
- Saving Throws // Replaced Charisma with Intelligence.
- Quick Build // Updated to reflect the changes to the class.
- Eldritch Invocations // Moved up to 1st level. Each Invocation must be bound inside a thematic Trinket (Tiny object). Includes your Spellcasting ability.
- Eldritch Blast // Now a sub feature of your Eldritch Invocations. Must be cast from a Trinket. Some Patrons modify/enhance your Eldritch Blast. Deals 1d8 force damage (baseline)
- Otherworldly Patron // Moved back to 2nd level.
- Patron Magic // You now automatically learn your Patron Spells. Will have Invocations that enhance/interact with your Patron Spells. Made sure all spells are worth casting up to 5th level. Your Patron Magic also modifies (empowers) your Eldritch Blast.
- Pact Magic // Moved back to 2nd level. Use your Invocation Spellcasting ability.
- Pact Focus // Renamed (Pact Boon).
- Pact Focus // Eldritch Blade // Renamed (Pact of the Blade). Now a bonus action to conjure. Uses your INT for attack/damage rolls. Can bond magic weapons (including artifacts), but a sentient weapon must be willing.
- Pact Focus // Eldrtich Familiar // Renamed (Pact of the Chain). Reworked around new stat blocks. Now acts during your turn like a companion and you can cast spells so they originate from your Familiar.
- Pact Focus // Eldritch Tome // Renamed (Pact of the Tome). Now allows you to replace one Warlock spell/cantrip at the end of each rest and ritual cast. Also allows you to add INT mod to cantrips/Eldritch Blast.
- Empowered Blast // NEW Feature - scales your Eldritch Blast on Warlock level.
- Elder Invocations // NEW Feature (replaces Mystic Arcanum). Divided into different tracks you can take - some are based on your Pact Focus.
- Pact Master // Renamed (Eldritch Master). Reworked
- The Archfey // Fey Magic // EB deals 1d10 psychic on hit.
- The Archfey // Patron Spells // added color spray (sleep), mirror image (calm emotions), fear (blink), hypnotic pattern (plant growth), hallucinator terrain (dominate beast), mislead (dominate person).
- The Archfey // Beguiling Blast // NEW feature to enhance EB.
- The Archfey // Fey Presence // Is now single-target but lasts for 10 minutes.
- The Archfey // Fey Enchantments // Renamed (Beguiling Defense). Now works with your Fey Presence feature.
- The Archfey // Terrible Delights // Renamed (Dark Delirium). Don’t expend the use until you use it successfully.
- The Ancient Wyrm // NEW Draconic Patron!
- The Fiend // DO Blessing // includes creatures within 5 feet.
- The Fiend // Fiendish Magic // EB deals 1d10 unresisted Fire damage.
- The Fiend // Patron Spells // added hellish rebuke (burning hands), flaming whip (scorching ray), bestow curse (stinking cloud), blight (fire shield), cloudkill (hallow), immolation (flame strike). Can switch for Evocation/Necromancy spells from the Sorcerer or Warlock spell list.
- The Fiend // Accursed Blast // NEW feature to enhance EB.
- The Fiend // Fiendish Resilience // Lasts until a short/long rest.
- The GOO // Awakened Mind // More generous definition of telepathy. Also grants you resistance to psychic damage.
- The GOO // Aberrant Magic // Your EB can be an INT save for psychic damage.
- The GOO // Patron Spells // Added arms of hadar (hideous laughter), mind whip (phantasmal force), hunger of hadar (sending), confusion (dominate beast), modify memory (dominate person). Can switch for Divination/Enchantment spells from the Bard or Wizard spell list.
- The GOO // Mental Lance // NEW feature to enhance EB.
- The GOO // Psionic Ward // Renamed (Entropic Ward). Now on a miss you can target the attacker with one beam of your EB.
- The GOO // Thought Shield // Now includes psionics. You can also choose to make INT saving throws in place of WIS saving throws.
- Eldritch Invocations // Any Invocation that allows you to cast a spell automatically adds it as one of your Warlock Spells Known.
- EI // Armor of Shadows // Now a 1-hour INT-based unarmored defense (no shields)
- EI // Aspect of the Moon // No longer locked to a Pact Boon.
- EI // Beast Speech // Now a speak with animals type ability
- EI // Beguiling Influence // Reworked around an INT mod bonus.
- EI // Eldritch Sight // Now a detect magic type ability
- EI // Eldritch Spear // Also doubles ranged spell attacks.
- EI // Eyes of the Rune Keeper // More specific/generous wording.
- EI // Fiendish Vigor // Now a bonus action that grants a flat amount of temp hit points.
- EI // Gaze of Two Minds // Clarified the wording
- EI // Mask of Many Faces // Changed to mimic the Changeling ability.
- EI // Misty Visions // Now a silent image type ability
- EI // Thief of Five Fates // Now a bane type ability
- EI // Eldritch Spear // Moved to 3rd level, doubles ranged spell attack range.
- EI // Grasp of Hadar // Moved to 3rd level, limited to Large or smaller creatures.
- EI // Lance of Lethargy // Moved to 3rd level, only once per creature, per turn.
- EI // Repelling Blast // Moved to 3rd level, limited to Large or smaller creatures.
- EI // Tome of Ancient Secrets // Renamed (Book of Ancient Secrets). Original Pact of the Tome features (cantrips) moved here.
- EI // Voice of the Master // Renamed (Voice of the Chain Master).
- EI // Blasphemous Prayer // NEW Invocation
- EI // Gift of the Deep Ones // Renamed (Gift of the Depths). Slight rework.
- EI // Favored Servant // NEW Invocation
- EI // Favor of the Master // NEW Invocation
- EI // Lifedrinker // Reworked to heal you once per turn.
- EI // Tomb of Frost // Renamed (Tomb of Levistus) and reworked.
- EI // Arcane Secrets // NEW Invocation (covers Bewitching Whispers, etc).
- EI // Commune with Patron // NEW Invocation.
- EI // Chains of Carcerai // Reworked
- Elder Arcanum // NEW feature (also how you get 6th through 9th-level spells.
- Greater Arcanum // 7th level // Added mirage arcane, teleport. Cut dream of the veil.
- Mystic Arcanum // 8th level // Added maze, telepathy
- Ancient Arcanum // 9th level // Cut blade of disaster
- Spell List // 1st level // Added dissonant whispers, hideous laughter, inflict wounds, levitate, ray of sickness, sleep. Reworked Witch Bolt.
- Spell List // 2nd level // Added mind whip, phantasmal force
- Spell List // 3rd level // Added bestow curse, life transference slow. Reworked Hunger of Hadar.
- Spell List // 4th level // Added compulsion, confusion, eldritch tentacles (reworked evard’s black tentacles), giant insect, greater invisibility, phantasmal killer, polymorph, summon elemental.
- Spell List // 5th level // Added contagion, dominate person, geas, hallow, insect plague, legend lore
- Warlock Spells // Added otherworldly grasp, ghastly flight, flaming whip, and spiritual sundering.
- Eldritch Familiars // Added Aberrant, Draconic, Faerie, and Infernal
Comments
I really like some of the changes, especially making Warlock an Intelligence caster, we really need more of those. Is there any possibility that a future release might give an option for a ranged pact weapon?
Bradley Webb
Very cool! I really like the leveling progression. Starting off at level 1 with invocations and Eldritch Blast at level 1 is quite interesting, and then getting a patron after you've dipped your toe in forbidden, eldritch knowledge tells an interesting story. Some quick thoughts: Why is the range for Dark One's Blessing only 5 feet? On one hand, the original feature could feel awkward because it required you to make the killing blow. On the other hand, however, making the range 5 feet feels really bad for any Warlock that doesn't take Pact of the Blade. Could Grasp of Hadar and Repelling Blast be consolidated into one feature? Giving the option in one invocation to either pull or push seems a bit cleaner than having to choose one or the other with limited invocation slots. Lastly - is Ancient Familiar powerful enough to be a SEVENTEENTH level invocation? You can already fight alongside "familiars" indepedendent of you with spells like Summon Beast and Summon Shadowspawn.
