Your patron is an oni bound within a cursed, ever-shifting mask — a being fractured across lives once lived and now worn. Long ago, this oni ruled through fear, deception, and hunger, until its will was shattered and sealed behind nine false faces. The mask does not command, nor does it speak with a single voice; instead, its influence seeps through the faces you manifest, shaping instinct, justification, and desire. Each face offers power through a different worldview — comfort, dominance, pursuit, restraint — whispering only what the moment is willing to hear.

At first, the mask grants harmless tricks: borrowed smiles, sharpened senses, the ease of becoming someone else. As the bond deepens, new faces emerge — crueler, louder, more demanding. Each face remembers a different life, a different sin, and a different way the world once bent to the oni’s name. To wear the mask is not to borrow its power, but to learn its lies — and decide which of them still deserve to be true.

When dormant, the mask is invisible and intangible, yet never absent. When a face is invoked, it manifests physically over your features, reshaping your presence and reflection. To creatures gifted with truesight, no single face is ever visible — only a flickering lattice of expressions layered atop one another, all watching, all waiting.

Those who walk this path learn that identity is a weapon. Survival lies in knowing when to smile, when to threaten, and when to let the monster speak. Over time, the line between wearer and relic erodes. The faces stop feeling borrowed. The thoughts stop feeling foreign. The patron does not seek obedience or even freedom, but definition: through your choices, it is refined, contradicted, and slowly rewritten.

At the end of the pact lies a final truth.

The mask was never meant to be worn forever.
It was meant to be become.

 

Roleplaying the Nine Masks

Though you may change which mask you wear, none of them are ever truly removed. Each face leaves an impression — a residue of instinct, posture, and perception. Over time, even those closest to you may notice that you feel… plural.

You do not suffer a split mind, but rather a layered will. In moments of stress, you may instinctively reach for the mask whose worldview best suits the situation, even before you consciously decide.

Consider how your demeanor shifts depending on which face is dominant.

The Masks Remember

Each mask carries echoes of those who wore it before — kings without thrones, executioners without remorse, watchers who never slept. You do not hear their voices, but you may feel preferences.

A moment of hesitation.
A flash of approval.
A sense that a different mask would have handled this better.

The longer you walk this path, the harder it becomes to tell whether you are choosing the masks — or whether they are refining you.

DM TOOL: THE MASKS ASSERT THEMSELVES

The Nine Masks are not passive gifts. They are reflexes learned too well, instincts that sharpen through use. In moments of stress, excess, or significance, a mask may briefly assert dominance, shaping the warlock’s actions before receding.

This is not possession — it is overidentification.

Use this tool to heighten drama, foreshadow consequences, and give the player powerful but unsettling moments.

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When a Mask May Assert Itself

A DM may offer a Mask Assertion when one or more of the following occurs:

• The warlock:

  • Drops below half hit points

  • Is reduced to 0 hit points but survives

  • Uses the same mask’s abilities repeatedly in a short span

  • Executes a decisive or cruel finishing blow

  • Is publicly challenged, humiliated, or disrespected

  • Is surrounded by darkness, silence, blood, or fear appropriate to a mask

• A major narrative beat:

  • Confronting a nemesis

  • Making a pivotal moral choice

  • Claiming authority or denying mercy

  • Witnessing betrayal or loss

• By agreement: the player may suggest a mask asserting itself at any time for narrative impact.

Best practice: Frame this as “Do you want to let the mask take the lead?”

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Mask Assertion (Short-Term Takeover)

When a mask asserts itself, apply the following for one round, one action, or one narrative beat:

• The mask’s worldview overrides hesitation or restraint

• The warlock acts in a way that strongly aligns with that mask’s nature

• The action is effective, but often socially or morally costly

The DM should:

• Describe the sensation

• Emphasize inevitability, not malice

• Return control immediately after the moment passes

Example Assertions by Mask

Face of Many Smiles

The warlock lies without thinking — smoothly, convincingly, even kindly — regardless of intent.

“You don’t choose the words. They arrive already softened.”

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Face of the Watcher

The warlock does not intervene, even when intervention feels expected. They observe, catalogue, remember.

“You could act. You don’t. This matters.”

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Face of the Hunter

The warlock pursues a fleeing enemy to the exclusion of all else.

“The chase completes itself.”

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Face of the Whisper

The warlock speaks a secret aloud — not necessarily one they meant to reveal.

“It was already going to come out.”

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Face of the Butcher

The warlock finishes a helpless or fleeing enemy without flourish or mercy.

“Efficiency feels like relief.”

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Face of the Broken Crown

The warlock asserts dominance publicly — through threat, posture, or command — even when diplomacy would suffice.

“They needed to remember their place.”

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Face of the Devourer

The warlock takes more than offered: loot, power, a final blow, or credit.

“Why stop when you’re still hungry?”

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Face of the Void Gaze

The warlock remains silent, motionless, or detached while others panic.

“The emptiness doesn’t demand anything of you.”

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Face of the Empty Throne

The warlock commands — and expects obedience — even from allies or equals.

“You already decided.”

Level 3: Ever Shifting Faces

Your pact binds you to the Mask of Ninefold, an oni relic that contains multiple distinct identities, each with its own power and will.

When you gain this feature, you unlock the mask’s magic and learn the Nine Faces of the Ninefold Mask. Each Face represents a different persona bound within the relic and grants you unique bonded benefits while it is invoked.

Invoking a Face

As a bonus action, you invoke one Face you know, causing the mask to manifest over your features. While a Face is active, you gain its benefits. When you invoke a Face, the mask manifests physically over your features and remains manifested until you dismiss it (no action required) or until you are incapacitated. While the mask is manifested, you gain the benefits of the active Face.

You may change the active Face as a bonus action, expending one use of Ever-Shifting Faces. You may dismiss the mask at any time (no action required). Manifesting the mask again without changing Faces requires a bonus action and does not expend a use.

You can invoke a Face a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short rest.

You can have only one Face active at a time.

Gaining New Bonds

As your bond with the Mask of Ninefold deepens, you further awaken your faces.

You learn all nine faces at level 3 and unlock all Tier 1 abilities. As you level up you unlock new Tiers

• Tier 2 unlocks at level 6
• Tier 3 unlocks at level 10

Listed at the end of this subclass is the faces learnt at each level.

The Nature of the Mask

The Ninefold Mask is invisible and intangible while dormant. When a Face is invoked, the mask becomes a physical object worn over your face, though it does not interfere with speech or spellcasting.

The mask is always visible to truesight, regardless of whether a Face is active. Creatures with truesight perceive shifting, overlapping visages rather than a single face.

Roleplaying the Faces

Each Face carries subtle impulses, memories, or emotional echoes. While these influences do not force your actions, the Mask may encourage behaviors aligned with the active Face, at the DM’s discretion. Each mask list subtle influence traits in their description

 

Level 3: Ninefold Spells

The magic of your patron ensures you always have certain spells ready; when you reach a Warlock level specified in the Ninefold Spells table, you thereafter always have the listed spells prepared.

Fiend Spells

Warlock Level	Spells
3	Tasha's hideous Laughter, Command, Mirror Image, Suggestion
5	Fear, major image
7	Greater Invisibility, Phantasmal Killer
9	Mislead, Dominate Person

Level 6: Fractured Visage

The Mask of Ninefold no longer waits to be worn—it reacts to danger on its own.

When a creature you can see within 60 feet targets you with an attack, or when you fail a saving throw, you may use your reaction to invoke a different Face you know, immediately ending your current Face and gaining the benefits of the new one.

When you switch Faces in this way, the triggering creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your warlock spell save DC or become frightened of you until the end of its next turn.

Switching Faces using this feature does not expend a use of your Ever-Shifting Faces feature.

You can use this reaction once per round.

Level 10: Fractured Mind

Your thoughts no longer belong entirely to you.

You gain resistance to psychic damage.

In addition, your bond with the Mask of Ninefold makes your presence unsettling to those who perceive beyond the mundane. Creatures that can see you with truesight or similar magic perceive faint, overlapping visages flickering across your features, even when no Face is currently active.

Level 14: Oni Ascension

The mask no longer merely channels your patron’s power. For a brief time, you become its vessel.

As a bonus action, you may assume the true form of the oni bound within the Mask of Ninefold. This transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you are incapacitated. Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

While in this form, you gain the following benefits:

• You grow to Large size, and your appearance takes on unmistakable oni features.

• You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks.

• Once on each of your turns, when you deal damage with a spell or attack, you deal additional psychic or fire damage (your choice) equal to your Charisma modifier.

• You may have two Faces active at the same time. One Face is dominant and grants all its benefits; the second grants only its passive benefits.

• You can switch Faces without using an action, including switching which Face is dominant.

When Oni Ascension ends, you gain one level of Exhaustion, and the mask manifests physically on your face, unable to be dismissed until you finish a short or long rest.

The Nine Masks

At level 3 you gain the following masks:

Face of Many Smiles

An ivory oni mask carved with too many gentle smiles, each slightly out of sync. You feel compelled to soften truths, avoid direct refusals, and offer comforting lies when honesty would cause discomfort.

Tier 1:

• Comforting Deceit: You gain proficiency in Deception or Persuasion (your choice on manifest).
  If you already have proficiency in the chosen skill, you instead add double your PB bonus to checks made with it. Additionally, while this Face is manifested, you have advantage on Charisma checks made to defuse hostility, redirect suspicion, or offer reassurance, at the DM’s discretion.

• Softened Truths: When you fail a Deception or Persuasion check, you can treat the result as though you had rolled a 10 on the die. You can use this feature once per manifestation 

Tier 2:

• Gullible Gaze (1/Long Rest): When a creature succeeds on a saving throw against a charm spell you cast, you can use your reaction to force it to reroll the save and use the new result.

Tier 3:

• Smiles That Linger:  You can use Gullible Gaze twice per long rest.

  Additionally, when a creature fails a saving throw against a charm spell you cast while this Face is manifested, it remains friendly but unsettled when the effect ends, treating you as a trusted acquaintance unless given a strong reason not to.

Face of the Watcher

A narrow mask with elongated eye slits, lacquered black and veined with gold. You find it difficult to look away from unfolding events, even when discretion or distance would be wiser.

Tier 1:

• Unblinking Attention: You gain proficiency in Perception or Insight (your choice on manifest)
  If you already have proficiency in the chosen skill, you instead add double your PB bonus to checks made with that skill. Additionally, while this Face is manifested, you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to detect creatures or traps.

• Prepared Mind: While this Face is active, you can’t be surprised unless you are incapacitated.

Tier 2:

• You Cannot Hide (1/Long Rest):  As an action, you cast see invisibility on yourself without expending a spell slot or requiring components. When you cast the spell this way, you also perceive creatures that are ethereal or phased as faint silhouettes, even if the spell would not normally reveal them.

Tier 3:

• No Secrets Kept: 

  When you activate You Cannot Hide, any creature you can see that is revealed by the spell becomes outlined in faint golden light to creatures of your choice within 60 feet of you.

  • The outline lasts until the spell ends.

  • A revealed creature gains no benefit from invisibility, hiding, or being heavily obscured against those allies.

Face of the Hunter

A crimson mask with tusk-like fangs and claw marks etched along the jaw. You feel an itch to pursue weakened foes and a lingering dissatisfaction when prey escapes.

Tier 1:

• Predator’s Sight: You gain darkvision out to 60 feet, or its range increases by 30 feet if you already have it.

• Blood-Sense Strike: Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an attack or when a creature fails a saving throw against one of your warlock spells, you deal extra psychic damage equal to your Charisma modifier.

Tier 2:

• Stalker’s Stillness: While you are lightly or heavily obscured, you gain the following benefits:

  • You can attempt to Hide as a bonus action.

  • If you remain motionless at the end of your turn, creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to detect you until the start of your next turn.

Tier 3: 

• Lurking through Shadows: As a bonus action while you are lightly or heavily obscured, you can teleport to an unoccupied space you can see within 60 feet, provided that space is also lightly or heavily obscured. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all uses when you finish a long rest.

  Teleporting this way does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Face of the Whisper

A cracked porcelain mask with a sewn mouth and hollow, shadowed eyes. You are drawn to secrets, half-truths, and unspoken fears, even when learning them brings no benefit.

Tier 1:

• Murmured Communion: While this Face is manifested, you can communicate telepathically with any creature you can see within 30 feet, provided you share a language. This communication is two-way, but the creature is always aware it is being contacted.

• Lingering Doubt: Once per turn, when a creature fails a saving throw against one of your warlock spells, you can mark it with a Whisper until the end of your next turn. The next time the marked creature makes an ability check or saving throw, it subtracts 1d4 from the roll.

Tier 2:

• Unwanted Thoughts:  You can communicate telepathically with creatures you can see within 60 feet, even if you do not share a language, conveying only simple concepts, emotions, and intent.

  Additionally, you can have two creatures marked with Whisper at the same time.

Tier 3:

• Secrets That Fester: When a creature marked by your Whisper fails a saving throw, it takes psychic damage equal to your Charisma modifier and cannot benefit from advantage on saving throws until the end of its next turn.

  This damage can occur only once per turn.

Face of the Butcher

A blood-stained iron mask, split down the center as if struck by an axe. You feel a surge of satisfaction in decisive violence and impatience toward hesitation or mercy.

Tier 1:

• Decisive Strike: Once per turn, when you deal damage to a creature with an attack or when a creature fails a saving throw against one of your warlock spells, you deal an additional 1d8 necrotic.

• Blood Reward: When a creature you can see is reduced to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus.

Tier 2:

• Relentless Follow-Through: When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points while this Face is manifested, you can immediately move up to half your speed and make one weapon attack or cast one cantrip as part of the same reaction.

  You can use this feature once per manifestation.

Tier 3:

• No Mercy Given: When you deal damage with Decisive Strike to a creature that is below half its hit point maximum, the extra damage increases to 2d8.  Additionally, when you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your warlock level, replacing Blood Reward.

Face of the Broken Crown

A shattered golden mask, its crown fractured and bent inward. You bristle at perceived disrespect and feel an instinctive need to assert dominance in tense interactions.

Tier 1:

• Imperious Presence: You gain proficiency in Intimidation. If you already have proficiency, you instead add double your PB bonus to Intimidation checks. Additionally, while this Face is manifested, creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks made to contest your Charisma (Intimidation) checks.

• Crack the Spine: When you cause a creature to become frightened of you, you can choose to reduce its speed by 10 feet until the end of its next turn. This effect applies only once per creature per turn.

Tier 2:

• Rule Through Fear: When  a creature is frightened of you, it cannot take the Dash or Disengage actions.

  Additionally, the speed reduction from Crack the Spine increases to 0 until the end of the creature’s next turn.

Tier 3:

• Kneel: When a creature becomes frightened of you for the first time on a turn, you can force it to make an additional Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC.

  • On a failure, the creature is restrained until the end of its next turn.

  • On a success, the creature’s speed is still reduced to 0 until the end of its next turn.

  You can use this feature once per manifestation.

Face of the Devourer

A swollen, fanged mask with a distended jaw and dark stains around the mouth. You feel hunger—physical or otherwise—after exertion, and are tempted to take more than you need.

Tier 1:

• Feeding Frenzy: Once per turn, when you deal damage to a creature with an attack or when a creature fails a saving throw against one of your warlock spells, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). These temporary hit points last until the start of your next turn.

Tier 2:

• Taste of Power (1/Long Rest): When you reduce a hostile creature to 0 hit points while this Face is manifested, you can choose to regain one expended Pact Magic spell slot. When you do so, you take psychic damage equal to twice the spell slot’s level, which ignores resistance and immunity.

Tier 3:

• Ravenous Momentum: When you regain hit points or temporary hit points from this Face, you also gain advantage on the next attack roll or saving throw you make before the end of your next turn.

Face of the Void Gaze

A smooth obsidian mask etched with a single, endless eye.

Tier 1:

• Sight Beyond the Moment: You can see in magical darkness out to a range of 30 feet. Beyond this range, magical darkness still obscures you.

• Foreseen Failure: As a reaction, when a creature you can see makes a saving throw against one of your warlock spells, you can choose to roll a d4 and subtract the result from the saving throw. You must decide to use this feature before the result of the saving throw is known. You can do this a number of times equal to half your CHA modifier rounded down.

Tier 2:

• Your Foreseen Failure die increases to a d6. Additionally you use this ability a number of times your CHA modifier.

Tier 3:

• Marked by the Void: The first time each turn a creature fails a saving throw against one of your warlock spells while this Face is manifested, it becomes Void-Marked until the start of your next turn.

  • A Void-Marked creature cannot benefit from advantage on saving throws.

  • If the creature succeeds on a saving throw while Void-Marked, it takes psychic damage equal to your Charisma modifier.

Face of the Empty Throne

A featureless mask of pale stone, cold and utterly expressionless. You feel detached from emotion and struggle to empathize, viewing others more as subjects than equals.

Tier 1: 

• Unmoved by Petition: While this Face is manifested, you have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.

Tier 2:

• Presence Without Appeal (1/Long Rest)
  As an action, creatures of your choice within 30 feet that can see you must make a Charisma saving throw against your warlock spell save DC.

  • On a failure, a creature is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

  • On a success, the creature is shaken and has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes before the end of its next turn.

Tier 3:

• No One Sits Above You: While this Face is manifested, you are immune to being charmed or frightened. Additionally, when you use Presence Without Appeal, its effects intensify:

  • On a failure, a creature is stunned until the end of your next turn.

  • On a success, the creature is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

  Once you stun a creature with this feature, you can’t stun another creature with it again until you finish a long rest