I wouldn't give flight to a level 1 character either. I know it's twice per day for levels 1-4 but that's still huge.
Hmm, interesting. In any of the recent campaigns I've been in that started at lvl 1, I can't think of any times having flight would have been "huge". Heck, one of those parties even had an aarakocra in it
Situationally helpful once in a while? Sure, but not game-breaking, and not a slam dunk choice over the other two options. It was the blindsight I was wavering over including at 1st level, to be honest
Concentration free flight is huge...insanely huge. Pack Tactics (the youtube channel) did a video on it and I won't give you their opinion, but I'll give you the numbers.
There's around 2094 monsters in DnD....some 1447 do not have any mechanism to attack a creature with flight
Now setting can alter this, like a low ceiling cave, but if you're in a jungle or forest, the vast majority of things will just have to ignore you while you fire eldritch blasts from above. In a setting where there are no trees for cover, you can literally fly outside the range of bows and shoot eldritch blasts from *120* feet away
And if you get hit, there's nothing to indicate you fall. You'd have to be put to sleep or paralyzed in order to fall, but if you're fighting enemy spellcasters, you can just be 10 feet in the air, which is enough to avoid any melee attack that doesn't have reach
I wouldn't give flight to a level 1 character either. I know it's twice per day for levels 1-4 but that's still huge.
Hmm, interesting. In any of the recent campaigns I've been in that started at lvl 1, I can't think of any times having flight would have been "huge". Heck, one of those parties even had an aarakocra in it
Situationally helpful once in a while? Sure, but not game-breaking, and not a slam dunk choice over the other two options. It was the blindsight I was wavering over including at 1st level, to be honest
Concentration free flight is huge...insanely huge. Pack Tactics (the youtube channel) did a video on it and I won't give you their opinion, but I'll give you the numbers.
There's around 2094 monsters in DnD....some 1447 do not have any mechanism to attack a creature with flight
Now setting can alter this, like a low ceiling cave, but if you're in a jungle or forest, the vast majority of things will just have to ignore you while you fire eldritch blasts from above. In a setting where there are no trees for cover, you can literally fly outside the range of bows and shoot eldritch blasts from *120* feet away
And if you get hit, there's nothing to indicate you fall. You'd have to be put to sleep or paralyzed in order to fall, but if you're fighting enemy spellcasters, you can just be 10 feet in the air, which is enough to avoid any melee attack that doesn't have reach
Those numbers really don't mean anything, since any DM who knows what they're doing will simply adjust foes to account for things like flying party members. It's incredibly simple to give humanoid enemies some bows or javelins.
However, looking at other subclasses like Genie warlock (doesn't get full flight until 6th) and Storm Sorcery (limited flight as a bonus action at 1st), I've dialed it back.
Here's the full list of features I've got right now
Expanded Spell List
1st-level Greatwyrm feature
The Greatwyrm lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The Greatwyrm Expanded Spells table shows the spells that are added to the warlock spell list for you, along with the spells associated in the table with your patron’s kind: chromatic, metallic or gem.
You learn to read and speak Draconic. In addition, as a bonus action, you may call upon a manifestation of your patron's awesome might, which lasts for 1 minute. When you do so, choose one of the following options:
Eyes. Your eyes become like those of a dragon, unnervingly vigilant and alien to lesser creatures. You gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. In addition, you gain advantage on Perception, Investigation and Intimidation skill checks while this feature is active.
Scales. Your skin grows scaly and tough like your patron. Add your Charisma modifier (minimum bonus of 1) to your AC and to any Constitution saving throws you make while this feature is active.
Wings. Wings of pure magical energy unfurl from your back. As a bonus action, you may fly up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks while this feature is active. In addition, when you take damage from a creature within 5 feet of you, as a reaction you may attempt to buffet them. The creature must make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, you may push them up to 10 feet away from you.
You may use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you complete a long rest.
Blessing of the Wyrm
6th-level Greatwyrm feature
You gain affinity for the damage type associated with your patron's kind. You now have resistance to that damage type: acid (black, copper), cold (silver, white), fire (brass, gold, red), force (amethyst), lightning (blue, bronze), necrotic (topaz), poison (green), psychic (emerald), radiant (crystal), or thunder (sapphire).
In addition, whenever you deal damage of that type, you gain temporary hit points equal to 1d4 plus your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
Greater Draconic Boon
10th-level Greatwyrm feature
When you use your Draconic Boon feature, the options now last 10 minutes and have additional effects:
Eyes. Your dragon's eyes become even more observant. You gain truesight out to a range of 100 feet and blindsight out to 20 feet. In addition, you gain advantage on Perception, Investigation and Intimidation skill checks while this feature is active.
Scales. Your scaly skin grows even more impenetrable. Add your Charisma modifier (minimum bonus of 1) to your AC and to any Constitution saving throws you make while this feature is active. You also gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage.
Wings. Your magical wings are even more potent. You gain a flying speed of 50 feet, with the ability to hover, while this feature is active. In addition, when you take damage from a creature within 5 feet of you, as a reaction you may attempt to buffet them. The creature must make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, they take 3d8 force damage and you may push them up to 10 feet away from you. On a successful save, they take half damage and are not pushed.
A Glimpse of Dragonsight
14th-level Greatwyrm feature
Your connection with your patron extends to its incarnations on other worlds. You may cast the spell illusory dragon, summoning an echo of your patron glimpsed through its dragonsight. The damage dealt by the dragon's breath weapon matches the type of your patron, rather than being chosen from those listed in the spell. Your glimpse may not be one-sided, however, as at your DMs discretion the other incarnation of your patron -- who has no pact with you -- may become curious about the lesser creature that just touched its mind... or enraged by it.
Once you use this feature, you may not do so again until you complete a long rest.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I also considered dream of the blue veil for the 14th-level feature using the same basic flavor of Fizbin's lore, but there would be some campaigns where that would be utterly useless
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I wouldn't give flight to a level 1 character either. I know it's twice per day for levels 1-4 but that's still huge.
Hmm, interesting. In any of the recent campaigns I've been in that started at lvl 1, I can't think of any times having flight would have been "huge". Heck, one of those parties even had an aarakocra in it
Situationally helpful once in a while? Sure, but not game-breaking, and not a slam dunk choice over the other two options. It was the blindsight I was wavering over including at 1st level, to be honest
Concentration free flight is huge...insanely huge. Pack Tactics (the youtube channel) did a video on it and I won't give you their opinion, but I'll give you the numbers.
There's around 2094 monsters in DnD....some 1447 do not have any mechanism to attack a creature with flight
Now setting can alter this, like a low ceiling cave, but if you're in a jungle or forest, the vast majority of things will just have to ignore you while you fire eldritch blasts from above. In a setting where there are no trees for cover, you can literally fly outside the range of bows and shoot eldritch blasts from *120* feet away
And if you get hit, there's nothing to indicate you fall. You'd have to be put to sleep or paralyzed in order to fall, but if you're fighting enemy spellcasters, you can just be 10 feet in the air, which is enough to avoid any melee attack that doesn't have reach
Those numbers really don't mean anything, since any DM who knows what they're doing will simply adjust foes to account for things like flying party members. It's incredibly simple to give humanoid enemies some bows or javelins.
However, looking at other subclasses like Genie warlock (doesn't get full flight until 6th) and Storm Sorcery (limited flight as a bonus action at 1st), I've dialed it back.
Here's the full list of features I've got right now
Expanded Spell List
1st-level Greatwyrm feature
The Greatwyrm lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The Greatwyrm Expanded Spells table shows the spells that are added to the warlock spell list for you, along with the spells associated in the table with your patron’s kind: chromatic, metallic or gem.
You learn to read and speak Draconic. In addition, as a bonus action, you may call upon a manifestation of your patron's awesome might, which lasts for 1 minute. When you do so, choose one of the following options:
Eyes. Your eyes become like those of a dragon, unnervingly vigilant and alien to lesser creatures. You gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. In addition, you gain advantage on Perception, Investigation and Intimidation skill checks while this feature is active.
Scales. Your skin grows scaly and tough like your patron. Add your Charisma modifier (minimum bonus of 1) to your AC and to any Constitution saving throws you make while this feature is active.
Wings. Wings of pure magical energy unfurl from your back. As a bonus action, you may fly up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks while this feature is active. In addition, when you take damage from a creature within 5 feet of you, as a reaction you may attempt to buffet them. The creature must make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, you may push them up to 10 feet away from you.
You may use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you complete a long rest.
Blessing of the Wyrm
6th-level Greatwyrm feature
You gain affinity for the damage type associated with your patron's kind. You now have resistance to that damage type: acid (black, copper), cold (silver, white), fire (brass, gold, red), force (amethyst), lightning (blue, bronze), necrotic (topaz), poison (green), psychic (emerald), radiant (crystal), or thunder (sapphire).
In addition, whenever you deal damage of that type, you gain temporary hit points equal to 1d4 plus your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
Greater Draconic Boon
10th-level Greatwyrm feature
When you use your Draconic Boon feature, the options now last 10 minutes and have additional effects:
Eyes. Your dragon's eyes become even more observant. You gain truesight out to a range of 100 feet and blindsight out to 20 feet. In addition, you gain advantage on Perception, Investigation and Intimidation skill checks while this feature is active.
Scales. Your scaly skin grows even more impenetrable. Add your Charisma modifier (minimum bonus of 1) to your AC and to any Constitution saving throws you make while this feature is active. You also gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage.
Wings. Your magical wings are even more potent. You gain a flying speed of 50 feet, with the ability to hover, while this feature is active. In addition, when you take damage from a creature within 5 feet of you, as a reaction you may attempt to buffet them. The creature must make a Strength saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failure, they take 3d8 force damage and you may push them up to 10 feet away from you. On a successful save, they take half damage and are not pushed.
A Glimpse of Dragonsight
14th-level Greatwyrm feature
Your connection with your patron extends to its incarnations on other worlds. You may cast the spell illusory dragon, summoning an echo of your patron glimpsed through its dragonsight. The damage dealt by the dragon's breath weapon matches the type of your patron, rather than being chosen from those listed in the spell. Your glimpse may not be one-sided, however, as at your DMs discretion the other incarnation of your patron -- who has no pact with you -- may become curious about the lesser creature that just touched its mind... or enraged by it.
Once you use this feature, you may not do so again until you complete a long rest.
I think mostly, it's got a lot going on powerwise.
1 race (or whatever you want to call it), 1 book...not 1 book, then another book with tweaks...and then another book with more tweaks.
The problem here being the same one that faces any form of game that's printed once, then played, then expected to be balanced. Iterative design with a few dozen people is never going to compete with the thousands of minds doing group think to optimize or anything else, finding the unfun parts and things that can be exploited and so on. By it's nature, DnD will struggle because errata is a very tricky situation when you charge $80 (NZD) or so on per book. Even in a purely online system, if the creators update a race or class or anything mid campaign for me, should I go ahead and change myself? By necessity, revision must happen and by nature of the beast, that comes across in multiple books. I don't think there's a magical solution to this that will stop the problem
The problem here being the same one that faces any form of game that's printed once, then played, then expected to be balanced. Iterative design with a few dozen people is never going to compete with the thousands of minds doing group think to optimize or anything else, finding the unfun parts and things that can be exploited and so on. By it's nature, DnD will struggle because errata is a very tricky situation when you charge $80 (NZD) or so on per book. Even in a purely online system, if the creators update a race or class or anything mid campaign for me, should I go ahead and change myself? By necessity, revision must happen and by nature of the beast, that comes across in multiple books. I don't think there's a magical solution to this that will stop the problem
IMO, most of the changes aren't balance changes...they're changes due to the complete lack of understanding the market.
Ok so the biggest spell issue for changing the once per long rest using a warlock spell slot into once per short rest using a warlock spell slot is Sign of Ill Omen. Bestow curse doesn't look bad to most people I know, but the issue is as a 5th level spell it lasts 8 hours and costs no concentration. If you are able to recover this on a short rest than you can effectively have a permanent bestow curse. With Chain familiar and voice of the chain master you can deliver this spell from another content through an invisible creature and have the curse up permanently by level 9. This is not something I want to deal with personally. I also think the idea of resetting polymorph on a short rest is not a good idea either when most other casters only get 1 4th level slot at 7th level as it is.
So given this I am all for the idea of making these spells once per long rest without a slot. I am also all for taking some off the invocation list and adding them to the spell list in general like confusion and especially bane.
Next I want less abuse for multi-classing. I think this can be easy, agonizing blast becomes a 5th level invocation, and hexblade's charisma is put onto pact of the blade as part of the pact of the blade.
Next I want more flavor from the subclasses. You can make a GOO lock and never pick a single spell from the GOO spell list. To help with this at 3st level your pact magic allows you to pick one first level spell from your patron spell list and cast it once per long rest without using a spell slot and it doesn't count against your spells known. At 5th level it expands and you can choose a second level spell on your patron list in addition to your first level spell, at 7th you get a 3rd level spell, at 9th a 4th and at 11th you gain the 5th level spell slot. as others have mentioned, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th level spell slots that you get once per long rest instead of just one mystic arcanum spell to allow upcasting.
This expands the warlock spell casting, makes them less reliant on short rests without giving them too much extra power all while curbing some of the multi-classing.
The problem here being the same one that faces any form of game that's printed once, then played, then expected to be balanced. Iterative design with a few dozen people is never going to compete with the thousands of minds doing group think to optimize or anything else, finding the unfun parts and things that can be exploited and so on. By it's nature, DnD will struggle because errata is a very tricky situation when you charge $80 (NZD) or so on per book. Even in a purely online system, if the creators update a race or class or anything mid campaign for me, should I go ahead and change myself? By necessity, revision must happen and by nature of the beast, that comes across in multiple books. I don't think there's a magical solution to this that will stop the problem
IMO, most of the changes aren't balance changes...they're changes due to the complete lack of understanding the market.
Anytime someone says something to this effect, it's pretty easy to just go check the stock price and profits of a company and see if they reflect "a lack of understanding in the market"
As long as those are going up, I'd wager they feel they understand their market perfectly, as a Hasbro subsidiary, I'd be damn sure of it in fact.
Spell slot progression follows profiency bonus progression not tied to it to avoid MC shinanigans,still start at one slot at level 1 though.
Two extra invocations that are tied to your pact boon, they can be given at 3rd and 18th level as theres nothing going level 18, this lets the class end at 10 invocations instead of 8.
Obviously make Pact of the Blade use CHA for attack and damage but only let Hexblades be able to conjure whatever weapon they want, I.E non-hexblades can only use one handed/verstile weapons, make it so there is tiers of the pact weapon invocations that open up more options.
Do the Patron specific weapons for POB like in the UA, this would really sell the whole idea of a boon and lets you circumvent the one handed/verstile restriction based on the patron.
Allow the mystic aracanums to be used for upcasting.
Remove the medium armor but keep the shield for Hexblades to finally give us the UA Eldritch Armor invocation.
I'm down for Eldritch blast to be a class feature instead of a cantrip but if that would happen then we need even more EB invocations for max customizibilty.
Make the Undying subclass actually the nigh-unkillable medic Highlander that the name implies.
Take out Blur from the Hexblades spell list for Spirtual weapon so they can still be bladelocks without POB.
Not a class wishlist but let Eldritch Adept give two invocations instead of one.
No more invocations that reset on a long rest. Either make them at will or use an existing slot. I do think the ones that use a slot are helpful in that they are spells not on the Warlock Spell list...but once a day is too limited.
Pact of the Blade should automatically use CHA. It does force multi classes to take an additional level of Warlock, but this makes this pact for more useful to non-hexblades with this simple change.
Make Patron Spells known automatically. In exchange, take away the additional spells known at level 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19. This would give Warlocks 21 spells known and 4 Mystic Arcanums (I'd give them a spell known at level 10). This would represent less choice, but it would make Patrons feel more important. This also gives them the exact same number of Spells prepared as Wizards. Wizards still have *far and away* more spells known. Even without the ability to write spells in their spell book they have
I like these three. The others you mention I am not a fan of.
I like EB being a cantrip and scaling with level and I think that is one of the best things about a Warlock multiclass (or for that matter the Magic initiate feat).
I think Warlock AC is fine, there are plenty of ways to get medium armor, or for that matter mage armor or the shield spell so I don't think it needs to be part of the class. Also aside from light Armor, Warlocks also get simple weapons, where Wizards and Sorcerers who get very limited weapon options.
What I would like to see is subclass reworked and moved to level 3 and aligned with the pact options.
Raising the AC of the class a bit. Sorcerers and Wizards get mage armor which makes their AC 13+Dex. Problem is Warlocks don't that amount unless they're in a campaign that gives magic items (Studded Leather +1) which isn't always the case. Now you could say Warlocks don't have to use a spell slot for their Armor and I would counter with Sorcerers and Wizards also have access to the Shield spell. Rogues and Rangers also have access to light armor, but their main stat is DEX, so they easily get to 17 without magic items. (Sorcerers and Wizards are 15 + 5 with a first level spell reaction). What I suggest is to give Warlocks either Medium Armor...this will get them up to 17 (With point buy a 14 DEX is most likely) or give them an invocation that allows them to cast the Shield spell equal to their CHA bonus or their PROF bonus (resets on a long rest). Could also be a class feature given the cost of a spell known for a Sorcerer/Wizard is less than an Invocation for a Warlock. I think a 14 AC plus a static 5 is pretty good and if you get Studded Leather +1, then you are on par with the other Arcane Casters
They have access to unlimited self casting Mage Armor via Armor of Shadows invocation
No more invocations that reset on a long rest. Either make them at will or use an existing slot. I do think the ones that use a slot are helpful in that they are spells not on the Warlock Spell list...but once a day is too limited.
Pact of the Blade should automatically use CHA. It does force multi classes to take an additional level of Warlock, but this makes this pact for more useful to non-hexblades with this simple change.
Make Patron Spells known automatically. In exchange, take away the additional spells known at level 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19. This would give Warlocks 21 spells known and 4 Mystic Arcanums (I'd give them a spell known at level 10). This would represent less choice, but it would make Patrons feel more important. This also gives them the exact same number of Spells prepared as Wizards. Wizards still have *far and away* more spells known. Even without the ability to write spells in their spell book they have
I like EB being a cantrip and scaling with level and I think that is one of the best things about a Warlock multiclass (or for that matter the Magic initiate feat).
I think Warlock AC is fine, there are plenty of ways to get medium armor, or for that matter mage armor or the shield spell so I don't think it needs to be part of the class. Also aside from light Armor, Warlocks also get simple weapons, where Wizards and Sorcerers who get very limited weapon options.
What I would like to see is subclass reworked and moved to level 3 and aligned with the pact options.
So, while I get it, EB scaling the way it does it part of the problem with Warlocks. Compared to other classes, there isn't that much of a benefit to keep getting levels in that class. Most of the good parts can be had with 1-3 levels.
And unlike other cantrips for a Wizard/Sorcerer...Eldritch Blast is *the* class feature...when combined with agonizing blasts
It would be like if Metamagic was based off character level and not sorcerer level or if one level of Wizard enabled characters to choose wizard spells based of their spellcasting level
Yes, it would make a 1-2 level sorcerer dip more powerful, but it slashes any incentive to play a sorcerer beyond 1-2 levels
This change would not change the way Warlocks are played, just means people are less likely to do a 2 level dip, they'll probably do 5 or not at all
And unlike other cantrips for a Wizard/Sorcerer...Eldritch Blast is *the* class feature
This may come as a shock to some people, but it is possible to take levels in warlock without taking Eldritch Blast
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
So, while I get it, EB scaling the way it does it part of the problem with Warlocks. Compared to other classes, there isn't that much of a benefit to keep getting levels in that class. Most of the good parts can be had with 1-3 levels.
And unlike other cantrips for a Wizard/Sorcerer...Eldritch Blast is *the* class feature...when combined with agonizing blasts
It would be like if Metamagic was based off character level and not sorcerer level or if one level of Wizard enabled characters to choose wizard spells based of their spellcasting level
Yes, it would make a 1-2 level sorcerer dip more powerful, but it slashes any incentive to play a sorcerer beyond 1-2 levels
This change would not change the way Warlocks are played, just means people are less likely to do a 2 level dip, they'll probably do 5 or not at all
I have played warlocks without EB and most of my multiclass warlocks don't have it (because they usually only have 14 charisma), so I would not agree that it is "the class feature". To be honest the pacts and the invocations are really "the class features" IMO and then they have arguably the best subclass features on top of that, including mostly great subclass features at 1st level.
One level of Wizard (or sorcerer) lets you get cantrips based off of your total level too and while agonizing blast is a good invocation, you need at least a 2-level dip to get it and it is really only worthwhile if you are playing a Charisma-based class for your other class. If that is the case sure, but if it is not it is very costly to make EB-AB work. You need 2 levels in Warlock and then you need to take ASIs to boost Charisma .... while being behind 2 levels behind on ASIs unless you go all the way to Warlock 4.
If you are going with a Charisma based multiclass (Bard, Paladin, Sorcerer), then sure EB-AB can be really powerful in terms of damage, but not OP compared to the spells you get with sorcerer or Bard or the smites you get with Paladin. Compared to a single class your blaster is a full spell level behind the full casters and behind an ASI for half the levels. If he goes all the way to warlock 4 he is 2 full spell levels behind.
As yourself what is more powerful on an 11th level character - Being able to shoot 3 EBs or being able to cast a 6th level spell and an extra 5th level spell every day? You are giving up the latter to get EB-AB and 11th level is where the difference would be the biggest (after Charisma is maxed and you get 3 blasts)
Yeah, if anything Warlock needs to get away from the idea that it's just a class built around Eldritch Blast; while that's a fine and reasonable option, I'd much rather see the Eldritch Blast specific invocations opened up to work with more cantrips like Toll the Dead etc. so you can build a nasty blaster Warlock around any damage type you like (or multiple).
But of the Warlocks I've actually played, none of them have used Eldritch Blast; I've seen so many Warlocks in online videos that are just generic blasters built around that idea, and while each has had a different character (to a degree), for me I've always been much more drawn to a Booming Blade or Green Flame Blade Hexblade, or an Archfey or Great Old One built around bursts of control and so-on, or some mixture (as any Warlock with Pact of the Blade and a SCAGtrip can be a force to be reckoned with in melee if they want to be).
That's the appeal of the class for me; that toolkit nature, yet only Eldritch Blast gets any love from the invocations? That needs to change. Not that it's a bad cantrip, not by an means, and if you have a fun character idea that suits being an eldritch blaster then great, do that, but more options is better.
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
for me I've always been much more drawn to a Booming Blade or Green Flame Blade Hexblade, or an Archfey or Great Old One built around bursts of control and so-on, or some mixture (as any Warlock with Pact of the Blade and a SCAGtrip can be a force to be reckoned with in melee if they want to be).
Agree completely! Honestly my favorite melee POB Warlock is Undead. You lose a little bit by being MAD but form of Dread is awesome in melee and better than Hexblade Curse IMO. The 6th level ability is better too I think.
This is why I personally am all for agonizing blast being a 5th level invocation instead of 2nd level. It is very minor damage boost before character level 5 anyway, by making it warlock 5th level it makes dipping just for agonizing/eldritch blast less appealing. In addition, it allows for other things to be added to agonizing to make it more versatile without charisma casters all just taking a 2 level dip.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Concentration free flight is huge...insanely huge. Pack Tactics (the youtube channel) did a video on it and I won't give you their opinion, but I'll give you the numbers.
There's around 2094 monsters in DnD....some 1447 do not have any mechanism to attack a creature with flight
Now setting can alter this, like a low ceiling cave, but if you're in a jungle or forest, the vast majority of things will just have to ignore you while you fire eldritch blasts from above. In a setting where there are no trees for cover, you can literally fly outside the range of bows and shoot eldritch blasts from *120* feet away
And if you get hit, there's nothing to indicate you fall. You'd have to be put to sleep or paralyzed in order to fall, but if you're fighting enemy spellcasters, you can just be 10 feet in the air, which is enough to avoid any melee attack that doesn't have reach
Those numbers really don't mean anything, since any DM who knows what they're doing will simply adjust foes to account for things like flying party members. It's incredibly simple to give humanoid enemies some bows or javelins.
However, looking at other subclasses like Genie warlock (doesn't get full flight until 6th) and Storm Sorcery (limited flight as a bonus action at 1st), I've dialed it back.
Here's the full list of features I've got right now
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I also considered dream of the blue veil for the 14th-level feature using the same basic flavor of Fizbin's lore, but there would be some campaigns where that would be utterly useless
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I think mostly, it's got a lot going on powerwise.
I also think Celestial Warlocks should have access to the Cleric spell list for their Mystic Arcanum picks
Would give high level Celestial Warlocks an option to keep up with high level healers of other classe
my 5.5e wishlist:
1 race (or whatever you want to call it), 1 book...not 1 book, then another book with tweaks...and then another book with more tweaks.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
Probably all sub classes or lock shouldn't get a special list for mystic arcanum even if its just 1 unique per level.
The problem here being the same one that faces any form of game that's printed once, then played, then expected to be balanced. Iterative design with a few dozen people is never going to compete with the thousands of minds doing group think to optimize or anything else, finding the unfun parts and things that can be exploited and so on. By it's nature, DnD will struggle because errata is a very tricky situation when you charge $80 (NZD) or so on per book. Even in a purely online system, if the creators update a race or class or anything mid campaign for me, should I go ahead and change myself? By necessity, revision must happen and by nature of the beast, that comes across in multiple books. I don't think there's a magical solution to this that will stop the problem
IMO, most of the changes aren't balance changes...they're changes due to the complete lack of understanding the market.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
Ok so the biggest spell issue for changing the once per long rest using a warlock spell slot into once per short rest using a warlock spell slot is Sign of Ill Omen. Bestow curse doesn't look bad to most people I know, but the issue is as a 5th level spell it lasts 8 hours and costs no concentration. If you are able to recover this on a short rest than you can effectively have a permanent bestow curse. With Chain familiar and voice of the chain master you can deliver this spell from another content through an invisible creature and have the curse up permanently by level 9. This is not something I want to deal with personally. I also think the idea of resetting polymorph on a short rest is not a good idea either when most other casters only get 1 4th level slot at 7th level as it is.
So given this I am all for the idea of making these spells once per long rest without a slot. I am also all for taking some off the invocation list and adding them to the spell list in general like confusion and especially bane.
Next I want less abuse for multi-classing. I think this can be easy, agonizing blast becomes a 5th level invocation, and hexblade's charisma is put onto pact of the blade as part of the pact of the blade.
Next I want more flavor from the subclasses. You can make a GOO lock and never pick a single spell from the GOO spell list. To help with this at 3st level your pact magic allows you to pick one first level spell from your patron spell list and cast it once per long rest without using a spell slot and it doesn't count against your spells known. At 5th level it expands and you can choose a second level spell on your patron list in addition to your first level spell, at 7th you get a 3rd level spell, at 9th a 4th and at 11th you gain the 5th level spell slot.
as others have mentioned, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th level spell slots that you get once per long rest instead of just one mystic arcanum spell to allow upcasting.
This expands the warlock spell casting, makes them less reliant on short rests without giving them too much extra power all while curbing some of the multi-classing.
Anytime someone says something to this effect, it's pretty easy to just go check the stock price and profits of a company and see if they reflect "a lack of understanding in the market"
As long as those are going up, I'd wager they feel they understand their market perfectly, as a Hasbro subsidiary, I'd be damn sure of it in fact.
My personal list goes like this.
I like these three. The others you mention I am not a fan of.
I like EB being a cantrip and scaling with level and I think that is one of the best things about a Warlock multiclass (or for that matter the Magic initiate feat).
I think Warlock AC is fine, there are plenty of ways to get medium armor, or for that matter mage armor or the shield spell so I don't think it needs to be part of the class. Also aside from light Armor, Warlocks also get simple weapons, where Wizards and Sorcerers who get very limited weapon options.
What I would like to see is subclass reworked and moved to level 3 and aligned with the pact options.
They have access to unlimited self casting Mage Armor via Armor of Shadows invocation
So, while I get it, EB scaling the way it does it part of the problem with Warlocks. Compared to other classes, there isn't that much of a benefit to keep getting levels in that class. Most of the good parts can be had with 1-3 levels.
And unlike other cantrips for a Wizard/Sorcerer...Eldritch Blast is *the* class feature...when combined with agonizing blasts
It would be like if Metamagic was based off character level and not sorcerer level or if one level of Wizard enabled characters to choose wizard spells based of their spellcasting level
Yes, it would make a 1-2 level sorcerer dip more powerful, but it slashes any incentive to play a sorcerer beyond 1-2 levels
This change would not change the way Warlocks are played, just means people are less likely to do a 2 level dip, they'll probably do 5 or not at all
This may come as a shock to some people, but it is possible to take levels in warlock without taking Eldritch Blast
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I have played warlocks without EB and most of my multiclass warlocks don't have it (because they usually only have 14 charisma), so I would not agree that it is "the class feature". To be honest the pacts and the invocations are really "the class features" IMO and then they have arguably the best subclass features on top of that, including mostly great subclass features at 1st level.
One level of Wizard (or sorcerer) lets you get cantrips based off of your total level too and while agonizing blast is a good invocation, you need at least a 2-level dip to get it and it is really only worthwhile if you are playing a Charisma-based class for your other class. If that is the case sure, but if it is not it is very costly to make EB-AB work. You need 2 levels in Warlock and then you need to take ASIs to boost Charisma .... while being behind 2 levels behind on ASIs unless you go all the way to Warlock 4.
If you are going with a Charisma based multiclass (Bard, Paladin, Sorcerer), then sure EB-AB can be really powerful in terms of damage, but not OP compared to the spells you get with sorcerer or Bard or the smites you get with Paladin. Compared to a single class your blaster is a full spell level behind the full casters and behind an ASI for half the levels. If he goes all the way to warlock 4 he is 2 full spell levels behind.
As yourself what is more powerful on an 11th level character - Being able to shoot 3 EBs or being able to cast a 6th level spell and an extra 5th level spell every day? You are giving up the latter to get EB-AB and 11th level is where the difference would be the biggest (after Charisma is maxed and you get 3 blasts)
Yeah, if anything Warlock needs to get away from the idea that it's just a class built around Eldritch Blast; while that's a fine and reasonable option, I'd much rather see the Eldritch Blast specific invocations opened up to work with more cantrips like Toll the Dead etc. so you can build a nasty blaster Warlock around any damage type you like (or multiple).
But of the Warlocks I've actually played, none of them have used Eldritch Blast; I've seen so many Warlocks in online videos that are just generic blasters built around that idea, and while each has had a different character (to a degree), for me I've always been much more drawn to a Booming Blade or Green Flame Blade Hexblade, or an Archfey or Great Old One built around bursts of control and so-on, or some mixture (as any Warlock with Pact of the Blade and a SCAGtrip can be a force to be reckoned with in melee if they want to be).
That's the appeal of the class for me; that toolkit nature, yet only Eldritch Blast gets any love from the invocations? That needs to change. Not that it's a bad cantrip, not by an means, and if you have a fun character idea that suits being an eldritch blaster then great, do that, but more options is better.
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
Agree completely! Honestly my favorite melee POB Warlock is Undead. You lose a little bit by being MAD but form of Dread is awesome in melee and better than Hexblade Curse IMO. The 6th level ability is better too I think.
This is why I personally am all for agonizing blast being a 5th level invocation instead of 2nd level. It is very minor damage boost before character level 5 anyway, by making it warlock 5th level it makes dipping just for agonizing/eldritch blast less appealing. In addition, it allows for other things to be added to agonizing to make it more versatile without charisma casters all just taking a 2 level dip.