I have been dinking around with a custom Warlock patron and I am looking for some input on how to balance this subclass.
Warlock Patron: The Time Traveler
Concept:
You have been contacted or blessed by a time traveler giving you gifts items and information.
What I want to do:
I want random successes because they are using foreknowledge instead of actual knowledge, “I can perform brain surgery on this person, at this time, at this place. Anyone else, any other time, anywhere else, with any other problem is doomed.” I also want them to get physical deus ex machina gifts from their patron. They escape the jail, not by skill or talent, but because their future self leaves them a key, or a juicy piece of information to blackmail a guard with.
The skill bonus might look a little like the Cleric Knowledge domain knowledge of the ages ability. A sudden ability or knack to do something specific. The items might be an expansion of prestidigitation. The School of Conjuration’s minor conjuration is a great place to start/copy, because it can represent the character always finding what they need in a pinch. It’s like the jail escape in Bill & Ted’s Excellent adventure, or the train station seen in Paycheck (that Ben Affleck time travel movie).
At high level, an immunity to surprise attacks as you always see the attack coming, even if you are incapable of defending yourself against the attack.
What I don’t want to do:
Preferably no rerolls. They aren’t really bending fate as much as living with the ultimate silver spoon in their mouth. Mimicking the Luck feat is out of the question. The Time Traveler may be giving them bad luck, or bad news to bear like in 12 Monkeys. All the Warlock can do is live with the information and material support they are provided. The School of Divination Portent ability makes some sense as it is “calling” a roll and is setting fate in a particular place. I am not a big fan of this but it wouldn’t be bad to copy. Thematically, changing rolls might come at higher levels, as you begin to understand time travel and you can use it to randomly change fate like in The Butterfly Effect.
No detection abilities. That is going to be added by the spell list. A bonus against traps would be superfluous.
The Subclass
Expanded Spell List:
Bless, Bane
Find Traps, Locate Object
Haste, Slow
Locate Creature, Divination
Creation, Skill Empowerment
Time is On My Side
You gain proficiency in the History skill.
Starting at 1 level, before you make ability check or saving throw, you may choose to add half you Warlock level (rounded up) to the roll.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.
We Meet Again
Starting at 6 level, you can't be surprised while you are conscious.
Additionally, you can touch a target and force them to make a Charisma saving throw. On a failure, you learn one aspect about the creature of your choice: Skill & tool Proficiencies, languages known, damage resistances, damage immunities or condition immunities.
At the DM’s option, you might also realize you know a piece of the creature’s history or one of its personality traits, if it has any.
You Can’t Fight Fate
Starting at 10 level, Other creatures don’t gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being unseen by you.
Additionally, when an opponent attacking you would make a critical hit against you, you may change that attack to a miss.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Deux Ex Machina
Starting at 14 level, as a bonus action you can create a nonmagical object which is no longer than a 1 cubic foot. The object can be an exact replicate of an object you have seen or know the location of.
If you are creating a duplicate of a specific object, make a DC 15 intelligence check with an added bonus if you have the tool proficiency check for the object being created. For example if you are creating a replica of a jailer’s key make a DC 15 Intelligence check and add your tool proficiency for Thieve’s tools.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Where I am at
I think the level 1 ability is a little week and steps on the toes of Bards. I think the level 10 ability is a little hard to balance since it automatically turns a success to a failure. Let me know what you think.
I have been dinking around with a custom Warlock patron and I am looking for some input on how to balance this subclass.
Warlock Patron: The Time Traveler
Concept:
You have been contacted or blessed by a time traveler giving you gifts items and information.
What I want to do:
I want random successes because they are using foreknowledge instead of actual knowledge, “I can perform brain surgery on this person, at this time, at this place. Anyone else, any other time, anywhere else, with any other problem is doomed.” I also want them to get physical deus ex machina gifts from their patron. They escape the jail, not by skill or talent, but because their future self leaves them a key, or a juicy piece of information to blackmail a guard with.
The skill bonus might look a little like the Cleric Knowledge domain knowledge of the ages ability. A sudden ability or knack to do something specific. The items might be an expansion of prestidigitation. The School of Conjuration’s minor conjuration is a great place to start/copy, because it can represent the character always finding what they need in a pinch. It’s like the jail escape in Bill & Ted’s Excellent adventure, or the train station seen in Paycheck (that Ben Affleck time travel movie).
At high level, an immunity to surprise attacks as you always see the attack coming, even if you are incapable of defending yourself against the attack.
What I don’t want to do:
Preferably no rerolls. They aren’t really bending fate as much as living with the ultimate silver spoon in their mouth. Mimicking the Luck feat is out of the question. The Time Traveler may be giving them bad luck, or bad news to bear like in 12 Monkeys. All the Warlock can do is live with the information and material support they are provided. The School of Divination Portent ability makes some sense as it is “calling” a roll and is setting fate in a particular place. I am not a big fan of this but it wouldn’t be bad to copy. Thematically, changing rolls might come at higher levels, as you begin to understand time travel and you can use it to randomly change fate like in The Butterfly Effect.
No detection abilities. That is going to be added by the spell list. A bonus against traps would be superfluous.
The Subclass
Expanded Spell List:
Time is On My Side
You gain proficiency in the History skill.
Starting at 1 level, before you make ability check or saving throw, you may choose to add half you Warlock level (rounded up) to the roll.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.
We Meet Again
Starting at 6 level, you can't be surprised while you are conscious.
Additionally, you can touch a target and force them to make a Charisma saving throw. On a failure, you learn one aspect about the creature of your choice: Skill & tool Proficiencies, languages known, damage resistances, damage immunities or condition immunities.
At the DM’s option, you might also realize you know a piece of the creature’s history or one of its personality traits, if it has any.
You Can’t Fight Fate
Starting at 10 level, Other creatures don’t gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being unseen by you.
Additionally, when an opponent attacking you would make a critical hit against you, you may change that attack to a miss.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Deux Ex Machina
Starting at 14 level, as a bonus action you can create a nonmagical object which is no longer than a 1 cubic foot. The object can be an exact replicate of an object you have seen or know the location of.
If you are creating a duplicate of a specific object, make a DC 15 intelligence check with an added bonus if you have the tool proficiency check for the object being created. For example if you are creating a replica of a jailer’s key make a DC 15 Intelligence check and add your tool proficiency for Thieve’s tools.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Where I am at
I think the level 1 ability is a little week and steps on the toes of Bards. I think the level 10 ability is a little hard to balance since it automatically turns a success to a failure. Let me know what you think.