Who or what is the lady of pain? I assume they are not in the 24 PHB so where do they come from?
She makes a cameo appearance in the PHB in the description of the wish spell:
If your wish would undo the multiverse itself, threaten the City of Sigil, or affect the Lady of Pain in any way, you see an image of her in your mind for a moment; she shakes her head, and your wish fails.
I disagree with voras. I think she could be active anywhere she wants. Especially considering she can stop someone’s wish even if they’re not in sigil.
But to the OP, I’ve never used her as a patron. I’d think, maybe Great Old One. I realize the fluff says something from the far realm, but I can’t think of anything else that would be a good fit, thematically. And the line about the patron not knowing you exist or being indifferent to you could fit with her.
Who or what is the lady of pain? I assume they are not in the 24 PHB so where do they come from?
She makes a cameo appearance in the PHB in the description of the wish spell:
If your wish would undo the multiverse itself, threaten the City of Sigil, or affect the Lady of Pain in any way, you see an image of her in your mind for a moment; she shakes her head, and your wish fails.
I disagree with voras. I think she could be active anywhere she wants. Especially considering she can stop someone’s wish even if they’re not in sigil.
But to the OP, I’ve never used her as a patron. I’d think, maybe Great Old One. I realize the fluff says something from the far realm, but I can’t think of anything else that would be a good fit, thematically. And the line about the patron not knowing you exist or being indifferent to you could fit with her.
Nice fact, didn't knew that Wish spell stuff. Was still going with the old 2nd Ed knowledge + bits of the 5e 2023 Planescape stuff.
Thought of it in a way, that she just can negate everything happening to Sigil directly. And can make creatures wanish into her labyrinths when they try something shady in Sigil.
So, if the DM is invested, the Lady of Pain actually makes an rather intriguing Patron. A pact to make targets outside Sigil with plans on messing up the balance go away on behalf of the Lady... hmmmm... might be fun for a Planescape campaign.
If the DM is fine with it, it can work. Normally though based on my the knowledge of her i still remember after like 20 years I'd say she doesn't fit for a patron knowingly. As her gimmick was pretty much like no one spoke to her, no one interacted with her, she wondered around and you got the heck out of her way. If you tried to mess with Sigil on a macro level, you disappeared. So I don't really see her making an agreement with a warlock.
Some kind of you took knowledge and power from bit and pieces of her or parts that metaphorically fell off her, that is so insignificant she doesn't really know or care about it, maybe. So like GOO and the concept that she is completely unaware of you and you someone gained power from her could fit I guess. But if you know who it is, it isn't something I'd advertise. As I could see other players going yeah we don't want to associate ourselves with this time bomb. And I do not know how the level 10 contact patron ability would work out for you.
That being said the last time I played in planscape was literally 20+ years ago so my memory could be shoddy on this. And even if my memory is right, nothing stops a DM from changing it up a bit so it makes sense.
I also agree that Great Old One would be the most fitting subclass for her. The Lady of Pain doesn't really care about a whole lot other than maintaining her domain, so unless you are doing a campaign that might at least visit Cigil, I would have to agree that she would fit best as an unknowing patron. Some fun roleplaying might center around the idea that you have been leeching her power without her knowing, and if your party has to enter her domain, you risk alerting her to the fact that you have been using her power without permission and therefore opening yourself up to reprisal from the Lady of Pain. Sounds like a fun character.
So the backstory is this... The party has been to Sigil and they bought a house there (never saw that coming). It was supposed to be just a quick side trip there. The main story revolves around the fact that the Dragon Queen (Tiamat) is gathering an army and has her sights set on not only the Far Realms but all the other planes as well. In her plan, the easiest way to get to all the other planes is to take over control of Sigil.
I appreciate all the words of advice. I'm going to make this work for my player and just see where it goes. I love this game!!!
I was reading up on this a bit and she murdered everyone and their associates who tried to start up a religion around her, so while I'm not saying its impossible, it should probably be considered high risk in the meta even if it never manifests in the game. Which again kind of lines up with goo, though that meta given the obvious Cthulhu like origins the risks are usually more about sanity and not so much she just flat our kills you and your friends in gruesome ways. Though that could be a funny way to end a campaign if people buy into it. Though I may have a different perspective on these things since I'm on character 4 in my current Cthulhu game, i played paranoia, and dark sun suggested you make 3 characters due to its lethality and i played the heck out of that and usually needed those backups.
Nothing like having an edge to the character, is today the day I get noticed/ended ? LOL
So even if she whacked anyone remotely connected to trying to start a religion around her that doesn't mean a Warlock contract is forbidden. Just need a good thematic reason why she would invest power in some piddling mortal, not as if she can't accomplish anything the mortal can quicker and more violently.
Only thought I got so far is that the lady of pain made a bet with someone and the warlock is her token in the betting game, she feeds a minimal amount of power into them to keep them alive in "the game". If they die maybe she loses, maybe she wins the bet (with who though ????), might not be till the first time the warlock tries to contract patron that they realise the full extent of the danger they are in as her pawn in a game of chance, for which they have no clue as to the desired result, rules or stakes.
Don't know if that sort of idea gels with you @MtnMan ?
What if your warlock makes a pact with someone that your warlock THINKS is the lady of pain, but is an imposter for whatever reason.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Since 2024 actually removed everything that made a Warlock a Warlock, you don’t even have to tie a patron to your Warlock anymore. You just read a book about Cthulhu once? Boom, you’re a Great Old One warlock now. They’re just spooky wizards now.
All your character need to be a Warlock of The Lady of Pain is to know about her existence and study it and they’ll magically learn their magic.
Seeking some advice here. Has anyone ever used the Lady of Pain as a patron for their warlock? If so, let's chat...
Who or what is the lady of pain? I assume they are not in the 24 PHB so where do they come from?
She/it is from Planescape and the master of Sigil. And she is very specifically only active in Sigil and nowhere else.
She makes a cameo appearance in the PHB in the description of the wish spell:
If your wish would undo the multiverse itself, threaten the City of Sigil, or affect the Lady of Pain in any way, you see an image of her in your mind for a moment; she shakes her head, and your wish fails.
I disagree with voras. I think she could be active anywhere she wants. Especially considering she can stop someone’s wish even if they’re not in sigil.
But to the OP, I’ve never used her as a patron. I’d think, maybe Great Old One. I realize the fluff says something from the far realm, but I can’t think of anything else that would be a good fit, thematically. And the line about the patron not knowing you exist or being indifferent to you could fit with her.
Nice fact, didn't knew that Wish spell stuff. Was still going with the old 2nd Ed knowledge + bits of the 5e 2023 Planescape stuff.
Thought of it in a way, that she just can negate everything happening to Sigil directly. And can make creatures wanish into her labyrinths when they try something shady in Sigil.
So, if the DM is invested, the Lady of Pain actually makes an rather intriguing Patron. A pact to make targets outside Sigil with plans on messing up the balance go away on behalf of the Lady... hmmmm... might be fun for a Planescape campaign.
If the DM is fine with it, it can work. Normally though based on my the knowledge of her i still remember after like 20 years I'd say she doesn't fit for a patron knowingly. As her gimmick was pretty much like no one spoke to her, no one interacted with her, she wondered around and you got the heck out of her way. If you tried to mess with Sigil on a macro level, you disappeared. So I don't really see her making an agreement with a warlock.
Some kind of you took knowledge and power from bit and pieces of her or parts that metaphorically fell off her, that is so insignificant she doesn't really know or care about it, maybe. So like GOO and the concept that she is completely unaware of you and you someone gained power from her could fit I guess. But if you know who it is, it isn't something I'd advertise. As I could see other players going yeah we don't want to associate ourselves with this time bomb. And I do not know how the level 10 contact patron ability would work out for you.
That being said the last time I played in planscape was literally 20+ years ago so my memory could be shoddy on this. And even if my memory is right, nothing stops a DM from changing it up a bit so it makes sense.
I also agree that Great Old One would be the most fitting subclass for her. The Lady of Pain doesn't really care about a whole lot other than maintaining her domain, so unless you are doing a campaign that might at least visit Cigil, I would have to agree that she would fit best as an unknowing patron. Some fun roleplaying might center around the idea that you have been leeching her power without her knowing, and if your party has to enter her domain, you risk alerting her to the fact that you have been using her power without permission and therefore opening yourself up to reprisal from the Lady of Pain. Sounds like a fun character.
So the backstory is this... The party has been to Sigil and they bought a house there (never saw that coming). It was supposed to be just a quick side trip there. The main story revolves around the fact that the Dragon Queen (Tiamat) is gathering an army and has her sights set on not only the Far Realms but all the other planes as well. In her plan, the easiest way to get to all the other planes is to take over control of Sigil.
I appreciate all the words of advice. I'm going to make this work for my player and just see where it goes. I love this game!!!
I was reading up on this a bit and she murdered everyone and their associates who tried to start up a religion around her, so while I'm not saying its impossible, it should probably be considered high risk in the meta even if it never manifests in the game. Which again kind of lines up with goo, though that meta given the obvious Cthulhu like origins the risks are usually more about sanity and not so much she just flat our kills you and your friends in gruesome ways. Though that could be a funny way to end a campaign if people buy into it. Though I may have a different perspective on these things since I'm on character 4 in my current Cthulhu game, i played paranoia, and dark sun suggested you make 3 characters due to its lethality and i played the heck out of that and usually needed those backups.
Nothing like having an edge to the character, is today the day I get noticed/ended ? LOL
So even if she whacked anyone remotely connected to trying to start a religion around her that doesn't mean a Warlock contract is forbidden. Just need a good thematic reason why she would invest power in some piddling mortal, not as if she can't accomplish anything the mortal can quicker and more violently.
Only thought I got so far is that the lady of pain made a bet with someone and the warlock is her token in the betting game, she feeds a minimal amount of power into them to keep them alive in "the game". If they die maybe she loses, maybe she wins the bet (with who though ????), might not be till the first time the warlock tries to contract patron that they realise the full extent of the danger they are in as her pawn in a game of chance, for which they have no clue as to the desired result, rules or stakes.
Don't know if that sort of idea gels with you @MtnMan ?
Life's hard - get a helmet!
What if your warlock makes a pact with someone that your warlock THINKS is the lady of pain, but is an imposter for whatever reason.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
this is a great idea and hope WoTC makes this a subclass
Since 2024 actually removed everything that made a Warlock a Warlock, you don’t even have to tie a patron to your Warlock anymore.
You just read a book about Cthulhu once? Boom, you’re a Great Old One warlock now.
They’re just spooky wizards now.
All your character need to be a Warlock of The Lady of Pain is to know about her existence and study it and they’ll magically learn their magic.