But... how does a standard character with no magical abilities, is suddenly able to cast magic at level 1?
Do any of you know how this is supposed to work, flavor-wise?
Thoughts?
The first description of a Level 1 Warlock literally says, " You have unearthed Eldritch Invocations, pieces of forbidden knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability."
The Level 1 pact Magic further states that "Through occult ceremony, you have formed a pact with a mysterious entity to gain magical powers".
The way I plan to explain it is, you know who your patron is (afterall you likely sought them out to make the pact), but you don't get abilities specific to subclass till level 3 (first you need to learn the basics). What they should have done was allowed you to pick the patron at first level, but just don't gain the patron specific abilities until level 3.
The notion that someone would be willing to use knowledge given to them by an "mysterious" (unknown) entity just isn't likely to happen. Granted some people would be so desperate for the knowledge that they might, but the vast majority of folks would never do so. Seriously, how many characters do you know of would sign a pact, a binding contract, without at least some clue as to who you are making the pact with?
Granted there may be rare cases where the patron conceals their true identity from their warlock, but that would be the rare case, not the norm.
The way I plan to explain it is, you know who your patron is (afterall you likely sought them out to make the pact), but you don't get abilities specific to subclass till level 3. What they should have done was allowed you to pick the patron at first level, but just don't gain the patron specific abilities until level 3.
That's one narrative, but not everyone is going to go for that dynamic. A DM might want the patron to remain mysterious as a plot hook, or the player might want to not know so they can have the experience of making the discovery.
The notion that someone would be willing to use knowledge given to them by an "mysterious" (unknown) entity just isn't likely to happen. Granted some people would be so desperate for the knowledge that they might, but the vast majority of folks would never do so.
The "vast majority of folks" don't become a PC class at all, much less a Warlock. Just by rolling an adventurer you're already one of the few. Warlocks forming a pact with an entity whose identity is not fully known to start with is completely fine.
For a Warlock with a celestial origin, I'm a little confused on the 2024 D&D beyond character sheet. Has anyone made a similar build to this: 2024 rules Warlock with the Celestial/pact of the tome as a patron (species Aasimar)? I'm getting the "at will" designation for Cure Wounds as a level 1 spell on D&D Beyond. It's supposed to "always be prepared" but there are no slots on D&D Beyond for level 1. This is just an error right? Same for Guiding bolt, aid and lesser restoration. Any thoughts on why this would be the case or is this just a glitch?
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.
Through occult ceremony, you have formed a pact with a mysterious entity to gain magical powers. The entity is a voice in the shadows—its identity unclear—but its boon to you is concrete: the ability to cast spells.
I somehow missed this description all of the times I was trying to figure all of this Warlock having Magic, but not a Patron stuff... (Facepalm!)
This would have been great added to the beginning of the Warlock Description to help explain where a Warlock's Magic comes from before level 3, and I guess it is kind of there in the description, but as this thread has pointed out, it is making things very confusing.
Ginny Di even did a Videoon this topic and posted it yesterday as well!
Thank you all for your insight and assistance...
Cheers!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty. Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers; Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas. Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
The comments under Ginny Di's video include a lot of folks explaining to her that getting powers before the Patron fully reveals itself does make sense.
And really, Paladins have worked this way for 10 years now - they get spellcasting and other powers before they swear their actual/true Oath. I guess I just don't see why it's an issue for anyone now.
The notion that someone would be willing to use knowledge given to them by an "mysterious" (unknown) entity just isn't likely to happen. Granted some people would be so desperate for the knowledge that they might, but the vast majority of folks would never do so. Seriously, how many characters do you know of would sign a pact, a binding contract, without at least some clue as to who you are making the pact with?
Granted there may be rare cases where the patron conceals their true identity from their warlock, but that would be the rare case, not the norm.
This is such a strange take to me. Warlocks are the weird spellcasting class. They don't get their spells from study, religious devotion, or innate power. They make a weird pact and get weird powers not many can access. Their subclass options include Archfey, Fiends, and Great Old Ones (literally unfathomable entities), all famously straight-up and honest beings, I'm sure. The pacts Warlocks make are to gain forbidden, mysterious knowledge and power; they're already delving into incredibly dangerous territory, but they're gonna want to pore over terms of service with a lawyer present before committing? I don't get it.
The way I plan to explain it is, you know who your patron is (afterall you likely sought them out to make the pact), but you don't get abilities specific to subclass till level 3 (first you need to learn the basics). What they should have done was allowed you to pick the patron at first level, but just don't gain the patron specific abilities until level 3.
The notion that someone would be willing to use knowledge given to them by an "mysterious" (unknown) entity just isn't likely to happen. Granted some people would be so desperate for the knowledge that they might, but the vast majority of folks would never do so. Seriously, how many characters do you know of would sign a pact, a binding contract, without at least some clue as to who you are making the pact with?
Granted there may be rare cases where the patron conceals their true identity from their warlock, but that would be the rare case, not the norm.
Seems that the intent is to keep the entity unknown. According to the lore description you were dabbling and some entity took interest in your for their own unknown reason.
hearing that Warlocks will not pick their Patron until 3rd level, surprised me
I am viewing it as "the warlock's player picks their subclass at 3rd level"
The warlock character may well have known all along who their Patron was. They just get a batch of new powers from them at 3rd level
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)
Seriously, how many characters do you know of would sign a pact, a binding contract, without at least some clue as to who you are making the pact with?
To be honest, every warlock I've ever made wound up in their pact inadvertently, or without fully knowing what they were getting into. One picked up a haunted wand. Another followed a voice to a seemingly bottomless hole in the forest, and agreed to help who/whatever was calling out. That sort of thing
The bigger leap, at least in my head, is how to make a heroic, good-aligned (for whatever that means in the campaign) character who deliberately sought out a pact with an entity who probably isn't anything close to "good"
The 5e "went a little mad poring through old books and learning Eldritch Secrets" version of the warlock is a trope from a different genre of fiction entirely, really
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)
The comments under Ginny Di's video include a lot of folks explaining to her that getting powers before the Patron fully reveals itself does make sense.
And really, Paladins have worked this way for 10 years now - they get spellcasting and other powers before they swear their actual/true Oath. I guess I just don't see why it's an issue for anyone now.
Yeah, this really does sound like a complaint because people don’t like change rather than because it’s actually a problem. As you say no one has ever complained paladins don’t know their oath, or that fighters have a back story with them spending decades as a soldier but it’s not until level 3 after spending 4-8 hours in a dungeon that they figure out what exactly they’re good at. If it’s not a problem for all the other classes why warlocks?
Seriously, how many characters do you know of would sign a pact, a binding contract, without at least some clue as to who you are making the pact with?
To be honest, every warlock I've ever made wound up in their pact inadvertently, or without fully knowing what they were getting into. One picked up a haunted wand. Another followed a voice to a seemingly bottomless hole in the forest, and agreed to help who/whatever was calling out. That sort of thing
The bigger leap, at least in my head, is how to make a heroic, good-aligned (for whatever that means in the campaign) character who deliberately sought out a pact with an entity who probably isn't anything close to "good"
The 5e "went a little mad poring through old books and learning Eldritch Secrets" version of the warlock is a trope from a different genre of fiction entirely, really
An easy answer for why a Good character made a deal with a sketchy entity was they needed the power for a good cause and said sketchy entity was the only readily available source. If bandits took your little girl and none of the gods seem to be interested in weighing in but the voice from the forest or cloaked individual who happened to be hanging around the bar or mysterious figure in your dream says they can help you get her back, you might well go for it.
As for deliberately seeking them out, there's always the classic "I'm smart enough to make a deal without giving up anything truly crucial" type; yeah, that's generally a sign of a certain degree of hubris, but it doesn't necessarily mean they don't have good intentions initially.
And really, Paladins have worked this way for 10 years now - they get spellcasting and other powers before they swear their actual/true Oath. I guess I just don't see why it's an issue for anyone now.
When they were considering changing warlocks into conventional casters, many warlock players weren't happy. Saying "that's how wizards have been doing it for 10 years so why is it a problem now?" wasn't a great argument.
Part of the appeal of a class-based game is that the classes are distinct from each other. They're not just the same kind of thing mechanically but given different skins. Really it's the same reason warlock spell slots work the way they do, different from other casters. There are definitely aspects of the game that can be unified and streamlined, especially stuff that happens in realtime at the table. Core mechanics and such should generally leverage a simple set of rules so that table-play is as smooth as can be. But not everything needs to be sanitized like that.
Again, not all races get subraces, and those that do don't all get the same number of subrace options or get the same kinds of subrace features. That's okay and it makes them feel different and organic. Setting all classes to get their subclasses at 3rd was fixing something that wasn't broken. Maybe, sure, a class here and there needed to have its subclass structure revamped, but forcing them all into the same shape was overkill.
A cleric can select and know their deity at level 1 and spend a few levels learning what direction (subclass) that deity needs them to pursue. The player and DM can create a narrative about the reasons and story.
Thank you all for the different options and thoughts around this!
Believe me, I totally understand how to work around the limited description of how Warlocks get to become an actual Warlock, and many of the options suggested above are great, but in D&D's eyes, they don't state how a Warlock get's their powers other than the mention of possible "Tomes", "Dabbling in Invocations" or "seeking places of power", so are we to assume that all Warlocks are more of a Wizard for the first two levels, and they are getting their magic from their studies?
In the context of magic in the D&D world? Sure. If you imagine Wizard as the standard path to acquiring magic, then picture the following group at a Wizard school:
Wizard: Studied magic and was a model student. Graduated top of the class with knowledge and understanding of how magic works and the ability to attempt all kinds of spells via their insights into the Weave.
Sorcerer: Also went to Wizard school to start, but found they were naturally good at certain magics due to some innate property. Decided to concentrate on exploring the power within and became a bit of a specialist. Technically graduated off of practical displays of power instead of displays of understanding.
Warlock: Was never really good at magic, but loved it regardless. Was never going to be talented or studious enough outside of hyper-specific interests to graduate Wizard school. Eventually unlocked some deep or forbidden lore in an old book or forgotten place of power, drew the interest of some powerful entity, made a pact with that entity or its servants in exchange for enough knowledge or power to graduate (or dropped out of school and went out on their own because school was dumb and power is a matter of negotiation it seems).
Meanwhile, divine and primal classes are side-eyeing this whole mess because why do all this work when just existing in commune with the gods or the forces of nature is enough?
Seems that the intent is to keep the entity unknown. According to the lore description you were dabbling and some entity took interest in your for their own unknown reason.
Right, and now it opens up narrative possibilities.
In 2014 - the entity that bestowed magic upon you was definitively your Patron (PH14 pg. 107).
In 2024 - It could still be your Patron (giving you a trial run), or an agent of your Patron (testing you before recommending you to their boss), or even an entity opposed to your Patron (and your Patron swoops in to snap up a promising prospect from a rival.) They could even be unrelated or the product of chance (for good or ill). There's a lot of dramatic potential there, like a Celestial Warlock finding out the entity that first set them on their path was a Fiend, or vice-versa, sowing the seeds for a subclass change dilemma down the line.
When they were considering changing warlocks into conventional casters, many warlock players weren't happy. Saying "that's how wizards have been doing it for 10 years so why is it a problem now?" wasn't a great argument.
That had far less to do with converting them to traditional casters than it did converting them to half-casters in the process, which many saw as a massive nerf. They also tried to offset that nerf with Mystic Arcanum, but presented it poorly and neglected all the drawbacks of that approach such as inability to upcast. It's completely unrelated to this topic.
Again, not all races get subraces, and those that do don't all get the same number of subrace options or get the same kinds of subrace features. That's okay and it makes them feel different and organic. Setting all classes to get their subclasses at 3rd was fixing something that wasn't broken. Maybe, sure, a class here and there needed to have its subclass structure revamped, but forcing them all into the same shape was overkill.
They weren't "forced into the same shape" 🤨 In case you haven't noticed, only level 3 was standardized across classes, they all kept their unique subclass progressions after that; Paladins still get their capstone from their subclass at level 20 for instance.
Nothing written by Hasbro is a bible. Use what you like, ignore what you don't, and fill in gaps as you see fit.
In this case at my table the answer will be that nothing changes. A Warlock has zero magical power without their patron, they are exactly like a cleric in this way. They are granted power, they do not have their own innate like a sorcerer, nor do their study to get it like a wizard, they are like a cleric, their power comes form a greater power. Albeit not a deity power but kind of whatever else we imagine is uber powerful, and would make use of minions or at least minor pets to distract them.
And then that base reality can be flavored however, but it is the inflexible reality of my table's world. Maybe the warlock already knows their patron, or maybe the patron has been grooming them, giving them a little free taste of the juice before obligations will be laid on them to have any more. Maybe the things they were doing pre 3rd lvl, were always attached to the known patron. But the PC just didn't understand what they were doing was formally calling for attention and opened a barging session with them. There are tons of options to make up where the patron is always known and the magic is always related to them.
Any text i do not like, can and will be ignored or replaced as needed to suit my story teller's POV.
After all if you were not The Story Teller at the table as GM playing club DJ to mix on the fly for the dance floor vibe. What's the point of a GM then? Any bot could a read the text back as is and run the numbers RAW like any board game, no GMs needed. Hasbro is not god and no one is punished for failing to obey any scriptures. GMs are their tables' Gods, and should do as they see fit.
If you think their story lore is cool roll with it, if you think it blows chunks replace it. You are the creative here, the materials are just helper aids not rails we're trapped on.
An easy answer for why a Good character made a deal with a sketchy entity was they needed the power for a good cause and said sketchy entity was the only readily available source. If bandits took your little girl and none of the gods seem to be interested in weighing in but the voice from the forest or cloaked individual who happened to be hanging around the bar or mysterious figure in your dream says they can help you get her back, you might well go for it.
"Mysterious entity making an offer that seems too good to be true, but you take it out of desperation" is a long, long way from "hey Cthulhu, let's make a deal so I can use the powers you give me to be a hero"
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)
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The first description of a Level 1 Warlock literally says, " You have unearthed Eldritch Invocations, pieces of forbidden knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability."
The Level 1 pact Magic further states that "Through occult ceremony, you have formed a pact with a mysterious entity to gain magical powers".
Did you some how miss these openers?
The way I plan to explain it is, you know who your patron is (afterall you likely sought them out to make the pact), but you don't get abilities specific to subclass till level 3 (first you need to learn the basics). What they should have done was allowed you to pick the patron at first level, but just don't gain the patron specific abilities until level 3.
The notion that someone would be willing to use knowledge given to them by an "mysterious" (unknown) entity just isn't likely to happen. Granted some people would be so desperate for the knowledge that they might, but the vast majority of folks would never do so. Seriously, how many characters do you know of would sign a pact, a binding contract, without at least some clue as to who you are making the pact with?
Granted there may be rare cases where the patron conceals their true identity from their warlock, but that would be the rare case, not the norm.
Playing D&D since 1982
Have played every version of the game since Basic (Red Box Set), except that abomination sometimes called 4e.
That's one narrative, but not everyone is going to go for that dynamic. A DM might want the patron to remain mysterious as a plot hook, or the player might want to not know so they can have the experience of making the discovery.
The "vast majority of folks" don't become a PC class at all, much less a Warlock. Just by rolling an adventurer you're already one of the few. Warlocks forming a pact with an entity whose identity is not fully known to start with is completely fine.
For a Warlock with a celestial origin, I'm a little confused on the 2024 D&D beyond character sheet. Has anyone made a similar build to this: 2024 rules Warlock with the Celestial/pact of the tome as a patron (species Aasimar)? I'm getting the "at will" designation for Cure Wounds as a level 1 spell on D&D Beyond. It's supposed to "always be prepared" but there are no slots on D&D Beyond for level 1. This is just an error right? Same for Guiding bolt, aid and lesser restoration. Any thoughts on why this would be the case or is this just a glitch?
I'm glad they are light on those descriptions. That means I can fill it in how I want, without it being "houseruled"
As for how I'd do it, they've made a pact with their patron, and just haven't gotten the full set of perks yet.
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
I somehow missed this description all of the times I was trying to figure all of this Warlock having Magic, but not a Patron stuff... (Facepalm!)
This would have been great added to the beginning of the Warlock Description to help explain where a Warlock's Magic comes from before level 3, and I guess it is kind of there in the description, but as this thread has pointed out, it is making things very confusing.
Ginny Di even did a Video on this topic and posted it yesterday as well!
Thank you all for your insight and assistance...
Cheers!
Breathe, dragons; sing of the First World, forged out of chaos and painted with beauty.
Sing of Bahamut, the Platinum, molding the shape of the mountains and rivers;
Sing too of Chromatic Tiamat, painting all over the infinite canvas.
Partnered, they woke in the darkness; partnered, they labored in acts of creation.
The comments under Ginny Di's video include a lot of folks explaining to her that getting powers before the Patron fully reveals itself does make sense.
And really, Paladins have worked this way for 10 years now - they get spellcasting and other powers before they swear their actual/true Oath. I guess I just don't see why it's an issue for anyone now.
This is such a strange take to me. Warlocks are the weird spellcasting class. They don't get their spells from study, religious devotion, or innate power. They make a weird pact and get weird powers not many can access. Their subclass options include Archfey, Fiends, and Great Old Ones (literally unfathomable entities), all famously straight-up and honest beings, I'm sure. The pacts Warlocks make are to gain forbidden, mysterious knowledge and power; they're already delving into incredibly dangerous territory, but they're gonna want to pore over terms of service with a lawyer present before committing? I don't get it.
Seems that the intent is to keep the entity unknown. According to the lore description you were dabbling and some entity took interest in your for their own unknown reason.
I am viewing it as "the warlock's player picks their subclass at 3rd level"
The warlock character may well have known all along who their Patron was. They just get a batch of new powers from them at 3rd level
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)
To be honest, every warlock I've ever made wound up in their pact inadvertently, or without fully knowing what they were getting into. One picked up a haunted wand. Another followed a voice to a seemingly bottomless hole in the forest, and agreed to help who/whatever was calling out. That sort of thing
The bigger leap, at least in my head, is how to make a heroic, good-aligned (for whatever that means in the campaign) character who deliberately sought out a pact with an entity who probably isn't anything close to "good"
The 5e "went a little mad poring through old books and learning Eldritch Secrets" version of the warlock is a trope from a different genre of fiction entirely, really
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)
Yeah, this really does sound like a complaint because people don’t like change rather than because it’s actually a problem. As you say no one has ever complained paladins don’t know their oath, or that fighters have a back story with them spending decades as a soldier but it’s not until level 3 after spending 4-8 hours in a dungeon that they figure out what exactly they’re good at. If it’s not a problem for all the other classes why warlocks?
An easy answer for why a Good character made a deal with a sketchy entity was they needed the power for a good cause and said sketchy entity was the only readily available source. If bandits took your little girl and none of the gods seem to be interested in weighing in but the voice from the forest or cloaked individual who happened to be hanging around the bar or mysterious figure in your dream says they can help you get her back, you might well go for it.
As for deliberately seeking them out, there's always the classic "I'm smart enough to make a deal without giving up anything truly crucial" type; yeah, that's generally a sign of a certain degree of hubris, but it doesn't necessarily mean they don't have good intentions initially.
When they were considering changing warlocks into conventional casters, many warlock players weren't happy. Saying "that's how wizards have been doing it for 10 years so why is it a problem now?" wasn't a great argument.
Part of the appeal of a class-based game is that the classes are distinct from each other. They're not just the same kind of thing mechanically but given different skins. Really it's the same reason warlock spell slots work the way they do, different from other casters. There are definitely aspects of the game that can be unified and streamlined, especially stuff that happens in realtime at the table. Core mechanics and such should generally leverage a simple set of rules so that table-play is as smooth as can be. But not everything needs to be sanitized like that.
Again, not all races get subraces, and those that do don't all get the same number of subrace options or get the same kinds of subrace features. That's okay and it makes them feel different and organic. Setting all classes to get their subclasses at 3rd was fixing something that wasn't broken. Maybe, sure, a class here and there needed to have its subclass structure revamped, but forcing them all into the same shape was overkill.
A cleric can select and know their deity at level 1 and spend a few levels learning what direction (subclass) that deity needs them to pursue. The player and DM can create a narrative about the reasons and story.
In the context of magic in the D&D world? Sure. If you imagine Wizard as the standard path to acquiring magic, then picture the following group at a Wizard school:
Meanwhile, divine and primal classes are side-eyeing this whole mess because why do all this work when just existing in commune with the gods or the forces of nature is enough?
Right, and now it opens up narrative possibilities.
In 2014 - the entity that bestowed magic upon you was definitively your Patron (PH14 pg. 107).
In 2024 - It could still be your Patron (giving you a trial run), or an agent of your Patron (testing you before recommending you to their boss), or even an entity opposed to your Patron (and your Patron swoops in to snap up a promising prospect from a rival.) They could even be unrelated or the product of chance (for good or ill). There's a lot of dramatic potential there, like a Celestial Warlock finding out the entity that first set them on their path was a Fiend, or vice-versa, sowing the seeds for a subclass change dilemma down the line.
That had far less to do with converting them to traditional casters than it did converting them to half-casters in the process, which many saw as a massive nerf. They also tried to offset that nerf with Mystic Arcanum, but presented it poorly and neglected all the drawbacks of that approach such as inability to upcast. It's completely unrelated to this topic.
They weren't "forced into the same shape" 🤨 In case you haven't noticed, only level 3 was standardized across classes, they all kept their unique subclass progressions after that; Paladins still get their capstone from their subclass at level 20 for instance.
Nothing written by Hasbro is a bible. Use what you like, ignore what you don't, and fill in gaps as you see fit.
In this case at my table the answer will be that nothing changes. A Warlock has zero magical power without their patron, they are exactly like a cleric in this way. They are granted power, they do not have their own innate like a sorcerer, nor do their study to get it like a wizard, they are like a cleric, their power comes form a greater power. Albeit not a deity power but kind of whatever else we imagine is uber powerful, and would make use of minions or at least minor pets to distract them.
And then that base reality can be flavored however, but it is the inflexible reality of my table's world.
Maybe the warlock already knows their patron, or maybe the patron has been grooming them, giving them a little free taste of the juice before obligations will be laid on them to have any more. Maybe the things they were doing pre 3rd lvl, were always attached to the known patron. But the PC just didn't understand what they were doing was formally calling for attention and opened a barging session with them. There are tons of options to make up where the patron is always known and the magic is always related to them.
Any text i do not like, can and will be ignored or replaced as needed to suit my story teller's POV.
After all if you were not The Story Teller at the table as GM playing club DJ to mix on the fly for the dance floor vibe. What's the point of a GM then? Any bot could a read the text back as is and run the numbers RAW like any board game, no GMs needed. Hasbro is not god and no one is punished for failing to obey any scriptures. GMs are their tables' Gods, and should do as they see fit.
If you think their story lore is cool roll with it, if you think it blows chunks replace it. You are the creative here, the materials are just helper aids not rails we're trapped on.
"Mysterious entity making an offer that seems too good to be true, but you take it out of desperation" is a long, long way from "hey Cthulhu, let's make a deal so I can use the powers you give me to be a hero"
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)