"Greetings, foundlings, and salutations! You have decided to enter the mystical halls of the ‘Brews, where you might learn some most astonishing mysteries and solve the most tangled of puzzles. Your task is to present us with something we haven't seen before, and have it make us look upon it with delight. You have but a few tendays to create your product and show it to us, so we suggest you get to work!"
- Meyonmon Merridith, Ex-Candlekeep Scholar
The purpose of this thread is to spread a little bit of fun in the form of a friendly competition! Your task: Create an item of homebrew (see below) that is totally original and makes us go “wow!” The end products will be rated by members of the community, and the victor will create the next Finest ‘Brew contest! The previous contests are linked below:
All competitions thus far have contained a multitude of spectacular and inspired entries, so I suggest you check them out if you haven't already . Now, onto the important stuff:
Timeframe
Entries must be submitted before midnight (EST) on July 21st to be considered part of the competition.
Contest Categories
In each Finest Brew contest, there are three categories. These are so that people with skill in creating, say, monsters, don't end up stuck having to make dungeons. Each category is judged separately.
Of the winners in each category, the entry with the highest score will then be coronated as the contest winner. If two or more entries are tied for highest score, the contestant with the highest overall score for all entries will take the crown.
There can only be one entrance per category per account.
The category types are as follows:
DM Options: Things such as magic items, monsters, terrain, and traps.
PC Options: Things such as classes, subclasses, spells, feats, or race/lineage options.
Inspirational Options: Things such as dungeons/encounters, stories, puzzles and random tables - or even character builds.
This time, our category themes are:
DM Options: Primordial Forces - The force of storms, the power of earthquakes, the might of the ocean’s mightiest waves, the devastating eruption of volcanoes… what violent and mystic forces of the world will you bend to your will?
PC Options: Magic… But Not Spells* - You have been blessed with supernatural abilities to shape the world around you, but need no special incantations formulae, or channeling devices. You can make magic without spells… or cast spells that interact with such magic. What powers have you? *Your entry can be a spell as long as it interacts in some way with magic that is entirely unrelated to spells, ie - Magic Items that don’t use spells, magical Class Features or Racial Traits that don’t rely on spells, etc.
Inspirational Options: Unearthed Arcana - Long lost ancient tomes, long forgotten artifacts, mighty spells once wielded by long dead mages… What lost and forgotten pieces of arcane lore or other arcana have you discovered?
Voting will start July 22nd and will end at noon (EST) on August 1st. A Google Forms poll for each category will be posted on this thread, and all may vote on it - including contestants. Please try to take the time to review and vote for every entry in the categories you vote in, as even one vote can easily sway a competition like this. If there's anything you feel very strongly about, also feel free to review it in the thread! Reviews won't count for anything, but it's nice to get feedback!
Contestants
Contestants will be listed here with a link to their entries so you can easily find and review each option while voting. I will try to keep on top of this to the best of my ability, but there may be some delay between submitting an entry and having it listed here.
*With a Total of 12 valid votes in, the scores are (Total Score / Average Score):
Classes, Subclasses, Feats or Races involving magic but not spells... sounds like a good challenge!
Or spells! If you can make a spell that fits into the category somehow it will count. In discussing the themes with Semako I came up with 3 or 4 examples that would qualify. If I can do it, so can you!!
PC Options: Magic… But Not Spells* - You have been blessed with supernatural abilities to shape the world around you, but need no special incantations formulae, or channeling devices. You can make magic without spells… or cast spells that interact with such magic. What powers have you?
Read: psionics? Haha. I'm debating whether to resuscitate my bard subclass that performs magic through whimsy.
For the PC option (Magic but not spells), I am submitting a new Pact Boon option for Warlocks called the Pact of the Vessel. The goal is to present a pact option which allows the warlock to channel their patron's power into their physicality and durability and utilize their warlock spell slots to enhance each of these in interesting ways instead of casting spells. Its the sort of pact for a player who wants to play through the fantasy of the "monster within" or perhaps just wants a reason to multiclass a spellcaster with a Barbarian.
My submission includes the base Pact Boon option and a number of Eldritch Invocation options tied to it, including some designed with your choice of patron as a prerequisite.
Pact of the Vessel
Choosing to act as an enhanced conduit for your otherworldly patron, your physicality is altered and enhanced further into a superhumanoid form. When you choose this option, you learn two additional Eldritch Invocations of your choice, provided each invocation does not grant the ability to cast spells. When you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of these invocations and replace it with another invocation that you could learn at that level; however, the new invocation also cannot grant the ability to cast spells.
Eldritch Invocation Options
Eldritch Slam
Prerequisite: 7th level, Pact of the Vessel feature
As an action, you can pound the ground with otherworldly strength. Each creature within 5 feet of you must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or take 1d12 bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. When you use this action, you can expend a warlock spell slot to empower it. The range of this effect is extended by 5 feet for each level of the expended spell slot and the affected area becomes difficult terrain for 1 minute.
Additionally, you can use Charisma instead of Strength for any Athletics check you make to break an object.
Inflexible Form
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Vessel feature
You have advantage on all saving throws against any spell or effect which would alter your form against your will. Additionally, you can use Charisma in place of Strength for any Athletics check made to avoid being grappled.
Otherworldly Hands
Prerequisite: Pact of the Vessel feature
Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier on a hit. Additionally, you can choose to use Charisma in place of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes.
The damage die for your unarmed strikes increases to 1d8, and your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances and immunities to non magical damage. Additionally, when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can expend a Warlock spell slot to grapple the target. While grappled this way, the target takes force damage equal to the level of spell slot expended at the start of each of its turns. Any attempt made by the target to escape the grapple is contested by your spell save DC.
Otherworldly Legs
Prerequisite: Pact of the Vessel feature
Your walking speed increases by 5 feet and you can use your Charisma score instead of Strength for determining the maximum distance you can jump. Additionally, as a bonus action you can expand a Warlock spell slot to increase your movement speed by a number of feet equal to 5 times the level of slot expended until the end of your turn.
Otherworldly Sense
Prerequisite - Pact of the Vessel feature
You gain a bonus to your Passive Perception and Passive Investigation scores equal to your Charisma modifier.
Paranormal Possession
Prerequisite - 9th15th level, Pact of the Vessel feature
As an action, you can expend a warlock spell slot tobriefly channel the power of your patron into your physical form, allowing you to transform into a creature of a similar type to your patron. For example, if your pact is with a Great Old One, you might transform into an aberration or another appropriate creature of a different type (DMs discretion). The transformation lasts for up to 1 minute, or until you drop to 0 hit points or die. The new form can be any creature of an appropriate type whose challenge rating is 3 or lower. equal to or less than half your warlock level (rounded down). Your game statistics, including mental ability scores, are replaced by the statistics of the chosen creature. You retain your personality, but your alignment shifts to that of your Otherwordly Patron (if they differ) for the duration of the transformation.
You assume the hit points of its new form. After reverting to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. If you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. If the excess damage reduces your normal form to 0 hit points, you are knocked unconscious.
You are limited in the actions it can perform by the nature of your new form. When you transform, your gear melds into the new form; however, you can't activate, use, wield, or otherwise benefit from any of your equipment.
Once you have used this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
Patron’s Presence
Prerequisite - Pact of the Vessel feature
You gain proficiency in Intimidation. Additionally, as an action you can focus on the presence of another creature that you can see within 30 feet. When you do so, you learn whether that creature has a Charisma score which is higher, lower, or equal to your own. You can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Reinforced Form
Prerequisite- Pact of the Vessel feature
You gain a +1 bonus to your armor class. Additionally, whenever you expend one or more warlock hit die to regain hit points as part of a short rest, you can roll d12s instead of d8s.
Yshhigol's Focus
Prerequisite: Pact of the Vessel
When you make a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration on a spell you cast, you can choose to add your Charisma modifier to the total. You cannot use this feature again until you complete a short or long rest.
Patron-Dependent Eldritch Invocation Options
Vestige of the Archfey
Prerequisite: 7th level, Pact of the Vessel feature, The Archfey patron
The range of your Misty Escape feature increases to 120 feet. Additionally, you can choose to expend a warlock spell slot when you use your Misty Escape feature (no action required), allowing you to bring allies with you. When you do so, you can choose a number of friendly creatures within 10 feet of you, up to the level of spell slot expended. The friendly creatures are then teleported with you as part of the reaction and remain invisible under the same conditions. These creatures cannot teleport with you if there are not enough unoccupied spaces within 10 feet of your chosen destination.
Vestige of the Celestial
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Vessel feature, The Celestial patron
The pool of dice used for your Healing Light feature become d8s instead of d6s. Additionally, when you use your Healing Light feature to restore hit points, you can expend a Warlock spell slot to empower the healing. Choose a number of the rolled dice equal to the level of spell slot expended. They treated as having their maximum value instead of the value rolled.
Vestige of the Fathomless
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Vessel feature, The Fathomless patron
As an action, you can expend a warlock spell slot to create an illusory body of water around you. This illusion extends in an aura around you to a maximum number of feet equal to 5 times the level of spell slot expended. Creatures within this aura are treated as if underwater for the purposes of making weapon attacks. Any creature which ends its turn in this aura must make an Intelligence saving throw, which is contested by your spell save DC. On a failed save, the target momentarily believes itself to be underwater and suffocating, and cannot speak until the end of its next turn or until it leaves the aura. Once a creature succeeds on this saving throw, it become immune to the effects of the aura for the remainder of its duration.
This aura lasts for 1 minute, but ends early if you are incapacitated.
Vestige of the Fiend
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Vessel feature, The Fiend patron
The blessing of the dark patron you serve can send you into a fiendish frenzy. When you use your Dark One's Blessing feature, instead of gaining temporary hit points you can choose to make a melee spell attack against a creature that you can see within your reach (no action required). On a hit, this attack deals fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier + Warlock level. You cannot attack this way more than once per turn.
Vestige of the Genie
Prerequisite: 7th level, Pact of the Vessel feature, The Genie patron
Your Genie's Vessel has resistance to all damage while you are inside of it and immunity to a damage type determined by your patron's kind: bludgeoning (dao), thunder (djinni), fire (efreeti), or cold (marid).
Additionally, while inside your Genie's Vessel, as an action you can expend a warlock spell slot to make the vessel erupt with your patron's power. When you do, each creature outside of your vessel within 10 feet of it must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes damage of the same type associated with your patron's kind, with the amount of damage determined by a pool of d8s equal to the level of spell slot expended. A creature takes half as much damage on a successful save.
Vestige of the Great Old One
Prerequisite: 7th level, Pact of the Vessel feature, The Great Old One patron
Your connection to the Great Old One allows your eyes to produce powerful rays of energy. As an action, you can target a creature that you can see within 120 feet with this ray. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d10 necrotic damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. Additionally, when you take this action, you can expend a Warlock spell slot to enhance the ray's power. For each level of the spell slot expended the ray deals an additional 1d10 necrotic damage, and a creature which fails its save is also subjected to one of the following conditions until the end of your next turn (your choice): charmed, frightened, or stunned.
Vestige of Hexes
Prerequisite: 7th level, Pact of the Vessel feature, The Hexblade patron
The dark magics which suffuse your weapons and spellcasting have granted you resilience against hexes and curses. You are immune to being cursed, whether explicitly by a curse or by any effect which can be removed using the Remove Curse spell (such as the Hex spell). If you attune to a magic item which bears a curse, you ignore the curse's effect.
Additionally, as an action you can expend a warlock spell slot when you touch another creature to end the effect of a curse affecting it. If the curse is the effect of a spell which was cast at a level lower than the slot you expended, the effect immediately ends. This feature does not affect curses acting on a creature as a result of attuning to a magic item.
Vestige of Undeath
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Vessel feature, The Undying or The Undead patron
Your connection to powerful beings with a twisted connection to death alters your body to gain a fortitude against it as well. When you are reduced to 0 hit points, as a reaction you can expend a Warlock spell slot to animate your weakened body. For a number of rounds equal to the level of spell slot expended, you remain conscious and can continue to take actions on your turn while at 0 hit points, but you cannot cast spells while in this state. At the start of each of your turns you must make death saving throws as normal. If at the end of your turn on the final round, you are not stabilized and have accumulated three failed death saving throws, you die. After you use this feature you cannot use it again for 7 days.
Prerequisite - 9th level, Pact of the Vessel feature
As an action, you can expend a warlock spell slot to briefly channel the power of your patron into your physical form, allowing you to transform into a creature of a similar type to your patron. For example, if your pact is with a Great Old One, you might transform into an aberration or another appropriate creature of a different type (DMs discretion). The transformation lasts for up to 1 minute, or until you drop to 0 hit points or die. The new form can be any creature of an appropriate type whose challenge rating is equal to or less than half your warlock level (rounded down). Your game statistics, including mental ability scores, are replaced by the statistics of the chosen creature. You retain your personality, but your alignment shifts to that of your Otherwordly Patron (if they differ) for the duration of the transformation.
You assume the hit points of its new form. After reverting to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. If you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. If the excess damage reduces your normal form to 0 hit points, you are knocked unconscious.
You are limited in the actions it can perform by the nature of your new form. When you transform, your gear melds into the new form; however, you can't activate, use, wield, or otherwise benefit from any of your equipment.
Once you have used this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
A few comments on this invocation. First, I'm not a huge fan of costing a spell slot AND 1/LR abilities. It feels like it should be either or. Maybe, once per long rest unless you expend a spell slot to use it again? Second, the form that the character takes could potentially be very very powerful. The moon druid, for instance, can at most become a CR level/3 beast or a CR 5 elemental, and that takes up half of its subclass features. Allowing the warlock to potentially become a CR 10 creature is very powerful, especially given that they could be an aberration (for a GOO patron), celestial (for a celestial patron), undead (presumably for an undying patron) etc. Also, what would a fathomless or hexblade warlock become? What I think may be a good alternative is to model this ability off of the newer conjuration spells. Create a single stat block with modular components that vary based on the patron type. See summon aberration, summon shadowspawn, summon fiend, etc.
Prerequisite - 9th level, Pact of the Vessel feature
As an action, you can expend a warlock spell slot to briefly channel the power of your patron into your physical form, allowing you to transform into a creature of a similar type to your patron. For example, if your pact is with a Great Old One, you might transform into an aberration or another appropriate creature of a different type (DMs discretion). The transformation lasts for up to 1 minute, or until you drop to 0 hit points or die. The new form can be any creature of an appropriate type whose challenge rating is equal to or less than half your warlock level (rounded down). Your game statistics, including mental ability scores, are replaced by the statistics of the chosen creature. You retain your personality, but your alignment shifts to that of your Otherwordly Patron (if they differ) for the duration of the transformation.
You assume the hit points of its new form. After reverting to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. If you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. If the excess damage reduces your normal form to 0 hit points, you are knocked unconscious.
You are limited in the actions it can perform by the nature of your new form. When you transform, your gear melds into the new form; however, you can't activate, use, wield, or otherwise benefit from any of your equipment.
Once you have used this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
A few comments on this invocation. First, I'm not a huge fan of costing a spell slot AND 1/LR abilities. It feels like it should be either or. Maybe, once per long rest unless you expend a spell slot to use it again? Second, the form that the character takes could potentially be very very powerful. The moon druid, for instance, can at most become a CR level/3 beast or a CR 5 elemental, and that takes up half of its subclass features. Allowing the warlock to potentially become a CR 10 creature is very powerful, especially given that they could be an aberration (for a GOO patron), celestial (for a celestial patron), undead (presumably for an undying patron) etc. Also, what would a fathomless or hexblade warlock become? What I think may be a good alternative is to model this ability off of the newer conjuration spells. Create a single stat block with modular components that vary based on the patron type. See summon aberration, summon shadowspawn, summon fiend, etc.
Its true that this one could be a bit too powerful, so I will probably play with the scaling a bit based on warlock level. That being said, if it does end up being powerful then there shouldnt be an issue of it having a higher cost than usual (both spell slot and 1/LR).
I appreciate the feedback. What sort of scaling do you think would be more fair? Warlock level /4 or /5? Or maybe give it a set value instead of scaling and just make it a 15th level invocation.
Creating a single stat block could also be fun, but also a little clunky to submit alongside everything else in the format of this competition
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May I ask why you did change the DM option to primordial forces? It was only thunderstorms as I suggested due to it otherwise being too broad. I already did the primordial force of eternal ice, glaciers and snow storms when I was judge.
Not sure yet what I will submit, my Kraken rework that is in the makings could fit into the Primordial Forces category if it remains that way, as does my frost lich or my storm-themed solar...
I must have misunderstood you, I thought we were still on the primordial forces to stick with the theme of power/magic along with the Player & Inspirational Option. Didn’t we agree on that theme for this competition? If not then I misunderstood, my bad.
It is not too late now... it would be too late if it wasn't changed as soon as possible. The category we agreed on was thunderstorms:
Heart of the Storm: Anything related to thunderstorms and severe weather in general.
What the hell do thunderstorms have to do with magic that isn’t spells and unearthed arcana?!? We agreed on that theme of “power.” That was your idea. You think primordial forces is too broad of a category, I don’t. I posted it, I’m not changing it. I have apologized to you for my mistake, but it is what it is. Thunderstorms are part of primordial forces, so you’re just gonna have to live with it. Again, I’m sorry for the mixup. I have done my level best to accommodate your opinions throughout this process, but at this point, I’m not changing it now that the competition has begun. I’m sorry if that bothers you.
For what my 2 cents is worth, I think sometimes having broad categories and sometimes having more specific ones provides for nice variety and different kinds of inspiration. I also think that having a broad category doesn't preclude a more specific sub-category of that showing up later.
Personally, I generally only submit when something I was already working on happens to fit the categories, because I mostly only homebrew stuff for my own needs or to try to fix a perceived problem with current mechanics. So broader categories means I'm more likely to be able to participate. Alternately, I'm sure some other folks are better inspired by more specific categories, so I think changing up the scope from month to month gives us the best of both worlds.
For what my 2 cents is worth, I think sometimes having broad categories and sometimes having more specific ones provides for nice variety and different kinds of inspiration. I also think that having a broad category doesn't preclude a more specific sub-category of that showing up later.
Personally, I generally only submit when something I was already working on happens to fit the categories, because I mostly only homebrew stuff for my own needs or to try to fix a perceived problem with current mechanics. So broader categories means I'm more likely to be able to participate. Alternately, I'm sure some other folks are better inspired by more specific categories, so I think changing up the scope from month to month gives us the best of both worlds.
I agree, semako, u could just use whatever ur working on, it’d probably still fit
This rod is infused with the magic and energy from the elemental planes. The rod has 4 charges. As a bonus action, you may expend a charge and let out a burst of elemental energy. This burst deals 1d12 of a damage type depending on the element of the rod to each enemy in a 10ft cube centered on you. The DM determines the element when you get this item. The rod regains 1d4 charges at dawn.
(This would be a table, but I don't know how to make one)Elements and damage types:
Would an artifact count for the inspirational category? I ask since magic items are generally within the DM category.
If it does, I may just have to finish up the lore for the Mageblade....
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Join the Competition of the Finest 'Brews XIX!(Or just spectate and vote, that's cool too. Either way, go there. It's awesome, and it'll be even more awesome if you join.)
This rod is infused with the magic and energy from the elemental planes. The rod has 4 charges. As a bonus action, you may expend a charge and let out a burst of elemental energy. This burst deals 1d12 of a damage type depending on the element of the rod to each enemy in a 10ft cube centered on you. The DM determines the element when you get this item. The rod regains 1d4 charges at dawn.
(This would be a table, but I don't know how to make one)Elements and damage types:
Element: Damage type
Fire: Fire
Water: Cold
Air: Lightning
Earth: Bludgeoning
The area here is a little weird. Generally, magic centered a point is a sphere or cylinder while a cube is something adjacent to a space, like thunderwave. And on a grid, depending on how you rule partially covered spaces, this would either hit no one or effectively be the same as a 15-foot cube since it would only overlap adjacent spaces by 2.5 feet.
I'd recommend looking at an existing spell like arms of hadar and using that phrasing to describe the area.
You might also consider allowing the player to pick the damage type each dawn. It's not really a Rod of the Elements if it's only got one element, yeah?
Its true that this one could be a bit too powerful, so I will probably play with the scaling a bit based on warlock level. That being said, if it does end up being powerful then there shouldnt be an issue of it having a higher cost than usual (both spell slot and 1/LR).
I appreciate the feedback. What sort of scaling do you think would be more fair? Warlock level /4 or /5? Or maybe give it a set value instead of scaling and just make it a 15th level invocation.
Creating a single stat block could also be fun, but also a little clunky to submit alongside everything else in the format of this competition
I think a set CR is fine. At 15th-level a wizard has access to true polymorph, which admits any creature with a CR less than the wizard's level. Otherwise I think level/3 is probably fair, given that a moon druid has access to that ability for beasts at 6th level. The single block idea is a bit clunky, that's fair.
This rod is infused with the magic and energy from the elemental planes. The rod has 4 charges. As a bonus action, you can expend a charge to let out a burst of elemental energy. This burst deals 1d12 damage of the type associated with the rod’s attuned element to each enemy within 15 feet. The rod regains 1d4 charges daily at dawn.
(This would be a table, but I don't know how to make one)Elements and damage types:
When possible, it is better to edit your original comment rather than post a new iteration. That way, if the judge has already created a link to your original submission they do not have to change it every time you update your entry.
The purpose of this thread is to spread a little bit of fun in the form of a friendly competition! Your task: Create an item of homebrew (see below) that is totally original and makes us go “wow!” The end products will be rated by members of the community, and the victor will create the next Finest ‘Brew contest! The previous contests are linked below:
The Competition of the Finest Brews I - Judged by Yamana_Eajii.
The Competition of the Finest Brews II - Judged by Thauraeln_The_Bold.
The Competition of the Finest Brews III - Judged by TabaxiRogueFighterClericWarlock
The Competition of the Finest Brews IV - Judged by Kaboom979
The Competition of the Finest Brews V - Judged by ThorukDuckSlayer
The Competition of the Finest Brews VI - Judged by Semako
The Competition of the Finest Brews VII - Judged by MilestoGo_24
The Competition of the Finest Brews VIII — Judged by Heartofjuyomk2
All competitions thus far have contained a multitude of spectacular and inspired entries, so I suggest you check them out if you haven't already . Now, onto the important stuff:
Timeframe
Entries must be submitted before midnight (EST) on July 21st to be considered part of the competition.
Contest Categories
The category types are as follows:
This time, our category themes are:
DM Options: Primordial Forces - The force of storms, the power of earthquakes, the might of the ocean’s mightiest waves, the devastating eruption of volcanoes… what violent and mystic forces of the world will you bend to your will?
PC Options: Magic… But Not Spells* - You have been blessed with supernatural abilities to shape the world around you, but need no special incantations formulae, or channeling devices. You can make magic without spells… or cast spells that interact with such magic. What powers have you?
*Your entry can be a spell as long as it interacts in some way with magic that is entirely unrelated to spells, ie - Magic Items that don’t use spells, magical Class Features or Racial Traits that don’t rely on spells, etc.
Inspirational Options: Unearthed Arcana - Long lost ancient tomes, long forgotten artifacts, mighty spells once wielded by long dead mages… What lost and forgotten pieces of arcane lore or other arcana have you discovered?
Voting: (https://forms.gle/7LcUrHPxXYurpeAH9) Good Luck Everyone!!
Voting will start July 22nd and will end at noon (EST) on August 1st. A Google Forms poll for each category will be posted on this thread, and all may vote on it - including contestants. Please try to take the time to review and vote for every entry in the categories you vote in, as even one vote can easily sway a competition like this. If there's anything you feel very strongly about, also feel free to review it in the thread! Reviews won't count for anything, but it's nice to get feedback!
Contestants
Contestants will be listed here with a link to their entries so you can easily find and review each option while voting. I will try to keep on top of this to the best of my ability, but there may be some delay between submitting an entry and having it listed here.
*With a Total of 12 valid votes in, the scores are (Total Score / Average Score):
DM’s Options — Primordial Forces
Player’s Options — Magic… But Not Spells
Inspirational Options — Unearthed Arcana
We have a 3-Way Tie for winner of the DM’s Options, and the overall championship goes to Kaboom979!!
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
ooh, some intrguing categories here!
Classes, Subclasses, Feats or Races involving magic but not spells... sounds like a good challenge!
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread - latest release; the Harvest Sprite, a playable Jack-o-Lantern Race!
Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: The Promethean Scientist (Dr Frankenstein) Artificer Subclass!!
I also dabble in art on here (my art thread)
Or spells! If you can make a spell that fits into the category somehow it will count. In discussing the themes with Semako I came up with 3 or 4 examples that would qualify. If I can do it, so can you!!
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
Read: psionics? Haha. I'm debating whether to resuscitate my bard subclass that performs magic through whimsy.
For the PC option (Magic but not spells), I am submitting a new Pact Boon option for Warlocks called the Pact of the Vessel. The goal is to present a pact option which allows the warlock to channel their patron's power into their physicality and durability and utilize their warlock spell slots to enhance each of these in interesting ways instead of casting spells. Its the sort of pact for a player who wants to play through the fantasy of the "monster within" or perhaps just wants a reason to multiclass a spellcaster with a Barbarian.
My submission includes the base Pact Boon option and a number of Eldritch Invocation options tied to it, including some designed with your choice of patron as a prerequisite.
Eldritch Invocation Options
Eldritch Slam
Prerequisite: 7th level, Pact of the Vessel feature
As an action, you can pound the ground with otherworldly strength. Each creature within 5 feet of you must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC or take 1d12 bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. When you use this action, you can expend a warlock spell slot to empower it. The range of this effect is extended by 5 feet for each level of the expended spell slot and the affected area becomes difficult terrain for 1 minute.
Additionally, you can use Charisma instead of Strength for any Athletics check you make to break an object.
Inflexible Form
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Vessel feature
You have advantage on all saving throws against any spell or effect which would alter your form against your will. Additionally, you can use Charisma in place of Strength for any Athletics check made to avoid being grappled.
Otherworldly Hands
Prerequisite: Pact of the Vessel feature
Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier on a hit. Additionally, you can choose to use Charisma in place of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes.
Improved Otherworldly Hands
Prerequisite: 7th level, Otherworldly Hands invocation
The damage die for your unarmed strikes increases to 1d8, and your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances and immunities to non magical damage. Additionally, when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can expend a Warlock spell slot to grapple the target. While grappled this way, the target takes force damage equal to the level of spell slot expended at the start of each of its turns. Any attempt made by the target to escape the grapple is contested by your spell save DC.
Otherworldly Legs
Prerequisite: Pact of the Vessel feature
Your walking speed increases by 5 feet and you can use your Charisma score instead of Strength for determining the maximum distance you can jump. Additionally, as a bonus action you can expand a Warlock spell slot to increase your movement speed by a number of feet equal to 5 times the level of slot expended until the end of your turn.
Otherworldly Sense
Prerequisite - Pact of the Vessel feature
You gain a bonus to your Passive Perception and Passive Investigation scores equal to your Charisma modifier.
Paranormal Possession
Prerequisite -
9th15th level, Pact of the Vessel featureAs an action, you can
expend a warlock spell slot tobriefly channel the power of your patron into your physical form, allowing you to transform into a creature of a similar type to your patron. For example, if your pact is with a Great Old One, you might transform into an aberration or another appropriate creature of a different type (DMs discretion). The transformation lasts for up to 1 minute, or until you drop to 0 hit points or die. The new form can be any creature of an appropriate type whose challenge rating is 3 or lower.equal to or less than half your warlock level (rounded down). Your game statistics, including mental ability scores, are replaced by the statistics of the chosen creature. You retain your personality, but your alignment shifts to that of your Otherwordly Patron (if they differ) for the duration of the transformation.You assume the hit points of its new form. After reverting to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. If you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. If the excess damage reduces your normal form to 0 hit points, you are knocked unconscious.
You are limited in the actions it can perform by the nature of your new form. When you transform, your gear melds into the new form; however, you can't activate, use, wield, or otherwise benefit from any of your equipment.
Once you have used this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
Patron’s Presence
Prerequisite - Pact of the Vessel feature
You gain proficiency in Intimidation. Additionally, as an action you can focus on the presence of another creature that you can see within 30 feet. When you do so, you learn whether that creature has a Charisma score which is higher, lower, or equal to your own. You can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Reinforced Form
Prerequisite- Pact of the Vessel feature
You gain a +1 bonus to your armor class. Additionally, whenever you expend one or more warlock hit die to regain hit points as part of a short rest, you can roll d12s instead of d8s.
Yshhigol's Focus
Prerequisite: Pact of the Vessel
When you make a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration on a spell you cast, you can choose to add your Charisma modifier to the total. You cannot use this feature again until you complete a short or long rest.
Patron-Dependent Eldritch Invocation Options
Vestige of the Archfey
Prerequisite: 7th level, Pact of the Vessel feature, The Archfey patron
The range of your Misty Escape feature increases to 120 feet. Additionally, you can choose to expend a warlock spell slot when you use your Misty Escape feature (no action required), allowing you to bring allies with you. When you do so, you can choose a number of friendly creatures within 10 feet of you, up to the level of spell slot expended. The friendly creatures are then teleported with you as part of the reaction and remain invisible under the same conditions. These creatures cannot teleport with you if there are not enough unoccupied spaces within 10 feet of your chosen destination.
Vestige of the Celestial
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Vessel feature, The Celestial patron
The pool of dice used for your Healing Light feature become d8s instead of d6s. Additionally, when you use your Healing Light feature to restore hit points, you can expend a Warlock spell slot to empower the healing. Choose a number of the rolled dice equal to the level of spell slot expended. They treated as having their maximum value instead of the value rolled.
Vestige of the Fathomless
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Vessel feature, The Fathomless patron
As an action, you can expend a warlock spell slot to create an illusory body of water around you. This illusion extends in an aura around you to a maximum number of feet equal to 5 times the level of spell slot expended. Creatures within this aura are treated as if underwater for the purposes of making weapon attacks. Any creature which ends its turn in this aura must make an Intelligence saving throw, which is contested by your spell save DC. On a failed save, the target momentarily believes itself to be underwater and suffocating, and cannot speak until the end of its next turn or until it leaves the aura. Once a creature succeeds on this saving throw, it become immune to the effects of the aura for the remainder of its duration.
This aura lasts for 1 minute, but ends early if you are incapacitated.
Vestige of the Fiend
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Vessel feature, The Fiend patron
The blessing of the dark patron you serve can send you into a fiendish frenzy. When you use your Dark One's Blessing feature, instead of gaining temporary hit points you can choose to make a melee spell attack against a creature that you can see within your reach (no action required). On a hit, this attack deals fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier + Warlock level. You cannot attack this way more than once per turn.
Vestige of the Genie
Prerequisite: 7th level, Pact of the Vessel feature, The Genie patron
Your Genie's Vessel has resistance to all damage while you are inside of it and immunity to a damage type determined by your patron's kind: bludgeoning (dao), thunder (djinni), fire (efreeti), or cold (marid).
Additionally, while inside your Genie's Vessel, as an action you can expend a warlock spell slot to make the vessel erupt with your patron's power. When you do, each creature outside of your vessel within 10 feet of it must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes damage of the same type associated with your patron's kind, with the amount of damage determined by a pool of d8s equal to the level of spell slot expended. A creature takes half as much damage on a successful save.
Vestige of the Great Old One
Prerequisite: 7th level, Pact of the Vessel feature, The Great Old One patron
Your connection to the Great Old One allows your eyes to produce powerful rays of energy. As an action, you can target a creature that you can see within 120 feet with this ray. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d10 necrotic damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. Additionally, when you take this action, you can expend a Warlock spell slot to enhance the ray's power. For each level of the spell slot expended the ray deals an additional 1d10 necrotic damage, and a creature which fails its save is also subjected to one of the following conditions until the end of your next turn (your choice): charmed, frightened, or stunned.
Vestige of Hexes
Prerequisite: 7th level, Pact of the Vessel feature, The Hexblade patron
The dark magics which suffuse your weapons and spellcasting have granted you resilience against hexes and curses. You are immune to being cursed, whether explicitly by a curse or by any effect which can be removed using the Remove Curse spell (such as the Hex spell). If you attune to a magic item which bears a curse, you ignore the curse's effect.
Additionally, as an action you can expend a warlock spell slot when you touch another creature to end the effect of a curse affecting it. If the curse is the effect of a spell which was cast at a level lower than the slot you expended, the effect immediately ends. This feature does not affect curses acting on a creature as a result of attuning to a magic item.
Vestige of Undeath
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Vessel feature, The Undying or The Undead patron
Your connection to powerful beings with a twisted connection to death alters your body to gain a fortitude against it as well. When you are reduced to 0 hit points, as a reaction you can expend a Warlock spell slot to animate your weakened body. For a number of rounds equal to the level of spell slot expended, you remain conscious and can continue to take actions on your turn while at 0 hit points, but you cannot cast spells while in this state. At the start of each of your turns you must make death saving throws as normal. If at the end of your turn on the final round, you are not stabilized and have accumulated three failed death saving throws, you die. After you use this feature you cannot use it again for 7 days.
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A few comments on this invocation. First, I'm not a huge fan of costing a spell slot AND 1/LR abilities. It feels like it should be either or. Maybe, once per long rest unless you expend a spell slot to use it again? Second, the form that the character takes could potentially be very very powerful. The moon druid, for instance, can at most become a CR level/3 beast or a CR 5 elemental, and that takes up half of its subclass features. Allowing the warlock to potentially become a CR 10 creature is very powerful, especially given that they could be an aberration (for a GOO patron), celestial (for a celestial patron), undead (presumably for an undying patron) etc. Also, what would a fathomless or hexblade warlock become? What I think may be a good alternative is to model this ability off of the newer conjuration spells. Create a single stat block with modular components that vary based on the patron type. See summon aberration, summon shadowspawn, summon fiend, etc.
Its true that this one could be a bit too powerful, so I will probably play with the scaling a bit based on warlock level. That being said, if it does end up being powerful then there shouldnt be an issue of it having a higher cost than usual (both spell slot and 1/LR).
I appreciate the feedback. What sort of scaling do you think would be more fair? Warlock level /4 or /5? Or maybe give it a set value instead of scaling and just make it a 15th level invocation.
Creating a single stat block could also be fun, but also a little clunky to submit alongside everything else in the format of this competition
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I must have misunderstood you, I thought we were still on the primordial forces to stick with the theme of power/magic along with the Player & Inspirational Option. Didn’t we agree on that theme for this competition? If not then I misunderstood, my bad.
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Sorry. It’s a little late to change it now, the competition has started.
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What the hell do thunderstorms have to do with magic that isn’t spells and unearthed arcana?!? We agreed on that theme of “power.” That was your idea. You think primordial forces is too broad of a category, I don’t. I posted it, I’m not changing it. I have apologized to you for my mistake, but it is what it is. Thunderstorms are part of primordial forces, so you’re just gonna have to live with it. Again, I’m sorry for the mixup. I have done my level best to accommodate your opinions throughout this process, but at this point, I’m not changing it now that the competition has begun. I’m sorry if that bothers you.
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For what my 2 cents is worth, I think sometimes having broad categories and sometimes having more specific ones provides for nice variety and different kinds of inspiration. I also think that having a broad category doesn't preclude a more specific sub-category of that showing up later.
Personally, I generally only submit when something I was already working on happens to fit the categories, because I mostly only homebrew stuff for my own needs or to try to fix a perceived problem with current mechanics. So broader categories means I'm more likely to be able to participate. Alternately, I'm sure some other folks are better inspired by more specific categories, so I think changing up the scope from month to month gives us the best of both worlds.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
These seem like interesting categories, I'm making some sort of elemental rod magic item that summons energy from the elemental planes.
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I agree, semako, u could just use whatever ur working on, it’d probably still fit
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Would an artifact count for the inspirational category? I ask since magic items are generally within the DM category.
If it does, I may just have to finish up the lore for the Mageblade....
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Can I submit a monster and a magic item as one submission for the DM category? (basicially the magic item is the weapon used by the monster)
The area here is a little weird. Generally, magic centered a point is a sphere or cylinder while a cube is something adjacent to a space, like thunderwave. And on a grid, depending on how you rule partially covered spaces, this would either hit no one or effectively be the same as a 15-foot cube since it would only overlap adjacent spaces by 2.5 feet.
I'd recommend looking at an existing spell like arms of hadar and using that phrasing to describe the area.
You might also consider allowing the player to pick the damage type each dawn. It's not really a Rod of the Elements if it's only got one element, yeah?
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
I think a set CR is fine. At 15th-level a wizard has access to true polymorph, which admits any creature with a CR less than the wizard's level. Otherwise I think level/3 is probably fair, given that a moon druid has access to that ability for beasts at 6th level. The single block idea is a bit clunky, that's fair.
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When possible, it is better to edit your original comment rather than post a new iteration. That way, if the judge has already created a link to your original submission they do not have to change it every time you update your entry.
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