So, brought about by a thread on Mechanus, I got to thinking about having a Warlock with Primus as a patron. The current swathe of Warlock patrons didn't really fit this so what would people think about porting over the Clockwork Soul Sorcerer abilities to a Warlock?
At present it works like this:
General Info:
Primus, ruler and God of the Modrons, dwells on the Plane of Mechanus, the Plane of Law. Periodically Primus extends some of its vast power into mortals and sends them out into the world. This maybe to catalogue a new thing or to observe some event, chase down rogue Modrons or, in some rare instnaces, to act as a scout for a Great Modron March. In some instances mortals are not available to bestow power to and so Primus sets about constructing a body and infusing it with power, these creations are known as Ultronic Adjucts (treat as per Warforged) and much like mortals can be found all over the Planes of Existence.
**Posible thing to add or omit depending on how you view Warlock Pacts and if you use alignment: All Warlocks in service to Primus start with a Lawful Neutral alignment and should they change from this they are branded "Rogue" and Primus will dispatch Modrons or other creatures to return the Warlock to Primus to "to have errant programming corrected".
Expanded Spell List:
Primus lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list.
1 level: Alarm, Detect Evil & Good
2 Level: Aid, Lesser Restoration
3 Level: Glyph of Warding, Protection from Energy
4 Level: Freedom of Movement, Summon Lesser Construct (Functions as per Conjure Minor Elementals but summons Constructs instead of Elementals)
5 Level: Greater Restoration, Summon Construct (Functions as per Conjure Elemental but summons a Construct instead of am Elemental and material component changes to a metal gear at least 1ft wide)
(changed slightly from the Sorcerer list, I know the Spell Summon Construct exists in TCoE but I’m not a fan of the spells in that particular book so haven’t used them here)
You also chose or roll on the "Maifestation of Order" table on the Sorcerer/Clockwork Soul entry for a bit of flavour.
Warlock Level 1: Restore Balance (This fuinctions as written for the Clockwork Soul Sorcerer).
EDIT#2: Instead of Restore Balance, Warlock gains:
Axiomatic Mind: as per Modron and Advantage on Saving Throws to resist being charmed or frightened. Also gains Analytical Mind: Gain proficiency with Arcana, Insight and Investigation Skills. If you are already proficient with one of those skills you get Expertise in that skill instead.
Warlock level 6: Bastion of Law (Again functions as written for the Clockwork Soul Sorcerer).
EDIT#2: Instead of Bastion of Law, Warlock gains:
Construct Nature: You gain remarkable fortitude, represented by the following benefits: You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage. If you already have permanent resistance to Poison this become Immunity to Poison Damage and the Poisoned Condition. Additionally, You don't need to eat, drink, or breathe, You are immune to disease, You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep.
Warlock Level 10: Trance of Order.
This functions for the most part as per Clockwork Soul Sorcerer but as this ability would normally be usable again with the expenditure of 5 sorcery points, which Warlocks don’t get, I might change it to: “Once you use this bonus action, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a Spell Slot of 3rd level or Higher." or I might just leave it as recharging on a Long rest.
EDIT#1: An alternate way to use this ability as suggested by Haravikk below: You can use Trance of Order twice per Long rest at 10th level, this increases to three uses per long rest at 14th Level and to four uses per Long rest at 20th level.
EDIT#2: Instead of Trance of Order, Warlock gains:
Mechanus made Flesh: Once per Long rest you can change your shape to that of a Construct. This Functions as per the Druid Wildshape ability except you can only choose a Construct whose CR is equal to or less than your Half your Warlock Level.
Warlock Level 14: Clockwork Cavalcade.
Again, this functions for the most part as per Clockwork Soul Sorcerer but as this ability would normally be usable again with the expenditure of 7 sorcery points, which Warlocks don’t get, I might change it to: “Once you use this bonus action, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a Spell Slot of 5th level or Higher." or I might just leave it as recharging on a Long rest.
EDIT#1: An alternate way to use this ability as suggested by Haravikk below: You can use Clockwork Clvalcade once per Long Rest. You can expend two uses of your Trance of Order ability to use Clockwork Cavalcade one addition time per Long rest.
EDIT#2: Instead of Clockwork Cavalcade, Warlock gains:
Cog of Warding: Once per Long rest the Warlock can summon a great cog from Mechanus to appear and explode in a rain of debris and shrapnel. Anyone/thing caught in this 20ft radius explosion must make a Dexterity Saving Throw, taking 4d6 Bludgeiniung Damage, 4d6 Slashing Damage and 4d6 Piercing damage on a failed Saving Throw and half as much on a Succesful Save. This damage is considered magical. Additionally the area becomes difficcult terrain for 1 minute after this time the debris disintergrates and disperses back to Mechanus.
Pacts:
Pact of the Blade: Weapons summoned have a somewhat industrial appearance.
Pact of Chain: You receive a Micromonodrone as a familair, treat as per the Monodrone Modron but size changes to Tiny and the material components change to a small clockwork sphere, this sphere be made with metals worth 10gp and a successful Tinkering check (DC12) and each sphere is consumed by casting the Find Familiar spell, otherwise the ClockWork Sphere functions like the Clockwork Toy that Rock Gnomes can make.
Pact of Tome: Your Book of Shadows is made from metals of various types and rarity.
**
So thats it, anyone have any other idea? Different spells, changes to abilities, general tweaks, comments, critiques etc?
I'd have to give more thought to it overall, but since you're mostly lifting features from Clockwork Soul it should be reasonably balanced. Two quick thoughts though:
1. There's actually a summon construct spell now, so there may not be any need to change the older style elemental summoning spells?
2. Replacing the Sorcery Point costs to repeat a feature is a bit tricky; to be equivalent they really need to be tied to a long rest resource and balanced against how many sorcery points a sorcerer would normally have. For example, Clockwork Cavalcade takes 7 sorcery points to repeat, so even a level 20 sorcerer by default can only do that twice (for three uses total) without picking up the Metamagic Adept feat or a bloodwell vial for more points, so you're trying to limit it around three uses maximum from 14th level.
What I'd maybe do is give Trance of Order limited uses starting with 2 at 10th-level, increasing to 3 at 15th-level and 4 at 20th-level. Then have Clockwork Cavalcade have one free use of its own, or consume two uses of Trance of Order to repeat it. This keeps it broadly similar to Clockwork Soul once you factor in that Sorcerers have a downward pressure on their Sorcery Points due to Metamagic (so it's wrong to think of 20th-level as 4 extra uses of Trance of Order, since most Sorcerers will consume at least one sorcery point on something else), and keeps the two features sharing a resource so using Trance of Order limits the number of Clock Cavalcades you can do.
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
Sadly for me i am aware of the Summon Construct spell and every time I read it I just tune out anf think this one isn't for me (I have the same feeling ever time I read the Artifcier class as well), I'm not sure if it's the way its worded or set out but something about it just makes me go "Na'h, i'd rather just summon a critter from the Monster Manual". Summon Construct maybe a better spell but I've not used it but i'll have another bash at reading the spells in TCoE.
I'll add an "EDIT" to the origianl post with your suggestions about the mutli-uses.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
* Need a character idea? Search for "Rob76's Unused" in the Story and Lore section.
In general I dislike reskinning sub classes from one class to another. A well written subclass interacts well with other class skills, so this ends up being a real problem. Not to mention messing up multi-classing. Two clockworks subclasses should work well together, rather than dupeing abilities.
So here is my instant take on making a Clockwork Warlock.
Expanded Spell list:
1: Purify Food and Drink, Command
3: Calm Emotion, Immovable Object
5: Sending, Spirit Guardians
7: Death Ward, Control Water
9: Dispel Evil and Good, Transmute Rock
Fair Play (first level Clockwork Warlock ability):
Your connection to the powers of order allow you to temporarily remove resistance. As a reaction to a creature within 60 ft of you benefiting from resistance to a damage type, you can remove it for that single attack. This ability only affects a single creature per use. Your decision is made after any saving throws are made - and you know whether they made their save or not - but before damage is rolled.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
At 6th level, as a bonus action you can give yourself Resistance to any damage type that someone within 120 ft has Resistance or Immunity to. The resistance lasts for 1 minute. Once you use this ability on someone, you cannot use it ever again on the same target.
You regain this ability every time you take a short or long rest.
Mechanical Endurance (10th level Warlock Ability)
Once per long rest you can gain the advantage of a Short rest by taking a mere 1 minute rest, as long as you spend at least one HD healing yourself. In addition, this 1 minute will remove one level of exhaustion.
Time to End This Charade (14th level Warlock Ability)
You loudly declare "Time to End This Charade" and for the next minute magical effects that heals anyone, animates or resurrect the dead, teleport, or inter-planar travel do not work. Note, when these effects fail, they still use spell slots and similar resources. The effect applies within 150 ft of you. This applies to all regardless of which side they are on. Effects such as Summoning spells, Maze or Banishment that 'began' before you use this ability complete as normal.
I was a little concerned about multiclassing etc, I've started going over the various constructs to see what other abilities or bits and pieces might be something to be amended into a class ability. I am leaning towards going for a "warlock ends up as a construct" theme.
Might have things like:
Axiomatic Mind: Warlock can't be compelled to act in a manner contrary to its nature or its instructions. Grants Immunity to spells and abilities such as (but not limited to) Command, Compelled Duel, Crown of Madness, Compulsion and Confusion as well as Advantage on Saving Throws to resist being Charmed or Frightened.
Mechanus Made Flesh: Warlock can polymorph into a Construct once per Long rest, the max CR of which can be equal to or lower than the Warlocks level.
Machine Mending: Warlock can heal constructs (or self?) using the Mending Cantrip, possibly enable them to spend their Hit Dice when you target them with the Mending spell.
Added EDIT#2 to the original post with using Axiomatic & Analytical Mind as a level 1 ability, Construct Nature at level 6, Mechanus Made Flesh at level 10 and Cog Explosion at level 14 as potential different abilities.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
* Need a character idea? Search for "Rob76's Unused" in the Story and Lore section.
Isn't Primus a bit powerful for a patron? Shouldn't we be looking at a sub-god level patron, perhaps something more akin to a genie in power level?
[Aside: btw, I stumbled across this post when I was thinking about making a Green Lantern based spellcaster, using will (CHA) as the primary ability score...]
I was working on a Mechanus-themed warlock some time ago, based on the "Inevitables". Here's what I had when last I tried it:
Your patron is an inevitable, a construct whose sole aim is to enforce the natural laws of the multiverse. Primus, the leader of the modrons, created the inevitables to increase order in the multiverse in accordance with laws beyond the comprehension of mortal minds. Each type of inevitable is designed to find and punish a particular kind of transgression. Entities of this kind include Kolyaruts, who punish those who break bargains and oaths; Maruts, who confront those who would try to deny the grave itself; Zelekhuts, who are charged with hunting down those who would escape justice; Quaruts, who hunt those who seek to reorder time or reality in dangerous ways; and Varakhuts, who thwart those who make credible bids for godhood.
Expanded Spell List
1st-level Inevitable feature
The Inevitable lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.
Your magic ensures that a guilty creature continues its offenses only at great peril. As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target is marked for 1 minute. The mark ends early if the target dies, you die, or you are unconscious. Until the mark ends, you gain the following benefits:
You learn which laws the marked creature has broken in the last 24 hours.
You gain a bonus to your spell save DC for any spell you cast on the marked creature. The bonus equals your proficiency bonus.
Whenever the marked creature succeeds on a saving throw against a spell you cast, the creature takes psychic damage equal to your Charisma modifier.
You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.
Mechanus Mind
6th-level Inevitable feature
Your mind becomes clearer and more organized, your thoughts are more rational and ordered. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened, and against any spell or effect that would alter your form. In addition, you have advantage on Intelligence checks you make to disbelieve illusions.
Hunt the Guilty
10th-level Inevitable feature
Your Mark of Justice makes it difficult for the guilty to escape judgement. You know the location of a creature marked by your Mark of Justice, but only while the two of you are on the same plane of existence. Additionally, whenever a marked creature attempts to teleport or use planar travel, you can use your reaction to force the target to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the attempt fails and the target takes psychic damage equal to 1d8 + your Charisma modifier.
Restore Order
14th-level Inevitable feature
Invoking the laws of reality, you reverse the forces of chaos. As an action, you create a zone of order in a 60-foot radius lasting for 1 minute. For the duration:
Whenever a creature in the zone makes an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, they roll 3d6 instead of a d20.
Aberrations, Fey, Fiends, and Undead in the zone have disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws.
Once per round on your turn, you can use an action to banish one creature in the zone. If the creature is not native to the plane you are on, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be banished to its home plane.
Any spell of 3rd level or lower on a creature or object within the zone ends.
You must finish a long rest before you can use this feature again.
Isn't Primus a bit powerful for a patron? Shouldn't we be looking at a sub-god level patron, perhaps something more akin to a genie in power level?
[Aside: btw, I stumbled across this post when I was thinking about making a Green Lantern based spellcaster, using will (CHA) as the primary ability score...]
Primus can and has been killed. And by Orcus, a demon lord no less, who probably has plenty of warlock underlings.
> "Primus can and has been killed. And by Orcus, a demon lord no less, who probably has plenty of warlock underlings."
Yes, and thank you. Still, I believe, any god could have too many other concerns on its mind (for example, including the prayers of its worshippers and divine spell casters) to serve as an appropriate patron for a Warlock. [Aside: Do you know whether, or not, WotC has given any CR to Primus in 5e?]
I completely forgot I put this post up......Having said that, i've still been tinkering with some ideas and currently have the following:
Expanded spells:
level 1: Alarm, Detect Evil & Good.
Level 2: Aid, Lesser Restoration.
Level 3: Glyph of Warding, Protection from Energy.
Level 4: Freedom of Movement, Summon Lesser Construct (Functions as per Conjure Minor Elementals but summons Constructs instead of Elementals).
Level 5: Greater Restoration, Summon Construct (Functions as per Conjure Elemental but summons a Construct instead of am Elemental and material component changes to a metal gear at least 1ft wide)
Abilities:
Level 1: Axiomatic Mind (advantage vs Charm/Frightened conditions) and Analytical Mind (Gain 1 proficiency from Arcana, Insight or Investigation, if you already have proficiency in that skill you gain expertise instead and additonally you can speak/read/write the Modron language).
Level 6: Pentadronic Exhalation (1/Long Rest can exhale a cloud of gas in a 15ft cone, each creature in that area must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (against spell DC) or be paralyzed for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success).
Level 10: Thought Shield (As per GOO ability).
Level 14: Gear Hulk (instead of using a Mystic Arcanum to cast a spell you can instead expend it to cast Tensers Transformation).
So, brought about by a thread on Mechanus, I got to thinking about having a Warlock with Primus as a patron. The current swathe of Warlock patrons didn't really fit this so what would people think about porting over the Clockwork Soul Sorcerer abilities to a Warlock?
At present it works like this:
General Info:
Primus, ruler and God of the Modrons, dwells on the Plane of Mechanus, the Plane of Law. Periodically Primus extends some of its vast power into mortals and sends them out into the world. This maybe to catalogue a new thing or to observe some event, chase down rogue Modrons or, in some rare instnaces, to act as a scout for a Great Modron March. In some instances mortals are not available to bestow power to and so Primus sets about constructing a body and infusing it with power, these creations are known as Ultronic Adjucts (treat as per Warforged) and much like mortals can be found all over the Planes of Existence.
**Posible thing to add or omit depending on how you view Warlock Pacts and if you use alignment: All Warlocks in service to Primus start with a Lawful Neutral alignment and should they change from this they are branded "Rogue" and Primus will dispatch Modrons or other creatures to return the Warlock to Primus to "to have errant programming corrected".
Expanded Spell List:
Primus lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list.
1 level: Alarm, Detect Evil & Good
2 Level: Aid, Lesser Restoration
3 Level: Glyph of Warding, Protection from Energy
4 Level: Freedom of Movement, Summon Lesser Construct (Functions as per Conjure Minor Elementals but summons Constructs instead of Elementals)
5 Level: Greater Restoration, Summon Construct (Functions as per Conjure Elemental but summons a Construct instead of am Elemental and material component changes to a metal gear at least 1ft wide)
(changed slightly from the Sorcerer list, I know the Spell Summon Construct exists in TCoE but I’m not a fan of the spells in that particular book so haven’t used them here)
You also chose or roll on the "Maifestation of Order" table on the Sorcerer/Clockwork Soul entry for a bit of flavour.
Warlock Level 1: Restore Balance (This fuinctions as written for the Clockwork Soul Sorcerer).
EDIT#2: Instead of Restore Balance, Warlock gains:
Axiomatic Mind: as per Modron and Advantage on Saving Throws to resist being charmed or frightened. Also gains Analytical Mind: Gain proficiency with Arcana, Insight and Investigation Skills. If you are already proficient with one of those skills you get Expertise in that skill instead.
Warlock level 6: Bastion of Law (Again functions as written for the Clockwork Soul Sorcerer).
EDIT#2: Instead of Bastion of Law, Warlock gains:
Construct Nature: You gain remarkable fortitude, represented by the following benefits: You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage. If you already have permanent resistance to Poison this become Immunity to Poison Damage and the Poisoned Condition. Additionally, You don't need to eat, drink, or breathe, You are immune to disease, You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep.
Warlock Level 10: Trance of Order.
This functions for the most part as per Clockwork Soul Sorcerer but as this ability would normally be usable again with the expenditure of 5 sorcery points, which Warlocks don’t get, I might change it to: “Once you use this bonus action, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a Spell Slot of 3rd level or Higher." or I might just leave it as recharging on a Long rest.
EDIT#1: An alternate way to use this ability as suggested by Haravikk below: You can use Trance of Order twice per Long rest at 10th level, this increases to three uses per long rest at 14th Level and to four uses per Long rest at 20th level.
EDIT#2: Instead of Trance of Order, Warlock gains:
Mechanus made Flesh: Once per Long rest you can change your shape to that of a Construct. This Functions as per the Druid Wildshape ability except you can only choose a Construct whose CR is equal to or less than your Half your Warlock Level.
Warlock Level 14: Clockwork Cavalcade.
Again, this functions for the most part as per Clockwork Soul Sorcerer but as this ability would normally be usable again with the expenditure of 7 sorcery points, which Warlocks don’t get, I might change it to: “Once you use this bonus action, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a Spell Slot of 5th level or Higher." or I might just leave it as recharging on a Long rest.
EDIT#1: An alternate way to use this ability as suggested by Haravikk below: You can use Clockwork Clvalcade once per Long Rest. You can expend two uses of your Trance of Order ability to use Clockwork Cavalcade one addition time per Long rest.
EDIT#2: Instead of Clockwork Cavalcade, Warlock gains:
Cog of Warding: Once per Long rest the Warlock can summon a great cog from Mechanus to appear and explode in a rain of debris and shrapnel. Anyone/thing caught in this 20ft radius explosion must make a Dexterity Saving Throw, taking 4d6 Bludgeiniung Damage, 4d6 Slashing Damage and 4d6 Piercing damage on a failed Saving Throw and half as much on a Succesful Save. This damage is considered magical. Additionally the area becomes difficcult terrain for 1 minute after this time the debris disintergrates and disperses back to Mechanus.
Pacts:
Pact of the Blade: Weapons summoned have a somewhat industrial appearance.
Pact of Chain: You receive a Micromonodrone as a familair, treat as per the Monodrone Modron but size changes to Tiny and the material components change to a small clockwork sphere, this sphere be made with metals worth 10gp and a successful Tinkering check (DC12) and each sphere is consumed by casting the Find Familiar spell, otherwise the ClockWork Sphere functions like the Clockwork Toy that Rock Gnomes can make.
Pact of Tome: Your Book of Shadows is made from metals of various types and rarity.
**
So thats it, anyone have any other idea? Different spells, changes to abilities, general tweaks, comments, critiques etc?
I like the idea of a mechanus type patron!
I'd have to give more thought to it overall, but since you're mostly lifting features from Clockwork Soul it should be reasonably balanced. Two quick thoughts though:
1. There's actually a summon construct spell now, so there may not be any need to change the older style elemental summoning spells?
2. Replacing the Sorcery Point costs to repeat a feature is a bit tricky; to be equivalent they really need to be tied to a long rest resource and balanced against how many sorcery points a sorcerer would normally have. For example, Clockwork Cavalcade takes 7 sorcery points to repeat, so even a level 20 sorcerer by default can only do that twice (for three uses total) without picking up the Metamagic Adept feat or a bloodwell vial for more points, so you're trying to limit it around three uses maximum from 14th level.
What I'd maybe do is give Trance of Order limited uses starting with 2 at 10th-level, increasing to 3 at 15th-level and 4 at 20th-level. Then have Clockwork Cavalcade have one free use of its own, or consume two uses of Trance of Order to repeat it. This keeps it broadly similar to Clockwork Soul once you factor in that Sorcerers have a downward pressure on their Sorcery Points due to Metamagic (so it's wrong to think of 20th-level as 4 extra uses of Trance of Order, since most Sorcerers will consume at least one sorcery point on something else), and keeps the two features sharing a resource so using Trance of Order limits the number of Clock Cavalcades you can do.
Former D&D Beyond Customer of six years: With the axing of piecemeal purchasing, lack of meaningful development, and toxic moderation the site isn't worth paying for anymore. I remain a free user only until my groups are done migrating from DDB, and if necessary D&D, after which I'm done. There are better systems owned by better companies out there.
I have unsubscribed from all topics and will not reply to messages. My homebrew is now 100% unsupported.
Sadly for me i am aware of the Summon Construct spell and every time I read it I just tune out anf think this one isn't for me (I have the same feeling ever time I read the Artifcier class as well), I'm not sure if it's the way its worded or set out but something about it just makes me go "Na'h, i'd rather just summon a critter from the Monster Manual". Summon Construct maybe a better spell but I've not used it but i'll have another bash at reading the spells in TCoE.
I'll add an "EDIT" to the origianl post with your suggestions about the mutli-uses.
In general I dislike reskinning sub classes from one class to another. A well written subclass interacts well with other class skills, so this ends up being a real problem. Not to mention messing up multi-classing. Two clockworks subclasses should work well together, rather than dupeing abilities.
So here is my instant take on making a Clockwork Warlock.
Expanded Spell list:
1: Purify Food and Drink, Command
3: Calm Emotion, Immovable Object
5: Sending, Spirit Guardians
7: Death Ward, Control Water
9: Dispel Evil and Good, Transmute Rock
Fair Play (first level Clockwork Warlock ability):
Your connection to the powers of order allow you to temporarily remove resistance. As a reaction to a creature within 60 ft of you benefiting from resistance to a damage type, you can remove it for that single attack. This ability only affects a single creature per use. Your decision is made after any saving throws are made - and you know whether they made their save or not - but before damage is rolled.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Equal Chances (6th level Clockwork Warlock Ability)
At 6th level, as a bonus action you can give yourself Resistance to any damage type that someone within 120 ft has Resistance or Immunity to. The resistance lasts for 1 minute. Once you use this ability on someone, you cannot use it ever again on the same target.
You regain this ability every time you take a short or long rest.
Mechanical Endurance (10th level Warlock Ability)
Once per long rest you can gain the advantage of a Short rest by taking a mere 1 minute rest, as long as you spend at least one HD healing yourself. In addition, this 1 minute will remove one level of exhaustion.
Time to End This Charade (14th level Warlock Ability)
You loudly declare "Time to End This Charade" and for the next minute magical effects that heals anyone, animates or resurrect the dead, teleport, or inter-planar travel do not work. Note, when these effects fail, they still use spell slots and similar resources. The effect applies within 150 ft of you. This applies to all regardless of which side they are on. Effects such as Summoning spells, Maze or Banishment that 'began' before you use this ability complete as normal.
You regain this ability after a long rest.
I was a little concerned about multiclassing etc, I've started going over the various constructs to see what other abilities or bits and pieces might be something to be amended into a class ability. I am leaning towards going for a "warlock ends up as a construct" theme.
Might have things like:
Axiomatic Mind: Warlock can't be compelled to act in a manner contrary to its nature or its instructions. Grants Immunity to spells and abilities such as (but not limited to) Command, Compelled Duel, Crown of Madness, Compulsion and Confusion as well as Advantage on Saving Throws to resist being Charmed or Frightened.
Mechanus Made Flesh: Warlock can polymorph into a Construct once per Long rest, the max CR of which can be equal to or lower than the Warlocks level.
Machine Mending: Warlock can heal constructs (or self?) using the Mending Cantrip, possibly enable them to spend their Hit Dice when you target them with the Mending spell.
Added EDIT#2 to the original post with using Axiomatic & Analytical Mind as a level 1 ability, Construct Nature at level 6, Mechanus Made Flesh at level 10 and Cog Explosion at level 14 as potential different abilities.
Isn't Primus a bit powerful for a patron? Shouldn't we be looking at a sub-god level patron, perhaps something more akin to a genie in power level?
[Aside: btw, I stumbled across this post when I was thinking about making a Green Lantern based spellcaster, using will (CHA) as the primary ability score...]
I was working on a Mechanus-themed warlock some time ago, based on the "Inevitables". Here's what I had when last I tried it:
Your patron is an inevitable, a construct whose sole aim is to enforce the natural laws of the multiverse. Primus, the leader of the modrons, created the inevitables to increase order in the multiverse in accordance with laws beyond the comprehension of mortal minds. Each type of inevitable is designed to find and punish a particular kind of transgression. Entities of this kind include Kolyaruts, who punish those who break bargains and oaths; Maruts, who confront those who would try to deny the grave itself; Zelekhuts, who are charged with hunting down those who would escape justice; Quaruts, who hunt those who seek to reorder time or reality in dangerous ways; and Varakhuts, who thwart those who make credible bids for godhood.
Expanded Spell List
1st-level Inevitable feature
The Inevitable lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.
Inevitable Expanded Spells
Spell Level
Spells
1st
command, hunter's mark
2nd
calm emotions, zone of truth
3rd
bestow curse, glyph of warding
4th
locate creature, Otiluke's resilient sphere
5th
circle of power, geas
Mark of Justice
1st-level Inevitable feature
Your magic ensures that a guilty creature continues its offenses only at great peril. As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target is marked for 1 minute. The mark ends early if the target dies, you die, or you are unconscious. Until the mark ends, you gain the following benefits:
You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.
Mechanus Mind
6th-level Inevitable feature
Your mind becomes clearer and more organized, your thoughts are more rational and ordered. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened, and against any spell or effect that would alter your form. In addition, you have advantage on Intelligence checks you make to disbelieve illusions.
Hunt the Guilty
10th-level Inevitable feature
Your Mark of Justice makes it difficult for the guilty to escape judgement. You know the location of a creature marked by your Mark of Justice, but only while the two of you are on the same plane of existence. Additionally, whenever a marked creature attempts to teleport or use planar travel, you can use your reaction to force the target to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the attempt fails and the target takes psychic damage equal to 1d8 + your Charisma modifier.
Restore Order
14th-level Inevitable feature
Invoking the laws of reality, you reverse the forces of chaos. As an action, you create a zone of order in a 60-foot radius lasting for 1 minute. For the duration:
You must finish a long rest before you can use this feature again.
Primus can and has been killed. And by Orcus, a demon lord no less, who probably has plenty of warlock underlings.
> "Primus can and has been killed. And by Orcus, a demon lord no less, who probably has plenty of warlock underlings."
Yes, and thank you. Still, I believe, any god could have too many other concerns on its mind (for example, including the prayers of its worshippers and divine spell casters) to serve as an appropriate patron for a Warlock. [Aside: Do you know whether, or not, WotC has given any CR to Primus in 5e?]
They haven't created 5e stats for Primus. But on the other hand, they have created stats for Tiamat, who has a bit more of a claim to godhood.
I completely forgot I put this post up......Having said that, i've still been tinkering with some ideas and currently have the following:
Expanded spells:
level 1: Alarm, Detect Evil & Good.
Level 2: Aid, Lesser Restoration.
Level 3: Glyph of Warding, Protection from Energy.
Level 4: Freedom of Movement, Summon Lesser Construct (Functions as per Conjure Minor Elementals but summons Constructs instead of Elementals).
Level 5: Greater Restoration, Summon Construct (Functions as per Conjure Elemental but summons a Construct instead of am Elemental and material component changes to a metal gear at least 1ft wide)
Abilities:
Level 1: Axiomatic Mind (advantage vs Charm/Frightened conditions) and Analytical Mind (Gain 1 proficiency from Arcana, Insight or Investigation, if you already have proficiency in that skill you gain expertise instead and additonally you can speak/read/write the Modron language).
Level 6: Pentadronic Exhalation (1/Long Rest can exhale a cloud of gas in a 15ft cone, each creature in that area must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (against spell DC) or be paralyzed for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success).
Level 10: Thought Shield (As per GOO ability).
Level 14: Gear Hulk (instead of using a Mystic Arcanum to cast a spell you can instead expend it to cast Tensers Transformation).