In an effort to mix things up at the table (we have a couple of warlocks, and one is carving out the eldritch blaster role pretty well, we've come up with the following to play test. I'd appreciate any input...
One thing to consider is that both of these are meant to be a replacement for Eldritch Blast, and are scaled accordingly (ie: they are better than most cantrips, clearly... but meant to be in the same realm as EB).
Eldritch Affliction
LEVEL
Cantrip
CASTING TIME
1 Action
RANGE/AREA
60 ft
COMPONENTS
V, S
DURATION
Instantaneous
SCHOOL
Necromancy
ATTACK/SAVE
Ranged
DAMAGE/EFFECT
Necrotic
You curse your target with a damaging affliction, racking their body and soul with shadowy torment.
Make a ranged spell attack. On a success, the target takes 1d4 of either Psychic or Necrotic damage.
If the target was damaged by the spell in the prior round, the damage die increases by one step (ie - d4, d6, d8, d10, 1d12, d20).
If you inflict necrotic damage, you gain 1/2 of the necrotic damage inflicted (round up) by the spell as temporary hit points.
If you inflict Psychic damage, you have a +1 to hit on that target until the end of your next Action. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level, +3 at 11th, and +4 at 17th.
This spell's damage increases when you reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4).
Note that any Warlock class feature that effects Eldritch Blast will also effect Eldritch Affliction, which will fulfill any prerequisite requiring that spell.
Note that you cannot have both the Eldritch Affliction cantrip and the Eldritch Blast cantrip.
Eldritch Contagion
LEVEL
Cantrip
CASTING TIME
1 Action
RANGE/AREA
30 ft (5 ft *)
COMPONENTS
V, S
DURATION
Instantaneous
SCHOOL
Necromancy
ATTACK/SAVE
Melee
DAMAGE/EFFECT
Necrotic (...)
You curse your target with a spreading affliction, racking their body and soul with shadowy torment.
Make a ranged spell attack against one target within 30 feet of you. On a hit, the target suffers either Necrotic or Psychic damage equal to your spellcasting ability modifier. You cause noxious shadow to leap from the target to a number of creatures of your choice that you can see and that are within 5 feet of each other. The additional creatures take damage of the same type, equal to your spellcasting ability modifier. The total number of creatures that can be effected (including the initial target) is equal to your proficiency bonus.
This spell’s damage increases when you reach certain levels. At 5th level, the attack deals an extra 1d6 of damage to both the primary and secondary targets. Both damage rolls increase by 1d6 at 11th level (2d6 and 2d6) and 17th level (3d6 and 3d6).
Note that any Warlock class feature that effects Eldritch Blast will also effect Eldritch Contagion, which will fulfill any prerequisite requiring that spell.
Note that you cannot have both the Eldritch Contagion cantrip and the Eldritch Blast cantrip.
I haven't done the math to check for sure, but from a quick eyeball it looks to me that both are significantly weaker than Eldritch Blast. Assuming both take the Agonizing Blast Invocation:
EB = 1d10+CHA, 2d10+2*CHA, 3d10+3*CHA, 4d10+4*CHA
EA = 1d4+CHA, 2d4+CHA, 3d4+CHA, 4d4+CHA
EC = 10+5, 1d6+10+1d6, 2d6+10+2d6, 3d6+10+3d6 (it's unlikely to have more than 2 creatures within 5ft of each other consistently)
And the above ignore the synergy between Hex and EB.
But more importantly both still simply do damage to the target(s) so aren't fundamentally different from EB so I'm not sure it will actually help differentiate the playstyles of your two warlocks. Sure they will say different words on their turn but they will still be fulfilling the same party role, and to be honest the same theme of eldritch cursing dark magic character.
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In an effort to mix things up at the table (we have a couple of warlocks, and one is carving out the eldritch blaster role pretty well, we've come up with the following to play test. I'd appreciate any input...
One thing to consider is that both of these are meant to be a replacement for Eldritch Blast, and are scaled accordingly (ie: they are better than most cantrips, clearly... but meant to be in the same realm as EB).
Eldritch Affliction
You curse your target with a damaging affliction, racking their body and soul with shadowy torment.
Make a ranged spell attack. On a success, the target takes 1d4 of either Psychic or Necrotic damage.
If the target was damaged by the spell in the prior round, the damage die increases by one step (ie - d4, d6, d8, d10, 1d12, d20).
If you inflict necrotic damage, you gain 1/2 of the necrotic damage inflicted (round up) by the spell as temporary hit points.
If you inflict Psychic damage, you have a +1 to hit on that target until the end of your next Action. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level, +3 at 11th, and +4 at 17th.
This spell's damage increases when you reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4).
Note that any Warlock class feature that effects Eldritch Blast will also effect Eldritch Affliction, which will fulfill any prerequisite requiring that spell.
Note that you cannot have both the Eldritch Affliction cantrip and the Eldritch Blast cantrip.
Eldritch Contagion
You curse your target with a spreading affliction, racking their body and soul with shadowy torment.
Make a ranged spell attack against one target within 30 feet of you. On a hit, the target suffers either Necrotic or Psychic damage equal to your spellcasting ability modifier. You cause noxious shadow to leap from the target to a number of creatures of your choice that you can see and that are within 5 feet of each other. The additional creatures take damage of the same type, equal to your spellcasting ability modifier. The total number of creatures that can be effected (including the initial target) is equal to your proficiency bonus.
This spell’s damage increases when you reach certain levels. At 5th level, the attack deals an extra 1d6 of damage to both the primary and secondary targets. Both damage rolls increase by 1d6 at 11th level (2d6 and 2d6) and 17th level (3d6 and 3d6).
Note that any Warlock class feature that effects Eldritch Blast will also effect Eldritch Contagion, which will fulfill any prerequisite requiring that spell.
Note that you cannot have both the Eldritch Contagion cantrip and the Eldritch Blast cantrip.
I haven't done the math to check for sure, but from a quick eyeball it looks to me that both are significantly weaker than Eldritch Blast. Assuming both take the Agonizing Blast Invocation:
EB = 1d10+CHA, 2d10+2*CHA, 3d10+3*CHA, 4d10+4*CHA
EA = 1d4+CHA, 2d4+CHA, 3d4+CHA, 4d4+CHA
EC = 10+5, 1d6+10+1d6, 2d6+10+2d6, 3d6+10+3d6 (it's unlikely to have more than 2 creatures within 5ft of each other consistently)
And the above ignore the synergy between Hex and EB.
But more importantly both still simply do damage to the target(s) so aren't fundamentally different from EB so I'm not sure it will actually help differentiate the playstyles of your two warlocks. Sure they will say different words on their turn but they will still be fulfilling the same party role, and to be honest the same theme of eldritch cursing dark magic character.