I'm in favour of fixing Pact Magic in ways that others have already suggested, but I do believe in theory this half-caster model can work. But that requires substantially more/stronger Invocations and other Warlock features both to maintain effectiveness and to ensure Warlocks play differently than other classes, rather than just as weak Wizards.
One way I came up with to fix the scaling issue while keeping the half-caster progression, is to give Warlocks a new ability:
Eldritch Amplifier (because all Warlock abilities need to have the word "Eldritch" in them)
3rd level ability
When you cast a spell, you can choose to expend a charge of Eldritch Amplifier to cast the spell at higher level than the expended spell slot.
Warlock level 3rd-4th, Amplified spell level 2nd.
Warlock level 5th-6th, Amplified spell level 3rd.
Warlock level 7th-8th, Amplified spell level 4th.
Warlock level 9th+, Amplified spell level 5th.
You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.
Now this is an interesting idea. Bring back some of the auto upcasting flavor of the 5E warlock.
I haven't read all of the UA material, and what I have read hasn't been super carefully, but there are a couple of things that I don't think I've seen addressed in this discussion which I think might be significant.
the shifting of several of the Invocations to cantrips and free cantrips from pacts combined with the limited number of cantrips available to Warlocks makes cantrip choices much more significant. It looks, to me anyway, that by choosing a Pact and the other two pact cantrips as your Warlock cantrips, you could be a Blade/Chain/Tome Lock. You won't want to replace Pact Weapon when going up a level, because of the duration, but you could the others. And it looks like you could do this with a one level dip. This I am not a fan of.
the language around Combat in the Pact Familiar description is interesting: the familiar "takes the Dodge Action and will move to avoid danger, unless you use your reaction to command it to attack instead." If this explicitly limits the familiar to one of three possible Actions (Dodge, Eldritch Strike and Invisibility) in combat, then Help and Hide are no longer options. I suppose other actions are possible out side of combat. Presumably that would be true as well of non-pact familiars, although the PHB Find Familiar spell would need to change. I would genuinely welcome this as I find familiar/Help cheese very distasteful. This would also make pact familiars vastly better than non-pact familiars, mostly because non-pact familiars would be nerfed.
Warlocks as half-casters instead of Pact Magic users will make multiclassing with other casting classes less interesting as it will slow slot progression. SorcLocks and BardLocks, and I guess WizardLocks and ClericLocks, will see significantly slower slot progression. A Paladin with a Blade dip will likely have fewer slots per day available for smiting than with a PHB Hexblade dip. I can't say I have a problem with that.
Actually RAW you can't make your familiar invisible in combat. "takes the Dodge Action and will move to avoid danger, unless you use your reaction to command it to attack instead." Invisibility is under "Actions" not Attacks. I assume this is just an oversight but chainlocks are underwhelming (of a fully underwhelming rebuild). Tomelocks are at least jank wizards, Bladelocks are jank Paladins. I don't know what role Chainlocks fill with a core feature that will die if someone sneezes, only useful about half of attacks (attack while inviisble one turn, move it out, invisibiilty fades, make it invisible next turn, move in turnn 3 and attack, repeat).
So let's compare a Warlock that I am planning to play in an upcoming new campaign with the new warlock. I intend to go full great old one tomelock. I consider the build to really come together at level 8.
The character is based on a powerful NPC I introduced in a previous campaign that I DM'd.
In social situations I intend to be the "face" of the party, a role I have never played before. She is a changeling, and has the usual social spells (charm person/detect thought/friends), as well as Misty Visions for fun.
In combat, I intent to use telekinesis, repelling blast, and lance of lethargy while utilizing concentration AOE spells to control the battlefield and supplement my damage. Pretty standard stuff. In a worst case scenario where we are doing an extended dungeon crawl, I can expect between 4-8 encounters with two short rest between. I can cast up to 6 black tentacles or sickening radiances. I also have fly and counterspell should they be necessary of course, but pact magic means I would only use them in emergencies. Still, I feel pretty good about the character. I go back and forth between raising my CHA to 20 at level 8 or taking metamagic adept for 2 casts of subtle spell.
Now let's look at the new character. Obviously there is non-core stuff that won't be available, but that can't be helped. The first obvious problem is that tomelocks can no longer be Charisma based, only intel/wisdom. Because nothing screams wisdom like dedicating your life to a Cthulhu entity. I really wanted to be a master of social manipulation, so I guess I am a chainlock now? Ugh. No offense to chainlock enthusiasts it is just not my cup of tea.
This also means that instead of switching out agonizing blast at 5th level, I get to continue to pay the agonizing blast invocation tax my entire character career. Great. that leaves me three invocations, because despite the trumpeting of "an extra invocation!", that doesn't actually happen until *checks notes* level eleven? Geesh. Well whatever, can't be helped. Though, of course, I have new invocation taxes to pay. 2 of my four invocations need to go to Mystic Arcanum in order to approximate a spellcaster. Not that they are actual spellslots. I am still casting.... 2nd level spells with my slots?! (That feels terrible) By spending a scarce class resource I am getting the privilege of casting hunger of Hadar once and black tentacles once. No possibility of using fly or counterspell in an emergency because, again, these are not spellslots, they are inextricably tied to one spell. With my actual spellslots I guess I am casting flaming sphere? Under the old rules at least my flaming sphere would be doing 4d6 damage, but here, yep, half caster means I am casting it at 2nd level for an additional 2d6 damage. At level 8.
With my last invocation I can choose between mask and visions. I guess I go with mask? I had planned on visions being a fun part of my build but that has to wait until level 9 I suppose, and of course part of this is that changeling species is non core. I still had an additional invocation on the old build that I don't have here.
I just don't see any upside. Being a half caster on a character who wants spells to be the focus of their play is crippling. Perhaps there is design space to make it viable using Mystic Arcanum, but this ain't it by a longshot. Bring back pact magic and decouple it from short rests.
I agree Tomelock should be able to use Charisma too. And I agree the capstone is awful.
I don't understand the bellyaching about no shields on bladelock. Bladelocks were happy to burn an invocation on Thirsting Blade before, now they don't have to, so spend that invocation on Lessons of the First Ones for shield proficiency instead if it's truly important. You can even use your level 1 feat on it, and then refund that feat with LoFO at 2 for whatever else you might want. Or make a thrower build and stay at range, another thing Bladelocks couldn't do before.
Well here is my two cents as it were. Bladelocks before the Hexblade class didn't really exist. I'm sure someone somewhere took it but all it was was a free weapon. Yes you could and take Lifedrinker at 11 and Thirsting Blade at 5 (I think improved pact weapon came out with Hexblade in Xanathar's) but that was a lot of levels in light armor (medium and shields were Hexblade) with no rogue like survivability and being MAD to keep STR or DEX up for attacks. The current version seems to want them to be half casters, well we need to compare them to other half casters. They don't get shields/heavy armor/heavy weapons/d10 hit die like a paladin. They don't get heavy weapons/d10 hit die/ranged spell boosters like a ranger. Sure you could play a Bowlock with a shortbow or thrown weapons for flavor (which actually might be cool from the RP side of it) but just a mathematically inferior EB at that point. Also Hex takes concentration while Hunter's Mark doesn't in UA.
So basically you're a melee ranger (I don't actually hate melee rangers) without the HP and different lore/diff spells. So you're just less good version of paladin and ranger.
Tried it. Sucked as much as I thought it would. Half caster with no other "half"
Bladelock was a paladin without aura's. Different spells and no smiting.Also less survivable since you can't take a shield and no plate and less damaging since you cant take a 2 handed heavy weapon and put in GWM
Aye, that's the thing that concerns me the most so far. Bladelock gotta measure up to paladin, it's pretty much the benchmark for martial efficiency. As far as I understand, the other half of warlock is supposed to be Eldritch Blast emulating the single-target damage output of a martial, and invocations providing utility that surpasses skills and some spells.
Find me a Paladin with fireball.
And bladelock doesn't compare to Paladin, Hexblade bladelock does. Hexblade has shield proficiency, and the smite spells on its patron spell list. Bladelock is a caster who can fight in melee if it has to. Even then, throw Eldritch Smite on the bladelock and they can dish out a reasonable level of damage until (like Paladin) they run out of slots.
Tried it. Sucked as much as I thought it would. Half caster with no other "half"
Bladelock was a paladin without aura's. Different spells and no smiting.Also less survivable since you can't take a shield and no plate and less damaging since you cant take a 2 handed heavy weapon and put in GWM
Aye, that's the thing that concerns me the most so far. Bladelock gotta measure up to paladin, it's pretty much the benchmark for martial efficiency. As far as I understand, the other half of warlock is supposed to be Eldritch Blast emulating the single-target damage output of a martial, and invocations providing utility that surpasses skills and some spells.
Find me a Paladin with fireball.
And bladelock doesn't compare to Paladin, Hexblade bladelock does. Hexblade has shield proficiency, and the smite spells on its patron spell list. Bladelock is a caster who can fight in melee if it has to. Even then, throw Eldritch Smite on the bladelock and they can dish out a reasonable level of damage until (like Paladin) they run out of slots.
If they actually make Hexblade a thing in 1D&D I am going to start a riot. Hexblade only ever existed because Pact of the Blade sucked. I think the numerous Hexblade features being absorbed into Pact of the Blade is a pretty obvious implication that you're not really supposed to be a Hexblade anymore.
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Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
Goodness knows what it will look like, but I would be shocked if there was not a subclass dedicated to melee/weapon use down the road.
Honestly, that'd be kinda weird at this point. Between Medium Armor being added to the base kit and Bladelock getting their extra attack automatically now, there's not much to add. Hexblade's martial support was all in the level 1 feature and list, and literally everything but shield proficiency has already been covered. I guess they could try making smiting a part of the subclass, but then you're running into the problem of the subclass just being an off-brand paladin.
Tried it. Sucked as much as I thought it would. Half caster with no other "half"
Bladelock was a paladin without aura's. Different spells and no smiting.Also less survivable since you can't take a shield and no plate and less damaging since you cant take a 2 handed heavy weapon and put in GWM
Aye, that's the thing that concerns me the most so far. Bladelock gotta measure up to paladin, it's pretty much the benchmark for martial efficiency. As far as I understand, the other half of warlock is supposed to be Eldritch Blast emulating the single-target damage output of a martial, and invocations providing utility that surpasses skills and some spells.
Find me a Paladin with fireball.
And bladelock doesn't compare to Paladin, Hexblade bladelock does. Hexblade has shield proficiency, and the smite spells on its patron spell list. Bladelock is a caster who can fight in melee if it has to. Even then, throw Eldritch Smite on the bladelock and they can dish out a reasonable level of damage until (like Paladin) they run out of slots.
So Hexblade doesn't exist in One DnD. So I can only compare the warlock class as a whole. One of the nice things they did with Warlocks is making them so flexible. 3 different paths with the Pacts, 3 different choices of spellcasting ability (2 per pact). That flexibility doesn't make up for the half caster with no other half.
Bladelock is a level one option. As it is, it is at least another "half" albeit it's a crappier paladin or ranger. Yes they have Arcane vice Divine or Primal spells so there is some variation. But they have less damage output, less survivability, and less flavor. It at least allows any warlock subclass to be semi martial class. I wouldn't be opposed to a Hexblade that gave proficiency in shields and heavy weapons. But as is Bladelock just isn't up to paladin or ranger.
As for the other two options. Tomelock is a half caster with the other "half" wizard? And I don't know what Chainlock is supposed to do.
So, I have now played a little with not just the warlock, but the sorcerer now too. And I am going to be brutally honest. They could give Warlock full spell casting instead of half casting without changing the number of invocations you get or what those invocations are.... and the sorcerer and the wizard would probably still be better. Meta Magic is buffed by a lot, Modify spell is really strong. Wizards and Sorcerers are better with the hex spell, they are better with armor of agathys. Warlock is ok, they are just better.
So, I have now played a little with not just the warlock, but the sorcerer now too. And I am going to be brutally honest. They could give Warlock full spell casting instead of half casting without changing the number of invocations you get or what those invocations are.... and the sorcerer and the wizard would probably still be better. Meta Magic is buffed by a lot, Modify spell is really strong. Wizards and Sorcerers are better with the hex spell, they are better with armor of agathys. Warlock is ok, they are just better.
Wizards and Sorcerers can't take Hex unless they also take a level of Warlock.
So, I have now played a little with not just the warlock, but the sorcerer now too. And I am going to be brutally honest. They could give Warlock full spell casting instead of half casting without changing the number of invocations you get or what those invocations are.... and the sorcerer and the wizard would probably still be better. Meta Magic is buffed by a lot, Modify spell is really strong. Wizards and Sorcerers are better with the hex spell, they are better with armor of agathys. Warlock is ok, they are just better.
Wizards and Sorcerers can't take Hex unless they also take a level of Warlock.
That's not true. Hex is an arcane spell, available to wizards, sorcerers, and even bards.
So, I have now played a little with not just the warlock, but the sorcerer now too. And I am going to be brutally honest. They could give Warlock full spell casting instead of half casting without changing the number of invocations you get or what those invocations are.... and the sorcerer and the wizard would probably still be better. Meta Magic is buffed by a lot, Modify spell is really strong. Wizards and Sorcerers are better with the hex spell, they are better with armor of agathys. Warlock is ok, they are just better.
Wizards and Sorcerers can't take Hex unless they also take a level of Warlock.
That's not true. Hex is an arcane spell, available to wizards, sorcerers, and even bards.
It has the (source: Warlock) tag, which means it can't be taken by other classes.
So, I have now played a little with not just the warlock, but the sorcerer now too. And I am going to be brutally honest. They could give Warlock full spell casting instead of half casting without changing the number of invocations you get or what those invocations are.... and the sorcerer and the wizard would probably still be better. Meta Magic is buffed by a lot, Modify spell is really strong. Wizards and Sorcerers are better with the hex spell, they are better with armor of agathys. Warlock is ok, they are just better.
Wizards and Sorcerers can't take Hex unless they also take a level of Warlock.
That's not true. Hex is an arcane spell, available to wizards, sorcerers, and even bards.
It has the (source: Warlock) tag, which means it can't be taken by other classes.
Huh. Well, it's also listed as an Arcane spell on the list of Arcane spells.
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Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
So, I have now played a little with not just the warlock, but the sorcerer now too. And I am going to be brutally honest. They could give Warlock full spell casting instead of half casting without changing the number of invocations you get or what those invocations are.... and the sorcerer and the wizard would probably still be better. Meta Magic is buffed by a lot, Modify spell is really strong. Wizards and Sorcerers are better with the hex spell, they are better with armor of agathys. Warlock is ok, they are just better.
Wizards and Sorcerers can't take Hex unless they also take a level of Warlock.
That's not true. Hex is an arcane spell, available to wizards, sorcerers, and even bards.
It has the (source: Warlock) tag, which means it can't be taken by other classes.
Huh. Well, it's also listed as an Arcane spell on the list of Arcane spells.
That is true, but the source tag overwrites other spell acquisition rules.
So, I have now played a little with not just the warlock, but the sorcerer now too. And I am going to be brutally honest. They could give Warlock full spell casting instead of half casting without changing the number of invocations you get or what those invocations are.... and the sorcerer and the wizard would probably still be better. Meta Magic is buffed by a lot, Modify spell is really strong. Wizards and Sorcerers are better with the hex spell, they are better with armor of agathys. Warlock is ok, they are just better.
Wizards and Sorcerers can't take Hex unless they also take a level of Warlock.
That's not true. Hex is an arcane spell, available to wizards, sorcerers, and even bards.
It has the (source: Warlock) tag, which means it can't be taken by other classes.
That's not what that tag means at all.
What the text says is that "some spells are instead from a class." That obviously doesn't apply to Hex, because it's on the Arcane spell list. The tag means that it's associated with a Warlock feature, namely Pact Boon. Further, consider the design note: "Hex.This spell can deal its extra damage only once per turn, and all Warlocks get it as a bonus spell." That sentence doesn't make sense if it's exclusive to warlocks. It's an arcane spell just like any other arcane spell, but warlocks get it for free due to a class feature.
So, I have now played a little with not just the warlock, but the sorcerer now too. And I am going to be brutally honest. They could give Warlock full spell casting instead of half casting without changing the number of invocations you get or what those invocations are.... and the sorcerer and the wizard would probably still be better. Meta Magic is buffed by a lot, Modify spell is really strong. Wizards and Sorcerers are better with the hex spell, they are better with armor of agathys. Warlock is ok, they are just better.
Wizards and Sorcerers can't take Hex unless they also take a level of Warlock.
That's not true. Hex is an arcane spell, available to wizards, sorcerers, and even bards.
It has the (source: Warlock) tag, which means it can't be taken by other classes.
That's not what that tag means at all.
What the text says is that "some spells are instead from a class." That obviously doesn't apply to Hex, because it's on the Arcane spell list. The tag means that it's associated with a Warlock feature, namely Pact Boon. Further, consider the design note: "Hex.This spell can deal its extra damage only once per turn, and all Warlocks get it as a bonus spell." That sentence doesn't make sense if it's exclusive to warlocks. It's an arcane spell just like any other arcane spell, but warlocks get it for free due to a class feature.
Except that spells are normally tagged with Arcane, Divine, or Primal, instead of merely being put on the list of spells. The sentence you quoted makes perfect sense whether or not it's exclusive to Warlocks. Dollars to donuts, the only reason Hex is on the spell list there is because they forgot to update it.
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Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
So, I have now played a little with not just the warlock, but the sorcerer now too. And I am going to be brutally honest. They could give Warlock full spell casting instead of half casting without changing the number of invocations you get or what those invocations are.... and the sorcerer and the wizard would probably still be better. Meta Magic is buffed by a lot, Modify spell is really strong. Wizards and Sorcerers are better with the hex spell, they are better with armor of agathys. Warlock is ok, they are just better.
Wizards and Sorcerers can't take Hex unless they also take a level of Warlock.
That's not true. Hex is an arcane spell, available to wizards, sorcerers, and even bards.
It has the (source: Warlock) tag, which means it can't be taken by other classes.
That's not what that tag means at all.
What the text says is that "some spells are instead from a class." That obviously doesn't apply to Hex, because it's on the Arcane spell list. The tag means that it's associated with a Warlock feature, namely Pact Boon. Further, consider the design note: "Hex.This spell can deal its extra damage only once per turn, and all Warlocks get it as a bonus spell." That sentence doesn't make sense if it's exclusive to warlocks. It's an arcane spell just like any other arcane spell, but warlocks get it for free due to a class feature.
Except that spells are normally tagged with Arcane, Divine, or Primal, instead of merely being put on the list of spells. The sentence you quoted makes perfect sense whether or not it's exclusive to Warlocks. Dollars to donuts, the only reason Hex is on the spell list there is because they forgot to update it.
That’s very possible! But as it stands, there’s no text that says that tag means it’s only sourced through a class feature, and it’s on the Arcane spell list. It may be a mistake, but it’s not ambiguous.
I haven't read all of the UA material, and what I have read hasn't been super carefully, but there are a couple of things that I don't think I've seen addressed in this discussion which I think might be significant.
the shifting of several of the Invocations to cantrips and free cantrips from pacts combined with the limited number of cantrips available to Warlocks makes cantrip choices much more significant. It looks, to me anyway, that by choosing a Pact and the other two pact cantrips as your Warlock cantrips, you could be a Blade/Chain/Tome Lock. You won't want to replace Pact Weapon when going up a level, because of the duration, but you could the others. And it looks like you could do this with a one level dip. This I am not a fan of.
the language around Combat in the Pact Familiar description is interesting: the familiar "takes the Dodge Action and will move to avoid danger, unless you use your reaction to command it to attack instead." If this explicitly limits the familiar to one of three possible Actions (Dodge, Eldritch Strike and Invisibility) in combat, then Help and Hide are no longer options. I suppose other actions are possible out side of combat. Presumably that would be true as well of non-pact familiars, although the PHB Find Familiar spell would need to change. I would genuinely welcome this as I find familiar/Help cheese very distasteful. This would also make pact familiars vastly better than non-pact familiars, mostly because non-pact familiars would be nerfed.
Warlocks as half-casters instead of Pact Magic users will make multiclassing with other casting classes less interesting as it will slow slot progression. SorcLocks and BardLocks, and I guess WizardLocks and ClericLocks, will see significantly slower slot progression. A Paladin with a Blade dip will likely have fewer slots per day available for smiting than with a PHB Hexblade dip. I can't say I have a problem with that.
Actually RAW you can't make your familiar invisible in combat. "takes the Dodge Action and will move to avoid danger, unless you use your reaction to command it to attack instead." Invisibility is under "Actions" not Attacks. I assume this is just an oversight but chainlocks are underwhelming (of a fully underwhelming rebuild). Tomelocks are at least jank wizards, Bladelocks are jank Paladins. I don't know what role Chainlocks fill with a core feature that will die if someone sneezes, only useful about half of attacks (attack while inviisble one turn, move it out, invisibiilty fades, make it invisible next turn, move in turnn 3 and attack, repeat).
I’m surprised this hasn’t been commented on previously. As far as I can see, the main purpose of the Pact Familiar is for scouting. The current wording prevents their use of Invisibility (or any non-Dodge, non-Attack action) in combat.
The version of the familiar (Otherworldly Familiar) in the Druid UA has different wording, which (ambiguously, to me) suggests that more in-combat options are possible:
“Combat. The familiar is an ally to you and your companions. In combat, it shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It obeys your commands (no action required by you), but the familiar can’t attack unless you use your Reaction on its turn to command it do so. If you don’t issue any commands, the familiar takes the Dodge action and uses its Move to avoid danger.”
The Pact Familiar also lacks the Extradimensional Escape and Deliver Spell features. It is faster (40 ft vs 30 ft). Durability is 5+(Warlock level) vs 2+(2*Spell Level) with AC 10+(Spellcasting Modifier) vs 10+(Spell level) (or 12+(Spell Level) for the Land familiar), so slightly better, unless using a 6th or higher level spell slot. The Pact Familiar also benefits from the Eldritch Bond, so they can add your PB to their ability checks and saving throws.
Favour of the Chain Master does give the Pact Familiar additional utility in combat, though essentially some of those mimic 1st level weapon mastery feats.
To benefit more from the scouting function of the Pact Familiar, I’d like to see some explicit permission to use any special senses, particularly those gained through Eldritch Invocations (such as Eldritch Sight), when remote viewing.
(Also, since I don’t have the PHB in front of me, can anybody confirm whether your telepathic link with your Familiar is currently blocked by being on different planes? I presume that means that you can’t remote view if a Genie Warlock is inside their Bottled Respite and their familiar is outside.)
Finally, can anyone see whether there is a good reason why the different Pact Boons are restricted to different Spellcasting abilities? It seems unnecessarily arbitrary to me.
So, I have now played a little with not just the warlock, but the sorcerer now too. And I am going to be brutally honest. They could give Warlock full spell casting instead of half casting without changing the number of invocations you get or what those invocations are.... and the sorcerer and the wizard would probably still be better. Meta Magic is buffed by a lot, Modify spell is really strong. Wizards and Sorcerers are better with the hex spell, they are better with armor of agathys. Warlock is ok, they are just better.
Wizards and Sorcerers can't take Hex unless they also take a level of Warlock.
That's not true. Hex is an arcane spell, available to wizards, sorcerers, and even bards.
It has the (source: Warlock) tag, which means it can't be taken by other classes.
That's not what that tag means at all.
What the text says is that "some spells are instead from a class." That obviously doesn't apply to Hex, because it's on the Arcane spell list. The tag means that it's associated with a Warlock feature, namely Pact Boon. Further, consider the design note: "Hex.This spell can deal its extra damage only once per turn, and all Warlocks get it as a bonus spell." That sentence doesn't make sense if it's exclusive to warlocks. It's an arcane spell just like any other arcane spell, but warlocks get it for free due to a class feature.
You are wrong. Read the "Source of a Spell" rule again.
"The source of a spell is noted in parenthesis after the spell's school of magic. The main sources are Arcane, Divine, and Primal.
Some spells are instead from a class, such as Sorcerer or Wizard. You can cast such a spell only if a feature gives you access to it."
You get access to the Hex spell through a Warlock feature, (1st Level: Pact Boon). You can't cast the Hex spell unless a feature gives you access to it. The only feature that gives access to the Hex spell is a Warlock only feature.
Just because Hex is on the Arcane Spell list doesn't mean that just anyone can cast it.
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Now this is an interesting idea. Bring back some of the auto upcasting flavor of the 5E warlock.
Actually RAW you can't make your familiar invisible in combat. "takes the Dodge Action and will move to avoid danger, unless you use your reaction to command it to attack instead." Invisibility is under "Actions" not Attacks. I assume this is just an oversight but chainlocks are underwhelming (of a fully underwhelming rebuild). Tomelocks are at least jank wizards, Bladelocks are jank Paladins. I don't know what role Chainlocks fill with a core feature that will die if someone sneezes, only useful about half of attacks (attack while inviisble one turn, move it out, invisibiilty fades, make it invisible next turn, move in turnn 3 and attack, repeat).
So let's compare a Warlock that I am planning to play in an upcoming new campaign with the new warlock. I intend to go full great old one tomelock. I consider the build to really come together at level 8.
Victoire Character Sheet
The character is based on a powerful NPC I introduced in a previous campaign that I DM'd.
In social situations I intend to be the "face" of the party, a role I have never played before. She is a changeling, and has the usual social spells (charm person/detect thought/friends), as well as Misty Visions for fun.
In combat, I intent to use telekinesis, repelling blast, and lance of lethargy while utilizing concentration AOE spells to control the battlefield and supplement my damage. Pretty standard stuff. In a worst case scenario where we are doing an extended dungeon crawl, I can expect between 4-8 encounters with two short rest between. I can cast up to 6 black tentacles or sickening radiances. I also have fly and counterspell should they be necessary of course, but pact magic means I would only use them in emergencies. Still, I feel pretty good about the character. I go back and forth between raising my CHA to 20 at level 8 or taking metamagic adept for 2 casts of subtle spell.
Now let's look at the new character. Obviously there is non-core stuff that won't be available, but that can't be helped. The first obvious problem is that tomelocks can no longer be Charisma based, only intel/wisdom. Because nothing screams wisdom like dedicating your life to a Cthulhu entity. I really wanted to be a master of social manipulation, so I guess I am a chainlock now? Ugh. No offense to chainlock enthusiasts it is just not my cup of tea.
This also means that instead of switching out agonizing blast at 5th level, I get to continue to pay the agonizing blast invocation tax my entire character career. Great. that leaves me three invocations, because despite the trumpeting of "an extra invocation!", that doesn't actually happen until *checks notes* level eleven? Geesh. Well whatever, can't be helped. Though, of course, I have new invocation taxes to pay. 2 of my four invocations need to go to Mystic Arcanum in order to approximate a spellcaster. Not that they are actual spellslots. I am still casting.... 2nd level spells with my slots?! (That feels terrible) By spending a scarce class resource I am getting the privilege of casting hunger of Hadar once and black tentacles once. No possibility of using fly or counterspell in an emergency because, again, these are not spellslots, they are inextricably tied to one spell. With my actual spellslots I guess I am casting flaming sphere? Under the old rules at least my flaming sphere would be doing 4d6 damage, but here, yep, half caster means I am casting it at 2nd level for an additional 2d6 damage. At level 8.
With my last invocation I can choose between mask and visions. I guess I go with mask? I had planned on visions being a fun part of my build but that has to wait until level 9 I suppose, and of course part of this is that changeling species is non core. I still had an additional invocation on the old build that I don't have here.
I just don't see any upside. Being a half caster on a character who wants spells to be the focus of their play is crippling. Perhaps there is design space to make it viable using Mystic Arcanum, but this ain't it by a longshot. Bring back pact magic and decouple it from short rests.
Well here is my two cents as it were. Bladelocks before the Hexblade class didn't really exist. I'm sure someone somewhere took it but all it was was a free weapon. Yes you could and take Lifedrinker at 11 and Thirsting Blade at 5 (I think improved pact weapon came out with Hexblade in Xanathar's) but that was a lot of levels in light armor (medium and shields were Hexblade) with no rogue like survivability and being MAD to keep STR or DEX up for attacks. The current version seems to want them to be half casters, well we need to compare them to other half casters. They don't get shields/heavy armor/heavy weapons/d10 hit die like a paladin. They don't get heavy weapons/d10 hit die/ranged spell boosters like a ranger. Sure you could play a Bowlock with a shortbow or thrown weapons for flavor (which actually might be cool from the RP side of it) but just a mathematically inferior EB at that point. Also Hex takes concentration while Hunter's Mark doesn't in UA.
So basically you're a melee ranger (I don't actually hate melee rangers) without the HP and different lore/diff spells. So you're just less good version of paladin and ranger.
Find me a Paladin with fireball.
And bladelock doesn't compare to Paladin, Hexblade bladelock does. Hexblade has shield proficiency, and the smite spells on its patron spell list. Bladelock is a caster who can fight in melee if it has to. Even then, throw Eldritch Smite on the bladelock and they can dish out a reasonable level of damage until (like Paladin) they run out of slots.
If they actually make Hexblade a thing in 1D&D I am going to start a riot. Hexblade only ever existed because Pact of the Blade sucked. I think the numerous Hexblade features being absorbed into Pact of the Blade is a pretty obvious implication that you're not really supposed to be a Hexblade anymore.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
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Goodness knows what it will look like, but I would be shocked if there was not a subclass dedicated to melee/weapon use down the road.
Honestly, that'd be kinda weird at this point. Between Medium Armor being added to the base kit and Bladelock getting their extra attack automatically now, there's not much to add. Hexblade's martial support was all in the level 1 feature and list, and literally everything but shield proficiency has already been covered. I guess they could try making smiting a part of the subclass, but then you're running into the problem of the subclass just being an off-brand paladin.
So Hexblade doesn't exist in One DnD. So I can only compare the warlock class as a whole. One of the nice things they did with Warlocks is making them so flexible. 3 different paths with the Pacts, 3 different choices of spellcasting ability (2 per pact). That flexibility doesn't make up for the half caster with no other half.
Bladelock is a level one option. As it is, it is at least another "half" albeit it's a crappier paladin or ranger. Yes they have Arcane vice Divine or Primal spells so there is some variation. But they have less damage output, less survivability, and less flavor. It at least allows any warlock subclass to be semi martial class. I wouldn't be opposed to a Hexblade that gave proficiency in shields and heavy weapons. But as is Bladelock just isn't up to paladin or ranger.
As for the other two options. Tomelock is a half caster with the other "half" wizard? And I don't know what Chainlock is supposed to do.
So, I have now played a little with not just the warlock, but the sorcerer now too. And I am going to be brutally honest. They could give Warlock full spell casting instead of half casting without changing the number of invocations you get or what those invocations are.... and the sorcerer and the wizard would probably still be better. Meta Magic is buffed by a lot, Modify spell is really strong. Wizards and Sorcerers are better with the hex spell, they are better with armor of agathys. Warlock is ok, they are just better.
Wizards and Sorcerers can't take Hex unless they also take a level of Warlock.
That's not true. Hex is an arcane spell, available to wizards, sorcerers, and even bards.
It has the (source: Warlock) tag, which means it can't be taken by other classes.
Huh. Well, it's also listed as an Arcane spell on the list of Arcane spells.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
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That is true, but the source tag overwrites other spell acquisition rules.
That's not what that tag means at all.
What the text says is that "some spells are instead from a class." That obviously doesn't apply to Hex, because it's on the Arcane spell list. The tag means that it's associated with a Warlock feature, namely Pact Boon. Further, consider the design note: "Hex. This spell can deal its extra damage only once per turn, and all Warlocks get it as a bonus spell." That sentence doesn't make sense if it's exclusive to warlocks. It's an arcane spell just like any other arcane spell, but warlocks get it for free due to a class feature.
Except that spells are normally tagged with Arcane, Divine, or Primal, instead of merely being put on the list of spells. The sentence you quoted makes perfect sense whether or not it's exclusive to Warlocks. Dollars to donuts, the only reason Hex is on the spell list there is because they forgot to update it.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
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That’s very possible! But as it stands, there’s no text that says that tag means it’s only sourced through a class feature, and it’s on the Arcane spell list. It may be a mistake, but it’s not ambiguous.
I’m surprised this hasn’t been commented on previously. As far as I can see, the main purpose of the Pact Familiar is for scouting. The current wording prevents their use of Invisibility (or any non-Dodge, non-Attack action) in combat.
The version of the familiar (Otherworldly Familiar) in the Druid UA has different wording, which (ambiguously, to me) suggests that more in-combat options are possible:
“Combat. The familiar is an ally to you and your companions. In combat, it shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It obeys your commands (no action required by you), but the familiar can’t attack unless you use your Reaction on its turn to command it do so.
If you don’t issue any commands, the familiar takes the Dodge action and uses its Move to avoid danger.”
The Pact Familiar also lacks the Extradimensional Escape and Deliver Spell features. It is faster (40 ft vs 30 ft). Durability is 5+(Warlock level) vs 2+(2*Spell Level) with AC 10+(Spellcasting Modifier) vs 10+(Spell level) (or 12+(Spell Level) for the Land familiar), so slightly better, unless using a 6th or higher level spell slot. The Pact Familiar also benefits from the Eldritch Bond, so they can add your PB to their ability checks and saving throws.
Favour of the Chain Master does give the Pact Familiar additional utility in combat, though essentially some of those mimic 1st level weapon mastery feats.
To benefit more from the scouting function of the Pact Familiar, I’d like to see some explicit permission to use any special senses, particularly those gained through Eldritch Invocations (such as Eldritch Sight), when remote viewing.
(Also, since I don’t have the PHB in front of me, can anybody confirm whether your telepathic link with your Familiar is currently blocked by being on different planes? I presume that means that you can’t remote view if a Genie Warlock is inside their Bottled Respite and their familiar is outside.)
Finally, can anyone see whether there is a good reason why the different Pact Boons are restricted to different Spellcasting abilities? It seems unnecessarily arbitrary to me.
You are wrong. Read the "Source of a Spell" rule again.
"The source of a spell is noted in parenthesis after the spell's school of magic. The main sources are Arcane, Divine, and Primal.
Some spells are instead from a class, such as Sorcerer or Wizard. You can cast such a spell only if a feature gives you access to it."
You get access to the Hex spell through a Warlock feature, (1st Level: Pact Boon). You can't cast the Hex spell unless a feature gives you access to it. The only feature that gives access to the Hex spell is a Warlock only feature.
Just because Hex is on the Arcane Spell list doesn't mean that just anyone can cast it.