Personally I'd like to see the Warlock class lean into the "curse" theme a bit more. Perhaps a short list of "curses" along the lines of"
Hex - as current
Vex - You place a curse on a creature that you can see within range. Until the spell ends, the target has disadvantage on attack rolls against you, as well as spell concentration checks.
Warlocks should gain access to the Bestow Curse spell, etc.
Sever Link or "Out of Touch" - Until the spell ends the target is unable to provide commands or issue "orders" for pets or familiars
"Turn on your Master" - Makes a summoned creature conduct a spell DC save - on a fail the summoned creatures immediately turn aggressive on the original summoner for a number of rounds equal to difference in the failed spell DC check.
That should be a subclass. This should have been what the "Hexblade" was. As Warlocks get their powers from lots of different potential sources, it wouldn't make sense for a Genie-lock or Celestial Warlock to be curse based for example.
Both your counter examples would be very appropriate for curses. Genies curse and screw with people all the time as do celestials though in theory with celestials they are selective with their targets. Genies though are up their with fiends in the most appropriate link to curses. The core class itself hexes/curses seem pretty thematically appropriate. Not saying it needs to be baked in but the invocations at least should have a lot more solid hex options. And yeah bestow curse should be on their spell list.
There seems to be a push to make all classes extremely generic so it can be shaped to any need. A basic template of abilities vs a class. I don't think that is bad design, heck hero games is my favorite game system and there are no classes you buy each stat and ability however you want. But I don't think that is D&D.
Honestly, any 1st or 2nd level spell that is worth spending a 5th level slot on (even if it feels bad) is probably OP. I'd really like to see misty step, and shield nerfed for that reason. Warlock focusing on up-castable spells is one of the things that gives them a unique play style.
Misty Step with upcasting could be interesting: at 2nd level it lets you teleport 10 ft, and upcasting it increases the distance you can teleport by 10 ft for each level above 2nd.
Likewise, Shield should probably be: give you a +2 AC bonus, increasing by 1 for each level it is upcast.
Agreed.
Though a bit off topic this made me think of spells that are kind of op mainly animate dead. I played with a player who leaned into it with their necromancer it got unwieldy fast and was upcast like crazy by them. Warlocks don't have it on their spell list and likely wont in one but it gets out of control for all full casters who do have access to it and lean into it. On the surface it kind of does what you are suggesting a base spell balanced for its level that you can now upcast for better results. Spells that are built to last more than a single fight need some kind of hard limits, they wanted the army of undead fantasy to exist so much they forgot about concentration on a spell that kind of needs it. like maybe they should scale dance macabre to 3rd level and ditch animate dead. Leave permanent or semi permanent undead up to the realm of exclusive rituals that cost a lot in resources. I put animate dead sort of in the simulacrum box it sort of works as people have like a gentleman's agreement not to abuse it.
I would agree that using a 4th or 5th level slot for misty step feels bad, but you can swap it out for Thunder Step, then Dimension Door and use the appropriate slots.
Two issues with this.
First off, Misty Step =/= Thunder Step =/= Dimension Door =/= Far Step.
Thunder Step is an Action, has a radial damage effect and makes A LOT of noise.
Dimension Door is an Action.
Far Step requires concentration. (This is by far the closest admittedly)
Secondly, Warlocks can only replace 1 known spell per level up. This means that even IF all spells had viable upgrades, you have to wait several levels AT BEST to upgrade them.
The real solution is either to give all Warlock spells upcasting, or to give warlock additional bonuses if they cast a spell that doesn't upcasted.
Even if misty step upgraded by spell level it would likely still feel off as its primary purpose is not teleportation but a bonus action withdraw/dash. That being said I think most spells without upcast options should get some. But sure a larger dash would be nice but 30 feet will likely cover all you need as you can then move. Though I think misty step needs to die in a fire. Wizards are supposed to have a weakness if you close in on them all these spells that bypass their limits are bad design. You want to get some distance without an AoO, use an action like everyone else. None of which will happen, for which I would suggest the better solution would be better invocations to cover things like this.
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Both your counter examples would be very appropriate for curses. Genies curse and screw with people all the time as do celestials though in theory with celestials they are selective with their targets. Genies though are up their with fiends in the most appropriate link to curses. The core class itself hexes/curses seem pretty thematically appropriate. Not saying it needs to be baked in but the invocations at least should have a lot more solid hex options. And yeah bestow curse should be on their spell list.
There seems to be a push to make all classes extremely generic so it can be shaped to any need. A basic template of abilities vs a class. I don't think that is bad design, heck hero games is my favorite game system and there are no classes you buy each stat and ability however you want. But I don't think that is D&D.
Agreed.
Though a bit off topic this made me think of spells that are kind of op mainly animate dead. I played with a player who leaned into it with their necromancer it got unwieldy fast and was upcast like crazy by them. Warlocks don't have it on their spell list and likely wont in one but it gets out of control for all full casters who do have access to it and lean into it. On the surface it kind of does what you are suggesting a base spell balanced for its level that you can now upcast for better results. Spells that are built to last more than a single fight need some kind of hard limits, they wanted the army of undead fantasy to exist so much they forgot about concentration on a spell that kind of needs it. like maybe they should scale dance macabre to 3rd level and ditch animate dead. Leave permanent or semi permanent undead up to the realm of exclusive rituals that cost a lot in resources. I put animate dead sort of in the simulacrum box it sort of works as people have like a gentleman's agreement not to abuse it.
Even if misty step upgraded by spell level it would likely still feel off as its primary purpose is not teleportation but a bonus action withdraw/dash. That being said I think most spells without upcast options should get some. But sure a larger dash would be nice but 30 feet will likely cover all you need as you can then move. Though I think misty step needs to die in a fire. Wizards are supposed to have a weakness if you close in on them all these spells that bypass their limits are bad design. You want to get some distance without an AoO, use an action like everyone else. None of which will happen, for which I would suggest the better solution would be better invocations to cover things like this.