So, I have been wanting a new pact boon for warlocks and here it is (roughly): creature with 10 or lower hp, succeed on Charisma saving throw or die. You get hp equal to half the hp that the dead thing had plus your cha modifier. Or the charisma saving throw, die if fail, you deal extra necrotic damage equal to warlock level, and cha modifier on next attack.
Just rough ideas, please give suggestions.
(Basically you steal the soul of something using a lantern)
Is this an action or does it happen automatically?
If it's an action, do you just have to guess if the creature is that low on hp?
What's the range?
What about creatures that have fewer than 10 max hp?
When you say half the hp the dead thing had, do you mean max hp or go before the ability finished it off?
Is this hp recovery sufficiently different from the fiend pact level 1 ability?
I will say that I like the idea thematically, but I think the implementation needs some work. Care needs to be taken to not be too similar to other "soul stealing" abilities. The ones that I can remember are the hexblade warlock and whispers bard abilities, but I'm pretty sure there's at least one I'm forgetting.
The second ability suggestion doesn't really work as is. If something is below 10 hp, the odds that your next attack wouldn't kill the creature, even without the extra damage, are pretty low. If the save was after the attack instead of before, it might work better.
To answer your questions: it would be an action, and it would be a guess, though wouldn't work if a creature currently has more than 10hp. The hp would not be half max, half before the attack. The range would probably be 60ft, which might increase at certain levels. The different options might not necessarily both be one, it could just be one (e.g the extra damage) and the other one is not available. The extra damage would be on your next attack, not against the creature you just attacked (cause it would be dead) . I'm glad you like it, and I think it is different to other abilities as the ability doesn't let you assume identities or get minion type things. I think that at higher levels, the extra necrotic damage/healing would be higher, or that you can target creatures with higher hp.
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'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
As an action, the ability is good for tier 1, okay for tier 2, an worthless for tier 3 and 4. It probably needs to scale with warlock level. Creature dies after failing a save if hp <= 2x warlock level, regain 1x warlock level in hp up to max (or something like that).
You could even add an element of risk like: if the creature has more than the threshold hp, you take necrotic damage equal to your warlock level.
You should also consider that the other pacts have at least one exclusive invocation and your pact should too.
For scaling, I would say your suggestion works, and then from tenth level it would be 3 times warlock level. Extra necrotic damage and and healing would be warlock level plus cha modifier. Do you think it would be better to have the extra necrotic damage, the healing or a choice? I'm not sure, and would keep it as a choice. The lantern could also be an arcane focus for the warlock. Here are some ideas for invocations:
Heavenly light (Celestial patron, pact of the lantern): If you choose to deal extra damage with your next attack, the damage is instead radiant. If you choose to heal yourself, you gain an extra amount of hp equal to your wisdom modifier.
Nature's wrath (Pact of the lantern, level 7): When you kill a creature with the lantern, as a bonus action you can target a creature within 15 ft. It must succeed on a charisma saving throw or be restrained as dark vines ensnare it. The creature has disadvantage on this save if they were within 5ft of the dead creature when it died. A creature can free itself with a successful strength or dexterity saving throw on each of its turns.
Night light (Pact of the lantern): As a bonus action on your turn, you can send your lantern into the air to glow a colour related to your patron (up to you and DM). You can then tell it to look for a certain type of monster e.g dragon or undead. The lantern then floats for up to a mile in the direction of the creatures. You can use this once per long rest at 3rd level, and twice at 10th.
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'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
At 3x warlock level, at high level this at-will ability starts getting very close to power word kill in function and power. I think the sweet spot you're looking for is a threshold hp in the ballpark of eldritch blast but not so high that it is rivaling damage done by higher level spells.
Honestly, it would probably be better if the lantern collected souls of creatures you kill rather than helping you kill creatures. The souls could be used to fuel other non-damaging abilities. That would make it more comparable to the other pacts without having to worry about these balance issues.
I guess now you say it, three times warlock level is very high... Better to keep it at two times. Thank you for your help with this, it has helped me to develop the idea a lot more. Thanks.
Edit: What do you think of the invocations? I wasn't sure if nature's wrath should be 6th or 7th level. Do any seem over or under powered?
So, I have been wanting a new pact boon for warlocks and here it is (roughly): creature with 10 or lower hp, succeed on Charisma saving throw or die. You get hp equal to half the hp that the dead thing had plus your cha modifier. Or the charisma saving throw, die if fail, you deal extra necrotic damage equal to warlock level, and cha modifier on next attack.
Just rough ideas, please give suggestions.
(Basically you steal the soul of something using a lantern)
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!
A few questions for the first ability idea:
I will say that I like the idea thematically, but I think the implementation needs some work. Care needs to be taken to not be too similar to other "soul stealing" abilities. The ones that I can remember are the hexblade warlock and whispers bard abilities, but I'm pretty sure there's at least one I'm forgetting.
The second ability suggestion doesn't really work as is. If something is below 10 hp, the odds that your next attack wouldn't kill the creature, even without the extra damage, are pretty low. If the save was after the attack instead of before, it might work better.
To answer your questions: it would be an action, and it would be a guess, though wouldn't work if a creature currently has more than 10hp. The hp would not be half max, half before the attack. The range would probably be 60ft, which might increase at certain levels. The different options might not necessarily both be one, it could just be one (e.g the extra damage) and the other one is not available. The extra damage would be on your next attack, not against the creature you just attacked (cause it would be dead) . I'm glad you like it, and I think it is different to other abilities as the ability doesn't let you assume identities or get minion type things. I think that at higher levels, the extra necrotic damage/healing would be higher, or that you can target creatures with higher hp.
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!
As an action, the ability is good for tier 1, okay for tier 2, an worthless for tier 3 and 4. It probably needs to scale with warlock level. Creature dies after failing a save if hp <= 2x warlock level, regain 1x warlock level in hp up to max (or something like that).
You could even add an element of risk like: if the creature has more than the threshold hp, you take necrotic damage equal to your warlock level.
You should also consider that the other pacts have at least one exclusive invocation and your pact should too.
For scaling, I would say your suggestion works, and then from tenth level it would be 3 times warlock level. Extra necrotic damage and and healing would be warlock level plus cha modifier. Do you think it would be better to have the extra necrotic damage, the healing or a choice? I'm not sure, and would keep it as a choice. The lantern could also be an arcane focus for the warlock. Here are some ideas for invocations:
Heavenly light (Celestial patron, pact of the lantern): If you choose to deal extra damage with your next attack, the damage is instead radiant. If you choose to heal yourself, you gain an extra amount of hp equal to your wisdom modifier.
Nature's wrath (Pact of the lantern, level 7): When you kill a creature with the lantern, as a bonus action you can target a creature within 15 ft. It must succeed on a charisma saving throw or be restrained as dark vines ensnare it. The creature has disadvantage on this save if they were within 5ft of the dead creature when it died. A creature can free itself with a successful strength or dexterity saving throw on each of its turns.
Night light (Pact of the lantern): As a bonus action on your turn, you can send your lantern into the air to glow a colour related to your patron (up to you and DM). You can then tell it to look for a certain type of monster e.g dragon or undead. The lantern then floats for up to a mile in the direction of the creatures. You can use this once per long rest at 3rd level, and twice at 10th.
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!
I just realised that a hexblade with this pact boon would be a demon Hunter from Dauntless. Except the lantern would be a candle.
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!
At 3x warlock level, at high level this at-will ability starts getting very close to power word kill in function and power. I think the sweet spot you're looking for is a threshold hp in the ballpark of eldritch blast but not so high that it is rivaling damage done by higher level spells.
Honestly, it would probably be better if the lantern collected souls of creatures you kill rather than helping you kill creatures. The souls could be used to fuel other non-damaging abilities. That would make it more comparable to the other pacts without having to worry about these balance issues.
I guess now you say it, three times warlock level is very high... Better to keep it at two times. Thank you for your help with this, it has helped me to develop the idea a lot more. Thanks.
Edit: What do you think of the invocations? I wasn't sure if nature's wrath should be 6th or 7th level. Do any seem over or under powered?
'The Cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me!' - Ivern Bramblefoot.
I'll worldbuild for your DnD games!
Just a D&D enjoyer, check out my fiverr page if you need any worldbuilding done for ya!