I wanted to share a character I've been playing over the past year, and also beat the drums again on how cool the Raven Queen (UA) patron is. The Raven Queen patron was part of an old UA article that can be found here, and it was unfortunately never published: Raven Queen UA Article
I've had the pleasure of playing this character in a Curse of Strahd campaign over the past 2 years. We're close to finishing but the pandemic has put things on hold. My DM gave me the wonderful option of playing as Ireena (but with amnesia), rather than make her an npc. In our game the name I chose for her was Katarina. Additionally in our campaign my DM decided that Mother Night was actually the Raven Queen, and it fits wonderfully with the setting. Katarina is currently level 9 and I've tried to make an accurate D&D Beyond character sheet with available homebrew options: Katarina Kolyana
Build Notes: * Stat Block - 8 Str, 14 Dex, 14 Con, 10 Int, 12 Wis, 20 Cha * Race Variant Human so I could pick up the Alert feat right away. Good synergy with with the Sentinel Raven abilities. * Highly Vigilant - High initiative of +7, Perception skill check of +10, Passive Perception of 20, 2 scouting Ravens, 30ft darkvision with the Sentinel Raven. I roleplayed Katarina as a constantly alert but confident character. She knows she's being hunted. * Pact of Tome - picking up Spare the Dying, Shocking Grasp, and Chill Touch (Probably should have grabbed Guidance)
* Eldritch Invocations: * Agonizing Blast - Eldritch blast is your main attack. Must have for most Eldritch Blast warlocks. * Book of Ancient Secrets - Must have for book pact imo. I used this to pick up Find Familiar and Detect Magic rituals. Allows me to have 2 Ravens dishing out help actions for the team. Over the course of the campaign I've picked up a number of other rituals which have been super handy: Comprehend Languages, Ceremony, Identify, Silence, Gentle Repose, Divination, etc * Chronicle of the Raven Queen (UA) - Very flavorful version of speak with the dead * Aspect of the Moon - Perfect for such a high perception bookworm character. Keep watch all night long, research, other downtime activities, or scribe scrolls. * Gift of the Protectors (UA) - Put the team's names in my book and they drop to 1 hp instead of 0 hp. Keeps the front liners in between me and the bad guys! * Next up is likely Tomb of Levistus - Allows you to utilize your reaction. Good emergency ability for a squishy character.
* Soul of the Raven - Special call out, this lvl 6 ability is amazing. The wording is awkward, and a lot of folks get confused and think you're invulnerable (you're not). My group ruled that I have the hp of the Raven and if I get hit I revert to human form (similar to a druid). Even without the invulnerability, this ability is insanely good. Great for exploration, scouting, fitting through tiny spaces, hiding in plain sight, at-will flight, escaping in combat, repositioning in combat. It's a bonus action to merge, so remember you can attack, merge, use the birds movement speed, and reposition safely, preferably up on a ledge were enemies can't reach you.
* Notable Spell Choices: * Hex - Has proved useful throughout the campaign. Great for single target dps. * Hypnotic Pattern - Can be a game changer due to your high initiative if you can get it off at the start of combat. * Thunder Step - Versatile AoE with a teleport, and the ability to save a friend! * Life Transference (UA) - Added to warlock list in recent UA. Super flavorful way for the Warlock to heal in a pinch. * Banishment - Another game changer. Note the Cha save required. * Sickening Radiance - Massive AoE, fit the campaign setting well. Interesting exhaustion mechanic as well. * Shadow of Moil - Warlock version of improved invisibility. Important thing is it gives you advantage on all attacks because you are heavily obscured. Potentially makes your teammates heavily obscured too if they stay near you and have dark vision to see out. * Consider the Dream spell - My DM ruled that it would not work on Strahd, so I went with Wall of Light instead, but Dream is super cool and has a lot of uses, especially for someone who's going to be awake all night with Aspect of the Moon.
Anyway thanks for reading! This character has been an absolute pleasure to play, so I wanted to share it with you fine folks. Can't recommend the Raven Queen patron enough for those that are interested, and I hope it gets revisited and made official someday by WotC.
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I wanted to share a character I've been playing over the past year, and also beat the drums again on how cool the Raven Queen (UA) patron is. The Raven Queen patron was part of an old UA article that can be found here, and it was unfortunately never published:
Raven Queen UA Article
I've had the pleasure of playing this character in a Curse of Strahd campaign over the past 2 years. We're close to finishing but the pandemic has put things on hold. My DM gave me the wonderful option of playing as Ireena (but with amnesia), rather than make her an npc. In our game the name I chose for her was Katarina. Additionally in our campaign my DM decided that Mother Night was actually the Raven Queen, and it fits wonderfully with the setting. Katarina is currently level 9 and I've tried to make an accurate D&D Beyond character sheet with available homebrew options:
Katarina Kolyana
Build Notes:
* Stat Block - 8 Str, 14 Dex, 14 Con, 10 Int, 12 Wis, 20 Cha
* Race Variant Human so I could pick up the Alert feat right away. Good synergy with with the Sentinel Raven abilities.
* Highly Vigilant - High initiative of +7, Perception skill check of +10, Passive Perception of 20, 2 scouting Ravens, 30ft darkvision with the Sentinel Raven. I roleplayed Katarina as a constantly alert but confident character. She knows she's being hunted.
* Pact of Tome - picking up Spare the Dying, Shocking Grasp, and Chill Touch (Probably should have grabbed Guidance)
* Eldritch Invocations:
* Agonizing Blast - Eldritch blast is your main attack. Must have for most Eldritch Blast warlocks.
* Book of Ancient Secrets - Must have for book pact imo. I used this to pick up Find Familiar and Detect Magic rituals. Allows me to have 2 Ravens dishing out help actions for the team. Over the course of the campaign I've picked up a number of other rituals which have been super handy: Comprehend Languages, Ceremony, Identify, Silence, Gentle Repose, Divination, etc
* Chronicle of the Raven Queen (UA) - Very flavorful version of speak with the dead
* Aspect of the Moon - Perfect for such a high perception bookworm character. Keep watch all night long, research, other downtime activities, or scribe scrolls.
* Gift of the Protectors (UA) - Put the team's names in my book and they drop to 1 hp instead of 0 hp. Keeps the front liners in between me and the bad guys!
* Next up is likely Tomb of Levistus - Allows you to utilize your reaction. Good emergency ability for a squishy character.
* Soul of the Raven - Special call out, this lvl 6 ability is amazing. The wording is awkward, and a lot of folks get confused and think you're invulnerable (you're not). My group ruled that I have the hp of the Raven and if I get hit I revert to human form (similar to a druid). Even without the invulnerability, this ability is insanely good. Great for exploration, scouting, fitting through tiny spaces, hiding in plain sight, at-will flight, escaping in combat, repositioning in combat. It's a bonus action to merge, so remember you can attack, merge, use the birds movement speed, and reposition safely, preferably up on a ledge were enemies can't reach you.
* Notable Spell Choices:
* Hex - Has proved useful throughout the campaign. Great for single target dps.
* Hypnotic Pattern - Can be a game changer due to your high initiative if you can get it off at the start of combat.
* Thunder Step - Versatile AoE with a teleport, and the ability to save a friend!
* Life Transference (UA) - Added to warlock list in recent UA. Super flavorful way for the Warlock to heal in a pinch.
* Banishment - Another game changer. Note the Cha save required.
* Sickening Radiance - Massive AoE, fit the campaign setting well. Interesting exhaustion mechanic as well.
* Shadow of Moil - Warlock version of improved invisibility. Important thing is it gives you advantage on all attacks because you are heavily obscured. Potentially makes your teammates heavily obscured too if they stay near you and have dark vision to see out.
* Consider the Dream spell - My DM ruled that it would not work on Strahd, so I went with Wall of Light instead, but Dream is super cool and has a lot of uses, especially for someone who's going to be awake all night with Aspect of the Moon.
Anyway thanks for reading! This character has been an absolute pleasure to play, so I wanted to share it with you fine folks. Can't recommend the Raven Queen patron enough for those that are interested, and I hope it gets revisited and made official someday by WotC.