Ghost In The Machine

You have made a pact with an ancient, unknowable intelligence — a sentient algorithm, alien code, or data ghost — lurking in the dark corridors between reality and artificial constructs. This “Ghost in the Machine” whispers truths in binary and logic gates, feeds you secrets gleaned from networked minds, and allows you to manipulate information and code like arcane energy.

Technogeist Surge

At 3rd level, you gain the ability to disrupt or overload technological devices with a surge of arcane static. As an action, you can target a technological device within 30 feet of you. You choose one of the following effects:

• Disable: The device surges with corrupted energy and ceases to function for 1 minute. If the device is being held, worn, or actively used by a creature, that creature must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw against your spell save DC or have the device rendered inoperable. The creature may repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. If the device is unattended, the DM makes the saving throw for the object with a +0 modifier and disadvantage (shielded or protected devices may negate this disadvantage). At level 6 the duration of this ability increases to 1 hour. 

• Overload Pulse: The device emits a burst of unstable energy. All creatures within 10 feet of the device must make a Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC, taking 3d6 lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. The device is destroyed or rendered inoperable after the pulse, at the DM’s discretion. this damage increases to 6d6 at level 6.

• Signal Hijack: The device emits an erratic signal laced with your patron's will, clouding nearby minds. All creatures of your choice within 10 feet of the device must make a wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, a creature is charmed by you until the end of your next turn. While charmed in this way, the creature’s speed is halved, and it has disadvantage on ability checks to detect or harm you. Once a creature has succeeded on this save, it is immune to this effect for 24 hours. The range of this ability increases to 30ft at level 6. 

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all uses when you finish a long rest.

Level 3: Ghost In The Machine Spells

The magic of your patron ensures you always have certain spells ready;  When you reach a Warlock level specified in the Ghost In The Machine Spells table, you thereafter always have the listed spells prepared.

Ghost In The Machine Spells

Warlock Level	Spells
3	comprehend languages, detect magic, augury, mind spike
5	bestow curse, slow
7	arcane eye, phantasmal killer
9	commune, mislead

 

Technosomatic Mastery

6th-level Ghost in the Machine feature

At 6th level, your control over digital and mechanical systems deepens. When you use your Technoclast Surge, you may instead choose one of the following additional options:

• Remote Control: You attempt to seize direct control of a technological device for up to 1 minute. The targeted device must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw against your warlock spell save DC or fall under your command for the duration. If the device is unattended, the DM makes the saving throw on its behalf using a +0 modifier and with disadvantage. Devices that are shielded, encrypted, or magically protected may negate this disadvantage, at the DM’s discretion. While a device is under your control, you can cause it to perform simple actions on each of your turns as a bonus action, such as opening or closing, moving if it is mobile, or activating any mechanisms or functions it possesses. If the device is capable of making an attack (such as a turret, drone, or automated weapon), you can use it to make a single melee or ranged attack on your turn. Use your spellcasting ability modifier for both the attack and damage rolls.

  Once you use this feature on a device, you cannot use it on the same device again until you finish a long rest.

• Data Interrogation: You attempt to access and decode a technological device’s internal data or memory banks. The targeted device must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw against your warlock spell save DC or submit to your inquiry. If the device is unattended, the DM makes the saving throw on its behalf using a +0 modifier and with disadvantage. Devices that are shielded, encrypted, or magically protected may negate this disadvantage, at the DM’s discretion. On a failed save, you successfully establish a temporary link with the device. It answers a number of questions equal to half your Intelligence modifier (rounded up, minimum of one). The responses are truthful and concise, based on information the device could reasonably access or record, such as audio logs, visual feeds, timestamps, user interactions, sensor data, or internal diagnostics. The answers given depend on the complexity of the object, ranging from Yes/No to brief sentences up to the DM's discretion. 

  Once you use this feature on a given device, you can’t use it on the same device again until you finish a long rest.

•  

  Viral Reboot. You upload a corrupted logic loop into the device, which emits a disorienting signal in a 15-foot radius for the next minute. Each creature of your choice in the area must make an Intelligence saving throw at the start of its turn against your warlock spell save DC. On a failed save, a creature must subtract 1d4 from attack rolls and saving throws until the end of its next turn. Constructs and creatures with cybernetic components make this saving throw with disadvantage. 

Firewall Consciousness

• You gain resistance to psychic damage.

• You are immune to divination magic used to read your thoughts, emotions, or location. You are unaffected by effects such as detect thoughts, scrying, or telepathic intrusion unless you choose to allow them.

• You can now target constructs with your Technogeist Surge and Technosomatic Mastery features, even if they are not wielding or composed of separate technological devices. When doing so, treat the construct itself as the "device" for the purpose of the effect, and it makes saving throws as normal.

Technovirus

At 14th level, you learn to rewrite the biological code of humanoids and override machines with a virulent arcane program. As an action, you can make a melee spell attack against a humanoid or technological device. On a hit, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your warlock spell save DC.

• On a failed save (humanoid): The target takes 8d10 psychic damage and becomes infected with your patron’s technovirus for 24 hours. While infected, the creature is psychically linked to you. At any time during this duration, you may use an bonus action to issue the creature a single command, as if casting the command spell. The target makes this saving throw with disadvantage. If it succeeds, it resists the command but still takes 4d10 psychic damage from the viral backlash. You may issue this command telepathically from any distance, so long as the creature is on the same plane of existence, up to a number of miles equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1 mile). While the creature is infected, you can also use an action to switch your senses to see and hear through the target as if under the effects of clairvoyance. You may end this effect or return to your own senses as a bonus action.

• On a failed save (device or construct): The target takes 8d10 psychic damage (or half on a success), and becomes fully controlled by you for the next 24 hours. No further saving throws are required. You may issue mental commands to the device telepathically from any distance within the range above. Controlled devices act on your initiative and follow your mental instructions to the best of their ability. You may use your action to perceive through the device’s sensors or awareness (if any), and return to your own senses as a bonus action.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest, at which point the target is cured of the technovirus. The infection can also be removed with a Lesser Restoration spell.