The Symbiote

While many patrons do not directly interact with there warlocks they make pacts with, your patron is an organism unlike any other; vastly intelligent, but unable to survive without a host body.

In forming a pact with your patron, a symbiotic partnership was struck; the entity bonds itself to you to continue its existence, and grants you access to its powers to protect you both.

Work with your DM to discuss what your Symbiote is, where it comes from, and what is its driving purpose. Are you aware of the inner workings of its mind, or is it impossible to read? Are you in alignment with your patron, or might you need to fight the will of your patron while you are bonded. You can come up with one on your own, or you can pick from or roll on the following table to discover the purpose of your symbiote.

Symbiote Purpose

 

d6	Purpose
1	Warden - Your symbiote is a jailer looking for a prison escapee(s). (Lawful)
2	Traveler - Your Symbiote is an explorer, arriving to learn of indigonous inhabitants and customs (Any)
3	Harbinger - Your symbiote is the herald of an even greater invasion (Evil)
4	Survivor - Your Symbiote believes itself to be the last of its kind (Neutral)
5	Radier - Your symbiote is a member of a species of marauders, arriving to plunder and steal (Chaotic)
6	Teacher - Your Symbiote is an ambassador of a benevolent race that is here to teach your plane of all it has learned (Good)

 

The Symbiote can take on a number of forms while bonded to you. It could be Physically attached, like an entity grafted to your spine, or a tattoo on your skin that spreads when activated. It could be invisible to the naked eye, such as a virus-like entity hiding inside your bloodstream. If you have lost a body part, the symbiote could shift its form and adapt it for your body's needs, like a gauntlet, a boot, or an eye. Work with your DM as to how your Symbiote is bonded to your person and what form it might take.

Symbiote Features

 

Warlock Level	Feature
1st	Symbiosis, Expanded Spell List, Bonus Cantrips, Symbiotic Armor
6th	Hyperadrenal Response
10th	Preferred Host
14th	Enhanced Biomass Manipulation

This Subclass was originally made by Reddit user robdelfranco

Symbiosis

Starting at 1st level, you and your patron have formed a symbiotic bond, and this entity is now bonded to you in some way. Once the bond is undertaken, it cannot be undone; there is no known way of removing the symbiote.

Due to its biology, your symbiote requires a certain chemical or compounds that can manifest in certain quirks in your behavior or cravings. At your option, you can pick from or roll on the following table, or create one yourself, to be your symbiote's dependency.

Symbiote Dependency

d6	Dependency
1	Vitamin C. You have a craving for citrus.
2	Sucrose/Phenethylamine. You have a craving for sugar/chocolate.
3	Adrenaline. The rush of adrenaline stimulates your symbiote.
4	Protein. You have a craving for meat.
5	Caffeine. Tea, seeds, coffee, or other forms of caffeine stimulates your symbiote.
6	Sodium. You have a craving for salt.

 

Your symbiote also acts as your spellcasting focus while bonded to you. Additionally, if you later gain the Pact of the Blade  feature, the weapon you form is created as part of the Symbiotic Armor feature, and cannot be disarmed. 

Expanded Spell List

The symbiote lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you 

Symbiote Expanded Spell List

 

Spell Level	Spells
1st	Absorb Elements, Shield
2nd	See Invisibility, Alter Self
3rd	Nondetection, Haste
4th	Freedom of Movement, Greater Invisibility
5th	Contagion, Skill Empowerment

 

Bonus Cantrips

At 1st level, you learn the Primal Savagery and Thorn Whip cantrips. They count as Warlock cantrips for you, but they don't count towards the number of cantrips you know.

Symbiotic Armor

Starting at 1st level, the symbiote can transform its hosts body to better protect it from perceived threats.
As a bonus action, you can activate your Symbiotic Armor, witch lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are incapacitated, or if you dismiss it (requires no action). While the Symbiotic Armor is active, you have the following benefits:

• While you are not wearing any armor or using a shield, your Armor Class equals 13 + your Charisma modifier.
• You gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision from your race, its range is increases by 30 feet
• You gain resistance to Piercing, Slashing, and Bludgeoning damage

Unfortunately your Symbiotic Armor has a weakness to fire and loud sounds. While this feature is active, and you receive Fire or Thunder damage, you must make a concentration check to maintain this form. The DC for this check is 10 or half the damage you received, witch ever is higher. 

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). You regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.

Hyperadrenal Response

Starting at 6th level, your symbiote has tapped into your fight-or-flight reflexes, elevating the effects and increasing your strength, speed, and reflexes. While in your Symbiotic Armor:

• Your speed increases by 10 feet.
• Your jump distance is tripled.
• You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws.

Additionally, when you cast Primal Savagery or Thorn Whip, you can add your Charisma modifier to the damage rolls.

Preferred Host

Starting at 10th level the symbiote within your body views you as a prefect host, deciding to assist you more in order to keep you alive. You gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed, as the symbiote extending out with its pseudopods onto surfaces. You gain the ability to move up, down and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while keeping your hands and feet free.

Falling unconscious due to damage does not cause you to fall from surfaces you are  on, as well as after make a death saving throw you can move up to half your speed, as the symbiote moves you to safety. 

Enhanced Biomass Manipulation

Starting at 14th level, your symbiote has bonded to you at a cellular level, enhancing various aspects of your molecular structure to empower and protect its host further. WHile Symbiotic Armor feature is active, You may enact the following benefits:

• Amplify Mass. You can use an action to grow in size as per the Enlarge spell for one minute, and gain the corresponding traits the spell provides. Additionally, the extra 1d4 damage also applies to your casting of Primal Savagery and Thorn Whip. Theses effects do not require concentration.
• Amplify Regeneration. As an action, you can cast the Regenerate spell, ignoring the casting time, with a range of self only. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.