The Opportunistic Warlock

[Galen]

A player in my game wants to play a Warlock, but with a twist: he wants to be able to change his Pact preferences every day long rest, pledging allegiance to the Archfey today, the Fiend tomorrow, and who knows, maybe the Great Old One the day after that. I actually like the concept RP-wise, it seems close to the Ur-Priest or Binder in 3.5, a sort of "priest without a deity", but I'm a bit wary of balance. Of course being able to gain a new set of powers every day is pretty strong; the player also understands he can't get something for nothing, and is willing to pay the price for such opportunism.

So, what would be a reasonable cost for a Warlock's ability to select his patron anew each day?

[MaxWilson]

A player in my game wants to play a Warlock, but with a twist: he wants to be able to change his Pact preferences every day long rest, pledging allegiance to the Archfey today, the Fiend tomorrow, and who knows, maybe the Great Old One the day after that. I actually like the concept RP-wise, it seems close to the Ur-Priest or Binder in 3.5, a sort of "priest without a deity", but I'm a bit wary of balance. Of course being able to gain a new set of powers every day is pretty strong; the player also understands he can't get something for nothing, and is willing to pay the price for such opportunism.

So, what would be a reasonable cost for a Warlock's ability to select his patron anew each day?

30% XP penalty? He'll be a couple levels behind everyone else.

[Objulen]

I wouldn't go for an xp penalty, but placing a penalty on when they get their patron abilities could work, say two or three levels.

[Yagyujubei]

I think imposing the loss of a memory every time he swapped patrons could have some totally rad implications, but it would be REALLY reliant on how deep the guy wanted to RP into his past.

but say he does the switch by performing a ritual at night, and when he wakes up it's possible he would have lost all his memories regarding a party member, or where he came from, etc.

that wouldn't impose any combat disadvantages (unless you made him specifically forget something that would) while making the group and the player specifically really flax their imaginative muscles.

[archaeo]

This doesn't seem like a very good idea to me, and it's a not-very-good idea that only gets more unbalanced as you go up in level, assuming that the player is good at picking the "optimal" pact every day.

That said, I'd suggest a three-pronged approach:

1) Any time the pact is shifted, the player rolls on the Wild Magic table.

2) Getting out of one pact and into another is difficult work. The player gets only the benefits of a short rest instead of a long rest on the night the pact is shifted.

3) Finally, warn the player that this effectively means making three pacts at the same time and hiding the other pacts from each patron. If the Fey Lord realizes that the Warlock's also got a deal with the Fiends, there will be problems. You can hold this over the player's head and it will make for some excellent plot points.

I would also consider doing a d100 roll, with a 5 or below causing the pact shift to "fizzle." During that day, the Warlock cannot use any pact features, and all spells do half damage.

But I can see how all my ideas are just disincentives; it's sort of hard to "balance" having more than one subclass, even if you have to switch between them.

[Galen]

This doesn't seem like a very good idea to me, and it's a not-very-good idea that only gets more unbalanced as you go up in level, assuming that the player is good at picking the "optimal" pact every day.I don't think I share your concern on this one. There are only three options, it's not like he's a Cleric or Druid being able to prepare each day several out of very very many Cleric or Druid spells available. I think the idea is workable in principle, just have to select the right (minor) drawback.

Nonetheless, excellent advice, thanks!

[DiBastet]

If you want minor but present then roll on wild magic exactly like a sorcerer. rp as patron backlash

[Shadow]

1) If he changes his Pact, his spell slots start out as if here were two (or four) levels lower than he actually is (possibly giving him zero spell slots until his "virtual" level reaches 1). his level was half of what it actually is (rounded down, minimim "virtual level" 1). Once he finishes a short rest, whereupon he would normally regain spell slots, he then regains them normally as per his true level. One encounter must be completed before this short rest can be taken.
Example: If he were 16th level: If he changed his Pact that day, for the first encounter he has 2 4th level spell slots just like an 8th level Warlock would. Upon taking a short rest (after an encounter has been completed) he then gain his normal 3 5th level slots for being 16th level.
This will give a mechanical penalty which will balance the variable and fluid nature of his not choosing a set Pact.
Consider it as "acclimating" to the new Pact during the first encounter.

2) Tell him that if he wants to continue to be able to change Pacts he can never select any invocations (or pact spells) that require a specific Pact.
Because he can't change invocations/spells daily, so if he ever chooses one that requires a certain Pact, then he can never change his Pact after that until and unless he changes that invocation/spell upon leveling up.
This will force him to make Pact neutral choices, which will be suboptimal in the long run, but leaves him with the opportunity to choose a true Pact if he desires (and if that happens and he never changes Pacts again, he becomes a normal Warlock as the first penalty wouldn't come into play any longer).

Not being able to choose any Pact specific spells or invocations is going to be very harsh on him to begin with (but it will be mandatory anyway; what good will Thirsting Blade be if he has Pact of the Tome for the day?), so I think that the caster penaly during the first encounter only was really all that should be needed to counter the versatility that he retains by being able to switch Pacts every morning.

[Tenmujiin]

I would say have it replace his level 3 pact boon (book and chain are really strong) - the fluff being that the pact boon is only given to warlocks that remain loyal (chain in particular gives this vibe).

I would also have him have to perform a task for the new patron every time he wants to change (before gaining some/all of the new powers (the patrons are making him pay to regain access to their pact). This means you can tweak the coat of changing pacts on the fly so that it doesn't become too overpowered.

(As an addon to the task requirements he should probably be told what is required to change to the two pacts he isn't currently using so it becomes a choce of: is changing really worth x?)

As for dealing with pact spells, if he picks a pact-only spell known he has to pick another two pact-only spells known for it to change into depending on pact (basicly he doesn't get to change his spell list willy nilly).

And finally, if it STILL seems too strong limit him to changing once per session/level/year-and-a-day (though making the cost of changing pacts an increasingly difficult/expensive/painful/evil task would have a similar effect.

Oh, and if he wants this to munchkin and not to roleplay then just tell him no.

[Tenmujiin]

what good will Thirsting Blade be if he has Pact of the Tome for the day?)

Chain, tome and blade are pact boons, the pact is your choice of patron.

[D-naras]

I guess you could charge him a feat for it. It doesn't make him more powerful, just more versatile, and really, the patron abilities are not that strong early on. Also, have his spells known reduced by one per spell level and have him automatically pick one patron spell per spell level to make him commit even more in the concept. At level 4, he should have chosen his boon, his 2 invocations, missed a feat and know 3 spells from his list but can choose his patron after a long rest and pick a first and second level patron spell from the patron's list. Doesn't sound too strong to me. I would both allow this and play it at my tables.

[Kerilstrasz]

This warlock has 3 way split personality..
Each time he wakes form sleep (natural or magical) a different personality takes effect ( give 30 % chance for each & 10% chance for you as DM to choose which)
each personality has knowledge only about a certain patron (and what comes with it)

Generally, he knows he has split personality, he doesn't know what the other personalities are like, he wont leave messages for himself cause each personality thinks it is the superior one & see the other 2 as low life forms & his (theirs?) patron forbid each personality to have anything to do with the other cause it will destroy the balance of universe or something like that.

[Logosloki]

I would impose an invocation tax. They lose two invocations (one for each bonus pact) but gain the ability to change pacts on a long rest. This way they have an out if the concept just isn't working as they can level up and "change" an invocation, losing the pact in the process. Make it clear though if they take the out they can't opt back in.

EDIT: Is the player modeling this off the order or the stick comic? If not then you could use something similar as a plot hook. Each time they change the pact add a "favour" that they must do for the patron they are changing out of. Much like a geas though, they are compelled to complete the favour as soon as possible.

[Gwendol]

Doesn't that mean he's braking his other two pacts every day? Let him, then have him face the consequences as the powers find out about him. Could get interesting.

[Galen]

EDIT: Is the player modeling this off the order or the stick comic?It's actually modeled off the Binder class in 3.5

[Z3ro]

I like this idea, and frankly don't think it'd be too unbalanced, no more so than a moderate magic item (and potentially less, if he picks the wrong patron for the day). The only penalty I'd impose is that he can't take advantage of the expanded spell selection; sure he gets the features, but his spell list has to stay the same. That stops him from switching up his spell list daily, and serves as a penalty at the same time.

[squashmaster]

I'm thinking from an RP perspective this could be a nightmare. Not for the DM, but for the PC. It'd be too fun for the DM.

The PC's patron will get pissed off. Neither fiend nor great old one would take kindly to someone so loose with their allegiance. Nor evil fey. Good fey probably wouldn't be too into it, either. I mean, as a warlock, you've essentially sold at least part of your soul and/or body to your patron. Any evil patron is gonna be an ******* about this.

Even if the patron wouldn't be so concerned, I don't see the warlock being able to keep up easily with all the potential debts owed to the patrons. It may become overwhelming.

The cost should be very steep. Probably too steep unless the warlock is a total masochist. Cenobite patron?