Zeros
2016-11-02, 12:08 PM
Ever since 3.5 I've fallen in love with the Warlock. The general mechanics (although not always the implementation), the background and flavor, the general idea of a caster who gets to keep casting. When I first saw the 5e warlock I was disheartened that it was so limited per encounter (besides EB of course) but I quickly got over that, its different, but its still has its fun.
Anyhow, So now I've begun to Homebrew some invocations. These invocations range from 3.5 ports (Hellrime, Brimstone, Vitriolic blast) to defensive buffs, to modified spells.
Honestly, I'm relatively new to 5e, so there's bound to be balance issues, so I'm opening it up to critique. Also, if you think of better names for any invocation/spell let me know as some of the names are bland or specifically flavored to demonic patrons.
Modified spells: This first set of thing invocations are modified spells. They are generally better than the original spell, but do lose some of the potency or effect.
Hungering Frost
Prerequisite: Able to Cast Armor of Agathys. ? Level?
When you would cast Armor of Agathys you may instead cast Hungering Frost
1st-level abjuration
Casting time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a cup of water)
Duration: 1 hour
A protective magical force surrounds you, manifesting as a spectral frost that covers you and your gear. You gain 5 temporary hit points for the duration. If a creature hits you with a melee attack while you have these hit points, the creature takes damage equal to your temporary hit points at the time of the attack
For the duration, temporary hit points stack. These temporary hit points may never exceed the maximum you gain from this spell. The temporary hit points from Armor of Agathys are lost first, after which the cold damage dealt to melee attackers is equal to the temporary hit points at the time of being hit.
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the temporary hit points increase by 5 for each slot level above 1st.
Fel Flight
Prerequisites: Able to Cast fly, 14th level
When you would cast Fly, you may instead cast Fel Flight
3rd-level Transmutation
Cast: 1 action
Range; Self
Components: V, S, M (A wing feather from any bird)
Duration: 1 hour
You gain a flying speed of 30, when the spell ends you fall if you are still aloft, unless you can stop the fall.
Eldritch Blast Essence Ports: So I've got two general classes of these. The first are strict damage changes and the second are damage changes with a bonus effect.
Brimstone Blast
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be fire damage. This damage ignores resistance but not immunity.
vs
Brimstone Blast
Prerequisite: 3rd Level
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be fire damage. An enemy struck by this Eldritch Blast must make a Dexterity save against your Spell Save DC. On a failure they take 2d4 damage next turn.
Hellrime Blast
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be cold damage. This damage ignores resistance but not immunity.
vs
Hellrime Blast
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be cold damage. An enemy struck by this Eldritch Blast must make a Constitution save against your Spell Save DC. On a failure they have disadvantage on attacks and dexterity until the beginning of your next turn.
Vitriolic Blast
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be acid damage. This damage ignores resistance but not immunity.
vs
Vitriolic Blast
Prerequisites: 5th Level
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be acid damage. An enemy struck by this Eldritch Blast must make a Dexterity save against your Spell Save DC. On a failure they take 1d6 acid damage at the beginning of their next two turns.
Psychic Pulse
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be psychic damage. This damage ignores resistance, but not immunity.
vs
Psychic Pulse
Prerequisites: 5th level
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be psychic damage. An enemy struck by this Eldritch Blast must make a Wisdom save against your Spell Save DC. On a failure they cannot take their Bonus Action next turn.
Utterdark Blast
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be Necrotic damage. This damage ignores resistance, but not immunity.
vs
Utterdark blast
Prerequisite: 9th level
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose to reduce the damage dice to 1d8 and the damage changes to necrotic. An enemy struck by this Eldritch Blast must make a Constitution save against your Spell Save DC. On a failure their maximum health point total is reduced by an amount equal to the damage. (Patron's Champion at Arms also opens up fighting styles in general to avoid some of the necessity some people feel to 'dip')
Two-Weapon Fighting Pacts: I've seen a lot of different options for this, but generally they seem to miss out on the fact that Warlocks already use their bonus actions and need at least one free hand to cast spells. This makes a two-weapon fighting warlock a little unwieldy. The first invocation should not be used in conjunction with the second two invocations. I just want to hear people's arguments about balance on either side.
Duo Blade Pact
Prerequisite: Blade Pact
You may now create two weapons instead of one when you use your blade pact to create a weapon. While wielding these weapons you are treated as having the two-weapon fighting style.
vs
Pact of the Twins
Prerequisite:Blade Pact
You may create two melee weapons as your pact blade and may bind two melee weapons as your pact weapon which are created together as the same action. When wielding these you may make an attack with each weapon as your action. You may only make use of this invocation once per round and you may not use your bonus action for two-weapon fighting during any round in which you make use of this invocation. When wielding these pact weapons you may still cast spells as if you had a free hand.
Patron’s Champion at Arms
Prerequisite: Blade Pact
You may choose from the following fighting styles: Two-weapon fighting, Great Weapon Fighting, or Dueling. You gain that fighting style when using your pact weapon. When you use your action to create your pact weapon you may make one attack with it as a bonus action.
General Invocations: Y'know, general invocations.
Leaps and Bounds
You are proficient in Athletics and Acrobatics
Swimming the Styx
You gain a swim speed equal to your movement speed and can breathe underwater.
Umbral Shield
Once per short rest you may use your reaction to add your charisma to your AC
I'll continue to add to this as I think of others, and depending on how my understanding of 5e increases based on this thread I may try and reach into other classes to try and do some homebrew.
Also, this isn't really a 'balancing the warlock' thread. I consider the warlock to be a fairly balanced class. Its got its strengths, its got its weaknesses. This is mostly to expand options for both mechanical and flavor purposes.
Thanks for your time!
Armor of Agathys Invocation was inspired by, and modified from: Sicarius Victus in a Thread that I can't link you to until I have more posts unfortunately. Will fix that when my post count improves.
General Inspiration for Two-Weapon Fighting from many sources, of whom I wish I would've faved their homebrew.
Anyhow, So now I've begun to Homebrew some invocations. These invocations range from 3.5 ports (Hellrime, Brimstone, Vitriolic blast) to defensive buffs, to modified spells.
Honestly, I'm relatively new to 5e, so there's bound to be balance issues, so I'm opening it up to critique. Also, if you think of better names for any invocation/spell let me know as some of the names are bland or specifically flavored to demonic patrons.
Modified spells: This first set of thing invocations are modified spells. They are generally better than the original spell, but do lose some of the potency or effect.
Hungering Frost
Prerequisite: Able to Cast Armor of Agathys. ? Level?
When you would cast Armor of Agathys you may instead cast Hungering Frost
1st-level abjuration
Casting time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a cup of water)
Duration: 1 hour
A protective magical force surrounds you, manifesting as a spectral frost that covers you and your gear. You gain 5 temporary hit points for the duration. If a creature hits you with a melee attack while you have these hit points, the creature takes damage equal to your temporary hit points at the time of the attack
For the duration, temporary hit points stack. These temporary hit points may never exceed the maximum you gain from this spell. The temporary hit points from Armor of Agathys are lost first, after which the cold damage dealt to melee attackers is equal to the temporary hit points at the time of being hit.
At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the temporary hit points increase by 5 for each slot level above 1st.
Fel Flight
Prerequisites: Able to Cast fly, 14th level
When you would cast Fly, you may instead cast Fel Flight
3rd-level Transmutation
Cast: 1 action
Range; Self
Components: V, S, M (A wing feather from any bird)
Duration: 1 hour
You gain a flying speed of 30, when the spell ends you fall if you are still aloft, unless you can stop the fall.
Eldritch Blast Essence Ports: So I've got two general classes of these. The first are strict damage changes and the second are damage changes with a bonus effect.
Brimstone Blast
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be fire damage. This damage ignores resistance but not immunity.
vs
Brimstone Blast
Prerequisite: 3rd Level
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be fire damage. An enemy struck by this Eldritch Blast must make a Dexterity save against your Spell Save DC. On a failure they take 2d4 damage next turn.
Hellrime Blast
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be cold damage. This damage ignores resistance but not immunity.
vs
Hellrime Blast
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be cold damage. An enemy struck by this Eldritch Blast must make a Constitution save against your Spell Save DC. On a failure they have disadvantage on attacks and dexterity until the beginning of your next turn.
Vitriolic Blast
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be acid damage. This damage ignores resistance but not immunity.
vs
Vitriolic Blast
Prerequisites: 5th Level
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be acid damage. An enemy struck by this Eldritch Blast must make a Dexterity save against your Spell Save DC. On a failure they take 1d6 acid damage at the beginning of their next two turns.
Psychic Pulse
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be psychic damage. This damage ignores resistance, but not immunity.
vs
Psychic Pulse
Prerequisites: 5th level
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be psychic damage. An enemy struck by this Eldritch Blast must make a Wisdom save against your Spell Save DC. On a failure they cannot take their Bonus Action next turn.
Utterdark Blast
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose for the damage that it deals to be Necrotic damage. This damage ignores resistance, but not immunity.
vs
Utterdark blast
Prerequisite: 9th level
When you cast Eldritch Blast you may choose to reduce the damage dice to 1d8 and the damage changes to necrotic. An enemy struck by this Eldritch Blast must make a Constitution save against your Spell Save DC. On a failure their maximum health point total is reduced by an amount equal to the damage. (Patron's Champion at Arms also opens up fighting styles in general to avoid some of the necessity some people feel to 'dip')
Two-Weapon Fighting Pacts: I've seen a lot of different options for this, but generally they seem to miss out on the fact that Warlocks already use their bonus actions and need at least one free hand to cast spells. This makes a two-weapon fighting warlock a little unwieldy. The first invocation should not be used in conjunction with the second two invocations. I just want to hear people's arguments about balance on either side.
Duo Blade Pact
Prerequisite: Blade Pact
You may now create two weapons instead of one when you use your blade pact to create a weapon. While wielding these weapons you are treated as having the two-weapon fighting style.
vs
Pact of the Twins
Prerequisite:Blade Pact
You may create two melee weapons as your pact blade and may bind two melee weapons as your pact weapon which are created together as the same action. When wielding these you may make an attack with each weapon as your action. You may only make use of this invocation once per round and you may not use your bonus action for two-weapon fighting during any round in which you make use of this invocation. When wielding these pact weapons you may still cast spells as if you had a free hand.
Patron’s Champion at Arms
Prerequisite: Blade Pact
You may choose from the following fighting styles: Two-weapon fighting, Great Weapon Fighting, or Dueling. You gain that fighting style when using your pact weapon. When you use your action to create your pact weapon you may make one attack with it as a bonus action.
General Invocations: Y'know, general invocations.
Leaps and Bounds
You are proficient in Athletics and Acrobatics
Swimming the Styx
You gain a swim speed equal to your movement speed and can breathe underwater.
Umbral Shield
Once per short rest you may use your reaction to add your charisma to your AC
I'll continue to add to this as I think of others, and depending on how my understanding of 5e increases based on this thread I may try and reach into other classes to try and do some homebrew.
Also, this isn't really a 'balancing the warlock' thread. I consider the warlock to be a fairly balanced class. Its got its strengths, its got its weaknesses. This is mostly to expand options for both mechanical and flavor purposes.
Thanks for your time!
Armor of Agathys Invocation was inspired by, and modified from: Sicarius Victus in a Thread that I can't link you to until I have more posts unfortunately. Will fix that when my post count improves.
General Inspiration for Two-Weapon Fighting from many sources, of whom I wish I would've faved their homebrew.