Midna: the Warlock Patreon (Zelda themed game)

[Emmerlaus]

Good day to all!

I play a Zelda game with my friends and we want to make an Warlock Patreon themed after Midna from Zelda: Twilight Princess

Here's what we got so far, we tried to make it very thematic from the game itself:

Warlock: The Twilight Sovereign
You made a pact with a powerful entity who commands the powers of the Twilight Realm. Pacts made with patrons like the rightful rules of the Twili, such as Queen Midna, are made with the understanding of protecting the Hyrule and the rest of the mortal world from the dangers of the Twilight Ream. Patrons such as the Usurper King Zant, however, aggressively recruit warlocks, granting them the powers of the Twilight Realm to further their schemes.

Expanded Spell List
The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.
Spell Level
1st – Armor of Agathys, Faerie Fire
2nd - Darkness, Moonbeam
3rd – Clairvoyance, Hunger of Hadar
4th – Banishment, Sickening Radiance
5th – Antilife Shell, Dawn

Mark of the Twilight
At 1st level, you can turn into a bestial form as an Action. Select a Beast with a Challenge Rating of ¼ or less; you turn into that creature’s form, gaining its statistics, though you retain your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma, along with your skills; you gain the Beast’s skills, also retaining your own, along with its senses. You can use your own Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution instead of the Beast’s, if you wish to do so. You retain your own Hit Points, though if your Beast Form has a higher Constitution than your natural one, you gain the increase from your new Constitution as Temporary Hit Points. You can understand languages as normal, but cannot speak, nor can you cast spells (though you can use some of your Pact feature, as explained in their entirety. While in Beast form, you gain Darkvision 60 feet (or improving your natural Darkvision by 30 feet), and you can see Invisible creatures or objects, or creatures on the Ethereal Plane.

Twili Trickery
At 6th level, you can use the Twilight power to protect yourself, using your Reaction when you are targeted by an Attack or Spell Attack (you cannot use this ability against area-of-effects, or against attacks you are unaware of). The attacker must make a Dexterity Saving through against your Warlock Spell Save DC; if they fail, the shadows rise up between you and the attacker, creating a small portal that the attack fall through. A second portal instantly opens at any point within 30 feet of you, ejecting the attack; you can cause the attack or spell to possibly hit a new target within range of that point, or have it just harmlessly miss you. You cannot use this feature to make the attacker hit themselves. Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a Short or Long Rest.

Twilight Portals
Beginning at 10th level, you can use the Twilight Portals to move great distances. Mechanically, this feature functions identically to Teleportation Circle, though it only functions with Twilight Portal Destinations. You can open a Twilight Portal as an Action, after which you cannot do so again until you’ve finished a Long Rest.
When you gain this feature, you choose two locations that you know very well and have free access; you gain both locations as Twilight Portal Destinations. You can learn the coordinates of other Twilight Portals, either on your own or from other Twilight Sovereign Warlocks. At the GM’s approval, you can also spend 500 gold and 8 hours on a ritual to create a new portal for use- however, only certain areas where the barrier between Hyrule and the Twilight Realm is thin are suitable. If you defeat a creature in its Lair, you can create a new portal within it without spending 8 hours, though you still require the gold for the materials.

Hospitality of the Sovereign
Starting at 14th level, you can temporarily transport yourself or another willing target you can touch in-between the mortal world and the Twilight Realm. This takes an Action, after which the target disappears into demi-plain for 1 minute in real time, after which, they reappear in the square they disappeared from, or the closest safe one if that square is no longer available (you can also have the target appear at your side, if you targeted someone else). To the target, however, they spend 8 hours in pleasant relaxation in the court of your patron, who provides them with food, entertainment, shelter, and any other pleasantries that the Twilight Sovereign deems appropriate. Upon the minute’s end, the target reappears and is refreshed as if they have rested for 8 hours- including regaining Hit Points, Spell Slots, and Class Features. If the target was under a spell, effect, or Condition, it was suppressed for the minute, and resumes (however, the target can make Saving Throws to overcome Conditions that can be removed with a Long Rest). After using this Feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a Long Rest.

[Segev]

The level 1 power is a little strong, but not overly so. You'll still want to consider Warlock Patron spells to add to the ones the Warlock may choose.

The level 6 ability needs to specify whether it's an action, bonus action, or reaction, and how long it lasts. Is it a 1/short rest reaction to negate an attack entirely, then it's done? Negate a round's worth of attacks? An action to negate a round's worth of attacks?

I think the first is probably best: reaction to negate a single attack. Still very strong compared to others, which do things like give bonuses and such. ...on second thought, just add Shield as a spell the Warlock can learn. Then, the 6th level power can be:

Shadow Portal Shield
At 6th level, Midna has empowered your defenses to redirect attacks. You learn the shield spell as a warlock spell if you do not already know it. If you do know it, you may learn any other level 1 Warlock spell. When you cast shield using your Pact Magic spell slots, it appears as a gaping void of shadows. Once, when you cast shield in this way, you may cause another gaping void of shadows to appear within 30 feet of you, and eject any attack that shield protected you from at a target within range of the original attack from that location. Use the same attack roll, if applicable; the new target applies his armor class or saves as normal. This portal remains open until shield's duration expires, continuing to redirect attacks shield protects you from to this new target while open. You regain the use of this ability after a Short Rest.

For level 10, Twilight Teleportation? This would be basically a customized teleportation circle, simulating the warp-points Midna could take you to in the game.
Twilight Teleportation
When you reach 10th level, Midna has managed to link her twili essence to a particular location. Choose one place that you know well that is open to the sky. An invisible dark portal appears there. This functions as a unique destination circle that only Midna's Warlocks may utilize. You gain the ability to cast teleportation circle without components once, but only to go to one of these twili portals. You appear safely on the ground beneath it when you do. You regain the ability to cast it like this after a long rest.

You may create additional twili portals for the cost of 500 gp and an eight hour ritual. If you slay a monster with Lair Actions in its lair, you may forgo the ritual, though you still must sacrifice 500 gp worth of treasure, to establish a twili portal over the Lair or at its entrance.
Add teleportation circle to the list of spells Midna lets her Warlocks learn.

[Emmerlaus]

Segev: Thank you for your input!

I updated my first post with ALL the information we worked with this time after much deliberating. Your advice was very appreciated and if you don't mind to have a look at the finished product, we would appreciate some feedback once more :smallredface:

[DracoDei]

I would explicitly note that the 14th level feature can't be used to regain itself.

[Segev]

The Twili Trickery is good, but I would remove the dexterity save on the part of the attacker. It's a once/short rest ability that works on one attack. Let it just work. Do note whether the warlock or the original attacker makes any appropriate rolls against the new target (if there is a new target). Personally, I would have it be the warlock rolling, since he's placing the outgoing portal and thus aiming the effect.

Hospitality of the Sovereign is too good. A long rest in one minute is way too powerful for level 14, I think. Especially if usable even as often as once per 24 hours. The suspended conditions mechanic is also weird and game-y, since he's supposed to have spent 8 hours away. You could make it just the ability to cast Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion once per long rest, which would catch the flavor alright without having the issue of the compressed time. It's a 7th level spell, so about the right power level for the level you get it...but it's a little weak for a Patron pseudo-capstone. Maybe let it also let you cast etherealness?

I could even see etherealness at will as the capstone, maybe letting you travel to the Shadowfell in an hour's travel through the Ethereal and back?

Guest of the Sovereign
At 14th level, your Patron has granted you passage to and from her realm. You may spend a Pact Magic spell slot to cast etherealness and Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion, without needing material components. When you are on the Ethereal Plane, you may travel an hour to get to the border of the Twilit Realm, or to the border of the Material Plane. When you are in the magnificent mansion created by the spell granted by this feature, your attendants are twili serving in your Patron's court, and your victuals come from her stores.

[Sand Fox]

Hello. I'm the Co-DM of Emmerlaus's Zelda game, so I've been working on the Twilight Sovereign Patron with him. Segev, DracoDei, thank you for your input, it was much appreciated. I loved Hospitality of the Sovereign, but I suppose it can be game-breaking. How's this, overall?
Edit list
Mark of the Twilight got a new name, some clarification on how it functions, and a Necrotic/Radiant Resistance/Vulnerability; in our setting, there will be some areas where Twilight Magic is used, causing the area to become environmentally corrupted, similar to the Shadowfell (at least until me and my Co-DM iron out the mechanics of the Twilight Realm). Overall, Environmental Immunity to its effects should come up rarely, at best.
Twili Trickery was cleaned up and clarified, as per Segev's suggestions.
Twilight Portals is the same, though it also grants you immunity to the Twilight Realm's environmental effects, which is situational enough that it hardly matters.
Hospitality of the Sovereign was completely changed to Segev's suggested Guest of the Sovereign, granting both a special version of Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion once per short rest, and adding Etherealness to your spell list. Mordekainen's mansion isn't exactly a dynamic spell (even for 7th level), though it is flavorful, so I figured granting access to it once per Short Rest was acceptable. While the Archfey and Fiend Patron's Capstones are both once per Long Rest, both of them are more dynamic and change the shape of a fight, while the mansion grants no combat benefit. Etherealness was meant to sweeten the deal and make the Capstone have some combat flavor, and I don't think it will break the warlock to add it to their spell list at this level.
You input is appreciated.

Warlock: The Twilight Sovereign
You made a pact with a powerful entity who commands the powers of the Twilight Realm. Pacts made with patrons like the rightful rules of the Twili, such as Queen Midna, are made with the understanding of protecting the Hyrule and the rest of the mortal world from the dangers of the Twilight Ream. Patrons such as the Usurper King Zant, however, aggressively recruit warlocks, granting them the powers of the Twilight Realm to further their schemes.

Expanded Spell List
The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.
Spell Level
1st – Armor of Agathys, Faerie Fire
2nd - Darkness, Moonbeam
3rd – Clairvoyance, Hunger of Hadar
4th – Banishment, Sickening Radiance
5th – Antilife Shell, Dawn

Beast of the Sovereign
At 1st level, you can use your action to take the form of a beast, touched by the Twilight Realm. Select a Beast with a Challenge Rating of ¼ or less. You turn into that creature’s form, with your equipment melding into your body until you return to your natural form. You gain the Beast's statistics, skills, and senses, though you retain your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma, and skills. You can use your own Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution instead of the Beast’s, if you wish to do so. You retain your own Hit Points, though if your Beast Form has a higher Constitution than your natural one, you gain the increase from your new Constitution as Temporary Hit Points. You can understand languages as normal, but cannot speak, nor can you cast spells; you can, however, use your Patron abilities in Beast form. While in Beast form, you gain Darkvision 60 feet (or improve your natural Darkvision by 30 feet), and you can see Invisible creatures or objects, or creatures on the Ethereal Plane. While in Beast form, you are also immune to environmental effects of the Twilight Realm, and have Resistance to Necrotic Damage, though you are Vulnerable to Radiant Damage. You may change from your Beast form to your natural one freely, though it takes an Action to do so. If you are knocked out or incapacitated in Beast form, you do not change into your natural one, though dying causes your body to revert.

Twili Trickery
At 6th level, you can use the Twilight power to protect yourself, using your Reaction when you are targeted by an Attack or Spell Attack (you cannot use this ability against area-of-effects, or against attacks you are unaware of). A veil of shadows rise up between you and the attacker, creating a small portal that the attack fall through. A second portal instantly opens at any point within 30 feet of you, ejecting the attack; you can cause the attack or spell to possibly hit a new target within range of that point, or have it just harmlessly miss you. If the attack has a new target, you must make the appropriate rolls, using the attacker’s modifiers. You cannot use this feature to make the attacker hit themselves. Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a Short or Long Rest.

Twilight Portals
Beginning at 10th level, you can use the Twilight Portals to move great distances. Mechanically, this feature functions identically to Teleportation Circle, though it only functions with Twilight Portal Destinations. You can open a Twilight Portal as an Action, after which you cannot do so again until you’ve finished a Long Rest. Additionally, you are now always immune to the environmental conditions of the Twilight Realm, not just when you are in Beast Form.
When you gain this feature, you choose two locations that you know very well and have free access; you gain both locations as Twilight Portal Destinations. You can learn the coordinates of other Twilight Portals, either on your own or from other Twilight Sovereign Warlocks. At the GM’s approval, you can also spend 500 gold and 8 hours on a ritual to create a new portal for use- however, only certain areas where the barrier between Hyrule and the Twilight Realm is thin are suitable. If you defeat a creature in its Lair, you can create a new portal within it without spending 8 hours, though you still require the gold for the materials.

Guest of the Sovereign
At 14th level, your Sovereign has granted you a portion of their realm as your own, making you something of a baron in their court. You may cast Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion as an Action, without needing Material Components- after casting it the first time, the mansion is always the same shape and condition it was when you left it (though damage is repaired and stores are restocked). Your servants are all real Twili on your patron's payroll, not magical creations, and they come and go from the mansion to the Realm of Twilight, though your mansion always has a full staff. You can also send your servants to the Realm of Twilight to deliver messages or on specific tasks; they are friendly and loyal to you, though how to treat them may improve or harm your relationship. Once you use this feature, you must take a Short Rest before doing so again.
Even outside the mansion, you have limited connection to the Twilight Realm, and can partly pass into it with your magic. You add the spell Etherealness to your list of Warlock spells known, and it does not count against the the number of Warlock spells you know.
NOTE: While your Twili servants come from the Twilight Realm, they cannot take you with them there, nor can they leave the mansion and enter Hyrule. Either situation will result in harsh and immediate punishment from the Twilight Sovereign (to the servant and you, if you forced the issue). Of course, the DM can allow exceptions for plot hooks.

[Segev]

Looking good! Fun and a good way to represent the Twilight Princess wolf-and-twilight-realm mechanics.

Three points of advice:

Should specify what kind of rolls are needed with twili trickery; there are all sorts of ways to roll an attack. I suggest a spell attack roll by the warlock; it uses his best numbers, most likely, and makes sense with his portal being the thing that's aiming.
Guest of the Sovereign needs to note that etherealness can be cast with Pact Magic spell slots, because it's too high a level by default. Either "You may cast etherealness using Pact Magic spell slots," or something like, "Add etherealness to your warlock spells known. You may cast it using Pact Magic spell slots even though it is normally too high a level."
Armor of Agathys, darkness, hunger of Hadar, and banishment are already on the Warlock spell list. Patron spells are not automatically granted to Warlocks; they are spells the Warlock treats as Warlock spells for purposes of learning them or using scrolls.
I might recommend thunderwave in place of armor of Agathys, representing either the wolf's multi-attack or Link's sword-spin.
Maybe blindness/deafness instead of darkness?
Remove curse would be thematic with the notion of lifting Ganon's curses, but is a bit limited; maybe major image in place of hunger of Hadar. But that's only sort-of in theme, and better accomplished with minor illusion + Misty Visions's free silent image.
I think Bigby's hand - representing Midna's big orange hand of doom - would be a good replacement for banishment.


I sympathize with liking Hospitality of the Sovereign; it is flavorful. I hope that the mansion at will will simulate the important part. Once per short rest should be fine. Getting 7th-level spell as one they can cast with Pact Magic will also be plenty for a pseudo-capstone. I think it should work out well as you've written it. (I know I offered advice on wording, but it's clear what your intent is as written.)

Good luck with it, and I hope it's everything you hope for. Is this a solo game, or are there multiple players? Are more than one taking the Midna Patron warlock?

[Emmerlaus]

Looking good! Fun and a good way to represent the Twilight Princess wolf-and-twilight-realm mechanics.

Armor of Agathys, darkness, hunger of Hadar, and banishment are already on the Warlock spell list. Patron spells are not automatically granted to Warlocks; they are spells the Warlock treats as Warlock spells for purposes of learning them or using scrolls.
I might recommend thunderwave in place of armor of Agathys, representing either the wolf's multi-attack or Link's sword-spin.
Maybe blindness/deafness instead of darkness?
Remove curse would be thematic with the notion of lifting Ganon's curses, but is a bit limited; maybe major image in place of hunger of Hadar. But that's only sort-of in theme, and better accomplished with minor illusion + Misty Visions's free silent image.
I think Bigby's hand - representing Midna's big orange hand of doom - would be a good replacement for banishment.
[/list]


We checked the other patreon for guideline and I thought that level 1 and lower, it was giving mostly a spell on the warlock list and one from another list. Not every spells has to be linked to other spelllist as long as its thematic.

I dont think the spellist needs to be changed. Even Banishement fit Midna ways of not mixing beings of other planes together. Sand FOx is the one with the last word on it though, I can mention it to him on Discord.



Good luck with it, and I hope it's everything you hope for. Is this a solo game, or are there multiple players? Are more than one taking the Midna Patron warlock?

Im actually a player and the group Warlock. We were using Raven Queen for Midna at first but we realized that its not really fitting and we concluded that it would be better to make the Patreon ourself to make it more fitting as well as a way to have potential plot hooks.

Its a multiplayer group. Sand Fox and his brother are the Co-GM but I am helping them in world building despise being a player. Im less rule swavy then those two but they appreciate my imput and I LOVE world-building. Only the last player of the group is kept in the dark on those matter and simply enjoy the game as it is lol

[Segev]

We checked the other patreon for guideline and I thought that level 1 and lower, it was giving mostly a spell on the warlock list and one from another list. Not every spells has to be linked to other spelllist as long as its thematic.

I dont think the spellist needs to be changed. Even Banishement fit Midna ways of not mixing beings of other planes together. Sand FOx is the one with the last word on it though, I can mention it to him on Discord.

Well, if you're running it as you automatically knowing all the spells provided by your Patron, that works fine. And I won't tell you to change that if you're having fun and nobody thinks it's broken.

So take this next bit as simply providing information, rather than any sort of criticism.

By the rules as written, a Warlock of a given PAtron may know literally none of the spells on the Patron list. It is actually worthless to have a spell that's already a Warlock spell on a Patron's list, because a Warlock can already learn those spells, and the Patron doesn't let him learn them automatically.

So, using Midna as an example, to get banishment, you would have to spend one of your Warlock spells known. But banishment is already a warlock spell you could know, so it being on Midna's Patron list is pointless.

It would be like saying, "one of the features of the Necromancy school is that Wizards who are Necromancers may learn animate dead." All wizards can learn that spell. So the Necromancer ability that talks about this says you GET it, rather than you may learn it.

Warlock Patron spells are spells you may learn, despite them not being normally on the Warlock Spell List.

This is a decided difference from Domain Spells, Oath Spells, and Land Circle spells, which is probably one reason it's so confusing.

But the Warlock feature is worded thus (I'm copying the Fiend, here):
Expanded Spell List
The Fiend 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.

So again, that's why I recommended changing it.



If, again, you're running it more like domains and oath spells, where the Warlock knows the spells without having to spend spells known on it, go ahead and keep it as is!