Warlock Subclass: Pact of the Kindred- The Power of Legacy

[CountDVB]

I have now made this by collection of various homebrew stuff! Enjoy!

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Behold, Version 1.2!

Warlock: The Kindred

Your patron is not one, but many. You have made a pact with a Ghost Council, a collective of prominent spirits from the Ethereal Plane and beyond. Perhaps you can trace your ancestral line back to at least one of them. Maybe they were the founders of your town, order or sanctuary. Or just bonded through a shared cause or belief. Regardless, you are bound to this network of spirits who led your their skills and secrets to you in exchange for retrieving knowledge or information to them.

Expanded Spell List
The Kindred 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:

Spell Level: Spells
1st: Ceremony, Dissonant Whispers
2nd: Enhance Ability, Locate Object,
3rd: Sending, Speak With Dead
4th: Locate Creature, Staggering Smite
5th: Commune, Legend Lore


Bonus Cantrips
At 1st level, you learn the "Message” and “Guidance” cantrips. They count as warlock cantrips for you, but they don’t count against your number of cantrips known.

Techniques of Tradition
Starting at 1st level, you are gifted some of the talents and knowledge of your patron circle from their full lifetimes of times long past. You gain proficiency in one additional standard language of your choice, one additional skill of your choice, one set of tools of your choice, and one martial weapon.

Spiritual Guidance
Starting at 6th level, you call upon the knowledge and experience of your ghostly kin, augmenting your capabilities with their guidance. You can add your Charisma modifier to all ability checks you are proficient in, attack rolls and saving throws. You can do this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus before needing a long rest.

Ethereal Bonds
Starting at 10th level, through your pact with your ghostly kin, you grow closer to the Ethereal Plane itself, gaining power in its nature. You gain the ability to see 30 ft. into the Ethereal Plane. Additionally, whenever you make a successful weapon or unarmed attack, you can add force damage equal to your Charisma modifier.

Ancestral Secrets
Starting at 14th level, you are granted the greatest secrets of the wisest members of your patron council. Whenever you chose your Mystical Arcanums, you can choose a spell of the appropriate level from any spell list.

[nickl_2000]

Hello there and welcome to the party.

In looking at this class, I do feel that level 1 is a little front loaded. Yes, I will admit that most Warlocks have a lot of level 1 abilities, but you seem to be giving even more. I was on board with the 2 cantrips, they are not combat tier but still very useful. However, you lose me when you gave 2 more skills and a weapon and shield (I don't foresee anyone ever picking two weapons when you can do weapons and shields. I would either pick the skills or weapon/shield but not both.


Spiritual Guidance - This is pretty broken, especially when it comes to multiclassing. A Lore bard 3/warlock X (at level 9) with this subclass as is would get 10/18 skill proficiencies with an extra +4 or +5 on each (and this is a good multiclass as well). Add onto that an +4/+5 in all attack rolls and you will rarely ever miss when attacking or Eldritch Blasting. You should never be giving that big of a bonus to attack rolls due to bounded accuracy.

Ethereal Bonds - This one building onto the others is also getting a bit excessive. No you are giving more skills and even more damage. Also, you put it as an attack. Technically Eldritch Blast is an attack (in this case a ranged spell attack). So, at level 18 you are getting a +16 to hit on each Eldritch Blast with 4 blasts. Each one doing 1d8(base) + 3d6(this ability) + 1d6(hex) + 5(cha mod), this end up being 23.5 * 4 = 98 force damage at will each round. Compare this to a rogue at 18 who is doing 42 damage a round or a Sharpshooter fighter who is doing 61.5 (1d10(base) + 5(dex) + 10(SS) = 20.5*3 = 61.5. For both the rogue and the fighter they have a significantly smaller chance to hit,. Sure it's lesser at lower levels, but this subclass will be able to out damage everyone else easily.

Possible solutions to this:
Drop the damage bonus, a Warlock does plenty of damage with EB+Cha+Hex on it's own. It doesn't need the help.
Make the damage for weapon attacks only (I haven't run the numbers, but this is certainly much closer although still likely high for a PAM Warlock).


Ancestral Secrets - This gives the warlock the Wish spell when they get level 9 spells. I don't really know how broken that is for them to access it, but it is pretty powerful and not currently available to Warlocks in official material.

[CountDVB]

Hello there and welcome to the party.

In looking at this class, I do feel that level 1 is a little front loaded. Yes, I will admit that most Warlocks have a lot of level 1 abilities, but you seem to be giving even more. I was on board with the 2 cantrips, they are not combat tier but still very useful. However, you lose me when you gave 2 more skills and a weapon and shield (I don't foresee anyone ever picking two weapons when you can do weapons and shields. I would either pick the skills or weapon/shield but not both.


Spiritual Guidance - This is pretty broken, especially when it comes to multiclassing. A Lore bard 3/warlock X (at level 9) with this subclass as is would get 10/18 skill proficiencies with an extra +4 or +5 on each (and this is a good multiclass as well). Add onto that an +4/+5 in all attack rolls and you will rarely ever miss when attacking or Eldritch Blasting. You should never be giving that big of a bonus to attack rolls due to bounded accuracy.

Ethereal Bonds - This one building onto the others is also getting a bit excessive. No you are giving more skills and even more damage. Also, you put it as an attack. Technically Eldritch Blast is an attack (in this case a ranged spell attack). So, at level 18 you are getting a +16 to hit on each Eldritch Blast with 4 blasts. Each one doing 1d8(base) + 3d6(this ability) + 1d6(hex) + 5(cha mod), this end up being 23.5 * 4 = 98 force damage at will each round. Compare this to a rogue at 18 who is doing 42 damage a round or a Sharpshooter fighter who is doing 61.5 (1d10(base) + 5(dex) + 10(SS) = 20.5*3 = 61.5. For both the rogue and the fighter they have a significantly smaller chance to hit,. Sure it's lesser at lower levels, but this subclass will be able to out damage everyone else easily.

Possible solutions to this:
Drop the damage bonus, a Warlock does plenty of damage with EB+Cha+Hex on it's own. It doesn't need the help.
Make the damage for weapon attacks only (I haven't run the numbers, but this is certainly much closer although still likely high for a PAM Warlock).


Ancestral Secrets - This gives the warlock the Wish spell when they get level 9 spells. I don't really know how broken that is for them to access it, but it is pretty powerful and not currently available to Warlocks in official material.

Thank you for the welcome!

Yeah, I have a tendency to make some overtly strong subclasses as a friend of mine told me though I hope you get the gist of this class.

Mind you, I did design this class with the fact that Warlocks for 5e were supposed to be INT-based classes hence why it didn't occur to me on the other CHA-based classes XD.

And I forgot on how the multi-bolt thing on Eldritch Blast. As for Wish, well Wizard and Sorcerer already get it.

[CountDVB]

Version 1.01!

Warlock: The Kindred

Your patron is not one, but many. You have made a pact with a Ghost Council, a collective of prominent spirits from the Ethereal Plane and beyond. Perhaps you can trace your ancestral line back to at least one of them. Maybe they were the founders of your town, order or sanctuary. Or just bonded through a shared cause or belief. Regardless, you are bound to this network of spirits who led your their skills and secrets to you in exchange for retrieving knowledge or information to them.

Expanded Spell List
The Kindred 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:

Spell Level: Spells
1st: Ceremony, Dissonant Whispers
2nd: Enhance Ability, Locate Object,
3rd: Sending, Speak With Dead
4th: Locate Creature, Staggering Smite
5th: Commune, Legend Lore


Bonus Cantrips
At 1st level, you learn the "Message” and “Guidance” cantrips. They count as warlock cantrips for you, but they don’t count against your number of cantrips known.

Techniques of Tradition
Starting at 1st level, you are gifted some of the talents and knowledge of your patron circle from their full lifetimes of times long past. You gain proficiency in one additional standard language of your choice, one additional skill of your choice, one set of tools of your choice, and one martial weapon.

Spiritual Guidance
Starting at 6th level, you call upon the knowledge and experience of your ghostly kin, augmenting your capabilities with their guidance. Add half of your Charisma modifier (rounded up) to all ability checks you are proficient in, attack rolls and saving throws.

Ethereal Bonds
Starting at 10th level, through your pact with your ghostly kin, you grow closer to the Ethereal Plane itself, gaining power in its nature. You gain the ability to see 30 ft. into the Ethereal Plane. Additionally, whenever you make a successful weapon or unarmed attack, you can add 1d4 of force damage. This becomes 2d4 at level 15.

Ancestral Secrets
Starting at 14th level, you are granted the greatest secrets of the wisest members of your patron council. Whenever you chose your Mystical Arcanums, you can choose a spell of the appropriate level from any spell list.

[CountDVB]

I updated it to version 1.2!

Tried to simplify it and tweak it!

[Magicspook]

I like how thematically coherent it is. Down to the subclass spells.

[CountDVB]

I like how thematically coherent it is. Down to the subclass spells.

Thank you very much !

[Wraith]

I like the concept - its nice to see a Warlock Patron who isn't typically antagonistic or necessarily threatening, like Demons or Cthulhu, but has a lot more scope for more open-ended interpretation.

The only small piece of critique that I would like to offer is in the wording of Ethereal Bonds: "You gain the ability to see 30 ft. into the Ethereal Plane." What does this mean, mechanically? Specifically, what does it do? You can see into the Ethereal Plane, but why is that a benefit to the character?

I would guess the implication is that you can now see invisible creatures, as well as seeing people who are travelling through the Ethereal Plane (via astral projection, teleportation, or just walking around after Plane Shifting, etc), but I think it would read more cleanly with a small description of the mechanics. :smallsmile:

[Ganryu]

Honestly, this is the favorite homebrew subclass I've seen on these forums as of late. It has a nice support feel to it, which warlock is sorely lacking.

I might let you hit something in the ethereal plane with the 10th level ability, but honestly, awesome job.

[CountDVB]

I like the concept - its nice to see a Warlock Patron who isn't typically antagonistic or necessarily threatening, like Demons or Cthulhu, but has a lot more scope for more open-ended interpretation.

The only small piece of critique that I would like to offer is in the wording of Ethereal Bonds: "You gain the ability to see 30 ft. into the Ethereal Plane." What does this mean, mechanically? Specifically, what does it do? You can see into the Ethereal Plane, but why is that a benefit to the character?

I would guess the implication is that you can now see invisible creatures, as well as seeing people who are travelling through the Ethereal Plane (via astral projection, teleportation, or just walking around after Plane Shifting, etc), but I think it would read more cleanly with a small description of the mechanics. :smallsmile:

Yeah, though it makes sense. Warlocks for DnD 5e were planned to be Int casters, but remained Charisma based at the last moment. They are scholars seeking esoteric magic from strange sources and so on.

Basically, you know how True Seeing/Truesight can let you see into the Etheral Plane up to 120 feet among other abilities? That's this, but with normal sight. How would I word it then?

Thank you very much for the feedback

[CountDVB]

Honestly, this is the favorite homebrew subclass I've seen on these forums as of late. It has a nice support feel to it, which warlock is sorely lacking.

I might let you hit something in the ethereal plane with the 10th level ability, but honestly, awesome job.

Thank you very much for the wonderful feedback!

[CountDVB]

Wizard: School of Comprehension

Wizards’ magic come not from the gift of bloodlines or pacts, but through knowledge. For wizards, the desire to learning is a core motivation of it and mastery of magic is but a reflection of that. Some become experts in one school, but you choose different. You choose to become an expert at becoming an expert.

Followers of this school learn not just from the school of wizardry, but study the practices and techniques of other magic practitioners or even beyond the scope of magic. They spent their time in learning how to learn.

With this comes a greater skill in comprehension and perhaps being able to truly go beyond what most wizards can do. Often accused of being dilettantes by some of the others, they strive forward to their devotion in learning.


Extraacademian Education
When you choose this school at 2nd level, you are encouraged to embrace some knowledge outside of the classroom, both to prepare for the expansion of your mind along with showing your commitment to the art of learning. You gain proficiency in two of the following options of your choice:
- 1 set of tools
- 1 additional language
- 1 skill
- 1 simple weapon


Knack of Learning
You are taught various techniques to maximize the efficiency of learning and transcribing spells according to your needs. At 2nd level, you can choose to either halve the time or gold it takes to transcribe a spell into your spellbook.


Instinctual Insight
You have honed your insight to become second nature to you. You can now understand magic being cast as you experience it before you. At 6th level, whenever another character casts a spell on the Wizard spell list, you can spend a bonus action analyzing the spell. After combat, you can then spend time transcribing that analyzed spell into your spellbook as if normally copying a spell. You cannot transcribe an analyzed spell into your spellbook again until you perform a long or short rest.

A spell you choose must be of a level you can cast, as shown on the Wizard table or a cantrip. You can only have analyze one spell at a time and analyzing another spell means discarding what you analyzed from the previous one.


Expedited Expertise
By 10th level, you have become an expert of learning quickly and efficiently. As such, you are encouraged to devote your greater learning to more complex arts outside of academia. You gain proficiency in one of the following options:
- 2 sets of tools
- 2 additional languages
- 2 skills
- 1 martial weapon


Arcane Appreciation
At 14th level, you have pushed your devotion to the art of learning to the limit and can now comprehend more on the nature of magic around you, even of those that are beyond the wizarding arts. Choose any spell, from a cantrip up to 5th level, that you have seen in the game from any class, including this one, and transcribe it in your book. That spell is now in your spellbook and treated as a wizard spell. You can transcribe an additional spell of up to 5th level from any class at 16th level, again at 18th level and once more at 20th level.

While non-Wizard spell list spells gained through his feature may count as wizard spells in your spellbook and can be transcribed onto a back-up copy of a spellbook, they do not apply toward Spell Mastery or Signature Spells.



I made this partially as a form of utilitarian form of Wizard subclass, but also from other inspirations, such as what would someone like say Twilight Sparkle would pick. Another was on the idea of learning how to learn. Most of us probably wouldn't considering learning itself to be a skill to master, but I figure those that are experts at learning are better able to learn many things and thus be open to learning all sorts of things.

EDIT 1- 09/28/2020 14:50
I revamped it using some of the suggestions to address some of the problems and focus more on the learning!

EDIT 2- 10/01/2020 16: 55
Another revamp that focuses more on the learning, along with trying to simplify the wording and add more flexability.

[CountDVB]

Behold a Cleric themed subclass for the bard! The College of Gospel Version 1.4

Bard: College of Gospel

Bards of the College of Gospel dedicate their passions, songs, arts and storycrafting all in the service of their faith. For the Gods are but entities born and sustained through stories and thus these bards worship them through their wordsmithery and performances. From skalds honoring gods of war to the glorious chanters who beckon the storm god, these bards sway crowds and bring many a new people into the faith by touching their hearts.

Follower of the Faith
When you choose this college at 3rd level, choose a cleric domain from your chosen deity’s list of eligible domains. This will determine your Channel Divinity options and spells. You can use a holy symbol as your spellcasting focus.

Bonus Proficiencies
When you join the College of Gospel at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with medium armor and shields. You are also gain proficiency in Religion. If you are already proficient when you choose this, instead your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses Religion.

Channel Divinity
At 3rd level, you gain the ability to channel arcane energy directly from your deity, using that energy to fuel magical effects. You start with two such effects: Hymn of Revelation and the Channel Divinity option granted by your chosen domain.

When you use your Channel Divinity, you choose which effect to create. You must then finish a short or long rest to use your Channel Divinity again.

Some Channel Divinity effects require saving throws. When you use such an effect, the save DC equals your bard spell save DC.

Beginning at 6th level, you can use your Channel Divinity twice between rests, and beginning at 18th level, you can use it three times between rests. When you finish a short or long rest, you regain your expended uses.

If you gain additional Channel Divinity options from your domain, you can employ them at the levels they would be gained for a cleric.

Channel Divinity: Hymn of Revelation
As an action, you present your holy symbol and shout aloud in ecstasy an almighty hymn in the name of your deity. Choose a number of friendly creatures up equal to that of your proficiency bonus within 30 feet of you who can hear you. For one minute, all of them gain a Bardic Inspiration die that can be applied as normally.

By 12th level, the creatures you've chosen do not have to be able to hear you, as the holy words can now reach their soul.

Domain of the Devotee
Starting at 6th level, you gain three spells of up to 3rd level from your chosen domain. The chosen spells count as bard spells for you and are included in the number in the Spells Known column of the Bard table.

Concert of Prayers
By 14th level, your dedication to your deity is so strong that your very song of the soul can be heard to the heavens. You unleash a sublime performance of devotion, all to call upon your deity to intervene on your behalf when your need is great.

Imploring your deity's aid requires you to use your action. Describe the assistance you seek, and roll percentile dice. If you roll a number equal to or lower than your bard level, your deity intervenes. The DM chooses the nature of the intervention; the effect of any cleric spell or bard spell would be appropriate. If your deity intervenes, you can't use this feature again for 7 days. Otherwise, you can use it again after you finish a long rest.


Version 1.1- Changed the Channel Divinity to balance it!
Version 1.2- Changed it again.
Version 1.3- Switch 6th Level with Domain of the Devotee
Version 1.4- Tweaked proficiency bonus, a couple of word choices and added a bit more.