What class for a character who unknowingly gets her power from an evil being?

[Rfkannen]

I was coming up with characters for a dm's future campaign, and I came up with a character me and the dm both really like, but I am not sure how to build them.

The basic idea of the character is that she was a young farmer who had a dream where a voice calling itself "the emperor" said that she was now it's servant, and to go spread the world of the emperor. When she woke up she had magical powers, decided that the emperor was clearly a lawfull good god of goodness and niceness, and decided to go spread it's message and start a religion. (The emperor is almost definitely evil, we agreed that the dm would decide the details after I made the character)

This is a low magic setting, so no one has any reason to doubt her god if she has magical powers, and basically no one can tell the difference between the types of magic. The dm is also super up to reflavoring, so I can basically use any class I want. Also the character was inspired by the avenger path for priests in dungeon fighter online if any of you ever used to play that.

I am not sure what class to use, any ideas? The clearest ones would be warlock, cleric, and paladin, but I am open to others. Any suggestions on which to pick? I am not sure how I want the character to be in combat, but out of combat she will mostly be proselytizing and running a cult.

[Segev]

Warlock is practically made for this concept. The Patron need not be in constant contact. Nor the pact remembered.

[Mellack]

I would say it is open to most anything. What do you want to play? What role is wanted for the party? This concept could easily fit a warlock, sorcerer, cleric, or paladin. It could also pretty well work for most others, such as a barbarian getting their rage powers, monks, druids, even ranger.

[PhoenixPhyre]

Warlock is practically made for this concept. The Patron need not be in constant contact. Nor the pact remembered.

This. Sounds like either a Fiend pact (likely not a devil, since they're sticklers for rules) or a GOO pact. Or one of the less-noble/darker Fey. Or even a Hexblade.

The essence of a warlock is "my power isn't my own, I got it from someone else in exchange for service." But unlike a cleric, there's no constant channel. A cleric is a channel for the deity, a warlock was taught/gifted with the powers and the power is theirs now.

So in theory a cleric would work, but clerics have other complications that may or may not fit (being cut off from power if they lose faith, not having a good fit with dark powers in 5e's domains). Paladin doesn't fit IMO--paladins know where they get their powers--their powers depend solely on their Oath and their faithfulness to their Oath.

I've got a player right now who is playing a Hexblade. Trick is, he's got amnesia and doesn't know who his patron is or what they want from him. All he knows is he has these powers, and he remembers that he served...something. He thinks he's been abandoned. Even the player doesn't know the details (at his own request). I know who the patron is, and am building the reveal in slowly along with other things. The specifics aren't too helpful (too bound up in setting-specific details), but the idea works great if you have the right relationship between the DM and player.

[Veldrenor]

Warlock, Cleric, and Paladin fit best without having to reskin anything: warlocks are given power by an outer source, clerics gain power from their faith and devotion to a higher being/calling/concept, and paladins draw their power from the strength of their convictions. But just about any class could be reskinned to fit what you want (artificer might be a little tricky), so it's really more a question of what you want to play and what the party needs. Nice, fitting options from other classes include:

Zealot Barbarian
Eloquence/Glamour Bard
Dreams Druid (although any works depending on the Emperor's nature)
Psi Warrior Fighter
Sun Soul/Astral Self/4 Elements Monk (although any monk works if you reflavor their ki abilities)
Horizon Walker Ranger
Phantom/Soulknife Rogue
Divine Soul/Shadow/Aberrant Mind Sorcerer (although any works depending on the Emperor's nature)
Enchantment/Illusion Wizard (although any works depending on the Emperor's nature)

[Mercurias]

At the risk of derailing everything, I'd suggest going for a Bard whose spells come from impassioned songs praising the many-tentacled, merciless god of plenty with its ninety-nine heads, each bearing ninety-nine teeth which gleam with malevolent charity. It would be a fun way to play a Lore or Glamour Bard. You'd be a lot better at starting your own religion if Gral'Noctis The Soul-Drinker gave you the Gift of Gab, after all.

[Witty Username]

Divine soul sorcerer could work well, as could celestial warlock, or lore bard. Charisma is a good stat for evangelism, if you are trying to make an active agent in spreading the influence of the God-emperor.
Also, healing and blessing could help imply goodness which all of these classes can do.

[Randel]

I think a high charisma class sounds like it would be the best. Either a Bard or a Warlock.

I'm tempted to say that a Genie warlock could make for a good unwitting servant of an evil being, but a good deal of that is because I just like the genie warlock thematically. Plus, there's the whole granting wishes thing. A being that grants wishes can easily seem good right up until the point where it starts twisting those wishes for it's own purposes or has some ulterior motive.

A genie warlock can get a whole bunch of utility spells for helping people and winning them over.
Mold Earth - Normally only for wizards or druids, you can get this cantrip through the pact of the tome. It lets you dig up and move around 5 foot cubes of earth which would be perfect for plowing fields, digging ditches, helping with foundation work, digging up clay or sand to be used in making bricks or pottery, etc. Basically it would be like having a tractor or heavy farm equipment to help out your buddies in town with farm work.

Healing Elixer (http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/spell:healing-elixir) - A 1st level Unearthed Arcana spell that might be massively overpowered, basically summoning a healing potion that vanishes after 24 hours. Can be useful to hand out healing potions to people in need though the potions do vanish after 24 hours so it's not like they can save them up.

Create Food and Water - A 3rd level spell on the Genie Patron list. Summon a whole bunch of free food. Granted, the spell says the food is bland and tasteless and with the sheer quantity you can produce Prestidigitation can't flavor it all. Still, there's no reason you can't add spices or pull a Stone Soup sort of scenario where everyone brings tasty vegetables while you produce enough porriage or noodles to make a feast for a village. Plus... I know in the Monster Manual says a Djinn's Create Food and Water ability can make water instead of wine, so maybe your casting can do the same? It could be reflavored so your character can conjure up massive amounts of tasty food unlike the bland fare that Clerics might make. Maybe it's like fast food where it's tasty but cheap and fattening?

Wall of Stone - 5th level spell if you pick the Dao genie patron. Useful for battlefield control and can be made permanent to make buildings, houses, bridges, or temples to your new God.


Then, if you ever get to 14th level there's Limited Wish which more or less lets you perform miracles (even though at 14th level any spellcaster should be able to do the same).

Basically, if you're willing to dedicate the spells to it, a genie warlock can summon up lots of goodies to help win people over to your new religion. The fact that your healing comes in the form of spamming bottles of healing potions to hand out instead of 'normal' magical healing that clerics perform might get some people questioning what's happening.

Soo, yeah. Genie Warlock can have you handing out free potions and food to attract people, making temples and buildings using magic, using your high charisma to preach to the masses about your generous new God, and generally look like the nicest person around. Then you just have to write down whatever totally lawful good and righteous laws your new god wants you to spread to the grateful masses.

[Ertwin]

Sounds almost exactly like my celestial warlock (minus the patron being explicitly evil)

I prefer warlocks to other spellcasters as they get their slots back on a short rest. I'm pretty sure they have religion as a class skill too. (my DM had me roll religion checks when preaching)