Why does Aspect of the Moon have Pact of the Tome as a prerequisite?

[Segev]

I ask this both in terms of balance questions and theme. Is it so powerful that it needs a prerequisite (whether to limit who can take it or to prevent access via Eldritch Adept - though the feat wasn't around when the invocation was printed)? Even if so, why Pact of the Tome? If not, again, why is Pact of the Tome a requirement?

This isn't even a complaint; if I wanted the Invocation I'd have no problem taking Pact of the Tome to get it; that's my personal favorite Boon anyway. I'm just not seeing the thematic connection. I could make one up, sure, but I could make one up for Pact of the Chain or even Pact of the Blade, as well as for any Patron or even other Invocations. I don't see a natural, obvious tie that makes me say, "Oh, of course you'd need a Book of Shadows to be able to use this," nor, "Clearly staying awake is tied to having a spellbook."

I don't even see what "moon aspect" has to do with staying awake, other than a vague "moons are awake while others are asleep" thing, and even less how that ties into the Book of Shadows or the Pact of the Tome, thematically.

Is there some obvious connection I'm missing? An in joke I am not yet privy to? Or is it just semi-random, perhaps because somebody decided Pact of the Tome needed more invocations for it?


Again: I'm open to both balance and thematic reasons, to metagame and in-game reasons. I just am curious about why this prerequisite for that invocation. It seems fairly "throw a dart at the wall" to me.

[Unoriginal]

I ask this both in terms of balance questions and theme. Is it so powerful that it needs a prerequisite (whether to limit who can take it or to prevent access via Eldritch Adept - though the feat wasn't around when the invocation was printed)? Even if so, why Pact of the Tome? If not, again, why is Pact of the Tome a requirement?

This isn't even a complaint; if I wanted the Invocation I'd have no problem taking Pact of the Tome to get it; that's my personal favorite Boon anyway. I'm just not seeing the thematic connection. I could make one up, sure, but I could make one up for Pact of the Chain or even Pact of the Blade, as well as for any Patron or even other Invocations. I don't see a natural, obvious tie that makes me say, "Oh, of course you'd need a Book of Shadows to be able to use this," nor, "Clearly staying awake is tied to having a spellbook."

I don't even see what "moon aspect" has to do with staying awake, other than a vague "moons are awake while others are asleep" thing, and even less how that ties into the Book of Shadows or the Pact of the Tome, thematically.

Is there some obvious connection I'm missing? An in joke I am not yet privy to? Or is it just semi-random, perhaps because somebody decided Pact of the Tome needed more invocations for it?


Again: I'm open to both balance and thematic reasons, to metagame and in-game reasons. I just am curious about why this prerequisite for that invocation. It seems fairly "throw a dart at the wall" to me.

I think the idea is kinda "you stay up all night reading".

As for why it's called "Aspect of the Moon", I think it's based on the idea/belief that the Moon (especially the full Moon) causes or worsen insomnia.

[KorvinStarmast]

I ask this both in terms of balance questions and theme.
1. That invocation has nothing to do with balance. But the moon is made of cheese, so maybe that's your answer for that element of the question. (Wallace and Gromit went and sampled the moon Käse, in case you were wondering).
2. Did you consider sending a tweet to Crawford or Mearls? If anyone knows, one of them will.

[Cheesegear]

I think the idea is kinda "you stay up all night reading".

Basically how Elf Wizards justify 'doing nothing' for four hours while the rest of the party sleeps.

https://c.tenor.com/lxM66tZJnU0AAAAC/homer-simpson-nerd-alert.gif

[Segev]

I think the idea is kinda "you stay up all night reading".

As for why it's called "Aspect of the Moon", I think it's based on the idea/belief that the Moon (especially the full Moon) causes or worsen insomnia.I should have thought of the "stay up all night reading" thing; I've DONE it often enough and regretted it in the morning. Good insight; thanks!

I didn't know that about the moon and insomnia.


Did you consider sending a tweet to Crawford or Mearls? If anyone knows, one of them will.

I did not. I don't have twitter and don't tweet nor go looking at tweets, and so it didn't even occur to me that that was an option. Not a bad idea, though, if I ever do get twitter.

[Joe the Rat]

IIRC, these were initially tested as Patron-specific invocations. They wanted to keep a limiter, and picked something ...thematic?

In the neighborhood of Balance, I think it's to counterpoint Chain's gift of the ever-living ones

Which makes about the same amount of sense. You could justify it with "bonds are your thing" and "resonating magic through chains". I will say that Apsect isn't as directly useful for a chainlock - you get awesome familiar options that can make decent night watch. Why should you stay up as well?


It almost seems like the reasoning for both is so Bladelocks can't get it.

[Segev]

IIRC, these were initially tested as Patron-specific invocations. They wanted to keep a limiter, and picked something ...thematic?

In the neighborhood of Balance, I think it's to counterpoint Chain's gift of the ever-living ones

Which makes about the same amount of sense. You could justify it with "bonds are your thing" and "resonating magic through chains". I will say that Apsect isn't as directly useful for a chainlock - you get awesome familiar options that can make decent night watch. Why should you stay up as well?


It almost seems like the reasoning for both is so Bladelocks can't get it.

Is there something about staying up all night on guard duty or the like that is horribly broken for bladelocks that wouldn't be for (say) an eldritch knight with a feat investment? Or a Tome-Hexblade?

[Joe the Rat]

I think it was more "don't give the guy most likely to get beat up an easy super-heal", and "let the book guy pull an all-nighter" was the counter-feature for Tome.