Yugoloth (Arcanaloth) Patron

[blackjack50]

How well do you think this would work? I have a player with a fiend pact. I like the playing both sides and highly intelligent deal making (but changing) yugoloth. It fits well with my campaign. I just don’t know much about how Patrons work (nobody has played a warlock in any games I’ve played lol). Arcanaloth seem slightly underpowered? Am I wrong?

[Unoriginal]

How well do you think this would work? I have a player with a fiend pact. I like the playing both sides and highly intelligent deal making (but changing) yugoloth. It fits well with my campaign. I just don’t know much about how Patrons work (nobody has played a warlock in any games I’ve played lol). Arcanaloth seem slightly underpowered? Am I wrong?


Strictly speaking a typical Arcanaloth is indeed weaker than most Patrons, but you don't need to be *that* powerful to give a spark of power to one Warlock. Doing it with many people would be more of an issue, however.

Regardless, an Arcanaloth would absolutely be the type to learn occult secrets that'd allow them to become a Patron.

[Naanomi]

If one were worried about it, it could always be a specific named Arcanaloth stronger than his peers (they are not all identical)... Or perhaps have Arcanaloth be an intermediary for the real power behind the pact (a baernoloth with one of its inscrutable schemes? Oops!)

[blackjack50]

If one were worried about it, it could always be a specific named Arcanaloth stronger than his peers (they are not all identical)... Or perhaps have Arcanaloth be an intermediary for the real power behind the pact (a baernoloth with one of its inscrutable schemes? Oops!)

Yea. What is the named thing? Isn’t it where having a name allows control of them?

[PhantomSoul]

Yea. What is the named thing? Isn’t it where having a name allows control of them?

I think Naaomi just meant "one fancy enough to be reputable/renown" (so it's not just any Arcanaloth, it's [e.g.] Ailanreanter the Arcanaloth), rather than being about the True Name lore/lack_of_mechanics.

[Sorinth]

It depends on how you view Warlocks. If the power is granted by the Patron then yeah it's questionable whether a regular fiend could do that. But if the Patron simply unlocks a magical spark inside the Warlock that the Warlock is then responsible for nuturing/growing then it can make sense for low level creatures to be Patrons since they are simply teaching someone how to access a power that already exists.

[Segev]

An Arcanaloth is a perfectly fine Fiend Patron. Lots of knowledge and secrets to impart.

[Brookshw]

Arcanoloth's would be great patrons. Powerful, but still climbing the 'loths power echelons, which gives you excellent opportunities for them to prompt the warlock on adventures to further the 'loth's ambitions. Todd Stewart was a writer for Dragon, and later developed a lot of Pathfinder's planar content. He wrote a story hour (https://www.enworld.org/threads/shemeskas-planescape-storyhour-updated-29-jan-2014.77613/)(and is still writing it) which heavily features Arcanoloth's, and they're terrifying. I highly recommend it for inspiration (and because he's a good writer). Note it got so long it continues on a separate thread from the one linked above. As other posters suggested, don't hesitate to advance the Arcanoloth to the point you think is best (or even do so over the course of the campaign).

[Evaar]

My most recent character’s patron is an Arcanaloth. My DM decided to make it a specific, famous Arcanaloth: Shemeshka the Marauder.

Our relationship is more like a wary partnership. She wants access to information that my character can get - specifically, the contents of Candlekeep. My character wants broader knowledge of magic and especially curses, which Shemeshka can help him obtain via Warlock magic.

Our deal is that I read at least one new book per week or I can’t rest. She learns whatever I learn via the Eyes of the Runekeeper invocation. I’m looking forward to the moment my character gets to read something to the party and then say, “This is written in Abyssal… I… I don’t know Abyssal.”

[Joe the Rat]

As keepers and collectors of knowledge, Arcanaloths would make darn tootin' Patrons. The warlock's magic isn't necessarily a line of power from the Patron - it can very much be knowledge given to the 'lock in exchange for services rendered (with an option to extend the contract, as seen here). Short form, the Arcanaloth drops forbidden knowledge right into the Warlock's head, and now they know how to magic.

A stronger patron could certainly have larger schemes going on, and will fare better in direct conflict (with other entities, or with the party) , but raw power is not strictly necessary.

[Unoriginal]

Our deal is that I read at least one new book per week or I can’t rest. She learns whatever I learn via the Eyes of the Runekeeper invocation. I’m looking forward to the moment my character gets to read something to the party and then say, “This is written in Abyssal… I… I don’t know Abyssal.”

Eyes of the Runekeeper let you read every language, no?

[Segev]

Eyes of the Runekeeper let you read every language, no?

I am guessing his character is unaware of the invocation he has.

[Evaar]

I am guessing his character is unaware of the invocation he has.

Yes. And it doesn’t teach every language; it lets you read all writing. I expect it would be a pretty unnerving experience.

[Segev]

Yes. And it doesn’t teach every language; it lets you read all writing. I expect it would be a pretty unnerving experience.

Depends on whether or not it makes you think you're reading it in a language you know, or if you can tell you're reading and understanding something you don't speak.

Also, if you have Awakened Mind (you won't, as a Fiend-patron warlock), you can use Eyes of the Rune Keeper to communicate with anything literate that has the means to write. You can also get by with comprehend languages rather than tongues, but it's still convenient not t ohave to cast a spell.