Homebrew Invocation - Master of Terror

[Ikedashi]

Hello fellow grounders!

Today i bring you an idea that i had to a character i'm playing right now, a hexblade/conquest paladin.
The idea came from 3.5, a prestige class called Dread Witch, quintessential to any fear build of the system. Why so important? it makes your fear pierce through enemy's immunity therefore making it less situational.

So here it is!

Master of Terror
Prerequisite: N/A

You can frighten enemy creatures immune to the frightened condition.

Strong? Yes, otherwise no one would take it. Specific enough to not make it a must have in any warlock build. Accessible at warlock 2 or Eldritch Adept feat.

[Yakk]

Maybe make it pseudo-resistance. Frightened has multiple effects.

1. While the source of fear is in LOS, disadvantage (attacks and ability checks)
2. Cannot move closer to source of fear.
3. Often, spells or effects have "while frightened" clauses.

I might propose that you change the frightened condition so it isn't as strong? Like, maybe drop 1. That still lets fear effects "work", it is just mechanically weaker.

Second, abilities that are pure-niche are something I prefer to avoid myself. Having some other kicker on it that makes it "well, the DM never used fear immune creatures, my ability did nothing" would be nice. Even if it is just slightly above fluff.

[Ikedashi]

Maybe make it pseudo-resistance. Frightened has multiple effects...

good point, but i think it will overcomplicate an already balanced mechanic.

I mean, the PC still needs to rise its spells/abilities DC to make it effective, the enemy still have multiple saves to do, powerful enemys have legendary resistance, and even while frightened still capable of fight or flee.

fear is a strong effect no doubt, but the system acknowledge this and makes efforts to make it volatile with multiple saves. My concern about frighten condition is how often immunity happens to appear beacuse of thematics, making the invocation not that situational and present in any game.

about 18% of the creatures are immune to frightened condition, and most of them because of its typing: fiends, celestials, undeads and constructs. All of them immune. If not facing any of these types of creature in your campaign, the PC is free to not take it or change it.

We are playing Descent into Avernus and i'm roling conquest for thematics since majority of the devils are immune to frightened. My party is in baldur's gate, still, many enemies have some kind of resistance against saves screwing me all the time.

[Greywander]

Maybe fear immune enemies should have advantage on the saving throw. This gives them a chance to fail but still makes their immunity matter.


Second, abilities that are pure-niche are something I prefer to avoid myself. Having some other kicker on it that makes it "well, the DM never used fear immune creatures, my ability did nothing" would be nice. Even if it is just slightly above fluff.
Long Death monks get an at will fear ability, and Undead warlocks can fear enemies while in their Form of Dread. Some kind of at will way to generate fear seems fitting for a Master of Terror. Though as an invocation, you could and probably would want to take this on an Undead warlock, so it's probably best not to step on their toes. This invocation should be good for both Undead warlocks and generic warlocks.

[Ikedashi]

Maybe fear immune enemies should have advantage on the saving throw. This gives them a chance to fail but still makes their immunity matter.


Long Death monks get an at will fear ability, and Undead warlocks can fear enemies while in their Form of Dread. Some kind of at will way to generate fear seems fitting for a Master of Terror. Though as an invocation, you could and probably would want to take this on an Undead warlock, so it's probably best not to step on their toes. This invocation should be good for both Undead warlocks and generic warlocks.

I thoght about give them advantage, but as i said, they will repeat their save at least once per turn. Imagine - spend an action and resource - the enemy make their saves with advantage multiple times. The invocation effect would be marginal, and it would be better spend actions and resources on someting else.

Also, this invocation should be good for any character that rely on fear effects.

[clash]

Just wondering why you went with a eldritch invocation instead of a feat? It doesn't have any particular tie to warlock.

I would suggest something like:

Master of terror:
* You learn the cause fear work and can cast it once without expending a spellslot. You can cast it additional times using an appropriate level spell slot
* Any spells you cast ignore immunity to fear

[Ikedashi]

Just wondering why you went with a eldritch invocation instead of a feat? It doesn't have any particular tie to warlock.

I would suggest something like:

Master of terror:
* You learn the cause fear work and can cast it once without expending a spellslot. You can cast it additional times using an appropriate level spell slot
* Any spells you cast ignore immunity to fear
Actualy, just because i was looking for invocations when the idea came and feels thematic with warlock, fits like a glove.
The idea of a stand alone feat is good though, and the cause fear 1/d is good too.
Maybe half-feat to make it as good as Fey Touched or Crusher