Draconi Redfir
2023-09-18, 03:46 AM
Context:
A couple of years ago, i was in a short-lived 5th edition campaign, where my fighter encountered a magical gemstone that somehow sank into her body and replaced her heart. This "Gem Heart" granted her the ability to roll her Hit-die twice during a short rest in order to regain hitpoints, adding the two numbers together. as well as making her immune to debilitating torso injuries except those caused by damage matching or exceeding her maximum hitpoints.
In-character, the Fighter was not aware of this ability, she just saw the gemstone sink into herself, and the most she felt was a slightly slower heart rate and a slightly lower body temperature in the torso. There was however, the possibility that the gemstone might make itself known in the future, perhaps growing out of her body in some way, such as replacing a missing limb, or causing crystalline protrusions to grow from her skin.
With that in mind, i eventually asked the DM if my Fighter could take levels in Warlock using the Gemstone as her patron once she becomes aware of it, with the idea that the Gemstone is not an intelligent entity granting her power, but more that she finds a way to manipulate the power in this magical object and shape it to her own whims, with the idea that any spell or ability she cast would be sourced from this gemstone. For example "Eldrich Blast" would be depicted as her shooting shards of gemstone out of her body at her opponent, with a bit of a flavor text being that doing this increases her hunger rate since that's effectively some of her body mass she's throwing there.
The DM agreed to the idea and said it would be okay for me to take levels in Warlock once my fighter became away of the Gemstone's presence, i was super excited, but noticed that none of the Warlock "otherworldly patrons" really matched this idea of "Physical object you gain power from", so i started working on my own, planning to present it to the DM one day. Unfortunately the game came to an abrupt and unexplained halt some months later, and i never got the chance.
So, having kept this thing in a text document on my desktop for over a year now, i figured i'd finally post it here to see if maybe other people might be interested in it, and / or i could at least complete it.
Homebrew:
Warlock Otherworldly Patron: Physical Material
You are a warlock who's patron is not some otherworldly entity with it's own agenda and desires. instead your patron is a magical, physical object you have on or near your person at all times. You've found a means of leeching magic from this object, and use it's magic as your own. Most likely this object is completely inanimate, possessing no will, intelligence, or ego of it's own. This object could be a magical Gemstone, your own magically enchanted skeleton, a crystal ball, or a particularly interesting magical weapon. It is recommended that this patron only be applied to particularly unique objects or materials, rather then just any old +1 sword.
(Note: Due to the theme of this patron, it is recommended that spells taken (including those in this spell list) be something that could be explained as manipulating your material in some way, such as Barkskin being a covering of your material rather then bark.)
Expanded Spell list:
1st: Absorb Elements, Thunder Wave
2nd: [Unfinished, Choices were narrowed down to eleven possibilities, only two of which could be chosen: Aid, Enhance ability, Kinetic Jaunt, Magic Weapon, Spiritual weapon, Branding Smite, Gentle Repose, Warding Bond, Barkskin, Cordon of Arrows, and Spike growth. Options existing on Sorcerer, Druid, and Wizard spell lists have not yet been explored]
3rd: [Unfinished]
4th: [Unfinished]
5th: [Unfinished]
Abilities:
1st level ability: I've come up with two possible options for this ability, loosely based on the "Form of Dread" ability granted from the Undead patron. I'm not sure which option should be chosen for this ability, if either.
-Option 1: At 1st level, Your Material has covered your body to some extent. giving you a small amount of additional armour. This is either a flat +1, or equal to half your proficiency bonus (Undecided). This is either constant, or requires a bonus action to activate for one minute (Undecided) with a number of uses equal to your proficiency bonus per short or long rest.
-Option 2: At 1st level, As a bonus action you gain a covering of your material for one minute. in this state you gain temporary hit points equal to 1d10+ your warlock level, possibly with a flat +1 Ac as well.
6th level ability:
This one is based on the "Misty Escape" ability from the Archfey patron.
Starting at 6th level, When you are hit by an enemy you may use a reaction to create a barrier of your material between yourself and the attacker, This barrier takes the hit and shatters, dealing Xd4+ Warlock lvl piercing damage to the attacker. This ability requires a short or long rest to recharge. (More uses at higher levels?)
(-Does the barrier have hitpoints? Will bypassing those hitpoints cause overflow damage to go to the warlock?)
(Does the # of d4 go up per level? or remain constant?)
(I don't know what number X should be to start off with)
10th level ability:
Based on the "Sanctuary Vessel" ability granted by the "Genie" Patron, and the "Necrotic Husk" ability granted by the Undead patron.
At 10th level, When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you may use your reaction to fall prone but stable at 1 hit point with a sphere or dome-shaped shell of your material surrounding your body instead. This shell protects you from all forms of damage for as long as it exists. When summoned, it has a total number of hitpoints equal to half of your maximum hitpoints and can not be healed by any means. While within the shell, you always count as prone and have a speed of 10, allowing you to move the shell to a different location from inside if needed. You may still cast spells or use items within the shell so long as it can be done while prone, but no spell or effect may enter or exit the shell so long as it exists. The Shell breaks if it is reduced to 0 hit points, or can be dismissed as an action. Once the shell is gone, you gain one point of exhaustion. This ability can be used once per long rest.
14th level ability:
(I never got this far. I was really only planning to take maybe six levels in this warlock pact at most.)
The Gemstone had a gimmick of "Long Term sustainability", so i reflected that in the Patron concept with all of the abilities having some some form of defensive application. I've been unsure if i should add some kind of offensive or more utility ability as well?
Does anyone have any thoughts, concepts, ideas, or even just grammar correction upon reading this? It's been sitting on my PC for over a year now in this unfinished state, and while it's looking like i'll never get the chance to use it myself with this fighter, it'd be nice to at least get this last legacy of that forgotten game out there to some degree.
A couple of years ago, i was in a short-lived 5th edition campaign, where my fighter encountered a magical gemstone that somehow sank into her body and replaced her heart. This "Gem Heart" granted her the ability to roll her Hit-die twice during a short rest in order to regain hitpoints, adding the two numbers together. as well as making her immune to debilitating torso injuries except those caused by damage matching or exceeding her maximum hitpoints.
In-character, the Fighter was not aware of this ability, she just saw the gemstone sink into herself, and the most she felt was a slightly slower heart rate and a slightly lower body temperature in the torso. There was however, the possibility that the gemstone might make itself known in the future, perhaps growing out of her body in some way, such as replacing a missing limb, or causing crystalline protrusions to grow from her skin.
With that in mind, i eventually asked the DM if my Fighter could take levels in Warlock using the Gemstone as her patron once she becomes aware of it, with the idea that the Gemstone is not an intelligent entity granting her power, but more that she finds a way to manipulate the power in this magical object and shape it to her own whims, with the idea that any spell or ability she cast would be sourced from this gemstone. For example "Eldrich Blast" would be depicted as her shooting shards of gemstone out of her body at her opponent, with a bit of a flavor text being that doing this increases her hunger rate since that's effectively some of her body mass she's throwing there.
The DM agreed to the idea and said it would be okay for me to take levels in Warlock once my fighter became away of the Gemstone's presence, i was super excited, but noticed that none of the Warlock "otherworldly patrons" really matched this idea of "Physical object you gain power from", so i started working on my own, planning to present it to the DM one day. Unfortunately the game came to an abrupt and unexplained halt some months later, and i never got the chance.
So, having kept this thing in a text document on my desktop for over a year now, i figured i'd finally post it here to see if maybe other people might be interested in it, and / or i could at least complete it.
Homebrew:
Warlock Otherworldly Patron: Physical Material
You are a warlock who's patron is not some otherworldly entity with it's own agenda and desires. instead your patron is a magical, physical object you have on or near your person at all times. You've found a means of leeching magic from this object, and use it's magic as your own. Most likely this object is completely inanimate, possessing no will, intelligence, or ego of it's own. This object could be a magical Gemstone, your own magically enchanted skeleton, a crystal ball, or a particularly interesting magical weapon. It is recommended that this patron only be applied to particularly unique objects or materials, rather then just any old +1 sword.
(Note: Due to the theme of this patron, it is recommended that spells taken (including those in this spell list) be something that could be explained as manipulating your material in some way, such as Barkskin being a covering of your material rather then bark.)
Expanded Spell list:
1st: Absorb Elements, Thunder Wave
2nd: [Unfinished, Choices were narrowed down to eleven possibilities, only two of which could be chosen: Aid, Enhance ability, Kinetic Jaunt, Magic Weapon, Spiritual weapon, Branding Smite, Gentle Repose, Warding Bond, Barkskin, Cordon of Arrows, and Spike growth. Options existing on Sorcerer, Druid, and Wizard spell lists have not yet been explored]
3rd: [Unfinished]
4th: [Unfinished]
5th: [Unfinished]
Abilities:
1st level ability: I've come up with two possible options for this ability, loosely based on the "Form of Dread" ability granted from the Undead patron. I'm not sure which option should be chosen for this ability, if either.
-Option 1: At 1st level, Your Material has covered your body to some extent. giving you a small amount of additional armour. This is either a flat +1, or equal to half your proficiency bonus (Undecided). This is either constant, or requires a bonus action to activate for one minute (Undecided) with a number of uses equal to your proficiency bonus per short or long rest.
-Option 2: At 1st level, As a bonus action you gain a covering of your material for one minute. in this state you gain temporary hit points equal to 1d10+ your warlock level, possibly with a flat +1 Ac as well.
6th level ability:
This one is based on the "Misty Escape" ability from the Archfey patron.
Starting at 6th level, When you are hit by an enemy you may use a reaction to create a barrier of your material between yourself and the attacker, This barrier takes the hit and shatters, dealing Xd4+ Warlock lvl piercing damage to the attacker. This ability requires a short or long rest to recharge. (More uses at higher levels?)
(-Does the barrier have hitpoints? Will bypassing those hitpoints cause overflow damage to go to the warlock?)
(Does the # of d4 go up per level? or remain constant?)
(I don't know what number X should be to start off with)
10th level ability:
Based on the "Sanctuary Vessel" ability granted by the "Genie" Patron, and the "Necrotic Husk" ability granted by the Undead patron.
At 10th level, When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you may use your reaction to fall prone but stable at 1 hit point with a sphere or dome-shaped shell of your material surrounding your body instead. This shell protects you from all forms of damage for as long as it exists. When summoned, it has a total number of hitpoints equal to half of your maximum hitpoints and can not be healed by any means. While within the shell, you always count as prone and have a speed of 10, allowing you to move the shell to a different location from inside if needed. You may still cast spells or use items within the shell so long as it can be done while prone, but no spell or effect may enter or exit the shell so long as it exists. The Shell breaks if it is reduced to 0 hit points, or can be dismissed as an action. Once the shell is gone, you gain one point of exhaustion. This ability can be used once per long rest.
14th level ability:
(I never got this far. I was really only planning to take maybe six levels in this warlock pact at most.)
The Gemstone had a gimmick of "Long Term sustainability", so i reflected that in the Patron concept with all of the abilities having some some form of defensive application. I've been unsure if i should add some kind of offensive or more utility ability as well?
Does anyone have any thoughts, concepts, ideas, or even just grammar correction upon reading this? It's been sitting on my PC for over a year now in this unfinished state, and while it's looking like i'll never get the chance to use it myself with this fighter, it'd be nice to at least get this last legacy of that forgotten game out there to some degree.