Shadow Dragon Warlock Patron - PEACH

[nickl_2000]

Just something I'm trying out and wanted to put it past others. What do you think? Anything glaringly powerful or weak? Other thoughts and suggestions? I would love to hear anything you've got!

Shadow Dragon Warlock

Shadow Dragon Expanded Spells
1st: Bane, Inflict Wounds
2nd: Dragon’s Breath (Necrotic), Pass without a Trace
3rd: Phantom Steed, Life Transference
4th: Evard's Black Tentacles, Greater Invisibility
5th: Destructive Wave (necrotic only), Summon Draconic Spirit


One with the Shadows
At level 1 you gain darkvision to 60 feet. If you already have darkvision from another source, you extend your darkvision by 60 feet. Additionally, when you are in darkness you gain advantage on stealth checks.


Shade’s Touch
Additionally at level 1, as an action, you may send out shadowy tendrils from your arms to touch the opponent. Select a creature that you can see within 30 feet of you and make a melee spell attack. On success the target takes your proficiency bonus d10s necrotic damage and loses 1d4 strength and 1d4 dexterity. If you reduce the target's strength or dexterity to 0 they fall unconscious. At the end of each turn the target makes a constitution save against your spell DC, on success the target regains dexterity and strength points lost from this ability.

You may use this ability once, you regain the use of this ability after completing a short or long rest.


Shade Summoning
At level 6, when a creature is killed in combat, you may use your reaction to summon it’s essence as a shadow under your control. The shadow takes it turn on you initiative, immediately after you.
It obeys all verbal orders given to the best of its ability (it does not require an action or bonus action). After 10 minutes or if the shadow is destroyed, the shadowy essence dissolves in a puff of smoke.

You may use this ability proficiency bonus times per long rest.


Shadow Superiority
At level 10 you gain control over the shadows. You gain resistance to necrotic damage and any necrotic damage you deal bypasses resistance.


Ethereal Wings
At 14th level, you gain the ability to sprout a pair of ethereal dragon wings from your back, gaining a flying speed equal to your current speed. You can create these wings as a bonus action on your turn. They last until you dismiss them as a bonus action on your turn.

[Intregus182]

The shades touch ability makes no sense.

D10 damage? What type? Necrotic?

Whats the point of the d4 str and dex loss? The only time this would be relevant is if you're fighting a creature that has a 4 in str or dex if this attack is only useable once per rest.

[nickl_2000]

The shades touch ability makes no sense.

D10 damage? What type? Necrotic?

Whats the point of the d4 str and dex loss? The only time this would be relevant is if you're fighting a creature that has a 4 in str or dex if this attack is only useable once per rest.

Yes, it was supposed to be necrotic damage, thanks for catching that

That's not true at all a d4 dex and str loss could mean that attacks get a -2 to hit and damage and that they potentially have 2 less AC until they make the save.

It also attacks with the ability of the shade that you can raise later on, the shade could reduce strengththrough it's ability and the PC could reduce it more.

[Intregus182]

Yes, it was supposed to be necrotic damage, thanks for catching that

That's not true at all a d4 dex and str loss could mean that attacks get a -2 to hit and damage and that they potentially have 2 less AC until they make the save.

It also attacks with the ability of the shade that you can raise later on, the shade could reduce strengththrough it's ability and the PC could reduce it more.

I see that synergy now! The saving throw tonregain str dex currently reads that it would apply to str or dex loss from other sources as well when my guess is that it should just apply to that attack.

The only other thing id chnage is the 14th ability. Your all about shadows which arent physical so i would remove the restriction around needing armor or clothes with wing slots.

[nickl_2000]

I see that synergy now! The saving throw tonregain str dex currently reads that it would apply to str or dex loss from other sources as well when my guess is that it should just apply to that attack.

The only other thing id chnage is the 14th ability. Your all about shadows which arent physical so i would remove the restriction around needing armor or clothes with wing slots.

You are right on all cases, I toughened up the wording and removed the wing slot paragraph. Thanks for the comments, anything else you would consider or needs changed?

[Intregus182]

Seems fine. At this point it just needs to be playtested and adjusted from there.

[BerzerkerUnit]

Just something I'm trying out and wanted to put it past others. What do you think? Anything glaringly powerful or weak? Other thoughts and suggestions? I would love to hear anything you've got!

Shadow Dragon Warlock

Shadow Dragon Expanded Spells
1st: Bane, Inflict Wounds
2nd: Dragon’s Breath (Necrotic), Pass without a Trace
3rd: Phantom Steed, Life Transference
4th: Evard's Black Tentacles, Greater Invisibility
5th: Destructive Wave (necrotic only), Summon Draconic Spirit


One with the Shadows
At level 1 you gain darkvision to 60 feet. If you already have darkvision from another source, you extend your darkvision by 60 feet. Additionally, when you are in darkness you gain advantage on stealth checks.


Shade’s Touch
Additionally at level 1, as an action, you may send out shadowy tendrils from your arms to touch the opponent. Select a creature that you can see within 30 feet of you and make a melee spell attack. On success the target takes your proficiency bonus d10s necrotic damage and loses 1d4 strength and 1d4 dexterity. If you reduce the target's strength or dexterity to 0 they fall unconscious. At the end of each turn the target makes a constitution save against your spell DC, on success the target regains dexterity and strength points lost from this ability.

You may use this ability once, you regain the use of this ability after completing a short or long rest.


Shade Summoning
At level 6, when a creature is killed in combat, you may use your reaction to summon it’s essence as a shadow under your control. The shadow takes it turn on you initiative, immediately after you.
It obeys all verbal orders given to the best of its ability (it does not require an action or bonus action). After 10 minutes or if the shadow is destroyed, the shadowy essence dissolves in a puff of smoke.

You may use this ability proficiency bonus times per long rest.


Shadow Superiority
At level 10 you gain control over the shadows. You gain resistance to necrotic damage and any necrotic damage you deal bypasses resistance.


Ethereal Wings
At 14th level, you gain the ability to sprout a pair of ethereal dragon wings from your back, gaining a flying speed equal to your current speed. You can create these wings as a bonus action on your turn. They last until you dismiss them as a bonus action on your turn.

As a DM I love shadows as enemies. As a DM I would loathe shadows as a player resource. Tracking each monster and whether the accumulated Str penalties result in changes to attack rolls would eat so much cognition and at level 6+ that's every battle.

Recommendation- switch to a d6 penalty to attacks and checks. That's more powerful over all without the "does the tarrasque happen to just die on round 6 from strength drain.

I'm also not 100% on where the Dragon is in this subclass before level 9 when you can summon one. Like, Dragon's Breath spell is there at 3rd level if you take it but necrotic isn't a type. I'll note, there's a Gem variant that grants necrotic resist and breath, but the rest is gravy not related to shadows. The next Dragon business is level 14 with wings which aren't exactly iconic for dragons.

As a "Shadow Warlock" this is pretty good. I'd even rework some of the fluff, ditch the dragon spells and make it the Aleph Patron.


For a Shadow Dragon, looking at Dragon's Breath at level 3 I'd think of the dragon theme, maybe... Breath, Body, Lair/Hoard, Arrogance, Greed, Wisdom.

Level
I see breath coming at 3rd, I bank on that being stock and trade instead of Eldritch Blast. I take Arrogance, and move it to level 1 using the dragon monk's feature of adding a d4 to charisma checks until you succeed.

I take Body and borrow Dragon Sorcerer 1. Free Mage Armor and another hp/lvl. Now there's some versatility if I want to go bladepact. I can expand on body with elemental resistances or Claw/Bite boosts with Invocations.

Summon Shadowspawn is on the Warlock list, a feature that lets you have an extra pet isn't broken but it will eat more time. I might grant knowledge of Summon Shadowspawn and buff it, bonus HP equal to your warlock level, necrotic resist, and a selection of damages from other Dragon Breath types and necrotic and bonus damage equal to proficiency. It will never make more than 2 attacks per turn anyway so this is not a huge bump and you'll probably never cast it after level 8 anyway.

Level 6
I take Breath, grant the dragon's breath spell for free (allowing you to swap it off your chosen list) and make it a 30 ft cone and add that when you take the attack action you can replace an attack you would make with your breath OR breathe as a bonus action (not both). That's a major boost for a Bladepact, but Bladepact and Locks in general have so much they could be doing with their bonus action the attack replacement is a nice boost.

Level 10
Lair/Hoard/Greed- maybe the ability to request magic items or cash from the hoard with a requirement to return or replace the item. That could be a fun side activity right there, rolling up the hoard before hand or making it a random item using the treasure tables with a dragon boss that wants you to make do with what's available.

Level 14
Maybe use Draconic Wisdom as a "choose a bonus" so you could get Blindsense, Initiative Bonus (draconic prophecy in Eberron), or a free cast of Legend Lore or Divination.

Good luck with whatever you decide!