Warlock*
With a pseudodragon curled on his shoulder, a young elf in golden robes smiles warmly, weaving a magical charm into his honeyed words and bending the palace sentinel to his will.
As flames spring to life in her hands, a wizened human whispers the secret name of her demonic patron, infusing her spell with fiendish magic.
Shifting his gaze between a battered tome and the odd alignment of the stars overhead, a wild-eyed Tiefling chants the mystic ritual that will open a doorway to a distant world.
Warlocks are seekers of the knowledge that lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse. Through pacts made with mysterious beings of supernatural power, warlocks unlock magical effects both subtle and spectacular. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of beings such as fey nobles, demons, and devils, warlocks piece together arcane secrets to bolster their own power.
Sworn and Beholden
A warlock is defined by a pact with an otherworldly being. Sometimes the relationship between warlock and patron is like that of a cleric and a deity, though the beings that serve as patrons for warlocks are not gods. A warlock might lead a cult dedicated to a demon prince, an arch devil being not typically served by clerics. More often, though, the arrangement is similar to that between a master and an apprentice. The warlock learns and grows in power, at the cost of occasional services performed on the patron’s behalf.
The magic bestowed on a warlock ranges from minor but lasting alterations to the warlock’s being (such as the ability to see in darkness or to read any language) to access to powerful spells. Unlike bookish wizards, warlocks supplement their magic with some facility at hand-to-hand combat. They are comfortable in light armour and know how to use simple weapons.
Delvers into Secrets
Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and shapes their lives. This thirst drives warlocks into their pacts and shapes their later careers as well.
Stories of warlocks binding themselves to fiends are widely known. But many warlocks serve patrons that are not fiendish. Sometimes a traveller in the wilds comes to a strangely beautiful tower, meets its fey lord or lady, and stumbles into a pact without being fully aware of it. And sometimes, while poring over tomes of forbidden lore, a brilliant but crazed student’s mind is opened to realities beyond the material world and to the alien beings that dwell in the outer void.
Once a pact is made, a warlock’s thirst for knowledge and power can’t be slaked with mere study and research. No one makes a pact with such a mighty patron if he or she doesn’t intend to use the power thus gained. Rather, the vast majority of warlocks spend their days in active pursuit of their goals, which typically means some kind of adventuring. Furthermore, the demands of their patron’s drive warlocks toward adventure.
Role: secondary caster
Weapons:
Free: One-Handed Short
Lvl 1: Long One-Handed
Lvl 2: Small Polearm
Lvl 2: Thrown Weapons
Lvl 4: Dart / Shot Specialization
Lvl 8: Flight Weapons
Armour:
Lvl 3: Padded Armour
Lvl 6: Light Armour
Shields:
Lvl 5: Buckler
Lvl 10: Medium
Magic: 3 Elements (Lvl 2, 4 & 6)
Mana Bands:
Lvl 0: Mana Band 1
Lvl 0: Mana Band 2
Lvl 1: Mana Band 3
Lvl 2: Mana Band 4
Lvl 3: Mana Band 5
Lvl 3: Mana Band 6
Lvl 4: Mana Band 7
Lvl 4: Mana Band 8
Lvl 5: Mana Band 9
Lvl 6: Mana Band 10
Spell Level Requirements to learn (use the achievement listed in the magic section)
Lvl 2: Spell Level 1 Abilities
Lvl 4: Spell Level 2 Abilities
Lvl 6: Spell Level 3 Abilities
Lvl 8: Spell Level 4 Abilities
Suggested Races: Dwarf, Elf, Dawn Court Fey (Celestial Patron Only), Twilight Court Fey (Diabolical Patron Only), Human, Tiefling And Vampire.
Abilities:
A Warlock’s abilities come from their pact with their patron. This patron’s essence must be bound to the Warlock’s weapon of choice. (This is signified by a black ribbon tied to the Warlock’s weapon). If the weapon is destroyed, then the Warlock will not be able to use their class abilities again until they have a new weapon and performed the binding ritual to bind their patron to their new weapon.
The Binding Ritual: 1 Mana per 2 levels of the Warlock. The Warlock must role play the setting up a ritual space and this must include an idol of their patron. The ritual must take 1 min per level of the Warlock. And they must have made/bought a new weapon to bind the patron to.
Celestial Patron: - Celestials are creatures native to the Upper Planes. Many of them are the servants of deities, employed as messengers or agents in the mortal realm and throughout the planes. Celestials are good by nature, so the exceptional Celestial who strays from a good alignment is a horrifying rarity. (Limited to choosing from Air, Light, Water, Arcane Spell Elements)
Lvl 2: Radiant Presence: 1 mana: Touch: By channelling their patron’s aura the Warlock can charm a target into being a friend or cause devastating fear for 20 seconds. (1/battle)
Lvl 5: Transfusion: 2 mana. Range, Touch: By reaching into their own vitality and creating a connection with another’s vitality the Warlock can transfer a part of their life force to another. Up to 2 health points can transferred in this transfusion.
Lvl 7: Blink: 3 mana. Self: At this level, the Warlock’s patron grants them the ability to blink out of danger if they are getting injured. When the Warlock takes 1 Hp of damage they can become invisible (10 seconds) and must run directly from combat. (1/battle)
Lvl 9: Improved Transfusion: 2 mana. Range, Touch: By reaching into their own vitality and creating a connection with another’s vitality the Warlock can transfer a part of their life force to another. Up to 2 health points can transferred in this transfusion. The Warlock is now able to pull the vitality from an opponent and heal themselves. (2/battle)
Lvl 12: Beguiling Defence: 4 mana, Self: At this level, the patron has created such a strong mental bond with the Warlock that their minds become one. Whenever the Warlock is the target of a mind effecting spell or ability the effects are reflected and the opponent causing the effect, suffers the effect in turn. This does however come with a cost as their patron is focused on protecting its wards mind, they can’t provide their full magical power. When activated the Warlock’s mana total is reduced by 4 and this can’t be replenished until the defence is dropped.
Lvl 15: Delirium: 6 mana, Range, Touch: By channelling their patrons’ aura the Warlock can charm a target into being a friend or cause devastating fear. Unlike radiant presence though the target of this effect will stay under the Warlocks influence as long as the Warlock is concentrating on their target. Their focus must be so acute, that they can do no more than walk and talk. Anything that breaks their focus from their target will break the delirium.
.
Diabolical Patron: - A fiend is an evil creature from one of the Lower planes. They were not just evil but born of evil; primal malevolence was one of the roots of their nature, and the evil essence of the fiendish planes permeated every part of their bodies. A Warlock who makes a pact with a fiend must be extraordinarily strong willed to keep the beast from devouring their own soul. (Limited to choosing from Earth, Fire, Shadow and Arcane Spell Elements)
Lvl 2: Dark Blessing: 1 mana, Self: When a Warlock succeeds in delivering the death blow to an opponent their patron will reward them with a piece of their enemies’ vitality. On a death blow the warlock gains 2 HP. This may take them over their max but at the end of battle they will lose all bonus points above their natural max.
Lvl 5: Animate Dead: 2 mana, Touch: The influence of the fiend’s corruption is such that they can reanimate and raise one corpse of the recently dead nearby to become a mindless Undead Follower under the Warlocks control. Lasts until destroyed or the fiend will keep this corpse animated until the warlock is out of danger. Then the body will desiccate and crumble to dust (no resurrection available) (1/battle)
Lvl 7: Dark Negation: 3 mana, Self: By channelling their dark patron the Warlock is able to see glimpses of possible futures. By tapping into these visions, the Warlock can predict when an enemy is going to avoid an attack and then just in time alert the outcome. For example: Warlock casts Root to pin their target in place. The Ranger however uses ‘One with nature’ to avoid the effect. The Warlock’s then activates Dark Negation to have seen that coming and negate the Rangers escape. (Dark negation will negate a Counter effect / Dodge. (1/battle)
Lvl 9: Animate Dead: 2 mana, Touch: The influence of the fiend’s corruption has grown in such a way that they can now reanimate and raise two corpses of the recently dead nearby to become a mindless Undead Follower under the Warlocks control. Lasts until destroyed or the fiend will keep these corpses animated until the warlock is out of danger. Then the bodies will desiccate and crumble to dust (no resurrection available) (2/battle)
Lvl 12: Fiendish Resilience: 4 mana, Self: The extended connection with their patron has given the Warlock the ability to take on some of its physical aspects. Once activated the Warlock can choose to resist damage from either Blade or Blunt weapons. This means they will not take any damage from Non-Magical Bladed weapons or Blunt weapons (magical or enchanted weapons will still damage as normal). As their patron is focused on protecting its wards body, they cannot provide their full magical power. When activated the Warlock’s mana total is reduced by 4 and this cannot be replenished until the defence is dropped. (Blade or Blunt must be picked at time the skill is taken and this cannot be changed)
Lvl 15: Dragged to Hell: 6 Mana. Range, Touch: Upon the command of the Warlock their patron will summon a portal to hell under the very feet of their opponent. The many grasping hands of infernal creatures will drag the target through the portal which will close behind them. Two minutes later the portal will reopen in the same place and the target returned either alive or dead but certainly changed by their ordeal. Opponents who are the target of this ability must stand still with their arm raised and count to 120. They cannot be the target of any action as they are effectively not there. After that time, they return and take 3 points of damage (un-blockable). If they are still alive, they return to action but suffer the effect of rage (from fighting demons in hell for 2 hours) and will attack everybody and anybody in sight for 10 seconds as if not realising they are back and see everyone as another demon bent on killing them (do not suffer daze but should act exhausted).
*Descriptions of class taken from D&D 5e player’s handbook with amendments to adapt to Darken vale.
With a pseudodragon curled on his shoulder, a young elf in golden robes smiles warmly, weaving a magical charm into his honeyed words and bending the palace sentinel to his will.
As flames spring to life in her hands, a wizened human whispers the secret name of her demonic patron, infusing her spell with fiendish magic.
Shifting his gaze between a battered tome and the odd alignment of the stars overhead, a wild-eyed Tiefling chants the mystic ritual that will open a doorway to a distant world.
Warlocks are seekers of the knowledge that lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse. Through pacts made with mysterious beings of supernatural power, warlocks unlock magical effects both subtle and spectacular. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of beings such as fey nobles, demons, and devils, warlocks piece together arcane secrets to bolster their own power.
Sworn and Beholden
A warlock is defined by a pact with an otherworldly being. Sometimes the relationship between warlock and patron is like that of a cleric and a deity, though the beings that serve as patrons for warlocks are not gods. A warlock might lead a cult dedicated to a demon prince, an arch devil being not typically served by clerics. More often, though, the arrangement is similar to that between a master and an apprentice. The warlock learns and grows in power, at the cost of occasional services performed on the patron’s behalf.
The magic bestowed on a warlock ranges from minor but lasting alterations to the warlock’s being (such as the ability to see in darkness or to read any language) to access to powerful spells. Unlike bookish wizards, warlocks supplement their magic with some facility at hand-to-hand combat. They are comfortable in light armour and know how to use simple weapons.
Delvers into Secrets
Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and shapes their lives. This thirst drives warlocks into their pacts and shapes their later careers as well.
Stories of warlocks binding themselves to fiends are widely known. But many warlocks serve patrons that are not fiendish. Sometimes a traveller in the wilds comes to a strangely beautiful tower, meets its fey lord or lady, and stumbles into a pact without being fully aware of it. And sometimes, while poring over tomes of forbidden lore, a brilliant but crazed student’s mind is opened to realities beyond the material world and to the alien beings that dwell in the outer void.
Once a pact is made, a warlock’s thirst for knowledge and power can’t be slaked with mere study and research. No one makes a pact with such a mighty patron if he or she doesn’t intend to use the power thus gained. Rather, the vast majority of warlocks spend their days in active pursuit of their goals, which typically means some kind of adventuring. Furthermore, the demands of their patron’s drive warlocks toward adventure.
Role: secondary caster
Weapons:
Free: One-Handed Short
Lvl 1: Long One-Handed
Lvl 2: Small Polearm
Lvl 2: Thrown Weapons
Lvl 4: Dart / Shot Specialization
Lvl 8: Flight Weapons
Armour:
Lvl 3: Padded Armour
Lvl 6: Light Armour
Shields:
Lvl 5: Buckler
Lvl 10: Medium
Magic: 3 Elements (Lvl 2, 4 & 6)
Mana Bands:
Lvl 0: Mana Band 1
Lvl 0: Mana Band 2
Lvl 1: Mana Band 3
Lvl 2: Mana Band 4
Lvl 3: Mana Band 5
Lvl 3: Mana Band 6
Lvl 4: Mana Band 7
Lvl 4: Mana Band 8
Lvl 5: Mana Band 9
Lvl 6: Mana Band 10
Spell Level Requirements to learn (use the achievement listed in the magic section)
Lvl 2: Spell Level 1 Abilities
Lvl 4: Spell Level 2 Abilities
Lvl 6: Spell Level 3 Abilities
Lvl 8: Spell Level 4 Abilities
Suggested Races: Dwarf, Elf, Dawn Court Fey (Celestial Patron Only), Twilight Court Fey (Diabolical Patron Only), Human, Tiefling And Vampire.
Abilities:
A Warlock’s abilities come from their pact with their patron. This patron’s essence must be bound to the Warlock’s weapon of choice. (This is signified by a black ribbon tied to the Warlock’s weapon). If the weapon is destroyed, then the Warlock will not be able to use their class abilities again until they have a new weapon and performed the binding ritual to bind their patron to their new weapon.
The Binding Ritual: 1 Mana per 2 levels of the Warlock. The Warlock must role play the setting up a ritual space and this must include an idol of their patron. The ritual must take 1 min per level of the Warlock. And they must have made/bought a new weapon to bind the patron to.
Celestial Patron: - Celestials are creatures native to the Upper Planes. Many of them are the servants of deities, employed as messengers or agents in the mortal realm and throughout the planes. Celestials are good by nature, so the exceptional Celestial who strays from a good alignment is a horrifying rarity. (Limited to choosing from Air, Light, Water, Arcane Spell Elements)
Lvl 2: Radiant Presence: 1 mana: Touch: By channelling their patron’s aura the Warlock can charm a target into being a friend or cause devastating fear for 20 seconds. (1/battle)
Lvl 5: Transfusion: 2 mana. Range, Touch: By reaching into their own vitality and creating a connection with another’s vitality the Warlock can transfer a part of their life force to another. Up to 2 health points can transferred in this transfusion.
Lvl 7: Blink: 3 mana. Self: At this level, the Warlock’s patron grants them the ability to blink out of danger if they are getting injured. When the Warlock takes 1 Hp of damage they can become invisible (10 seconds) and must run directly from combat. (1/battle)
Lvl 9: Improved Transfusion: 2 mana. Range, Touch: By reaching into their own vitality and creating a connection with another’s vitality the Warlock can transfer a part of their life force to another. Up to 2 health points can transferred in this transfusion. The Warlock is now able to pull the vitality from an opponent and heal themselves. (2/battle)
Lvl 12: Beguiling Defence: 4 mana, Self: At this level, the patron has created such a strong mental bond with the Warlock that their minds become one. Whenever the Warlock is the target of a mind effecting spell or ability the effects are reflected and the opponent causing the effect, suffers the effect in turn. This does however come with a cost as their patron is focused on protecting its wards mind, they can’t provide their full magical power. When activated the Warlock’s mana total is reduced by 4 and this can’t be replenished until the defence is dropped.
Lvl 15: Delirium: 6 mana, Range, Touch: By channelling their patrons’ aura the Warlock can charm a target into being a friend or cause devastating fear. Unlike radiant presence though the target of this effect will stay under the Warlocks influence as long as the Warlock is concentrating on their target. Their focus must be so acute, that they can do no more than walk and talk. Anything that breaks their focus from their target will break the delirium.
.
Diabolical Patron: - A fiend is an evil creature from one of the Lower planes. They were not just evil but born of evil; primal malevolence was one of the roots of their nature, and the evil essence of the fiendish planes permeated every part of their bodies. A Warlock who makes a pact with a fiend must be extraordinarily strong willed to keep the beast from devouring their own soul. (Limited to choosing from Earth, Fire, Shadow and Arcane Spell Elements)
Lvl 2: Dark Blessing: 1 mana, Self: When a Warlock succeeds in delivering the death blow to an opponent their patron will reward them with a piece of their enemies’ vitality. On a death blow the warlock gains 2 HP. This may take them over their max but at the end of battle they will lose all bonus points above their natural max.
Lvl 5: Animate Dead: 2 mana, Touch: The influence of the fiend’s corruption is such that they can reanimate and raise one corpse of the recently dead nearby to become a mindless Undead Follower under the Warlocks control. Lasts until destroyed or the fiend will keep this corpse animated until the warlock is out of danger. Then the body will desiccate and crumble to dust (no resurrection available) (1/battle)
Lvl 7: Dark Negation: 3 mana, Self: By channelling their dark patron the Warlock is able to see glimpses of possible futures. By tapping into these visions, the Warlock can predict when an enemy is going to avoid an attack and then just in time alert the outcome. For example: Warlock casts Root to pin their target in place. The Ranger however uses ‘One with nature’ to avoid the effect. The Warlock’s then activates Dark Negation to have seen that coming and negate the Rangers escape. (Dark negation will negate a Counter effect / Dodge. (1/battle)
Lvl 9: Animate Dead: 2 mana, Touch: The influence of the fiend’s corruption has grown in such a way that they can now reanimate and raise two corpses of the recently dead nearby to become a mindless Undead Follower under the Warlocks control. Lasts until destroyed or the fiend will keep these corpses animated until the warlock is out of danger. Then the bodies will desiccate and crumble to dust (no resurrection available) (2/battle)
Lvl 12: Fiendish Resilience: 4 mana, Self: The extended connection with their patron has given the Warlock the ability to take on some of its physical aspects. Once activated the Warlock can choose to resist damage from either Blade or Blunt weapons. This means they will not take any damage from Non-Magical Bladed weapons or Blunt weapons (magical or enchanted weapons will still damage as normal). As their patron is focused on protecting its wards body, they cannot provide their full magical power. When activated the Warlock’s mana total is reduced by 4 and this cannot be replenished until the defence is dropped. (Blade or Blunt must be picked at time the skill is taken and this cannot be changed)
Lvl 15: Dragged to Hell: 6 Mana. Range, Touch: Upon the command of the Warlock their patron will summon a portal to hell under the very feet of their opponent. The many grasping hands of infernal creatures will drag the target through the portal which will close behind them. Two minutes later the portal will reopen in the same place and the target returned either alive or dead but certainly changed by their ordeal. Opponents who are the target of this ability must stand still with their arm raised and count to 120. They cannot be the target of any action as they are effectively not there. After that time, they return and take 3 points of damage (un-blockable). If they are still alive, they return to action but suffer the effect of rage (from fighting demons in hell for 2 hours) and will attack everybody and anybody in sight for 10 seconds as if not realising they are back and see everyone as another demon bent on killing them (do not suffer daze but should act exhausted).
*Descriptions of class taken from D&D 5e player’s handbook with amendments to adapt to Darken vale.