D&D (2024) How Will They Fix Warlock Spellcasting Issues?

[doctorbadwolf]

I don't think many spells would be worth 2 actions in combat.

But compare it to false life, which also gives 5THP, had no damage, cost an invocation (though should scale). Rather than just a known spell.

Again. I like the idea of an action to recharge the slot. But some things need tweaked.

I.e. remove fiendish vigor, and make armor of agythis invocation. That gives 1 THP / damage per warlock level.

I just don’t think that’s necessary. The action is such a hefty price IMO that it just makes things into encounter powers.

 

[Shardstone]

Replace short rest with a memento system.

Your background and race gives you two mementos. These can be trinkets, memories, or markings that you cherish about your old life, whatever that may be. If you spend 1 minute cherishing your memento, you remember why you're fighting/adventuring in the first place, and gain a boost in resolve to keep going forward. This gives you the benefits of a short rest.

You can do this twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a long rest. This is because you won't get much out of a cherished thing if you spend every waking moment appreciating it, but when you're really beat down and you remember the weight of your father's toy dagger around your neck, the strength to keep on fighting returns to you.

This provides a narrative reason for short rests to be taken by the players whenever they want, and it lets you reflavor this reason in a thousand different ways, from godly boon, to inherently magic world, etc etc etc.

Then you can keep Pact Magic as is.

 

[mellored]

I just don’t think that’s necessary. The action is such a hefty price IMO that it just makes things into encounter powers.

In general, yes.

But everyone will take armor of agythis. Use it and recharge out of combat. You don't need to cast it in battle.

And all the low cost of a preparation. Making it a "must have".

Again. I like the idea (for Monks too). But you will need to go though the spell list for problem spells.

And the fix isn't difficult. Warlocks have thier own list back, and you can just make armor of agythis an invocation.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

In general, yes.

But everyone will take armor of agythis. Use it and recharge out of combat. You don't need to cast it in battle.

And all the low cost of a preparation. Making it a "must have".

Again. I like the idea (for Monks too). But you will need to go though the spell list for problem spells.

And the fix isn't difficult. Warlocks have thier own list back, and you can just make armor of agythis an invocation.

It shouldn’t be an invocation. A “must have” spell is vastly less of a big deal than a must have invocation, for one. IME 90% of warlocks already take AoA because it’s really good. Armor of Shadows is more annoying currently because it takes up an invocation, which is more limited.

I’d rather have the rule be that you can regain a slot as an action X/LR than start making a bunch of spells only available as much more limited invocations.

It isn’t a problem, IMO, to be able to cast these spells every fight, or to be able to Misty Step basically at-will out of combat.

 

[Vaalingrade]

In general, yes.

But everyone will take armor of agythis. Use it and recharge out of combat. You don't need to cast it in battle.

And all the low cost of a preparation. Making it a "must have".

Them move it to class feature.

 

[mellored]

It shouldn’t be an invocation. A “must have” spell is vastly less of a big deal than a must have invocation, for one.

false life is not a must have invocation.

Armor of Shadows is more annoying currently because it takes up an invocation, which is more limited.

Agreed. No need for that to be an invocation.

I’d rather have the rule be that you can regain a slot as an action X/LR than start making a bunch of spells only available as much more limited invocations.

IMO, the following would be problematic at-will...

Armor of agythis.
invisibility (at level 3, already an invocation at 15)
suggestion
fly (at level 5)
Any summon.

That's not too many, and they can be invocation.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

false life is not a must have invocation.

I didn’t say it was.

Agreed. No need for that to be an invocation.

IMO, the following would be problematic at-will...

Armor of agythis.
invisibility (at level 3, already an invocation at 15)
suggestion
fly (at level 5)
Any summon.

“You cannot take this action while concentrating on a spell.” Done. Invisibility isn’t problematic, suggestion isn’t strong enough to regularly burn an action in combat just to be able to cast it again the turn after, and fly and every summon are concentration.

But then, I’m not worried about fly, and the summoning spells can be balanced without taking them off the spell list.

That's not too many, and they can be invocation.

They shouldn’t be. They don’t need to be.

 

[mellored]

“You cannot take this action while concentrating on a spell.” Done.

Not sure what that solves. You can't concentrate on 2 spells at once anyways.

suggestion isn’t strong enough to regularly burn an action in combat

Out of combat at-will suggestion would be very bad.

Just keep casting it until you get all the castle guards to give you their equipment.

the summoning spells can be balanced without taking them off the spell list.

They are shared with other classes. So your not just changing the warlock if you change the spell.

Not sure why your against balancing them as an invocations. You can still cast them, just not at-will.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Not sure what that solves. You can't concentrate on 2 spells at once anyways.

The only issue I see with summon spells is that you can use an action to recover at basically no cost, because your summon is wrecking things for you. The above rules means that you can’t do the action recovery until the summon is gone, so the action cost remains relevant.

Out of combat at-will suggestion would be very bad.

Meh. About as bad as a rogue with expertise in persuasion.

Just keep casting it until you get all the castle guards to give you their equipment.

It’s not a video game. You’re not a sorcerer. They know you just cast a spell and it failed.

They are shared with other classes. So you’re not just changing the warlock if you change the spell.

I didn’t suggest changing the spells.

Not sure why you’re against balancing them as an invocations. You can still cast them, just not at-will.

There is no actual reason to limit them that much. More restriction should only happen when it is genuinely needed.

 

[mellored]

The only issue I see with summon spells is that you can use an action to recover at basically no cost, because your summon is wrecking things for you. The above rules means that you can’t do the action recovery until the summon is gone, so the action cost remains relevant.

Or you just keep sending summons into the dungeon while you sit at the entrance.

Extra easy with Gaze of two minds.

Meh. About as bad as a rogue with expertise in persuasion.

Persuasion "is not mind control."
Suggestion is.

Though the spell itself probably need adjustments.

I didn’t suggest changing the spells.

Not sure how you expect to rebalance a spell without changing it or turning it into an invocation.

There is no actual reason to limit them that much.

I don't think limiting summons to once per short rest is "much". It's the same that they have now.

Heck, you could even buff it if costing an invocation is too expensive.

Summoner Invocation
Once per short rest you can summon X, and it gets extra THP.

More restriction should only happen when it is genuinely needed.

Agreed.
But having infinite HP or any kind needs to be restricted.