So, I agree with a lot of the things being said so far.
The Phantom has some great flavor, love the floating proficiency (Could expand it to include languages just for fun) and the Wail is actually really great. The biggest part of it to me, is that your target can't save or dodge the damage. It is still gated behind needing to sneak attack one opponent, but then a second of your choice just takes damage. It starts weak with 1d6 twice per day, but gets to be 5d6 six times per day, which is equivalent to some free spellcasting or smites so I think it works out. It also makes this the first rogue who doesn't mind fighting multiple opponents. Tied into this, it makes it possible to do a 15d6 sneak on a single target six times per day at level 17. Which is really nice.
Mechanical Tangent: Probably note, but what are people's thoughts on this damage benefiting from Crits? This isn't a seperate action, it is part of the attack and just hitting a second target. It think it qualifies for doubling from crits. Which would make a 30d6 sneak on a crit at high levels. Just stupid damage.
The only real problem I have with Phantom is the same everyone else is having. Tokens of the Departed is cool, but that question ability is flat useless. Maybe allow them to smash the trinket to get an automatic 20 on their Death Save, giving them a reason to have multiple tokens before level 13.
Genie is also a ton of fun, and way better than the previous version.
I think the Dao list is actually pretty good. Sanctuary might not be great, but Spike Growth is a solid spell. And Wall of Stone could get ridiculous.
The Bottled Respite is great for safe short rests, and allows you to do some fun bag of holding things. But, I think people are missing some other great uses for it. For example, you get to hear from inside your container. With it starting at four hours you can rest in there, you can easily go into your ring and have it hidden by an ally to snoop in a room, or have your ally wear it and you can pop out to help them. It is once per day, but I think it is incredibly powerful. And, by 9th level, never long rest anywhere else.
On top of that though is the absolutely bonkers Wrath ability though. Oh sure, +2 damage on every attack doesn't seem like a lot, but remember this is the warlock. Grab agonizing and you max out at 4d10+4d6+44 damage by high levels. And this is just a permanent boon as long as you have your vessel.
Fun thing I want to do, with the level 10 ability? I'm sure it doesn't work, but it doesn't specify if the willing creatures can only remain for the same number of hours. Assume they don't. Genie Warlock Sultan with his own personal harem hanging out in the bottle. Just makes me laugh. Still, a powerful ability since you can do a fast short rest and give everyone between a +4 and +6 to their HD. Combine with bard for some excellent healing.
Also, if you don't use it for the short rest, then take a long rest in the item. It isn't invulnerable, but you could easily bury it in the dirt or otherwise keep it fairly safe.
Mechanic Question: Do we imagine this is +prof to every die, or just the total?
For the wizard, I'm almost ashamed to not see anyone talk about this amazing power move.
Write your spell book using the quill. If you get captured, use the bonus action to erase your spellbook. then you use the Awakened Spellbook feature when you escape to recreate the spell book for free.
I just love it.
Also, there are a lot of subtle things in those two abilities. 1/2 cost and time for all spells is big for the wizard. Being able to erase anything with a wave of the hand could be great for a spy campaign, after all, you could pass messages and then erase it. Now, I would like the ability to reverse that, restoring anything erased by this, maybe restoring paper would be cool.
I do agree the damage replacement needs limit, being able to do it all the time is too much, and I would like to have more than 1 quickened ritual per day. Maybe a number of times equal to int or prof.
Scrivener is a great ability, the scroll gives a free powered up spell, and tons of uses for that.
But then everything falls apart. The Manifest Mind is actually a bit of a crappy familiar. It takes you bonus action to move it every turn, which a familiar doesn't. Now, casting any spell through it is nice and being 300 ft away is also neat, but that is a very niche ability, and since it glows and has hp, it is not a stealth option and will be spotted and destroyed if you try and put it too far ahead of you.
The teleport is nice for the last ability, and I like the concept of the revive, but as was pointed out, by this level, you have Raise Dead easily which is if you died within a few days. This is you using it within a minute. So, you have to decide, do I take the risk on Raise Dead, or do we need me back after a minute, with 1 hp and losing spells.
It just isn't worth it most of the time. And it ends up making Wish a neccesary spell for this class, which is weird for a spell that is already one of the most powerful and since it restores one spell per cast, you need to make that 1/3 chance of permanently losing wish every time. It just is not a good ability.
dnd.wizards.com
