D&D General What Happens if a Cleric/Warlock/etc PC Gravely Offends Their Supernatural Patron?

[nevin]

So what you're saying is that it isn't unbalanced at all if the Patron is ignored as an element, it's a narrative element that can be used to further the Warlock character's story?

To me that says that the warlock isn't overpowered if they choose to ignore their Patron and the DM decides to not follow up on it, it's just that a possible story hook for the Warlock character is being ignored (possibly one that the player wants to have explored since they're going out of their way to offend their Patron). That's a very different thing in my mind than a claim that the Warlock class is out of balance if the DM isn't using their Patron to keep them in check.

I get all the power with no cost? Don't think we'll agree on this

 

[Cadence]

Because you have DM's that love the shades of grey or simply making PCs crawl through the moral field of broken glass. Same ones that love the fallen paladin struggling to regain grace trope. The ones who don't understand that only 1 player in a 100,000 actually enjoys that misery

A DM who wants to do that without player buy-in doesn't need the character to have a pact or deity. They just need the player to express any desires or goals at all. :-/

 

[nevin]

How is it a failure? The cleric just won't have a conflict with their god because of who they are.

If they break their gods rules YES they will.

 

[Cadence]

If they break their gods rules YES they will.

But his post (several back) that led to this had the setup: "What if the player is just a naturally obedient person who would never think to step a single toe out of Daddy Patron's line"

 

[nevin]

A DM who wants to do that without player buy-in doesn't need the character to have a pact or deity. They just need the player to express any desires or goals at all. :-/

You asked why moral traps. This is why in general....not just warlicks

 

[nevin]

But his post (several back) that led to this had the setup: "What if the player is just a naturally obedient person who would never think to step a single toe out of Daddy Patron's line"

Hen no they'll never upset daddy all the way to end when the price of power comes due.

 

[Redwizard007]

Then he not a warlock he's just a weird mage whose stolen power from someone who will want it back.

You just said "not a warlock," then went on to explicitly describe a warlock.

 

[Vaalingrade]

You asked why moral traps. This is why in general....not just warlicks

Guitar bard/warlock multiclass!

 

[Jer]

I get all the power with no cost? Don't think we'll agree on this

I think you're making a completely different argument. Questions of balance are about mechanics, not story. The cost of power is a story element in D&D not a mechanical one for the most part. (Notably the spell system being a slot-based system rather than an energy or health based attrition system means that except on Athas there's really no mechanic in D&D for power coming with a cost - it's all about narrative.)

 

[nevin]

I was simply replying to what I quoted. Most dieties don't need a reason to jack with their worshippers