I don't understand how you can say you loved them while in the same breath talking about how terrible their design is. Clearly, you don't like their design. You like their flavor. Maybe you like getting to make lots of build choices. But what you don't like is a caster who mainly relies on one strong cantrip, a bit of at-will utility, and a couple of leveled spells now and then. Which is what the warlock is.
I do agree that all of the changes are great. Except half-casting. Trading in one at-level spell per encounter for a handfull of under-leveled spells on daily recharge is not my idea of a power-boost, and it spoils the only option in the game that let us play magic users who weren't boring-ass Vanican casters.
All the people making hombebrew classes based on the Warlock's structure would disagree that it's poorly designed. Moreover, it is not gatekeeping to observe that there's an apparent discrepancy between your professed love for warlocks and your professed hate for everything about how the class actually functions in play.
Anytime you say "You're not a fan of x if you disagree with me", then you're gatekeeping.
I don't understand why people think the Vanican casting is boring but pact magic isn't. Sure it's structured differently, but it's just a means of being able to determine how many spells you can cast. That's it. There's nothing inherently boring or interesting about it. Oh, it's different from everyone else! Yay! It still sucks. Having two spell slots sucks. Having almost no spell selection sucks. The Spells became this side thing that you had really only for utility and one big boom spell for a grenade, and then this class that has so much room for flexibility and awesomeness becomes...a sniper.
And I can very easily love something while pointing out all of its flaws. LIke the Star Wars Prequels. I loved them. Grew up with them. I can point to so many awesome, emotional moments that were just great. Great writing, great cinematography, great characters, great story. But I can also point out Jar Jar Binks, the dialogue between Padme and Anakin, the CGI, the Plot Holes, and all the other problems it has. You CAN be a fan while at the same time understading the object of your fandom is deeply flawed.
I know how the Warlock was SUPPOSED to work, because it is given abilities that suggest certain builds. Like a melee focused Warlock. The Pact of the Blade is RIGHT THERE, and is given all these Invocations to make it work...but it never does. Eldritch Blast with Two Invocations is better at every level. For Melee Warlocks to work, that aren't Hexblades, you need either a Feat for Armor, or the Mage Armor Invocation, plus Improved Pact Weapon, plus Thirsting Blade, plus Lifedrinker, and Improved Pact Weapon was an add on in Tasha's. So that's up to four Invocations and a Boon...and Eldritch Blast with Agonizing Blast and Repelling Blast is just better. AND you can have a Familiar to give you advantage or a Tome to give lots and lots of spells. The Pact of the Blade is a Trap option. If a class has a Trap Option, then it is BAD DESIGN.
I liked the flexibility of the Invocations and the Boons. I liked the Patrons twisting the flavor. I liked Eldritch Blast and the things you could do with it. Having at will spells, something Wizards don't get till lvl 18, felt great. Mask of Many Faces or Levitate or whatever. One of my Warlocks was illiterate. He was a bard first, and I rolled a 6 for Intelligence, so he was illiterate. Later, he died, and the DM had a demon come to him offering a deal, so he had to multiclass to a Warlock and he'd be able to keep living. I said yes, and he became a warlock.
At lvl 2, he took Eyes of the Rune Keeper, because he was illiterate and that was always a sore spot for him. That Invocation was the Demon getting his hooks DEEP. From then on, every Invocation had to do with the eyees. Devil's Sight, Eldritch Sight, and later he'd have gotten Ghostly Gaze and Witch Sight if I'd ever gotten that far. It's not mechanically smart, but it was this character, and it fit so well.
But that's all Invocations. I basically ignored his spells. I just used the spells as a back up utility or a grenade. My Fire Genasi Fiend Warlock was basically Ghost Rider, with an infernal revolver (Eldritch Blast) that would transform into a grenade launcher when he cast Wall of Fire or Fireball.
I want to see how the Warlock plays as a Half Caster. Half Casters don't rely on spells. They rely on their other abilities, but they have spells as back ups, like the Warlock does. Paladin pretty much save them for Smites, Rangers oft forget they have them. Plus, it makes Shield a viable warlock spell. That's a good thing! Particularly for those Warlocks who are melee focused. Using Shield with Pact Magic was a complete waste. Not because it wasn't useful, but because it eats spell slots so quickly. Two rounds and your slots are gone. Yeah, you protected yourself from getting hit twice, but now you can't shoot your grenade. Or pretty much anything else.
Let's playtest these new ones before we just decide "Oh, it's not different anymore, my life is over! How will I ever go on if the character I play functions like the other player's characters!"
