D&D General Warlock: Shadow Patron?

[doctorbadwolf]

What if we abandon the Hexblade (or push it into it's own class that is as similar to the warlock as the rogue is to the fighter), and take it's vague theme and juice it up under the banner of darkness and the Shadowfell?

Listed ideas for specific patrons would be the Dark Powers of Ravenloft, The Raven Queen, and the more self-aware and powerful Dread Lords, as well as specifically the idea that this patron is often a collection of patrons that you make arrangements with, rather than a singular being.

So that's the theme, shadowfell, darkness, death (not undeath), spookiness, etc.

So what should it do?

Level 3 ideas.
Obviously it should make you able to move through darkness unimpeded, so it should give you darkvision 120ft or increase you darkvision by 60ft.


Shadow Curse

You can place a Shadow Curse on a creature when you hit them with an attack, place a curse on them with a spell such as Hex or Bane, or as a bonus action on your turn. The Curse lasts for 1 minute. While under your Shadow Curse, the creature has no shadow, and takes necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier at the start of each of it's turns.

Raven's Shadow Form You can take on the form of a shadow with the face of a raven, as shadowy feathers form a great cloak and hood around you.
While in Raven's Shadow Form you gain the following benefits:

• You add your Charisma Modifier to AC and gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma Modifier
• You gain 5ft extra movement
• You can move through solid objects and willing creatures, but doing so is treated as difficult terrain and if you end your turn sharing space with a solid object or creature you are forced into the nearest unoccupied space and take 1d10 force damage for every 5ft you are forced to move in this way.
• You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) Checks

Shadow Jack. As a bonus action while you are in Raven's Shadow form, you can join with the shadow of a creature. The target must succeed on a Charisma Saving throw to avoid being Shadow Jacked by you. A willing creature can choose to fail the saving throw. While attached to a creature in this way, you move when it moves, without using your own movement. You can detach at any time, no action required. If the creature wishes to be rid of you, it must use it's action to repeat the saving throw in order to do so.

level 6

Raven's Shadowy Wings When you take your Raven's Shadow form, you can gain a new form of movement, as raven's wings made of shadowstuff form from your back, and you gain a fly speed of 60ft. If you spend a warlock spell slot, you can enter a version of Raven's Shadow Form that lasts for 1 hour, instead of 1 minute.

and then maybe you also upgrade the shadow curse.

Maybe the curse and shadow form are one feature, but idk if that is needed. could even drop the shadow curse tbh, other than that I think maybe you regain uses of shadow form by a cursed target dying?

maybe the dynamic should be that you enter shadow form, and while in that form you can curse a creature or shadow jack someone?

 

[Davy Greenwind]

They did a Raven Queen Warlock in UA a few years back if I am not mistaken

 

[Sword of Spirit]

We actually made one of these.

I separated out the hexblade stuff. Folded Charisma with pact weapon into blade pact (2014), and the rest became variant options you could trade your subclass features for, or invocations.

Since the player we were making this for gets his power from his relationship with Beshaba, it includes not just themes of shadow, and death, but also themes of misfortune. It was a complicated thing to do, but I think what we came up with (me and the player) came out really cool. If I remember I might post it up here.

 

[Mephista]

We already have a shadow-themed warlock. Undead Patreon, Ravenloft. Turns you into a shadowy wraith like figure.

Hexblade without the bladestuff, meanwhile, is a hexen. A witch. Focus heavy on inflicting curses and other debuffs.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

They did a Raven Queen Warlock in UA a few years back if I am not mistaken

Yep. Focused on having a raven familiar, basically.

We actually made one of these.

I separated out the hexblade stuff. Folded Charisma with pact weapon into blade pact (2014), and the rest became variant options you could trade your subclass features for, or invocations.

Since the player we were making this for gets his power from his relationship with Beshaba, it includes not just themes of shadow, and death, but also themes of misfortune. It was a complicated thing to do, but I think what we came up with (me and the player) came out really cool. If I remember I might post it up here.

Id love to read it

We already have a shadow-themed warlock. Undead Patreon, Ravenloft. Turns you into a shadowy wraith like figure.

Nope. Not a Gloom/Shadow patron. Certainly not of a type compatible with using yhe Raven Queen or the non-undead Dread Lords or any other non undead power of Shadow (like a Shadovar in FR or the Umbra in Eberron).

Hexblade without the bladestuff, meanwhile, is a hexen. A witch. Focus heavy on inflicting curses and other debuffs.

Could be, sure. the purpose of the thread is to explore such things.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

What if we abandon the Hexblade (or push it into it's own class that is as similar to the warlock as the rogue is to the fighter), and take it's vague theme and juice it up under the banner of darkness and the Shadowfell?

Listed ideas for specific patrons would be the Dark Powers of Ravenloft, The Raven Queen, and the more self-aware and powerful Dread Lords, as well as specifically the idea that this patron is often a collection of patrons that you make arrangements with, rather than a singular being.

So that's the theme, shadowfell, darkness, death (not undeath), spookiness, etc.

So what should it do?

Level 3 ideas.
Obviously it should make you able to move through darkness unimpeded, so it should give you darkvision 120ft or increase you darkvision by 60ft.


Shadow Curse

You can place a Shadow Curse on a creature when you hit them with an attack, place a curse on them with a spell such as Hex or Bane, or as a bonus action on your turn. The Curse lasts for 1 minute. While under your Shadow Curse, the creature has no shadow, and takes necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier at the start of each of it's turns.

Raven's Shadow Form You can take on the form of a shadow with the face of a raven, as shadowy feathers form a great cloak and hood around you.
While in Raven's Shadow Form you gain the following benefits:

• You add your Charisma Modifier to AC and gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma Modifier
• You gain 5ft extra movement
• You can move through solid objects and willing creatures, but doing so is treated as difficult terrain and if you end your turn sharing space with a solid object or creature you are forced into the nearest unoccupied space and take 1d10 force damage for every 5ft you are forced to move in this way.
• You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) Checks

Shadow Jack. As a bonus action while you are in Raven's Shadow form, you can join with the shadow of a creature. The target must succeed on a Charisma Saving throw to avoid being Shadow Jacked by you. A willing creature can choose to fail the saving throw. While attached to a creature in this way, you move when it moves, without using your own movement. You can detach at any time, no action required. If the creature wishes to be rid of you, it must use it's action to repeat the saving throw in order to do so.

level 6

Raven's Shadowy Wings When you take your Raven's Shadow form, you can gain a new form of movement, as raven's wings made of shadowstuff form from your back, and you gain a fly speed of 60ft. If you spend a warlock spell slot, you can enter a version of Raven's Shadow Form that lasts for 1 hour, instead of 1 minute.

and then maybe you also upgrade the shadow curse.

Maybe the curse and shadow form are one feature, but idk if that is needed. could even drop the shadow curse tbh, other than that I think maybe you regain uses of shadow form by a cursed target dying?

maybe the dynamic should be that you enter shadow form, and while in that form you can curse a creature or shadow jack someone?

Okay, another go

Level 3

Shadow Spells - Dissonant Whispers, Faerie Fire, and either hex or bane i haven't decided
Darkness, Deafness/Blindness?, Blur?, Shadowblade?, Wither and Bloom?
Bestow Curse, Nondetection, phantom steed?
Banishment...
I don't play full casters enough to be picky about higher level spells

Shadow Curse When you cast [hex or bane] you some small benefit that will dovetail with the other features but isn't required to use them like in the OP. Wile cursed, you can see the target as if it were standing in bright light, even if it is in darkness or even invisible.

Raven's Shadow As a bonus action you can take the form of a Raven's Shadow. This form lasts for 1 minute, or until you do the things that don't vibe. You can enter the form a number of times equal to your Charisma Modifier, and regain all uses when you take a long rest. You can also regain 1 use the first time a creature under your Shadow Curse dies.
While in the form of a Raven's Shadow, you gain the following benefits.

• Wings of Darkness - You can move through solid objects and creatures, and gain a fly speed equal to half your speed, as shadowy raven wings form from your back. You treat solid objects and creatures as difficult terrain, and if you end your turn in the same space as a solid object or creature, you are forcibly moved to the nearest unoccupied space and take 1d10 force damage plus 1d6 force damage for each 5ft you are moved in this way. This damage cannot be reduced by any means.
• One With Darkness - You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
• You have resistence to all damage except force, radiant, and psychic while in Raven's Shadow form
• Shadow Jack - You can become another creature's shadow as a bonus action, if the target fails a Charisma saving throw. The target can choose to fail the saving throw. While you are a creature's shadow, you move with them when they move without using your own movement. You can use your reaction while you are a creature's shadow to cause them to take damage for you, if they fail a charisma save. They can try to shake you off as an action, making a new Charisma Saving Throw.

Level 6 -
Creatures under your curse take 1d8 plus Cha Mod damage any time they fail a d20 test, once per turn. As a bonus action, you can cause the target to take this damage even if they have already triggered it that turn.

Your fly speed becomes equal to your speed.

Level 10 - You can enter Shadow form as a reaction to taking damage, and curse the creature that dealt the damage as part of the same reaction.

Level 14 - when you cast Banishment, you do not need to concentrate if you are in Raven's Shadow form.

 

[jmartkdr2]

Hexblade was certainly three patrons in a small car; separating them is a good idea.

Pact of the Blade is mostly fixed, the only reason to play Hexblade for melee in 2024 is the armor proficiencies. An armor patron could be interesting but I think it'd be better as a fighter subclass.

Shadow, as you've said. I personally would like something like 3.5's shadow conjuraton or shadow evocation, but those were rather janky spells in actual play.

The third is a hex-focused patron, which actually needs the least work to fill. Hexblade's Curse, Armor of Hexes, and Master of Hexes can all just carry over, and Accursed Specter is broadly fine (although I dislike the trigger - I'd probably change it to "if a creature you have hexed or cursed dies, you can summon a specter...)

So now we just need to replace Hex Warrior. My first thought is bonus castings of hex and possibly bane, along with text that makes bane count as hexed/cursed for other features. Just to ensure you can always have a hex and/or curse going.