D&D 5E Deepening Warlock customization, and it's mechanical implications

[FormerlyHemlock]

But I can see that perhaps this should be a higher level invocation. What if it was a level 9 prereq?

Doesn't change anything. Warbarians would still get it eventually. It helps to compensate for their lower Rage and lower Strength than a pure Barbarian.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

Doesn't change anything. Warbarians would still get it eventually. It helps to compensate for their lower Rage and lower Strength than a pure Barbarian.

I'll be honest, I'm not truly concerned with Warbarians. I mean, yes, it is a possibility to consider, and it does help to see how things could be exploited, but I am more concerned with creating invocations that are useful and thematically related to the concepts surrounding the Warlock characters. From my perspective, the warlock should be the master of doling out curses and hexes. I mean, when I think warlock, that's what I think of, so I feel like they should at least have that option to explore it.

 

[Yunru]

Ignore the Warbarians. If they're willing to go 9 levels into a class that does nothing for them except invocations for 9vlevels, so be it.

I say 9 because that matches up with when Hex is all day (I think...)

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

I'll be honest, I'm not truly concerned with Warbarians. I mean, yes, it is a possibility to consider, and it does help to see how things could be exploited, but I am more concerned with creating invocations that are useful and thematically related to the concepts surrounding the Warlock characters. From my perspective, the warlock should be the master of doling out curses and hexes. I mean, when I think warlock, that's what I think of, so I feel like they should at least have that option to explore it.

Then you don't need to change anything. I'm not telling you what to do; I'm just pointing out how a powergamer might respond to the system you're creating.

That doesn't mean you have to nerf things my inner powergamer would think are awesome. I just want you to know about it. Trust your own judgment of how your table works more than my offhanded observations.

Ignore the Warbarians. If they're willing to go 9 levels into a class that does nothing for them except invocations for 9vlevels, so be it.

I say 9 because that matches up with when Hex is all day (I think...)

I think you mean "17 levels", not 9. The goal is to reach Barbarian 1-3/Warlock 17. You get all the cool parts of being a Barbarian, and all the cool parts of being a Warlock (including True Polymorph), at the cost of being a little bit MAD. It's super fun if you've got the stats for it.

But the point is, you're not going that far just for the invocation. You're going all the way.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

Then you don't need to change anything. I'm not telling you what to do; I'm just pointing out how a powergamer might respond to the system you're creating.

That doesn't mean you have to nerf things my inner powergamer would think are awesome. I just want you to know about it. Trust your own judgment of how your table works more than my offhanded observations.

Well I definitely appreciate the feedback. It really does help me consider perspectives I have yet to take into account.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Quickling's Stride
Prerequisite: 9th level

You may Dash as a bonus action.

Too high level, IMO.

 

[Ganymede81]

Too high level, IMO.

I'd consider making it level 7, or even level 2 if it were instead at-will Expeditious Retreat.

I put it at level 9 because it is on par with Otherworldly Leap, the ability to cast Jump at will.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Here's another bit of powergamer feedback: even with all of these invocations in play, I would still have reasons to want to play Sorlocks and Wizards. Warlocks would not be a dominant option compared to other arcane spellcasters. The initial version of Book of Ancient Lore is the only invocation that comes close to obsoleting a class: I might never play a Lore Bard again with that invocation in play. But then, maybe I would.

Conclusion: nothing you're proposing would break the game or make it in any way unplayable. From a balance perspective, it's all in that broad middle ground somewhere between "best" and "worst" of the existing options.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

You know what would be really cool? This:

Blink Step
Prerequisite: 15th level
You have learned to walk between the planes, traversing the ether between to effortlessly appear where you are least expected. When you take this invocation, you can use the spell misty step at will.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

I'd consider making it level 7, or even level 2 if it were instead at-will Expeditious Retreat.

I put it at level 9 because it is on par with Otherworldly Leap, the ability to cast Jump at will.

I honestly hate Otherworldly Leap. I think it has no place being a level 9 invocation, when at that level other casters can cast Fly. Even compared to Ascendant Step it doesn't make sense.