First Draft: Warlock Syphone (not play tested, likely has issues, curious if anyone has some input)

[ClaytonCross]

Warlock Syphon
Instead of getting a patron to grant them magic some have found ways of syphoning magic from creatures or other magic items. This continual theft of magic makes them fugitives from victims who are inherently more powerful. As a result the Syphons are quite often paranoid seeking ways to see the unseen to not be caught off guard, prevent damage, fight back, escape as far away as the can, hide from magic, and recover quickly incase they failed in every other account. If they are Syphoning from an non-sentient source like a powerful enchanted item they will strive to hide it where it can never be found until they have drained it dry.

Features
1st Expanded Spell List, Bonus Cantrip, Unoffered Magic
6th Magic Meddling
10th Faded Arcanum
14th Syphoned life

Expanded Spells
The Syphon lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.
1st Absorb Elements, Feather Fall
2nd See Invisible, Scorching Ray
3rd Glyph of Warding, Nondetection
4th Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum, Leomund’s Secret Chest
5th Hallow, Teleportation Circle

Bonus Cantrips
At 1st level, you learn the Produce Flame cantrip. It counts as warlock cantrip for you, but it doesn’t count against your number of cantrips known.

Unoffered magic
Instead of making a pact with a being you have found a way to Syphon power magical entity or item that either unaware or indifferent or currently unable to do anything about it. As a result you don't get Pact magic slots as other warlocks do and instead drain as stream of power in the form of Arcanum points to replenish your power to generate magic needed to create your spells. At the end of each short rest your Arcanum points are draw from your magical source and refill to the limit listed below. You may then cast Warlock spells directly with Arcanum points purchasing them as described below however they can not be used to buy spells of other classes when mulit-classing.

SPELL POINTS PER LEVEL AND HIGHEST CASTABLE SPELL SLOT
Character lvl 1 (Highest spell is lvl 1): 2 points
Character lvl 2 (Highest spell is lvl 1): 4 points
Character lvl 3-4 (Highest spell is lvl 2): 6 points
Character lvl 5-6 (Highest spell is lvl 3): 10 points
Character lvl 7-8 (Highest spell is lvl 4): 12 points
Character lvl 9-10 (Highest spell is lvl 5): 14 points
Character lvl 11-12 (Highest spell is lvl 5): 21 points
Character lvl 13-14 (Highest spell is lvl 5): 23 points
Character lvl 15-16 (Highest spell is lvl 5): 25 points
Character lvl 17-20 (Highest spell is lvl 5): 28 points

SPELL COST
lst level spell = 2 sorcery points
2nd level spell = 3 sorcery points
3rd level spell = 5 sorcery points
4th level spell = 6 sorcery points
5th level spell = 7 sorcery points

Magic Meddling
Starting at 6th level, you have learned to adapt spells slightly to your will. As a result you gain the Distant Spell and Subtle Spell meta magics which you may only apply one to each spell you cast spending your Arcanum points as an equivalent replacement for the sorcerery point requirement. You also gain the Blade Ward cantrip and spend 3 Arcanum points to it as a bonus action. Blade Ward is a warlock cantrip for you and does not count against your spells known. If you already know blade ward you pick another cantrip of your choice from the warlock spell list.

Flexible Arcanum

Starting at 10th level, You also gain one Mystic Arcanum for a 5th level spell. On tip of that your Mystic Arcanum have are more flexible than the average warlock. You may cast spells you know using Mystic Arcanum for any spell you know or any Mystic Arcanum you know that is lower that the level of the spell you chose for the Mystic Arcanum as if cast using equivalent level spell slot.
​

Syphoned Life
Starting at 14th level, You have become proficient enough in the Syphoning of your magic that you are able to use the energies to fulfill your necessities making it even hard to find you or stop your theft of magic. You no longer need to breath, eat, or sleep making you immune to suffocation damage and can not be put to sleep by any means even magical against your will though you still need 8 hours for a long rest which can be a light activity such as reading or standing watch. Additionally you are able to use some of this energy to regenerate as a result you no longer age, can't be aged even by magical means you regenerate 1 hit dice and reduce your fatigue level by 1 to a minimum of 0 at the end of any short rest.

Edit: Second update with some changes based on feedback.

 

[Dessert Nomad]

Are you already using something like these sorcery points for spellcasting? Whether you are or aren't, how do these work when multiclassing with other spellcasters, or are you ditching multiclassing entirely? Adding a warlock variant that adds a third, radically different type of spell casting would probably be a straight no go for me, it's a completely distinct system that probably interacts weirdly with other spellcasting (and I like multiclassing so wouldn't use the simple solution). Yes, it's sort of like sorcerer spell points - but sorcerers never directly cast spells using spell points, they use a bonus action to convert spell points into slots. Even without that, you seem to be making a warlock that gets rid of the more limiting aspects of warlock casting - your casting resets on a short rest, but it's not a limited number of slots the way it is for a warlock. Being able to do a first level hex and then 5 shield or absorb elements casts per short rest is at level 7 is certainly beyond what a straight warlock can hope for. This is strictly better than regular warlock casting, especially at higher levels.

Spell list also seems a bit on the powergaming side, when I see that first level 'pact' spells are shield and absorb elements that's a little eyebrow raising, and when I see that you've made a warlock variant who gets to cast half a dozen or more first level spells per short rest, well... Same with catnap; when you get it, it's not that great since it takes half your spell points like it would for a warlock, but when you hit level 10 and only need to reserve 3 spell points for it, it suddenly becomes extremely powerful. Yeah a warlock can do something similar by using a scroll or ring of spell storing and friendly catnap caster, but this guy gets it innate at a pretty trivial cost.

I don't see any backstory justification for this variant of warlock revamping and improving warlock casting. IMO if you want to do warlock casting differently in general then you should do your 'no mystic arcanums and spell points instead of slots' rule as it's own alternative rule, if not then this variant warlock should use warlock casting and just be a different patron. I also would balk at the 'lets put two of the best first level spells as patron spells' feeling of the list, that feels less like 'this class has a peculiar and interesting backstory' and more like 'I came up with a backstory to justify adding some really great spells, then improved my spellcasting rules so I can cast them way more often than a regular warlock'.

Also not sure why the produce flame cantrip is in there, I don't see anything in the background that is fire-associated that would justify it. Celestial patron giving light and sacred flame fits its story very clearly with its nature, produce flame just seems odd here. It's obviously not overpowered or anything, I just don't get it.

 

[ClaytonCross]

Are you already using something like these sorcery points for spellcasting? Whether you are or aren't, how do these work when multiclassing with other spellcasters, or are you ditching multiclassing entirely? Adding a warlock variant that adds a third, radically different type of spell casting would probably be a straight no go for me, it's a completely distinct system that probably interacts weirdly with other spellcasting (and I like multiclassing so wouldn't use the simple solution). Yes, it's sort of like sorcerer spell points - but sorcerers never directly cast spells using spell points, they use a bonus action to convert spell points into slots. Even without that, you seem to be making a warlock that gets rid of the more limiting aspects of warlock casting - your casting resets on a short rest, but it's not a limited number of slots the way it is for a warlock. Being able to do a first level hex and then 5 shield or absorb elements casts per short rest is at level 7 is certainly beyond what a straight warlock can hope for. This is strictly better than regular warlock casting, especially at higher levels.

Spell list also seems a bit on the powergaming side, when I see that first level 'pact' spells are shield and absorb elements that's a little eyebrow raising, and when I see that you've made a warlock variant who gets to cast half a dozen or more first level spells per short rest, well... Same with catnap; when you get it, it's not that great since it takes half your spell points like it would for a warlock, but when you hit level 10 and only need to reserve 3 spell points for it, it suddenly becomes extremely powerful. Yeah a warlock can do something similar by using a scroll or ring of spell storing and friendly catnap caster, but this guy gets it innate at a pretty trivial cost.

I don't see any backstory justification for this variant of warlock revamping and improving warlock casting. IMO if you want to do warlock casting differently in general then you should do your 'no mystic arcanums and spell points instead of slots' rule as it's own alternative rule, if not then this variant warlock should use warlock casting and just be a different patron. I also would balk at the 'lets put two of the best first level spells as patron spells' feeling of the list, that feels less like 'this class has a peculiar and interesting backstory' and more like 'I came up with a backstory to justify adding some really great spells, then improved my spellcasting rules so I can cast them way more often than a regular warlock'.

Also not sure why the produce flame cantrip is in there, I don't see anything in the background that is fire-associated that would justify it. Celestial patron giving light and sacred flame fits its story very clearly with its nature, produce flame just seems odd here. It's obviously not overpowered or anything, I just don't get it.

The point system for spell casting is already in the DMG p288-289 so I didn't actually create anything new to D&D 5e and their is no reason it could not apply to a warlock. However, I like the pact magic mechanic so I wanted to see if I could make it work with a Pact Magic style of play.

For multi-classing I would give the character spell slots from all non-warlock classes as normal, pact magic is already treated defiantly so just keep them separate as they already are but sorcerers could use the points normally or use Font of magic to convert them into spell slots.

It is a far more flexible casting warlock but its also still more limited than a standard full caster. It is a middle ground but its not broken. You can't cast more than what a warlock can currently cast in slots with their highest spell slot. So at level 9 you can only cast 2 5th level spells for example. The change only allows more efficient use of spell casting for lower level spells which the warlock normally takes as waste as they are forced to cast hex with a 5th level spell slots at level 9. I enjoy the warlock class but they have 6 major weakness compared to other full caster and are not involved in the are sorcerer or wizards more powerful/flexible conversations because they are no where close. The three draw backs are:
1. Warlock's have fare fewer spell slots
2. Warlock's don't have lower spell slots a higher levels so using lower level spells becomes massive waste when the have 1-4 spells ever.
3. Warlock's can't up cast lower level spells above level 5 because they use Arcanum and never get spell slots higher than level 5
4. Warlock's only get 1 6th, 1 7th, 1 8th, and 1 9th Arcanum preventing any flexibly of options at those levels.
5. Warlock's can't down cast Arcanum to cast the 6th level Arcanum twice where it might be more useful than the 7th 8th or 9th Arcanum.
6. Warlock's can't reselect Arcanum if they realize they don't like the choice they made, where all other classes can re-pick change all the way up to 9th level spells 1 each time they gain a new spell.
This system reduces or eliminates these weakness but does not give them the same capabilities of normal casters. The DMG chart for a normal full caster for example is:
SPELL POINTS BY LEVEL
Class Level ------------ Spell Points------------ Max Spell Level
1st ------------- 4 ------------ 1st
2nd ------------ 6 ------------ 1st
3rd ------------ 14 ------------ 2nd
4th ------------ 17 ----------- 2nd
5th ------------ 27 ----------- 3rd
6th ------------ 32 ----------- 3rd
7th ------------ 38 ----------- 4th
8th ------------ 44 ----------- 4th
9th ------------ 57 ----------- 5th
lOth ------------ 64 ----------- 5th
11th ------------ 73 ----------- 6th
12th ------------ 73 ----------- 6th
13th ------------ 83 ----------- 7th
14th ------------ 83 ----------- 7th
15th ------------ 94 ----------- 8th
16th ------------ 94 ----------- 8th
17th ------------ 107 ----------- 9th
18th ------------ 114 ----------- 9th
19th ------------ 123 ----------- 9th
20th ------------ 133 ----------- 9th

The standard full caster is getting 133 which is 105 more than the 28 I am giving the warlock here. So yes it makes the Warlock ALOT more flexible and it basically eliminates all the issues with warlocks as a full caster but my listed #1 being a much more limited number of spells they can cast. The question then is does having up to 1/5th the spell casting power still qualify the Warlock to recover on short rests? If they don't get a short rest they will be weaker as they are now and when they have 5 or more fights between long rests with the short rests to recharge then they are as good or better then other full casters. With that said... I think they will rarely ever get 5 separate battles with a short rest between each and will heavily rely on invocations to stay useful. So to me the answer looks like a yes on face value. Though without play testing Its hard to say for sure.

So you raise some good points on the spell selection options. I was going back and forth with Shield and feather fall and I had not considered the higher level power of Catnap spell. I feel like a character steeling magic would have some defensive ability as a priority and I don't think absorb elements is too far since they still take damage and warlocks are typically pretty low health. I will need to change both catnap and shield however as you have some good points. Produce flame is a utility tool and torch, I chose it for light in dark places and the ability to light things on fire. Again if your stealing magic you shouldn't you might want a light you can turn on and off at will and I though it was a more interesting option than being able to cast the night vision spell. I know warlocks can use devil's sight as in invocation but it feel's like a tax for non-night vision races. If you have night vision and eldritch blast, produce flame is still useful as a way to make fire so its not a waste on any character.

 

[Dessert Nomad]

The point system for spell casting is already in the DMG p288-289 so I didn't actually create anything new to D&D 5e and their is no reason it could not apply to a warlock. However, I like the pact magic mechanic so I wanted to see if I could make it work with a Pact Magic style of play.

This point system is most certainly not. The point system in the DMG doesn't apply to pact magic characters, only allows casting one each of sixth and higher spells per long rest, uses the points to create a spell slot rather than using the points to cast a spell like your system (for example, with the system in the DMG it's obvious how it interacts with smites, but with your system it's not clear.) It also doesn't use sorcery points at all, those are a mechanic specifically for sorcerers that are not used to cast spells directly.

For multi-classing I would give the character spell slots from all non-warlock classes as normal, pact magic is already treated defiantly so just keep them separate as they already are but sorcerers could use the points normally or use Font of magic to convert them into spell slots.

The standard multi-classing rules do not keep pact magic seperate. You can use regular spell slots to cast spells that you know through pact magic, and pact magic slots to cast spells that you know from other classes, and either to fuel things like paladin smites.

It is a far more flexible casting warlock but its also still more limited than a standard full caster. It is a middle ground but its not broken.

It's a huge, huge jump in warlock casting ability with no drawbacks up to level 10, so I would say that it is broken. If you cast max level spells you get just as many as before up until 10th level, but if you cast anything below max level, like the shield and absorb elements this class gets, then you get a LOT more casting. At higher levels it goes radically different (and much boosted) from the current system, since the standard Warlock mystic arcanums only refresh on a long rest. Also you get two spells per mystic arcanum instead of one, which is a straight doubling. The fact that you can cast a ninth level spell of two that you select every short rest with casting ability left over when a regular warlock gets one ninth level spell and can only cast it once per long rest is a HUGE jump.

Aside from the huge power jump, this is also put together badly. The revamp of warlock rules should be one set of house rules for discussion then the 'Syphon' patron should be a seperate thread. Anything specific about the new subclass class is overshadowed by the huge, fundamental changes to warlock, and you're not likely to get useful subclass feedback.

 

[ClaytonCross]

This point system is most certainly not. The point system in the DMG doesn't apply to pact magic characters, only allows casting one each of sixth and higher spells per long rest, uses the points to create a spell slot rather than using the points to cast a spell like your system (for example, with the system in the DMG it's obvious how it interacts with smites, but with your system it's not clear.) It also doesn't use sorcery points at all, those are a mechanic specifically for sorcerers that are not used to cast spells directly.

The point system is the book, we both agree on that. The alterations to apply it to the pact magic are my own. So you saying the point system doesn't exist and it does in the same breath is a critique on my wording not my point. Perhaps a miscommunication of our intend to each other. So let me attempt to clarify, The points system is out lined in the DMG and already exists as an option "Instead of gaining a number of spell slots to cast your spells from the Spellcasting feature" so its not a new mechanic to D&D which I felt was your complaint. I have modified it for "pact magic" since warlocks us it instead of "Spellcasting" which should be apparent and by my last post "However, I like the pact magic mechanic so I wanted to see if I could make it work with a Pact Magic style of play." and that I made this as a homebrew and marked it as much. Its not a new system, but it its a modification of it to work as a replacement of for Pact Magic which is also already in D&D and I am calling it sorcery points which is also an existing system in D&D that has an identical conversion point radio and it has been stated that the two are related. I would also point out that since it is an option for Sorcerers in which case the two points would be undisguisable except that the variant system allows the cast of spells directly from those points and Sorcerers are limited to level 5. So as a reply to, " it's a completely distinct system that probably interacts weirdly with other spellcasting" I didn't create anything new I only applied it differently. These are existing systems. However, if I misunderstood your point in that this is an adjustment to those systems... of course … that's is what makes it homebrew, but acts as others a ready act so I am not adding any complication but the short rest mechanic from pact magic and adjusting how many points you get, I did not create a "distinct system".

The standard multi-classing rules do not keep pact magic seperate. You can use regular spell slots to cast spells that you know through pact magic, and pact magic slots to cast spells that you know from other classes, and either to fuel things like paladin smites.

Again this is word manipulation. You gain pact spell slots separately on short rests and sorcerers regain sorcery points separately already. These systems are already in place and exist in official rules. The only change is that this would allow 1 character to cast spells using points and spell slots instead of one or the other. Keeping them separate but maintaining the same functions means you take a lose converting spell slots into points and then using them to cast. That's not more complicated than playing a standard sorcerer, if anything is a little easier.

Edit: I continued thinking about this a bit more after I posted this and found a loophole I had not considered in that the sorcerer point buy for spell slots is the same but the point a sorcerer gets is less because they can melt their spell slots into them and they get both at the same time. If they were to cross class into this subclass it would mean an exponential increase in sorcery points. Also, then number of level 1 smites would be higher than any class but Sorcerer with that in mind I would keep them separate as I stated before but they could only be used to buy warlock spells and fuel the two class meta magic options. The edits have been made above. The only issues this causes it that a multi-class with sorcerer means tracking 3 resources instead of 2 but I think the pay of makes it worth it and you would have to specifically chose this subclass so you would be going into that willingly.

It's a huge, huge jump in warlock casting ability with no drawbacks up to level 10, so I would say that it is broken. If you cast max level spells you get just as many as before up until 10th level, but if you cast anything below max level, like the shield and absorb elements this class gets, then you get a LOT more casting. At higher levels it goes radically different (and much boosted) from the current system, since the standard Warlock mystic arcanums only refresh on a long rest. Also you get two spells per mystic arcanum instead of one, which is a straight doubling. The fact that you can cast a ninth level spell of two that you select every short rest with casting ability left over when a regular warlock gets one ninth level spell and can only cast it once per long rest is a HUGE jump.

So this is a valid concern, but your missing a piece, in that your trading all the other possible sub-class features for flexible casting and spell list. The hexblade for example gets Expanded Spell List, Hexblade’s Curse, Hex Warrior for example instead. Would you want to trade the lose of Hexblade's Curse and Hex Warrior for flexible casting and the produce flame cantrip? If I was going pact of the blade or wanted to do more damage with eldritch blast … no. Shield is problematic, you were right, also with catnap. That was a good call so I removed them with other spells I had considered from the beginning. Non-detection also fits with magic thief them a bit more. your right about the Arcanum and that's why sorcerers are limited to level 5 spells too. I had originally done that as well but was looking at capping it at level 5. I think I should put it back. Good call. Then alter Arcanum to allow two choices instead, "Flexible Arcanum". It still address the flexible issue at higher levels but lack of higher spell slots is till an issue. I will edit that shortly.

Aside from the huge power jump, this is also put together badly. The revamp of warlock rules should be one set of house rules for discussion then the 'Syphon' patron should be a seperate thread. Anything specific about the new subclass class is overshadowed by the huge, fundamental changes to warlock, and you're not likely to get useful subclass feedback.

Well you have already given some useful feed back. I do see that the mechanics could distract but their is no reason you couldn't expand on the Syphon as a magic thief. Though "this is also put together badly" is too vague to be useful you are certainly capable of writing with detail and refining my idea.