D&D (2024) Pact of the Chain broken at low levels?

[Baumi]

I love the little critters, but a HP20+ creature that can go invisible, shape change and do respectable damage at first level seams extremly powerful .. I mean the HP alone is double that of a first level char.

Then there is also the debatable rule that it cost only a single Magic action (at-will) to re-summon a new one, which makes the Warlock an extremly potent summoner at low levels. I'm not convinced that it can be cast that fast, since the Glossary mentions under Magic action that a spell might have alonger duration and how that works .. but on the other hand the pact of the chain reads like it is ment to be only a single turn.

There is also the thing that the familiars vary massively in power, which might punish you for roleplaying choices, but thats a whole other problem.

Am I wrong with my assumptions or can a single warlock clear whole (low-level) dungeons by themselves?

 

[ECMO3]

The changes to Sprite and making Investment of the Chain Master require 5th level made a significant nerf to POC IMO.

In 5E a Warlock with an Invisible Sprite making a ranged attack off of a Bonus action that has a +6 attack roll and causes poisoned condition on your Warlock save was extremely powerful (and on rare occasions put an enemy to sleep). In the new rules the Sprite's arrows cause charmed, which is much weaker than poisoned.

 

[Shardstone]

I love the little critters, but a HP20+ creature that can go invisible, shape change and do respectable damage at first level seams extremly powerful .. I mean the HP alone is double that of a first level char.

Then there is also the debatable rule that it cost only a single Magic action (at-will) to re-summon a new one, which makes the Warlock an extremly potent summoner at low levels. I'm not convinced that it can be cast that fast, since the Glossary mentions under Magic action that a spell might have alonger duration and how that works .. but on the other hand the pact of the chain reads like it is ment to be only a single turn.

There is also the thing that the familiars vary massively in power, which might punish you for roleplaying choices, but thats a whole other problem.

Am I wrong with my assumptions or can a single warlock clear whole (low-level) dungeons by themselves?

If a single PC is clearing a whole dungeon by themselves, that's more an indictment on the GM then the game (unless the GM has calibrated the game for such).

 

[Baumi]

The changes to Sprite and making Investment of the Chain Master require 5th level made a significant nerf to POC IMO.

In 5E a Warlock with an Invisible Sprite making a ranged attack off of a Bonus action that has a +6 attack roll and causes poisoned condition on your Warlock save was extremely powerful (and on rare occasions put an enemy to sleep). In the new rules the Sprite's arrows cause charmed, which is much weaker than poisoned.

The Sprite would be finde in my book, with it's 10 HP and 6 damage.

The big offenders are the Imp, Quasit or Sphinx of Wonder who each has over 20HP and 12-13 Damage (Quasit has less, but does poison condition). With it's additional abilities this might be stronger than many Heroes at the first two levels .. and if it dies, then the Warlock might just get a new one with a single action and no cost. That seems to me far worse than the overbearing 2014 Druid at second Level.

 

[ECMO3]

The Sprite would be finde in my book, with it's 10 HP and 6 damage.

The big offenders are the Imp, Quasit or Sphinx of Wonder who each has over 20HP and 12-13 Damage (Quasit has less, but does poison condition). With it's additional abilities this might be stronger than many Heroes at the first two levels .. and if it dies, then the Warlock might just get a new one with a single action and no cost. That seems to me far worse than the overbearing 2014 Druid at second Level.

Fine yes, but under the 2014 rules Sprite was awesome, now it is ho-hum. The others do (and did) more damage, but the old Sprite imposing the poisoned condition that lasts an entire battle and doing it from Range with a good chance to hit and which can cause unconsciousness was the naughty word.

Keep in mind until level 5 a Warlock has to give up her own action for a familiar to attack and the Familiar does it as a reaction, meaning for melee they need to be right next to the bad guy already on the Warlock's turn (and thereby vulnerable to attacks). So the setup for it is not super easy.

 

[Baumi]

Yeah the action for Familiar Attack is a good hindrance, I forgot that

While I fear mostly the meaty-hp, but if they don't attack anyway than you can ignore them mostly as a gm. This should work for most combat situations and defuse my fears a bit, there are certainly shenenegans that you can exploit (like staying somewhere save and sending the familiars into combat)

 

[MarkB]

Yeah the action for Familiar Attack is a good hindrance, I forgot that

While I fear mostly the meaty-hp, but if they don't attack anyway than you can ignore them mostly as a gm. This should work for most combat situations and defuse my fears a bit, there are certainly shenenegans that you can exploit (like staying somewhere save and sending the familiars into combat)

Hiding and sending a familiar into combat doesn't work either. Leaving aside the range, you need to spend an action each round to see and hear through your familiar, leaving you without an action to order them to attack.

 

[Asisreo]

The changes to Sprite and making Investment of the Chain Master require 5th level made a significant nerf to POC IMO.

In 5E a Warlock with an Invisible Sprite making a ranged attack off of a Bonus action that has a +6 attack roll and causes poisoned condition on your Warlock save was extremely powerful (and on rare occasions put an enemy to sleep). In the new rules the Sprite's arrows cause charmed, which is much weaker than poisoned.

It should be noted that Sprites no longer require a save to inflict charm.

You could, theoretically, use this as a cantrip charm and as long as the attack hit, the target couldn't fight you about it. So now you have free advantage on any charisma checks...

As long as you can convince them of something after you so rudely pricked them with an arrow. I imagine most creatures would no longer be friendly or indifferent towards you if they knew what you were doing.

Now if you can somehow avoid the target from knowing what you've done...

 

[ECMO3]

It should be noted that Sprites no longer require a save to inflict charm.

You could, theoretically, use this as a cantrip charm and as long as the attack hit, the target couldn't fight you about it. So now you have free advantage on any charisma checks...

The way I read this is the Sprite charms them, not you. They are still free to wail on you.

Also this charm is not very helpful with using an Influence action either. Since the Sprite has the bad guy charmed it is the Sprite that would get advantage on Charisma checks, not the Warlock.

 

[DrJawaPhD]

Then there is also the debatable rule that it cost only a single Magic action (at-will) to re-summon a new one, which makes the Warlock an extremely potent summoner at low levels.

What is there to debate? It takes a single Magic Action to cast Find Familiar, and that Magic Action requires you to maintain concentration while continuing to take the Magic Action for 60 minutes.