Chaosmancer
Legend
Warlock
Ah, the warlock. This is the class I am playing where I get to use the Stronghold rules, and my Feylock of the Chain built a bar. Myself and my DM altered a significant amount of stuff, and then of course I also recently read Pheonixmusicman's reddit post on the subject which gave us another series of ideas:
So, here we go.
Demesne
1 - The sun appears as a baleful orb in the sky
This ability is horrible. First of all, remember than not all warlocks are Fiend pact. Why is my celestial lock causing a "baleful orb" in the sky? I follow the sun god, it should be just the sun. Secondly, remember that building a stronghold attracts people who want to live there. Who wants to live on a land that has an evil sun glaring at them all the time.
2 - Constellations appear strange and stars occasionally fall from the sky
This one is almost as bad. My DM gave me the ability to simply alter the appearance of the night sky, which I might be able to do some fun things with, but unless I'm a GOO or something else, this isn't super great and useful.
But, Pheonixmusicman had an amazing idea that I think could replace both of these. "The folks in the Warlock's Demesne have become accustomed to dealing with otherworldly creatures, and even summon them to provide assistance in the fields or in defense of their residence. "
This is awesome. Warlock's are the bridge between their patron and the mundane. So, in the land they control, those beings they deal with begin appearing in day to day life. This has issues if you are a GOO or Fiendlock who has a bad relationship with their Patron, but it has so much flavor to it I can't help but love it.
3 - The warlock is immediately aware of enemies in their Demesne
This ability is definetly Blue, you are aware that enemies have entered your Demesne. I like it.
But, my DM didn't like it. He found a lot of logical loops to just mystically knowing when enemies are in your land. Luckily, Pheonixmusicman gave us a great answer, that fits with what my feylock is doing since he took Beast Speech. "The birds, critters, and even insects in the Demesne start being attuned to their master. The warlock is aware of any enemy that enters his Demesne"
So, it is less "spidey sense" and more literally the spiders send a message along that threats approach the Demesne. I like it because it gives us a root for why this ability is happening.
4- Once per month, the warlock can summon an earthquake, targeting all enemies in their Demesne
Ah, this is Red, this stinks so badly. Which might surprise people who wonder how an 8th level spell for free could be horrible. Especially one that affects all enemies within 24 miles of you.
Well, to start, it is limited to once a month, when every other ability is once per short rest. This means that we are supposed to see this as so powerful it needs even more limits.
Now, the absolute worst interpretation of this ability. It is centered on every enemy, but otherwise acts as normal. This cannot be how it works, for one very simple reason. Earthquake is meant to destroy buildings and fortifications. You are casting it with it's 100 ft radius inside your own buildings and fortifications. With this interpretation, using this ability would wipe out your own Demesne. That's stupid.
So, it must be that it targets the enemies, but nothing else, right? That is the way that doesn't destroy everything we are trying to protect. So, what does Earthquake do to individuals? Knocks them prone, and makes difficult terrain.
That's it. If you allow the fissures to open up, you might be able to drop them in a fissure that is 10 to 100 ft deep. That is randomly between 1d6 and 10d6 damage. Oh, and you have giant holes in the ground around your entire Demesne. Some of which might have collapsed some of your buildings.
This is horrible, this gives you nothing but headaches, why would you ever use this ability?
So, what shall we do instead. Well, I want to steal the Sorcerer Demesne effect. I want to make a 25% that any Oath, Blessing or Curse spoken with intent is backed by magic. What do I mean by that and why?
Well, Warlocks are all about contracts, about words spoken. And think on most patrons, Devils, Fey, Eldritch things from beyond space and time. All of them would find power in words. So, if an oath is honestl and truly given, this is a place where powers are paying attention. They will back that oath with magic. Bind you to it.
You curse a man so that his crops wither for every lie told? He might go broke. The kindly old woman who wishes you strong and healthy children, perhaps your children do indeed grow hale and hearty, never once feeling the touch of disease. And these things have to be said with intent. You can't just repeat yourself and hope the effect happens. No, you have to mean it when you say it.
It is dangerous yes, but where else would the power to give your words weight make more sense than in the lands ruled by own who might have sold his soul in a careless conversation, not giving his own words weight and importance.
I love it, and I hope you do too.
Stronghold Actions
1 - You recover all spell slots as though you completed a short rest
This is fine, I know I gave other recover of short rest resources blue, but unlike Ki or Bardic Inspiration 1) It is harder to use multiple spell slots in a single turn and 2) There is far less. Until level 10 this is "gain two spell slots" whereas your are talking 4 or 5 inspiration dice and a lot of ki. So, Green. Useful, but not great.
2 - You fire an eldritch blast at each enemy within 60 ft
This is also Green, it is nice, attacks everyone in 60 ft, it is your basic attack though, so it is exactly what you were doing anyways,
One thing I think Pheonixmusicman changed that I agree with is making it casting the cantrip at every target, so if you get two beams you are sending two beams against every target. That is a lot better, and I think would push this to Blue.
And, before people get upset at OPness, go back and reread some of those blue abilities. OP is the name of this game.
3 - You summon a type VI servitor
This, this is nice. Solid Blue. Servitors are monsters on a special table in the book, many of them are unique to the text. Type VI servitors are all CR 10, and while they are not all made equal, I don't think any of them are slouches either.
Class Improvement
Master Invoker: You gain an extra spell slot. You can use this spell slot a number of times equal to your stronghold level after which you need to take an extended rest.
Well, it is better than it used to be? Still though, a single extra spell slot. That is really not very impactful. I won't snub it, as a Warlock I'm desperate for spell slots, but this is really weak when you look at some of the top tier abilities.
So, I decided to keep using the rules I homebrewed for this.
Each Pact gets a different ability. Warlocks make deals for power, so they are stealing power from others all the time. So, extending that theme, most of the Warlock Pacts steal from someone else.
Pact of the Blade takes the Fighter Improvement. They can choose for all of their attacks to auto-crit for a round. They can do this a number of times equal to stronghold level.
Pact of the Chain, I made unique. They really don't get a lot of love, and taking these summoners and running with that idea I decided to let them summon Servitors. They can summon a type of servitor equal to their stronghold level.
So, a level 1 stronghold allows them to summon a single type I. Level two they can summon a single Type II or two Type I's. Ect. This is the ability my warlock has, and because of my playstyle it really hasn't come up. The only time I used it to summon a Type I, the poor guy crit failed multiple times in a row and really didn't do anything useful.
Pact of the Tome, steals the wizard ability. Which, I will leave for you to read in the next post, because... well, it is Wizard's of the Coast.
Ah, the warlock. This is the class I am playing where I get to use the Stronghold rules, and my Feylock of the Chain built a bar. Myself and my DM altered a significant amount of stuff, and then of course I also recently read Pheonixmusicman's reddit post on the subject which gave us another series of ideas:
So, here we go.
Demesne
1 - The sun appears as a baleful orb in the sky
This ability is horrible. First of all, remember than not all warlocks are Fiend pact. Why is my celestial lock causing a "baleful orb" in the sky? I follow the sun god, it should be just the sun. Secondly, remember that building a stronghold attracts people who want to live there. Who wants to live on a land that has an evil sun glaring at them all the time.
2 - Constellations appear strange and stars occasionally fall from the sky
This one is almost as bad. My DM gave me the ability to simply alter the appearance of the night sky, which I might be able to do some fun things with, but unless I'm a GOO or something else, this isn't super great and useful.
But, Pheonixmusicman had an amazing idea that I think could replace both of these. "The folks in the Warlock's Demesne have become accustomed to dealing with otherworldly creatures, and even summon them to provide assistance in the fields or in defense of their residence. "
This is awesome. Warlock's are the bridge between their patron and the mundane. So, in the land they control, those beings they deal with begin appearing in day to day life. This has issues if you are a GOO or Fiendlock who has a bad relationship with their Patron, but it has so much flavor to it I can't help but love it.
3 - The warlock is immediately aware of enemies in their Demesne
This ability is definetly Blue, you are aware that enemies have entered your Demesne. I like it.
But, my DM didn't like it. He found a lot of logical loops to just mystically knowing when enemies are in your land. Luckily, Pheonixmusicman gave us a great answer, that fits with what my feylock is doing since he took Beast Speech. "The birds, critters, and even insects in the Demesne start being attuned to their master. The warlock is aware of any enemy that enters his Demesne"
So, it is less "spidey sense" and more literally the spiders send a message along that threats approach the Demesne. I like it because it gives us a root for why this ability is happening.
4- Once per month, the warlock can summon an earthquake, targeting all enemies in their Demesne
Ah, this is Red, this stinks so badly. Which might surprise people who wonder how an 8th level spell for free could be horrible. Especially one that affects all enemies within 24 miles of you.
Well, to start, it is limited to once a month, when every other ability is once per short rest. This means that we are supposed to see this as so powerful it needs even more limits.
Now, the absolute worst interpretation of this ability. It is centered on every enemy, but otherwise acts as normal. This cannot be how it works, for one very simple reason. Earthquake is meant to destroy buildings and fortifications. You are casting it with it's 100 ft radius inside your own buildings and fortifications. With this interpretation, using this ability would wipe out your own Demesne. That's stupid.
So, it must be that it targets the enemies, but nothing else, right? That is the way that doesn't destroy everything we are trying to protect. So, what does Earthquake do to individuals? Knocks them prone, and makes difficult terrain.
That's it. If you allow the fissures to open up, you might be able to drop them in a fissure that is 10 to 100 ft deep. That is randomly between 1d6 and 10d6 damage. Oh, and you have giant holes in the ground around your entire Demesne. Some of which might have collapsed some of your buildings.
This is horrible, this gives you nothing but headaches, why would you ever use this ability?
So, what shall we do instead. Well, I want to steal the Sorcerer Demesne effect. I want to make a 25% that any Oath, Blessing or Curse spoken with intent is backed by magic. What do I mean by that and why?
Well, Warlocks are all about contracts, about words spoken. And think on most patrons, Devils, Fey, Eldritch things from beyond space and time. All of them would find power in words. So, if an oath is honestl and truly given, this is a place where powers are paying attention. They will back that oath with magic. Bind you to it.
You curse a man so that his crops wither for every lie told? He might go broke. The kindly old woman who wishes you strong and healthy children, perhaps your children do indeed grow hale and hearty, never once feeling the touch of disease. And these things have to be said with intent. You can't just repeat yourself and hope the effect happens. No, you have to mean it when you say it.
It is dangerous yes, but where else would the power to give your words weight make more sense than in the lands ruled by own who might have sold his soul in a careless conversation, not giving his own words weight and importance.
I love it, and I hope you do too.
Stronghold Actions
1 - You recover all spell slots as though you completed a short rest
This is fine, I know I gave other recover of short rest resources blue, but unlike Ki or Bardic Inspiration 1) It is harder to use multiple spell slots in a single turn and 2) There is far less. Until level 10 this is "gain two spell slots" whereas your are talking 4 or 5 inspiration dice and a lot of ki. So, Green. Useful, but not great.
2 - You fire an eldritch blast at each enemy within 60 ft
This is also Green, it is nice, attacks everyone in 60 ft, it is your basic attack though, so it is exactly what you were doing anyways,
One thing I think Pheonixmusicman changed that I agree with is making it casting the cantrip at every target, so if you get two beams you are sending two beams against every target. That is a lot better, and I think would push this to Blue.
And, before people get upset at OPness, go back and reread some of those blue abilities. OP is the name of this game.
3 - You summon a type VI servitor
This, this is nice. Solid Blue. Servitors are monsters on a special table in the book, many of them are unique to the text. Type VI servitors are all CR 10, and while they are not all made equal, I don't think any of them are slouches either.
Class Improvement
Master Invoker: You gain an extra spell slot. You can use this spell slot a number of times equal to your stronghold level after which you need to take an extended rest.
Well, it is better than it used to be? Still though, a single extra spell slot. That is really not very impactful. I won't snub it, as a Warlock I'm desperate for spell slots, but this is really weak when you look at some of the top tier abilities.
So, I decided to keep using the rules I homebrewed for this.
Each Pact gets a different ability. Warlocks make deals for power, so they are stealing power from others all the time. So, extending that theme, most of the Warlock Pacts steal from someone else.
Pact of the Blade takes the Fighter Improvement. They can choose for all of their attacks to auto-crit for a round. They can do this a number of times equal to stronghold level.
Pact of the Chain, I made unique. They really don't get a lot of love, and taking these summoners and running with that idea I decided to let them summon Servitors. They can summon a type of servitor equal to their stronghold level.
So, a level 1 stronghold allows them to summon a single type I. Level two they can summon a single Type II or two Type I's. Ect. This is the ability my warlock has, and because of my playstyle it really hasn't come up. The only time I used it to summon a Type I, the poor guy crit failed multiple times in a row and really didn't do anything useful.
Pact of the Tome, steals the wizard ability. Which, I will leave for you to read in the next post, because... well, it is Wizard's of the Coast.
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