D&D 5E Synergy of a INT-based warlock

[Marandahir]

How would that make sense when describing the class? Their hale and hearty physique is tested when channeling corrupting magic? Lesser beings who enter into these pacts are swiftly killed as soon as they magically start a fire? Mechanically, it doesn't matter. But descriptively it matters a lot.

Are you confusing Warlocks with Sorcerers? They were talking about Con-casting Sorcerers and leaving Warlocks as Cha-casters, to deal with the overabundance of Cha-casters a different way.

Your description above is what people complained about with the Con-casting Warlocks in 4e (you were either Cha/Int, Con/Int, or rarely, Con/Cha).

Sorcerers casting from Con is likely an idea to them getting their powers from their blood. Of course, this isn't always the case, and there's plenty of situations where it isn't so, so I'd prefer them to stay Cha-casters, myself.

 

[DND_Reborn]

How would that make sense when describing the class? Their hale and hearty physique is tested when channeling corrupting magic? Lesser beings who enter into these pacts are swiftly killed as soon as they magically start a fire? Mechanically, it doesn't matter. But descriptively it matters a lot.

It makes perfect sense as it is their physical bodies which are channeling the magic, whether from their blood, ancestry, or whatever.

The don't enter into pacts (those are warlock).

Warlocks can stay with CHA. We switched sorcerers to CON a long time ago and it works well. Also, given their lack of armor and low HD, it also helps make them less squishy. To us, it makes more sense for CON than CHA, and with Bards, Paladins, and Warlocks ALL CHA-based, we don't need another one...

 

[CubicsRube]

I know this doesn't help with the premise of the thread much, but I feel that Warlocks work most thenatically with Wisdom instead. (Deities vs patrons).

With that stat I'd expect you might see odd druid and clerc multiclass combos however.

 

[DeviousQuail]

It makes perfect sense as it is their physical bodies which are channeling the magic, whether from their blood, ancestry, or whatever.

The don't enter into pacts (those are warlock).

Warlocks can stay with CHA. We switched sorcerers to CON a long time ago and it works well. Also, given their lack of armor and low HD, it also helps make them less squishy. To us, it makes more sense for CON than CHA, and with Bards, Paladins, and Warlocks ALL CHA-based, we don't need another one...

The sorcerer feels like a class that could thematically get away with different subclasses using different spellcasting attributes. Maybe even give the choice of using charisma or attribute X. It's weird but I don't see it as any different than a fighter picking between strength and dexterity for attacks.

 

[jmartkdr2]

I'll go one further: I think 5e is robust enough that you could change the casting stat of any caster to another mental stat without breaking anything. Some of the fluff might be weird but that's a personal threshold - the mechanics will be fine.

It would allow for different munchkinry, but munchkinry ultimately derives from the player. No ruleset can prevent it.

 

[ZeshinX]

It makes perfect sense as it is their physical bodies which are channeling the magic, whether from their blood, ancestry, or whatever.

The don't enter into pacts (those are warlock).

Warlocks can stay with CHA. We switched sorcerers to CON a long time ago and it works well. Also, given their lack of armor and low HD, it also helps make them less squishy. To us, it makes more sense for CON than CHA, and with Bards, Paladins, and Warlocks ALL CHA-based, we don't need another one...

I do love the Sorcerer using CON instead.

Reminds me of a spellcasting variant from, I think the 2e era...where you weren't limited to casting from spell slots or spell points, but the more you cast, the greater the toll it would take on your body (i.e. it would cause increasing damage to you after a certain point; the higher level the spell, the more damage you would take). So, your "pool" of magical power was your HP. I think you had a certain amount of "free" spell levels to cast without taking damage, but past that, you'd start taking damage with each casting. That "self-inflicted" damage couldn't be healed through magic, only normal healing over time (which in past editions was significantly harder to achieve). Obviously would need to tinker with the full-healing on long rest system...or lose the ability to spend Hit Dice during rests for healing...something like that.

Might be an interesting thing to explore for a 5e Sorcerer variant, as that would significantly differentiate them as an arcane spellcaster and really give them a unique flavour that metamagic only kinda/sorta does (indeed, metamagic could be reworked as more damage taken to further augment the casting). Opens up a lot of potential subclass options too...a blood magic theme being the most immediately obvious to me.

The obvious downside would be it doesn't fit the MC'ing rules for spellcasters...but if Warlocks can be tracked separately, then so too could an alternate Sorcerer.

*Edit: It reminded me of the Channeller from 2e's Spells & Magic, though it's not at all like I remembered. That one dealt with spell points and a sort of fatigue system from casting.

 

[Burnside]

At my table I have allowed Warlocks to chose either Intelligence or Charisma as their spellcasting stat at character creation. Worked totally fine and broke nothing.

Caveat that my players don't do a lot of level-dipping or multi-classing in general.

 

[Bihlbo]

Are you confusing Warlocks with Sorcerers?

Yes. Yes, I misread it, thanks. The question is the same for sorcerers, though. It still challenges my creativity to come up with an explanation for it. But I appreciate the good answers to the real question, and my mistaken question.

 

[TwoSix]

Personally, I'd like to see Warlock not have any stat dependency. I mean, if there's any class that should appeal to a character that isn't particularly talented but will do anything to become powerful, it's Warlock.

 

[Seramus]

A few good ideas for an Int Warlock subclass:

• Carving runes into a powerful being and literally stealing their power.
• Navigating a metaphysical maze, growing closer to the heart.
• Deciphering the text on ancient tablets of great power.