D&D (2024) The new Warlock is so much better Thematically

[Corinnguard]

A place where I sign away my life for knowledge in the hopes of acquiring wealth and power does remind me of college...

There are quite a number of businesses in RL that are patron-like.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

I have to admit, I was intrigued by the title! I really like a lot of the new Warlock. But ... I don't know that I agree that either the patron is removed (you pick one at level 3, and you have an explicit "contact patron" ability at 9!), or that removing the patron makes the Warlock better thematically.

That said, do you know what would make the Warlock better?

Weapon mastery.

I'll show myself out now.

 

[SpellObjectEnthusiast]

It is so much more open, maybe your Patron doesn't even know about you and you found some Arcane knowlege so you can suck power from it like you are like a parasite.

You could always do this.

 

[Krachek]

I didn’t notice!
Thank for the advice.

But I guess that 50% of players use warlock for mechanical purpose first.
49.9% use a personal thematic.
0.001% use thematic as written.

 

[Ashrym]

That said, do you know what would make the Warlock better?

Weapon mastery.

I'll show myself out now.

Nope. Players are going to argue pact of the blade lets them conjure anti-matter rifles from the DMG at 1st level. Then also ask for weapon mastery.

 

[DEFCON 1]

If you are a Warlock, then ALL your abilities come from your Patron... NOT just the sub-class specific ones. So you can still choose your Patron at Level 1, and the abilities and spells you get as a Level 1 Warlock come from that Patron. I mean, it's not like there's a generic "Warlock pool" of spellcasting and invocations that characters tap into for all their standardized Warlock features and it's only the "sub-class specific" abilities that come from the Patron. That's just silly. The Patron gives the Warlock all their abilities-- generic or subclass-specific.

 

[Remathilis]

If you are a Warlock, then ALL your abilities come from your Patron... NOT just the sub-class specific ones. So you can still choose your Patron at Level 1, and the abilities and spells you get as a Level 1 Warlock come from that Patron. I mean, it's not like there's a generic "Warlock pool" of spellcasting and invocations that characters tap into for all their standardized Warlock features and it's only the "sub-class specific" abilities that come from the Patron. That's just silly. The Patron gives the Warlock all their abilities-- generic or subclass-specific.

I could see an option where you devote yourself to the Lords of Hell and at third level, a specific Archdevil takes you under its wing, but I kinda agree you don't make a pact and then at third level decide if it's with Satan, Chululu, or Dracula.

 

[Corinnguard]

I have to admit, I was intrigued by the title! I really like a lot of the new Warlock. But ... I don't know that I agree that either the patron is removed (you pick one at level 3, and you have an explicit "contact patron" ability at 9!), or that removing the patron makes the Warlock better thematically.

That said, do you know what would make the Warlock better?

Weapon mastery.

I'll show myself out now.

What if there was a Spell Mastery feature for spellcasters instead? Master a low-level spell and get it to do something extra.

 

[Stormonu]

Imma have to disagree here, Vendral pretty much already said it, everyone has their grace period, learning the ropes and mastering the fundamentals before specialising.

That’s as true for a rogue as it is for a sorcerer or a cleric or anyone else.

I agree with this as well, though it is kind of odd they didn't use the same wording for Clerics, whose domains are delayed to 3rd level. No "choose your god" at 3rd level, as it were.

 

[ezo]

What if there was a Spell Mastery feature for spellcasters instead? Master a low-level spell and get it to do something extra.

I thought that was the Metamagic feats were for.

Besides, we already have it: