D&D (2024) The new warlock (Packet 7)

[Neonchameleon]

That's a massive improvement!

There's a little cool stuff that got dropped. Mostly flexible stat casting. There's also some stuff that wasn't fixed that should have been (here come the single level dips). Also Armour of Shadows remains awful for a class that can already wear light armour. And I'm not going to be casting Guiding Bolt out of a fifth level spell slot (or even a first level one normally) so having it and being unable to swap it out just clogs things up.

But it's mostly the old warlock but polished (and the single most obvious and boring way to weaken short rest dependency). Which is good. Magical Cunning is great. Contact Patron is great. Most of the Invocations were either already good or had a glow-up with the potential traps getting cut. But far the biggest glow-up went to the subclasses. Both Archfey and GOO look fun now.

 

[Remathilis]

Hmm, one level dip for EB (no longer tied to warlock level), a short rest spell and an invocation, then take 19 levels of sorcerer. Sign me up. Coffeelocks are back and better than ever!

#featurenotbug

 

[TwoSix]

The best changes are the general QoL improvements to invocations. Cleaning up some of the messy ones, and lowering the level on some fun ones that were gated off to Tier 3+ before are solid changes. Making the Pact Boons just another invocation is a change I can get behind.

I was hoping for a little more from Magical Cunning than just another Arcane Recovery retread. Ideally, I wanted it to be THE recharge mechanic rather than short rests.

Losing the ability to pick your own casting stat is an unnecessary change back. Was there actually feedback to keep the class Cha-only? The fact that the multiclass rules mention Int, Wis, and Cha makes me think this was a relatively late change.

Changing Agonizing Blast to impact any damaging cantrip is a good change, but doesn't impact EB being the de facto choice unless the EB-AB interaction is modified.

 

[Neonchameleon]

The best changes are the general QoL improvements to invocations. Cleaning up some of the messy ones, and lowering the level on some fun ones that were gated off to Tier 3+ before are solid changes. Making the Pact Boons just another invocation is a change I can get behind.

I was hoping for a little more from Magical Cunning than just another Arcane Recovery retread. Ideally, I wanted it to be THE recharge mechanic rather than short rests.

Losing the ability to pick your own casting stat is an unnecessary change back. Was there actually feedback to keep the class Cha-only? The fact that the multiclass rules mention Int, Wis, and Cha makes me think this was a relatively late change.

Agreed with all of the above. Although I really would rather avoid the warlock level dips that this version encourages.

Changing Agonizing Blast to impact any damaging cantrip is a good change, but doesn't impact EB being the de facto choice unless the EB-AB interaction is modified.

The celestial can work with Sacred Flame up until level 10 without much trouble.

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

I will admit, "trap option" or no, I am sad to see Invocations like Eyes of the Rune Keeper just rolled into bog standard ritual casting.

I liked being able to have that kind of utility spell active on demand without needing the necessarily to dedicate a full ritual casting to it - especially EotRK, which was essentially active full time and entirely non-magical.

 

[TwoSix]

The celestial can work with Sacred Flame up until level 10 without much trouble.

Agreed, but one subclass doing equivalent damage for 5 levels with cantrips that should be their specialty doesn't give me a ton of warm fuzzies.

I'd rather just see Warlocks get a once-per-turn bonus damage to one target at levels 5, 11, and 17, roughly 1d8 per tier.

 

[TwoSix]

I will admit, "trap option" or no, I am sad to see Invocations like Eyes of the Rune Keeper just rolled into bog standard ritual casting.

I liked being able to have that kind of utility spell active on demand without needing the necessarily to dedicate a full ritual casting to it - especially EotRK, which was essentially active full time and entirely non-magical.

I'm hopeful they'll give ritual spells (especially the ones that add a capability like Speak with Animals and Comprehend Languages) the BG3 treatment for the release; they basically become at-will invocations by lasting until the next long rest, at the cost of a spell prepared/spell known slot.

 

[Baumi]

I wonder what they do with the Eldritch Blast. Agonizing Blast change is awesome, but still vastly better on Eldritch Blast. Also will it still depend on Warlock Level (if not than 1 Level Dips will be all around)?

Love the improved Invocations (yay for including the Pact boons as Invocations!), better Subclasses and return of automatic Mystic Arcanum.

But I am very dissapinted with Magical Cunning. One single Spell Slot until level 11 does nothing to fix the low Spell Slot / Short Rest Problem.

 

[Stalker0]

Am I blind or are all the "you can now cast spell X using your warlock spell slot" invocations gone now?

 

[Neonchameleon]

Am I blind or are all the "you can now cast spell X using your warlock spell slot" invocations gone now?

They're gone. And very little of value was lost.