D&D (2024) They butchered the warlock in the new packet

[Horwath]

Back off. I like my lunch break.

So do I.
But I wouldn't call lunch break a short break.

 

[Charlaquin]

Dungeons are little black dresses: they are never out of fashion.

That just doesn’t reflect the reality of the game and how most people are playing it.

Predictably, my current 5e campaign in The Temple of Elemental Evil (the original) is nothing like this. Each game day has lots of exploration and also at least four potential combats. Anything less wouldn't feel like a full day, and our DM wouldn't allow it. Nor should he.
But that's a mega-dungeon. I recently ran Curse of the Crimson Throne, which is a very plot-driven adventure in an urban setting, and even there days with only one or two combats were very few. I guess my experience is just very different than yours.

I mean, your experience sounds a lot like how I prefer to run my own games. It just sounds very different than how almost anyone else I’ve played with runs their games.

 

[Charlaquin]

yep, I summarized them as skills. I see no reason to distinguish between what is functionally the same thing, a limited-use class feature

The idea that a wizard’s spells and a fighter’s action surge are functionally the same thing is patently absurd.

you can heal up between long rests

I didn’t say healing, I said hit dice. Those are recovered only on a long rest.

Oh, also losing exhaustion levels.

And ending max HP reduction.

I can cover much more / all of many locations in a day, but not in 3 hours or so

You’ve lost me. What does this have to do with the ease of taking various-length tests?

 

[Charlaquin]

How's this for a simple fix?

A warlock can regain the use of the Free Casting they get from their subclass Patron Spells feature when they finish a short rest instead of when they finish a long rest. At 10th level, they get two uses of Free Casting between short rests.

This brings back part of the 2014 warlock's short rest spell recovery mechanic, but only for the spells that are most iconic for their patron.

No

 

[Charlaquin]

So do I.
But I wouldn't call lunch break a short break.

You must enjoy your job

 

[Incenjucar]

In 4E, I usually ran about 3 combat encounters per day, enough to give the players a milestone and a chance to use it. This also gave them enough time to start running low on dailies and healing surges, and got them really looking for diplomatic solution when a fourth encounter hit before bedtime.

 

[mamba]

The idea that a wizard’s spells and a fighter’s action surge are functionally the same thing is patently absurd.

limited uses per day, yeah, mechanically the same.

If you want to distinguish them fine, I’d still keep everything that recharges on a per day cycle.

We had Wizard spells and Fighter action surges in 5e, I see no reason to not add the Warlock spells to that. Getting rid of the few outliers is a bonus.

You’ve lost me. What does this have to do with the ease of taking various-length tests?

it’s easier to rest for 8 hours once you cleaned up the cave than while doing so

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

If they wanted the warlock to be able to cast more spells, the simplest solution would be to just add 1 extra spell slot to pact magic. Half caster spell slots just aren't equal in power to a couple of max level spells.

Eldritch blast spamming will be just as common with this warlock as the 5e one, since pure damage will usually be a better option in combat than casting an underleveled spell.

 

[Neonchameleon]

If they wanted the warlock to be able to cast more spells, the simplest solution would be to just add 1 extra spell slot to pact magic. Half caster spell slots just aren't equal in power to a couple of max level spells.

Eldritch blast spamming will be just as common with this warlock as the 5e one, since pure damage will usually be a better option in combat than casting an underleveled spell.

More common. First level slots in combat are most useful for Shield or possibly hex, neither of which uses your action. And for the purposes of spellcasting a two beam eldritch blast is on a par with a second level scorching ray with Agonizing Blast (2d10 + 2xCha Force damage vs 6d6 fire) so you might as well save your second level slots for utility as you only get your second slot when you get your second eldritch blast attack..

You get your first two level 3 slots at levels 9 and 10 - but these compare to two fifth level slots you have from Pact Magic. You get your third at level 11 - but that refers both to your new third level spells and your old pact magic and at this point your second level slots have fallen way behind EB.

I suppose you could have spent three invocations on Mystic Arcana at this point? And bought three combat spells?

 

[Reef]

Although I’m on record as being interested in trying out the new warlock, I’ve got no problem with keeping Pact magic if they decouple it from short rests.

It’s not my idea, but giving Warlocks some sort of arcane recovery would be perfect. Call it Commune with Patron, or Pact Meditation or something. Let them do it twice per long rest at first level and maybe increase it as they level…maybe like the Fighters Second Wind increases (or not…). This neatly sidesteps the variability on short rests, and puts the reins firmly in the player’s hands. This would solve a lot of my current gripes with Pact Magic (although I wouldn’t say no to an extra slot…).

The only other thing I would like to see would be more Warlock spells that actually benefit from scaling. Right now it feels like a waste to use a max level slot on a spell that gains little to no benefit. But this is more gravy.