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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Charlaquin" data-source="post: 9858889" data-attributes="member: 6779196">I find it helps to think of Warlock patrons as, well, patrons. You know, wealthy nobles who would pay artists to fund their art. It’s not really a business relationship - the patron doesn’t technically have any say over what the artist makes, they’re just kind of donating to enable the artist to keep doing what they do, because the patron likes what the artist does. That said, there is an understanding that continued patronage is not guaranteed, if the patron no longer likes what the artist is doing with the money the patron gives them. There is an incentive for the artist to focus on the kind of art they know their patron likes, and if their patron ever offers a suggestion of something they’d like to see from the artist, there’s an incentive to give that request special consideration.Now, consider a similar relationship, but instead of an artist it’s a warlock, and instead of money it’s magical powers. Rather than a warlock having a contract with specific terms they must fulfill, a patron donates power to a warlock because they expect the warlock will do things with that magic that will serve the patron’s interests. The warlock isn’t technically obligated to do anything specific, but knowing that their magic is a gift from their patron, they are incentivized to keep their patron happy with the arrangement. And if their patron ever makes a specific request of the warlock, the warlock should give it special consideration.On the mechanical side of things, the warlock gets their abilities from leveling up, just like any other class does. Consider this as representing the warlock’s skill with the power their patron granted them increasing, much like an artist’s skill increases as they regularly practice their art. As long as the power keeps flowing, the warlock is free to operate more or less independently. But, if the patron doesn’t like what the warlock is doing, that power is not guaranteed to keep flowing. For example, a devil patron may love it when their warlock uses their power to kill demons, but be less keen on them using it to kill devils. An Archfey may be all too happy to supply a warlock with power in hopes of simply stirring up some shenanigans, but become displeased if that power is turned towards maintaining order within a rigidly structured society. A great old one’s motives may be entirely inscrutable to their warlock, though using it may slowly drive the warlock to madness.I’m not a fan of actually taking away a player’s class features unless that’s something the player has specifically discussed with me as something they’re interested in exploring. So personally, I wouldn’t have a patron actually take away a warlock’s power, unless there was another new source of power lined up. So if a player wants their warlock to do the Spawn or Ghost Rider thing of using their patron’s powers against their patron, I would have the patron initially be slow to catch on, and move the story in a direction towards a new source of power becoming available to the warlock at around the same time the conflict comes to a head and the patron is on the verge of withholding their power. But, that’s personal preference, and given that you’ve expressed preference for being able to take away a cleric or paladin’s class features if they turn against their deity or violate their oath, you could treat a warlock displeasing their patron the same way.</blockquote>

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