Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="DEFCON 1" data-source="post: 8451381" data-attributes="member: 7006">We would need to look at your campaign setting from two different perspectives with only Warlocks.  One being the game world's narrative, the other being player character functionality.The assumption for only warlocks in this setting is that the ONLY way people in the world can access magic is to make a pact with some major entity.  If that's the case... then narratively the pact and patron would need to be emphasized much more than it is in normal D&D.  In normal D&D there is so much magic all over the place that the fact that every once in a while some dude made a deal with a fey creature and got access to magic is rather inconsequential to the story of the world.  They are just one of thousands of people throwing magic around.  And which is why players and DMs often just handwave the pact and its patron and the story never sees play.But in this world... the story of the pact should be momentous.  In a virtually magic-free world where a select few DO harness magic through arcane deals with extra-planar entities... that story should take center stage.  A Warlock PC in this setting should be looked upon and dealt with differently almost all the time.  It would be like having an adventuring party with an A-List celebrity walking among them... everyone's eyes would go to that character because that is how rare and amazing having a warlock walking amongst you would be.This HAS to be a major part and influence on your game, should there be a warlock PC out in the open (assuming the PC isn't HIDING their power so as to avoid being noticed and harassed.)  Because if it isn't... if this warlock PC just walks around town like any other person even though everyone knows they are someone who has made a deal with a literal devil... if everyone in these towns just ignores the PC and treats them like they are commonplace, then you basically have destroyed any vestige of narrative functionality for only having warlocks in the first place.So that's the first thing-- warlocks need to be reacted to like they were A-list celebrities (either in awe or complete and utter terror).  But second thing should you do this... is that you need to find a way to BALANCE the inter-party dynamic if you actually have a player who plays a warlock PC.  Because the other PCs shouldn't just handwave the warlock and its power away either.  If the party allows this warlock to accompany them (again, assuming the warlock player isn't hiding the character's status as a warlock)... then they are freely trucking with extra-planar entities and all the baggage that comes with that from regular society.  PLUS... the players are freely allowing themselves to be second-fiddle to the warlock player more often than not.  Like it or not, that warlock PC will be the center of attention just due to being a warlock in a magic-free world and the other players have to be okay with that.So from a player-perspective... you'd want your most charitable player (the one most easily able to allow other players to have their moments) and the most creative player (the one most willing to actually play with the advantages and major disadvantages of having this power, authority, and influence) to be the warlock character.  Because the warlock will draw the most attention narratively within the campaign... you can't give that character to one of your players who will take that ball and run with it roughshod over all the others at the table... nor someone who is just going to play the warlock like any other magical character in a standard D&D game.  You need a really good player who will play up the dynamic of this warlock and the pact they have made in this world... the monumental deal they have made to gain this power... while at the same time having the ability to shine lights on the other players even though their character is the focus of the group.Without that... you just have any other regular D&D game.  And if that's the case... there's no reason why "only warlocks" matters in any way and you might as well not even bother.</blockquote>

Verification