Warlock Patron
Knowledge Keeper
You have made a pact with being of ancient knowledge. The actual nature of this being can vary greatly, it can be a Pact with a sentient library, an ancient spirit, or perhaps even a deity of knowledge. This is a pact for a Warlock that seeks something beyond simple power, they seek knowledge, ancient and unknown knowledge that has once and will again exist.
You can leverage this knowledge to know things that your mortal peers would consider miracles, delve the secrets that others do not even know exist, and, most importantly, perhaps even understand the philosophical mechanics of existence.
Expanded Spell List
The ancient entity of knowledge you've made a pact with lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.
Knowledge Keeper Expanded Spells
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | hideous laughter, identify |
| 2nd | detect thoughts, locate object |
| 3rd | immutabilityK speak with dead |
| 4th | divination, secret chest |
| 5th | legend lore, field of starsK |
Ancient Secrets
When you select this Patron at 1st level, you can access the ancient secrets your patron has granted you. By expending a pact magic spell slot of at least one level higher than the spell you want to cast (or a first level spell slot for a cantrip), you can cast an Abjuration, Divination, or Transmutation spell that does not appear on your spell list. This spell can be from any class’s spell list, but counts as a Warlock spell for you when you cast it this way. Spells cast this way are cast at one level lower than the spell slot used.
You can do this a number of times equal to your spellcasting modifier, and regain all uses of this feature at the end of a long rest.
Ancient Knowledge is Player Knowledge.
Ancient Secrets is very demanding to a player's knowledge of the spells in D&D - if you haven't played several different classes of casters, it will be challenging to quickly leverage the knowledge at your character's fingertips. Consider playing this subclass only when you feel that you can quickly call to mind and reference enough spells to make full use of these powerful Ancient Secrets.
Note that unlike wish, Ancient Secrets does not remove the need for material components or affect the casting time of a mimicked spell.
Magical Mechanics
Starting at 6th level, your understanding of the mechanics behind magical effects and the cosmic forces are developed enough that if you see a spell being cast, you can use your reaction to make an arcana check to know what the spell is. If the spell you identify with this check would force you to make a saving throw, you can make that saving throw with advantage.
Additionally, your comprehension of magic allows you to access magic beyond your power, but not your knowledge. You can cast from a Spell Scroll even if the spell isn't on your spell list, and you can add your proficiency bonus to the ability check to successfully cast from a Spell Scroll.
Single Minded Focus
Starting at 10th level, when you make a constitution saving throw to maintain concentration, if you are focusing on a Divination school spell, you automatically pass the saving throw. If you are concentrating on a spell from another school, you can add your spellcasting modifier to the result.
Seeped In Ancient Knowledge
Additionally at 10th level, ancient knowledge has seeped so deeply into you, you instinctively draw from the ancient knowledge of your Patron. You gain the eldritch invocation Eyes of the Rune Keeper and it does not count against your Invocations Known. If you already have this invocation, you can select either Beast Speech or Eldritch Sight instead.
Fleeting Omniscience
Starting at 14th level, you can briefly comprehend the true form of knowledge and use it to weave together the perfect form of magic. As a bonus action, you can replace your spellcasting ability modifier with the sum of your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma modifiers until the end of your turn. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
Variant Warlock: Intelligence.
Wizards of the Coast has noted that it was originally their intention to make the Warlock an Intelligence caster, and that making Intelligence the Warlock Spell Casting modifier doesn't break anything.
With the approval of your Dungeon Master, consider that a Pact of the Knowledge Keeper warlock might be most thematic playing the Intelligence variant, though it is not by any stretch required.
Credits
- Subclass created by KibblesTasty
- Art: Forrest Imel (Licensed Stock Art)
- Editing: Gabriel Russell
License
This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at: https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systemsreference-document.
The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode