Otherworldy Patron
The Sphinx
You have forged a pact with a sphinx, an ancient and wise creature whom holds uncountable secrets; often these creatures are guardians or keepers of ancient knowledge, secrets, or treasures. You may have gained this pact after delving into ancient ruins lost in a forgotten land or falling into an ancient pathway that lead to the sphinx's lair.
Some sphinxes like Arjun or Yennett gather many followers. Others like Isperia or Sharuum bestow there blessings only to those they deem worthy to serve their will. Still, there are many sphinxes, and despite their similar nature, that have different methods. You might be a mortal it found clever and wise enough to bestow some speck of its arcane power or someone foolish enough to have bargain a deal with the sphinx. Your sphinx patron might desire you collect more knowledge or wealth for its collection or spread its will in the world while it commits to other endeavors.
Sphinx Features
| Warlock Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 1st | Expanded Spell List, Cat's Tongue, Unravel Reality |
| 6th | Cryptic Inquiry |
| 10th | Enigmatic Essence |
| 14th | Temporal Displacement |
Expanded Spell List
The Sphinx 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.
Sphinx Expanded List
| Spell Level | Spell |
|---|---|
| 1st | identify, shield |
| 2nd | augury, phantasmal force |
| 3rd | clairvoyance, nondetection |
| 4th | divination, Mordenkainen's private sanctum |
| 5th | legend lore, teleportation circle |
Cat's Tongue
At 1st level, you have the ability to communicate in a limited manner with beasts that are cats or cat-like. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return. You have advantage on all Charisma checks you make to influence them. Also, you can speak, read and write Sphinx.
Unravel Reality
Starting at 1st level, you can tap into the arcane powers of your patron to influence time and space by speaking a cryptic phrase infused with spatial energy.
When a creature you can see within 60 feet makes an attack roll, ability check, or skill check you can use your reaction to influence the outcome. The creature takes 1d8 psychic damage and subtracts the number rolled from the attack roll, ability check, or skill check that triggered this reaction.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
Cryptic Inquiry
At 6th level, you can use a beguiling riddle to distract and confuse your enemies. When a creature that can see and hear you within 60 feet makes an attack roll or cast a spell targeting you, you can use your reaction to force the creature to make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failure, they become incapacitated until the end of their turn. On a success, the creature becomes immune to your riddles for the next 24 hours. The creature is immune if it can’t hear you or if it’s immune to being charmed.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Enigmatic Essence
At 10th level, your patron marks you with the essence of it's ancient soul, hardening your mind against any spells that attempt to infiltrate it and shrouding you in mystery. You gain the following benefits:
- You gain advantage on saving throws against effects that attempt to effect your mind.
- A small, permanent obscuring effect surrounds you. Wisdom (Insight) checks made to ascertain your intentions or sincerity have disadvantage.
- You gain resistance to pyschic damage.
Sphinx's Shroud
The obscuring effect should reflect the nature of your sphinx patron. A holy, divine guardian sphinx might shroud you in a glowing light. A nightmarish fallen sphinx might shroud you in a mist of sickly darkness. An inventive artificer sphinx might grant you a buzz of small, harmless artificed constructs.
Temporal Displacement
At 14th level, you can fling creatures forward in time and are granted brief insight into the flow of time. As an action choose a creature you can see within 60 feet and displace them in time until the end of your next turn. During this time, they disappear from the space they were occupying and become incapacitated.
At the end of your next turn, the creature reappears in the space it left or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. If the creature is unwilling, it must roll a Charisma saving throw, or be displaced on a failure.
Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Each time you use this feature you gain a Mark of the Sphinx. On the table below you can roll for a mark, or create your own unique marks. Once you gain 6 markings, your mind is temporarily flung forward in time and then returns to your body. Your GM reveals what you saw, the visions may or may not come to pass, and your existing marks vanish.
| d6 | Mark of the Sphinx |
|---|---|
| 1 | Your eyes are filled with arcane energy, holding wisdom of the ages. |
| 2 | Your hair, all over your body, becomes like the fur of a leopard, lion, or tiger. |
| 3 | Strange, small wings sprout from your head, neck, or the back of your waist. |
| 4 | Wherever you walk, you always track peculiar grain of desert sand behind you. |
| 5 | Cat ears replace your original ears. |
| 6 | Your skin and body look hazy, like looking at a mirage. |
Sphinx Patrons
Arjun, The Shifting Flames
Arjun, called The Shifting Flame, is a sphinx who resides on an obscure corner of the Multiverse. His mind, like that of the other sphinxes, is a living puzzle, a shifting maze of enigma and paradox, which has roots in the wisdom of the ages. Arjun shares this wisdom with a school of philosophers, who revere him as a divine being. He often speaks to them telepathically, using his magic to influence them.
Isperia, Supreme Judge
Isperia is the current guildmaster of the Azorius Senate (or the former one, depending on your DM). As a sphinx, she is aloof and values solitude above all. However, she has been forced to give up her privacy to deal with the increased crime and chaos on Ravnica.
Isperia is devoted to her guild’s belief that law is the ultimate bulwark against chaos, and it is her steady hand that guides the Azorius through these uncertain times. As guildmaster, Isperia serves as the supreme judge, a role that takes advantage of her encyclopedic knowledge of Ravnica’s labyrinthine legal system.
Sharuum the Hegemon
Centuries old, Sharuum has long since commanded the inhabitants of Esper. She is very well-versed on the magic materiel of etherium, using it to manipulate the world of Esper. After the Conflux, many of the leaders of Esper were slain during the march of demon dragon, Malfegor, against the shards of Alara.
Hopelessly outnumbered by beings that were once her allies, she fled and secluded herself to prepare more stringent defenses.
Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign
Most sphinxes live in solitude, keeping their esoteric wisdom and arcane insights to themselves–Yennett is not most sphinxes. Knowledge is power, she believes, and she has used that power to become a queen. Her magic snatches moments from the future and pulls them into the present.
Artist Credit
Image 1: "Sphinx of New Prahv" by Sara Winters; MTG: Ravnica Allegiance, © WizardsofTheCoast
Image 2: "Inspired Sphinx" by Jesper Ejsing; MTG: Treasure Chest, © WizardsofTheCoast
Eldritch Invocations
At 2nd level, a warlock gains the Eldritch Invocation feature. The following invocations have been added as options for the Sphinx patron.
If an eldritch invocation has a prerequisite, you must meet it to learn the invocation. You can learn the invocation at the same time that you meet its prerequisite. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.
Ancient Tongue
When you speak, all creatures with an Intelligence score of at least 1 understand you. If you wish, you can ensure only creatures of your choosing can comprehend you when you speak. If you do so, you sounds incomprehensible and ancient to other creatures.
Book of Riddles
Prerequisite: The Sphinx patron, Pact of the Tome feature
Your Book of Shadows is an conduit to your Sphinx patron. The Book of Shadows given to you by your Sphinx contains an infinite amount of riddles. You can solve one of these riddles to gain favor with your patron. Once you do, your Sphinx gives you information (limited to a sentence) relevant to your warlock's current situation, desires, or goals. You can solve a number of riddles equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one). Once you expend your uses of this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Doom Foretold
Prerequisite: 17th level, the Sphinx patron, power word kill mystic arcanum spell
When you cast power word kill, if the creature has above 100 hit points instead of having no effect, you magical age the creature. The creature is forced to roll a Charisma saving throw. On a failure, they age 10d10 years, take 10d10 necrotic damage, and gain one level of exhaustion. On a success they, only age half as much and take half damage.
Eldritch Entropy
Prerequisite: 9th level, eldritch blast cantrip
When you hit a creature with eldritch blast, you can magically age the creature by 10 years and afflict them with one level of exhaustion. When the creature takes a long rest, the magical aging is reversed. You can magically age a creature up to three times, afterwards you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Mirage Weapon
Prerequisite: The Sphinx patron, Pact of the Blade feature
When you hit a creature with your pact weapon, the creature must roll a Wisdom saving throw. The DC is equal to 10 plus half of your warlock level, rounded down. On a failure, the creature takes a number of d6 equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one) as psychic damage. On a success, they take half damage and become immune to this damage. A creature's hit points cannot be reduced past 1 hit point with this psychic damage.
Pact Boon
The nature of your Otherworldly Patron is often reflected in nature or expressed through your Warlock. The following blurbs are some ideas on how your Sphinx patron has influenced the nature of your pact boon:
Pact of the Chain. Your sphinx has granted you access to a lesser sphinx in their employ or favor, it's nature is much like a canisphinx or similar small sphinxes. It appears like a small cat with wings and an eerie, almost inscrutable gaze like your patron.
Pact of the Blade. Powerful sphinxes of legend are said to have been able to rend minds with their fierce claws. Your patron has seen bestowed you a sliver of the same power. Your pact weapon has a strange appearance, instilling fear and confusion against those it harms.
Pact of the Tome. Your Book of Shadows can be a strangely small puzzlebox, that seems to have infinite ways to solve it. Or perhaps it is an arcane mirror that glows with ephemeral mystic sigils. Or simply an ancient tome of timeless origin. It is given to you by your sphinx as challenge.
Pseudosphinx
Prerequisite: The Sphinx patron, Pact of the Chain feature
While you have a cat as your familiar, you summon a tressym instead. Your tressym can speak any languages you can, and it has an Intelligence score, a Wisdom score, and a Charisma score of 15.
Your pseudosphinx familiar can cast one spell of 2nd level or lower that you know, requiring no material components. Once your pseudosphinx does this, it cannot do it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Sands of Time
Prerequisite: 5th level, the Sphinx patron
You can cast wall of sand once using a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Sphinx's Riddle
Prerequisite: 3rd level, the Sphinx patron
You can cast command duel at will, without expending a spell slot.
Temporal Fluidity
Prerequisite: The Sphinx patron
You can tap into your Sphinx's patron's mastery of time. At will, you can rapidly change your age to become 1d20 + 10 years older or younger, but never any younger than 10 years old. In addition, you can't be aged magically by any entity other than yourself or your patron and do not suffer the ill effects or die of old age.
Artist Credit
Image 3: "Arjun, The Shifting Flames" by Will Murai; MTG: Commander 2015, © WizardsofTheCoast
Image 4: "Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign" by Chris Rahn; MTG: Commander 2018, © WizardsofTheCoast
You can use this invocation a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once) , and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Timeless Mind
Prerequisite: 11th level, the Sphinx patron
Your dreams, memories, or thoughts cannot be altered magically. You also become proficient in your choice of one of the following skills: Arcana or History.
Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of those skills.
Wonders of the Ages
Prerequisite: 7th level
Your patron has given you some small access to their hoard of magic items. As an action you pull a random magic item from an extradimensional space. Your GM rolls for a magic item on "Magic Item Table B" in the Dungeon Master's Guide. The item remains with you until you finish a long rest and disappears afterwards. After you use this invocation, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Yennett's Eye of Fate
Prerequisite: 13th level, the Sphinx patron
You can cast divination at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.
