Warlocks of Shians
Through pacts made with otherworldly beings, warlocks unlock magical effects both subtle and spectacular. They vary as wildly as the source of their power, being given access to multiple venues of power that few other beings can mimic, as well as the oldest and most vile forms of magic.
Pact Casting
1st-level warlock feature (replaces Pact Magic and Mystic Arcanum)
Your arcane research and the magic bestowed on you by your patron have given you facility with spells.
Cantrips
You know three cantrips of your choice from the warlock spell list. You learn additional warlock cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Warlock table.
Spell Slots
The Warlock table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your warlock spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of your warlock spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. Your spell slots of 1st through 5th level are called warlock spell slots, whereas your spell slots of 6th level or higher are called high spell slots. You regain all expended warlock spell slots when you finish a short or long rest, but regain all high spell slots only when you finish a long rest.
For example, when you are 5th level, you have two 3rd-level spell slots. To cast the 1st-level spell witch bolt, you must spend one of those slots, and you cast it as a 3rd-level spell.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher
At 1st level, you know two 1st-level spells of your choice from the warlock spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Warlock table shows when you learn more warlock spells of your choice of 1st level and higher. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, or lower. When you reach 6th level, for example, you learn a new warlock spell, which can be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the warlock spells you know and replace it with another spell from the warlock spell list, which also must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability
Charisma is your spellcasting ability for your warlock spells, so you use your Charisma whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Charisma modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a warlock spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus +
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus +
Spellcasting FocuS
You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your warlock spells.
The Warlock
| Level | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | Warlock Spell Slots | Slot Level | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | 4 | 6 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | 4 | 7 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | 4 | 8 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | 4 | 9 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | 4 | 10 | 2 | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | 5 | 11 | 2 | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | 5 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | 5 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 13th | 5 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th | 5 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 15th | 5 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 16th | 5 | 17 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 17th | 5 | 18 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18th | 5 | 19 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19th | 5 | 20 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20th | 5 | 21 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Eldritch Invocations of Shians
2nd-level warlock feature (enhances Eldritch Invocations)
When you choose eldritch invocations, you have access to the following options.
Agonizing Blast
Prerequisite: eldritch blast cantrip
Once per turn when you cast eldritch blast, add your Charisma modifier to the damage it deals on a hit.
You can use this feature more times per turn when you reach higher warlock levels: two times at 5th level, three times at 11th level and four times at 17th level.
Chill of the Grave
Prerequisite: at least one of chill touch or ray of frost cantrips
Whenever you target a creature with your chill touch, frostbite or ray of frost cantrip, it suffers all of the spell's effects except for the damage, even if the attack misses.
Additionally, whenever you damage a creature with these spells, it takes additional damage equal to your warlock level.
Eldritch Shockwave
Prerequisite: eldritch blast cantrip
Once per turn when you hit a creature or object with your eldritch blast, you can cause a shockwave of arcane energy to form on a 15-foot cone originating from the target and directed away from you. Creatures in that cone other than the original target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take force damage equal to your warlock level.
You can not benefit from this feature while you benefit from Agonizing Blast.
Pyromaniac
Prerequisite: soul fire cantrip
When you can cast the soul fire cantrip, you can target a point on the ground you can see within range, in which case the fire grows to the size of a bonfire on that space for 1 minute.
Additionally, the damage dice of your soul fire cantrip become d12s.
Eldritch Warrior
3rd-level warlock feature (enhances Pact of the Blade)
When you attack with your pact weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls.
Pact Boon Improvement
18th-level warlock feature
Based on the pact boon you chose at 3rd level, you gain one of the following features:
Pact of the Blade: Battle Magic
When you use your action to cast a warlock spell of 1st level or higher, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.
Pact of the Chain: Arcane Link
When you cast a warlock spell while your familiar is within 100 feet of you, you can choose to cast it from the position of your familiar instead.
Additionally, you can see through your familiar's eyes and hear what it hears as a bonus action, instead of an action. You can stop doing so at any time during your turn.
Pact of the Tome: Eldritch Secrets
Choose two spells of 5th level or lower from any class's spell list. Once per long rest, you can cast each of these spells as a warlock spell, without expending a spell slot.
Eldritch Expert
20th-level warlock feature (replaces Eldritch Master)
You can draw on your inner reserve of mystical power to regain expended spell slots.
Starting at 20th level, you can regain all your expended spell slots from your Pact Magic feature as a bonus action.
Once you regain spell slots with this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
Intelligence based Warlocks
Seeker of Secrets
Optional 1st level warlock feature
You use your Intelligence modifier, instead of Charisma, for your warlock spells and features. Additionally, you gain proficiency in Intelligence saving throws but are no longer proficient in Charisma saving throws.
Long Rest based Warlocks
The following feature is meant for warlocks in games where short rests are rare.
Own Power
Optional 1st level warlock feature
You can take an action to meditate, regaining all your warlock spell slots. You can use this feature once, and can do so again after you finish a long rest.
Once you've used this feature for the first time, you can no longer regain your warlock spell slots when you finish a short rest.
Soul Magic
The power of the soul is often self evident. On the world of Shians, souls can be used as fuel to power various kinds of magic and as such they are sought after. Powerful beings carry excessively more valuable souls, making them targets for some of the most powerful players on the board.
Spells
The following spells are available to characters in the world of Shians.
Soul Fire
Necromancy cantrip
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: 1 minute
- Classes: Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
Choose a living or recently deceased creature within range. The creature must succeed in a Wisdom saving throw, or take 1d8 necrotic damage as a blue fire erupts from within its chest. This fire does not burn, neither does it damage objects.
If the creature is alive after taking this damage, the spell ends. Otherwise, the fire grows to the size of a bonfire in the deceased creature's space. A creature takes 1d8 necrotic damage when it moves into the bonfire's space for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there.
This spell's damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).
Harvest Soul
3rd-level necromancy (ritual)
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self
- Components: V, S, M (a captured soul)
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Classes: Sorcerer, Wizard
You harvest power from the soul used as this spell's material component in a foul rite, regaining a spell slot. The level of this spell slot is equal to the CR of the creature whose soul was consumed, divided by 5.
This spell's material component can not be replicated by a spellcasting focus. After casting this spell, the trapped soul is released from its confinement.
Trap Soul
4th-level necromancy
- Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when a creature you can see within 60 feet of you dies
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, M (a tiny silver cage worth at least 100 gp)
- Duration: 10 days
- Classes: Warlock, Wizard
This spell snatches the soul of a creature as it dies and traps it inside the tiny cage you use for the material component. A trapped soul remains inside the cage until the spell ends or the cage is destroyed, which ends the spell.
While there is a soul inside the cage, it can be used as the material component of spells meant to restore the target creature back to life, such as revivify or reincarnate. Doing so extends the time limit on raising the target from the dead and releases the trapped soul from its confinement.
Preserve Soul
5th-level necromancy
- Casting Time: 1 minute
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S
- Duration: 30 days
- Classes: None
You touch a silver cage occupied by a soul, refueling the magic that powers it. For this spell's duration, the soul remains in its confinement, unless it breaks.
If you cast this spell every day for a year, its effects become permanent and only a wish spell or similar magic can release the soul or end this spell.
Subjugate Soul
5th-level necromancy
- Casting Time: 1 bonus action
- Range: 5 feet
- Components: V, M (a captured soul)
- Duration: 1 hour
- Classes: None
For this spell's duration, you tap into the power of the soul used as this spell's material component. If you are currently maintaining concentration on a spell, you can force the soul to maintain concentration on it, as if it was the original caster. If the soul ever moves more than 5 feet away from you, both spells end.
This spell's material component can not be replicated by a spellcasting focus.
False Soul
7th-level necromancy (ritual)
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S
- Duration: 10 days
- Classes: Shaman, Warlock
You touch a dead creature, funneling magic to its body to form a fascimile of its soul. The creature returns to life with 1 hit point and a burning desire to find its original soul.
If the creature is not reunited with its soul until the spell ends, it dies.
This spell can not be cast on the same creature more than once every 100 years.
Soulforged Creation
7th-level transmutation (ritual)
- Casting Time: 1 minute
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S, M (a captured soul, which is consumed)
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Classes: Warlock
While chanting eldritch incantations, you mould the soul used as this spell's material component into any inanimate object you have seen that fits within a 5 foot cube. If the soul belonged to a creature of CR 13 or higher and the object is a weapon, it gains a bonus to its attack and damage rolls equal to the creature's CR divided by 5. If the item is a set of armor, it gains a bonus to the AC it offers equal to the creature's CR divided by 10.
The object's material has the properties of Mithral but an otherworldly look. The creature whose soul was
used as this spell's material component can
not be restored to life by any means short of a
Wish spell.
Eldritch Invocations
The following eldritch invocations are available to characters in the world of Shians.
Soul Monger
Prerequisite: 9th-level
You learn the harvest soul, preserve soul and subjugate soul spells and they do not count against the number of warlock spells you know. When you cast harvest soul, you regain a 5th level warlock spell slot by harvesting a soul of CR 15 or higher. Otherwise, the spell fails.
Additionally, you can use a captured soul as an arcane focus for your warlock spells.
stains by Jared Ondricek, homebrew by u/AevilokE
Curses
According to legend, magic was created by the Crooked Titans to aid them in their battles, and as such, the first type of magic they created was of a vile nature, meant to curse and cripple their opponent so that they stood no chance in a fight. Beings of old know about this type of magic and often share it with their warlocks and servants.
False Reassurance
Enchantment cantrip
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S
- Duration: 1 hour
- Classes: Warlock
You touch one creature, imbuing it with false vitality and granting it 1d6 temporary hit points. When the temporary hit points are lost, the creature takes 2d8 necrotic damage. For the duration of the spell, the creature feels safe and protected, unless it has been affected by this spell before.
If the creature is unwilling, you must make a melee spell attack against it to affect it.
A remove curse spell cast on the target ends this spell.
This spell's damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (3d8), 11th level (4d8), and 17th level (5d8).
Witch's Curse
1st level evocation
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
- Classes: Shaman, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
A baleful mark befalls a creature of your choice within range. The target must succeed on a wisdom saving throw or take 2d8 necrotic damage and become cursed for the duration. On each of your turns while the creature is cursed, you can use your action to deal 1d8 necrotic damage to the target automatically, regardless of your distance to it.
The spell ends if you use your action to do anything else. A protection from evil and good or remove curse spell cast on the target also ends this spell.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, both the initial damage and the subsequent damage increase by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.
Curses
Features and spells that can be dispelled by a remove curse spell count as curses for the purpose of feature requirements.
Old God's Blessing
2nd-level transmutation
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, M (an eyelash)
- Duration: 1 hour
- Classes: Warlock
Chanting a long forgotten melody, you touch a humanoid creature, causing pores in its body to crack open and eyes to grow in them. For the duration, the creature has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Charisma (Intimidation) checks, as it grows an additional 2d20 eyes.
A remove curse spell cast on the target ends this spell.
Ethereal Anchor
3rd-level enchantment
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Touch
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
- Classes: Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
Translucent chains form, tying a creature you touch to its current position. Whenever the creature moves to a point that is more than 10 feet away from its tethered position, it must make a Charisma saving throw or gain a level of exhaustion and have its speed reduced to 0 until the end of its turn. On a successful save, the spell ends.
If the target is unwillingly moved more than 10 feet away from its tethered position, or teleports with a spell of 4th level or higher, the spell ends. The target can't teleport using a spell of 3rd level or lower.
A remove curse spell cast on the target ends this spell.
Cripple
6th-level enchantment
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: S
- Duration: Instantaneous
- Classes: Shaman, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
Choose a creature that you can see within range. The target must succeed in a Constitution saving throw or gain 2 levels of exhaustion, as it feels its own body slowly wither.
A remove curse spell cast on the target at 6th level or higher within 24 hours, removes up to 2 levels of exhaustion.
Profane Effigy
9th level necromancy
- Casting Time: 1 minute
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S, M (a lump of clay and a piece of α creature's flesh or hair, both of which the spell consumes)
- Duration: Concentration, up to 24 hours
- Classes: Warlock
You point to a creature within range and start moulding the clay until it vaguely resembles the targeted creature. The resulting effigy is an undead creature with 7 hitpoints and 0 in each stat. The effigy can not move or take actions and no effect or spell (including the wish spell) can cause the effigy to regain hit points, gain temporary hit points, or return to life.
Spells you cast on this dummy deal 1 damage to it for each level of the spell instead of causing their normal effects (2 damage for cantrips). Whenever the effigy takes damage from a spell, the creature whose hair was used as this spell's material component suffers the full effects of the spell, as if it failed its saving throw against it. When the effigy reaches 0 hit points, it turns to dust.
A remove curse spell cast on the target at 9th level ends this spell.
Eldritch Invocations
The following eldritch invocations are available to characters in the world of Shians.
Evil Eye
Prerequisite: 3rd level
You can cast charm person, hold person or old god's blessing once without expending a spell slot and you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. If the spell requires a saving throw and the target succeeds on the initial saving throw, you are blinded until the end of your next turn.
A remove curse spell cast on the target ends this effect.
Everlasting Hex
Prerequisite: 9th level, a warlock curse
Whenever you concentrate on a warlock spell that curses, its duration is extended indefinitely until it is dispelled or you lose your concentration. Additionally, when a creature is first affected by such a spell, you can force it to gain a level of exhaustion.
homebrew by u/AevilokE
The Crooked Titans
Seekers of the world's best kept secrets, Warlocks are found in every corner of the multiverse. In the world of Shians, their very existence is connected to the dark parts of the world's prehistory.
Beings of Old
Before the gods, eternal beings of immeasurable power now known as the Crooked Titans ruled the world. These beings struggled and fought amongst themselves, scarring the planet's very surface with their blows and changing the landscape with their magic, until most of them died or escaped to planes of their own making.
These are the beings many warlocks call patrons.
The First Battles
Little is known about the titans, except for their wars. The Valley of Wounds is the greatest evidence for the scale and brutality of their war: the land itself has been rendered uninhabitable due to the collateral damage of the First Battles; even the fabric of spacetime seems to malfunction in nearby areas.
Creator Beings
Despite the destruction they caused, the titans are often credited with multiple achievements. They invented magic in all its forms and infused the world with it. They started life on Shians and let it flourish in their absence. They even created the multiple planes of existence and populated them with their respective residents: fiends, demon lords, celestials, archons, all created by various Crooked Titans looking for more power.
Shards of Power
The Crooked Titans also invented the Shards of Power: a tool that splits your power, but lets each fragment grow on its own.
When a patron offers power to a warlock, they are
pledging a part of themselves to helping that warlock, be
it consciously or not. To do so, the patron must sever that portion of their power and forge it into a small gem, a
Shard of Power. Once a willing mortal touches this gem, they bond to it, benefiting from the power contained within it and becoming a warlock.
During the warlock's life they cultivate that Shard, which increases in power just as much as they do. Some time after their inevitable demise and after the warlock's soul settles in
their respective afterlife, the Shard becomes a part of the patron once more, offering it all of the warlock's power.
Wild Shards
Some patrons - especially Crooked Titans - prefer not to enter the material plane and alternatively plant some Shards of Power in hidden corners all around Shians. A willing mortal can always form a pact using these Shards, even if the patron is unaware of the fact.
