Monstrous Patron: The Beholder
Your patron is a selfish, paranoid, many-eyed tear in reality itself. When a beholder keeps a humanoid as a pet, they absorb some of their master's power slowly over years of service or receive it from their dreams and nightmares. A beholder may also be a warlock's patron through a special agreement that works largely in the aberration's favor.
Expanded Spell List
1st-level Beholder feature
The Beholder 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.
Beholder Expanded Spells
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | catapult, ray of sickness |
| 2nd | phantasmal force, scorching ray |
| 3rd | bestow curse, slow |
| 4th | Evard's black tentacles, phantasmal killer |
| 5th | telekinesis, vitriolic sphere |
Alien Tongue
1st-level Beholder feature
You can speak and understand Deep Speech, which is filled with odd syllables that most creatures have trouble uttering.
Substituted Actuality
1st-level Beholder feature
You can gently alter the world around you simply by picturing another reality in your mind. As a bonus action, you can change one physical aspect of an object that you can see in some minor way. For example, you could rust a lock, form an eyeball in a wall, or coat an object in harmless slime.
You can't affect magical objects, objects that are being held, or anything larger than a 5-foot cube. The change lasts for a number of hours equal to half your warlock level (minimum 1 hour) unless you use a bonus action to end it early.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. When you finish a long rest, you regain all expended uses.
Gazer Familiars
Pact of the Chain beholder-warlocks can choose to summon a gazer as their familiar when casting find familiar. Some DMs might extend this to all Pact of the Chain warlocks. Gazer statistics can be found in Volo's Guide to Monsters on page 126.
Sight of the Tyrant
6th-level Beholder feature
You can cast the clairvoyance spell as an action at will, without expending a spell slot or material components. If you cast the spell this way, the sensor is visible, and you can't choose the hearing option or switch to it. Any creature seen through the sensor feels as though it is being watched.
Staring Back
10th-level Beholder feature
You gain proficiency in Intelligence saving throws. Whenever a creature within 120 feet of you forces you to make an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw, the creature takes 3d8 psychic damage as your mind retaliates.
Pseudo-legendary Action
14th-level Beholder feature
Your feelings of grandeur increase your power greatly. When an enemy's turn ends, you can use your reaction to cast one of the Beholder Expanded Spells (chosen at random) as if you used a 5th-level spell slot. You do not need to have the spell prepared in order to cast it this way.
Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.
Monstrous Patron: The Kraken
A kraken can seem godlike to those who have witnessed its fury. People who mistake its might for divine power and those who seek to appease the monster through veneration are sometimes rewarded with power, to serve thereafter as kraken priests. Although, in your case, this power might have been stolen in order to avoid becoming the monster's minion.
Expanded Spell List
1st-level Kraken feature
The Kraken 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.
Kraken Expanded Spells
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | command, create or destroy water |
| 2nd | blur, see invisibility |
| 3rd | call lightning, water walk |
| 4th | control water, Evard's black tentacles |
| 5th | control winds, maelstrom |
Ruination
1st-level Kraken feature
You deal double damage to structures and objects that aren't being held. If you cause wanton destruction via collapsing buildings, releasing floods of water, etcetera, you resist the damage that you would take as a result. Finally, you gain proficiency in the Athletics skill.
Thunderous Touch
6th-level Kraken feature
You can deal extra thunder damage when you or a creature that you summoned hits a creature with a melee attack. The thunder damage is equal to double your warlock level.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Slippery Body
10th-level Kraken feature
A thin veil of mucus has begun to be exuded by your body. You are immune to being grappled, and you have resistance to lightning damage. When you are knocked prone, you can use your reaction to instantly move up to 10 feet in one direction without provoking opportunity attacks.
Immersive Current
14th-level Kraken feature
You can use your bonus action to surround yourself with an electrified water elemental and gain 50 temporary hit points. While in this form, you count as a creature of Large size, you have a swimming speed of 20 feet, you can breathe water as if it were air, and your attacks deal extra lightning damage on a hit: 1d12 for melee and 1d4 for ranged. Your form reverts when the temporary hit points run out or you end the effect as an action.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
Monstrous Patron: The Sphinx
Gods place sphinxes in the Material Plane to guard treasure and information. Many quest seekers come to them for that reason, but must pass tests to leave safely. Very rarely, a mortal impresses a sphinx so much that they reward the person with powers similar to their own. This can also be considered a gift from the deity that created the sphinx. The aasimar are especially likely to be chosen this way.
Expanded Spell List
1st-level Sphinx feature
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 Spells
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | command, identify |
| 2nd | lesser restoration, see invisibility |
| 3rd | haste, nondetection |
| 4th | freedom of movement, divination |
| 5th | flame strike, greater restoration |
Optional Rule: Required Alignment
To be more immersive, lore-friendly, and true to the chosen patron, a warlock that gets their power from a sphinx should have a lawful alignment.
Preservation of the Self
1st-level Sphinx feature
You have proficiency with medium armor and shields.
Inscrutable Facade
1st-level Sphinx feature
You are able to hide your true feelings with ease. Wisdom (Insight) checks made to ascertain your intentions or sincerity are made with disadvantage.
Rending Roar
6th-level Sphinx feature
You can use your action to release an intense roar that threatens to stop creatures in their tracks. When you do, you choose a number of creatures you can see within 30 feet of you up to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). If they can hear your roar, they must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the beginning of your next turn.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Dauntless
10th-level Sphinx feature
You can now ignore effects that would alter your perception of time, forcefully move you through it, or cause you to be aged magically (i.e., spells such as slow and time stop). Additionally, you are immune to being frightened.
Riddle Me This
14th-level Sphinx feature
As an action, you can tell a riddle to a creature that can hear and understand you, causing it to become stunned. At the end of each of its turns, it can attempt an Intelligence saving throw that has a DC equal to your spellcasting DC + your Intelligence modifier. On a success, the creature is no longer stunned. Otherwise, the effect ends after 1 minute.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Monstrous Patron: The Worm
Never doubt the worm. Never doubt the worm. Never doubt the worm. Never doubt the worm. Never doubt the worm. Never doubt the worm. Never doubt the worm. Never doubt the worm. Never doubt the worm. Never doubt the worm.
Expanded Spell List
1st-level Worm feature
The Worm 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.
Worm Expanded Spells
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | earth tremor, ensnaring strike |
| 2nd | Maximilian's earthen grasp, spike growth |
| 3rd | erupting earth, meld into stone |
| 4th | giant insect, grasping vine |
| 5th | passwall, transmute rock |
Landslide
1st-level Worm feature
Your speed increases by 10 feet, and you can now move across difficult terrain made of earth or stone without expending extra movement.
Poison Sting
6th-level Worm feature
You can magically apply poison to a creature's wounds. After hitting a creature with an attack, you can force the creature to succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for the next minute. At the end of each of its turns, the target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Permeation
10th-level Worm feature
As a reaction when you are targeted by an attack, you can disappear into the ground beneath you, causing the attack to miss automatically. You remain there until the beginning of your next turn, when you are shunted back to the space that you originally occupied. If that space is occupied, you appear in the nearest unoccupied space instead.
Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Worm Call
14th-level Worm feature
You can call upon a fleshy maw that carries a voracious hunger. As an action, you send this monstrosity out in a 10 by 60 foot line. The maw can pass through wood, dirt, and solid rock, leaving a 10-foot-diameter tunnel in its wake. Any creature it envelops that has 20 or less hit points is instantly consumed. Other creatures take 2d10 acid damage and 2d10 piercing damage as they pass through the maw.
Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.
Credits
Original Homebrew Content by Acenm5.
Context: D&D 5th Edition by Wizards of the Coast, LLC.
Page 40 Art: Beholder by Trishkell (Emile Denis).
Page 41 Emblem Art: Kraken by Atanasio.
Page 41 Subject Art: Lord of the Kraken by Steve Argyle.
Page 42 Humanoid Art: Sand Wizard by Bogdan-MRK.
Page 42 Monster Art: Sphinx by akreon.
Page 43 Art: Enslaved Purple Worm by Michael D. Clarke.
Made using GM Binder.
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