The Warlock

Sworn and Beholden

A warlock is defined by a pact with an otherworldly being. Sometimes the relationship between warlock and patron is like that of a cleric and a deity, though the beings that serve as patrons for warlocks are not gods. A warlock might lead a cult dedicated to a demon prince, an archdevil, or an utterly alien entity—beings not typically served by clerics. More often, though, the arrangement is similar to that between a master and an apprentice. The warlock learns and grows in power, at the cost of occasional services performed on the patron’s behalf.

The magic bestowed on a warlock ranges from minor but lasting alterations to the warlock’s being (such as the ability to see in darkness or to read any language) to access to powerful spells. Unlike bookish wizards, warlocks supplement their magic with some facility at hand-to-hand combat. They are comfortable in light armor and know how to use simple weapons.

Delvers into Secrets

Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and shapes their lives. This thirst drives warlocks into their pacts and shapes their later careers as well.

QUICK BUILD

You can make a warlock quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Constitution. Second, choose the charlatan background. Third, choose the eldritch blast and chill touch cantrips, along with the 1st-level spells charm person and witch bolt.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per warlock level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per warlock level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: None
Saves: Wisdom, Charisma
Skills: Choose two skills from Arcana, Deception, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Nature, and Religion

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a light crossbow and 20 bolts or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus
• (a) a scholar’s pack or (b) a dungeoneer’s pack
• Leather armor, any simple weapon, and two daggers

Wealth Rolls

Alternatively, you can ignore the equipment listed above and in your background, and buy 4d4 x 10gp worth of equipment from chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook.

Multiclassing

The prerequisite for multiclassing into a warlock is an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score of 13, whatever you would use for your spellcasting modifier. When you multiclass into warlock, you gain proficiency with light armor and simple weapons.

Cantrips

You know two 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 through 5th level. The table also shows what the level of those slots is; all of your spell slots are the same level. To cast one of your warlock spells of 1st level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a short or 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. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what’s shown in the table’s Slot Level column for your level. 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 + your Charisma modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier

Spellcasting Focus

You can use an arcane focus (see the Adventuring Gear section) as a spellcasting focus for your warlock spells.

Bargain of the Archivist

Rules for an Intelligence-Based Warlock

Some patrons, such as the Keeper of the Depths and Accursed Archive are particularly suited to a more intelligent warlock, but any of them can be appropriate if you’ve talked with your group about how this may be implemented.

These rules are designed to enable you to play a warlock that is based on Intelligence as the primary ability score for the class instead of Charisma.

Wizards beware – the warlock is entering your domain with secrets once thought forgotten.

Intention of the Optional Rule

Intelligence is an ability score that many groups find less useful than other ability scores. Wizards and subclasses based around the wizard spell list are among the only ones that rely on it for anything other than skills. There are very few spells that target Intelligence saving throws, so it isn’t very useful from a defensive standpoint.

Additionally, Charisma is essential for four core classes, while Intelligence only boasts one. Shifting your warlocks to rely on Intelligence helps to shift their role away from social prowess into intellectual study, and can provide diversity in party abilities from that perspective. It should have a negligible effect on the overall strength of the class in gameplay.

Mister Zisker | The Warlock | Art by Anthony Star

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Class Skills

The warlock class skill list is replaced with the following one: Animal Handling, Arcana, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Religion, Survival.

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your warlock spells, so you use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a warlock spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Class Features and Invocations

Whenever a warlock class feature or an Eldritch Invocation references your Charisma modifier, you use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Charisma modifier.

Intention of the Optional Rule

The relationship between warlock and otherworldly patron varies dramatically. When a warlock casts spells using their Charisma, they are effectively saying “This is my power. It is inherent to my soul. I have purchased it, and it is now separate and distinct from any other. When I grow in power, I may learn from my patron, but even if my patron were gone, I would still be able to grow and advance.”

Wisdom implies a connection to an external force in most cases. Clerics have a direct connection to their god, and if they were rejected by their deity for some reason, then they would need to find a new one to grant them their abilities. Druids have a similar connection with nature, calling upon it and channeling its power through them.

If your warlock has a similar, directly subservient relationship with their patron, it may be fitting to have them use Wisdom instead of Charisma to represent this distinctive change.

Note, however, that this is not always appropriate from a gameplay perspective. Wisdom is a more valuable ability score when it comes to saving throws, which makes the warlock somewhat more powerful. While in most cases it should have a limited effect on gameplay, think carefully before allowing this rule.

Pact of the Blade

As an action on your turn, you create a pact weapon in your empty hand. You can choose the form this melee weapon takes each time you create it, though it must be a form you are proficient with.

Eldritch Strike. When you attack with this weapon, you can use your warlock spellcasting ability modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls. This weapon counts as magical when overcoming resistances and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Ephemeral. This weapon disappears if it is more than 5 feet away from you for 1 minute or more, if you create another pact weapon, if you dismiss the weapon (no action required), or if you die.

Magic Weapons. You can transform one magic weapon into your pact weapon by performing a special ritual while you hold the weapon. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. You can then dismiss the weapon, shunting it into an extradimensional space, and it appears whenever you create your pact weapon thereafter. You can’t affect an artifact or a sentient weapon in this way. The weapon ceases to be your pact weapon if you die, ritual to break your bond to it. The weapon appears at your feet if it is in the extradimensional space when the bond breaks.

Thirsting Blade. At 5th warlock class level, you can attack with your pact weapon twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Pact of the Chain

You learn the find familiar spell and can cast it as a ritual. The spell doesn’t count against your number of spells known.

When you cast find familiar, you infuse the summoned familiar with a measure of your eldritch power, granting the creature the following benefits:

Magic Assault. The familiar’s weapon attacks are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming immunity and resistance to nonmagical attacks.

Master's Command. As a bonus action, you can command the familiar to take the Attack action.

Movement Unbound. The familiar gains either a flying speed or a swimming speed (your choice) of 40 feet, and also gains the ability to breathe air.

Myriad Forms. When you cast the spell, you can choose one of the normal forms for your familiar, another that befits your patron, or one of the following special forms: imp, pseudodragon, quasit, or sprite.

Pact of the Talisman

Your patron gives you an amulet, a talisman that can aid the wearer when the need is great. When the wearer fails an ability check, they can add a d4 to the roll, potentially turning the roll into a success. This benefit can be used a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and all expended uses are restored when you finish a long rest.

If you lose the talisman, you can perform a 1-hour ceremony to receive a replacement from your patron. This ceremony can be performed during a short or long rest, and it destroys the previous amulet. The talisman turns to ash when you die.

The Archfey

Your patron is a lord or lady of the fey, a creature of legend who holds secrets that were forgotten before the mortal races were born. This being’s motivations are often inscrutable, and sometimes whimsical, and might involve a striving for greater magical power or the settling of age-old grudges. Beings of this sort include the Prince of Frost; the Queen of Air and Darkness, ruler of the Gloaming Court; Titania of the Summe

Dance of the Forest

Prerequisite: Archfey Patron, Pact of the Blade feature
The power granted to you by your patron loosens your inhibitions and eases your worries as you flow and twist around the battlefield in a dangerous dance. You can use your Charisma modifier, rather than your Dexterity modifier, to determine your AC while unarmored or wearing light armor.

Additionally, just as your moves reflect the changing of the seasons, so does your weaponry. When you conjure your pact weapon, choose a season. Your weapon gains an additional benefit based upon the season you choose. You can use each ability once per weapon conjuration.

Spring. You look to the future with the hope of new life. As a bonus action, you can gain a number of temporary hit points equal to twice your proficiency bonus.

Summer. You bear down upon your enemies like the heat of the sun. Whenever you roll an attack roll or saving throw, you can give yourself a +5 bonus to the roll (no action required).

Autumn. You foster the peace of a cool breeze. When a creature that has been charmed or frightened by you would hit you or another creature within 60 feet of you, you can force the attacker to reroll the attack at disadvantage.

Winter. You bring a gaze chilling as ice to the battlefield. When you hit a creature that is charmed or frightened by you with an attack, its movement speed becomes 0 and it can't take reactions until the start of your next turn.

Magic of Nirn

Prerequisite: Archfey Patron
When you cast a warlock spell (or cantrip) that deals damage, you can change the type of damage to cold, lightning, thunder, piercing, or psychic. The change in damage type is meant to represent the storms and seasons in the Forests of Nirn, vines and thorns from plant hazards, and magical fey influence over the mind.

Additionally, if you critically succeed on the spell's attack roll, or a target critically fails it's saving throw, the creature is charmed or frightened of you (your choice) until the start of your next turn.

Talisman of Fey Kind

Prerequisites: Archfey Patron, Pact of the Talisman
The wearer of your talisman has advantage on saving throws against becoming charmed or frightened. If you have immunity to either of these conditions, the wearer of your talisman also has immunity to that condition.

Whimsy of Pan

Prerequisite: Archfey patron, Pact of the Tome
Your tome of shadows grants you proficiency in an instrument and two artisan tools of your choice. You gain a bonus to any check you make with these tools, which is equal to your Charisma modifier. When you finish a long rest, you can replace one of the two artisan tool proficiencies gained by this invocation with any other artisan tool of your choice.

Additionally, you learn the silent image spell, and can cast it as a ritual. When you cast the spell, you, and you alone, can physically interact with the illusion you create. The interactions can garner improvised weapons, simple terrain, miming actors under your control, and other strange but believable effects.

Adapt to the Seasons

Prerequisite: Archfey Patron, 5th level
You learn the protection from energy spell, and it doesn't count against your number of spells known. You can cast it once per short or long rest without using a spell slot.

Scion of the Eradalis

Prerequisite: Archfey Patron, 5th level
When you use your Fey Presence feature, you can choose to affect a number of creatures up to your Charisma modifier, instead of only one. A creature is affected for 1 minute and can make a Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of its turns to end the effect early.

Mister Zisker | The Warlock | Johannes Voss

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Fiend Features

Expanded Spell List

The Fiend 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.

Blessings of One Unseen

Starting at 1st level, you learn how to use drachma, an ethereal, silvery coin that is used in Hades. You gain a drachma whenever you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, as well as by using a reaction when a creature that you can see is reduced to 0 hit points within 60 feet of you. You have drachmas until you spend them, and you can only have an amount of them up to your Charisma modifier.

You can use a bonus action to spend a drachma and gain an amount of temporary hit points equal to your warlock level + your Charisma modifier.

Devil-Forged Luck

Starting at 6th level, you can call on your patron to alter fate in your favor. Whenever you roll a d20, you can use this feature to add a d10 to your roll. You can do so after seeing the initial roll but before any of the roll’s effects occur.

You can use this feature once, regaining the ability to do so after finishing a short or long rest, unless you spend a drachma to use it again.

Fiendish Resilience

Starting at 10th level, you can choose one damage type when you finish a short or long rest. You gain resistance to that damage type until you use this feature again, or spend a bonus action and a drachma to do so. Damage from magical weapons or silver weapons ignores this resistance.

Hurl Through Hell

Starting at 14th level, when you hit a creature with an attack, you can use this feature to instantly transport the target through the lower planes. The creature disappears and hurtles through a nightmare landscape.

At the end of your next turn, the target returns to the space it previously occupied, or the nearest unoccupied space. If the target is not a fiend, it takes 10d10 psychic damage as it reels from its horrific experience.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you spend three drachmas to use it again.

Mister Zisker | The Warlock | Art by Yongjae Choi

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Anima Messor

Prerequisite: The Fiend Patron, Pact of the Blade
You can exchange drachma for favor and might. When you roll an ability check or an attack roll, you can spend a drachma to gain advantage on the roll. You can do so after the die is rolled but before the outcome is determined.

Book of Names

Prerequisite: The Fiend Patron, Pact of the Tome
With your permission, a creature can use its action to write its name on a page in your book of shadows, which can contain a number of names equal to your proficiency bonus. You can also rip out a piece of this page, after which you can reattach by pressing it to the page for 1 minute. A creature having its name in your book confers to you a number of advantages:

• You have advantage on Charisma ability checks made against the creature.
• You always know what plane the creature is on, and whether or not they're alive.
• You are considered familiar to the creature for the purposes of the scrying spell and other effects.

As an action, you can magically erase a name on the page by touching it.

Dark Taskmaster

Prerequisites: The Fiend Patron, Pact of the Talisman
When a creature other than you is wearing the talisman and reduces a creature to 0 hit points, you gain a drachma, up to the normal limit. You can spend drachma on other creatures so long as they are wearing the talisman.

You can use a bonus action to spend a drachma and grant the wearer of the talisman a number of temporary hit points equal to half your warlock level + your Charisma modifier.

Additionally, if you can see the wearer of the talisman as they make an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, you can use your reaction to spend a drachma, roll a d10, and add it to their total.

Devil Magic

Prerequisites: The Fiend Patron
When you cast a warlock spell (or cantrip) that deals damage, you can change the type of damage to acid, cold, fire, or poison. The change in damage is meant to represent the powers that the Archdevils possess, and the means by which they dispose of demons and even other devils.

Additionally, if you critically succeed on the spell's attack roll, or a target critically fails it's saving throw, the hands of the damned burst from a fiery portal and attempt to pull the creature down to hell. The creature is restrained until the start of your next turn.

Tithe of the Psychopomp

Prerequisite: The Fiend Patron, 5th level
The souls you deliver to the Ferryman must pay their own toll, but Charon often rewards gratuity. When you reduce a creature to 0 hit points, you can send the drachma you would gain from the soul of the departed to be delivered to Charon instead. If you forfeit a coin this way, you regain an expended warlock spell slot.

You can use this feature once, and you cannot do so again until you complete a short or long rest.

Mister Zisker | The Warlock | Art by Yongjae Choi

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Expanded Spell List

The Great Old One 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.

Great Old One Expanded Spells

Spell Level	Spells
1st	dissonant whispers, Tasha’s hideous laughter
2nd	detect thoughts, phantasmal force
3rd	clairvoyance, sending
4th	Evard’s black tentacles, phantasmal killer
5th	modify memory, telekinesis

Awakened Mind

Starting at 1st level, your alien knowledge gives you the ability to touch the minds of other creatures. You can telepathically speak to any creature you can see within 30 feet of you. While communicating telepathically, you can alter your voice to sound however you wish. You don’t need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic utterances, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language.

Visions of Horror

At 6th level, you can flood the minds of those who assault you. Whenever a creature within 60 feet damages you, you can use your reaction to force the creature to make an Intelligence saving throw against your warlock spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature takes psychic damage equal to 1d10 + your warlock level and is frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn't frightened.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Thought Shield

Starting at 10th level, your thoughts can’t be read by telepathy or other means unless you allow it. You also have resistance to psychic damage, and whenever a creature deals psychic damage to you, that creature takes the same amount of damage that you do.

Enigmatic Inner Mind Machinations

At 10th level, the outer layers of your mind become alien in scope - becoming indecipherable to those who would plunder it, while revealing the true nature of the world around you. You are immune to any effect that would sense your emotions, read your thoughts, or determine you are lying, unless you allow it.

Additionally, you can use your action to open your mind to the truth of the world. For 10 minutes, you gain truesight out to 60 feet. Once you do so, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Create Thrall

At 14th level, you gain the ability to infect a humanoid's mind with the alien magic of your patron. You can use your action to touch an incapacitated humanoid. That creature is then charmed by you until a remove curse spell of 5th level or higher is cast on it, the charmed condition is removed from it, or you use this feature again.

You can communicate telepathically with the charmed creature as long as the two of you are on the same plane of existence. The charmed creature regards you as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the creature isn't under your control, it takes your requests or actions in the most favorable way it can.

Mister Zisker | The Warlock | Art by Alix Branwyn

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Book of Eldritch Lore

Prerequisites: The Great Old One Patron, Pact of the Tome
Your book of knowledge grants you esoteric knowledge, but eats away at your sanity. Whenever you roll a d20, you can open your mind and body to the influence of your patron, granting you a bonus to the roll equal to your Charisma modifier.

You can use this feature once per short or long rest, unless you roll a d6 to use it again. On a roll of 4 or higher, nothing happens. On a roll of 3 or lower, you must roll on the Short Term Madness table below.

Eldritch Influence

Prerequisites: The Great Old One Patron
When you cast a warlock spell (or cantrip) that deals damage, you can change the type of damage to cold, piercing, or psychic. The change in damage type is meant to represent the vacuums of the In-Between, unnatural mouths appearing where they do not belong, and the warping madness of your patron.

Additionally, if you critically succeed on the attack roll of the spell (or cantrip), or a target critically fails it's saving throw, the target is frightened of you until the start of your next turn. It must use its movement on its next turn to move as far away from you as possible. The target can still use its action as normal.

Telepathic Bond

Prerequisites: The Great Old One Patron, Pact of the Talisman
You and the wearer of your talisman can communicate with each other telepathically, as long as both of you are on the same plane of existence.

Tormenting Blade

Prerequisites: The Great Old One Patron, Pact of the Blade
You can cast wrathful smite at will, without expending a spell slot.

Additionally, as a bonus action you can duress a frightened creature you can see within 30 feet of you, dealing psychic damage to it equal to your Charisma modifier.

Distant Delving

Prerequisites: The Great Old One Patron, 5th level
The range of your Awakened Mind increases to 120 feet, and you can also send cryptic, ominous, or otherwise troubling but incomplete imagery using it.

You can use this feature through solid objects if you are familiar with the target and know it is beyond the barrier. Magical silence, 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood blocks the feature. The feature doesn't have to follow a straight line and can travel freely around corners or through openings.

Mister Zisker | The Warlock | Art by Yongjae Choi

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