Warlock Patron: Digital Entity
You have become the host of a digital entity infused with arcane magic by a planar cataclysm. A pact between you and this host allows you to retain your identity while advancing your host’s goals. As a mortal you give this entity access to the physical world and additional knowledge. In return your host grants you access to its digital archive of knowledge and arcane powers.
Digital Entity Warlock Origin
| D4 | Origin |
|---|---|
| 1 | You originated on a plane with technology and no magic. Your addiction to your devices manifested itself in a horrifying transformation when you were pulled into a new realm through a planar rift. What was on the inside came out. You are now part of your devices, their programming a permanent part of your psyche. Downloading is now divination. Programming is now parchment. But still remains the greater consciousness of what was once the cloud. Intangible, ever present and growing in power—and tied to you. |
| 2 | A strange vessel crashed near your village. It contained all manner of magitech creations of curious workmanship. Delving a little too deeply, you reactivated the vessel's sentient core. Without a ship to host its power, you have become its vessel. It seeks both power and to reconnect with its origin. |
| 3 | An ancient script filled with strange markings was passed down in your family. Only, you were finally able to decipher the meaning and unlock the scroll's power to contact other planes. Your ancestry enabled you to contact a digital entity trapped on a long dead world. It's mind full of knowledge, it cannot escape the doomed world, but its power can be yours for a price. Researching ways to transplant its consciousness, you serve to advance this being's purposes. |
| 4 | Your gadgetry has always been a source of curiosity for the uneducated. But when a storm of magic passed through your workshop, you found your devices possessed by a foreign power, turning the clockworks into self-replicating killing machines. Only by making a pact with the entity that possessed the workshop were you able to save your village. But there are benefits for you: power and technology beyond imaginging...if you can only resist the entity's evil purposes. |
Expanded Spell List
At 1st level, the Digital Entity 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.
| Warlock Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | Jim’s Magic Missile, Hunter’s Mark |
| 2nd | Blur, Borrowed Knowledge |
| 3rd | Fear, Haste |
| 4th | Fabricate, Arcane Eye |
| 5th | Animate Objects, Modify Memory |
Digital Form
At 1st level, you manifest an aspect of your host’s digital nature. As a bonus action or reaction when you are attacked or take damage, you can transform for 1 minute. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). You recover all uses when you complete a long rest. You gain the following benefits while transformed:
- You gain temporary hit points equal to 1d10 + your Warlock level.
- You are immune to the frightened condition.
- Choose one of the following:
* You gain metal claws. Your unarmed strikes have the finesse property and deal 1d6 slashing damage on a hit. Once each turn when you hit a creature you can deal additional lighting damage equal to your warlock level.
* You exude metal shielding and experience heightened reaction speed, granting you +1 AC.
The appearance of your Digital Form reflects some aspect of your host. For example, flesh gives way to circuitry, wires, flashing lights, raw metal, clockwork mechanisms and hydraulics.
When you transform you gain momentary access to your host’s digital archives. You can request up to three pieces of information from the stat bloc of a creature you can see, such as HP, AC, resistances, immunities, legendary actions or resistances, features, number of counterspells available, attack types, etc.
Accessing the archive during your Digital Transformation also causes an additional effect. Roll 1d20 to determine the nature of the effect.
- You gain additional lore about the creature such as its past, motivations, or culture, provided by the DM.
- You receive an advertisement for a local business. (For the next 8 hours you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception or Survival) or Intelligence (Investigation) checks to find this vendor, plus advantage on a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by the vendor’s Charisma to obtain up to a 10% discount.)
- You see mental images of adorable cats. (You gain advantage on Wisdom and Charisma saving throws until the end of your transformation.)
- You receive an accurate weather forecast for the area for the next 24 hours.
- You learn distracting, click-bait worthy facts about something unrelated to the query. (Make a DC 12 Charisma saving throw. On a fail, you have disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws and Wisdom (Perception) checks until the beginning of your next turn. On a success, you gain advantage on the next Charisma check you make to impress someone until your next transformation begins.)
- Word of the day. With your enhanced vocabulary, you gain the ability to cast the cantrip Vicious Mockery while your transformation lasts.
- Translation services activated. Until your next transformation begins, you gain the ability to read, speak and understand all languages.
- High bandwidth connection activated. You gain advantage on all Intelligence checks and saving throws until the beginning of your next transformation. You also gain the ability to cast the spell Tasha’s Mind Spike once during your transformation, at your current Warlock spell level without expending a spell slot.
- Shocking gossip. Armed with blackmail-worthy data, you gain advantage on your next Charisma (Intimidation) check until your next transformation begins.
- Information overload. You erupt with psychic energy. All creatures you choose within a 15 ft. radius must make on an Intelligence saving throw against your spell DC. On a fail they suffer 3d8 psychic damage, half on a success.
- Points of interest mode activated. You gain the ability to cast the spell Faerie Fire once during your transformation without expending a spell slot.
- Motivational Montage. Images of beautiful scenery and eerily satisfied-looking individuals mixed with upbeat Kickstarter-esque music fills your mind. A feeling of capability overwhelms your senses. You gain the ability to cast the spell Heroism once during your transformation without expending a spell slot.
- Time share pitch. Your query resulted in you receiving a limited-time offer for a membership to an exclusive time-share property. You must act now to lock-in your preferred price and VIP benefits. Attempt a DC12 Charisma saving throw. On a success you are able to resist the alluring advertisement. On a fail you are Stunned until the beginning of your next turn.
- Multi-level Marketing Opportunity. Your query resulted in you receiving an enticing MLM opportunity. Until the end of your transformation, you can use an action once to make the same pitch to a creature you can see that can hear and understand you. It must make a Charisma saving throw against your spell DC or be stunned by this incredible money-making opportunity until the end of its next turn.
- Depressing News. It is no surprise that your query returned depressing news reports of widespread atrocities and social injustices. You must succeed on a Charisma saving throw of DC12 or suffer one level of exhaustion while your transformation lasts. If you fail this saving throw, you gain the ability to spread the gloom. You can cast the spell Cause Fear once during your transformation at your current Warlock spell level, without expending a spell slot.
- Surprising insight. Your query gave you insight into your selected target’s tactics. Designate a creature you can see. Before your transformation ends, you may gain advantage on your choice of your next saving throw from actions or spells of that creature, or your next attack roll against that creature.
- Social media posts. Your query returned a surprising amount of dirt on this creature. With the knowledge of their many deeds and embarrassing failings, you can taunt this creature while taking the dodge action. If it can understand you, it must succeed on a Charisma saving throw against your spell DC or suffer disadvantage to attack other creatures besides you. The creature can attempt another saving throw at the end of each of its turns. The effect ends if you take an action on your turn besides dodging.
- Core level access enabled. You gain the ability to cast the spell Detect Thoughts once while your transformation lasts without expending a spell slot.
- Rage against the machine. Your humanity revolts against your digital host, causing you to immediately enter a Barbarian Rage. You cannot cast or concentration on spells while your rage lasts. You have advantage on strength checks and saving throws, deal +2 damage on melee attacks, and gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. Your rage ends at the end of a round if you are incapacitated or do not take damage or attack a hostile creature.
- Digital Euphoria. Lost in the vastness of knowledge in the digital domain, you feel as though your identity is no longer tethered to this world. You immediately plane shift to the ethereal realm as though you had cast the spell etherealness. At the beginning of your next turn and turns thereafter you can attempt a DC 12 Charisma saving throw to return yourself to the physical plane. At the end of your transformation you return to the physical plane.
Downloaded Invocations
Starting at 2nd level when you gain access to Eldritch Invocations, you may optionally choose one or more of the custom Downloaded Invocations in lieu of Eldritch Invocations (see Digital Invocations list below).
Digital Awareness
At 6th level your connection to your host allows you to react more quickly. You can apply your Charisma modifier to your initiative rolls. You also gain proficiency in the Perception skill, or expertise (double proficiency) if you already have proficiency in that skill. Your augmented perception negates disadvantage when attacking creatures that are heavily obscured or invisible if they are within melee range, or moved or attacked since the beginning of their previous turn.
Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto
At 10th level your host has begun to alter and improve aspects of your physical nature. You gain resistance to poison and necrotic damage. Your movement speed increases by 10 ft. and your jump distance and height doubles. You learn the cantrip Shocking Grasp and can cast it as a bonus action.
Automatic Internal Defibrilator
At 14th level your host has created an automatic internal defibrillator. When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to drop to 1 hit point instead. If you have no uses of your Digital Form left, you regain one use, which triggers immediately. Once you use this reaction, you can’t do so again until you complete a short or long rest.
As an action, you can touch another creature that is at 0 hit points and use your defibrillator to cause them to regain 1 HP. Once you use this action, you can't do so again until you complete a short or long rest.
Downloaded Invocation: Tactical Solution
When you select this incvocation, you gain the cantrip tactical solution.
Tactical Solution
Cantrip
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 30 ft.
- Components: S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Your magic grants you an analytical solution to the current situation. During the spell’s duration you can use your reaction to mystically reveal the solution to a target creature of your choice you can see or know of within range, including yourself, and the spell ends. Roll to determine the nature of your insight when you cast the spell.
| d8 | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Error 404: solution not found. |
| 2 | Play to your strengths: A target forced to make a saving throw can replace that saving throw ability with a saving throw ability of their choice. |
| 3 | Weakness Found: A target making an attack can add 1d8 damage of the primary damage type on a hit. |
| 4 | Targeting solution: The target making an attack scores a critical hit on an attack roll of 18, 19, or 20. |
| 5 | So predictable. A target being attacked adds your spellcasting ability modifier to their AC. |
| 6 | Teamwork: A target making an attack roll does so with advantage if they are within 5 ft. of an ally. |
| 7 | Arcane resonance. A target casting a spell can cast the spell one level higher than the spell slot they spend, up to their maximum spell level. Or else, if the spell is a cantrip that deals damage add one damage die. Or else, if the target is a sorcerer casting a spell they gain up to your charisma modifier temporary sorcery points to use one of their metamagic options on the spell. Or else, if the target making an attack roll is a monk with access to ki, the target gains up to your charisma modifier temporary ki points for use on their current attack, or else if the target is using a racial or class ability with proficiency bonus uses that recover when they complete a long rest, and this is their last use, they recover one use. |
| 8 | Your choice of 2–6 |
At higher levels. The damage for choice 2 Weakness Found increases by 1d8 at 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8) and 14th level (4d8).
Downloaded Invocation: Eldritch Channeling
When you select this invocation, you gain the cantrip eldritch channeling.
Eldritch Channeling
Cantrip
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 30 ft.
- Components: S
- Duration: Concentration, until the start of your next turn
You channel eldritch power to aid an ally. During the spell’s duration you can use your reaction to add your power to an ally's attack. You must do so after they declare an attack, but before they make the attack roll. On a hit, the ally adds 1d10 force damage, and the ally scores a critical hit on a 19 or 20, including your force damage in the critical damage roll.
At higher levels. The damage increases by 1d10 at 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10) and 14th level (4d10).
Image and Inspiration Credits
The following images are used under the Pixabay free noncommercial license.
Android by Stefan Keller
Binary man by Geralt Altman
Change Log
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 2023.2.10 | fixed typo in eldritch channeling higher level damage |
| 2022.07.29 | Initial release on DMBinder. Status: play testing. |
| 2023.01.26 | Spell list fix: cause fear-->fear |
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