Warlock
Returning Warlocks to their roots
The warlock was introduced in D&D edition 3.5 in a supplemental book of classes called Complete Arcane. They were described as serving a similar role in an adventuring party to a wizard or sorcerer, but with more limited abilities. They did not have the flexibility of knowing many spells for different situations and instead had to rely on their eldritch blast. At the time casters had very few at will casting, cantrips used spell slots for Wizards and Sorcerers. So eldritch blast being an at will spell attack with damage that scaled into higher levels and invocations that you could use to modify it into spell-like attacks made any deal with a patron enticing. This incredibly power spell-like ability was balanced by the Warlock not getting access to any other traditional spell casting. The Warlock also had access to invocations to enhance their spell-like abilities. The three categories of these were Eldritch Essences (modify the effects of eldtritch blast), Blast Shape (modify the number of targets, or area of effect of eldritch blast) and Other Invocations. These Other Invocations gave Warlocks access to arcane secrets that no other caster was able to attain, things like seeing normally in all kinds of darkness, deflecting incoming attacks, shattering objects with an utterance of Dark Speech. Some low level spells were also included in that list as a means of bolstering the Warlock's versatility.
In 4e Warlocks maintained their arcane striker role of having an at will spell attack in eldritch blast. In order to enhance that role, the class shifted from eldritch invocations, which granted arcane secrets and empowered their eldritch blast, to gaining access to a much wider selection of spells including attacking spells.
Warlocks in 5e worked to make a good mix of these two concepts. Invocations returned and with them Warlocks were granted a form of spell casting much more similar to known casters like Sorcerers. Since Warlocks were granted access to a spell list and spells of level up to 9th through their Mystic Arcanum the role of eldritch bast as their primary strong magic ability was decreased. There are still invocations which empower eldritch blast to deal more damage or move enemies, but flexibility and emphasis of the blasts. Even the other invocations were reduced in strength to make room for the Warlock's new spellcasting feature
To summarize the editions of the Warlock
- 3.5e
- At-will blaster eldritch blast
- Invocations to improve blasting and grant versitility
- 4e
- At-will blaster eldritch blast
- Wider array of single target damage and control spells, some at will others limited to per encounter or per day
- 5e
- Pact Slot Spell casting, less slots than most spell casters + recharge on short rest
- Decent damage with eldritch blast, but no longer the only at will ranged magic attacker
- Fewer invocations split between simple improvements to eldritch blast and cool versitility features.
Now come the opinions. The flavor of the Warlock is bargaining with a powerful being to give you skills and powers beyond what you would ever be capable of. Personally I love the idea of extending that idea to abilities that no one would be able to achieve otherwise. For that reason I am not a fan of giving Warlocks a subset of the Wizard spell list and calling that good. To me invocations are the identity of this class. Gifts from beyond that are only accessible to those that make the bargain. To me it feels like the 5e Warlock never gets enough invocations. This is further impeded by forcing the 5e Warlock to choose whether they want to embrace their eldritch blast usefulness or delve into the really interesting invocations.
This is a difficult balance to strike, because invocations can be very powerful, we can't just give the Warlock more especially since they have access to full spells as well. My proposal would be to return the Warlock more in line with their 3.5e roots. The idea of an at-will blaster which gains access to more invocations. However in order to increase the invocations without making them too powerful we will be removing their spell casting feature, Pact Slots. In its place the Warlock will get a set number of invocations to spend on eldritch blast and others to spend on the spell-like abilities. In addition to this since the Warlock will no longer practically be full casters we will take inspiration from other 3.5e Warlock abilities which improve their survivability further setting them apart from the squishy Wizards.
I believe limiting the Warlock's spell casting once more and improving the features that set them apart will give this class a stronger identity separating it from the list of casters that 5e has.
I am definitely looking for feedback on this. I want this class update to be balanced with the rest of the 5e classes. My goal is not to make Warlocks more powerful, but more interesting. If you have ideas for how to improve this class you can reach me at manwithmetalpig@protonmail.com
As with most things I am working off the shoulders of giants. I did come to this idea myself, but after writing up a first draft of a different document I found someone had done this 5 years before me. I used this 3.5e Warlock Rewrite as a base for this document. I have made many balance changes, added invocations, modified subclasses, and plenty more. I would like to thank whoever it was that made that document. I found it though a reddit post, but the poster was deleted and I am not sure how to know who made it on GM Binder. So if you are the author of the original document I would love to hear from you.
The Warlock
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Shapes Known | Essences Known | Invocations Known |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Eldritch Blast (1d10), Eldritch Invocations, Otherworldly Patron | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2nd | +2 | Cold Silver | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 3rd | +2 | Fiendish Resilience | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 5th | +3 | Eldritch Blast (2d10) | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 6th | +3 | Otherworldly Patron Feature | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 7th | +3 | - | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 9th | +4 | Energy Resistance (one type) | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 10th | +4 | Otherworldly Patron Feature | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 11th | +4 | Eldritch Blast (3d10) | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| 13th | +5 | - | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| 14th | +5 | Otherworldly Patron Feature | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| 15th | +5 | Energy Resistance (two types) | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| 17th | +6 | Eldritch Blast (4d10) | 4 | 5 | 8 |
| 18th | +6 | Improved Cold Silver | 4 | 5 | 8 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| 20th | +6 | Eldritch Master | 4 | 6 | 8 |
Class Features
As a Warlock, you gain the following class features.
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
- Saving Throws: 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 scholar’s pack or (b) a dungeoneer’s pack
- Leather armor, an arcane focus, any simple weapon, and two daggers
Eldritch Blast
Starting at 1st level, you can use your action to make a ranged spell attack against a creature or object within 120 feet of you. Your attack bonus for your eldritch blast is equal to your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. On a hit, the target takes force damage equal to 1d10 + your Charisma modifier.
At 5th level, the damage increases to 2d10 + your Charisma modifier. This increases to 3d10 + your Charisma modifier at 11th level, and 4d10 + your Charisma modifier at 17th level.
To use your eldritch blast, you must either have a hand free or be holding an arcane focus. If you are wearing armor that you are not proficient with, you can't use your eldritch blast.
An eldritch blast’s appearance varies from Warlock to Warlock. A colored beam or bolt of energy is typical, although some Warlocks’ blasts have more exotic appearances, such as crystalline projectiles, spectral tentacles, or thrown playing cards. The appearance of your eldritch blast is up to you.
Eldritch Invocations
In your study of occult lore, you have unearthed eldritch invocations, fragments of forbidden knowledge that imbue you with an abiding magical ability.
Blast Shapes
Blast shapes are a type of invocation that modifies the function of your eldritch blast. You learn blast shapes separately from the rest of your invocations. When you use your eldritch blast, you can cause it to take the form of one of your blast shapes. You can only use a single blast shape at a time.
Eldritch Essences
Eldritch essences are another type of invocation that adds additional effects to your eldritch blast. You learn eldritch essences separately from your other invocations. When you deal damage with your eldritch blast, you can use a bonus action to force each damaged target to make a save against one of your eldritch essences.
You can use your eldritch essences a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest.
At 1st level, you learn one blast shape, one eldritch essence, and one other invocation of your choice. Your options for each are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain Warlock levels, you gain additional options of your choice, as shown on the Warlock table. Each shape, essence, or other invocation has a level associated with it, and you can’t learn one of a higher level than your level in this class.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the shapes, essences, or other invocations you know and replace it with another that you could learn at that level.
Charisma is your spellcasting ability modifier for your invocations. Your Invocation save DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.
Otherworldly Patron
At 1st level, you have struck a bargain with an otherworldly being of your choice. Your choice grants you features at 1st level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
Cold Silver
Starting at 2nd level, your otherworldly nature grants you a resistance to the weapons of mortals. When you take bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, you can reduce the damage taken by 2 + your proficiency bonus. The damage can't be reduced to less than 1.
Silver, however, cuts through this resistance. Damage you take from silvered weapons can't be reduced, and you can’t use this feature while your skin is in contact with silver.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until the start of your next turn.
Fiendish Resilience
Starting at 3rd level, you can use a bonus action to call upon your patron to rapidly heal your injuries. For the next minute, you regain hit points equal to one-third of your Warlock level (rounded down) at the end of each of your turns. The effect ends early if you are incapacitated.
You can use this feature once, and you regain use of it when you finish a long rest.
Energy Resistance
Starting at 9th level, when you finish a short or long rest, you can choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage. You gain resistance to the type of damage that you choose, which lasts until you choose another one.
Starting at 15th level, you can choose two damage types instead of one.
Improved Cold Silver
Starting at 18th level, when using Cold Silver would reduce the damage you take by less than half, it instead reduces it by half.
Eldritch Master
At 20th level, when you miss an attack with your eldritch blast or when a creature succeeds on a saving throw against one of your blast shapes, you still deal half the damage that you would have dealt normally.
If you miss an attack against a creature, or it succeeds on its save against one of your blast shapes, it does not have to make a save against any eldritch essence you might use.
In addition when you make an attack with your eldritch blast you can apply two different essences to a single casting. Any creature hit by the eldritch blast is affected by both.
Otherworldly Patrons
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 Summer Court; her consort Oberon, the Green Lord; Hyrsam, the Prince of Fools; and ancient hags.
Fey Presence
Starting at 1st level, your patron bestows upon you the ability to project the beguiling and fearsome presence of the fey. As an action, you can cause creatures of your choice within 5 feet of you to make a Wisdom saving throw against your invocation save DC. A creature that fails its saving throw is charmed or frightened by you (your choice) for 1 minute, or until it takes damage.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Misty Escape
Starting at 6th level, you can vanish in a puff of mist in response to harm. As an action or as a reaction when you take damage, you can turn invisible and teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. You remain invisible until the start of your next turn or until you take an action.
You can use this feature once, and you regain use of it when you finish a short or long rest.
Beguiling Defenses
Beginning at 10th level, your patron teaches you how to turn the mind-affecting magic of your enemies against them. You are immune to being charmed and frightened, and when another creature attempts to charm or frighten you, you can use your reaction to attempt to turn the effect back on that creature. The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your invocation save DC or suffer the same charming or frightening effect that it targeted you with, as if the effect had originated from you.
Dreamscape
Starting at 14th level, you can banish a creature into the realm of dreams. As an action, choose a creature that you can see within 60 feet of you. It must make a Wisdom saving throw against your invocation save DC. On a failed save, the creature disappears from its current plane of existence and appears in your dreamscape realm. You decide the appearance of this realm, although it cannot be directly harmful to the creature. The creature remains there for 1 minute, or until your concentration ends, as if you were concentrating on a spell.
When the target creature is sent to your dreamscape realm, you can choose to enter the realm along with it. If you do this, you can choose to either charm the creature until you deal damage to it, or frighten it until it leaves the dreamscape.
You can use this feature once, and you regain use of it when you finish a short or long rest.
The Celestial
Your patron is a powerful being of the Upper Planes. You have bound yourself to an ancient empyrean, solar, ki-rin, unicorn, or other entity that resides in the planes of everlasting bliss. Your pact with that being allows you to experience the barest touch of the holy light that illuminates the multiverse.
Being connected to such power can cause changes to your behavior and beliefs. You might find yourself driven to annihilate the undead, to defeat fiends, and to protect the innocent. At times, your heart might also be filled with a longing for the celestial realm of your patron, a desire to wander that paradise for the rest of your days. But you know that your mission is among mortals for now and that your pact binds you to bring light to the dark places of the world.
Beaconing Radiance
At 1st level, you learn how to use the light cantrip as a spell-like effect. When you cast the light cantrip it has a range of 15 feet.
At Higher Levels. At 5th level, any creature holding or carrying the object that is effected by this spell is easier to hit. Add 1d4 to all attack rolls made against them. At 11th level the range of this spell becomes 30 feet. At 17th level you can target two objects simultaneously with one casting.
Healing Light
At 1st level, you gain the ability to channel celestial energy to heal wounds. You have a pool of d6s that you spend to fuel this healing. The number of dice in the pool equals 1 + your warlock level.
As a bonus action, you can heal one creature you can see within 60 feet of you, spending dice from the pool. The maximum number of dice you can spend at once equals your Charisma modifier (minimum of one die). Roll the dice you spend, add them together, and restore a number of hit points equal to the total.
Your pool regains all expended dice when you finish a long rest.
Rejuvenating blast
Starting at 6th level, your patron bestows an additional Essence Invocation upon you: Rejuvenating Blast. This invocation does not count against the number of invocations you know in the warlock table. When you use this essence, each creature hit by your eldritch blast is healed for the amount of damage the blast would have done.
Once you have healed a creature in this way you cannot use this essence again until you have finished a short or long rest.
Celestial Resistance
Starting at 10th level, you gain temporary hit points whenever you finish a short or long rest. These temporary hit points equal your warlock level + your Charisma modifier. Additionally, choose up to five creatures you can see at the end of the rest. Those creatures each gain temporary hit points equal to half your warlock level + your Charisma modifier.
Searing Vengeance
Starting at 14th level, the radiant energy you channel allows you to resist death. When you have to make a death saving throw at the start of your turn, you can instead spring back to your feet with a burst of radiant energy. You regain hit points equal to half your hit point maximum, and then you stand up if you so choose. Each creature of your choice that is within 30 feet of you takes radiant damage equal to 2d8 + your Charisma modifier, and is blinded until the end of the current turn.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
The Fiend
You have made a pact with a fiend from the lower planes of existence, a being whose aims are evil, even if you strive against those aims. Such beings desire the corruption or destruction of all things, ultimately including you. Fiends powerful enough to forge a pact include demon lords such as Demogorgon, Orcus, Fraz’Urb-luu, and Baphomet; archdevils such as Asmodeus, Dispater, Mephistopheles, and Belial; pit fiends and balors that are especially mighty; and ultroloths and other lords of the yugoloths.
Dark One's Blessing
Starting at 1st level, when you reduce a hostile creature to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Charisma modifier + your Warlock level (minimum of 1).
Hellfire
Starting at 6th level, your bond with your patron allows you to sacrifice a bit of your vitality to empower your eldritch blast with hellfire. When you roll for the damage of your eldritch blast, you can choose to reroll any number of the damage dice. For each die you reroll, you can use either result.
Each time you do this, you take necrotic damage equal to half your Warlock level, and your hit point maximum is reduced by the same amount. This damage bypasses temporary hit points, and cannot be prevented with resistance or immunity. If your hit point maximum is reduced to 0, you die. Your hit point maximum is restored when you finish a long rest.
Because the sacrifice is required for the use of hellfire, if you are under an effect that prevents your hit point maximum from being reduced, you can’t use this feature.
Hellish Rebuke
Starting at 10th level, when a creature within 120 feet of you deals damage to you, you can attack the creature with your eldritch blast as a reaction. Being within 5 feet of the target does not impose disadvantage on this blast's attack roll. You can't use blast shapes or eldritch essences with this blast, although you can use your Hellfire feature with it. The damage dealt by this feature is fire instead of force damage. In addition the fire damage ignores fire resistance and treats fire immunity as fire resistance instead.
You can use this feature once, and you regain use of it when you finish a short or long rest.
Hurl Through Hell
Starting at 14th level, when you hit a creature with an attack or force it to make a saving throw that it fails, 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.
You can use this feature once, and you regain use of it when you finish a long rest.
The Great Old One
Your patron is a mysterious entity whose nature is utterly foreign to the fabric of reality. It might come from the Far Realm, the space beyond reality, or it could be one of the elder gods known only in legends. Its motives are incomprehensible to mortals, and its knowledge so immense and ancient that even the greatest libraries pale in comparison to the vast secrets it holds. The Great Old One might be unaware of your existence or entirely indifferent to you, but the secrets you have learned allow you to draw your magic from it.
Entities of this type include Ghaunadar, called That Which Lurks; Tharizdun, the Chained God; Dendar, the Night Serpent; Zargon, the Returner; Great Cthulhu; and other unfathomable beings.
Awakened Mind
Starting at 1st level, your alien knowledge gives you the ability to touch the minds of other creatures. You can use a bonus action to magically create a telepathic link with one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. Until the link ends, you can telepathically speak to the target through the link, and if it understands at least one language, it can speak telepathically to you. The link lasts for 10 minutes, and it ends early if you are incapacitated or die, or if you use another bonus action to break the link or to establish this link with a different creature.
Knowledge Drain
Also starting at 1st level, you can use your action to attempt to steal knowledge from the mind of a creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target creature must make an Intelligence saving throw against your invocation save DC. On a failed save, you choose one skill that the creature is proficient with. For the next 24 hours, the creature loses this proficiency, and you gain it. If you were already proficient with the chosen skill your proficiency bonus is doubled for it. At the DM's option, you might also gain access to a memory or a piece of information that the creature knew.
Once you use this ability, the target creature is immune to it for the next 24 hours.
Chilling Tentacles
At 6th level, you can use your action to briefly allow your patron to reach into this reality. Choose a point that you can see within 60 feet of you. Each creature within a 20-foot cube centered on that point must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your invocation save DC or be restrained by tentacles. A creature is restrained for 1 minute, or until it uses its action to make a Strength check against your invocation save DC, freeing itself on a success. A creature that starts its turn while restrained takes 2d6 cold damage.
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.
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 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 Hexblade
You have made your pact with a mysterious entity from the Shadowfell – a force that manifests in sentient magic weapons carved from the stuff of shadow. The mighty sword Blackrazor is the most notable of these weapons, which have been spread across the multiverse over the ages. The shadowy force behind these weapons can offer power to Warlocks who form pacts with it. Many Hexblade Warlocks create weapons that emulate those formed in the Shadowfell. Others forgo such arms, content to weave the dark magic of that plane into their blasting.
Because the Raven Queen is known to have forged the first of these weapons, many sages speculate that she and the force are one and that the weapons, along with Hexblade Warlocks, are tools she uses to manipulate events on the Material Plane to her inscrutable ends.
Hex Warrior
At 1st level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons, medium armor, and shields.
The influence of your patron also allows you to mystically channel your will through a particular weapon. Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property. When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls. This benefit lasts until you finish a long rest. If you later take the Eldritch Blade invocation this benefit extends to any weapon you conjure with that feature
Hexblade’s Curse
Starting at 1st level, you gain the ability to place a baleful curse on someone. As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target is cursed for 1 minute. The curse ends early if the target dies, you die, or you are incapacitated. Until the curse ends, you gain the following benefits:
- You gain a bonus to damage rolls against the cursed target. The bonus equals your proficiency bonus.
- Any attack roll you make against the cursed target is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20.
- If the cursed target dies, you regain hit points equal to your warlock level + your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1 hit point).
You can't use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.
Accursed Specter
Starting at 6th level, when you slay a humanoid, you can cause its spirit to rise from its corpse as a specter, the statistics for which are in the Monster Manual. When the specter appears, it gains temporary hit points equal to half your Warlock level. Roll initiative for the specter, which has its own turns. It obeys your verbal commands, and it gains a bonus to its attack rolls equal to your Charisma modifier.
The specter remains in your service until the end of your next long rest, at which point it vanishes to the afterlife. Once you bind a specter with this feature, you can't use the feature again until you finish a long rest.
Aura of Unluck
Starting at 10th level, you can use a bonus action to create an aura of misfortune around yourself. For 1 minute, any creature that attacks you while within 10 feet of you must roll a d6 and subtract the result from the attack roll.
You can use this feature once, and you regain use of it when you finish a long rest.
Master of Hexes
Starting at 14th level, you can spread your Hexblade's Curse from a slain creature to another creature. When the creature cursed by your Hexblade's Curse dies, you can apply the curse to a different creature you can see within 30 feet of you, provided you aren't incapacitated.
The Arcanist
You have made your pact with a mysterious entity which has spent ages gathering knowledge. This could be anything from an elder brain, a litch, or anything that knows and seeks knowledge. The pact you make with your patron is to share in some of their secrets. As a result the your powers are more geared toward the arcane than combat. When you learn invocations reference The Arcanist Invocation Table for which types of invocations you can learn when. In addition you cannot meet the level requirements for Essence Invocations or Blast Shapes that have level prerequisite.
Arcanist Invocation Table
| Level | Shapes Known | Essences Known | Invocations Known |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2nd | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 3rd | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 4th | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 5th | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 6th | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| 7th | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| 8th | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 9th | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| 10th | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| 11th | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| 12th | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 13th | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 14th | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 15th | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 16th | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 17th | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 18th | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| 19th | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| 20th | 1 | 1 | 14 |
Knowledge of the Sage
At 1st level you gain proficiency in History and Arcana. In addition you learn any 2 cantrips from the Wizard spell list. You also learn 2 languages of your choice.
Book of Shadows
At 1st level your patron bestows you with a tome containing many secrets. You can inscribe magical rituals in your Book of Shadows. Choose one 1st-level spells that have the ritual tag from any class's spell list (the two needn't be from the same list). The spells appear in the book and don't count against the number of spells you know. With your Book of Shadows in hand, you can cast the chosen spells as rituals. You can't cast the spells except as rituals.
On your adventures, you can add other ritual spells to your Book of Shadows. When you find such a spell, you can add it to the book if the spell's level is equal to or less than half your warlock level (rounded up) and if you can spare the time to transcribe the spell. For each level of the spell, the transcription process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp for the rare inks needed to inscribe it.
Enlightened Scholar
At 6th level your studies have sharpened your knowledge well beyond the level of most mortals. You gain expertise in History and Arcana. You learn 3 new languages of your choice.
Deceive the Weave
At 10th level your knowledge of magic has transcended the bounds of categories. You gain the ability to use spell scrolls from any class spell list. When you do so make a Deception check against the DC 10 + the spell's level. Tampering with the weave does have its dangers. On a fail, instead of the spell scroll disappearing the weave lashes out at you and deals damage equal to 1d4 for each level of the spell you attempted to cast.
Mystic Arcanum
At 14th level your patron bestows upon you a magical secret called an arcanum. Choose one 7th-level spell from the wizard spell list as this arcanum.
You can cast your arcanum spell once without expending a spell slot. You must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
Invocations
Blast shapes
Hideous Blow
You can use your action to make a single melee weapon attack. If you hit, the target is affected as if struck by your eldritch blast (including any eldritch essence applied to the blast). This damage is in addition to any weapon damage that you deal with your attack.
Eldritch Rift
Choose a point on the ground that you can see within range of your blast. A rift of malevolent energy appears filling a five foot cube. Any creature in the rift’s space when you use this invocation must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take the eldritch blast damage. When you use this invocation you can choose to have this be an instantaneous effect or you can use your concentration to maintain the rift for up to 1 minute.
A creature must also make the saving throw when it enters the rift’s space for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there.
If you applied an eldritch essence to this blast then each creature that takes damage from the rift is affected by the essence as well.
Eldritch Spear
Your eldritch blast gains a range of 300 feet.
Eldritch Cascade
Prerequisite: 5th level
This blast shape invocation allows you to improve your eldritch blast by turning it into an arc of energy that jumps from the first target to others. When jumping repeat the attack against a new target within 30 feet of the previous. A cascade cannot hit the same target twice. On a hit the first target takes 1d10 + your Charisma modifier. Each subsequent hit deals an additional 1d10 force damage to the new target.
If you apply an eldritch essence, each target you hit must make the save against it.
The number of targets your cascade can jump to are as follows: at 5th level eldritch cascade can jump to 2 additional targets, at 11th level 3 additional targets, at 17th level 4 additional targets.
Eldritch Barrage
Prerequisite: 5th level
Instead of attacking once with your eldritch blast, you can attack twice. When you hit with one of these attacks, the target takes force damage equal to 1d10 + your Charisma modifier.
If you use an eldritch essence, each target you hit must make the save against it. If you hit the same creature multiple times, it only has to make one save.
Starting at 11th level, you can make three attacks instead of two, and starting at 17th level, you can make four attacks.
Eldritch Blade
Prerequisite: 5th level
Instead of making an attack with your eldritch blast, you form your blast energies into a weapon. You can form any melee weapon that you are proficient with, this weapon deals force damage instead of its regular damage type. You can instead use an existing weapon that you are wielding and are proficient with.
You can take the Attack action as part of the same action you used to summon the weapon. When you take the Attack action, you can attack twice with the weapon instead of once.
Starting at 11th level, when you take the Attack action, the weapon deals an extra 1d10 damage on a hit. At 17th level, this increases to 2d10.
Also when you take the Attack action, you can use a bonus action to apply an eldritch essence to the weapon. Each creature you hit as part of that action must make the save against the essence. If you hit the same creature multiple times, it only has to make one save.
If you summoned a weapon though this invocation it disappears if it leaves your hand, or if you dismiss it (no action required.)
Eldritch Beam
Prerequisite: 7th level
Instead of making an attack with your eldritch blast, a 5-foot by 60-foot line of energy bursts out from you. Each creature in the line must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes the damage of your eldritch blast.
Eldritch Wave
Prerequisite: 11th level
Instead of making an attack with your eldritch blast, a 30-foot cone of energy bursts out from you. Each creature in the cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes the damage of your eldritch blast.
Eldritch Doom
Prerequisite: 17th level
Instead of attacking with your eldritch blast, you choose any number of creatures you can see within 20 feet of you. Each creature you choose must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes the damage of your eldritch blast.
Eldritch Essences
Baneful Blast
When you use this essence, each creature damaged by your eldritch blast must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a fail they are cursed for the next round and must subtract 1d4 from all attack rolls or saving throws, your choice when using this invocation.
Brimstone Blast
When you use this essence, each creature damaged by your eldritch blast must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature begins to burn, taking 1d6 fire damage at the start of each of its turns for 1 minute. A burning creature or another creature within 5 feet can use an action to make a Dexterity check against your invocation save DC, extinguishing the burn on a success.
At 10th level, the damage increases to 2d6, and at 19th level, it increases to 3d6.
Frightful Blast
When you use this essence, each creature damaged by your eldritch blast must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature is frightened of you until the start of your next turn.
Hammering Blast
When you use this essence, your eldritch blast automatically hits objects and structures, and deals double damage to them.
Sickening Blast
When you use this essence, each creature damaged by your eldritch blast must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature is poisoned until the start of your next turn.
Repelling Blast
When you use this essence, each creature damaged by your eldritch blast must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, a creature must roll 2d4. The creature is pushed a number of feet away from you equal to 5 times the result. If colliding with an object prevents it from moving this full distance, it takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage for each 10 feet of movement it was unable to complete.
Beshadowed Blast
Prerequisite: 6th level
When you use this essence, each creature damaged by your eldritch blast must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature is blinded until the start of your next turn.
Hellrime Blast
Prerequisite: 6th level
When you use this essence, each creature damaged by your eldritch blast must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature has its speed reduced by 30 feet until the start of your next turn.
Hexing Blast
Prerequisite: 6th level When you use this essence, each creature damaged by your eldritch blast must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save the creature becomes cursed. For the next round all attacks against the target from any creature deal an extra 1d4 necrotic damage.
Noxious Blast
Prerequisite: 10th level
When you use this essence, each creature damaged by your eldritch blast must make a Constitution saving throw against poison. On a failed save, a creature spends its action on its next turn retching and reeling.
A creature that is immune to being poisoned is unaffected by this essence.
Vitriolic Blast
Prerequisite: 10th level
When you use this essence, each creature damaged by your eldritch blast must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 4d6 acid damage at the end of its next turn.
At 19th level, the damage increases to 6d6.
Bewitching Blast
Prerequisite: 14th level
When you use this essence, each creature damaged by your eldritch blast must make a Wisdom saving throw. Until the start of your next turn, a creature that fails its save regards all creatures it can see as enemies. When it chooses another creature as a target, it must choose the target at random from among the creatures it can see within range of the attack, spell, or other ability it’s using. If an enemy provokes an opportunity attack from an affected creature, the creature must make that attack if it is able to.
A creature that is immune to being frightened is unaffected by this essence.
Hindering Blast
Prerequisite: 14th level
When you use this essence, each creature damaged by your eldritch blast must make a Wisdom saving throw. Until the start of your next turn, a creature that fails its save has its speed halved, takes a -2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and can't make reactions. On its next turn, it can take either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature's abilities, it can't make more than one attack on its next turn.
Binding Blast
Prerequisite: 19th level
When you use this essence, each creature damaged by your eldritch blast must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature is stunned until the start of your next turn.
Utterdark Blast
Prerequisite: 19th level
When you use this essence, each creature damaged by your eldritch blast must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature gains one level of exhaustion.
Other Invocations
Armor of Shadows
You can cast mage armor on yourself at will.
Aspect of the Moon
You no longer need to sleep and can't be forced to sleep by any means. To gain the benefits of a long rest, you can spend all 8 hours doing light activity, such as reading your Book of Shadows and keeping watch.
Beast Speech
You can cast speak with animals at will.
Beguiling Influence
You gain proficiency in the Persuasion and Deception skills, and your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with them.
Devil’s Sight
You gain darkvision out to a distance of 120 feet. Magical darkness does not impede your darkvision.
Draconic Knowledge
You gain proficiency in the Arcana and Religion skills, and your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with them.
Eldritch Sight
You can cast detect magic at will.
Eyes of the Rune Keeper
You can read all writing.
Gaze of Two Minds
You can use your action to touch a willing creature and perceive through its senses until the end of your next turn. As long as the creature is on the same plane of existence as you, you can use your action on subsequent turns to maintain this connection, extending the duration until the end of your next turn. While perceiving through the other creature's senses, you benefit from any special senses possessed by that creature, and you are blinded and deafened to your own surroundings.
Gift of the Depths
You can breathe underwater, and you gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.
Mask of Many Faces
You can cast disguise self at will.
Misty Visions
You can cast silent image at will.
Otherworldly Leap
You can cast jump on yourself at will.
Serpent’s Tongue
You gain advantage on Wisdom (perception) checks that rely on smell, and Wisdom (survival) checks made to track creatures. Additionally, you gain advantage on saving throws against poison.
Thieves’ Bane
You can cast alarm at will.
Book of Ancient Secrets
Prerequisite: 3rd level
Your patron give you a book of ancient secrets. From this book you learn three cantrips of your choice from any class' spell list. The three don't have to be from the same list. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these cantrips.
When you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the cantrips you gain from this invocation with a different one.
Breath of the Night
Prerequisite: 3rd level
You can cast fog cloud at will.
Chained Familiar
Prerequisite: 3rd level
You can cast find familiar at will, although you must still expend the material component each time you cast it. When you cast find familiar, you can summon an Imp, Pseudodragon, Quasit, or Sprite as your familiar, in addition to the usual forms granted by the spell.
One With Shadows
Prerequisite: 3rd level
When you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible until you move, take an action, or make a reaction.
Warlock's Grasp
Prerequisite: 3rd level
You can cast Maximilian's earthen grasp at will.
Weighty Utterance
Prerequisite: 3rd level
You can cast earthbind at will.
Cloak of Flies
Prerequisite: 5th level
As a bonus action, you can surround yourself with a magical aura that looks like buzzing flies. The aura extends 5 feet from you in every direction, but not through total cover. It lasts until you're incapacitated or you dismiss it as a bonus action.
The aura grants you advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks but disadvantage on all other Charisma checks. Any other creature that starts its turn in the aura takes poison damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 0 damage).
Devour Magic
Prerequisite: 5th level
You can cast dispel magic once, and you regain the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest. When you end a spell with this invocation, you regain hit points equal to 5 times the level of the spell you ended.
Flee the Scene
Prerequisite: 5th level
As an action, you can teleport to a point you can see within 60 feet of you, and a silent, unmoving illusory duplicate of you appears at the point you left. The duplicate disappears at the start of your next turn, or when it takes any damage.
Once you use this invocation, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Maddening Hex
Prerequisite: 5th level
As a bonus action you can cast the spell hex on a creature. On subsequent turns you can use your bonus action to cause a psychic disturbance around the target of your hex. When you do so, you deal psychic damage to the cursed target and each creature of your choice within 5 feet of it. This psychic damage equals your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1 damage). To use this feature you need to be able to see the cursed target.
Once the hex on your target has ended you cannot move the curse to another target and you can't use this invocation again until you finish a short or long rest.
Summon Swarm
Prerequisite: 5th level
As an action, you can summon either a Swarm of Bats, Swarm of Insects, Swarm of Rats, or Swarm of Spiders at a point you can see within 30 feet of you. The swarm is friendly to you and your companions, and obeys your verbal commands. It can use your proficiency bonus and Charisma modifier for its attack and damage rolls.
The swarm disperses after 1 minute, or when you command it to. You can't use this invocation again while you already have a swarm summoned.
Starting at 11th level, you can summon two swarms at once when you use this invocation, and starting at 17th level, you can summon three swarms at once.
The Dead Walk
Prerequisite: 5th level
You can cast animate dead at will. The Zombie or Skeleton you create with this invocation gains an increase to its maximum health equal to your Warlock level, and it can use your proficiency bonus and Charisma modifier for its attack and damage rolls.
When you cast animate dead using this invocation, you can only control one Skeleton or Zombie at a time. If you create a second one, the first immediately becomes hostile to you and your companions.
Tomb of Levistus
Prerequisite: 5th level
As a reaction when you take damage, you can entomb yourself in ice, which melts away at the end of your next turn. You gain 10 temporary hit points per Warlock level, which take as much of the triggering damage as possible. Immediately after you take the damage, you gain vulnerability to fire damage, your speed is reduced to 0, and you are incapacitated. These effects, including any remaining temporary hit points, all end when the ice melts.
Once you use this invocation, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Whispers of the Grave
Prerequisite: 5th level
You can cast speak with dead at will.
Witchwood Step
Prerequisite: 5th level
You can cast water walk on yourself at will.
Ghostly Gaze
Prerequisite: 7th level
As an action, you gain the ability to see through solid objects to a range of 30 feet. Within that range, you have darkvision if you don’t already have it. This special sight lasts for 1 minute or until your concentration ends (as if you were concentrating on a spell). During that time, you perceive objects as ghostly, transparent images.
Once you use this invocation, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Path of Shadow
Prerequisite: 7th level
When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action, you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness.
Relentless Hex
Prerequisite: 7th level
As a bonus action you can cast the spell hex on a creature. As part of that casting, or as a bonus action on subsequent turns, you can magically teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see within 5 feet of the target of your hex, or by another warlock feature, such as Hexblade's Curse and Sign of Ill Omen. To teleport in this way, you must be able to see the cursed target.
Once the hex on your target has ended you cannot move the curse to another target and you can't use this invocation again until you finish a short or long rest.
If you also have the Maddening Hex invocation you can use either invocation ability while your hex is active, but these share their casting of hex so you can still only cast hex in this way once until a short or long rest.
Warlock’s Charm
Prerequisite: 7th level
You can cast charm person at will.
Ascendant Step
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can cast levitate on yourself at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.
Dark Discorporation
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can cast gaseous form on yourself at will. You can’t use your eldritch blast while under the effects of gaseous form.
Spiderwalk
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can cast spider climb on yourself at will. While under the effects of spider climb, your movement is not impeded by webs.
Warlock’s Call
Prerequisite: 11th level
You can cast sending at will.
Master of Myriad Forms
Prerequisite: 13th level
You can cast alter self at will.
Shroud of Shadow
Prerequisite: 13th level
You can cast invisibility on yourself at will.
Steal Summoning
Prerequisite: 13th level
As an action, you can attempt to take control of a creature you can see within 60 feet of you that has been summoned from another plane of existence by a spell. Make a Charisma check (DC = 10 + the level of the spell that summoned the creature.) On a success, you take control of the summoned creature as if you were the caster of the spell. If the spell requires concentration, you must maintain concentration on it.
You can use this invocation once, and you regain use of it when you finish a short or long rest.
Visions of Distant Realms
Prerequisite: 13th level
You can cast arcane eye at will.
Devil's Whispers
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can cast suggestion at will.
Fell Flight
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can cast fly on yourself at will.
Witch Sight
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can see the true form of any shapechanger or creature concealed by illusion or transmutation magic while the creature is within 30 feet of you and within line of sight.