Eldritch Invocations

# Eldritch Invocations

### Eldritch Gift Invocation
You learn to readily assault foes with eldritch energy. Choose two options from below, which you can magically invoke as an action. Each targets a single creature within its range, and requires Verbal and Material spell components. You must see a creature to impose a saving throw on it.

At Warlock level 5, 11 and 17, when you take this action you can choose one additional effect (for two, three and finally four attacks or saving throws). These can target the same creature or another in range, and you can combine different effects that you know.

Additionally, if you use a Warlock spell slot to cast a spell, you can lower the level of the spell slot to fuel your gift. On the same turn as you cast a spell, either before or after, you can use a Bonus Action to invoke one gift effect for every two levels lower the spell was cast at compared to the slot used. For instance, if you cast Hypnotic Pattern with a level 5 pact slot, you could Repelling Blast someone into the area.

You can take this invocation multiple times, selecting two options each time. When you finish a long rest, you can swap one choice for another.

- **Repelling Blast**: 120 feet ranged spell attack for 1d10 + spellcasting modifier Force damage. If you hit a Large or smaller creature, you can push that creature up to 10 feet straight away from you.
- **Seeking Bolt**: 90 feet ranged spell attack for 1d6 + spellcasting modifier Lightning damage, or half as much on a miss.
- **Blight Rend**: 5 feet melee spell attack for 1d12 + spellcasting modifier Necrotic damage. On a hit, the next attack against the target has advantage.
- **Reaching Tendril**: 60 feet melee spell attack for 1d8 + spellcasting modifier Acid damage. On a hit, you can pull yourself 15 feet towards the target without provoking opportunity attacks. You can make the attack automatically hit and deal no damage if the creature is willing, or if you attack an object.
- **Fiendish Ire**: 120 feet Dexterity save for 1d6 + spellcasting modifier Fire damage. If you take damage before the start of your next turn and the target failed their save, they take the damage again and the effect ends.
- **Dire Radiance**: 60 feet Constitution save for 1d8 + spellcasting modifier Radiant damage. If the creature willingly moves before the end of your next turn, it takes the damage again and the effect ends.
- **Bewitching Glare**: 60 feet Wisdom save for 1d6 + spellcasting modifier Psychic damage. You are invisible to creatures that fail this save until the start of your next turn.
- **Cantrip**: Choose a Warlock cantrip that deals damage to learn, or any cantrip you already know, and use its range and effects with this trait. When used with this trait it doesn't get the normal cantrip scaling, but you can add your spellcasting ability modifier to one of its damage rolls. You can pick this multiple times.

\columnbreak

### Blade Invocations

#### Pact of the Blade
***Prerequisite**: Level 3+ Warlock*

As a Bonus Action, you can trace arcane sigils in the air to conjure a pact weapon in your hand—a Simple or Martial melee weapon of your choice with which you bond—or create a bond with a magic weapon you touch. Until the bond ends, you can use the weapon as a spellcasting focus, and use its bonuses to hit and damage for your melee spell attacks.

Your bond with the weapon ends if you use this feature’s Bonus Action again, if the weapon is more than 5 feet away from you for 1 minute or more, or if you die. A conjured weapon disappears when the bond ends.

Once on each of your turns when you make a melee spell attack while holding your pact weapon, choose one benefit:
- **Extend**: Your melee spell attacks this turn have +15 feet range.
- **Spill**: If the attack targets a single creature, you may deal half the damage of the attack to a second creature within 5 feet of the original target, even if the attack misses.
- **Overwhelm**: If the target is Large or smaller, you can cause it to fall prone after your attack hits or misses.

#### Eldritch Shell
***Prerequisite**: Pact of the Blade*

When you conjure a pact weapon you may also conjure a pact shield or bond with a magical shield. Until the bond ends, you have proficiency with the shield, and do not need to use a free hand to wield it (it might float around, or be attached to your body).

#### Murmuring Presence
***Prerequisite**: Level 5+ Warlock, Pact of the Blade*

Your pact weapon is sentient and helps you with certain tasks. While you have a bonded weapon, you cannot be surprised and add your spellcasting ability modifier to Acrobatics, Arcana, Intimidation and Insight checks that don't already add it.

#### Lifedrinker
***Prerequisite**: Level 9+ Warlock, Pact of the Blade*

Whenever you hit a creature with a melee spell attack while holding a bonded weapon, you can expend one of your Hit Dice to roll it and regain a number of Hit Points equal to the roll plus your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1).

Additionally, when a creature moves into or out of a space within 5 feet of you, you can use your Reaction to use Eldritch Gift without any duplicate effects.

#### Master Melee Magician
***Prerequisite**: Level 14+ Warlock, Pact of the Blade*

You can use Extend, Spill or Overwhelm twice on your turn instead of once. If one attack Spills twice, the secondary targets must be different creatures.

<!--

pic that there's no longer room for :(

-->

\pagebreak
<div class='pageNumber auto'></div>

### Chain Invocations

#### Pact of the Chain
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 3+*

You learn the Find Familiar spell and can cast it as an action without expending a spell slot.

When you cast the spell, you choose one of the normal forms for your familiar or one of the following special forms: imp, pseudodragon, quasit, or sprite.

Additionally, when you use Eldritch Gift, you can replace one effect to let your familiar make an attack as a Reaction.

#### Voice of the Chain Master
***Prerequisite**: Pact of the Chain*

Sharing senses and telepathic communication with your familiar only requires that you are on the same plane of existence, and can be started or maintained as a bonus action.

Additionally, while perceiving through your familiar's senses, you can speak through it in your own voice.

#### Investment of the Chain Master
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 5+, Pact of the Chain*

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

**Attack**. The familiar can take the Attack action on its turns.

**Your Bonuses**. If the familiar attacks or forces a creature to make a saving throw, it uses your spell attack bonus and spell save DC.

**Necrotic or Radiant Damage**. Whenever the familiar deals Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage, you can make it deal Necrotic or Radiant damage instead.

**Protection**. When the familiar takes damage, you can use your Reaction to cause it to take no damage, and you take half the damage.

#### Share the Load
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 9+, Pact of the Chain*

While within 30 feet of your familiar, you both have advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws.

#### Chains of Carceri
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 14+, Pact of the Chain*

You always have the Hold Monster spell prepared, and if you target a Celestial, Fiend or Elemental with the spell and have never cast it on them before, you can cast it without expending a spell slot.

> #### Art Credit
> - Page 2: "Companion" by Claudya Schmidt (AlectorFencer).
>
> - Page 4: "Fantasy Hunter" By Fred Rambaud.

\columnbreak

### Talisman Invocations

#### Pact of the Talisman
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 3+*

At the end of a short or long rest, you summon two paired pieces of jewellery from your patron. You can wear both yourself, or give them to your friends. While worn, the talismans can be used to aid in a single roll each.

**Talisman of Talent**. Add a d4 to a failed ability check.

**Talisman of Protection**. Add a d4 to a failed saving throw.

#### Rebuke of the Talisman
***Prerequisite**: Pact of the Talisman*

When a wearer of your talisman is attacked by a creature you can see within 60 feet of you, you can use your reaction to deal psychic damage to the attacker equal to your Warlock level and push it up to 10 feet away from the talisman's wearer.

#### Talisman of Precision
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 5+, Pact of the Talisman*

You summon a third talisman, which allows its wearer to add a d4 to a missed attack.

Additionally, if a wearer invokes their talisman on a roll but still fails, it isn't expended.

#### Mind Meld
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 9+, Pact of the Talisman*

You can communicate telepathically with anyone wearing a talisman, provided the creature speaks a language and you are on the same plane of existence.

Additionally, all your talismans get another use before their magic expires.

#### Bond of the Talisman
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 14+, Pact of the Talisman*

A creature wearing your talisman can use a Bonus Action to teleport to an unoccupied space within 10 feet of whoever is wearing the other talisman, provided they are on the same plane of existence. This teleportation can occur a number of times equal to your spellcasting modifier per long rest.

\pagebreak
<div class='pageNumber auto'></div>

### Tome Invocations

#### Pact of the Tome
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 3+*

Stitching together strands of shadow, you conjure forth a book in your hand at the end of a Short Rest or Long Rest. This Book of Shadows (you determine its appearance) contains eldritch magic that only you can access, granting you the following benefits:

**Cantrips and Rituals**. When the book appears, choose three cantrips, and choose two level 1 spells that have the Ritual tag.

The spells can be from any class’s spell list, and they must be spells you don’t already have prepared. While the book is on your person, you have the chosen spells prepared, and they function as Warlock spells for you.

**Spellcasting Focus**. You can use the book as a Spellcasting Focus.

The book disappears if you conjure another book with this feature or if you die.

#### Gift of the Protectors
***Prerequisite**: Pact of the Tome*

A new page appears in your Book of Shadows when you conjure it. With your permission, a creature can use its action to write its name on that page, which can contain up to 10 names. You can erase a name on the page by using an action and touching it.

When any creature whose name is on the page is reduced to 0 Hit Points but not killed outright, the creature magically drops to 1 Hit Point instead. Once this magic is triggered, no creature can benefit from it until you finish a Long Rest.

#### Glimpse of Insight
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 5+, Pact of the Tome*

Your book grants you a level 1 spell slot once per long rest. When you use it, you can take a Study action as a free action, and add your spellcasting modifier to the roll if it isn't already used.

#### Greater Ritualism
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 9+, Pact of the Tome*

Your book contains two more spells with the Ritual tag from any class, which may be of 3rd level or lower. When you cast a spell as a ritual, you can do so without increasing the cast time a number of times equal to your spellcasting ability modifier per long rest.

#### Aspect of the Moon
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 14+, Pact of the Tome*

The book grants you a level 2 spell slot once per long rest.

Additionally, while the book is on your person, you have advantage on death saving throws, and you do not need to sleep, breathe or eat to survive.

\columnbreak

### Spell Invocations

#### Otherworldly Leap
You always have the Jump spell prepared. You can cast it on yourself without expending a spell slot, and you can cast it as a Bonus Action.

#### Mask of Many Faces
You can cast Disguise Self without expending a spell slot. You can also cast it as a Bonus Action without requiring components once per long rest.

#### All Legs
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 5+*

You always have the Spider Climb spell prepared, and can cast it on yourself without expending a spell slot.

#### Ascendant Step
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 5+*

You always have the Levitate spell prepared, and you can cast it on yourself without expending a spell slot. You can also cast it as a Bonus Action once per long rest.

#### Master of Myriad Forms
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 5+*

You can cast Alter Self without expending a spell slot, and you can cast it as a Bonus Action.

#### One With Shadows
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 5+*

You always have the Invisibility spell prepared. While you’re in an area of Dim Light or Darkness, you can cast it on yourself without expending a spell slot. You can also cast it as a Bonus Action once per short or long rest.

#### Whispers of the Grave
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 7+*

You can cast Speak with Dead without expending a spell slot. Additionally, you have advantage on any skill checks made to influence, understand or recall information about undead creatures or spirits.

#### Trickster's Escape
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 7+*

You always have the Freedom of Movement spell prepared, and you can cast it on yourself without expending a spell slot once per long rest.

#### Visions of Distant Realms
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 9+*

You can cast Arcane Eye without expending a spell slot.

\pagebreak
<div class='pageNumber auto'></div>

### Ability Invocations

#### Armor of Shadows
While not wearing armor, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your spellcasting ability modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

#### Devil's Sight
You can see normally in Dim Light and Darkness (both magical and nonmagical) within 120 feet.

#### Eldritch Mind
You have advantage on Constitution saving throws that you make to maintain Concentration.

#### Fiendish Vigor
As an action, you can gain a number of temporary hit points equal to twice your Warlock level.

#### Tomb of Levistus
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 5+*

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.

#### Lessons of the First Ones
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 9+*

You learn another background feat of your choice.

#### Witch Sight
***Prerequisite**: Warlock Level 15+*

You have Truesight with a range of 60 feet.

\columnbreak

## Notes

This is kind of a mashup and touch-up in the vein of (and borrowing a lot from) the 2024 PHB, but pushing more on convention, going a bit further to boost weaker options, and cutting or toning down a few that I find poorly thought out (bonus action to cast spells from another creature's space is just silly).

As in various other homebrews, there's an Eldritch Blast replacement that makes it more dynamic and restricted to Warlocks.

The big divergence here, that I haven't seen others mess with, is to make pact of the blade less of a discount martial (either in a good or a bad way, depending on the version), and instead give it its own mechanics to fuel the fantasy of a weapon-wielding caster. Allowing any Charisma gish (paladins mainly) to dip and become close to SAD is just bad design imo, and giving the caster that already has the best at-will damage an archetype that's just a separate way to get decent at-will damage is so weird. Hexblade doesn't work with this new style, which I see as an absolute win.

There are a few changes I make to the base class which is important for context on a couple of these:

- Ritual casting is available to all warlocks, so tome doesn't have that selling point, and at will detect magic or comprehend languages are redundant.
- You can choose between Charisma and Intelligence as your spellcasting ability (and general class stat).
- The invocation feat counts half your character level as Warlock levels for requirements and scaling.
- [My background feats look something like this](https://pastebin.com/iLPAxsWu), for Lessons.
- Bonus action casting isn't a generic rule, only applies to Quicken.