Warlock: The Antiquarian Patron

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Overview & Creation

With a pseudodragon curled on his shoulder, a young elf in golden robes smiles warmly, weaving a magical charm into his honeyed words and bending the palace sentinel to his will.   As flames spring to life in her hands, a wizened human whispers the secret name of her demonic patron, infusing her spell with fiendish magic.   Shifting his gaze between a battered tome and the odd alignment of the stars overhead, a wild-eyed tiefling chants the mystic ritual that will open a doorway to a distant world.   Warlocks are seekers of the knowledge that lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse. Through pacts made with mysterious beings of supernatural power, warlocks unlock magical effects both subtle and spectacular. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of beings such as fey nobles, demons, devils, hags, and alien entities of the Far Realm, warlocks piece together arcane secrets to bolster their own power.  

Sworn and Beholden

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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

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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.   Stories of warlocks binding themselves to fiends are widely known. But many warlocks serve patrons that are not fiendish. Sometimes a traveler in the wilds comes to a strangely beautiful tower, meets its fey lord or lady, and stumbles into a pact without being fully aware of it. And sometimes, while poring over tomes of forbidden lore, a brilliant but crazed student’s mind is opened to realities beyond the material world and to the alien beings that dwell in the outer void.   Once a pact is made, a warlock’s thirst for knowledge and power can’t be slaked with mere study and research. No one makes a pact with such a mighty patron if he or she doesn’t intend to use the power thus gained. Rather, the vast majority of warlocks spend their days in active pursuit of their goals, which typically means some kind of adventuring. Furthermore, the demands of their patrons drive warlocks toward adventure.  

Creating a Warlock

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As you make your warlock character, spend some time thinking about your patron and the obligations that your pact imposes upon you. What led you to make the pact, and how did you make contact with your patron? Were you seduced into summoning a devil, or did you seek out the ritual that would allow you to make contact with an alien elder god? Did you search for your patron, or did your patron find and choose you? Do you chafe under the obligations of your pact or serve joyfully in anticipation of the rewards promised to you?   Work with your DM to determine how big a part your pact will play in your character’s adventuring career. Your patron’s demands might drive you into adventures, or they might consist entirely of small favors you can do between adventures.   What kind of relationship do you have with your patron? Is it friendly, antagonistic, uneasy, or romantic? How important does your patron consider you to be? What part do you play in your patron’s plans? Do you know other servants of your patron?   How does your patron communicate with you? If you have a familiar, it might occasionally speak with your patron’s voice. Some warlocks find messages from their patrons etched on trees, mingled among tea leaves, or adrift in the clouds — messages that only the warlock can see. Other warlocks converse with their patrons in dreams or waking visions, or deal only with intermediaries.  

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.

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	Spell Slots	Slot Level	Invocations Known
1st	+2	Otherworldly Patron, Pact Magic	2	2	1	1st	-
2nd	+2	Eldritch Invocations	2	3	2	1st	2
3rd	+2	Pact Boon	2	4	2	2nd	2
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement	3	5	2	2nd	2
5th	+3	-	3	6	2	3rd	3
6th	+3	Otherworldly Patron Feature	3	7	2	3rd	3
7th	+3	-	3	8	2	4th	4
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement	3	9	2	4th	4
9th	+4	-	3	10	2	5th	5
10th	+4	Otherworldly Patron Feature	4	10	2	5th	5
11th	+4	Mystic Arcanum (6th level)	4	11	3	5th	5
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement	4	11	3	5th	6
13th	+5	Mystic Arcanum (7th level)	4	12	3	5th	6
14th	+5	Otherworldly Patron Feature	4	12	3	5th	6
15th	+5	Mystic Arcanum (8th level)	4	13	3	5th	7
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement	4	13	3	5th	7
17th	+6	Mystic Arcanum (9th level)	4	14	4	5th	7
18th	+6	-	4	14	4	5th	8
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement	4	15	4	5th	8
20th	+6	Eldritch Master	4	15	4	5th	8

 

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Class Features

Otherworldly Patron

At 1st level, you have struck a bargain with an otherworldly being of your choice: The Celestial, which is detailed at the end of the class description, or one from another source. Your choice grants you features at 1st level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.  

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. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.   At 2nd level, you gain two eldritch invocations of your choice. Your invocation options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain warlock levels, you gain additional invocations of your choice, as shown in the Invocations Known column of the Warlock table.   Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the invocations you know and replace it with another invocation that you could learn at that level.   If an eldritch invocation has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the invocation at the same time that you meet its prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.   Agonizing Blast
Prerequisite: eldritch blast cantrip   When you cast eldritch blast, add your Charisma modifier to the damage it deals on a hit.   Armor of Shadows
You can cast mage armor on yourself at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.   Ascendant Step
Prerequisite: 9th level   You can cast levitate on yourself at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.   Beast Speech
You can cast speak with animals at will, without expending a spell slot.   Beguiling Influence
You gain proficiency in the Deception and Persuasion skills.   Bewitching Whispers
Prerequisite: 7th level   You can cast compulsion once using a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.   Book of Ancient Secrets
Prerequisite: Pact of the Tome feature   You can now inscribe magical rituals in your Book of Shadows. Choose two 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, unless you’ve learned them by some other means. You can also cast a warlock spell you know as a ritual if it has the ritual tag.   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.   Chains of Carceri
Prerequisite: 15th level, Pact of the Chain feature   You can cast hold monster at will — targeting a celestial, fiend, or elemental — without expending a spell slot or material components. You must finish a long rest before you can use this invocation on the same creature again.   Devil’s Sight
You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet.   Dreadful Word
Prerequisite: 7th level   You can cast confusion once using a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.   Eldritch Sight
You can cast detect magic at will, without expending a spell slot.   Eldritch Spear
Prerequisite: eldritch blast cantrip   When you cast eldritch blast, its range is 300 feet.   Eyes of the Rune Keeper
You can read all writing.   Fiendish Vigor
You can cast false life on yourself at will as a 1st-level spell, without expending a spell slot or material components.   Gaze of Two Minds
You can use your action to touch a willing humanoid 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.   Lifedrinker
Prerequisite: 12th level, Pact of the Blade feature   When you hit a creature with your pact weapon, the creature takes extra necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1).   Mask of Many Faces
You can cast disguise self at will, without expending a spell slot.   Master of Myriad Forms
Prerequisite: 15th level   You can cast alter self at will, without expending a spell slot.   Minions of Chaos
Prerequisite: 9th level   You can cast conjure elemental once using a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.   Mire the Mind
Prerequisite: 5th level   You can cast slow once using a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.   Misty Visions
You can cast silent image at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.   One with Shadows
Prerequisite: 5th level   When you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible until you move or take an action or a reaction.   Otherworldly Leap
Prerequisite: 9th level   You can cast jump on yourself at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.   Repelling Blast
Prerequisite: eldritch blast cantrip   When you hit a creature with eldritch blast, you can push the creature up to 10 feet away from you in a straight line.   Sculptor of Flesh
Prerequisite: 7th level   You can cast polymorph once using a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.   Sign of Ill Omen
Prerequisite: 5th level   You can cast bestow curse once using a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.   Thief of Five Fates
You can cast bane once using a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.   Thirsting Blade
Prerequisite: 5th level, Pact of the Blade feature   You can attack with your pact weapon twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.   Visions of Distant Realms
Prerequisite: 15th level   You can cast arcane eye at will, without expending a spell slot.   Voice of the Chain Master
Prerequisite: Pact of the Chain feature   You can communicate telepathically with your familiar and perceive through your familiar’s senses as long as you are on the same plane of existence. Additionally, while perceiving through your familiar’s senses, you can also speak through your familiar in your own voice, even if your familiar is normally incapable of speech.   Whispers of the Grave
Prerequisite: 9th level   You can cast speak with dead at will, without expending a spell slot.   Witch Sight
Prerequisite: 15th 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.  

Pact Boon

At 3rd level, your otherworldly patron bestows a gift upon you for your loyal service. You gain one of the following features of your choice.  

Pact of the Blade

You can use your action to create a pact weapon in your empty hand. You can choose the form that this melee weapon takes each time you create it (see the Weapons section for weapon options). You are proficient with it while you wield it. This weapon counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.   Your pact weapon disappears if it is more than 5 feet away from you for 1 minute or more. It also disappears if you use this feature again, if you dismiss the weapon (no action required), or if you die.   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 being your pact weapon if you die, if you perform the 1-hour ritual on a different weapon, or if you use a 1-hour ritual to break your bond to it. The weapon appears at your feet if it is in the extradimensional space when the bond breaks.  

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 the spell, you can choose one of the normal forms for your familiar or one of the following special forms: imp, pseudodragon, quasit, or sprite.   Additionally, when you take the Attack action, you can forgo one of your own attacks to allow your familiar to make one attack with its reaction.  

Pact of the Tome

Your patron gives you a grimoire called a Book of Shadows. When you gain this feature, choose three cantrips from any class’s spell list (the three needn’t be from the same list). While the book is on your person, you can cast those cantrips at will. They don’t count against your number of cantrips known. If they don’t appear on the warlock spell list, they are nonetheless warlock spells for you.   If you lose your Book of Shadows, 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 book. The book turns to ash when you die.  

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.   Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.  

Mystic Arcanum (6th level)

At 11th level, your patron bestows upon you a magical secret called an arcanum. Choose one 6th-level spell from the warlock 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.   At higher levels, you gain more warlock spells of your choice that can be cast in this way: one 7th-level spell at 13th level, one 8th-level spell at 15th level, and one 9th-level spell at 17th level. You regain all uses of your Mystic Arcanum when you finish a long rest.  

Mystic Arcanum (7th level)

At 13th level, your patron bestows upon you a magical secret called an arcanum. Choose one 7th-level spell from the warlock 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.   At higher levels, you gain more warlock spells of your choice that can be cast in this way: one 8th-level spell at 15th level, and one 9th-level spell at 17th level. You regain all uses of your Mystic Arcanum when you finish a long rest.  

Mystic Arcanum (8th level)

At 15th level, your patron bestows upon you a magical secret called an arcanum. Choose one 8th-level spell from the warlock 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.   At 17th level, you gain a 9th-level warlock spell of your choice that can be cast in this way. You regain all uses of your Mystic Arcanum when you finish a long rest.  

Mystic Arcanum (9th level)

At 17th level, your patron bestows upon you a magical secret called an arcanum. Choose one 9th-level spell from the warlock 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.   You regain all uses of your Mystic Arcanum when you finish a long rest.  

Eldritch Master

At 20th level, you can draw on your inner reserve of mystical power while entreating your patron to regain expended spell slots. You can spend 1 minute entreating your patron for aid to regain all your expended spell slots from your Pact Magic feature. Once you regain spell slots with this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.

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Starting 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

 

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Spellcasting

Pact Magic

Your arcane research and the magic bestowed on you by your patron have given you facility with spells. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the warlock spell list.  

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.

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Subclass Options

The Antiquarian

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You have struck a deal with an enigmatic collector. This mystical being may be of any origin (fae, fiend, undead, etc) , and has have spent their immortality seeking rare, valuable, or curious items for their Collection. Your patron may be collecting objects to amass power or knowledge, to right an ancient wrong, or sate their own boredom or curiosity.   You have been tasked with acquiring items for your patron's collection. They have bestowed upon you powers to help you locate, appraise, and most importantly, acquire new items for the Collection.  

Antiquarian Features

Warlock Level	Feature
1st	Expanded Spell List, Bonus Cantrips, A Gift in Kind
6th	Offsprint
10th	Advanced Appraisal
14th	Refurbishment

Limited Edition Spell List

The Antiquarian grants you the shape water cantrip in addition to letting 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.  

The Antiquarian Expanded Spells

Spell Level	Spells
1st	catapult, snare
2nd	heat metal, arcane lock
3rd	blink, tiny servant
4th	fabricate, greater invisibility
5th	TBD, seeming

A Gift in Kind

Your patron grants you a +1 weapon with which you are proficient or a +1 rod of the pact keeper. This first piece in your collection will magically improve to a +2 version at 6th level and a +3 version at 11th level. You also receive one of the following wondrous items: cloak of the manta ray, decanter of endless water, helm of comprehending languages, rope of climbing, wand of secrets. Additionally, your patron grants you a bag of holding in which you may carry your growing collection of trinkets, curios, and magical things.   Finally, you are able to cast the identify spell once per long rest without expending a spell slot.  

Offsprint

Starting at 6th level, you can vanish in a puff of mist in response to harm. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to 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 attack or cast a spell.   Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.  

Advanced Appraisal

Starting at 10th level, your patron grants you an item for your collection called The Collector's Map in order to help you ultimately expand your collection.   You gain proficiency in History if you don't have it already. Furthermore, you tend to know the material composition and surface level cultural or historical significance of any piece of artwork, relic, collectible, or other item of interest you come across, as well as its current market value in GP. Any check you made for the following now has advantage.  

Refurbishment

You can cast remove curse at will. When casting the spell on a cursed item of rare or lower quality that is not attuned to a creature, make an arcana check. On a success, the curse is removed, leaving its beneficial properties intact. On a failure, the magic item is permanently destroyed. Items of very rare and higher quality may require further ritual in addition to the spell being cast as a final step.