Warlock
Warlocks are arcane spellcasters who gain their magical power through pacts with powerful entities, such as devils, elder evils, and archfey. These pacts allow warlocks to learn forgotten or hidden magical abilities unknown to wizards or sorcerers. The typical warlock pact is a two sided affair. The patron provides magical knowledge to the warlock, and in exchange, the warlock performs some kind of service for the patron. This is not always the case, however, as sometimes a warlock is able to steal knowledge from a patron without its knowledge - this is most often the case with Great Old One pacts. In some regards, warlocks are similar to clerics and paladins, but are taught spells instead of being granted them.
The stereotpyical warlock is an evil cultist who sells their soul to a devil for unlimited power. While this does happen, many warlocks create their pacts under different circumstances. The Chosen of Asmodeus, Farideh, only entered into a pact with the cambion Lorcan after her sister accidentally summoned him. Tieflings, due to their inherent relation to the Nine Hells, are a prime target for devils to offer pacts to. Of course, devils aren't the only creatures that can create pacts. Any creature or entity that knows hidden knowledge could offer a pact, such as archfey, an elder evil, powerful celestials, oceanic entities, genies, Shadowfell entities, powerful undead, and immortal spellcasters.
In addition to the main pact with a patron, many warlocks have a special "pact boon" that permits them to focus their abilities in a specific direction. These include summing a more powerful familiar, cast ritual spells like a wizard, receive training in weapons and armour, or an amulet that improves their abilities. While some of these pact boons are more common with certain patrons (blade and the hexblade, chain and fiends, tome and the great old one), any warlock can acquire any pact boon from any patron - assuming the patron permits it, and the warlock is powerful enough to act upon the knowledge.
The stereotpyical warlock is an evil cultist who sells their soul to a devil for unlimited power. While this does happen, many warlocks create their pacts under different circumstances. The Chosen of Asmodeus, Farideh, only entered into a pact with the cambion Lorcan after her sister accidentally summoned him. Tieflings, due to their inherent relation to the Nine Hells, are a prime target for devils to offer pacts to. Of course, devils aren't the only creatures that can create pacts. Any creature or entity that knows hidden knowledge could offer a pact, such as archfey, an elder evil, powerful celestials, oceanic entities, genies, Shadowfell entities, powerful undead, and immortal spellcasters.
In addition to the main pact with a patron, many warlocks have a special "pact boon" that permits them to focus their abilities in a specific direction. These include summing a more powerful familiar, cast ritual spells like a wizard, receive training in weapons and armour, or an amulet that improves their abilities. While some of these pact boons are more common with certain patrons (blade and the hexblade, chain and fiends, tome and the great old one), any warlock can acquire any pact boon from any patron - assuming the patron permits it, and the warlock is powerful enough to act upon the knowledge.
Famous in the Field
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