Okay so I'm working on creating *additions* to 5e. Not trying to change what's there. So I'm working on material for my own current campaign, and I'm going to start posting stuff up here for your thoughts. I likewise invite everyone else to post up their creations with the caveat:
Not looking for rules changes or things like that. This is for new creations that add to what's already in the game. So new spells, new (sub)classes, new gear, new monsters, new magic items, etc. If possible give some context.
I'm currently running a game in Calimshan in the Realms. I have this desire to take the game to Al-Qadim at some point, as well as Kara-tur. So my first design is creating new Warlock pacts - in this case pacts with the Genie lords.
I'll be writing up one for each element - the first is the least known the Khayal (Shadowfell genies - yeah I know it's fucking weird, but I have a player currently playing one), I also included a monster, spell, and some other shit. I'll do the rest as finish them.
New Warlock Patrons
Gen Courts
Your patron is a lord or lady of the Gen Courts, beings of elemental power that long ago forged pacts with mortals as part of their connection to the Prime Material planes. This being’s motivations are often inscrutable, though often provocatively straight forward, and might involve a striving for greater magical power or the settling of age-old grudges often against those of their own kind. Beings of this sort include the Haditha the Mistress of the Golden Inferno; Vedhir the Prince of Air, ruler of the Zephyr Court; Caliph Stratha of the Typhoon Court; Grand Sheikh Bromei, the Prince of the Great Crevasse, Lord of the Quaking Reaches; Padishah Strissus, The Lord of the Ten Darks etc.
Expanded Spell List
The Gen Lords let you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the Warlock spell list specific for each of the six Courts.
Gen Pact Expanded Spells: Khayal (Shadow Courts)
Spell Level Spells
1st Silent Image, Shadow Cloud (as Fog Cloud)
2nd Alter Self, Phantasmal Force
3rd Non-detection, Shadowbolt (as Lightning Bolt - but necrotic damage)
4th Phantasmal Killer, Greater Invisibility
5th Mislead, Seeming
Shadow Pact Abilities
Touch of Shadow
Starting at 1st level, your patron bestows upon you the ability to bend the light around you deepening the shadows to cause the warlock to project the beguiling or fearsome presence of the Shadowfell. As an action, you can cause each creature in a 10-foot cube originating from you to make a Wisdom saving throw against your warlock spell save DC. The creatures that fail their saving throws are all charmed or frightened by you (your choice) until the end of your next turn.
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Speed of Darkness
Starting at 6th level, you can vanish in a puff of darkness 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.
Dark Vizier
Starting at 10th level, the Obsidian Courts reward you with proper respect and are given the benefits accorded to a dignitary of their Courts. You are infused with some of the essence of the Shadowfell. You gain resistance to cold and necrotic damage types. You are marked as a dignitary of the City of Onyx and are given an elaborate tattoo that acts as a conduit from which your vizier - a Shadow Demon, appears. The vizier is loyal to you first, but holds loyalty to your pact master as well. The vizier is not a thrall - but will take your orders, and even bargain with the you if trust is not established. But if you give the final command the vizier will follow those orders to the letter or to the best of its ability depending on the relationship established. If your vizier should perish, you can re-negotiate receiving another but doing so requires 1-week of uninterrupted time (as per rules regarding Long Rest activities). see stats for Shadow Demon below.
The Heart of Darkness
Starting at 14th level, you can flood a local area with the necrotic energies of the Shadowfell where the influence of the Negative Material Plane is strongest. As an action, you can fill a 60’ diameter area with necrotic energies and flickering shadows. All enemies of the Warlock must make a Wisdom saving throw against your warlock spell save DC. On a failed save, the victims take 6d6 necrotic damage each round, all allies of the Warlock are considered lightly obscured, the Warlock is considered heavily obscured. The effect is maintained by concentration. If the Warlock suffers any damage the effect immediately ends.
You must finish a short or long rest before you can use this feature again.
(don't get on my ass about the stat-bloc. I haven't made a cleaner template yet)
Shadow Demon Advisor
AC 15
HP 59 (7d10+21)
Speed: fly 40ft
Str 1 -5, Dex 18+4, Con 17+3, Int 14+2, Wis 14+2, Cha 19+4
Skills: Acrobatics +7, Bluff +7, History (local) +6, History (planes) +6, Perception +14, Insight +14, Stealth +14
Damage Resistances: bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-magical weapons unless Cold Iron or Good
Damage Immunities: cold, electricity, poison
Condition Immunities:poisoned
Senses: darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Abyssal, Common, Alzhedo, Midani
Limited Telepathy: The Shadow Demon can communicate normally wiith any creature within 100 feet of it that can understand a language the Shadow Demon speaks.
Dark Secrets - Shadow Demons are masters of observation and stealth. They have an inherent +8 to all Perception, Insight, and Stealth rolls.
Sunlight Powerlessness
A shadow demon is utterly powerless in bright light or natural sunlight and flees from it. A shadow demon caught in such light cannot attack and can take only a single move or standard action. A shadow demon that is possessing a creature using magic jar is not harmed by sunlight, but if it is struck by a sunbeam or sunburst spell while possessing a creature, the shadow demon is driven out of its host automatically.
Actions
Melee 2 claws +6 (1d6 plus 1d6 cold) 1 bite +6 (1d8 plus 1d6 cold)
Darkflash (Recharge 6), a shadow demon increase its fly speed to 240 feet for 1-round.
Shadow Blend During any conditions other than bright light, a shadow demon can disappear into the shadows as a move-equivalent action, effectively becoming invisible. Artificial illumination or light spells of 2nd level or lower do not negate this ability.
Spell-Like Abilities
Darkness - Shadow Demons can cast Darkness at will as an Action.
Fear - By manipulating the shadows and surrounding light a Shadow Demon can turn into a menacing figure. All onlookers not allied with the Shadow Demon within 20-ft must make a Wisdom saving throw DC 16 or become frightened and make a Dash action away from the Shadow Demon. (Recharge 2),
Teleport (self only)
Telekinesis - as the spell. DC 16
Major Image - as the spell DC 16
Shadow Evocation - as the spell DC 16
Magic Jar (DC 16) - Requires a Long Rest before it can be used again.
Planar Ally (Shadow Demon ) - Requires a Long Rest before it can be used again.
New Spell
Shadow Evocation
5th level illusion
Casting Time: 1 action
Components: V, S
Range: see text
Effect: see text
Duration: see text
You tap energy from the Plane of Shadow to cast a quasi-real, illusory version of a sorcerer or wizard evocation spell of 4th level or lower. Spells that deal damage have normal effects unless an affected creature succeeds on a Will save. Each disbelieving creature takes only 25% of the damage from the attack. If the disbelieved attack has a special effect other than damage, that effect only 25% as strong (if applicable) or only 20% likely to occur. If recognized as a shadow evocation, a damaging spell deals only 25% of the damage. Regardless of the result of the save to disbelieve, an affected creature is also allowed any save that the spell being simulated allows.
Non-damaging effects have normal effects except against those who disbelieve them. Against disbelievers, they have no effect.
The 10th Level feature is very over the top:
- Hit Dice and Proficiency put it alone in the area of a CR2-3 monster, as Giant Scorpion or Ogre. That alone wouldn't be too powerful on 10th level, but there come several abilities on top...
- Advantage on all saves makes it very hard to crack for magic-users. Resistance to all ordinary weapons (including magical ones) unless they are of cold iron does the same to melee types.
- It receives lvl 6 spells before anyone else does on lvl 11 (Magic Jar, Planar Ally).
- Fear at will is _insanely_ powerful as a "mage controller" spell. It can spam it until it works, and then the enemy is effectively out of the combat. Sure, it's concentration, but re-establishing the Fear lockdown only costs an action.
- No action tax on the warlock (like Animal Companions) or limitations on available actions (like familiars) make the Shadow Demon plainly better than all other permanent pets.
- Darkness at will essentially negates the sunlight powerlessness. Nothing would stop the Shadow Demon Advisor from spamming it whereever he goes, keeping himself safe in a permanent shadow "bubble". It would also make him pretty much permanently invisible with the Shadow Blend feature.
Minor nitpicks on the stat block:
- There are no more Fortitude, Reflex and Will saves. Saves are based on attributes.
- Large creatures (which the Shadow Demon probably is with his d10 Hit Die) get an extra damage die for melee attacks. Drop one of the extra attacks instead.
- Darkflash needing a minute to recharge isn't the way recharging monster abilities are handled in D&D 5 - they are based on a die roll. 10 on d10 would be a more elegant way to handle it.
Quote from: Skyrock;785187The 10th Level feature is very over the top:
Quote from: Skyrock;785187This is the third iteration of this slot. The others were very different. I put this here for a reason - with the understanding this is for 10th level, which in my games is pretty high-powered.
- Hit Dice and Proficiency put it alone in the area of a CR2-3 monster, as Giant Scorpion or Ogre. That alone wouldn't be too powerful on 10th level, but there come several abilities on top...
- Advantage on all saves makes it very hard to crack for magic-users. Resistance to all ordinary weapons (including magical ones) unless they are of cold iron does the same to melee types.
I'm using some quick-conversion guidelines. Magic Resistance by the conversion (which yes I know is unofficial) handles high MR this way.
Quote from: Skyrock;785187- It receives lvl 6 spells before anyone else does on lvl 11 (Magic Jar, Planar Ally).
Another anomaly from the conversion. I left it in, but I am having a few doubts. Granted... I play very political games, Planar Ally isn't necessarily a "good" thing as they have no means of compelling their Shadow Demon "ally" to help them. Magic Jar.... I'm still iffy about.
Quote from: Skyrock;785187- Fear at will is _insanely_ powerful as a "mage controller" spell. It can spam it until it works, and then the enemy is effectively out of the combat. Sure, it's concentration, but re-establishing the Fear lockdown only costs an action.
Understood. I had the same reaction. I'm comfortable letting it stand. It's for 10th level.
Quote from: Skyrock;785187- No action tax on the warlock (like Animal Companions) or limitations on available actions (like familiars) make the Shadow Demon plainly better than all other permanent pets.
I dislike the action tax for companions on the principle that what do these companions do if otherwise not helping their masters? Standing around just being there for static bonuses? Seems silly. That said - I'm not changing that rule.
My goal with this ability is to have the Warlock have an able advisor/friend/assistant of great competence worthy of a 10th level character that grounds him in the Genie Court culture. He's not a *pet* per se. If a GM/PC played him as such, well they're probably doing the Warlock a disservice. If anything - the assumption I'm going for is that the Warlock is more beholden to his patron via this adviser.
Quote from: Skyrock;785187- Darkness at will essentially negates the sunlight powerlessness. Nothing would stop the Shadow Demon Advisor from spamming it whereever he goes, keeping himself safe in a permanent shadow "bubble". It would also make him pretty much permanently invisible with the Shadow Blend feature.
That is/was/has been the point of a Shadow Demon since 3.e. Yes he *can* do these things. But keep in mind - the point is he's a servant of the Genie Courts - so doing these things would be very improper. A Warlock would be an idiot to summon his shadow-demon in broad daylight or while at a banquet or some other obviously improper time. Again, he's not a pet. He's a 10th level companion/advisor. But when push comes to shove - he can use his abilities appropriately.
My worry is it might be worth re-statting him in general. I knew he'd come out beefy in the conversion.
Quote from: Skyrock;785187Minor nitpicks on the stat block:- There are no more Fortitude, Reflex and Will saves. Saves are based on attributes.
- Large creatures (which the Shadow Demon probably is with his d10 Hit Die) get an extra damage die for melee attacks. Drop one of the extra attacks instead.
- Darkflash needing a minute to recharge isn't the way recharging monster abilities are handled in D&D 5 - they are based on a die roll. 10 on d10 would be a more elegant way to handle it.
Yeah I'll make these changes in my template. I did the conversion from the 3.x writeup bloc. That said - thank you thank you for the feedback. Keep it coming! I'll have more here soon - and I'll post my alternate 10th lvl abilities.
Edit: Cleaned up the stat bloc.
Quote from: Skyrock;785187The 10th Level feature is very over the top:
Oh I dunno, it summons a creature without a Strength Ability that therefore dies as soon as it is summoned... ;o)
Quote from: jadrax;785202Oh I dunno, it summons a creature without a Strength Ability that therefore dies as soon as it is summoned... ;o)
haha you're right. I didn't realize non-material entities still have a 1 STR. FIXED