The Future of D&D 5, Part 3: The Warlock Class
This week I continue my dive into the most recent Unearthed Arcana from Wizards of the Coast. In my previous posts, I focused on the Fighter, Barbarian, and Sorcerer classes. Today, I would like to focus on the Warlock. You do not need to read these, but if you wish to find them the links are below.
Warlock Core
Now I move onto the Warlock, and even at first glance I can tell this class has had a lot changed on it. In 5E we know this class for its low spell slots, ability to regain spell slots on a short rest, and the powerful cantrip Eldritch Blast. The goals mentioned were to make the class less reliant on Eldritch Blast and, like the other classes in this play test, provide them with mechanical options that tie into the identity of the class. After reviewing this class and talking about it with on stream, I have a lot of thoughts about what they changed here.
Level 1 Features
The very first change I want to focus on is that Pact Magic has been replaced by Spell-casting. Total known spells remain the same, at 15, but now Warlocks end up having 15 spell slots instead of their original 4. These spell slots end at 5th level (unlocked at 17th level, of which they get a maximum of 2), matching the maximum power level of the original class, making them a half caster class. Short Rest spell slot recovery has gone as well, being replaced with the standard recovery on Long Rest. So now the Warlock replaces the Sorcerer as the class with the least amount of spells known and spell slots.
We also see that the Warlock starts off with Medium Armor proficiency, where originally they would only have Light Armor Proficiency. The purpose of this, according to the dev notes, was to help facilitate players making a more melee focused warlock, by allowing them to have more AC to start. In theory, this means that any character with a Blade Pact could be a bit more durable without having to put large investments into their character.
The 5E Warlock’s ability to recover on a Short Rest has reached meme status in the community. Multi-classing Warlock with classes like Sorcerer or Paladin (or both) has been fairly common as well, since the spell regain gives a decent amount of utility to these two. The idea was interesting, but never one I especially liked since it would push parties to try to Short Rest at any chance, since it would provide a ton to Warlocks. Making the Warlock a half-casting class is an interesting choice, and I think it could leave room for building out flavorful mechanics.
The developers have also moved pact Boon to 1st level instead of 3rd. Choosing a Pact also designates what Spellcaster Ability a Warlock will use. Pact of the Blade uses Wisdom or Charisma, Pact of the Chain uses Intelligence or Charisma, and Pact of the Tome uses Intelligence or Wisdom. Each Pact also gives a unique pact spell that is always prepared, taking the place of the original first level ability. All Warlocks also gain Eldritch Blast and Hex, and have them always prepared, but based on their Pact they get a specific spell that replaces the original Pact features. These features also gain additional powers when a character gets its 5th level of Warlock, such as an extra attack for Pact Weapon or adding your ability modifier to cantrip rolls with Book of Shadows.
There is a lot to unpack at the first level. Having Warlock have an array of spellcasting abilities is an interesting choice. In the D&D 5E play test they had toyed with the idea of an Intelligence-based Warlock, and I think giving the option of different attribute scores offers for a variety of types of characters. In my experience Warlock players will feel like they have to act as the party face because of their high Charisma, even if it does not entirely fit with their character’s background. Now that will not be the case. Now we can have a wise character who could make careful deals for power, or a very intelligent character who took extra deals in order to improve their magical abilities.
To start, a character gaining their pact at first level feels unusual from a Narrative perspective, but I feel like it would work. Traditionally we tie the boons with the patron, and this change removes it entirely. In the play test review, they did this to provide more space for a player to create their character. Perhaps a Warlock made deals and had gained this minor power that way. Maybe they had reached out, but did not entirely understand their Patron yet. I can see how this works, but right now it just feels a bit backwards compared to what they did previously. I think if Warlock stays this way, then there should be some sort of box text explaining the intent. Giving core class features earlier on means that we will see more fun in earlier level.
Making Warlocks half-casters with medium armor, 15 spell slots, and a maximum spell level of 5th which is received at 17th level feels like an enormous change to the character. Before Warlocks unlocked 5th level spells at 9th level, so this feels like a massive drop in casting power for the character while giving them more AC and the ability to fight in the front. Looking at this character I think it might make a decent spell-sword style character, but it does not feel like the old warlock did, as someone tapping into powers through a powerful deal.
The medium armor proficiency also feels like it should be something that is chosen at a character level, not given. This is a complaint that I had with the Cleric class. By giving all Warlocks medium armor, it means they all are a bit more versatile in what they can do in combat. This versatility can easily step on the toes of other classes. In this case my suggestion would be to pair the armor proficiency with one of the pact choices at level one. This would mean that the other classes should get some additional boosts as well to help specify them a bit more.
Moving Pacts to cantrips similar to the Sorcerer feels like a recurring theme in this play test. The developers seem to want to move as much as they can over to spells. There is a benefit and drawback to this. Spell rules are more structured, and can more easily be referenced than specific abilities. However, it adds a lot more spells somewhat needlessly. I do not see a tremendous change with Eldritch Blast here that I was expecting. Instead, we see the pacts all giving additional boons. The only change I see is nerfing Hex down to once per turn. To me this feels like it really does not take away the benefit of just focusing on Eldritch Blast and nothing else.
Level 2 - Invocations
Eldritch Invocations, which still start at 2nd level, also had some minor changes. The first and smallest change is that Warlocks have a maximum of nine invocations instead of eight. Additionally, the developers have changed the 11th level class feature Mystic Arcanum into an Invocation, available at 5th level or higher. The invocation has Warlock level requirements for the max spell level chosen but otherwise functions the same, giving Warlocks a once per Long Rest casting of the spell without a spell slot. The Eldritch invocations themselves have had some minor changes, but I will touch on them after reviewing the entire class.
I see the largest change here that Warlocks get Mystic Arcanum earlier on, having access to the ability at 5th instead of 11th. Wizards of the Coast has scaled the ability appropriately, starting at 3rd level spells. This makes me wonder if this ability should be a core feature of the Warlock class, getting access to spells they normally would not have access to through their eldritch bargains with powers beyond their knowledge.
If that is the case, however, then I am not sure making it an Invocation that can be optionally chosen or ignored is the right way to do it. It gives Warlocks a lot of flexibility but does not make the ability feel core to the class. While the developers added an invocation, they have also removed the four Mystic Arcanum Class Features that would be granted from 11th to 17th level. Perhaps a lot of the Invocations were basically Mystic Arcanum (as I will discuss below) ; it feels less of an increase when this is taken into consideration.
As a final note, the increase of invocations means Warlocks get a new one every other level starting at 5th level, which feels very similar to how the fighter is set up having access to more feats than any other class. The fighter class, despite having core mechanics, often gains its flavor from the feats. Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything even suggested load-outs for fighters to fill certain roles. But relying mainly on Feats makes for a class that on its own feels bland, waiting for a player to spice it up. The same goes for the invocations.
Level 11 & Onward
The next new ability starts at 11th level, Contact Patron. Warlocks always have the Contact Other Plane spell prepared, and can use it once per Long Rest if they use the spell to contact their Patron. The spell will always succeed when reaching out to a Patron as well.
This ability is another one that I am undecided about. On one hand, the ability to talk to your Patron feels very thematic mechanically, and brings a Warlock’s Patron in much more than the current version allows. The other side of this, however, is that since it is mechanical it feels like a definite. I have seen Warlocks who do not get solid contact with their Patron throughout the entire game, and this would make that a little more difficult. I would like to see this kind of ability start earlier on. Perhaps all Warlocks get some sort of Divination spell that they can cast once per long rest for free that gets additional flavor tying it to the patron.
At 18th level Warlocks gain the ability Hex Master. This allows them to cast the Hex spell without expending a spell slot. Relatively simple, but I almost wonder if this would have served the original Warlock a bit more. The play test Warlock will have 4 1st level spell slots by 18th level. It does not feel flavorful mechanically, either.
Thoughts
Looking at this play test, I am confused what the changes with Warlock were supposed to accomplish. We see a little more on the class that ties them to their Patrons, but that only comes in at 11th level. Mystic Arcanum, an ability that feels decidedly patron-focused, can be had earlier but is optional since it competes with other abilities. I am not seeing anything that either reduces the power of Eldritch Blast or provides other options that are just as good. While this does only pertain to people focused on making characters that do the most damage, I was hoping for some core variety.
I do like that we are moving away from the Short Rest “Coffee Break Caster” format in 5th edition. Recharging a small amount after an hour’s downtime felt out of place with the other classes not getting much or anything back on a Short Rest. I think balancing what each class receives on a Short and Long Rest will help keep a solid rhythm to adventuring days.I also like that Warlocks do not have to be Charisma based casters now, and have choices based on their pacts. I feel like this will take a class that already has a lot of flavor and allow for many more options.
While I do like the move away from Short Rest spell regains, I do not think the new setup makes for a character that feels like the spirit of the Warlock class. We went from an unusual caster class to a more generalized, less specialized class. In giving Warlocks more options, we now have less specific play styles available, at least from a casting perspective. I think that half-casting and medium armor should be a choice that is made, with other options leaning more into the spellcasting at the sake of light armor.
I also would definitely want to provide more ties to patrons in the core class. I think the 11th level feature is a pleasant option, but we should get those earlier on. These features could even operate like some of the Sorcerer spell features and get altered by specific subclasses.
Invocations
Before moving onto the Fiend Patron subclass, I want to touch on the changes with the Eldritch Invocations quickly. They have a lot of changes here, but most of them minor.
The big changes here are that Mystic Arcanum displaces a large amount of the Invocations that granted once a day spells. So Bewitching Whispers, Chains of Carceri, Dreadful Word, Minions of Chaos, Mire of the Mind, Sculptor of Flesh, Signs of Ill Omen, and Thief of Five Fates have all been condensed into Mystic Arcanum. The invocation names were flavorful but ultimately they all did the same thing: provide a certain spell one time a day for free. This definitely cleans up the list a bit.
We see that Book of Ancient Secrets, Thirst Blade, and Voice of the Chain Master have all become part of the pact-specific spells granted as pact boon. Now these enhancements do not soak up an invocation point in order to increase their abilities. We have new Invocations in their place.
Eyes of the Rune Keeper now specifies that although it allows a Warlock to read all writing, it does not decode any secret messages. It now works as a surface translation, and will require further means in order to determine a deeper meaning. I appreciate the clarification on this, as it is something I have had to explain in the past at the table. It keeps this ability as a tool and not a problem solver.
Favor of the Chain Master becomes available to Pact of the Chain Warlocks at level 9, and enhances their pact feature. Pact Familiars can now add an effect onto their attacks based on the type of familiar. These abilities include slowing speed, Advantage on attack rolls against the creature, and a few more. This seems fairly useful in combat.
Gaze of Two Minds now only takes a Bonus Action instead of an Action, and does not apply the Blinded and Deafened conditions to the user. It also allows the Warlock to cast spells as though they were in the creature’s space. This feels like an interesting addition, though I am not sure why the Blinded and Deafened were removed.
Hexer, a new invocation, now increases the range of Hex to 600 feet and provides Advantage on Constitution saving throws to maintain Concentration on the spell. Seems pretty straightforward, but it also feels like an adjacent boost to Eldritch Blast.
Lessons of the First Ones now turns an Invocation into a feat, as long as it is available at 1st level and requires no prerequisites. I find this to be an interesting way to control the power of this invocation, and will prevent it from getting too out of hand. However, I wonder if it goes too far and should allow any feats that you meet the prerequisites for (possibly still only ones available at 1st level).
Lifedrinker now becomes available at 9th level. This Pact of the Blade specific invocation also does an additional 1d6 of Necrotic damage (instead of your Charisma modifier). You heal an amount equal to the Necrotic damage dealt. This seems like a pleasant bonus to the ability, and should make a melee-focused Warlock more durable.
Repelling Blast now only works on a Large or Smaller creature, which feels like an appropriate limitation of the ability. I do however wonder if Eldritch Blast augments should be gotten rid of or kept to a minimal amount since they want to make the class less about that cantrip.
Witch Sight now just gives a Warlock Truesight for 30 feet. This seems much more simple than the previous wording.
Thoughts
Overall, I like the minor changes made specifically to Invocations. We see a lot of adjustments for the existing invocations, specifically to clean up and merge the identical ones. We also have some new ones that improve the Pact Boon abilities. I like that this provides some ways for characters to focus on their pact specifically.
However, I again do not see where we are providing a reason to not use Eldritch Blast. Agonizing Blast, Eldritch Spear, and Repelling Blast all still exist, and can stack to boost that spell. If EB could only have a certain number of invocations affecting it, or these invocations could affect other options I feel like it would balance out the choices. The Pact of the Tome feature adds a spellcasting modifier to spells, so in some ways I think we should entirely remove Agonizing Blast and leave it as a Pact specific feature. This would allow for warlock PCs to have that power, but as a choice.
Fiend Patron
In this UA we get to look at the iconic Fiend Patron subclass. Making a deal with the devil is a fantastic trope for a warlock, even if you don’t have to go down to Georgia to do so. So grab your fiddle and let’s look at the changes.
When taking a subclass, a Warlock immediately gains access to a new feature called Patron Spells. This replaces the Expanded Spell List feature, expanding its effects. The spells offered by the patron, which unlock at certain levels, are always available once unlocked. Warlocks get a free casting of one of their Patron Spells per long rest. Specifically for the Fiend, the spell options have changed a little. Suggestion has replaced Blindness/Deafness, Fear has replaced Fireball, Blight has replaced Fire Shield, and Insect Plague has replaced Hallow. The spells unlock at the levels where these spells would become available.
The changes appear to add a bit more utility to the Fiend Patron, leaning into the traditional Devil imagery we see in media, and I like this. Fiend Warlocks will get a taste of the ability to bring down ruin in ways that do not always require fire and be able to be as interesting as well. The free spell per Long Rest is nice, however I wonder if that will lose its potency as the character levels up.
Dark One’s Blessing also got expanded, now including any enemies that die within 5 feet of you, not just enemies that the Warlock drops to 0 themselves. This feels like it will provide an additional buffer for any Blade Pact Fiend Warlocks looking to be on the front line.
Dark One’s Own Luck, which unlocks at 6th level, has more uses available. Now instead of being once per rest, the ability to add a d10 to an ability check or saving throw can be used several times equal to your spell casting modifier per Long Rest.
I like that this leans into the gambling aspects of the feature. (This always makes me think of the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, since “Dark One’s Own Luck” is a phrase uttered many times throughout the series). I feel like having this more often makes for a more flexible character, and one that will try to succeed more often.
Fiendish Resilience no longer gets bypassed by magic or silvered weapons, with the play test noting this is because “monsters almost never possess”. It seems like this will make for a much more straightforward ability, with less checking. Normally it would feel like a buff, but since it is only one type of damage it does not feel too out of balance.
The last ability of the subclass, Hurl Through Hell, now has more uses available. Warlocks get one free use per Long Rest, but can also spend a 4th level spell slot or higher for another use. The ability still can only be used once per turn.
Patron Thoughts
Overall, it looks like the subclasses are going to use their abilities more. All the Fiend specific abilities now can be used more often and have more chances to be activated (with Dark One’s Blessing). I like this because it will do a fantastic job of creating a specific play style. In the case of the Fiend Warlock we get a Warlock who has a lot of utility in being interesting, and can repeatedly use those abilities. I really like that.
After looking at the Sorcerer format, however, I would like to see some of the core features of Warlock getting altered based on the subclass chosen. I felt like in the Sorcerer's case, the changes the subclass would provide gave a lot of flavor based on that choice. While the core class itself is limited in what could be adjusted, changes to the core spells (like Eldritch Blast and Hex), pact spells, and patron specific invocations could provide an acceptable option. Imagine if as a Fiend Warlock, your Pact Weapon could also do Fire Damage. Perhaps a Pact of the Chain Fiend familiar would also get some sort of boost as well. It might add a lot to the class, but I feel like there would be some excellent options.
Spell Updates
I have touched upon some of the spell changes throughout this post and the Sorcerer post (and will touch on the Wizard spells again), but I wanted to take some time to at least mention all the spell changes.
We see new class specific spells here, a lot of them tied to specific class features. For the Sorcerer, that comprises Arcane Eruption, Sorcerous Burst, and Sorcerous Vitality. For the Warlock, we see Book of Shadows, Pact Familiar, and Pact Weapon all taking the place of their Pact Features. Wizards (as we will talk about next time) now get Memorize Spell, Modify Spell, and Create Spell to handle how they interact with their magic and spell book.
The play test also added Chaos Bolt into the core Sorcerer class from the XTGE book, and is an always prepared bonus spell.
Eldritch Blast and Hex, two iconic Warlock spells, have also had a decent amount of change. Eldritch Blast now only scales with Warlock level, and all Warlocks get it for free. This was to de-power what a dip into Warlock would get other caster classes. The Hex spell now is always prepared for Warlocks, but only can cause damage once per turn. The new wording also adds increased damage to up-casting at specific levels.
Thoughts
I think the theme of turning Features into Spells will be one that works in some areas but not others. The Sorcerer I feel like works well, especially with the interaction with specific subclass. I feel like this could allow sorcerers to really lean into their flavor. Warlocks feels a bit out of place. While it works as a spell, maybe it does not really need to be unless the goal is to condense as much as possible into spell formatting. Wizard will be something I touch on next week, but for now I will say I am conflicted on it.
Final Thoughts
Out of all the character classes, I feel like Warlock was the weakest of the updated ones. When they talked about this class, the developers had mentioned wanting to deal with some elements of the class people did not like, as well as balancing out non-Eldritch Blast options. From an overall balance standpoint, I liked this idea. The Warlock has always stood out from all the other classes, in both good and bad ways. But these changes here feel like they miss their mark. Wizards of the Coast has taken an odd caster that felt decidedly like a magic-first class and made them more of a generalist. They get more spells for the price of only reaching 5th level spells. Medium armor for the entire class just feels out of place, and pushing Warlocks to a specific play style. The class gets more invocations, but at the price of having Mystic Arcanum potentially take up that space.
The Fiend Class also feels like it pushes its own abilities more often. We see some free spells that are always prepared that feel decidedly Fiend-focused. A mixture of fire, enchantment, and plague-centric spells feels very much like the traditional appearance of Fiends in the game. A free spell per Long Rest from the group also means that Warlocks will get an extra boost that will be flavorful with their patron. However, I wish they had gone more in line with the Sorcerer. A Warlock’s patron is supposed to flavor a lot of what they do, and does on the narrative side of things. I wish that was being mimicked in the mechanics here. Rather than focusing solely on these abilities, incorporating alterations to Pact options by the Fiend Patron could offer new flavor opportunities.
Hopefully, this class gets a bit of an overhaul before the release. I like they are trying to change the class based on what they have seen and heard, but think they really missed the mark with their solutions.
What do you think of the Warlock changes? Do you like them? What else would you want to see? Let me know in the comments below!
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