View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next The Beacon (New Warlock Patron)

2015-04-05, 12:15 PM
The Beacon Warlock


The path of the warlock often starts with tragedy. Someone once loved, now lost; personal pride, shattered like brittle glass; health and wellness, withered to dust. Such extreme twists of fate's knife lead to the prospective warlock seeking out forbidden knowledge, contacting entities outside of space and time, in the pits of hell, or otherwise, yearning for a fraction of power that they might right the wrongs in their own life.

There are those, however, who do not seek. There are those...that are chosen.

Sometimes, in moments of great tragedy, when all would seem lost but for the actions of one heroic individual, a champion rises from the murk. From the distant realm of Oa they are chosen, and to that same land they are called. Given power with which to fight the most heinous of evils, and given a shining beacon with which to push back the grasping darkness.

To great heroes, the Lantern calls...and evil shudders in it's gleaming, emerald light.

A warlock who is bound to the Beacon is given both access to overwhelming power and a great responsibility to do good and combat evil. Once chosen, the Beacon Warlock receives his badges of office: a glowing, emerald ring, and a green, metallic lantern. From the lantern, his power flows, and through his ring it is directed. This ring does not count as a magic item, and may not be removed by anyone other than the warlock himself while he is consious. It functions as a Magical Focus, and non of the warlocks powers will function without it.

Warlocks who swear oaths to the beacon tend to take the Tome as their pact boon, though they receive no actual book: The new spells are inscribed to the ring. Blade warlocks tend to conjure ever-varying, wild-looking weapons seemingly constructed out of hard, green light, and Chain warlocks tend towards outsiders; Lantern Archons if possible.

Lantern Warlock Spell list

Warlock Level

Magic Missile, Shield

Phantasmal Force, Enhance Ability

Spirit Guardians, Major Image

Otiluke's Resilient Sphere, Mordenkanien's Faithful Hound

Bigby's hand, Wall of Force

In Brightest day, In Blackest night
Starting at 1st level, when a Lantern Warlock casts a spell that deals damage, he may change the type of damage that it deals to either force or radiant damage, and any warlock infusions that would do necrotic instead do Radiant or Force damage. Additionally, the Warlock may choose to use Wisdom as his spellcasting modifier instead of charisma; this is permanent, and cannot be changed afterwards. In this case, any warlock infusions that would use Charsima instead use Wisdom.

No Evil Shall escape my sight
At 6th level, the Lantern warlock learns to use his ring to see what his eyes could not otherwise see. He gains darkvision out to 60', and the ability to see through magical darkness. This extends to 120' if the warlock already had darkvision or if the Warlock takes the Devil's Sight Invocation, and becomes blindsight if the warlock had both.

Let those that worship Evil's Might
Once he reaches 10th level, whenever the Lantern warlock deals damage with a melee attack, he may add 1d8 force or 1d8 radiant damage to the attack.

Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!
Starting at 14th level, the Corps-bound warlock gains the ability to cast Fly as a 5th level spell without using a warlock spell slot.

I've been slowly converting some of my old Binder homebrew stuff over to 5e, and this one was on the list. Obviously, thematically, it doesn't EXACTLY fit, but it should overall be rather balanced.

2016-07-25, 12:23 PM
I have been looking for exactly this. Most thread suggest using a wizard for a Green Lantern character but I thought the warlock would work better both thematically and mechanically. Has this been playtested for balance at all?

2016-07-25, 12:43 PM
and now we have green loontern as pact boon ( personally want to see how your apotheosis boon works with this)
whats next doomsday as primal path or john constantine based cleric order?

2017-04-29, 01:34 PM
Cool idea, and a terrible build.

In Brightest Day and Blackest Night is too potent and (like everything else) does not match up to other first level warlock abilities. Giving both an attribute shift and a damage type shift is out of line. What the other Patrons give are debuff, buff, or language hack. Nothing as extreme as what we have here. The Undying Light patron probably provides a good substitute. Even if it's a playtest, it's a bit more in line. I do like the Wisdom for Charisma sub as well, it makes sense. Radiant Soul provides two benefits, so let's work with that. This seems a bit more in line, if still potent (although not as potent as Radiant Soul, but that's probably all right).
In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night
You are fueled by your Will, and this is reflected in all your powers. The Beacon Pact changes your key attribute from Charisma to Wisdom. The Warlock can use their Wisdom in place of Charisma for any of their Warlock class abilities, for calculating Warlock spell save DC and spell attacks, for any Warlock Invocation's, etc. It does not change the spell casting attribute for any other classes the character might have. This is simply a Warlock fueled by their force of Will instead of personality.
Second, the Beacon Patron allows the warlock to bring light to dark places. They know the light and sacred flame cantrips and can cast them at will.

The 6th level option is off. It weirdly overlaps with an Invocation. These powers are also reactive. So what's a reactive power, probably defensive or utility in nature, that would ideally be sight related? The last part might be a bit hard. Other powers let you teleport, add dice to action, create a defensive barrier, remove cover from a foe, shape change, or slip into the astral. So, the best choice is probably some sort of protective field, as this is a power of the Green Lanterns as well. It's not perfect, but it's where I would start.
No Evil Shall Escape My Sight
As a reaction, you may surround yourself in emerald energy from your ring to defend yourself. This shield gives your foes disadvantage to hit you with an attack, or gives you advantage on a saving throw to resist a spell or attack. This barrier remains in effect until your next turn.

The 10th level power is a bit easier as it plays well to the Green Lantern theme, and is pretty consistent across patrons. Which is why it's so odd that the power presented here in is so inconsistent. This one is pretty strait forward. Not as dynamic as some of the others, but it feels like it's inline and balanced with others.
Let Those Who Worship Evil's Might
The power of the Beacon continues to change and protect the Warlock. At 10th level, you can no longer be frightened. You also gain resistance to necrotic and radiant energy.

The final power at level 14 is a bit more diverse, healing, doing damage, mind effecting spells, and granting short rests in an instant for example. So, what is a good Green Lantern high level power? Despite being really simple, I kinda like it. You can just fly all the time. However, as a spell that you should be able to just cast all the time, it chews up your concentration spell. That's less good. But how does it stack up against things like a free short rest or finger of death per rest? What do people think?
Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!
At 14th level, you gain a flying speed of 60 feet.

2017-04-30, 02:21 AM
Could possibly stand some original Eldritch Invocations (such as ones requiring the pact to take) to further the theme. One could potentially permit the use of Sending, Identify, or some other spell that replicates a common ability associated with the rings that isn't on the Warlock spell list.