Warlock Options: Pact of Stars

by Zrin

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Pact of Stars

Across the world, it is not uncommon for those sailing the seas or walking the roads to look to the stars for guidance, be it for navigation, spiritual connection, or something...else. Sometimes, a star is looked upon and it stares back, gazing into the viewer's soul with an alien consciousness that drives the most stoic mad with frightful nightmares that keep their fellows up at night with fits of maniacal screams of terror.


Among these people lie certain Warlocks who would dabble with unknowable entities that dwell, most thankfully, beyond most perceptions of the mundane world. These curious souls deliberately flirt with madness in the hopes of gleaning some eldritch power for their own goals. Every now and then, a star looks kindly upon these delvers of insanity, or so it may seem.


New Warlock Invocations

These new invocations are converted for Fifth Edition entirely around the various star entities listed in the supplement written by Bruce R. Cordell originally for Fourth Edition.

Influence of Blazing Flame

Pre-requisite: 5th level, fire resistance racial trait


You become immune to fire damage and conditions caused by heat.

Caiphon's Guidance

Pre-requisite: 3rd level, eldritch blast cantrip


You can score a critical hit with eldritch blast on a 19 or 20 on the attack roll.

Caiphon's Intercession

Pre-requisite: hex spell


When you deal damage to a creature under the effects of your hex spell, an allied creature within 5 feet of that creature can use their reaction to make a melee weapon attack.

Sacrifice to Caiphon

As a reaction when you miss with an attack roll as a result of expending a warlock spell slot of 1st level or higher, you can lose an amount of hit points equal to the level of the spell + half of your warlock level (rounded down) to regain that spell slot.

Starfire Womb

When you inflict a negative condition through the use of a warlock spell or place the hex spell on another creature, you can choose to end the effects of one disease, poison, or negative condition that is currently affecting you.

Shadow's Eclipse

You have resistance to bludgeoning, slashing and radiant damage from any creature that cannot see you or is unaware of your presence, and you have advantage on Dexterity (stealth) ability checks while in dim light or darkness.

Student of the Athenaeum

Pre-requisite: 10th level


When initiative ends, you can regain one Warlock spell slot if you spent one during the encounter.

Student of Caiphon

Pre-requisite: 8th level, eldritch blast cantrip


Creatures hit by your eldritch blast take additional radiant damage equal to half of your warlock level (rounded down).

Starborn

Pre-requisite: 15th level


You become resistant to radiant damage, and you can force creatures hit by your eldritch blast to succeed on a charisma saving throw against your warlock spell save DC or be blinded until the end of their next turn. You can force this saving throw a number of times between short rests equal to half of your warlock level (rounded down).

Star Bright

Pre-requisite: 11th level


When you use the attack action or use your eldritch blast, you can deal additional radiant damage equal to your warlock level once on your turn.

Starburst

Pre-requisite: 18th level


Once between long rests when you are reduced to zero hit points, you are instead reduced to one hit point and gain temporary hit points equal to your Warlock level. Any creature within 10 feet of you when this ability triggers must succeed on a dexterity saving throw, taking 4d10 radiant damage on a failure or half as much on a success.

Starry Rift

Pre-requisite: 20th level


Using your reaction, you can cast eldritch blast at the end of a hostile creatures' turn. You can do this a number of times between short rests equal to half of your warlock level (rounded down).

Steps on the Purple Stair

pre-requisite: 5th level


You can cast the blink spell once between short rests without expending a warlock spell slot or material components.

Troublesome Aid of Caiphon

Pre-requisite: 10th level


When you regain hit points, you can expend up to three of your hit dice to restore additional hit points. Each additional die you restore counts as a single failed death saving throw each time you are reduced to zero hit points. These failed death saving throws are reduced by one each time you complete a long rest.

Trust in the Guide Star

pre-requisite: 11th level, eldritch blast cantrip


Your eldritch blast ignores cover.

Twofold Pact

Pre-requisite: 14th level


When you finish a long rest, you can choose a different pact boon and gain the benefits of it instead of your normal one. At the end of your next long rest, you can choose to revert to your original pact boon, keep your current one, or choose another.

New Star Spells

1st Level
  • Fevered Certainty of Caiphon
  • Glow of Ulban
  • Hands of Ihbar
2nd Level
  • Brood of Hadar
  • Caiphon's Disquieting Liberty
  • Crown of Stars
  • Ulban's Shining Cloak
3rd Level
  • Caiphon's Abominable Melody
  • Delban's Eye
  • Far Realm Phantasm
  • Fury of Gibbeth
  • Prophecy of Zhudun
  • Red Leeches of Nihal
  • Visage of Zhudun
4th Level
  • Far Realm Glimpse
5th Level
  • Dark Side of the Moon
  • Envoy of Nihal
6th Level
  • Gibbeth's Embrace
  • Rending Fear of Khirad
7th Level
  • Influence of Acamar
9th Level
  • Star Flesh
  • Starless Void

Brood of Hadar

2nd level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S, M (the wing of a small flying mammal)

Duration: Instantaneous


You call upon Hadar the Ebon Hunger. Your foe screams, clutches its head, and falls. Flying, fluttering, fanged shadows pour from your foe's open eyes, mouth and ears, and descend upon one of your foe's allies.


Two creatures within 10 feet of each other that you can see within range must succeed on a constitution saving throw, taking 4d10 necrotic damage and falling prone on a failure, or half as much damage and not falling prone on a success.

Caiphon's Abominable Melody

5th level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 360 feet

Components: V, S, M (a string from an instrument)

Duration: Instantaneous


The atonal song of Caiphon, the Dream Whisperer, pierces the fabric between worlds. Your foe coevers its ears, closes its eyes, and begins to shriek. Even so, notes of the horrible tune are still faintly audible above the screaming.


A creature within range that you can see makes a wisdom saving throw or becomes deafened, blinded and affected as though through the slow spell.

At the start of each of its turns, it takes 1d6 psychic damage for each of the three conditions it is suffering from. At the end of each of its turns, it can make a wisdom saving throw to end one of the conditions on itself.

While the target creature is under the effects of any of the conditions caused by this spell, any other creature within 10 feet of it than can hear it takes 1d8 psychic damage.


Caiphon's Disquieting Liberty

2nd level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 50 feet

Components: V, S, M (a sewing needle)

Duration: Instantaneous


You call out to Caiphon, the Dream Whisperer, an entity who is both unimaginably far and worryingly close. Caiphon gives you your liberty, but saps life in return.


You end the effects of a poison, disease, or one of the following conditions on the target creature: blinded, charmed, paralyzed, stunned. When the effect ends, you or the target (your choice) lose hit points equal to your warlock level.

Crown of Stars

1st level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (a small crystal)

Duration: 10 minutes, concentration


Flaring points of a star-bright light encircle your head. With each gesture, a painful point of blue-white light leaps away in a halo of choking smoke towards one foe.


After casting this spell, you can use a bonus action on your turn to use one of five charges of this spell and make a spell attack against any creature within 60 feet of you that you can see.

On a hit, the target takes 2d6 radiant damage. This spell ends when you lose concentration, or you have used 5 charges.

Dark Side of the Moon

5th level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 50 feet

Components: V, S, M (a blood vessel)

Duration: 1 round


The moon, waning gibbous, swims into view overhead, but something is wrong. Its craters host eyes larger than seas, and the fracture lines writhe and crawl, revealing themselves as continent-sized tentacles.


A target creature within range that you can see makes a charisma saving throw.

On a failure, it takes 4d10 psychic damage, can only make melee weapon attacks and has their base movement halved until the end of your next turn. On a success, the creature takes half damage and has its movement halved.

Delban's Eye

3rd level divination

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 50 feet

Components: V, S, M (a humanoid's eyeball)

Duration: 1 round


A slanting shaft of frigid starlight shines down and illuminates your foe, revealing it in a spasm of chill agony.


A target creature within range that you can see makes a constitution saving throw.

On a failure, it takes 3d10 cold damage and cannot become invisible make dexterity (stealth) ability checks until the end of your next turn. On a success, it takes half as much damage.

Envoy of Nihal

5th level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S, M (an insect carapace)

Duration: Instantaneous


You call beyond the boundaries of matter, space and perhaps even sanity. Nihal answers by sending a humanoid-shaped hole in reality filled with writhing red worms, which fall upon your foe.


A target creature within range that you can see must succeed on a dexterity saving throw. On a failure, you can choose to either deal 4d10 acid damage to the creature, gain 4d10 temporary hit points or spend up to 4 hit dice. On a success, you can cause one effect but roll only two dice.

Far Realm Phantasm

3rd level illusion

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 50 feet

Components: V, S, M (a vial of water)

Duration: 1 round


You give brief life to the image of a creature you periodically see in visions hungrily whispering your name. Though your breath comes quicker, your target is caught unprepared for the mind-wrenching vision.


A creature you can see within range must succeed on a wisdom saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 5d6 psychic damage and must use its next possible attack action on its turn swinging at the empty air around it. On a success, the creature takes half damage, and can act normally on its turn.

Far Realm Glimpse

4th level illusion

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 50 feet

Components: V, S, M (a harlequin's mask)

Duration: Up to 2 rounds


You call up a vision of a space inhabited by vast entities whose vile, miles-long limbs churn an amoebic sea to bloody froth.


A creature you can see within range makes a charisma saving throw.

On a failure, it takes 2d8 psychic damage and must use its reaction to move as far from you as possible via the safest route.

At the start of its next turn, it must succeed on another wisdom saving throw or take 2d8 psychic damage and cannot move from its location until the start of its next turn.

On a successful save of either part of this spell, the creature takes half damage and the spell ends.

Fevered Certainty of Caiphon

1st level divination

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S

Duration: One round


You send your thoughts to Caiphon, the Dream Whisperer, whose direction lies beyond the farthest void, which is normally unknowable. Flush with the eldritch vision, a mad certainty floods your body and mind.


You have disadvantage on wisdom saving throws until the end of your next turn, but can add your proficiency bonus to the total of any ability check or attack roll you make until that time.

Fury of Gibbeth

3rd level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S, M (a venom sac)

Duration: Instantaneous


You revive the memory of ancient Gibbeth the Endless, slain before the primordials’ forge fires burned. Though formless, even the imperfect recollection of Gibbeth strikes out with all too-real limbs of hate before you hastily forget it.


Make a ranged spell attack against a creature within range that you can see. On a hit, it takes 3d10 acid damage and falls prone. At the start of its next turn, it must succeed on a strength saving throw or be unable to stand until the end of that turn.

Gibbeth's Embrace

6th level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S, M (a glob of brain matter)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.


Pressed and desperate, a stray recollection of Gibbeth the Endless occurs to you. You hastily force the memory upon your foe, who is embraced in a clasp of palpable hate.


A creature within range that you can see makes an intelligence saving throw.

On a failure, it takes 5d10 force damage, and 2d10 psychic damage at the start of each of its turns until it succeeds on another intelligence saving throw at the end of its turn, or until the spell ends.

Glow of Ulban

1st level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute


You call upon Ulban, whose blue-white light pierces the mind and interrupts the instinct for self-preservation in those caught in its otherworldly glow.


A creature you can see within range must succeed on a charisma saving throw or suffer a penalty equal to your charisma modifier to its next ability check, saving throw or attack roll within the spell's duration.

Hands of Ihbar

1st level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 10 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute


Inky black, frigid tendrils emerge as if from your foe’s own body. The tendrils curl and wind around their parent so tightly that blood flow and movement are hampered.

A target creature within range that you can see must succeed on a constitution saving throw or take 2d12 cold damage and have its base movement reduced by half until the end of its next turn. On a success, a creature takes half damage and does not have its movement reduced.

Influence of Acamar

7th level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 50 feet

Components: V, S, M (a chunk of meteorite worth at least 50gp)

Duration: Instantaneous


Crackling black energy shrouds your body as you briefly take on the least aspect of Acamar, a dark and distant star. A stray bolt strikes out at a hostile creature within range.


A creature targeted by this spell must make a constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 35 + 8d6 necrotic damage. If a non-construct target is killed by this spell, it's corpse mutates into a star spawn grue (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes) under your total control, and its aura of madness ability does not affect you. A star spawn grue created by this spell has its own initiative, which is rolled as soon as it is created.

Any equipment that the creature killed by this spell was carrying or wearing falls to the ground when the star spawn grue is created.

Prophecy of Zhudun

3rd level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S, M (a lens, shard of glass or mirrored object)

Duration: Concentration, one minute


You whisper snatches of prophecy glimpsed in the blank face of dead Zhudun. A vision flashes into your foe's mind that is so horrifying that it loses track of its surroundings.


A creature within range that you can see makes a wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it takes 2d8 + your charisma modifier in psychic damage, and treats all creatures within 5 feet of it as being invisible. On a success, it only takes damage. A creature can repeat the saving throw to regain its senses at the end of each of its turns.

Red Leeches of Nihal

3rd level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 Reaction

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S, M (a dead maggot)

Duration: Duration


Wriggling scarlet worms writhe suddenly across your foe's body before dissolving just as quickly into odious vapour. When their rank odour stings your nostrils, stolen energy shudders through you.


When a creature other than you regains hit points through the use of magic, it only regains half of what it should, and you gain the other half as temporary hit points.

Rending Fear of Khirad

6th level enchantment (ritual)

Casting Time: 1 Action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duration: 1 hour


A pale blue flame springs up from your brow as you incant the apocalypses over which Khirad has burned, thus hoping to frighten your foe into admission.


You touch a creature and they must succeed on a charisma saving throw or be forced to truthfully answer as many questions as you can put to it until the spell ends. When being forced to answer through this spell, a creature must answer to the best of its ability without bending the truth or omitting relevant information.

After each answer, the creature can repeat this saving throw, and you know whether it succeeds or not. This spell ends after the duration, or it succeeds on three saving throws against it.

Star Flesh

9th level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 Action

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (a strip of your own flesh removed from your body, which is consumed by the spell)

Duration: 1 hour


With a flare of starfire, you ignite with eye-searing flame. Your foes find it difficult to target you, and your starfire burns away many attacks that would have otherwise found you.


For the duration, you emit bright light for 20 feet and dim light for 20 feet after that. You gain AC equal to your charisma bonus, and if a ranged or melee attack hits you, you can make a charisma saving throw with a DC equal to the triggering attack roll. On a success, you take no damage.

Additionally, you can make a charisma (intimidation or persuasion) ability check as a bonus action on your turn against a creature that can see and hear you. If you make an intimidation check, they immediately drop any weapons they are currently wielding and use their action (and dash action if available) to move as far away from you as they can on their next turn.

If you make a persuasion check, they immediately drop any weapons they are currently wielding, kneel and beg for your mercy on their next turn. In both cases, they can do nothing else on their next turn.

Starless Void

9th level transmutation (ritual)

Casting Time: 10 minutes

Range: 1 mile radius

Components: V, S, M (the appendage of an aberration)

Duration: 8 hours


A shadow from the wintry void between stars falls upon your foes, shrouding them with a layer of celestial frost that can hinder its ability to defend itself.

When you complete the casting of this spell, the sun cannot be seen from within the radius, no light from outside the radius can penetrate the darkness from outside, creatures outside the radius cannot see in and vice versa.


Everything within the radius becomes covered in frost, and the temperature drops to below freezing. Creatures take 1d8 cold damage every round unless they take steps to properly protect themselves (like covering themselves in thick clothing, using magic or lighting nothing less than a bonfire).


While you are within the radius of starless void, the armor of agathys spell is cast upon you at the highest level available to you at the start of each of your turns. This does not require a spell slot or material components.


You have advantage on every eldritch blast you cast on your turn while you and your target are within the radius of starless void.

While standing within the radius of starless void you can do one of the following on your turn using your action:

  • Cast the fear spell on a creature within the radius of starless void without the use of a spell slot, material components or needing to maintain concentration on it. You can use fear in this way on one creature at a time.
  • Cast arms of hadar, hunger of hadar and evard's black tentacles at will, without expending a spell slot, material components or needing to maintain concentration. All three of these spells last for only one round.
  • Once during the duration of starless void, you can cast contact other plane, specifically establishing contact with your Warlock patron.
  • Turn invisible as the greater invisibility spell for one round.

Ulban's Shining Cloak

2nd level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 reaction

Range: Self

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous


The blue-white fire of Ulban sears your flesh with a flash of otherworldly light, but grants you an extra measure of protection against the attacks of distant foes.


When you are hit by a ranged attack or spell attack roll, you can use your reaction to raise your AC by an amount equal to your charisma modifier. If the attack would miss you after you cast this spell, you can make it instead hits another creature within 5 feet of you.

Visage of Zhudan

3rd level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 50 feet

Components: V, S, M (the skinned flesh of a face)

Duration: 1 round


You manifest an aspect of the blank face of dead Zhudan, creating a zone of horror that hammers at the sanity of those caught within it.


Upon casting this spell, the semblance of a monstrous face with a 30 foot radius appears in a space you can see within range until the end of your next turn. Any creature that starts its turn within the radius, moves there or is forced to move there takes 2d10 psychic damage and has disadvantage on the first attack roll they make after being within the radius.

New Magic Item

Revelations of Adan

Rod, artifact, legendary (requires the spellcasting class feature)


It is believed that the scroll called Revelations of Adan was penned by a madman from the eastern reaches of the Mundane World who looked into the skies for too long, growing maddened by the cosmic truths he was purported to believe.


Before his death by the hands of an invisible creature that tore him apart before dozens of townsfolk, he secured his writings within a protective obsidian cylinder scribed with strange star constellations. To this day, none have found a way to decipher the codes and crazed penmanship. Instead, those that possess this scroll have been known to be afflicted with a strange kind of shifting enchantment, changing with each passing night.


The protective obsidian cylinder containing the scroll is a magical rod than provides +3 to your spell attack rolls and spell save DC. It can be used as an arcane focus, and the following names and associated qualities are scribed on the manuscript inside the cylinder. If the scroll is ever more than 5 feet away from the cylinder, it disappears and reappears back inside the rod.


As with all artifacts and items of such a legendary magical status, the scroll and cylinder of the Revelations of Adan are nigh-indestructible without the use of extraordinary capabilities up to and including the influence of the Gods. But even some of them are said to fear the powrs of Those That Dwell Beyond The Veil.


Acamar: Acamar is a corpse star whose motions and behemoth size send celestial objects that draw too close spiralling to their doom.


Caiphon: This purple star is usually on the horizon. It has the guise of a helpful guide star, but sometimes betrays those who rely upon it.


Delban: An ice-white star often visible only during winter, Delban might surprise the star-gazer with an impromptu flare during any season.


Gibbeth: Best not to write or think overlong on this greenish point in the sky.


Hadar: Hadar is the extinguished cinder of a star lurking within the cloaking nebula of Ihbar.


Ihbar: A dark nebula between stars, Ihbar is slowly expanding and eating the light of neighbouring constellations.


Khlrad: A piercing blue star, Khlrad's radiance sometimes reveals secrets and gruesome insights.


Nihal: Nihal is a reddish star that writhes around the position it should hold in the heavens.

Ulban: Ulban’s blue-white light disrupts cognition and the ability to recognize danger.


Zhudun: Another corpse star, Zhudun is historically described as shining a baleful light over a ruined realm before it fell.

Magical Properties

While attuned to this item, you gain the following:


Star-blessed Invocation. When you complete a long rest, you can gain the use of one Eldritch Invocation (provided you meet any requirements) from the Pact of Stars supplement until you use this property again.


Cosmic Oracle. When you complete a short or long rest, roll 1d20 and record the result. As a reaction once before your next short or long rest, before a creature you can see rolls a d20 for an attack roll, ability check or saving throw, you can replace the roll with your cosmic oracle d20 instead.


Knowledge of Ages. You have advantage on any Intelligence (history) ability check you make while attuned to this item.


Wish Upon a Star. When a creature attunes to this item they roll 1d10, gaining both the blessing and curse of the associated result on the die. The entities inhabiting the endless void in the spaces between stars are fickle, however, roiling in the chaos they dwell in; and so every night at midnight, the creature attuned to this item rolls 1d10 again. Whatever the result, their old blessing and curse are lost, and they gain a new one based on the result of this new roll.


1: Acamar

Blessing. Gain +1 Strength up to 20, gain advantage on charisma (intimidation) checks

Curse. Disadvantage on rolls to resist being moved by another creature.


2: Caiphon

Blessing. Gain +1 Wisdom up to 20, you cast the hunter's mark spell once between short and long rests without expending a spell slot or material components.

Curse. Disadvantage on wisdom (perception) checks against illusions while the sky is visible


3: Delban

Blessing. You can cast the sunbeam spell once between short and long rests without expending a spell slot or material components

Curse. You have disadvantage on wisdom (perception) checks at night while the sky is visible


4: Gibbeth

Blessing. You can cast the fear and cause fear spells once between long rests without expending a spell slot or material components

Curse. You have disadvantage on saving throws to resist being frightened

5: Hadar

Blessing. You can cast the arms of hadar and hunger of hadar spells once between long rests without expending a spell slot or material components

Curse. You have disadvantage on intelligence (investigation) checks to spot hidden creatures or objects


6: Ihbar

Blessing. You can cast the darkness spell once between long rests without expending a spell slot or material components, and you gain darkvision of 120 feet. If you already have darkvision, it extends out to 120 feet.

Curse. You have disadvantage on wisdom (perception) checks while in dim light or darkness


7: Khlrad

Blessing. You can cast the find the path spell once between long rests without expending a spell slot or any material components

Curse. You have disadvantage on saving throws against psychic effects and illusions


8: Nihal

Blessing. You can cast the insect plague spell once between long rests without expending a spell slot or material components

Curse. You have disadvantage on intelligence (investigation) checks


9: Ulban

Blessing. You can cast the confusion spell once between long rests without expending a spell slot or material components

Curse. You have disadvantage on initiative checks


10: Zhudun

Blessing. You can cast the animate dead and speak with dead spells once between long rests without expending a spell slot or material components

Curse. Your first attack roll against an undead creature on your turn in combat is made with disadvantage

 

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