Otherworldly Patron: The Undying
Death holds no sway over your patron, who has unlocked the secrets of everlasting life, although such a prize—like all power—comes at a price. Once mortal, the Undying has seen mortal lifetimes pass like the seasons, like the flicker of endless days and nights. It has the secrets of the ages to share, secrets of life and death. Beings of this sort include Vecna, Lord of the Hand and the Eye; the dread Iuz; the lich-queen Vol; the Undying Court of Aerenal; Vlaakith, lich-queen of the githyanki; and the deathless wizard Fistandantalus.
In the Realms, Undying patrons include Larloch the Shadow King, legendary master of Warlock's Crypt, and Gilgeam, the God-King of Unther.
Rework
The Undying patron needed a little help to join the rest of the warlock patrons in terms of mechanical strength. This version provides stronger options for the player, while closely sticking to the subclass theme. Additionally, your Undying Traits serve as milestones on your journey toward an eventual undead existance.
Expanded Spell List
The Undying lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. The following spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.
Undying Expanded Spells
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | false life, ray of sickness |
| 2nd | blindness/deafness, silence |
| 3rd | feign death, speak with dead |
| 4th | aura of life, death ward |
| 5th | contagion, raise dead |
Undying Cantrips
At 1st level, you learn the spare the dying and chill touch cantrips. They count as warlock cantrips for you, but they don't count against your number of cantrips known. You can use spare the dying as a bonus action.
Defy Death
Starting at 1st level, you can give yourself vitality when you cheat death or when you help someone else cheat it. You can regain hit points equal to 1d8 + your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 hit point) when you succeed on a death saving throw and when you stabilize a creature with spare the dying.
Once you activate this feature by succeeding on a death saving throw, you can't trigger it this way again until you finish a long rest. Likewise, once you activate this feature by stabilizing another creature with spare the dying, you can't trigger it this way again until you finish a long rest.
Undying Trait
You gain advantage on saving throws against diseases.
Death Gaze
At 6th level you can force a creature to face it's own mortality simply by staring into its eyes. You can use an action to target one creature you can see within 30 feet. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the target is frightened of you for 1 minute or until you deal damage to it. The frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if it can you, ending the frightened condition on itself on a success.
At 14th level, targets of your Death Gaze who fail their initial saving throw are paralyzed until the end of your next turn, at which point they suffer the original effect of your Death Gaze.
Undying Trait
At 6th level you gain resistance to necrotic damage.
Undying Nature
Beginning at 10th level, you truly begin to take on the characteristics of your patron. You can hold your breath indefinitely, and you don't require food, water, or sleep, although you still require rest to reduce exhaustion and still benefit from finishing short and long rests.
In addition, you age at a slower rate. For every 10 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year, and you are immune to being magically aged.
Undying Trait
At 10th level you are granted immunity to diseases, poison damage, and the poisoned condition.
Indestructible Life
When you reach 14th level, you partake some of the true secrets of the Undying. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain hit points equal to 1d8 + your warlock level. Additionally, if you put a severed body part of yours back in place when you use this feature, the part reattaches.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.