My daughter's been dabbling into some homebrew for D&D 5th Edition - this is her first completed unit of new content. She was amused by the idea of a Warlock having the DM as their "Otherworldly Patron". I'm sure this isn't the first such, but she's interested in knowing if it looks reasonably balanced.
To my eye, it's not bad. Master's Knowledge looks strong - it was originally switched with Plot Armour, but I argued they should change places - but the effect is the same as Critical Role's Monk of the Cobalt Soul's 3rd level ability (3 levels earlier, but gated on a Flurry of Blows attack landing). The pact boon I think may be pushing it.
(FWIW, as the post author, rather than the implicit CC BY-SA 4.0. licence held by me, this subclass is CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. held by my daughter)
Warlock patron: The DM
Your patron is a puppet-master deity with control over the world around you. You understand that the events that befall you and the people you meet are controlled by the DM, the happenings are controlled by dice, and the whole world is understood like a book of rules by your patron.
Expanded Spell List
The DM 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.
DM expanded spell list
| Spell level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | Disguise self, identify |
| 2nd | Borrowed knowledge, detect thoughts |
| 3rd | Bestow curse, sending |
| 4th | Confusion, fabricate |
| 5th | Dominate person, modify memory |
Plot armour
Starting at 1st level, your patron has a fondness for you that means you can circumvent the chosen narrative in order to stay alive. You learn the shield spell, and can cast it once per day without expending a spell slot. This does not count against the number of warlock spells you know.
Additionally, when you succeed on a death saving throw, you become immediately stabilised with one hit point. You cannot use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
Master’s knowledge
Starting at 6th level, you can use your patron’s encompassing knowledge of the world to better understand your enemies. As a bonus action, you can ask your patron for information on a creature you can see. You learn all of its damage vulnerabilities, damage resistances, damage immunities, and condition immunities, as well as whether it’s hit point total is higher or lower than yours. You can do this a number of times per day equal to your charisma modifier.
Rule-bending
Beginning at 10th level, you can use your close understanding of the rules of the multiverse to bend them around yourself. As an action, you can choose one skill or tool; for 10 minutes, you have proficiency with the chosen skill or tool. You cannot use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
Additionally, when you cast a warlock spell, you can change the damage type to any other damage type. You may do this a number of times equal to your warlock level divided by three (rounded down). You regain all uses of this feature when you complete a long rest.
Rocks fall, everybody dies
When you reach 14th level, you can call upon and channel the rage of your patron. Once per day, you can call forth rocks to drop from the sky within 120 feet of you. These rocks fall in a 10ft radius circle, and all creatures must make a dexterity saving throw against your warlock spell DC or take 8d10 bludgeoning damage, or half as much on a successful save.
New pact boon: Pact of the die
(prerequisite: DM as patron)
- You are gifted a twenty-sided die as a representation of your patron; it is no larger than your palm, and looks however you wish it. You can use this as your spellcasting focus. This die has a number of uses equal to your proficiency bonus, and regains all expended uses at dawn.
- You may expend one use of the die to give yourself advantage on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw; to give another creature disadvantage on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw; or to roll two damage dice and choose which value to use.
- Should your die be lost, you can perform a 1-hour ritual to receive a new one from your patron, which can be done during a short rest. Your die ceases to exist if you die, or perform the 1-hour ritual to summon a new one.
