Warlock/Unearthed Arcana


 * To view the official mechanics and statistics of this class, see Warlock.

The material in this article is presented for playtesting and to spark your imagination. These game mechanics are in draft form, usable in your campaign but not refined by full game design and editing. They aren't officially part of the game and aren't permitted in D&D Adventurers League events. Ask your Dungeon Master before using any material on this page.

If Wizards of the Coast decides to make this material official, it will be refined based on your feedback, and then it will appear in a D&D book.

= Class Feature Variants = (Unearthed Arcana: Class Feature Variants)

Spell Versatility
1st-level warlock feature (enhances Pact Magic)

Whenever you finish a long rest, you can replace one spell you learned from this Pact Magic feature with another spell from the warlock spell list. The new spell must be the same level as the spell you replace.

Eldritch Invocation Options
2nd-level warlock feature (enhances Eldritch Invocations)

When you choose eldritch invocations, you have access to the following options.

Eldritch Armor
Prerequisite: Pact of the Blade feature

As an action, you can touch a suit of armor that isn't being worn or carried by anyone and instantly don it, provided you aren't wearing armor already. You are proficient with this suit of armor until it's removed.

= Revised Class Options = (Unearthed Arcana: Revised Class Options)

Warlock: Eldritch Invocations
At 2nd level, a warlock gains the Eldritch Invocations feature. Here are new options for that feature, in addition to those in the Player's Handbook.

If an eldritch invocation has a prerequisite, you must meet it to learn the invocation. You can learn the invocation at the same time that you meet its prerequisite. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class

Kiss of Mephistopheles
Prerequisite: 5th level, Eldritch Blast cantrip

When you hit a creature with your Eldritch Blast, you can cast Fireball as a bonus action using a warlock spell slot. However, the spell must be centered on a creature you hit with Eldritch Blast.

= Modern Magic = (Unearthed Arcana: Modern Magic)

The Ghost in the Machine
You have made a bargain for power granted by an entity that you believe to be completely digital. Whether it is a rogue AI or the spirit of a deceased hacker, the Ghost in the Machine is capable of feats that defy explanation.

Expanded Spell List
The Ghost in the Machine lets you choose from an expanded list of spells when you learn a warlock spell. You gain the On/Off cantrip, and the following new spells are added to the warlock spell list for you.

Bonus Proficiency
At 1st level, you gain proficiency with hacking tools.

Information Surge
At 1st level, you gain the ability to temporarily render computerized devices inoperable. As an action, you can target a computerized device within 30 feet of you. If the targeted device is held or otherwise actively used by a living creature, that creature must make an Intelligence saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the targeted device ceases to function until the end of your next turn. If the targeted device is not held or used by a creature, the DM makes a special saving throw for the device with disadvantage and a +0 modifier. Certain shielded devices might negate the disadvantage, at the DM's determination.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Wire Walk
Starting at 6th level, you gain the ability to travel short distances over electrical wires, data lines, or telephone cables. As a bonus action, you can touch a device or socket connected to a hardwired network and teleport along this network to another device or socket within your line of sight. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Personal Encryption
Beginning at 10th level, you have learned to apply your innate knowledge of encryption to your thoughts, memories, and presence. You have advantage on saving throws against scrying, thought detection, or any other method of magically learning your whereabouts or reading your thoughts. For any such effect that does not grant you a saving throw but which requires the creature targeting you to make an ability check, the check is made with disadvantage.

Technovirus
At 14th level, you gain the ability to infect a humanoid's body with living circuitry. You can use an action to make a melee attack against a humanoid creature using your spell attack modifier. The target must make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC as a techno-organic virus quickly spreads through its body. On a failed save, the target takes 8d10 psychic damage, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Additionally, if the target fails the saving throw, you can use an action to issue it a single command, as if you were casting the Command spell. The target makes its saving throw against your command with disadvantage. You can issue this command at any time while the target remains infected.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest, at which point the target is cured of the technovirus. The infection can also be removed with a lesser restoration spell.

Additional Invocation
Warlocks who favor modern weapons can learn to channel their magic through those weapons.

Arcane Gunslinger
Prerequisite: Pact of the Blade feature

You can create a pact weapon that is a sidearm or long arm, and you can transform a magical sidearm or long arm into your pact weapon.

= Warlock & Wizard = (Unearthed Arcana: Warlock & Wizard)

The Raven Queen
Your patron is the Raven Queen, a mysterious being who rules the Shadowfell from a palace of ice deep within that dread realm. The Raven Queen watches over the world, anticipating each creature's death and ensuring that it meets its end at the prescribed time and place. As the ruler of the Shadowfell, she dwells in a decayed, dark reflection of the world. Her ability to reach into the world is limited. Thus, she turns to mortal warlocks to serve her will. Warlocks sworn to the Raven Queen receive visions and whispers from her in their dreams, sending them on quests and warning them of impending dangers.

The Raven Queen's followers are expected to serve her will in the world. She concerns herself with ensuring that those fated to die pass from the world as expected, and bids her agents to defeat those who seek to cheat death through undeath or other intimations of immortality. She hates intelligent undead and expects her followers to strike them down, whereas mindless undead such as skeletons and zombies are little more than stumbling automatons in her eyes.

Expanded Spell List
The Raven Queen 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.

Sentinel Raven
Starting at 1st level, you gain the service of a spirit sent by the Raven Queen to watch over you. The spirit assumes the form and game statistics of a raven, and it always obeys your commands, which you can give telepathically while it is within 100 feet of you.

While the raven is perched on your shoulder, you gain darkvision with a range of 30 feet and a bonus to your passive Perception score and to Perception checks. The bonus equals your Charisma modifier. While perched on your shoulder, the raven can't be targeted by any attack or other harmful effect; only you can cast spells on it; it can't take damage; and it is incapacitated.

You can see through the raven's eyes and hear what it hears while it is within 100 feet of you. In combat, you roll initiative for the raven and control how it acts. If it is slain by a creature, you gain advantage on all attack rolls against the killer for the next 24 hours.

The raven doesn't require sleep. While it is within 100 feet of you, it can awaken you from sleep as a bonus action. The raven vanishes when it dies, if you die, or if the two of you are separated by more than 5 miles.

At the end of a short or long rest, you can call the raven back to you — no matter where it is or whether it died — and it reappears within 5 feet of you.

Soul of the Raven
At 6th level, you gain the ability to merge with your raven spirit. As a bonus action when your raven is perched on your shoulder, your body merges with your raven's form. While merged, you become Tiny, you replace your speed with the raven's, and you can use your action only to dash, disengage, dodge, help, hide, or search. During this time, you gain the benefits of your raven being perched on your shoulder. As an action, you and the raven return to normal.

Raven's Shield
At 10th level, the Raven Queen grants you a protective blessing. You gain advantage on death saving throws, immunity to the frightened condition, and resistance to necrotic damage.

Queen's Right Hand
Starting at 14th level, you can channel the Raven Queen's power to slay a creature. You can cast Finger of Death. After you cast the spell with this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Eldritch Invocations
At 2nd level, a warlock gains the Eldritch Invocations feature. Here are new play test options for that feature.

Many of these new invocations are tied to a patron, allowing you to strengthen the bond between your warlock and an otherworldly patron.

Two of the invocations are associated with the Seeker, a patron that appeared in another installment of Unearthed Arcana.

Burning Hex
Prerequisite: The Hexblade patron

As a bonus action, you cause a target cursed by your Hexblade's Curse to take fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).

Caiphon's Beacon
Prerequisite: The Great Old One patron

The purple star Caiphon is the doom of inexperienced mariners. Those who use its deceptive light to guide their travels invariably come to ruin. You gain proficiency in the Deception and Stealth skills, and you have advantage on attack rolls against charmed creatures.

Chilling Hex
Prerequisite: The Hexblade patron

As a bonus action, you cause frost to swirl around a target cursed by your Hexblade's Curse, dealing cold damage to each of your enemies within 5 feet of the target. The cold damage equals your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1).

Claw of Acamar
Prerequisite: Pact of the Blade feature, The Great Old One patron

You can create a black, lead flail using your Pact of the Blade feature. The flail's head is sculpted to resemble a pair of grasping tentacles. The weapon has the reach property. When you hit a creature with it, you can expend a spell slot to deal an additional 2d8 necrotic damage to the target per spell level, and you can reduce the creature's speed to 0 feet until the end of your next turn.

Chronicle of the Raven Queen
Prerequisite: Raven Queen patron, Pact of the Tome feature

You can place a corpse's hand or similar appendage on your Book of Shadows and ask one question aloud. After 1 minute, the answer appears written in blood in your book. The answer is provided by the dead creature's spirit to the best of its knowledge and is translated into a language of your choice. You must use this ability within 1 minute of a creature's death, and a given creature can only be asked one question in this manner.

Curse Bringer
Prerequisite: Pact of the Blade feature, The Hexblade patron

You can create a greatsword forged from silver, with black runes etched into its blade, using your Pact of the Blade feature. If you reduce a target cursed by your Hexblade's Curse to 0 hit points with this sword, you can immediately change the target of the curse to a different creature. This change doesn't extend the curse's duration.

When you hit a creature with this weapon, you can expend a spell slot to deal an additional 2d8 slashing damage to the target per spell level, and you can reduce the creature's speed to 0 feet until the end of your next turn.

Moon Bow
Prerequisite: Pact of the Blade feature, The Archfey patron

You can create a longbow using your Pact of the Blade feature. When you draw back its string and fire, it creates an arrow of white wood, which vanishes after 1 minute. You have advantage on attack rolls against lycanthropes with the bow. When you hit a creature with it, you can expend a spell slot to deal an additional 2d8 radiant damage to the target per spell level.

Path of the Seeker
Prerequisite: The Seeker patron

The Seeker bids you to travel in search of knowledge, and little can prevent you from walking this path. You ignore difficult terrain, have advantage on all checks to escape a grapple, manacles, or rope bindings, and advantage on saving throws against being paralyzed.

Raven Queen's Blessing
Prerequisite: The Raven Queen patron, Eldritch Blast cantrip

When you score a critical hit with your Eldritch Blast cantrip, pick yourself or an ally you can see within 30 feet of you. The chosen creature can immediately expend a hit die to regain hit points equal to the roll + the creature's Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 hit point).

Seeker's Speech
Prerequisite: The Seeker patron

When you complete a long rest, you can pick two languages. You gain the ability to speak, read, and write the chosen languages until you finish your next long rest.

Superior Pact Weapon
Prerequisite: 9th level, Pact of the Blade feature

Any weapon you create using your Pact of the Blade feature is a +2 weapon. This invocation doesn't affect a magic weapon you transformed into your pact weapon.

Ultimate Pact Weapon
Prerequisite: 15th level, Pact of the Blade feature

Any weapon you create using your Pact of the Blade feature is a +3 weapon. This invocation doesn't affect a magic weapon you transformed into your pact weapon.

= The Faithful = (Unearthed Arcana: The Faithful)

The Seeker
Your patron is an inscrutable being who travels the Astral Plane in search of knowledge and secrets. In return for your patron's gifts, you wander the world seeking lore that you can share with the Seeker.

Your patron could be any deity or other powerful entity dedicated to knowledge or forgotten lore. Celestian is an ideal patron for a Greyhawk campaign, and was the inspiration for this concept. In the Forgotten Realms, your patron might be Azuth or Oghma. Aureon makes an excellent patron in Eberron, while in Krynn and the Dragonlance campaign setting, Gilean is a good match for the Seeker's role.

Expanded Spell List
The Seeker 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.

Shielding Aurora
Starting at 1st level, you can invoke the Seeker's power to protect you from harm. As a bonus action, you create a whirling aurora of brilliant energy that swirls around you. Until the end of your next turn, you gain resistance to all damage, and if a hostile creature ends its turn within 10 feet of you, it takes radiant damage equal to your warlock level + your Charisma modifier.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Pact Boon: Pact of the Star Chain
At 3rd level, a character dedicated to the Seeker can select this option instead of one of the warlock's existing Pact Boon options.

The Seeker grants you a chain forged from starlight, decorated with seven gleaming motes of brightness. While the chain is on your person, you know the Augury spell and can cast it as a ritual. The spell doesn't count against your number of spells known.

Additionally, you can invoke the Seeker's power to gain advantage on an Intelligence check while you carry this item. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

If you lose your Star Chain, you can perform a 1-hour ceremony to receive a replacement from the Seeker. The ceremony can be performed during a short or long rest, and it destroys the previous chain. The chain disappears in a flash of light when you die.

The exact form of this item might be different depending on your patron. The Star Chain is inspired by the Greyhawk deity Celestian.

Astral Refuge
At 6th level, you gain the ability to step into an astral refuge. As an action, you disappear from the world for a brief moment and enter the Astral Plane, taking advantage of its timeless nature. While in your astral refuge, you can take two actions to cast spells that target only you. After using those two actions, you return to the space you occupied and your turn ends.

Far Wanderer
At 10th level, you no longer need to breathe, and you gain resistance to fire damage and cold damage.

Astral Sequestration
Starting at 14th level, you gain the ability to sequester yourself and your allies on the Astral Plane.

By performing a special ritual over the course of 5 minutes, you shift yourself and up to ten willing creatures you can see to the Astral Plane. You and those creatures gain the benefits of a short rest while sequestered on the Astral Plane. You then return to the spaces you all occupied when you used this ability, with no time having passed in the world.

During this short rest, you and the creatures you sequester can make use of any options available during a rest that affect only you and the creatures you sequester.

Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.

= Subclasses, Part 4 = (Unearthed Arcana: Subclasses, Part 4)

The Undead
The Undead is an entity that resides in the dark corners of the multiverse. Your patron could be Acererak, Azalin, Lord Soth, Strahd, or some other ancient undead being. You may seek to gain knowledge from your patron's countless lifetimes of experience, while it may see you as a piece of a centuries long plan.

Expanded Spell List
The Undead 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.

Form of Dread
1st-level Undead feature

You manifest an aspect of your patron's dreadful power. As a bonus action, you transform for 1 minute. You gain the following benefits while transformed:
 * You gain temporary hit points equal to 1d10 + your warlock level.
 * Once during each of your turns, when you hit a creature with an attack, you can force it to make a Wisdom saving throw, and if the saving throw fails, the target is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
 * You are immune to the frightened condition.

You can transform a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

The appearance of your Form of Dread reflects some aspect of your patron. For example, your form could be a shroud of shadows forming the crown and robes of your lich patron, or your face might transform into bat-like features due to your vampire patron.

Grave Touched
6th-level Undead feature

Your patron's powers have a profound effect on your body and magic. You don't need to eat, drink, or breathe.

In addition, when you hit a creature with an attack and roll damage against the creature, you can replace the damage type with necrotic damage. While you are using your Form of Dread, you can roll one additional damage die when determining the necrotic damage the target takes.

Mortal Husk
10th-level Undead feature

Your connection to undeath and necrotic energy now saturates your body. You have resistance to necrotic damage. If you are transformed using your Form of Dread, you instead become immune to necrotic damage.

In addition, when you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can cause your body to explode. Each creature within 30 feet of you takes necrotic damage equal to 2d10 + your warlock level. You then revive with 1 hit point in your previous space, along with your gear, and you gain 1 level of exhaustion. Once you revive this way, you can't do so again until you finish 1d4 long rests.

Spirit Projection
14th-level Undead feature

Your body is now simply a vessel for your spirit. As an action, you can project your spirit from your body. The body you leave behind is unconscious and in a state of suspended animation.

Your spirit can remain outside your body for up to 1 hour or until your concentration is broken (as if concentrating on a spell). When your projection ends, your spirit returns to your body or your body magically teleports to your spirit's space (your choice).

While projecting your spirit, you gain the following benefits:
 * Your spirit and body gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
 * When you cast a spell of the conjuration or necromancy school, the spell doesn't require verbal, somatic, or material components that lack a gold cost.
 * You have a flying speed equal to your walking speed and can hover. You can move through creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain, but you take 1d10 force damage if you end your turn inside a creature or an object.
 * While you are using your Form of Dread, once during each of your turns when you deal necrotic damage to a creature, you regain hit points equal to half the amount of necrotic damage dealt.

Once you use this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.